Essensia at The Palms Hotel & Spa

We had a great visit to Essensia! We sat on the patio, which had a great ambiance. It started raining and the closed the curtain liners so it didn't detract from the experience at all.The bar drinks were very tasty. The calamari was nicely done; not chewy and only the rings. I had the gnocchi and short ribs and it did not disappoint. My husband tried a bite and thought it was too salty, so maybe avoid if you're sensitive to that. I thought it was delicious. He had the striped bass. He was not overly impressed as it wasn't flavorful or moist. It was a very small portion as well. The dessert menu was not tempting us so we had a cappuccino, which was great!An overall very nice experience, great service and good food.

I'll preface this by saying we enjoyed our stay at The Palms, and this review is not a reflection of the resort. Our only experience with Essensia was during breakfast.We started with the Bakery Basket, an assortment of croissants and dessert breads. When it arrived, I was a bit surprised to see mini croissants and a half serving of the dessert breads (think of a serving of pound cake just cut in half). While it wasn't bad, it tasted like it came out of a prepacked container from Walmart. For $16, I expected a little more, and not breads cut in half. We also had the omelet with home fries. The omelet was great. The home fries were gross, and that's legitimately the best word to describe it. It was either potatoes made from the day before or made very early in the morning and allowed to sit under a heat lamp for hours. It was dried out and stale.It just feels like this place cuts corners, and for the inflated price, it's simply unacceptable.

We had a nice visit to Essensia to try their Miami Spice menu. We decided to sit on the patio, where the ambiance was comfortable and inviting. I started with the local red snapper crudo followed by my main the kimchi turmeric fried rice, while my friend went for the Za'atar chicken kebab. For dessert I had the passion fruit mousse which ended up being my favorite part of the meal while my friend had the chocolate dome. The drinks were good too.

This was a great meal after my appointment at the Spa! I sat on the patio and there were fans to keep us cool in the hot, Miami weather. There is a lunch menu that offers affordable options. I got the Palms burger and truffle fries. It was sooo good! The service was also amazing. I was given chilled water the second I sat down. This is a great restaurant for your next trip!

We were staying at the hotel so figured we'd try it out of convenience. Service was good and setting was nice, but the breakfast food was very average but priced like an expensive hotel's. Waffle ($16) was cold and small and the pancakes ($19) were a substantial stack but burnt on the bottom. Glad we didn't pay the $39/person for the buffet.This is Miami Beach so there are plenty of cheaper and better breakfast options within a few block radius.

After a few days of drinking more than our usual share and eating a lot of fancy meals, I decided to dial it back a bit on Sunday morning as we were on our way back home. OK, just a bit, because I did enjoy a Rum and Stormy to start (well made and delicious) :)For my entree, I really did dial it back, though, and selected the Salmon and Mango Bowl. This was a very substantial salad, with a very generous cut of salmon and a huge sliced avocado half as the centerpieces. The salmon was perfectly cooked and moist, and the mango chunks were moderately sweet and tender. Although I'm generally not a raw tomato fan, the heirloom cherry tomatoes added nice visual interest and flavor. Greens were fresh and had a nice crunch, and the Key lime vinaigrette was good enough to drink straight. Our service was excellent, and the setting was very nice, outdoor and airy, with a well done beach motif throughout. This was a very relaxing "getaway day" meal.

I spent a Sunday evening enjoying the Miami Spice dinner menu. The food was really good portions for Miami Spice. I really loved the service from the moment you walk into The Palms Hotel & Spa you feel so relaxed. Clarissa was an amazing host & Vanessa was probably the best server I have had in a while. Vanessa was so kind & really chill plus she really made sure I enjoyed the food & sparkling rose - you can tell she really cared & wanted me to have a wonderful meal. In addition, the rest of her team worked so well together they really made my meal very memorable. The restaurant is huge & they walk back & forth & back & forth all day in the heat but still were in good moods plus very prompt with everything! The food was good but I will definitely be back for the service, I really felt the upscale peaceful vibes. I had 3 desserts because why not, live a little! My total tab was over $100 just for myself so this place is pricey outside of the Miami Spice items, FYI.

I got married here in May and this venue and this food is all indicative of the staff they have here. Everything was so top notch it's easy to see this would be a recommended venue from both a wedding perspective and a location to stay during travels. The one thing I heard from multiple guests was just how great the food was, and this is seldom heard as wedding food is often large batch and either cold or minimal. I love every single thing I ate as pictured below and would definitely go back to try their brunch. Vanessa to day of coordinator and palms wedding and event liaison was so great to deal with and ultimately her great hospitality was the reason my wife and I chose this location over the others we saw where staff was not as receptive. If you're in the area make sure to stop by as the resort grounds and restaurant are amazing in sight and taste.

It is always a pleasure to have dinner in this place. Both the owner and the staff have always been very welcoming and do a great job creating an ambiance for their clientele. Every single time I have dinner here I must order their fried calamari. Hands down the best appetizer on their menu. As for their entrees, I would recommend their filet minion, medium rare.... thank me later :)The Palms is a great place for a first date, or simply to hang out with friends. Their wine menu list is pretty large. You will find the wine you like for sure.

The staff was great (we have a 4yo and they were adorable to her), the food was very good (delicious burger and cheesecake), the prices very decent for the area - and the space is lovely. We'll be back!