Note: Leku, which in April changed its focus to be Leku Fish and Garden, has announced it is closing in its current location as of June 30, 2024. A partner said there are plans to reopen in another location.

Leku Miami Spanish Basque restaurant has always been one of my favorite restaurants in Miami and a fave too among my friends. I did a “first look” review shortly after it opened over a year ago and have been back numerous times since then with friends.  I’ve  been waiting until their wood grilling oven from Spain arrived, and with it a new menu for a full fledged review. That recently happened, so off we went. The verdict? A rave review for the food, service and ambiance. Leku is one to top in Miami for foodies.

There’s no party scene, no DJ or loungey music and it’s adjacent to one of Miami’s leading museums, the Rubell Museum. It’s the kind of classic contemporary restaurant you find in Europe – casually elegant in ambiance and the style of the patrons, with  the buzz coming from the conversation. The clever design of the restaurant is an indoor space with high ceilings and a bar at one side with a handsome, colorful mural.  On the other side is a window wall that leads to a covered garden terrace abutting lush vegetation. The feeling is of spaciousness, though the restaurant only seats 90

But back to the main event- the food. The new star of the star filled kitchen is the first Josper outdoor double grill in South Florida, the same grill used by the Spanish Basque Country’s Michelin starred and #3 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, Asador Etxebarri. Here find meats, seafood and vegetables transformed by the Josper’s embers and flavors.

We tried each of these – the 50 Day dry aged chuleton (similar to a bone in rib eye steak), king flounder, (both market specials), and the confit of leeks with rosemary, sage,  whole grain mustard ($14).  Each of these can easily serve two people. The meat was high quality, thick, and cooked to perfection, all 32 ounces of it. And oh that bone! The flounder, flown in from Tokyo, was split in the center with the skin on with a Piperade  sauce. It was thick for a flounder, and melted in my mouth. Leeks were cooked sous vide then grilled, making them both tender and caramelized with a slight sugar like crust, topped with crispy leek leaves.

We also had traditional Spanish green peppers (al padron) cooked in the Josper oven and accompanied by a coarse red pepper puree ($12). Another of our top favorites, not to be missed, was the truffled Spanish tortilla that was juicy and fragrant with the aroma of the truffles ($18). Next time we’d like to try the confit of cod in its own pil pil and  roasted duck breast with confit carrots, game reduction, and house made roasted cabbage kimchi. And yes, of course the ham, chorizo and cod croquettes.

The finale was the Basque cheesecake whose creamy center was caramelized custard, served with raspberry sorbet ($16).

Most starters are priced from the high teens to twenties ( excluding 5 Jotas jamon and caviar). Grill entrees range from $52 to $81 with market specials more.  Other meats and fish are mostly in the thirties, sides average $12 and rices $29 to $36. There’s a special Leku sharing experience of 11 courses for $125 pp and wine pairing option for $65 pp.

Leku has its own innovative beverage program with signature cocktails such as the Allison ($19) with Felipe II Brandy,Asturian Ice Cider, Amontillado, Uchuva, Demerara and topped with a floating disk of edible rice paper both inprinted and inspired by Allison Zuckerman’s Eternal Recurrence mural over the bar. Cocktails are priced in the mid to high teens. The wine program includes individual glasses starting at $14( 5 ounce pour) and bottles starting at $48, going up to serious standouts like the Vega Sicilia & Benjamin de Rothschild “Macan” and Chateau-Figeac, Premier Grand Cru, Saint-Emilion.

Leku Miami is open for lunch  Wednesday through Sunday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday (Tuesday, dinner to 10 pm).  1100 NW 23^rd Street, Allapattah. Free parking lot behind the restaurant. (insert link).

Thinking of teaming up Leku with a visit to the Rubell Museum? Check out my post on the museum. Click here.

The Leku Team:

LEKU Miami is owned by an  international group of veteran restaurant and hospitality professionals including Jeffrey Chodorow of China Grill Management; Alejandro Muguerza of Le Basque Catering in Miami; Andreas Schreiner of Schreiner Hospitality; Terry Zarikian of the New York and South Beach Wine & Food Festivals, and Executive Chef Mikel Goikolea, formerly of Azurmendi Prêt à Porter.