The Ten Best Restaurants in Fort Lauderdale

Takato, meaning “in a state of extreme happiness” in Japanese, will deliver just that. This year-old establishment has quickly become one of the jewels of Fort Lauderdale beach. Here, executive chef Taek Lee’s upscale menu of sharable small plates and entrées shows off Lee’s approach to Japanese and Korean fusion. Signature dishes include braised short ribs served over a nest of sweet potato noodles; and a Wagyu skirt steak topped with a wasabi-spiked chimichurri. It’s not unheard of to see traditional dumpling makers kneading and filling dough from scratch before delivering fresh batches via sleek rolling carts, or catch a glimpse of diners enjoying tableside wasabi, cocktail, and culinary presentations. Recently, the restaurant also launched its own omakase lounge, offerings guests a more intimate experience.