Dojo Izakaya

What a cute little spot! We sat outside and loved the relaxing ambiance. Our server, Johnathan, was great — very thorough in explaining the different flavors on the menu and gave awesome recommendations. We tried the hamachi and karaage chicken, and ended up ordering another hamachi dish because it was that good! The only reason I’m giving 4 stars instead of 5 is because the menu is a bit limited — it’s more of a flavor experience than a full-course meal. Still, definitely recommend checking it out!

Dojo Izakaya’s Miami Spice menu is a mix of flavors that respects traditional Japanese fusion. Starters set the tone with bright contrasts. I had the HAWAIIAN KAMPACHI with creamy ponzu, heart of palm, serrano. It had great taste and the Serrano kicked in nicely on the palate. The hamachi sashimi with strawberries and Fresno chili balances sweetness and heat like a tightrope walker. The tuna & crispy rice is crisp, savory, and addictive, a dish. The appetizers are small portions. Mains keep the rhythm going. The Japanese fried chicken, paired with yuzu kosho ranch, is crisp outside, juicy inside, and lifted by basil. It’s worth a try with unique flavors. The grilled branzino, rich with dashi butter, is a dish that should let the fish speak for itself, however, the sea salt over powered the Natural taste of Branzino. Since I like spice, I should have tried the shishito peppers with yuzu salt and sesame that comes with heat. The panna cotta brings tea, fruit, and herb with granola was tasty. They also offer a sundae you should try. The service was friendly and knowledgeable but stingy on the tea. It’s worth the visit.

Really amazing food. One of my favorite meals in recent years. Highly highly highly recommend the kampachi, grilled mushrooms, and hanger steak. Tuna terrine and fried chicken were also tasty. Service was great as well. Very friendly and excellent recommendations.

Two appetizers are good, other than that, 4 dishes we ordered is not that good. And server continuously ask us is everything ok, which make me feel embarrassed bc that food is not good. We ordered the pork chop and it has the blood…. Not the pink blood… the dark red one…. And the salty fish…. And 20% required tip…. A little bit speechless

What a fantastic experience! Every dish was thoughtfully prepared with fresh ingredients, and the flavors were bold, unique, and absolutely delicious. Our server, Sam, was attentive, knowledgeable, and made us feel truly welcome. We loved every moment and can’t wait to return!

Luis was amazing. He recommended all the best dishes. We loved the tuna and melon, the fried chicken, the brisket, the hamachi collar. It was all amazing. Thank you Luis and Dojo!

Just a phenomenal Japanese tapas style restaurant with inspired and unique dishes. Every one packed with flavor and memorable. GET THE MUSHROOMS! They are exceptional and I’m not a vegan or whatever. They’re that good. Will be back here.

Such a good and different place. The service is stellar. The decor is minimal but cute. The food is AMAZING and the drinks are sake based but very very delicious. Our server Sam was very knowledgeable. Ordered one of each and loved everything about it. It’s not a traditional restaurant but it’s very spot on with flavors.

Came here with a fellow yelper as she told me it got stunning reviews! We sat outside on the patio and the weather was gorgeous in the 70s on a Saturday night. The vibe was so cute as there were little shops and bistro lighting surrounding the seating area. We started with the short rib onigiri which was essentially like a rice ball with black nori on the outside with short rib on the inside. It was super tasty and fresh. The sauce was pretty spicy, but smooth. We got the baked Japanese sweet potato and the ribeye for the main course. The sweet potato was crunchy, sweet & fresh! The ribeye was fantastic and cooked medium to perfection. Chef sent us the Osaka salad on the house which I thought was extremely kind! The yum yum dressing was a great touch. Service was a bit slow, we had to ask for certain things multiple times such as water refills and the check. Overall super yummy!

