I went to 2 famous Miami restaurants. One delivered a much more authentic Miami experience.

• I visited Papi Steak and Café La Trova on a recent Miami trip.
• Both restaurants served great food and lively entertainment.
• Café La Trova delivered the more authentic Miami experience.

“With this, they get the vibe, the music, everyone’s around them, they feel special, they feel important, they had a great meal — all those things coming together is what makes the steak a really special experience,” he continued.

For my own meal — sans “beefcase” — I started with a specialty cocktail.

My first appetizer was the steakhouse’s hamachi crudo.

The hamachi crudo ($34) was served with citrus ponzu, olive oil jam, and blood orange pieces.

Like Café La Trova’s ceviche, the hamachi highlighted fresh seafood and bright citrus flavors. But while Café La Trova layered on bold, traditional flavors in a larger portion size, Papi Steak kept it simple, letting the thin slices of fish shine. It was as impressive to eat as it was to look at.

I also tried Papi Steak’s classic steak tartare.

The steak tartare ($38) arrived beautifully plated, with hand-cut prime tenderloin topped with a glossy quail egg yolk, black garlic dijonnaise, and smoked paprika aioli.

It also came with six pieces of crostini to eat with the tartare.

I also ordered Papi Steak’s classic wedge salad.

The wedge salad ($28) came topped with chunks of Maytag blue cheese, heirloom tomatoes, and pickled shallots, and dressed in a creamy, house-made buttermilk ranch dressing.

Latkes and wagyu pastrami paid homage to co-owner David “Papi” Einhorn’s Jewish heritage.

Einhorn’s Jewish heritage is reflected throughout the menu, with dishes like the wagyu pastrami and latkes ($18), served with apple chutney and crème fraîche, offering elevated takes on classic deli favorites.

The latkes were perfectly crisp, and the apple chutney and crème fraîche complemented them beautifully.

My server also recommended Papi Steak’s signature wagyu pastrami ($88), one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes. Brined for a week and smoked for two days, it was served with cornichons and two housemade mustards.

The red wine and Dijon mustards cut through the wagyu’s richness with just enough acidity and spice, balancing its buttery, smoky flavor.

My final course had to include steak.

I ordered the 8-ounce USDA Prime filet mignon ($69), the most affordable steak on Papi Steak’s menu. It arrived simply prepared, garnished with nothing more than a sprig of rosemary.

I also tried the crispy lobster mac and cheese, which came topped with lobster and caviar.

This dish ($65) was one of the night’s most indulgent. Served in a skillet of rich lobster bisque, it featured a crispy square of fried lobster mac and cheese topped with lobster and caviar.

The rich dish paired creamy Mornay sauce with lobster bisque, with sweet chunks of lobster in every bite.

It’s large enough to share, though the caviar felt more like a symbol of Papi Steak’s over-the-top approach than a necessary addition.

Café La Trova and Papi Steak represented two very different sides of Miami’s dining scene.

Café La Trova celebrated the city’s Cuban heritage through live music, warm hospitality, and dishes that felt deeply rooted in local culture.

Papi Steak, meanwhile, embraced Miami’s flashy, see-and-be-seen reputation with theatrical presentations, celebrity appeal, and an atmosphere that often felt more like a nightclub than a standard steakhouse.

Despite Papi Steak’s over-the-top reputation, nearly every dish I tried — from the wagyu pastrami to the hamachi crudo — was thoughtfully prepared and tasted just as good as it looked. If you’re looking for an indulgent, special-occasion dinner where the spectacle is part of the fun, it’s easy to understand why the restaurant has become such a phenomenon.

Still, if I could only recommend one restaurant to a first-time visitor, I’d choose Café La Trova.

While Papi Steak offered the more decadent, once-in-a-lifetime meal, Café La Trova delivered a more authentic Miami experience, pairing outstanding food and cocktails with a genuine sense of the city’s history and culture.

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