J72 Chef’s Cafe

Mmmm!!! Delicious mix of flavors! Homemade sodas are spectacular and the cassava mofongos the best!!! Ceviche… Wow! Mix fries and guava wings super handy and sooooo good. Everything for all the likes and tastes. Family friendly, nice evenning with friends. Highly recommended!

I had an amazing lunch at this hidden gem in Davie! The food was awesome, fresh and delicious. The fish tacos were savory and the pork sandwich was flavorful. The menu has a mix of cuisines, including Peruvian. The passion fruit panna cotta was perfect and paired well with a nice vanilla latte. The service was excellent and the ambiance is relaxing and cute! I loved it! I will definitely be going back soon. Thank you!

Small place, very cozy and amazing staff.
Killer artisan fries (beware if you don’t like cassava, sweet potatoes or tostones because they’re included in it; they taste amazing nonetheless).
They make the food fresh in the kitchen, I got their burger which is made from half sirloin and half lamb, served on a fried arepa.
The server was constantly tentative in case we needed any help. Definitely recommend this place for everyone.
Pros:
Great ambiance and music.
Clean, and nicely decorated bathroom.
Great service.
Fresh, quality food.
They speak Spanish.
Student discounts.
Take out!
It makes you feel like you’re in a totally different city.
Cons:
Only one unisex bathroom.
Small establishment so make sure to call ahead of time on Fridays and Saturdays to guarantee a spot.

Popped in for a quick lunch with my husband after reading all of the rave reviews. We sampled a free things off the menu and shared everything. We ordered the classic ceviche, guava bacon wings, artesian fries, handcrafted soda (berries mojito and guava) and the pork medallion sandwich. Everything was delicious! The plantains were so crispy and garlicky and delicious. The pork was tender and flavorful and the tortilla chips were to die for. The ceviche was incredible, I can see why it was award-​winning. Service was impeccable too. We finished off with the soursop cheesecake which was more like a mini flan or panna cotta. Good but stay away if you’re not familiar with soursop and don’t like that flavor. Overall a great meal and we will be back.

Amazing food. The red velvet waffle with shrimp is the best combination of flavors that I have tried In my life. Excelent!!!

Much needed Gourmet and Innovative Menu in Davie!
The Duck Quesadilla was really good, The way they grilled up the corn tortillas for my fish tacos along with the sauce and julienne vegetables made them the best Fish tacos!
Mac & Cheese with truffle oil were crisp and delicious!
Overall the quality of the ingredients and menu items are innovative and well prepared.
The décor is certainly clean but not «cozy». It is fine especially for a younger college crowd.
We really enjoyed it and will be back soon!

What a gem! LISTEN TO US & ORDER THE FRIES! You wont be disappointed, I promise.
We also had the fish tacos — which were some of the best this self-​proclaimed taco connoisseur has had in a very, very long time. The freshness, quality of ingredients, and combination of flavors married in the slaw, sauce, and delicate char on the oh-​so fresh fish made this a winner. They generously come with a few sides of awesomeness: guac and salsa, both obviously made there and with the same level of pride.
Bravo Chef.
We’re telling all our foodie friends.
We’ll be back!

Thoroughly enjoyed my experience at J72 Chef table! The moment we walked in I felt welcomed and like I was transported to bossa nova town. Great energy in the restaurant not to mention the attention to décor detail carried throughout the entire space (including the bathroom). Our waiter was very attentive to our needs and answered any questions we had about the menu. While it was hard to pick from all the exciting options, I chose the fish tacos and I was not disappointed. The melody of flavors and ingredients were a perfect marriage both fresh and vibrant in taste, leaving me wanting more. What I loved most about this dish was that the ample portions did not leave me feeling heavy at all. My compliments to the chef over and over as your attention to detail in the art of cooking and design havent gone unnoticed and are deeply appreciated.
I am excited to have found this gem, cant wait to taste the rest of the items on the
menu!

I’m so glad I got to try this place on my short trip to ft. Lauderdale.
I loved the food we got, especially the fries (those are a must!) probably one of the best I’ve ever tasted. They had a very interesting coating and were soft on the inside and came with delicious dipping sauces. I still crave it sometimes and wish I could recreate it.
I also ordered the burger. The meat was cooked exactly how I wanted it, and the topping were complementary rather than overpowering. I did think the arepa bun, although good, was a bit too much — at least for me — and I did end up taking one of them off. It was very large and was more of a knife and fork kind of deal but I didn’t mind.
The only thing I didn’t like was the lemongrass ginger drink because it was way too sweet! They might as well have served me simple syrup. But I won’t detract from my rating because I did think the food was great!

