Chow Down Grill

This is a very chill place with a kitchen open till 5 AM. I really like how they separated the bar and restaurant areas. The bar area provides these really neat 2 person booths that make it very intimate for romantic dinners. The food I have tried is excellent and I highly recommend the Pork Fried rice. It was one of the best I have ever had and that says a lot since I know my Chinese cuisine. After SF or NYC who would have thought that i would have one of the best in Miami Beach?
Drinks are good and fairly price.
I recommend it!

Diner last night at the location of South Beach. We had tried some appetizers from the location in Surfside but were not too convinced.
Tonight was good, the restaurant is not loud and the setting and décor are interesting and clean.
We shared an appetizer of egg roll which was good. Crispy and very well filled. They bring you a basket of different sauces (spicy, soy, duck, peanut, spicy mustard and plum).
For dinner i had the half chicken in sweet and sauce with pineapple, roasted red peppers and onions. I had a side of brown rice although i’m not the biggest fan of rice. The chicken was good, super crispy, the skin was delicious. The sauce was thick and it was perfect with some rice and veggies.
My husband ordered the General Chow’s with crispy fried chicken with roasted peppers in a spicy sauce. He ordered a side of white rice and loved his meal.
Dinner was good, service was good so i’m sure we’ll be back sometime. Price might be on the high side and parking tough to find though…

Chow Down’s space is as industrial as China itself. And I say that in the absolute best way possible. Brushed steel, hanging lamps, minimalist art and all the sake bombs and kamikazes you need to complete this post-​modern utopia in your mind. Ok, that might be taking it a little too far, but believe me: Chow Down Grill is a funky, chill space for some of the best Chinese around. But don’t expect the most traditional presentation of your take-​out favorites. Chow Down is a cut above, specializing in designer dim sum and artful flavors — without the hefty price tag.

Arrived a little after midnight and I encountered a small crowd which was nice since parking is limited. DJ was mixing some old school music. About two waitresses on the floor, but very cool atmosphere, no rushing here… take your time and be patient.
Portions are large so they are great for sharing. Waitress will bring to the table 6 sauces and introduced as spicy and sweet variations, the homemade soy sauce and coconut sauce were great.
For starters we ordered the Smoked Pork Egg roll which were cut up into fours for sharing and we also ordered the Duck Bao. (the Bao bun was amazing, i really miss eating this bun and the combination with the duck was awesome)
Ramen Noodle Soup was very large and we all shared. (this was ok. you may order meat, this would make it tastier)
For dinner my husband and I shared the House smoked baby back ribs, this was a large portion and i was already full when it arrived. My husband really enjoyed it and its served with two bao buns – which i love.
everything was very good and very fresh, i would def return again and try a different entrée.
staff was awesome and music/​dj was a plus.

Expected a cheesy cafeteria style restaurant and was pleasantly surprised upon walking in. The place is huge on the inside and they really made it cozy with dim lighting, dark colors and red Japanese pop art on the walls.
Service was excellent and so were the food and the prices. Dim sum sizes are the biggest I’ve ever seen and the chef makes all the dumplings and buns in house.
The shrimp and vegetable squid ink dumplings were, like I said, huge and very fresh.
Smoked duck bao… Ever since I’ve had these pillowy steamed buns in China, I look for them wherever I go. They are hard to find in Miami. Typically stuffed with pork meat, I was delighted to see a duck version on the menu. They are twice the size here, huge!!! Loved it.
Had them substitute tofu for beef in my moo shu, which was excellent, although a little bit brothy and therefore hard to wrap up in the pancakes without making a total mess.
Order the Silver bottle of sake for $ 25. It is very clean, crisp and slightly fruity.
Desserts did not disappoint either. Apparently, their pastry chef used to or still works at BLT steakhouse. We ordered the banana spring rolls a la mode and of course the white chocolate blueberry bread pudding. The bread pudding is yummy, moist in the middle, crispy on top. The banana spring rolls were even better although I could have easily had more than two of them as they were small. They were freshly fried, crispy with a gooey sweet banana filling, delish!
The prices here a very reasonable and it’s hard to find good dim sum in Miami, so this will be a definite repeat.

I went here for lunch one weekday and can’t say I was impressed. The restaurant was empty and my date and I were the only folks sitting inside. I had stir-​fried noodles that were just was not that great. The noodles were limp, the sauce a watery soy and vinegar concoction with not much flavor and the veggies and beef were mushy. My date had the lunch bento special which was also not good. When I go to a restaurant I expect food better than what I cook at home and Chowdown Grill was not able to deliver — our lunch came to almost $ 50 for items I could have made at home.
Seeing the other reviews of this place I am thinking the cooks had an off day or maybe we ordered the wrong items off the menu? If I go back (and I might based on my friends’ glowing reviews) I will try Chowdown Grill for dinner when the sushi bar is open and there is a bit more ambiance. Hopefully that can change my first impression.