Dōjō Izakaya & Sake Bar, located in Coral Gables, comes from the team behind the Michelin rated and James Beard nominated Zitz Sum so naturally, expectations were high. I absolutely love Zitz Sum, so I was really excited to try Dōjō and wanted to love it, but unfortunately I left feeling a bit disappointed. Nothing we ordered was bad, but nothing really wowed us either. The menu only offered three cocktails, and I tried the Tokyo Havana which is their take on an espresso martini using sake, coffee, Chazalette's, and milk froth. I really wanted to enjoy it, but I just couldn't. It wasn't drinkable for me, and I almost never send drinks back. We started with the Rock Shrimp which has chili brown butter, herbs, and shokupan which sounded amazing but ended up being overly spicy and lacking in balance. The Short Rib Onigiri which was huancaína, teriyaki, pickles also missed the mark , it was just okay. For mains, we shared the Grilled Branzino and the Prime Rib Eye. The rib eye was easily the best dish of the night super flavorful and cooked perfectly while the fish was pretty bland. The highlight of the meal was actually the Baked Japanese Sweet Potato with smoked maple and creme fraiche, which was delicious if you like sweet. We skipped dessert, worried we'd be disappointed again. Service was also a letdown .. super slow, inattentive, and we had to ask for water refills multiple times. The check took forever to arrive, which didn't help the overall experience. Overall, Dōjō has potential, but it didn't live up to the hype or to the standards set by Zitz Sum. Hopefully, it improves with time because the concept and team have so much promise.

The kind of place that's become all too common in this city. It's not *bad* per se; dishes are prepared in a technically sound manner, quality ingredients, etc. But I would describe this as the equivalent of a place where they put cream in their $28 Carbonara but it tastes pretty good. Is it good? Sure Is it true to the cuisine? No. Does it justify the price tag? Maybe, but I'd rather find a better place at this price point. You've heard it all before: small plates, innovative takes (on a cuisine that didn't demand innovation in the first place), and at the end of the night you're left wondering how the night got away from you when the three figure tab hits the table. The wine list is "innovative"--read: 4x markup on wines with fun labels from Whole Foods (they pair decently with the food I suppose). The service is friendly but inattentive. Don't bother with the cocktails. Cap it all off with doughy dessert (any pastry chef in house to justify the price tag?) and a 20% service charge and you'll be in the same place I am: 'I'd be stoked if this were $50 cheaper.' Again, this is our world in Miami. You know it, you might love it or question it, but it's your reality. This is the norm--though exceptions are out there. For my part I'd rather find those exceptions.

Nice spot to have dinner. The area has alot of restaurants and bars in the area and ample outdoor seating. We were seated right away by the kind hostess. Our server was also quick and attentive. We started with the kampachi crudo: big chunks of juicy fish with serrano chilis. Very tasty with a little kick. this was my favorite item. We had a dish with tuna on grilled bread with stracciatella and it was just okay. The duck handrolls were very good, the only downfall was I had two bones in mine. Their fried chicken was just okay to me. The sauce was good to dip, and the meat was tender. I feel like the meat was under seasoned. Tonkatsu is good to try if you've never had it, but for someone who has had it before, its not too good. Very under seasoned and overcooked. I agree with the reviews above that it is a fun place to check out if you've never had Japanese cuisine, but for people who have, you may feel a little disappointed. The sake was probably my favorite part. Nigori was served chilled and it was really nice to sip on. I would return for happy hour to try their sandwiches and more sake.

Ok. Probably wont be back. As others mentioned the music is so loud in the restaurant you cannot hear the server. The server goes through the whole menu describing each item and it was very difficult to hear. Service was really great and attentive. Food was good but not out of this world. In my opinion there was just something missing out of this dining experience.

We stopped by Dojo Izakaya on a date night and were blown away. The fried chicken was crispy, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned -- hands down the best we've had in Miami. The branzino was incredible too -- tender, fresh, and beautifully plated. Oh and the sweet potato was fire. Service was on point the entire time -- friendly, attentive, and the food came out fast without ever feeling rushed. The atmosphere is cozy but lively, with that perfect balance of casual and elevated. Definitely a new favorite spot in Miami. Can't wait to come back and try more of the menu! Also a great area outside to walk around and enjoy. We will be back.