Good ol J72! This is a great place for lunch if you are seeking something just a bit fancy. All the menu items are clearly carefully well thought out and artfully crafted. The three times that I have come here for lunch, the owner is always present and I the one cooking meals. The server is amazingly friendly and has probably tasted everything on the menu so she is good at making recommendations.
The atmosphere is very casual but has a higher end feel. Because I come for lunch, I tend to stay on the left side f the menu which has (cheaper prices items) and have yet to ventured onto the right side. I have had the duck con fit quesadillas which were perfect. If you do not like duck, I suggest you try these because it will blow your mind. I also had the guava chicken wings which were very very tasty.
My least favorite item has been the fish tacos. The flavor is decent but the tortilla just gets too soggy. I’m not sure if it’s because it sat too long before getting to my table but it fell apart as I ate it and had to resort to using my fork.
In addition to good good they also serve home made sodas which as wonderful. Definitely must try!
Hopefully I can come for dinner one day

Woohoo! As good as it gets! The reviews are true — this place is 5 star awesome!
Red velvet waffles A+
Spicy shrimp A+
Mac n cheese A++++
Cinnamon bun latte A
The latest drop within was with my picky vegetarian sister. Anytime we are out she’s always checks out the menu before seating. I know she would lok the seat so I sat down and claimed the couch under the tv — prime location to check the whole place out. She had a talk with one of the servers and soon we are chatting away over drinks as we wait on the food.
When she asked about heat levels for the mac n cheese — heck yeah bump it up a notch. The food was pretty! Like beautiful art on a plate. But that’s bittersweet if the food didn’t taste good. It was great as always. Later my sister said she was tempted to lick the plate if our very attentive server hadn’t taken the plates away.
And while we shared of lovely meal on social media we had great background tunes. Whoever selects the music is A1. Everyone must try. Great décor, great service, great music and great food and drinks.

What an incredible find. After Blue had told us about this restaurant and Michael we popped in for lunch this past Saturday afternoon with my dear friend Natasha. This is exactly why Unilocal is so awesome. Never in a million years would we have found this place to check out. For one it’s not in an area we frequent and two it’s in a very small strip center that you can pass right up.
They have a few tables outside and the inside is small with around 15 – 18 seats. It’s a simple décor inside, modern, clean and bright. The menu is small but don’t let this fool you. Try items you normally wouldn’t. They make their own fresh juices with their own syrup that Natasha and Dominic tried and loved. If you are a Vegetarian, just let them know and the Chef can accommodate most anything on the menu.
We had a very lovely waitress that took very good care of us. We started with Duck Confit Quesadilla’s and the Jo-​Jo fries! The Quesadilla was unique, with amazing various flavors and such fresh ingredients with a great sauce. It came with a side of tortilla chips that were fabulous and guacamole. The guacamole was so delicious we asked for another side. The Jo-​Jo fries was a combination of Yucca, Plantains, and Sweet Potato. It came with two sauces one bring almost like a mayo and the other a ketchup with spice in it. Natasha and Dom loved them. I enjoyed the plantains.
Next we shared the chicken pesto sandwich and burrata and tomato sandwich. The hoagie bread was fresh, the lettuce, tomatoes, and ingredients were so fresh and crisp. Everything had such awesome flavoring. You can taste the freshness of all the food.
This was a wonderful lunch that we all enjoyed. Such a great restaurant with excellent foods. They do offer specials depending on what is fresh and in season at markets. The owners are from Brazil and Puerto Rico I believe is what our server told us. True talented chef’s here. As we were leaving the Chef came out to ask if we had enjoyed everything. Very nice personable Chef and we were excited to let him know how fabulous everything was.
This is such a gem!

