Friends of Eater Share Their Biggest Restaurant Grievances of 2018

As we put a cap on 2018, Eater surveyed a group of friends, writers, and all around experts for their take on the past year. We asked them eight questions: from top standbys to top newcomers, from best meals to restaurants they’ve broken up with. All will be answered by the time we turn off the lights at the end of the 2018. Responses are related in no particular order; all are cut, pasted, and (mostly) unedited herein. Responses do not necessarily reflect the views of Eater and Eater Miami.

Amber Love Bond (Eater Miami contributor): The super abrupt closing of Employees Only was heartbreaking. Oh, the things I would do to order one more schnitzel or tableside tartare.

Evan Benn (Indulge Miami): I got into Uber Eats a bit more this year, because new baby. Lukewarm food that tastes worse than it does in a restaurant but for more money? Get out of here with that. Let’s get back to going out to eat.

Giovanny Gutierrez (Chat Chow TV/Eater Miami photographer): The closing of EO is truly heart breaking.

Becky Randel (PEOPLE Magazine, The Daily Meal, South Florida Luxury Guide): Certain high-profile chefs slapping their names on restaurants that they basically have nothing to do with, then asking the press to write about it but not inviting them to dine there, because their name should be enough, right? (Aren’t we over that, Miami?).

David Rosendorf (Food For Thought): Recycling a tweet here, but I despise pretty much everything about Swan / Bar Bevy, and I say that confidently without ever having gone there and with roughly 99.99% certainty that I never will. I hate it all: the clubster hype, the vapid menu, whatever the hell this is supposed to be, but most of all, this mind-bogglingly tone deaf puff piece where David Grutman and Pharrell Williams describe the restaurant – owned by men, designed by a man, with a male chef, and with the only mention anywhere in the entire story of women being the “black-and-white photos of beautiful women” adorning the walls – as “all about celebrating female power.”

Stacy Moya (Eater Miami Contributor): Restaurants that continue trying to pass off truffle oil and kobe.

Virginia Gil (Time Out Miami): Exorbitant prices. When did $25 cocktails, $50 add-ons and $100 pastas become the norm? No, thank you.

Alona Martinez (Eater Miami Contributor): Shelley’s- great vibe & awesome food

Dara Lynn Smith (Eater Miami Contributor): Seek + Find - strangest dining experience I’ve had. Weird vibe, strange decor, OK food. It felt very disjointed like it was trying to be 5 different things at once. I wouldn’t go back.

Sara Liss (Miami.com): That so many Italian places keep opening. No offense to the boot, but I think we’ve covered it here pretty well. Let’s see some other cuisines represented like more Indian, Middle-Eastern and African. Also, the fact that sometimes restaurants are puzzled if I *don’t* want to photograph my food. We’ve had some awkward moments where I’m like: Uhh, no, bro. I’m just going to eat that...because that’s why I’m here. That’s what we do at restaurants. We eat the food. Before it gets cold.

Olee Fowler (Eater Miami): I don’t think I had a good meal at any of these new Nikkei fusion style eateries (aside from Itamae) that opened this year. Every single one was disappointing.