Cioppino

Cioppino, which is the fanciest restaurant in the Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne, is good for brunch but at $ 34 per person for buffet style brunch, I think it is definitely overpriced. Even though the food is buffet style, the food is surprisingly high quality — I say this because buffet style food tends to be lower quality since it is mass produced. However this is not the case with Cioppino as the juices were freshly squeezed, the meats were expertly cured (the smoked salmon was heavenly), the pancakes were delicious, there were scrambled eggs and an omelette station to have your own custom made omelette made, and there was champagne to make your own mimosas, which was probably my favorite because brunch is always better with mimosas! I’d be hesitant to come back for brunch at that price point, but the food and the general ambience of the restaurant make it worth it for at least one trip.

On our last day at the Ritz Key Biscayne we decided to try their breakfast buffet. Upon entering the restaurant we were warmly greeted by the hostesses. We were quickly seated in a lovely table in their out door patio area over looking the pool. We decided for the buffet instead of their a la carte menu. There was a wide selection of fruits, breads, juices, and even champagne if you were in the mood for a mimosa. Besides the usual scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage and house potatoes they also had an omelet bar. The American Buffet which includes all hot and cold items costs $ 34 and includes juice and coffee. It’s a little pricey but well worth it considering the beautiful surroundings that you get to eat breakfast in and the top notch treatment by the staff. Would definitely go again if the future affords me an opportunity to come back to this property.

The Spread: I dined with company who had been there the previous year, and they highly recommended the Cioppino. As our waiter pointed out, it would be wrong to mess up a dish that was the namesake of the restaurant! The dish did not disappoint. The shrimp were slightly overdone, but the rest of the bowl (and the portion size) was spot on. And the charred bread they served atop the bowl came in hand to sop up all of the broth. I also enjoyed the two olive tapenades, olive oil and fresh bread they served immediately after we were seated.
The Service: Attentive and accommodating. When I wasn’t sure what wine to order, the waiter brought me a sample first.

Fantastic. The service couldn’t have been better and they almost had to roll us out after the great food.

Delishous meal, excellent service, the fresh pasta was excellent! Would definitely recommend this place for dinner.

Food and ambience were really good.
Our family ordered Caesar salad, spaghetti di mare, risotto Milanese and beef filet.
Portion may not be very big but we did not eat a lot so good size.
Service was also nice, they refilled water frequently.
But we had to wait for a long time before we checked out.
18%of service tip was charged to the check automatically, so be careful not to double tip.

DEFINITELY NOT FOR FOODIES — Loving Italian food, my high expectations for fine dining were shattered by Cioppino. When ordering, I asked if the tenderloin was prime. The waiter said he didn’t know but gave me a story of how it looked really good. (i.e. which means, «no, they are not serving prime.») I ordered it medium-​rare, it came medium. In face, everyone’s steak came medium no matter what they ordered. The Brunello (Tuscan red wine) was cheap table wine though the waiter acted like it was something special. The olive oil on the table was tasteless Vaseline. When the food arrived, it was mid to low grade at best. I asked for a glass of port to go with dessert. It arrived 30 minutes after we were done with dessert. (The melted chocolate dessert was mediocre at best.) For something that is associated with the Ritz and costs the same as fine dining, Cioppino is a terrible disappointment. A complete waste of money and calories. Foodies should avoid this place.