On this special day in a leap year, I continue my quest to explore and try new places… Driving back up from Kendall I remembered the reviews and hype from my fellow Unilocalers and decided to give this place a shot.
I’m a little familiar with this area but couldn’t quite place the restaurant so I relied 100% on the directions link in Unilocal app to guide me in. A typical western façade defines the strip mall and finally I noticed the J72 sign above.
I arrived at high noon hoping to beat the lunch crowd since this is in close proximity to nearby colleges. Once inside, I knew I was in luck. Second in the line and it appeared I arrived before the owners even showed up, lol. While standing in line, 2 guys came in and greeted the crowd and we’re ready to get the party started.
I grabbed a menu from next to the register and made it look like I knew what I was doing. Reality, never been here, lol! The guests ahead of me followed suit and grabbed menus as well. Based on previous reviews and pics on Unilocal,I pretty much knew what I was ordering.
We were all directed to grab a table of choice, I selected a high top. Couldn’t help but notice the place was as clean as a whistle and nicely appointed. Hipster music playing in the background was relaxing. I placed my order for a Pork Medallion sandwich and water to wash it down.
As typical, I brought in my IPad to catch up on the news and read some emails. I used the restroom to wash my hands and was super impressed on the cleanliness of the unisex bathroom. Clean as a whistle, just like the restaurant area. Nice touch!
My carafe of ice water came out and I poured a glass. I read the news on my IPad while waiting for my order. 10 or so minutes passed and the food orders started coming out in the order we each arrived. Presentation was as I had imagined from the pictures and completely on point. I wanted to try more but at $ 12+ for a sandwich I was trying to keep things in perspective.
Love at first bite. The seasonings and flavors were amazing. I love red onions and this sandwich was topped with them so I’m a fan. I should’ve taken a picture of my plate when finished, there was nothing left!
I skipped dessert and requested my check. There was a slight delay to check out because of the limited staff, maybe I could’ve facilitated something quicker by standing up at the register but I didn’t. Anyway, the food, service and experience met or exceeded my expectations. I tried slipping out without notice but was quickly met in the parking lot by the owner shouting my name. «You left your iPad on the table». Note to self, maybe you should enjoy lunch rather than multi-​tasking your way thru the day.
Thank you guys, not only is your food above par but so is your honesty and trustworthiness! Way to go!!!

Service 5 stars, food 5 stars.
Only gave it 4 stars because of the super limited menu.
I went here one night with my Dad and our server was super personable and knowledgeable. She was very attentive, but we were also the only table in the restaurant. With that being said, we weren’t over served, which was great.
The menu is very limited, but other reviewers say that they have ordered off menu before. I had the fish tacos and they were very good. The fish was very moist, and I loved the slaw that was in them. The sliced mango being my favorite ingredient! I tried a bite of the burger, and it was also very moist and delicious. I loved the log cabin style fries that came with the burger. Super tasty and not greasy at all.
The décor in the place is really modern and classy. It’s very small and the location is a bit strange. A great restaurant with a gourmet flair so close to all the colleges? I hope they do well, despite being in the middle of college town.
I can’t wait to eat there again. :)

I visited J72 with friends for lunch today and our server was right… everything is delicious here! And the establishment is very well taken care of, organized, neat, comfortable, and professional (the service A+ too!). The food! The food you can’t go wrong with anything you order from here. I actually couldn’t decide on what to order so I told the waitress to surprise me and she delivered! Thank you!
The octopus is to die for! The artisan fries are delicious, especially the sweet potato fries, and yes they do come with a tasty white truffle sauce too! And then finally the big mouth watering J72 burger came out… ¹⁰⁄₁₀! Just look at my photo I posted… that burger is full of win! I really love this place! Definitely coming back again, and if you ask about how the name of the café came about you’ll get a quite a fun history lesson and some interesting facts about J72!

