My wife and I went to Cotoa. We read the reviews, went in with expectations sky high, and…….They exceeded them, somehow. My wife had tears in her eyes, and they said “I’m back home” (she is from Quito). As a full blooded gringo, my taste buds were overwhelmed and I actually slowed down and took it all in. 10/10. And it’s not just the food. It’s the ambiance, and every detail in between. We’re coming back for New Years!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
G S
My dad was born in Ecuador, and so were my mom’s parents, so we recently made the drive down from West Palm to visit Cotoa. We were super excited to try it as it’s not every day an Ecuadorian restaurant is recognized by Michelin.
It ended up being one of the most fun and delicious dinners we’ve had in a long time. The restaurant feels intimate and laid-back enough to be comfortable, yet still elevated in all the right ways. Ecuador was present in the ingredients, the flavors, and the overall essence of the space.
I loved it so much that I’ve already made reservations in the new year to bring my parents — I can’t wait for them to experience it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mark Dukshtein
A food lover’s restaurant. Lots of depth of flavor, great range of options, and very friendly staff. Highly recommend the cornbread snack and crab entree
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jacob Pinkney
Walked in on a slow Sunday, after dining at their previous location many times. Was told they “aren’t doing walk-ins today” with no rhyme or reason. The restaurant was half full, and there is zero indication on website, storefront, etc. that walk-ins are not available. Felt discriminatory, which is unfortunate, as the food may have been fine.
bunni
Amazing! The staff was incredible! Thank you Aldo!!! The ceviche was to die for! Highly recommend, will be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Heidy Duarte
An authentic Ecuadorian experience with modern flair. Everything we tried was outstanding and full of flavor and beautifully presented. The ceviche manabita manicero is an absolute must. Rich, creamy, and perfectly balanced. We also ordered the prawns and the crab and everything was a 10/10. Damaris, our server, was amazing. She was attentive and checked in multiple times to ensure we had everything we needed, making the entire experience even better with her great recommendations. We even received a complimentary dessert a banana ice cream palate cleanser which was such a thoughtful and delicious touch. Reservations are a must. Dogs are welcome, but only in the outdoor patio. Highly recommend Cotoa for authentic cuisine, exceptional service, and a memorable dining experience. We will definitely be back soon!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
J J
Cotoa truly lives up to its Michelin Guide 2025 recognition. The Pan de Yuca balls are a super VIP starter, perfectly chewy and cheesy, pairing beautifully with the sweet mamey chutney.
The Crudo Salsero with wahoo is very creative. The passion fruit sauce and cilantro oil are bright and refreshing, and the black sesame seeds cleverly mimic passion fruit seeds, visually stunning and fun that you can actually eat them.
For the main course, the hanger steak is seasoned just right and very tender. The papa chaucha is super crunchy, while the cucumber and smoked chimichurri sauce help balance the entire plate.
Service is top-notch. Every staff member is incredibly kind, attentive, and detail-oriented, really elevating the fine dining experience. The only downside is that due to the open kitchen, there’s a noticeable smoky, oily smell that lingers on your hair and clothes after dining.
Still, the food and service make Cotoa a standout destination in Miami.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Gabriela Manjarrés
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 20/10 — hands down!
As an Ecuadorian, I can confidently say that COTOA is an absolute gem. From the customer service to the food, everything was outstanding.
I visited with my husband (he’s American and enjoys Ecuadorian food), but Cotoa made him completely fall in love with it. From the moment we walked in, we were welcomed like family. Our server, ALDO, was incredible — attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely kind. He recommended the best dishes from the start and went above and beyond helping me choose options that worked for me since I have a gluten intolerance.
We decided to order all the appetizers (because they all looked amazing 😄), and for our main dishes we had the snapper and the cangrejada — absolutely delicious, authentic, and perfectly prepared.
To make the night even more special, it was my birthday and Aldo surprised me with a dessert, which truly meant so much 🎉. I was left speechless.
The service, the music, the atmosphere, and the food — everything was spectacular. If you’re in Florida and haven’t been to Cotoa yet, trust me: your taste buds are missing out on one of the best restaurants in the state.
Highly recommend! 🇪🇨✨🍽️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Notaroberto Delmar, Noa
I went for the first time today and was so pleasantly surprised. The most beautiful, cozy, culture and color filled local, and the perfect ambiance comes with the most perfect beautiful food. We ordered empanadas and pan de queso for starters something so simple but they made it so unique in a way I’ve never tasted before (and I’m colombian). The ceviches are lick the plate worthy, with fruit infusions to the dishes that kick them out of this world, the mahi mahi and coconut snapper, such normal dishes with so much attention to detail I couldn’t get them anywhere else. I would propose to the chef if I could, and the service was amazing, attentive servers with recommendations of flavor fusions, caring about what you actually like, attention to detail, I was scraping my plate for the remnants of passion fruit sauce from the ceviche( a MUST TRY) and brought me some extra with no comment, the service, ambiance, and all the dishes each more mouth watering than the next, truly made the experience one of one, I couldn’t recommend this more.
