Nusr-Et Steakhouse Miami
Steak house · Miami Financial District
999 Brickell Ave, Miami, FL 33131
Highlights
Swanky Turkish steakhouse with flamboyant flair & delicious meat
Swanky Turkish steakhouse with flamboyant flair & delicious meat
"As of June 2025 this location remained open and was one of only two U.S. outposts still operating." - Rebecca Roland
"A Miami outpost of the celebrity-backed steakhouse is facing a collective-action lawsuit after a server, Melissa Compere, sued in federal court alleging illegal tip pooling and failure to pay minimum wage and overtime. She claims the restaurant combined guest tips and a separately listed service charge into a pool that was shared with non-tipped employees — including coffee makers, sushi makers, and management — and that the distribution left tipped staff below Florida's minimum-wage requirements; a judge has ruled that other tipped employees may join the case, potentially expanding it to as many as 200 workers. The dispute hinges on Florida law allowing a flat service fee to be used to recoup certain losses but requiring that money listed as tips go directly to employees whose pay depends on gratuities. The location is part of a chain fronted by Turkish butcher Nusret Gökçe (Salt Bae), whose theatrical celebrity persona and prior controversies — from high-profile clientele and earlier tip-related litigation to reported health-code concerns and political flashpoints — have shadowed the restaurants; the chain is owned by billionaire Ferit Sahenk, who is reportedly considering large asset sales, adding potential financial uncertainty." - Jenny G. Zhang
"The Miami location was a target of protests — more than 100 demonstrators demanded an apology over the chef’s meeting with Maduro — and the backlash extended online and through public figures, including criticism from Senator Marco Rubio." - Greg Morabito
"A Miami branch of the chef's restaurants became a target amid the wider controversy: following protests and negative online reaction to the chef's high-profile service to Nicolás Maduro, a Republican senator tweeted the restaurant's phone number and urged followers to inundate it with complaints, increasing public pressure on the establishment." - Chris Fuhrmeister
"After footage of the Istanbul dinner circulated, roughly 100 Venezuelan protesters gathered outside the Miami (Brickell) branch, chanting in Spanish and holding signs showing hungry children while demanding an apology. The demonstrations drew public condemnation from figures such as Senator Marco Rubio and triggered coordinated online backlash—including waves of one-star Yelp reviews accusing the restaurateur of supporting a tyrant and calling the restaurant overpriced and overhyped—amplified by the chef’s prior controversial posts (for example, a photo of himself dressed as Fidel Castro) that had already generated local ire." - Whitney Filloon
