The One Who Keeps the Book Miami
How to Get Into Sunny’s in Miami
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Is Sunny’s quite possibly the most charmed — and charming — restaurant in the city?
Walking in on a Saturday, it certainly feels like this indoor-outdoor restaurant with multiple dining rooms, a glorious retro-looking bar and idyllic terrace with a majestic banyan tree has cast a spell on the Miami dining public. Since opening in the fall of 2024, the modern steakhouse with excellent pastas has quickly become one of the toughest reservations in town.
Helmed by chef Aaron Brooks and the team behind the now-closed Jaguar Sun, Sunny’s has racked up numerous accolades from the beginning and is currently on rotation on many “best restaurant” lists — not only for its exceptional cocktail program and Florida-inspired menu, but also because of the restaurant’s warm hospitality and welcoming atmosphere.
For Resy’s ongoing series, The One Who Keeps The Books, we got the inside scoop from co-owner Will Thompson on all the hot details of how to secure a booking at one of Miami’s most in-demand tables. And for more tips on how to get a reservation at some of Miami’s most sought-after restaurants, head here.
Resy: How many seats are there at Sunny’s?
Will Thompson: 220 total.
When do reservations drop on Resy?
Thirty days out at noon.
How quickly do seats get booked out?
Fridays and Saturdays tend to book up immediately, but during the week, we tend to have tables available in our outdoor dining room. The Resy Notify feature is an incredible tool as we do see substantial amounts of change as we get closer to the day-of.
Are any of the seats in the restaurant held for walk-ins?
Yes! The terrace and indoor bar seating are exclusively available for walk-ins.
What time would you recommend stopping by to snag a walk-in seat?
For guests looking to dine in our indoor bar, we suggest coming in right at 5:30 p.m. For guests looking to snack and grab drinks, the terrace is flexible at any time, with seating and standing-room availability.
During peak time, what is the typical wait time for a walk-in?
Unfortunately, this is all over the place [and] based on weather, day of the week, what’s happening in the city, traffic, etc.
When are your busiest nights?
Thursday through Saturday.
Can guests have a cocktail while they wait for their table?
Yes.
When is Sunny’s the least busy?
Monday and Tuesday.
If someone were to set a Resy Notify, is there a certain day or time they’d be most likely to get a reservation?
The earlier in the week and further away from 8 p.m., the more likely — but we do see a lot of change.
Are there any other tips or tricks you have for getting a table?
The Resy Notify feature is definitely the way to go. Our guests often book a month in advance, but life happens and plans change, so we tend to see cancellations the day before and the morning of.
Usually, how long is the Resy Notify list?
Sometimes, almost nothing. Sometimes, longer than Resy can keep track of.
How many turnarounds do you have?
We see two to three turns on each table on any given night.
What would you say is the best seat in the house?
Whichever one you end up in!
Is it possible to reserve a specific table, and do folks ever request that?
Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate specific table requests in advance. However, if the table is available when the guests arrive, we are happy to move things around to make it work.
It’s a typical Saturday night at 7 p.m. Can you set the scene?
Big vibes. We’re lucky to get a huge range of the city
How would you describe the menu, other than “steakhouse”?
We try to match the context we exist in, so a lot of our menu is lighter fare than what you might expect from a traditional steakhouse. Lots of crudos, raw bar, salads, etc., in addition to a small-but-mighty selection of pastas. I think of our food as refined — but unfussy.
Does the menu change much? Should guests expect to see specials?
We rotate through a good chunk of the menu, but there are a lot of greatest hits that would get us run out of town if we were to suddenly stop offering. Specials are certainly a regular part of life for us, but not something we’d guarantee every day.
Sunny’s is open seven days a week from 5:30 to 11 p.m.
Sara Liss is a Miami-based food and travel writer and cookbook author. Her work has been published in a wide range of newspapers, magazines and websites including Miami Herald, Miami.com, Departures, Miami Modern Luxury, Florida Travel + Life, Herald Home & Design, and Onboard Media. Follow her on Instagram. Follow Resy, too.