Once you get past its somewhat cheesy name, cool dark décor, and quirky parking lot entrance, Chow Down Grill is as good as it gets for Chinese in Miami, particularly when you consider it’s excellent price to quality ratio.
Equally excellent Hakkasan runs twice the price, but Chow Down competes by presenting simply excellent, simple, and clean classic and modern Chinese dishes, from great steak, ramen, and udon, to fantastic homemade dumplings in different varieties. Their pale soy sauce is even made in-​house.
You can see that Chow Down’s owner has put a lot of thought into the place, and the effort pays off: we’ve had consistently excellent meals each time we’ve dined here, and the place has something to please an entire family.
Only other comments (and they’re small «nits») include: 1) I think the place fills up late, so if you come at an early dinner hour, you’re likely to be dining alone; 2) there’s a steady stream of take-​out visitors out front, a good sign; 3) perhaps befitting it’s late night rush hour, both rooms are dark, and the bar looks like a very cool place to hang.
But those are small comments.
I give «Chow Down» five stars because I view it as a «best of breed» Chinese restaurant in Miami, with stellar, thoughtfully prepared food for the price. While I’m not in the twenty-​something demographic that drops in after eleven, I’ll definitely be back to eat, and frequently.
Wish we had more places like this around this town.

After two visits I am in aww over this place. Located on Alton Rd. easy parking in lot or on street. The décor is simple and modern, very comfortable with the over sized booths. Both times we came the service was great.
Now the best part the food. A must try are the pork buns, delicious light buns with shredded pork that is so juicy and moist with excellent flavor.
Last visit I had the won ton soup, a huge bowl and it was delicious.
On the table are six different sauces in the cutest little bottle’s. Go on be daring, each one is so unique and our waiter explained what sauce goes best with each dish we ordered. And he was right, they add such incredible flavor.
From the noodles to the kitchen sink oh my. The kitchen sink is my favorite filled with noodles, broth, shrimp, beef, chicken, pork, and vegetables. Hubs and I shared it as they are very large portions. We also tried the fried won tons and IMO they were the best I have had.
The prices are reasonable, good food with a very nice selection of menu items to choose from, great service, very knowledgeable staff.
Go check it out, well worth it. Cheers!

Cozy place with spacious booths for large groups.
The dark lighting even during the day has a cool atmosphere to it. The reviews posted about the crab ragoons, and on our second helping we contemplated a third.
The happy hour drinks washed down our tasty food. We were questioning chinese food in Miami, but Chow Down proved us wrong.
Not overly greasy, the plates tasted freshly made with just cut ingredients.
If you have room for it the blue-​berry white chocolate bread pudding is amazing.

Came here with a friend who lives at the Mirador and WOW was I impressed. This place is located in a small strip mall on alton that I would normally never stop at. However once inside, the Chow Down grill is quite a nice venue. The inside is pretty large with a swank modern bar to the left and the restaurant to the right.
The chef here is from Doraku so the food is definitely legit. We absolutely enjoyed the unique rolls, delicious dumplings, and incredible fried rice we tried here.
Probably one of the best features is that Chow Down is open till 5AM on the weekends. Quite impressive considering the quality of the food here.
Great addition to the bay side of the island!

When I crave Chinese I’m coming here. I’m from New York and finding good Chinese in Miami is as difficult as finding a good guy who wants to get to know you before showing you his chopstick. Anyhoo. The ChowDown offers Chinese /​Vietnamese/​Thai fusion with all organic locally grown ingredients, no mgs, low salt. It all equals out to be deeelish.
I had the Udon Noodles with steak, pork and chicken. Portions are big enough for 2 to share. Excellent taste especially when I added some peanut sauce and some hotter sauce to it. Their sauces are all made in house. YUM!
I also had the organic free range egg drop soup. It was a tad bland but once you add some soy sauce it is pure heaven. I’m used to different Chinese food in NY so Chow Down was a pleasant surprise.
We also had the sesame chicken which was also different. No saucy, fried and sooo nice and light.
I’d skip the appetizer salad of jellyfish. It would be better if they gave more jellyfish. It seemed a bit skimpy a salad for $ 10.50 which leads me to the pricing…
Most dishes are between the $ 12 and $ 17 range. Not tragic but plan on $ 65 for two, which means 2 meals, 2 apps, 1 beer.
The décor is simple and cool. The outside is deceiving. On the other side is this long really cool looking bar. It’s across the street from my apartment so I’m curious to check this place out after midnight. THE MUSIC at least when we were there was all 80’s I LOVED IT! Nothing like Chinese food and some Howard Jones and YAZ. I felt like I was in a John Huges movie. Good local spot. I’ll be back!

