Miami Nights brings sizzle of South Beach to Westlake

Bringing the fine dining and high-energy nightlife of Miami Beach to the shores of Lake Erie, Miami Nights Grill, Bar & Lounge opens Friday, Nov. 6 at the corner of Columbia and Sperry roads in Westlake.

The hybrid restaurant/nightclub is a steakhouse by day, serving USDA Prime Certified Angus Beef as well as seafood and pasta dishes, and a party destination by night. After dinner on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, the space transforms into a club with a sophisticated light and sound system and a DJ playing dance music with raised dance platforms scattered throughout and lit from underneath.

“I am inspired by the eclectic cuisine and colorful nightlife of Miami and wanted to bring that experience to Northeast Ohio,” says owner Dr. Joseph Girgis, who was once a chef in London before going to medical school. “I am passionate about gourmet food and believe that we are offering something completely new to the Cleveland dining and entertainment scene.”

Dr. Girgis flew Executive Chef John Rey and General Manager Samuel Zarif to Miami Beach to get a better feel of what makes it so special as they created the restaurant's contemporary American cuisine.

One of the signature entrees is Whole Fried Red Snapper. Prepared just as it is in Miami’s hottest restaurants, the fish is cubed, delicately fried and served atop its own artfully arranged bones, with a complement of coconut rice, ponzu and spicy mustard sauces. Another specialty is the Miami Ribeye, marinated for 36 hours in a house-made Cajun seasoning then seared under a 1,600-degree infrared broiler.

The restaurant is open for dinner at 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, with a bar menu only on Mondays, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Nightclub hours are Thursdays through Saturdays, 10:30 p.m. to 3 a.m. Call 440-455-1481 for reservations; MiamiNightsGrillBarLounge.com.