Miami Beach's Famous Retro Restaurant Is A Classic Americana Spot Featured By Guy Fieri

Miami Beach has long been revered for its incredible food scene, a melting pot heavy on Cuban, Caribbean, and Latin flavors, local delicacies like Stone Crabs, and iconic treats like Key Lime pie. The "Magic City" boasts 13 Michelin-starred restaurants alongside a host of top-notch, budget-friendly restaurants, impressive accolades that rocketed this thriving South Florida beach destination to the #1 spot on a recent WalletHub roundup (via Forbes) of America's best foodie cities. It's no wonder celebrity chef Guy Fieri has eaten his way through Miami's fabled culinary scene, proudly featuring his tasty adventures on his show, "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives." Naturally, Fieri popped into the legendary 11th Street Diner, a Miami eatery beloved for its retro dining car, bulging menu, 24/7 weekend service, and Americana vibes.

A complete 180 from this cool hole-in-the-wall South Carolina diner, also featured on Fieri's show, 11th Street Diner is a flashy, Miami Beach institution installed inside a classic dining car smack dab in the middle of the city's Art Deco District. This decades-old eatery's iconic status was reinforced in 2019, when luxury brand Bottega Veneta commandeered it for celebrations during Art Basel Miami Beach, covering it in a shiny gold wrap and hot-pink neon signage.

Originally built in New Jersey in 1948, the classic dining car was transported to Miami Beach in 1992. Since then, this corner spot has been wooing patrons with late-night dining, classic comfort food, and plates heaped with retro nostalgia. With over 7,000 Google reviews, the diner boasts an impressive 4.5 rating. One Google wistful reviewer raved that, "The ambiance is truly special and full of character — stepping inside feels like being transported straight back to the 1960s. The place could easily serve as a set for a retro TV show."

11th Street Diner's enormous menu features the same kind of classics served up at retro diners and America's best hole-in-the-wall restaurants. Fieri indulged in a number of tempting plates during his visit, so if you're following in his footsteps, cozy up to a red stool and prepare to tuck in. The famed chef's favorite were the apple-raisin pork chops, now proudly highlighted with Fieri's endorsement on the menu. Fieri declared this "one of the best pork dishes ever." He also chowed down on the Argentine skirt steak, oven-roasted turkey, and the mac-and-cheese, hailing the latter "all-American."

The diner is known as one of Miami's best breakfast spots, and is a quintessential hangout for late-night noshing. Breakfast options run the gamut from griddle faves like pancakes and French toast to a waffle bar and a dizzying selection of egg dishes anchored by omelettes and breakfast burritos. There are a few unconventional options, too, like the shrimp avocado crostini and the pork belly Benedict. Being a diner, where burgers and fries reign supreme, the menu boasts a staggering selection of hamburgers — 24 to be exact. "I ordered a burger, and honestly, it was fantastic — juicy, flavorful, and cooked just right," shared one happy eater on Google. "My wife had one too, and she kept saying how much she enjoyed hers. Simple, but exactly what you want from a great burger spot."

That said, the food isn't cheap. The Cowboy Burger alone costs $20.50. Pair that with a "spiked" $16 milkshake, or a $17 cocktail from the full bar, and, after adding sales tax and a tip, you're spending in the neighborhood of $50. Perhaps that's just the price of nostalgia and Guy Fieri's stamp of approval.