This seafood restaurant from New York is now closed at a Miami landmark hotel
Yet another Miami restaurant, this one from New York, is pressing pause, in this case six months after it opened.
Ensenada, which served Latin American-infused coastal cuisine in the retro Vagabond hotel in Miami’s MiMo district, first announced that it would be closing “with plans to reopen after the season,” according to the brand’s Instagram account. Ensenada opened at the Vagabond at the end of 2024, with help from Ahmet Erkaya, owner of the popular spot Mandolin Aegean Bistro in the Design District.
Originally, the restaurant at 7301 Biscayne Blvd. said it had closed temporarily for repairs. Now, it has announced on Instagram that it is closed for good.
“Miami; that was short, salty, and unforgettable,” the newest post said. “Ensenada is officially closed, forever. we will not be re-opening our doors in the future.”
The menu included Peruvian and Venezuelan-infused ceviches, aguachiles and Ensenada-style fish and shrimp tacos as well as the Miami-centric seafood platter and seasonal stone crabs.
The restaurant is the creation of owner Bryce David and partner and executive chef Luis Herrera, who opened the original Ensenada in Brooklyn in 2022. The first Ensenada was named one of Bon Appétit’s Best Restaurants of 2023.
In December 2024, David told the Miami Herald that Miami felt like the perfect spot for the restaurant’s expansion.
“The scene here is young,” he said. “It’s not comparable to New York, with the pressure and quality and consistency. Some places here are wildly different on different days. Consistency is big in New York. But Miami just felt right. Luis and I agree not to do anything that doesn’t feel right.”
Ensenada isn’t the only Miami restaurant taking a break in what is turning out to be a cruel summer. Massimo Bottura’s Torno Subito has also closed with promises to return later this year, and the Mediterranean spot Byblos at the Royal Palm South Beach Miami is closing while the hotel undergoes a major renovation.
This story was originally published July 8, 2025 at 4:30 AM.