The Most Anticipated Restaurant Opening in Miami Is a James Beard Chef's Izakaya in Brickell

Tyson Cole won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest in 2011. He built Uchi in Austin into one of the most respected Japanese restaurants in the country, then expanded to Uchiko, and then to Miami — first with Uchi Miami in Wynwood, then with Uchiko Miami Beach in Sunset Harbour. The next Miami opening is Uchibā, an izakaya-inspired concept coming to Brickell.

Izakaya is the Japanese tradition of the after-work gathering place — casual, convivial, built around small plates and drinks rather than a formal tasting menu. Uchibā is Hai Hospitality's interpretation of that format: Japanese-inspired bar bites, a serious cocktail and sake program, and the kitchen sensibility that has made the Uchi group the most consistent Japanese dining operation in South Florida.

Before Uchibā opens in Brickell, Hai Hospitality is running pop-up happy hours at both Uchi Miami in Wynwood and Uchiko Miami Beach — every day from November 1 through 15, 5 to 6:30pm. The menu includes Edamame Jalapeño Hummus and a Shiso Daiquiri made with Planteray 3 Star White Rum, shiso, and lime. It is the first public look at what Uchibā will be.

The pop-up format is the right way to preview a concept. It puts the food and drinks in front of guests before the room exists, which is a more honest introduction than a press release. The Edamame Jalapeño Hummus is the kind of dish that signals what the kitchen is doing: Japanese technique, unexpected ingredient combinations, the kind of thing that makes you want to know what else is on the menu.

Brickell is the neighborhood that has absorbed the most serious restaurant openings in Miami over the past five years. The density of the residential population, the after-work culture, and the proximity to the financial district make it the natural home for an izakaya concept. Uchibā is the most anticipated opening in that neighborhood since Sexy Fish.

The pop-up happy hours run through November 15 at Uchi Miami (Wynwood) and Uchiko Miami Beach (Sunset Harbour). No reservation required for bar seating at either location.