Book the waterfront table for the light; book the kitchen for the fish. On Miami Beach, too many ocean-view rooms reverse that order — this guide keeps the horizon and still expects real seafood.
Live listings (Beach pages sit with the city money page): fish restaurants in Miami. Companion mainland waterfront: Miami restaurants on the water. Fish-first shortlist: seafood restaurants Miami.
Keep the view, judge the fish
Ocean Drive and the side streets off Collins sell the horizon first. That is fine at lunch, when you want light and a ceviche that still tastes of lime rather than sugar. It is a bad reason to order a fried platter at 8pm if the menu cannot name the fish.
Ask three things before the main course. What species is the "catch"? Is the stone crab in season, or is it frozen claws from a distributor? Is the yellowtail local or a shipped fillet with the same name? Stone crab season runs mid-October to the start of May. Outside that window, a "stone crab" special is last season's claws or a substitute. Snapper and hogfish, simply grilled, are the honest Beach order when the crab is off.
Wind and music change the table more than people admit. A deck facing east is glare at brunch and pleasant after four. A speaker pointed at the water means you will not hear the server name the fish. Sit where you can have the conversation.
Waterfront on the Beach is not the same search as a bay or river table on the mainland. If the kitchen matters more than the sand, use the Miami directory and read the address before you book a room that is only a view.
If the deck is the reason you came, eat at lunch, name the fish, and leave before the speaker gets louder than the server.