The food was very good, it was a fusion of Ecuadorian food,, gourmet , not a typical Ecuadorian food. Damaris our server was mice, it was a good expirience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Fernanda Pedroso
This restaurant was amazing. Not only was the food delicious but the staff were also incredibly attentive and warm. Aldo provided standout service!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kamil Gil
I don’t know where to begin. The food at Cotoa is hands down one of the best meals I’ve had all year. The way the chef balances flavors with such an innovative approach is inspiring. This place is a gem, and I only hope everyone gets to experience it. She’s putting Ecuadorian food on the map in the best way possible. Some of my favorites were the pan de yuca, sweet bread, ceviche, the crab dish, the prawn, and the chocolate dessert. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ashley S
Meal: 10/10, thought the wait time was a little odd 🥲 it’s giving “if boia de opened an Ecuadorian restaurant” — so unique, so delicious. This is an upgraded location from their previous food hall location, and they’re planing to move to a much larger location soon, where it’s said the menu will be even bigger and there may be a tasting menu of sorts 🍽️ Must-try dishes: cornbread, pan de yuca, snapper 🌟 Overall ambiance: small, not too fancy— I don’t know if this was just an off night for the chefs but the food was so so sooo slow (res was at 630 and we didn’t get out til 8:45 and only had appetizers and dinner…i reeeeeallt wanted to try the lava cake dessert but we couldn’t handle sitting for longer )— so maybe don’t go on a first date 🤣
pan de yuca: 9/10 the were the best pan de yuca we’ve ever had… didn’t love the sauce though (cinnamon apple situation)
abuelita’s cornbread 11/10. omg. we thought about ordering like 5 to go
wahoo ceviche: 7/10 honestly this is all presentation — I’m not a huge fan of wahoo so the texture was kind of meh for me. this is a dish for the aesthetics 😅
langostinos: 9/10– tried it bc it was so highly recommended and something different. langostinos jsut won’t ever get a 10 from us but if you’re a fan, will probably be a 10/10 for you.
the snapper: 10/10 will be returning for this super unique, not heavy at all
We will definitely be coming back (and just hoping the food is a bit faster next time 😅… we once went to a restaurant in Italy called “the single chef” — it was a 1 person restaurant… and the food was faster there 😅)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 3
Doris Romero
We visited COTOA on a trip to Miami from out of state. We didn’t have a reservation but the staff was so accommodating. We had the empanadas, crudo salsero, tortellinis and langostinos. All incredible a great homage to Ecuadorian cuisine.
Damaris was incredibly kind, and helpful. She was very attentive and made various recommendations. She was very knowledgeable about the cuisine and menu. We are so grateful to have had a chance to visit COTOA, it made our trip extra special.
Absolutely wonderful!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My wife and I went to Cotoa. We read the reviews, went in with expectations sky high, and…….They exceeded them, somehow. My wife had tears in her eyes, and they said “I’m back home” (she is from Quito). As a full blooded gringo, my taste buds were overwhelmed and I actually slowed down and took it all in. 10/10. And it’s not just the food. It’s the ambiance, and every detail in between. We’re coming back for New Years!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My dad was born in Ecuador, and so were my mom’s parents, so we recently made the drive down from West Palm to visit Cotoa. We were super excited to try it as it’s not every day an Ecuadorian restaurant is recognized by Michelin.
It ended up being one of the most fun and delicious dinners we’ve had in a long time. The restaurant feels intimate and laid-back enough to be comfortable, yet still elevated in all the right ways. Ecuador was present in the ingredients, the flavors, and the overall essence of the space.
I loved it so much that I’ve already made reservations in the new year to bring my parents — I can’t wait for them to experience it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
A food lover’s restaurant. Lots of depth of flavor, great range of options, and very friendly staff. Highly recommend the cornbread snack and crab entree
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Walked in on a slow Sunday, after dining at their previous location many times. Was told they “aren’t doing walk-ins today” with no rhyme or reason. The restaurant was half full, and there is zero indication on website, storefront, etc. that walk-ins are not available. Felt discriminatory, which is unfortunate, as the food may have been fine.
Amazing! The staff was incredible! Thank you Aldo!!! The ceviche was to die for! Highly recommend, will be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
An authentic Ecuadorian experience with modern flair. Everything we tried was outstanding and full of flavor and beautifully presented. The ceviche manabita manicero is an absolute must. Rich, creamy, and perfectly balanced. We also ordered the prawns and the crab and everything was a 10/10. Damaris, our server, was amazing. She was attentive and checked in multiple times to ensure we had everything we needed, making the entire experience even better with her great recommendations. We even received a complimentary dessert a banana ice cream palate cleanser which was such a thoughtful and delicious touch. Reservations are a must. Dogs are welcome, but only in the outdoor patio. Highly recommend Cotoa for authentic cuisine, exceptional service, and a memorable dining experience. We will definitely be back soon!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cotoa truly lives up to its Michelin Guide 2025 recognition. The Pan de Yuca balls are a super VIP starter, perfectly chewy and cheesy, pairing beautifully with the sweet mamey chutney.
