The Fish House Miami

Page 25 | The Scene

Snazzy and jazzy experience

Enjoy the fascinating mixture of cultures in both the music and seafood menu with The Fish House Miami

BY ADRIEL CORTES, STAFF WRITER

WITH THE DIMLY LIT atmosphere of a New Orleans joint and the light freshness of Miami’s seafood, The Fish House intersects such diverse experiences in an exclusive way. Immersed by a mix of culture in foods, scenery and music played by young local artists, customers encounter the delight of cultural assimilation.

The Fish House Miami was established in 1996 by husband and wife, Jose and Angela Rivero. When he was around 18 years old, Jose Rivero felt his place was in the restaurant business after working in the hospitality industry at a very young age. After many years, he decided with his wife to start their own business close to their home. The idea of a seafood-centered restaurant came from his love of the beach, manifesting the scene with the different types of decorations and music that have to do with the ocean.

“Recommended dishes for any new customers would definitely have to be one of our rice bowls. You can choose different proteins like fish, shrimp or even chicken, if you don’t like fish,” employee Anthony Fernandez said.

Menu items like their Mahi-mahi tacos have a unique Peruvian twist, which consists of Mahi-mahi fish, either grilled, blackened or fried on three floured tortillas with cheese, lettuce, pico de gallo and sour cream.

“We add these Peruvian twists on our menus because my wife is Peruvian and we try to display unique items on our menus merging our own cultures with the food,” Jose Rivero said. The Fish House’s top selling local dish is the Cuban style Mahi-mahi called the "Havana Banana Mahi", which is Mahi-mahi fish with rice, black beans and sweet plantains.

Other than distinctive seafood menu items, what makes The Fish House so unique is the live music in the restaurant. Jose Rivero and his wife were inspired by a trip to New Orleans in the early 2000s by the local music played in the bars that they visited.

AMBIENT AMPS: Beginning at 7 p.m., the amps turn on Adriel and Cortes/highlights the lightsdim as the crowd awaits to be washed over by the soothing blues.

Adriel Cortes/ highlights

“We saw the theme of Blues and Jazz in New Orleans, so we developed a stage for different local bands to play and shifted the decor of the restaurant to reflect a New Orleans and cajun style,” Jose Rivero said.

Through the years, Angela Rivero was in charge of looking for artists and booking them to play for the restaurant. Now, their restaurant has gained popularity and a lot of artists seek out the restaurant to see if they can play. Most of these artists are young and hope to use the stage as a way to get their voices heard.

Mikailo Kasha is an aspiring artist that moved to Miami a few years ago. He was invited by his friends to play and have jam sessions at The Fish House. Kasha is an upright and electric bass player and usually attends Wednesday sessions at The Fish House.

“I love playing jazz because it presents an opportunity in which everyone’s individual voice and background comes together and I really appreciate the space and the atmosphere that the Fish House has created for bands to play,” Kasha said.

Many of the employees themselves are also fond of the idea of having live entertainment.

“It’s nice that we always have a different rotation of bands that play so you can listen to different things,” Fernandez said.

Credited by so many positive local reviews, it is safe to say that The Fish House is worth the trip. Expand your taste with a variety of seafood and enjoy the relaxing New Orleans and South Florida feel of the restaurant, as well as the pleasant employees taking your order.

On Tuesdays to Sundays, The Fish House Miami is open from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., located at 10000 SW 56th St. in the Miller Road Plaza. Satisfy yourself with the rich and distinict instrumental blues and jazz music that The Fish House Miami offers. h