Happy Happy Birthday to us!
Partner and I share a birthday and decided to leave the Beach (oh how I love but get ohhhhhhhh so weary of the Beach) and head to The Ritz. We’ve really come to enjoy the vibe of the entire space. We’ve attended Holiday Festivals that have been more fun than a person should be having. Typically we visit The Cantina. It’s friendly and animated and has a laid back vibe I dig.
This weekend I decided that we’d take it up a tiny notch and visit Cioppino for our birthday. Babysitter in place, Über on deck and we hit The Ritz. After a drink at the bar outside we headed over to dinner.
The beauty of Cioppino isn’t necessarily a 5 star meal. It’s the personal way you’re treated… so much pampering for a bit of time goes a long way! Our server Raul was fantastic. Friendly, yet not intrusive and super knowledgeable about the entire menu. I had the simple salad app and a rigatoni with steamed veggies. My requests (no sauce please!) were honored with pleasure. The meal was delicious. Mikie had a fish special and said it was fresh and filling without being too much. I’m not a dessert person, but we were surprised with really lovely birthday sweet plates and a courtesy glass of wine.
Cioppino is a great feather in the cap of The Ritz. We are fans.

We loved it. As Brooklynites we don’t especially seek out Italian places when we’re in South Florida. But it was lovely. The burrata was special. We both got wonderful pastas — the heritage pork and a special made with Italian sausage and mussels (!) and both were satisfying and delicious. (Really — not just good, but delicious). Impressive wine list that skews pricey. Lovely ambiance. I’d willingly eat here again — and that’s not what I expected.
Their breakfast buffet is incredible. It’s the best we’ve had at a resort. Expansive, interesting, and really good. Goes well beyond the tin of eggs bacon and potatoes.
(Yes, I know this sounds like a planted review.)

Let me start by saying that I ate here once before and really enjoyed it. That all changed yesterday night. We were a party of 7 for dinner and the experience was a disaster from start to finish. The som brought us our first bottle of wine, served 3 of us and walked away without even serving the head of the table that ordered the wine. We had 3 bottles in total and those first three glasses were the only ones they poured as we had to serve ourselves the rest of the evening. The food took over 1 hour to arrive and it was nothing like I remembered it. I ordered the same exact ravioli I had before because I remembered it being delicious. This time it was anything but. The waiter offered extra truffles on the ravioli which I agreed to. The extra truffles came in a wine glass cut into thick slices instead of thin shaved pieces. The truffles were dry and not at all fragrant the way they should be. When I asked why they hadn’t been incorporated into my dish but instead served in a wine glass the waiter said «it’s so the whole table can smell them». I have never heard of passing around a truffle glass to smell but hey maybe this is a new food trend I’m behind on. Everyone at the table had the same feeling about their dishes: very bland and not special. The quality of the service continued to deteriorate as the evening continued to the point where none of us had water to drink and only after several attempts at getting someone’s attention were we served water.
It felt more like a restaurant at the Days Inn than at the Ritz. Needless to say we will not be dining here again.

Chef Kalman, the omelet chef, has been here for 14 years and is a real highlight of our experience every time we stay in Key Biscayne. Ask him to make one of his «specialities»…he claims to have over 100! Today he made a shrimp scampi omelet which was very unique and delicious.

Went here for my anniversary. Got greeted with champagne and lots of wonderful extras compliments of the chef. Our dinner was incredible and our server was beyond incredible. We stayed wayyy after just enjoying our conversation with him. I would definitely recommend this. Gorgeous views and very romantic!

Great place. Delicious food. Outstanding service. 5 stars hotel and restourant. Pizza on a thin crust is my favorite. Try it out

This was a great experience I cannot rave enough about how spectacular the service and selection there is here for brunch !! I originally looked on Unilocal to find a great brunch place and I decided to give it a try and our waitress was great I felt like I never had to ask for a drink they were always attentive and providing silverware when necessary. Everyone at the stations in the buffet were great and friendly and although we didn’t sit outside because we were unaware of the reservation options, we did not feel shorted at all. I will be going back and also suggesting this to my friends I understand what makes the ritz the ritz and I can say I have a greater appreciation.

This restaurant was a real disappointment. The view was five star. The service and the servers deserve 5 stars. Unfortunately, the food was a huge letdown for my husband and me. We started with the arancini appetizer and we felt that they lacked seasoning as did the sauce that accompanied it. The tomato sauce in all of the dishes held a tin aftertaste as if from a can rather than freehand it lacked seasoning. My veal also lacked seasoning and it was a bit undercooked. I left most of it uneaten. My husband also found his entrée to be very disappointing. The chef needs to pay attention to flavors and correct the seasoning.