The Crudo Salsero with wahoo is very creative. The passion fruit sauce and cilantro oil are bright and refreshing, and the black sesame seeds cleverly mimic passion fruit seeds, visually stunning and fun that you can actually eat them.
For the main course, the hanger steak is seasoned just right and very tender. The papa chaucha is super crunchy, while the cucumber and smoked chimichurri sauce help balance the entire plate.
Service is top-notch. Every staff member is incredibly kind, attentive, and detail-oriented, really elevating the fine dining experience. The only downside is that due to the open kitchen, there’s a noticeable smoky, oily smell that lingers on your hair and clothes after dining.
Still, the food and service make Cotoa a standout destination in Miami.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 20/10 — hands down!
As an Ecuadorian, I can confidently say that COTOA is an absolute gem. From the customer service to the food, everything was outstanding.
I visited with my husband (he’s American and enjoys Ecuadorian food), but Cotoa made him completely fall in love with it. From the moment we walked in, we were welcomed like family. Our server, ALDO, was incredible — attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely kind. He recommended the best dishes from the start and went above and beyond helping me choose options that worked for me since I have a gluten intolerance.
We decided to order all the appetizers (because they all looked amazing 😄), and for our main dishes we had the snapper and the cangrejada — absolutely delicious, authentic, and perfectly prepared.
To make the night even more special, it was my birthday and Aldo surprised me with a dessert, which truly meant so much 🎉. I was left speechless.
The service, the music, the atmosphere, and the food — everything was spectacular.
If you’re in Florida and haven’t been to Cotoa yet, trust me: your taste buds are missing out on one of the best restaurants in the state.
Highly recommend! 🇪🇨✨🍽️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I went for the first time today and was so pleasantly surprised. The most beautiful, cozy, culture and color filled local, and the perfect ambiance comes with the most perfect beautiful food. We ordered empanadas and pan de queso for starters something so simple but they made it so unique in a way I’ve never tasted before (and I’m colombian). The ceviches are lick the plate worthy, with fruit infusions to the dishes that kick them out of this world, the mahi mahi and coconut snapper, such normal dishes with so much attention to detail I couldn’t get them anywhere else. I would propose to the chef if I could, and the service was amazing, attentive servers with recommendations of flavor fusions, caring about what you actually like, attention to detail, I was scraping my plate for the remnants of passion fruit sauce from the ceviche( a MUST TRY) and brought me some extra with no comment, the service, ambiance, and all the dishes each more mouth watering than the next, truly made the experience one of one, I couldn’t recommend this more.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
The food was very good, it was a fusion of Ecuadorian food,, gourmet , not a typical Ecuadorian food. Damaris our server was mice, it was a good expirience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This restaurant was amazing. Not only was the food delicious but the staff were also incredibly attentive and warm. Aldo provided standout service!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I don’t know where to begin. The food at Cotoa is hands down one of the best meals I’ve had all year. The way the chef balances flavors with such an innovative approach is inspiring. This place is a gem, and I only hope everyone gets to experience it. She’s putting Ecuadorian food on the map in the best way possible. Some of my favorites were the pan de yuca, sweet bread, ceviche, the crab dish, the prawn, and the chocolate dessert. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Meal: 10/10, thought the wait time was a little odd 🥲 it’s giving “if boia de opened an Ecuadorian restaurant” — so unique, so delicious. This is an upgraded location from their previous food hall location, and they’re planing to move to a much larger location soon, where it’s said the menu will be even bigger and there may be a tasting menu of sorts 🍽️ Must-try dishes: cornbread, pan de yuca, snapper 🌟 Overall ambiance: small, not too fancy— I don’t know if this was just an off night for the chefs but the food was so so sooo slow (res was at 630 and we didn’t get out til 8:45 and only had appetizers and dinner…i reeeeeallt wanted to try the lava cake dessert but we couldn’t handle sitting for longer )— so maybe don’t go on a first date 🤣
pan de yuca: 9/10
the were the best pan de yuca we’ve ever had… didn’t love the sauce though (cinnamon apple situation)
abuelita’s cornbread
11/10. omg. we thought about ordering like 5 to go
wahoo ceviche: 7/10
honestly this is all presentation — I’m not a huge fan of wahoo so the texture was kind of meh for me. this is a dish for the aesthetics 😅
langostinos: 9/10– tried it bc it was so highly recommended and something different. langostinos jsut won’t ever get a 10 from us but if you’re a fan, will probably be a 10/10 for you.
the snapper: 10/10
will be returning for this
super unique, not heavy at all
We will definitely be coming back (and just hoping the food is a bit faster next time 😅… we once went to a restaurant in Italy called “the single chef” — it was a 1 person restaurant… and the food was faster there 😅)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 3
We visited COTOA on a trip to Miami from out of state. We didn’t have a reservation but the staff was so accommodating.
We had the empanadas, crudo salsero, tortellinis and langostinos. All incredible a great homage to Ecuadorian cuisine.
Damaris was incredibly kind, and helpful. She was very attentive and made various recommendations. She was very knowledgeable about the cuisine and menu. We are so grateful to have had a chance to visit COTOA, it made our trip extra special.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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