This is a phenomenal place to try if you’re around in Miami and are looking for some fresh eats. The place was spacious and well organized, and the waiters were extremely helpful as well as thoughtful in providing us with useful advice and sufficient time to make our orders. The items on the menu were all refreshingly novel and unique. We all definitely had a good fill here and left extremely satisfied with both the food and the service.
Artisan Fries: We started with this appetizer, and it came quickly with a mosaic of different types of well-​spiced fries, including mashed plaintains, regular, sweet potato, and yucca. They provided us with two different sauces (a white truffles and a red one that which I have already forgotten its name). They were succulent and wonderfully flavorful yet not oily at all. We all definitely grabbed a bunch and shoved them ungracefully in our mouths (and then panting through clumsy mouths from the hot potatoes).
Mandarin Cream Pop: The boy ordered an artisan, homemade orange soda. It possessed a unique zap that wasn’t too jarring with a light refreshing sweetness like orange creamsicle.
Guava Wings with Bacon Chips: The boy ordered two appetizers as his meal. This was an interesting choice as he doesn’t actually like guava but was so intrigued that he wanted to try it. The hint of guava was quite mild and didn’t negatively impact the taste at all, pairing well with the rest of the ingredients. The meat was well done, and they were not stingy on the amount provided.
Duck Quesadilla: Definitely another interesting choice. The boy had this and found it to be an interesting combination with good sauces though he found the seasoning and taste of the wings to be better.
Chicken pesto Sandwich: I ordered this and was pleasantly surprised to find a zesty tang to the well-​done chicken bundled in fresh, juicy vegetables. I had always been very sensitive to the overwhelming power of pesto in larger quantities, but it was definitely well controlled, and I didn’t feel sickened by its taste at all (in fact, I ate the whole sandwich without taking any pauses!). I didn’t really touch the chips, though, since I was also so stuffed by the end.
Fish Tacos: The other boy ordered this, and it was presented with generous portions of both sea-​meat and vegetables. It was well balanced and didn’t come off as too strong or too bland. He really enjoyed it and said that the portion of tacos was perfect. This might need a little more quantity if you’re a heavy-​weight eating monster, though.
Lamb Burger: Medium-​rare done burger with a thick, generous chunk of meats. The girl enjoyed this very much and found it to be very wholesome without the meat being too overwhelming relative to the vegetables and other stuffings within the burger
Overall, everyone was happily belly up by the end of the meal with no complaints and round eyes of appreciation of our novel choices. I think if we were any fuller, the wonderful staff would have carried us to our cars (just kidding, we sucked in our protruding bellies and waddled back to our cars).

Another Friday night comes by and both my wife and I had no idea on where we’d like to go for dinner. OH geeze, there is an idea. Why not do a search in new and interesting places we’ve never been before on Unilocal!Duh, problem solved in 5 min.
We were looking forward to try this place; especially I’ve read many good reviews from many Unilocalers we know. Yes, they closes at 9:30pm, but since we only lives about 15 minutes away, even on a rainy night we still got plenty of time.
On our visit this night, the place was completely empty when we arrived. I think it’s either it has been raining all night, or lots of other places close early in Davie. In any case, we were greeted with a warm welcome. I really like how they decorated the place. Everything looks straightforward from bar stool to tables, but nicely decorated with a simple but elegant design.
As we sat down, I then realize they do not serve any beers or wines. But that’s okay because I think it’d be nice to have a meal without any alcohol for a change (but I still do thinks meals goes better with wines/​beers).
The menu items are pretty simple, just a handful of offerings for appetizers and entrée. Even with no beers to wash it down, we ordered their Chipotle Guava Wings. It was very flavorful with a little bit of kick in just the right amount for me. As for my wife, I think she’d have to ask for tobaccos sauces if they have it. The two entrees we ordered were their Fish Tacos and the Pork Medallion Sandwich. Fish tacos were pretty good; it came with a mango slaw. The pork in the sandwich was tasty and juicy. Two dishes seem very simple, but very hard to pull off with good flavors.
And the final verdict? Yes! We will be back. The foods were great. Service was excellent. And the price was pretty reasonable too in my mind. And love the idea of supporting local business. It’s a real nice find.

You know that feeling when you hear about a place being good and you go and they let you down because it’s not what you expected? Well that’s not the case. Tonight’s visit exceeded my expectations.
J72’s café isn’t a restaurant per say but they sure as hell should be one. Some of dishes they offer sound fancy enough to be in a French restaurant yet somehow manage to be common enough to understand. Don’t get me wrong though, EVERY dish has a twist, a flare, a je né sais quoi… Try it!
On tonight’s visit I ordered the Ginger Lemongrass soda, usually I steer clear of sodas but this one was different, I felt a motherly bond to it & it was indeed my long lost child. Not only was it delicious, it was refreshing & light… Like a dream come true in a cup.
As an appetizer my friend ordered the Artesian Fries that come with mango ketchup and truffle aioli… This was our second gift from the gods (the chefs/​owners/​miracle workers) Plantain chips, sweet potato, yuca and French fries covered in Parmesan cheese & parsley mix enough to make you want to convert to whichever religion the fries belonged to.
My main dish: the fish tacos with that mango slaw made every problem in my life seem insignificant. These tacos could probably cure cancer but don’t tell the FDA that, they don’t like competition… They’re just THAT good.
Finally dessert, the Oreo peanut butter «cheesecake» 7^th wonder of the world was brought to be sacrificed at our table… It’s RICH! Very rich, share… I don’t usually recommend sharing anything because I’m greedy with food but this is definitely something you wanna try but won’t be able to finish alone (it’s small but RICH)
Go here. Trust me.

