Illustration of a vibrant modern tropical restaurant with an open kitchen (illustrative, not the actual restaurant)

Menu Guide · Miami Beach

Pao — Menu Guide

By Firoz Khan · FK Digital Media

Pao is Paul Qui's modern Asian restaurant at Faena Hotel Miami Beach — the Top Chef Season 9 winner and 2012 James Beard Best Chef: Southwest's first venture outside Austin, opened in 2016. The oval dining room sits under a gold dome anchored by a gilded unicorn sculpture by Damien Hirst, and the cooking leans on charcoal and smoke — including binchotan searing done tableside. Below is our independent walkthrough with prices from the official Faena dinner menu (dated February 27, 2026, fetched October 2026). Everything is written in our own words. Note: a 20% service charge is added to all checks.

At a glance

Location
3201 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33140 (inside Faena Hotel Miami Beach)
Chef
Paul Qui (Top Chef Season 9 winner; 2012 James Beard Best Chef: Southwest)
Cuisine
Modern Asian — Filipino, Spanish, Japanese, French influences
Price level
Very expensive — OpenTable band $50+; 20% service charge added
Reservations
Recommended; bookable via OpenTable or +1 (786) 655-5600
Hours
Tue–Wed 6:30–10 PM; Thu–Sat 6:30–11 PM; closed Sun–Mon (per faena.com). Dinner only.

Hours

Reported by faena.com: Tuesday–Wednesday, 6:30–10:00 PM; Thursday–Saturday, 6:30–11:00 PM; closed Sunday–Monday. Dinner only, with live music Friday and Saturday from 7:00 PM. Dress code is "Elegant Chic."

Signatures & official prices

Prices below are from the official Faena dinner menu PDF, dated February 27, 2026 (fetched October 2026):

  • The Unicorn — $48: sea urchin with grilled sweet corn pudding, sake aioli, and chile de árbol — the menu calls it Chef Qui's "heavenly and James Beard Award winning pairing of uni & corn."
  • Aguachile Negro — $28: Ora King salmon, cucumber, squid ink, charred bell pepper, yuzu pearls, charred avocado.
  • Kinilaw — $26: local fish, heart of palm, coconut milk and vinegar, apple, grapefruit.
  • Fried Chicken — $26: sweet chili sauce, roasted banana ketchup, jalapeño, Thai herbs.
  • Scallops — $27: U8 scallop, umami chili crisp, white ponzu, Meyer lemon, potato espuma.
  • Tobanyaki — $47: Tamaki Gold rice, adobo, Comté espuma, short rib, pickled shallot.
  • Tom Kha Rice — $49: Tamaki Gold rice, tom kha, burrata, chili oil, trumpet mushrooms, shiitake bacon.
  • Kare Kare — $50: tiger prawns, roasted almond, bok choy, eggplant, almond salsa macha.
  • 72-Hour Wagyu Short Rib — $85: Japanese sweet potato, nikkiri beurre monté, pickled grapes.
  • Tenderloin Katsu — $75; Tuna Toro Katsu — $113; Grilled Duck — $57.
  • Nigiri (per piece): hamachi $14, akami $10, salmon $12, chu toro $16, toro $18, hotate $14, foie gras $20. Caviar service: Classic Osetra $200, Golden Osetra $255.

What we'd order

If we had one meal here, this is how we'd play it:

  • Non-negotiable: The Unicorn ($48) — the uni-and-corn pairing that won Qui his Beard.
  • The Filipino side: kinilaw ($26) and kare kare ($50) — the menu's most personal dishes.
  • The splurge: the 72-hour wagyu short rib ($85) — or toro katsu ($113) for the full theater.
  • Easy start: fried chicken ($26) with the banana ketchup while you settle in.

Planning your visit

  • Book via OpenTable — the listing shows same-day bookings, but weekend slots under the dome go fast.
  • Closed Sunday–Monday — plan midweek or Friday–Saturday; live music starts at 7 PM on weekends.
  • Dress code: Elegant Chic — this is Faena, after all.
  • Miami Spice: recent press (~September 2026) noted a $65 four-course Miami Spice menu — seasonal, so confirm dates.

Official links

About these prices

All prices above are from the official Faena dinner menu PDF, dated February 27, 2026 and fetched October 2026 — the most current published source available. A 20% service charge is added to all checks. Menus and prices change frequently; always verify with the restaurant before visiting.

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