Very lovely ambiance and ocean view, very good service, food and desserts were very good but nothing memorable. In their fairness, I should have written the review right after I dined there, which was 6 – 7 weeks ago. This was night before Thanksgiving, late, and most other places were busy or closed, so we chose to come here. So for this reason it served our objective very nicely. Again in their fairness, I’d bet this place will be a great dining experience for most diners who don’t have very picky palates. I personally wouldn’t readily go back there but would gladly go if any of my friends wants to go. I would also come back to try their brunch one day — based on some of the positive reviews posted here.

Went there for highly acclaimed Sunday brunch. Everything we tried was delicious, but not worth the $ 115 p/​p, go to Cecconi’s instead. Best of the brunch was the raw seafood table. Very pretty place tho.

The views from the restaurant is absolutely amazing. The food is delicious and the staff is perfect. Overall it is a great place to get pampered while enjoying your meal.

Went to experience the Sunday brunch.
Arrived on time and checked in with the hostess. She asked us to step to the side and wait. They were getting ready to open, she said and would be with us shortly. I asked if they had an outside terrace table and she said «no, sorry, they are all taken». OK. No problem. I guess.
A party of 4 walk up right as another hostess walks up to the podium. They check in and immediately get ushered to a table while we stand there. A second party walks up and the same thing happens. We are still standing there. The hostess looks up and says «someone will be with you shortly». Am I in the twilight zone? Finally, one of the hostesses returns and takes us to an inside table that faces the outside terrace. I asked her if we could sit there and with a smile she says «of course, come this way». Definitely in the twilight zone. Wasn’t I just told minutes ago that IT WAS ALL TAKEN? Side note: there were a good 3 tables open the entire 2 hours that we were there on the outside terrace. What gives?
The place is stunning. The desserts were centered in the room in a feature table and the stations all around it. There was an omelet station, several seafood ones, pastas, meats, cheeses, deli meats, sushi, and even some Chinese delights. Had I not gone to the Biltmore brunch the weekend before I came to this one I would have been blown away. Problem is, I did. Don’t get me wrong. It is 4 stars all the way. I could not help but compare though. The pasta here was just sitting waiting to be scooped where at the Biltmore they are cooked to order. The dessert presentation, selection and taste at the Biltmore is much better. Other than that the remaining stations are comparable as well as service. It is pricier here too.
The great thing about this location is well, the location. It was beautiful to dine outdoors by the pool and with ocean views. Another problem is the birds. Those cute but annoying birds are everywhere! If you turn your head they steal your food! Ew! Even so, it was relaxing. We took a stroll by the pool and beach after our brunch which was really nice.
Valet parking was quick and efficient.
If given the choice though, given I live in Broward, I would prefer to visit the Biltmore brunch versus this one.

I went to Cioppino with Mercedes for the Ritz Carlton’s 10 year anniversary event. A three course meal for $ 10? Yes, please!
The restaurant is beautiful, and in true Ritz fashion, we were treated well from the moment we arrived. I can’t imagine anyone ever having issues with service at any Ritz Carlton because I have always been impressed with their staff.
As for the food… I’ll put it this way– It was good, but I’m glad I didn’t pay full price for it. The menu was all seafood, but they made chicken with a side salad for me because I wasn’t a fan of the seafood options they had available. I probably should have gone with the seafood because the chicken was very dry and covered in black pepper. The appetizer and dessert were both very good, but not very memorable. I wouldn’t put Cioppino on a list of some of the best meals I’ve had or make it a recommendation to people looking for a great meal. I think Cioppino is the perfect place to go for a nice, quiet dinner with great service and beautiful surroundings. The food is not the reason to go there, but it won’t be a memorable meal… maybe just a memorable experience.