Best Casual Restaurants in Mission Bay / South Beach

Superb food and excellent service. Chicken, lamb chops and the fish were outstanding. Highly recommend.

My wife and I recently took my sister and her husband, who were visiting from Charlotte, to State Bird Provisions, and it was nothing short of amazing. The food was absolutely exceptional—each dish was a perfect blend of creativity and flavor. My sister and her husband couldn’t stop raving about how unique the food was, especially the bold use of spices. It was a hit with all of us! The ambiance was also fantastic. The space has a warm and inviting vibe that strikes the perfect balance between trendy and comfortable, making it a great spot for both special occasions and casual nights out. What truly elevated our experience, though, was our waiter. He was excellent—extremely friendly, attentive, and impressively knowledgeable about the menu. He had such a genuine enthusiasm for the food and shared thoughtful recommendations, which we greatly appreciated. At one point, we mentioned we’d heard Ryan Gosling had dined here, and he surprised us by saying he’d actually been Ryan’s waiter! He even told us about the time Ryan came in with Eva Mendes and their two kids. Such a cool story to hear directly from someone who was part of it! State Bird Provisions delivered on every level: amazing food, great atmosphere, and top-notch service. My sister and her husband loved it as much as we did. We’ll definitely be back and can’t recommend it highly enough!

Service, quality, flavor: all impeccable. The gardiniera was so perfectly balanced, fresh and interesting with celery, radish, and fennel. I knew it would be great, but was even better than that. My table mate who doesn’t generally care for anything pickled was blown away. The chicories were gorgeous, colorful, and delicious. The tagliatelle was absolutely stunning both texturally and depth of flavor. Tiramisu and chocolate budino are exquisite, truly. Save room for dessert. I loved the NA passion fruit cocktail and sparkling blanc de blanc. Such a treat to have something n thoughtful and delicious for folks who aren’t drinking. It’s a beautiful dining room. I sat on the banquet on the south wall and felt like I was under a spotlite. A little less overhead light intensity would take it from a 9 to a 10.

My family and I dined at La Connessa for the first time on Christmas Eve. The service was exceptional from the moment we arrived. The host warmly welcomed us, the bartender was engaging and friendly, and our waitress was incredibly attentive throughout the evening. The restaurant's ambiance is absolutely stunning. We enjoyed the Christmas Eve pre-fixed menu. The cocktails were a highlight; my sister and I especially loved the Greyhound's Tooth and The Avenue. For our first courses, the winter citrus and chicory salad and the beef carpaccio were fantastic. Our second courses were equally delicious. We had the roasted chanterelle mushroom risotto and the rib-eye tagliata. Both dishes were flavorful and perfectly prepared. While the persimmon crostata we all had was yummy, we were a bit disappointed that we couldn't sample the dark chocolate budino as the restaurant had run out. The only downside to our otherwise lovely evening was the pacing. There was a noticeable wait between courses. Overall, we had a wonderful dining experience at La Connessa.

We loved the live musical performance! The tropical atmosphere feels like being on vacation in Hawaii!