When one of Europe's most powerful hospitality groups decides to make their American debut, the choice of venue says everything. Paris Society, the French operator behind more than 70 restaurants, clubs, and hotels worldwide, chose the Delano Miami Beach. Not New York. Not Los Angeles. Miami Beach.
Mimi Kakushi, a Japanese restaurant inspired by 1920s Osaka and the Japanese avant-garde Mavo movement, now occupies the Delano's fourth floor. It opened in late March 2026 as part of the hotel's comprehensive renovation, and it's already generating the kind of whispered excitement that turns a restaurant into a destination.
There's a catch, though: you need to be a Delano hotel guest or a Members Club member to get in. Here's everything you need to know.
Paris Society: Who They Are and Why It Matters
If you follow restaurant culture in Europe or the Middle East, Paris Society needs no introduction. Founded in 2008 by Laurent de Gourcuff, the group has built a portfolio of over 70 venues that blend high design, excellent food, and the kind of atmosphere that makes people feel like they've entered a more glamorous version of reality.
Their properties span Paris, London, and the Middle East, ranging from fine dining restaurants to nightclubs to entire hotels. The group is known for choosing exceptional spaces and transforming them with design-forward concepts that prioritize experience alongside food.
Mimi Kakushi is their first venture in the United States, and they didn't play it safe. Instead of a French brasserie or Italian trattoria, concepts that would have been easy wins, they chose to open a Japanese restaurant inside one of Miami Beach's most iconic hotels. It signals confidence, ambition, and a belief that Miami's dining audience is ready for something genuinely different.
The Dubai Connection
The Mimi Kakushi name isn't new. The original location is a cocktail bar in Dubai that has quietly become one of the most respected bars in the world. In 2025, it was ranked number 36 on The World's 50 Best Bars list and held the number one position in the Middle East. It also appeared on MENA's 50 Best Restaurants list, placing around 35th.
The Dubai Mimi Kakushi is known for inventive cocktails that blur the line between mixology and performance art, all served in a moody, Japanese-inspired setting. The Miami version expands the concept from a bar into a full restaurant while keeping the cocktail program at the center of the experience.
If the bar's reputation is any indication, the drinks alone are worth the trip.
The Design: 1920s Osaka Meets Art Deco
The space was designed by Pirajeen Lees, and it's extraordinary. Drawing from 1920s Osaka and the Mavo art movement, a Japanese avant-garde collective that blended Eastern and Western aesthetics, the design layers textures, materials, and lighting in a way that feels both historical and thoroughly modern.
Hand-painted walls depict scenes that evoke Japan's interwar creative explosion. Lush fabrics drape across seating areas. Wooden screens create intimate zones within the larger dining room. The furniture takes cues from Japanese colonial design, mixing dark woods with upholstered surfaces. Table settings are luxurious without being fussy.
The lighting is particularly effective. It shifts throughout the evening, moving from the brighter tones of lunch service to something moodier and more cinematic as dinner progresses. By late evening, the room feels like a scene from a period film, all warm shadows and intimate pools of light.
A sushi counter anchors the culinary experience, putting diners in direct contact with the preparation. It's a smart design choice that adds energy and theater to what could have been a purely formal setting.
The Menu
Mimi Kakushi's menu is designed for sharing, which aligns with both Japanese izakaya culture and Miami's social dining preferences. The kitchen reimagines Japanese classics with Western touches, creating dishes that feel familiar but not predictable.
Sashimi and sushi form the foundation. Sourced fresh and prepared at the counter, the raw fish program is a clear priority. Expect seasonal selections and chef's choice platters that change with availability.
Tempura is light and crisp, showcasing the kitchen's control over temperature and timing. The batter is barely there, just enough to create a shell around the ingredient.
Gyoza are handmade and pan-fried to a golden bottom with a soft, steamed top. They're a perfect drinking companion and arrive on most tables within the first round of cocktails.
Oven-baked black cod brings rich, buttery fish with the kind of caramelized exterior that comes from careful, high-heat cooking. It's a crowd-pleaser that works for both first-timers and regulars.
Donabe rice pot is a traditional Japanese clay pot dish that arrives at the table still steaming. The rice is cooked to a slight crisp on the bottom, with toppings that vary by season. It's meant to be shared and eaten slowly.
Kagoshima wagyu beef is the premium offering. Kagoshima prefecture in southern Japan produces some of the most prized beef in the world, and Mimi Kakushi treats it with the restraint it deserves. Minimal seasoning, perfect temperature, served simply.
The menu is designed to be ordered in waves rather than as a single course. Start with sashimi and cocktails, move to tempura and gyoza, share the black cod and rice pot, and finish with the wagyu if the table is feeling ambitious.
The Cocktail Program: The Kintaro Menu
For many visitors, the cocktails will be the main attraction. The Kintaro menu, named after a figure in Japanese folklore, draws its creative framework from the silent film era and specifically from Sessue Hayakawa, one of the biggest movie stars of the 1910s and 1920s and one of the first Asian actors to achieve Hollywood fame.
Each cocktail on the menu is inspired by one of Hayakawa's screen characters, with ingredients, presentation, and even the glassware chosen to evoke a specific scene or emotion. It's theatrical without being gimmicky. The drinks are genuinely well-crafted, built on Japanese spirits, fresh citrus, and house-made syrups and infusions.
The mixology team comes from the Dubai operation, bringing the techniques and standards that earned that number 36 ranking on the World's 50 Best Bars. If you're a cocktail person, budget time and money for at least two or three drinks.
