Dining Palm Beach County
Delray Beach
Amar: Amar didn’t just move, it leveled up. The new Delray location trades cozy for expansive, and it works. High ceilings, a generous dining room, and a patio that actually feels like a destination, not an afterthought. It’s the kind of space where you settle in, order one too many mezze, and forget what time you got there.
The menu stays true to what made Amar a local staple. Labneh that’s creamy and cool with just the right tang, muhammara with that deep, sweet heat, kibbeh done right, and a bright, punchy fattoush that cuts through it all. No reinvention needed here. They know their lane and they drive it well.
On certain nights, the energy shifts. Music picks up, belly dancers appear, and the room leans a little more festive without losing its polish.
MIA Kitchen and Bar: You don’t go to expect a scene at this venue that borders Boynton Beach and Delray. And yet, MIA Kitchen quietly delivers one.
The first surprise is the room. Warm lighting, a soft buzz, the kind of place where a table of twenty-somethings shares space with couples who have clearly been coming to Palm Beach longer than you’ve been alive. It works. No posturing, just an easy confidence. On certain nights, live music drifts through and pulls the whole thing together.
Outside, there’s a small patio tucked behind a wall of shrubs that does its best to forget the parking lot just beyond it. It’s intimate enough to feel like a choice, not an afterthought. Inside is where the energy lives.
Then the food lands, and things get interesting.
This is not a safe, predictable menu. It leans playful, a little irreverent, but never loses control. The duck cannoli is the kind of dish that makes you pause mid-bite. Rich, crisp, slightly unexpected. The “pork martini” sounds like a joke until it arrives and proves otherwise, savory, clever, and oddly satisfying in a way you didn’t see coming.
And the service. Sharp, present, genuinely warm without trying too hard. The kind of team that knows when to lean in and when to disappear.
Palm Beach
The Polo Room: The Polo Room feels like Palm Beach after dark, a little polished, a little mischievous, and very much in on the secret.
A self described “Palm Beach chic” restaurant, it is co owned by polo star Nacho Figueras and restaurateur Thierry Beaud. The menu leans into Argentine inspired Continental cuisine, with an upscale approach that still feels easy enough for a long, lingering dinner.
Inside, it is all low light and quiet drama. The front room hums with a tight cluster of bar seats and a few tables that feel close enough to catch snippets of conversation. Head toward the back and things open up into a second dining space that feels more tucked away, a little more intimate, like you earned your seat.
The energy stays steady all night. Service is sharp without being stiff, the kind that anticipates what you need before you ask. And the food delivers where it matters. The Spicy Rigatoni a la Vodka has just enough heat to keep things interesting, while the Wagyu French Dip, layered with caramelized onions, peppers, and melted comté, leans rich and unapologetic in the best way.
