Naomi's Garden Restaurant & Lounge

"The food at Naomi’s is great. The jerk chicken, oxtail, and fried snapper are all just about as good as you’ll find in Little Haiti, but the food isn’t even our favorite thing about this place. We love Naomi’s little garden seating area, which you could easily miss from the street. It’s a lush, comfortable courtyard where you can befriend a rooster, lay in a hammock, and really feel like you’re eating on an island in the Caribbean." - ryan pfeffer

"Just when you think more pieces of jerk chicken couldn’t possibly fit inside Naomi’s takeout containers, they prove you wrong by adding two more chunks to the pile. Holding the box with one hand—while using the other to grip their refreshing soursop juice—makes our tiny biceps flex with maximum effort. Luckily it’s a short commute to the beautiful patio, where you can take your sweet time and replenish those muscles with protein. Because you’ll be hauling that box back home, where it’ll live in your refrigerator for a while." - mariana trabanino, ryan pfeffer, virginia otazo

"At Naomi’s, it’s business in the front, enchanting garden in the back. The blue house in Little Haiti makes a jerk chicken that’s juicy and has a poignant kick to it. Couple that with their spicy pikliz, and get ready to chug an entire cup of soursop juice for some relief. Since it’s a steam counter, it’s easy to take your food to go, but then you’d be missing out on having lunch in their garden. It’s filled with beautiful flora and mismatched furniture that make it feel like a neighborhood barbecue. photo credit: Cleveland Jennings" - Mariana Trabanino

"Naomi’s Garden is a classic Little Haiti spot with some of the best Haitian and Caribbean food in Miami. They serve oxtail, whole fried snapper, jerk chicken, and a lot of vegetarian and vegan options that come in very big portions. It’s all served out of a steam counter cafeteria-style, so there’s no waiting around. If you’re really running late, you can even order your food ahead and pay for it online so it’ll be ready for you when you arrive. If you have just a little time to sit and eat, go around the corner to the garden for one of the best hidden patios in Miami." - carlos c olaechea, ryan pfeffer

"From the street, Naomi’s just looks like a little takeout spot. But after you order from their menu of Haitian and Caribbean dishes, walk around to the side of the building and find the garden seating. It’s a casual space with plenty of tables, a couple of loud roosters, a small stage for occasional live music, and a few hammocks you’re welcome to use in case you overdid it with their great jerk chicken. Naomi’s is one of the best restaurants in Little Haiti, but it’s such a relaxing space that we’d come on a pretty day just to read a book and have a passion fruit juice. " - ryan pfeffer, virginia otazo