Getting In: Access and Reservations
Here's the part that makes Mimi Kakushi different from almost every other restaurant in Miami: it's not open to the public. Access is restricted to Delano Miami Beach hotel guests and Delano Members Club members.
Option 1: Book a room. The most straightforward way in. The Delano Miami Beach has 171 oceanfront rooms. Book a stay and you automatically have dining access to Mimi Kakushi during your visit.
Option 2: Join the Members Club. The Delano Members Club offers access to the hotel's restaurants, the pool, the spa, and other amenities. Membership details are available through the hotel directly. Pricing and terms aren't publicly listed, so expect to inquire.
Option 3: Be someone's guest. Members can bring guests, so if you know someone with access, that's your ticket.
There's no public walk-in option and no public reservation platform like Resy or OpenTable. This is an intentional choice. Paris Society builds exclusivity into their venues, and the members-only model creates the kind of controlled environment that lets them maintain quality and atmosphere.
It's worth noting that this exclusivity may soften over time as the hotel establishes itself, but for now, plan accordingly.
Other Dining at the Delano
Mimi Kakushi isn't the only Paris Society concept at the newly renovated Delano. The hotel also houses:
Gigi Rigolatto: A ground-level Italian-Mediterranean restaurant with shareable classics, lively music, and access to the pool and beach club. Designed by Hugo Toro with mineral plaster walls, carved wood, and yellow Sienna marble. Gigi is the more accessible of the two restaurants and has a different energy, more daytime and social, less intimate and moody.
Rose Bar: The legendary Delano bar has returned as part of the renovation. It's a cocktail bar with decades of Miami Beach history and a revamped program for 2026.
The combination of Mimi Kakushi, Gigi Rigolatto, and Rose Bar gives the Delano one of the strongest restaurant lineups of any hotel in Miami Beach.
The Delano Reopening: Context
The Delano Miami Beach is one of the most important hotels in South Beach history. Originally designed by Philippe Starck in the 1990s, it helped define the aesthetic of the neighborhood and became a symbol of Miami Beach's cultural renaissance.
The 2026 reopening, managed by Ennismore, represents a full reimagination of the property. In addition to the Paris Society restaurants, the hotel features 171 oceanfront rooms, a new wellness-focused spa designed by Elastic Interiors, and updated public spaces that honor the original Starck vision while pushing it forward.
Practical Details
Address: Delano Miami Beach, 4th floor, 1685 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
Hours: Lunch daily 12 PM to 5 PM. Dinner Sunday through Thursday 6 PM to 11 PM, Friday and Saturday 6 PM to midnight.
Access: Delano hotel guests and Members Club members only. No public reservations.
Price range: Expect to spend $100 to $200+ per person for dinner with cocktails. Kagoshima wagyu and premium sashimi platters push the upper end.
Dress code: Elevated. The space and crowd lean formal. Think cocktail attire or smart casual at minimum. This is not a flip-flops venue.
Getting there: The Delano is on Collins Avenue between 17th and 18th Streets in South Beach. Valet parking is available through the hotel.
Who Mimi Kakushi Is Best For
Hotel guests looking for an exceptional in-house dinner: If you're staying at the Delano, this is the obvious choice. The fourth-floor location means you don't even need to leave the building.
Cocktail enthusiasts: The Kintaro menu alone is reason to visit. If you follow the World's 50 Best Bars, this is a chance to experience that caliber of mixology without flying to Dubai.
Design lovers: The Pirajeen Lees interior is genuinely beautiful. The blend of 1920s Osaka aesthetics with Art Deco elements creates a space that's worth experiencing on its own merits.
Special occasion diners: The exclusivity, the design, the quality of the food and drinks, it all adds up to a memorable evening. Birthdays, anniversaries, or "just because" celebrations work well here.
Japanese food fans who want something different: This isn't a sushi counter or a ramen bar. It's Japanese food through a European hospitality lens, shared plates in a designed environment with world-class cocktails.
FAQ
Is Mimi Kakushi open to the public?
No. Access is restricted to Delano Miami Beach hotel guests and Delano Members Club members. There's no public walk-in or reservation option through platforms like Resy or OpenTable.
How do I join the Delano Members Club?
Contact the Delano Miami Beach directly for membership details. Information isn't publicly listed, so expect to inquire through the hotel's concierge or membership team.
How much does dinner cost at Mimi Kakushi?
Plan for $100 to $200+ per person including cocktails. Premium items like Kagoshima wagyu and sashimi platters are at the higher end. Cocktails from the Kintaro menu run $18 to $25 each.
What's the dress code?
Elevated. The space is formal and the crowd dresses accordingly. Smart casual at minimum, cocktail attire recommended. Leave the beachwear at the pool.
Is it worth staying at the Delano just for the restaurants?
If you're a food and design enthusiast, yes. Between Mimi Kakushi, Gigi Rigolatto, Rose Bar, the spa, and the pool, the Delano offers a complete experience. The 171 oceanfront rooms start in the premium range for South Beach.
How does Mimi Kakushi compare to other Japanese restaurants in Miami?
It's a different category. Where places like Zuma or Nobu focus on modern Japanese cuisine in a see-and-be-seen setting, Mimi Kakushi emphasizes atmosphere, cocktails, and design at equal weight to the food. The members-only access creates a more intimate and controlled experience.
Is there a connection to the Dubai Mimi Kakushi?
Yes. The Dubai location, a cocktail bar ranked number 36 on The World's 50 Best Bars, is the original concept. The Miami version expands it into a full restaurant while keeping the cocktail program central to the experience.