From the team that brought you ZitSum is Dojo an izakaya restaurant and sake bar that truly made memorable mark on me. Let me show you why. The first dish Kampachi, everyone said I'd like that plate clean and I did. That creamy ponzu was everything. Now I'm a ikura lover so when I saw the smoked kama dip, I knew this dish was going to do it for me. You can't do Japanese food without a good karaage. Coming from the girl who had to check out every combini fried chicken, I can certify that this was fire. Now I didn't know I could love crispy rice until I saw this fluffy extra large version. They can't supersize it for me any day. Now if you can only have one dish, it's this the Wagyu filet. If they take this off their menu, I will be the first one to boycott. Because this dish did it for me. Just when I thought I couldn't feel more in Japan I took a bite of this curry and it was game over for me. I was gnawing at the bone

Oh my Jesus, was my immediate response after my first bite from my first dish and it only continued getting better after that. This spot will not disappoint. From start to finish and everything in between, this was a well-earned 5/5 experience. Gianna, the lovely hostess welcomed me with a warm smile and thanked me for arriving early to my reservation, porque ta tu sabes, Miami people are always tardy. lol! Anyhoot, she took me to my seat and made some recommendations that I simply couldn't ignore. When Johnn, my server, arrived, he echoed Gianna's suggestions. First dish: Kampachi, get ready for an amazing burst of flavor that ignites your tastebuds. You'll want to lick your plate after this one. Dish number two, I indulged in the delicious and perfectly seasoned and fried chicken thighs with ranch sauce. Main course was the branzino; oh my word, it's really good and made over their coal grill. To close out the experience, I had both of their desserts and they did not disappoint. The quality and impeccable service from the team; Dianne, Luis, Sam, Sophie, and the behind the scenes crew, this was phenomenal and I can't wait to go back! This is a spot you won't want to miss. The ambiance and sound of both the music and patrons were perfect and not noisy at all. It's a place where all are welcome; whether you're a party of one, two or more, you'll definitely have a great time. Check them out and enjoy!

Wow. The long anticipated second location by Chef Pablo Zitzmann and his team is finally here in the Gables, and damn are we lucky. You may have heard of their sister restaurant - Zitz Sum - also located in the Gables. I've been following Pablo and his team since his days at No Name Chinese, and also his pandemic pop up, so I knew that Dojo would be delish. I popped in last weekend during their soft opening with my friend and her parents. Luis was our server and started us off with some great wine recs. I was surprised to learn I enjoyed his suggestion of La Chupacabra - a chardonnay - as I don't normally like Chardonnay. We were popping in for dinner before an event that started at 10 pm that would also have food so this is what we ordered to share: +Baja Kampachi - the dashi cream on this is something that I would have gladly taken home on its own. I drank it all with a spoon. The fish was also great and I loved the pairing with the white asparagus. +Hokkaido Scallop: another interesting crudo that had florida corn in a white ponzu. +Karaage: these were delish little fried chicken oysters with ranch +Negima: this is probably one of the best chicken thighs I have ever had. It was prepared on a skewer and so juicy. Funny enough, at an event back in 2020 Chef Pablo prepared a chicken thigh that to this day is one of the best bites I have ever had, so I am not surprised this bite was one of my favorites of the evening. +Niman Ranch 14 oz Denver Steak: I loved everything about this, especially the little condiments that came with it. Overall, I loved my experience here. Pricing is also really reasonable. As they continue to evolve I'm sure the menu will rotate. I am also sure you can expect well-prepared, creative menu items, a solid wine list and friendly service.

What a fantastic meal and addition to Giralda. The flavors throughout the meal were exceptional, I am still thinking about the scallops with charred corn. Another highlight was the tunnato salad. The favors and profile of the dish were simply mind blowing. By far the best chicken I've had in a restaurant. The krab dip was fun but I wish it had a spicy component. The steak was flavorful, cooked perfectly and was delivered with delicious additions like the carrots. The server was very knowledgeable and was super attentive which seems to be hard to find in Miami. The establishment was spacious and you didn't feel like you were dining to close to anyone. I enjoyed this meal and look forward to frequently stopping by.

Loved this place. Went at 5:30pm and it was empty. By the time we left at 6:45, totally packed. Server was great, knowledgeable, attentive, caring. Food - even better. FYI, they don't have a full bar here but the sake cocktails are quite good. Scallop crudo was my favorite - huge chucks of scallop, as opposed to sliced thin, which was unique. The corn paired with the soy/ponzu type sauce was amazing paired with the sweet scallop. Good portion, and good price. The karaage for happy hour on a Friday was only $8! Great portion, great taste, incredible price. That dipping sauce was to die for, too. Tuna crudo was refreshing, cold, and I loved the ikura on top. the dynamite dip, while delicious, could be skipped. Will definitely come back here.

Yummy and fun! What a great addition to Giralda. We really enjoyed the tapas style Japanese- reminded us of quaint little places we enjoyed in Japan when we visited last year. Not fancy- in good way. Best to share everything.