On Wednesday night, I met one of my friends at Chow Down Grill for a drink… turned out I was also hungry.
Nice atmosphere – it doesn’t look at all like the laundromat it used to be! The service was, well, confusing. We sat at the bar and we were talking to everyone who worked there – the were super nice, but when it came time to order another drink, they were nowhere to be found. And when my friend wanted to order an Old Fashioned, he was met w/​a blank stare from the bartender.
The food was pretty good too. Not only are there quite a few vegan options on the menu, but they veganized a dish special for me, and were very clear about letting me know which sauces were vegan and what else I could order from the menu.
Overall impression: odd, yet nice service and good food. I’ll go back for sure.

its late at night and you hungry like a mofo. you need some food in yo belly so first thing that pops into your little head is pizza, bro. mediocre late night south beach pizza. hold up man. no need to submit yourself to that. chow dow grill serves proper til 5am. dine in and delivery. maybe you too lazy to get out of bed. maybe you at a stinky south beach hotel room, completely trashed, lonely and hungry. no need to worry son. tomorrow you be hungover and lonely but definitely not hungry. thats 1 down out of 3. whats up?
ive been here a couple of times. the first time i had the udon noodles with pork, also shared some steamed dumplings (which were delish) with with partner in crime. we drank a bottle of sake too. unfiltered. whats up?
then i came back and tried the rice noodles. l love flat rice noodles. the fried rice is good too but my favorite thing is the array of sauces you get at your table, creative appetizers and dinner specials, fair prices… not precisely cheap but reasonable considering the cool deco and very warm service.
parking situation: if you drove here, get out of south beach. thanks.

Warning: my review might be biased because I experienced it at 3a.m.
But really… thank the universe for this place at any time of the night, and thank the Unilocaler’s Quick Tips because there’s a time and place when a menu is not going to help you and you are probably going to sit and stare at it for a long time without being capable to make a decission…
So, I followed your advice and ordered the Shrimp, Squid Ink dumplings (I think that’s what it was?) and some thing called Dao Duck which I couldn’t seem to find on the menu but the server knew what I was talking about. WWOOOOAHHHHH!
If you must remember ONE THING from this review, jot this down: bahn mai. A delicious bite of heaven disguised as a sandwich that will turn your world upside down.
The most amazing thing about all of it is that it was super cheap! You can’t ask for a better option at wee hours of the morning. Word to the wise… be careful with their delicious drinks, those will make some damage in your wallet… yikes

Late night dumpling spot for the win.
” Holy crap this is around the corner and open till 5 ?!! The bar is beautiful could be good bye to Deweys Late night !! «
That quote from my quick tip really upset the staff at Deweys and almost got me banned by the «Russian Mob» but I like to put on a nice suit every once in a while but not heading to an out of town wedding and that is what Chow Down is for me, the fancy spot but right around the corner with out the Mondrian prices for drinks plus …
They have Chinese food that is very fresh and healthy not dripping in sauce drowning out whatever flavor the food may have had.
The owner is the guy that owns The Bar in Coral Gables and Purdy Lounge and he spoke to us about the future plans that include a live DJ and events.
The place has a dark sexy orange lighting scheme in the bar. You could hear «Bad Things «from True Blood playing there no problem just watch out for Eric.
I have only had take out and sat and the bar so far, not sit down dinner but plan to very soon.
Keep this up and you will that last star Chow Down.

Best American Asian fusion ever. Kinda pricey but justified.
Home made dishes, fresh home made tofu and rice noodles are the widest, freshest anywhere. Love the kale and other veggies they use, not like your typical cheap celery and white onion thrown in. Would like to see a little more veggies in the dishes though.
Best Veggie fried rice.
Service great, friendly, managers stopped by, chic atmosphere.
Go for lunch, as usual the best deal. Dessert brownie was dry and the icing was too spiced. Sometimes being creative doesn’t work when we talk desserts.
Parking sucks, get your change ready for the meters, their lot is tiny and shared with another great eatery.

They refused to do my laundry, but the Chinese food was pretty good. More than pretty good, a little less than totally mind blowing, and a very short walk from my apartment.
The spot next to GoGos used to be a laundromat, and when I stepped inside, the entire place had been gutted and rebuilt. A wall where no wall had been. A kitchen where no kitchen had been. It’s a good sized space divided by a full bar on one side with plenty of room for a crowd (although it looked a little lonesome at 7pm on a Wednesday sans crowd) and seating for about 50 – 60 people on the other side.
Silvery tree decals cling to the walls and exposed ventilation and speaker wires created an insta-​hipster loft/​lounge vibe.
The dumplings are made fresh. Even the soy sauce is homemade. And the man I took to be the manager was very friendly and helpful.
Dishes are a little pricey for the everyday, but they’re big enough to share. So $ 15 – 20 for 2 people isn’t so bad.
We ordered the Tea Smoked Duck in orange chili sauce. We thought it was lacking in orange and chili, but it was cooked well and was very tasty nonetheless.
Huzzah for more dining options on South Beach. Can’t wait to check it out at 2am (they’re open till nearly 4am I think) for late night drinks and grubs. I hope there’s a bar menu!