Did you ever feel like you were in at the beginning of something really special? Something new that was going to be really big? Well I am certainly not one of the first Unilocalers to visits J72 (by a long shot!), but I do feel that the owners of J72, Joel and Samuel, have just tipped the iceberg with the success of their establishment, and have far more success and exciting times in their future. Just ask the New Times, who just did a feature on the made to order burger and fries at J72. Or ask the many customers who flock here for everything from artisan home made sodas and coffees to gourmet sandwiches and salads.
What is most special about J72 is the welcoming atmosphere provided by the two chefs themselves, Joel and Samuel. When I am there I like to grab a seat at the «bar» so I can converse with the chefs. The place is so small and casual that you feel like you are at your friends house who happens to be a chef, and he is serving you at his kitchen bar.
I have tried several items at J72 including the famous J72 Burger. Made of Kobe and Lamb, with Pancetta on the side, this burger does live up to it’s fame. Add in the bun which is actually an arepa and I was in burger heaven. Artisan Fries are served on the side with dipping sauces. These are nicely seasoned thick cut fries. Being a thin cut fries lover, they were really not my thing but I know others who swear by them. At $ 19.72, this burger platter is pretty expensive. I know it is Kobe, but still, it’s a pretty high price point for a burger at a little café on Davie Road.
A much better value are the Fish Tacos. For $ 9.72, the platter came with two tacos but each taco had a big hunk of sea bass. The tacos were absolutely delicious! I only wish the small compliments of salsa and guacamole were a bit larger as they were so delicious!
I have had the Ahi Tuna Tatar prepared as a salad plate. The Tuna Tartar was prepared fresh in front of my eyes. I liked it although the marinade was a touch strong for my taste. I did love the delicious Green Salad on the side. Every time we go we share the Guava Chipotle Wings ($ 8,72). These wings are just crispy enough with a slightly fruit flavor and the faintest bit of heat. They are pretty tasty and quite addictive!
The only negative aspect of J72 is that Joel and Samuel need some help! Right now the two chefs are doing everything so don’t go there if you are in a hurry. Has everything been perfect every time when we have gone to J72? I have to be honest and admit there have been a couple of mishaps. However, both times, Joel and Samuel fixed whatever happened in an instant, with a smile on their faces. That is why I still feel comfortable with a 5 star rating. I am psyched Joel and Samuel opened in Davie and I am truly excited to see what they will offer next and what the future has in store for them.

Highly hyped on Unilocal.It delivered on all fronts!
Feeling adventurous I headed out with the wife for a lunch date. But where should we go? I had this spot on my bookmarks — and because of all the awesome reviews, the decision was easy.
Parking was a breeze — they have a good amount of spaces in their lot. The place isn’t big… it’s actually pretty small, but on a weekday afternoon it wasn’t busy, so grabbing one of the tables was super easy. Not sure how busy it gets at night, but I’m sure the tables are full.
Joel — the owner — was there to greet us and explain some of the menu options. My wife was looking for something vegetarian and he mentioned — «Listen, it’s two chefs back here… if you don’t see something on the menu just let us know and we can whip something up for you.» I thought that was awesome. Off the bat — really from start to finish — the customer service was impeccable.
The food? It was delicious.
Ceviche — this was a pretty big serving of ceviche and it was delicious. The one thing I wish it had was cholo (the big kernels of corn) as I really only ever have it with ceviche, but regardless it was delicious.
Fries — potato, sweet potato, tostones and yuca all one one plate with some dipping sauces. GENIUS! Instead of just regular fries… they set up a little medley of various fried goodies. the were all good, but the tostones are my jam.
Fish Tacos — while we waited they were nice enough to offer us (well me, since my wife is vegetarian haha) some fish tacos. WHOA! These were amazing. Great flavors. I’d order these next time for sure.
They also make their own sodas. I went with a guava soda — still not sure how I feel about this one. It’s one of those things you try and say hummm that’s different. Then take another sip and say hummmm I don’t know if I like this. Then you take another sip and say hummmm… and on and on. So I drank the entire soda, but I’m still very confused as to whether or not I like it. At least it’s very interesting… I can confirm that.
Tres Leche to finish off the meal. They had various deserts, but we went with the Tres Leche. A little drier than I’m used to, but overall it was good.
A winning combo of service and food. These guys are going to do great and it’s a nice addition to the Davie area (which is quickly staking a list of AWESOME businesses).