Dōjō Izakaya was amazing! Small spot that felt like a hidden gem -- like being in a cozy shop in Japan. We had the chicken karaage, pork chop, and tuna crispy rice -- all . Flavors were on point. 100% adding this to our regular rotation!

Customer service was good, friendly staff and they were helpful. The place is very small and there was so much noise we preferred to wait 15 minutes more to sit outside. The food had that Japanese-more American than anything- influence, however, just from the menu you cannot have an idea of how the food will look like. We ordered the okonomiyaki and found it was similar to a Spanish omelette rather than okonomiyaki. We ordered the mushrooms and after almost an hour they brought the mushrooms in a broth and a raw egg and it did not taste good. I understand it is about a Japanese inspired menu (not really Japanese cuisine), but the food is overpriced for what you get. This was my experience, it varies depending on each individual and what they were looking for.

Fantastic restaurant. The food is incredible, creative, different, and more importantly original. This is the kind of spot that Giralda needed. The wine program is well curated and the sake selection is incredible and obscure. The food is well balanced and well executed. A home run.

We went to Dojo during the Giralda block party and had a reservation for 7:30pm. When we walked in, there was an immediate sewerage smell. Luckily, we got to sit outside which was so lovely. Our server was very kind the entire meal. We ordered several items to try, all of which we can see where Dojo was going with the dish, but seemed to fall a little short for us. To start, the hokaido and tuna dishes were both decent flavor wise, however the cuts of both were off. The hokaido was too thick, and it carried a decent scallopy taste but not in a good way. Otherwise the corn and other touches were great. The tuna was cut way too thick for the dish and very oddly paired with a smoked salmon roe and a weird chunk of avocado. You can get a tuna crudo anywhere, and almost everywhere else I've had it has been better which was a bit disappointing. The steak tartare ramen eggs were such a cool concept, but we were both so confused as to why there was a fruity taste to them, so they fell short for us. The karaage was good, but the coconut ranch sauce with yuzu koshu was way too lemony and didn't allow for the other elements to come through. The yaki soba noodles were such an interesting dish. Right when they came out, they were good, but once they sat for even five minutes, they became way too fishy, so we didn't finish them. The tonkatsu was okay. The crunch was phenomenal, but the actual pork part was incredibly poorly seasoned and had almost no flavor. I'm not a fan of the curry pairing, but plenty of people are. Here, you need the curry to give the pork any flavor. It was also quite expensive for a pork dish ($42). Overall, I think people will think Dojo is good if they haven't had these types of dishes before. For me, everything was fine, but it all fell a little flat. Happy we tried it, but no interest in going back.

Food and service 10/10. The kampachi is a must. Also tried the duck hand roll, karate and tonkatsu. Everything was delicious. Feel as though Miami doesn't have many Japanese/izakaya style restaurants so this is a great addition to the Coral Gables food scene.

Food in general is salty and heavy. Most importantly, first time ever having katsu curry without rice. I can't even order one because they don't have white rice to order.

AMAZING experience! This is my third time in DoJo and can't wait to go back. The food is fresh, plentiful, and so flavorful. The staff is welcoming, attentive, and friendly. The space is beautifully decorated and it's perfect for date night or dinner with friends. Would recommend 100%. 10/10 experience.

came back after my first visit and gotta tell you this place just gets better. the new dishes are killer and the wine list is just very very fun

I see the vision but it did not execute. Every dish fell flat. Curry was super thin and loose, the karaage was mid. Never been to any restaurant that serves curry without rice. An extra $8 for one cup of rice. I can buy a pound for that price. Felt straight up disrespectful. Server was great but would not come here again.

Terrible service - I went there last night knowing they had availability from checking open table. Didn't think I needed to go through the process of making a reservation with my credit card due to the fact that they had so many openings. When we arrived just before 7 on a Friday, the restaurant was nearly empty, the hosts said they had no tables and turned us away. Does this place not allow walk-ins? Why would they have a restaurant on Giralda ( a pedestrian street) if that was the case? And why wouldn't they say you can have a drink and an appetizer until the next seating arrives. I just have a bad taste in my mouth for this place all the way around. Bad business. Not friendly. Please go and hopefully a more friendly restaurant opens in its place.