Yardbird Southern Table and Bar, South Beach’s hottest new restaurant

The tradition of Southern food is a long standing one, and everyone knows how great the food tastes south of the Mason Dixie line. When you think of Southern cooking you probably think of fried chicken, mash, grits, or the classic fried green tomatoes. But finding this kind of food in South Beach has been pretty much impossible… until now.

Yardbird Southern Table and Bar finally opened its doors this month on the corner of 16th and Lenox Ave. It is owned by the restaurant group 50 Eggs who are the same people that brought us Lime Mexican Grill. And they know how to open a successful restaurant. Yardbird has been packed every night since opening with a line for tables that goes out the door.

The restaurant seats 200 people and there is a bar area to have a drink while you wait for your table. The bar focuses mainly on bourbon, holding true to the Southern vibe, and the house cocktails on offer include Blackberry Bourbon Lemonade, Southern Peach and Bourbon Crusta, served in classic lemonade glasses.

SERVING SOUTHERN FOOD AND HOSPITALITY

But it’s the Southern cuisine that has got the Miami locals excited. Until now we have had dozens of restaurants to choose from including Mexican, sushi, Italian, American and Chinese but nowhere that offered classic dishes from the South. And Yardbird does not disappoint. Head Chef Jeff McInnis has created a menu meant for sharing with friends round the dinner table rather than individual starters and main courses. Dishes are made from scratch and brought to the table as soon as they are ready so instead of formal courses you get a feeling of eating at a friend’s house.

The small plates to share include fried green tomatoes, meatloaf, fried chicken with biscuits, salads and cheese plates. I chose the Farmers Salad which was described as eggs with seasonal vegetables tossed in an onion vinaigrette. In reality it was a delicious medley of grilled corn, carrots, onions, tomatos and avocado with iceburg lettuce and hard boiled eggs. My dining companion opted for the more traditional Southern choice of meatloaf. His plate arrived with mash and gravy, homemade tomato jam and fried okra. Both plates were perfect for sharing and then we were onto the main course.

SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

The bigger plates to share include shrimp ‘n’ grits, vegetable pot pie, sweet tea southern ribs and of course the Southern fried chicken. Along with that you can also order side dishes of grits, mac ‘n’ cheese, biscuits, garlic mash, and waffle fries. With so much to choose from we decided on the oven roasted pumpkin and the fried chicken. The pumpkin came out looking like a creation from the game Jenga, with juicy pieces piled on top of the other and a maple-pecan syrup lightly poured over the top. The fried chicken arrived fresh and mouth watering, complete with waffles and watermelon and a spicy honey syrup. Well, nobody said the Southern diet was healthy.

Yardbird has been an instant success since opening and once you visit, you can understand why. The service is great and in a rare move made by the owners, gratuity is not included so instead of having a bored unhelpful server, you are looked after by friendly helpful ones. Prices are reasonable with small plates starting at $6 and bigger plates starting at $17. The atmosphere on a Saturday night was busy and fun but not so loud that you can’t hold a conversation. And try to book a table in advance if you can. Even with a reservation there was a short wait for the table and people end up crowding out the door as the evening goes on. But the food, atmosphere and overall experience of dining out at Yardbird is definitely worth it. This restaurant may be new to the Miami scene but it is definitely here to stay.

Yardbird Southern Table and Bar
16th Street & Lenox Avenue
Miami Beach, Florida 33139
Phone: 305.538.5220

Related Categories: Miami: Food & Restaurant News, A SoBe resident for 5 years, Jess’s writing focuses on healthy living in South Beach with a dose of British humor and a cheerful outlook on life in Miami. She can be found moderating the forum Miami Beach 411. See more articles by Jess. See more articles by Jess Was This Post Helpful? Please Share It With Others! Tweet

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