The menu is simple and SPECTACULAR!!! The sauces are Boombastilious and the steak is juicylicious! High quality Chinese. I’ll definitely have to return to try the Fried Rice.
Atmosphere is classy and casual at the same time. The restaurant isn’t that big, but it feels big. Comfy chairs
Down side: Tight parking lot and not so many spaces available.
Quick Tip: Walk, don’t drive here. If your driving, park on the street or a parking lot near by.

Oh My YUM!
Chow Down Grill is a welcome addition to South Beach, with its reasonable prices, chic look, and fresh food. I’ve already been three times since its recent opening and they have yet to disappoint. The vibe is more lounge-​y on weekend nights, with a DJ and bustling bar area, and more relaxed during the week.
Stand out appetizer menu items include the herb pancakes, shrimp & squid ink dumplings, and spring rolls. My favorite main: the ramen in wild mushroom broth; the poached egg on top is its perfect compliment. There are plenty of choices for vegetarians and carnivores alike. Regardless of what you choose, I think you’d be hard pressed to call any of the menu items less than fresh and thoroughly well thought out.
I love the booth-​only dining room and open kitchen. Comfortable seating is found in the bar area too, where I usually end up. Service is excellent (our bartender Heather was super friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive) and even the management staff is hands-​on with the clientele.
There’s even free lot parking, although it is limited. Yes, free parking, at a restaurant, in South Beach. You heard right.
It’s a bit hard to find if you’ve never been there, but I’m guessing they will be adding signage in the coming weeks to make it easier.
Bottom Line: A unique concept of fresh Chinese food is executed perfectly in service and quality of food.

Chow Down Grill, thank you for opening within walking distance of my house!
I’d heard many praises about the original Surfside location, but had never made it up there myself. So suffice it to say that when I heard they were opening a SoBe location, and that it would be in my old laundromat, I was ecstatic!
If you didn’t know this place used to be a laundromat, you’d never guess — and that’s a true testament to how thoroughly CDG has renovated and changed the use of the space. One whole side is a full bar, running almost the length of the building. The dining room opens to a slightly-​exposed kitchen, with tons of dark-​wood booths and picnic-​style tables to seat groups of all sizes. The whole place is dimly lit, but tastefully decorated with cool wall decorations and chandeliers.
But the real star of the show at CDG is the food. My friend and I were hard-​pressed to narrow down our selections of the long and delicious-​sounding variety of appetizers, salads, noodles & noodle soups, and entrees, especially upon learning all the dumplings and noodles are made in-​house. Ultimately, we ended up choosing the shrimp and squid ink dumplings, the duck bao, a special pork ribs appetizer, the crispy chicken wontons, and the beef phở. Everything was amazing, and left us praising CDG for coming to our neighborhood.
The shrimp and squid ink dumplings arrived at our table with a tray of 6 sauces — 5 homemade (duck sauce with apricots, peanut sauce with a little kick, hoisin, soy sauce, and spicy Chinese mustard) plus sriracha. Our waiter suggested his favorite duck sauce-​and-​sriracha combo for dipping, and it was quite tasty. The hoisin-​and-​chinese-​mustard combo was also pretty delish. These sauces served us well for dipping our duck bao (fluffy buns stuffed with tender duck meat).
The pork ribs appetizer special were house-​smoked, and tender, but not to the point of falling off the bone (but that’s okay). They were served with a spicy cauliflower salad and a bao bun. Reminiscent of a dish I’d had a Pubbelly recently, and very, very tasty. The phở arrived in a steaming bowl filled to the brim with savory beef broth, shredded beef, and tons of noodles, though none of the cilantro, mint, bean sprouts, plum sauce accoutrement that typically accompany the dish. But no matter, cause it was awesome! The chicken wontons were served a spicy thai peanut sauce, and it was true to its name. These were also quite yummy.
CDG has a full bar, and offers a pretty reasonably priced selection. Our service was spot-​on, so no complaints there. The food prices are incredibly reasonable as well, with the appetizers all under $ 10, the noodle dishes in the $ 10-​$ 15 range, and the entrees in the $ 17 – 22 range. With 2 glasses of wine a piece, we walked out of there for $ 90, not including tip.
They also do carry-​out, feature a banh mi menu after 11pm, are open till 5am most nights (food till 4/4:30), and are starting delivery in a couple weeks. I can’t wait to return to Chow Down Grill, and I’m so happy to have them in the neighborhood!