Waterfront restaurants in Miami Beach: ocean side, bay side, and which one gets the sunset
Where to eat on the water in Miami Beach: Smith & Wollensky at South Pointe, Lido and Baia on the bay for sunset, Nikki Beach by day, with hours.
The short version
- Cruise ships: Smith & Wollensky, 1 Washington Ave, South Pointe Park: from noon daily.
- Bay sunset: Lido Bayside Grill, 40 Island Ave: daily 8 am to midnight, happy hour Mon to Thu.
- Arrive by boat: Baia Beach Club, 1100 West Ave: bay deck with dock and dine.
- On the sand: Nikki Beach, 1 Ocean Dr: lunch only, until 6 or 7 pm; Sunday brunch.
- Free view: A picnic at South Pointe Park, open sunrise to sunset.
For sunset, book the bay side, Lido Bayside Grill or Baia Beach Club, because the sun sets over Biscayne Bay; for the ocean and the cruise ships, Smith & Wollensky at South Pointe is the one table that has both.
Editor's note
Miami Beach has two waterfronts, and they work at different times of day. The Atlantic side is for daylight: beach clubs, lunch on the sand, the cruise ships passing South Pointe. The Biscayne Bay side, behind the island, faces west, so it is where the sunset happens and where you can watch the downtown skyline light up. Pick the side first, then the restaurant. Every hour below is from the restaurant's own site in October 2026; we name no prices that the restaurants do not publish.
Miami Beach waterfront restaurants compared
| Restaurant | Address | Water | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smith & Wollensky | 1 Washington Ave, South Pointe Park | Ocean and the cruise channel | Mon to Thu noon to 11 pm; Fri noon to midnight; Sat 11 am to midnight; Sun 11 am to 11 pm |
| Lido Bayside Grill | 40 Island Ave (The Standard Spa) | Biscayne Bay | Daily 8 am to midnight; dinner 5 to 10:45 pm last call; happy hour Mon to Thu 4 to 6 pm |
| Baia Beach Club | 1100 West Ave (Mondrian South Beach) | Biscayne Bay, with boat docking | Daily 7 am to 10 pm; dinner until 10:30 pm Fri and Sat |
| Nikki Beach | 1 Ocean Dr | Atlantic beachfront | Restaurant Mon to Thu noon to 6 pm, Fri to Sun noon to 7 pm; Sunday brunch 11 am to 4 pm |
Nikki Beach's beach club runs 11 am to 6 pm and its after-brunch menu 4 to 8 pm on Sundays. None of the four sites lists dress codes or minimum spends on the pages we opened; ask when you book.
smithandwollensky.com, standardhotels.com, mondrianhotels.com and nikkibeach.com, checked October 2026
Pick by what you want to see
| The sunset over the water | Lido Bayside Grill or Baia Beach Club, on the bay side |
| Cruise ships leaving PortMiami | Smith & Wollensky in South Pointe Park |
| Lunch with your feet near the sand | Nikki Beach, open from noon |
| Arriving by boat | Baia Beach Club, which offers dock and dine |
| A cheap waterfront hour | A picnic in South Pointe Park, free, sunrise to sunset |
| Breakfast on the water | Lido from 8 am on weekdays, or Baia from 7 am |
Smith & Wollensky: the ocean and the ships
Smith & Wollensky sits inside South Pointe Park at 1 Washington Avenue, at the very southern tip of Miami Beach. Its deck and outdoor tables look over the ocean and the channel that cruise ships use to enter and leave PortMiami, which is what most people come for. The Greater Miami tourism board's March 2026 waterfront list puts it first in Miami Beach for that reason.
It is a steakhouse, so budget like one. It opens at noon on weekdays and 11 am on weekends, and stays open until midnight on Friday and Saturday. Call 305-673-2800 to ask for an outdoor table; the website does not promise one.
Lido and Baia: the bay side for sunset
Lido Bayside Grill is the restaurant of The Standard Spa, Miami Beach, at 40 Island Avenue, on the bay. It serves from 8 am to midnight: breakfast on weekdays, brunch on weekends from 8 am to 4:45 pm, and dinner from 5 pm with last call at 10:45 pm. Happy hour runs Monday to Thursday, 4 to 6 pm. Book on Resy or at 786-245-0880.
Baia Beach Club is at the Mondrian South Beach, 1100 West Avenue, on the bay. It has a waterfront deck, a full bar and a dining room whose glass doors slide open onto the terrace. Breakfast runs 7 to 11 am daily, lunch on weekdays, brunch on weekends, and dinner nightly until 10 pm, or 10:30 pm on Friday and Saturday. Sushi is served Friday to Sunday, 5 to 9 pm. Boaters can dock and dine, and the club rents cabanas, daybeds and water sports gear.
The cheapest waterfront meal in Miami Beach is the one you carry to South Pointe Park. The city park at the southern tip is open sunrise to sunset, with restrooms near the concession area, water fountains, seating and playgrounds for ages 2 to 5 and 5 to 12 right by the water.
Parking is paid. Smith & Wollensky is inside the park, so a picnic can turn into a drink on its deck if the weather turns.
Miami Beach Marina
Miami Beach Marina at 300 Alton Road is the big marina at the south end of the island, on the bay side of South Pointe. Its own site lists boat tours, a water taxi, fishing charters, jet skis and parasailing.
Both the marina and South Pointe Park are at the south end of the island, so they pair well. Check the marina's site for which restaurants are open now.
Where they are
Just outside Miami Beach
Two of the best-known waterfront tables in the area sit just past the city's limits. Avra Miami, a Greek seafood restaurant with an Atlantic-view patio, is in Sunny Isles Beach, and Joia Beach is a beach club restaurant on Watson Island, off the MacArthur Causeway. Both appear in the Greater Miami tourism board's March 2026 waterfront list. We could not open either restaurant's own site to confirm hours, so check them before you drive.
Skip it if
Questions people ask
Which Miami Beach restaurants are on the water?
Smith & Wollensky in South Pointe Park on the ocean side, Nikki Beach on the sand at 1 Ocean Drive, and Lido Bayside Grill and Baia Beach Club on Biscayne Bay.
Where can you watch the sunset while eating in Miami Beach?
On the bay side, because the sun sets to the west over Biscayne Bay. Lido Bayside Grill at The Standard and Baia Beach Club at the Mondrian both face the bay.
Can you see cruise ships from Smith & Wollensky Miami Beach?
Yes. It sits in South Pointe Park at the southern tip of Miami Beach, beside the channel ships use to reach PortMiami.
Is Nikki Beach open for dinner?
No. Its restaurant serves from noon to 6 pm Monday to Thursday and to 7 pm Friday to Sunday, with Sunday brunch from 11 am to 4 pm.
Can you dock a boat and eat in Miami Beach?
Yes. Baia Beach Club at the Mondrian South Beach, 1100 West Avenue, offers dock and dine on Biscayne Bay. Call +1 305 514 1949 to arrange it.
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