Is there any? We (me - 57 yo mom, 21yo DD, plus 26yo DS for the first 3 nights only) will be in South Beach for 5 nights. Probably at the Royal Palm. My budget does not stretch to $50pp dinners. I would love to hold my food budget to $50pp per day. Can you suggest any comfortable places with good food where a dinner could come in at $25pp or less? I have no interest in 'the scene'. Just want to enjoy a nice meal without breaking the bank. I need suggestions for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Casual is fine - standing at the counter not so good. Pretty much any type of cuisine. Definitely want to sample Cuban food.

Oh - and I don't know the smoking laws in Florida. Up here in NY, our smoke free restaurants are a pleasure. What about in Florida?

Florida restaurants are smoke free.

Reasonably priced in South Beach:

Big Pink (American)
News Cafe (American)
Van Dyke Cafe (American)
Jerry's Deli (Deli)
Puerto Saga (Cuban)
Davids & Davids II (Cuban)
Tap Tap (Haitian)
Dogma Grille (hotdogs)

Thanks for the recommendations. Anyone else?

Front Porch Cafe on Ocean Drive.

You can try Lario's for Cuban food. It's a little touristy, but it's walking distance from your hotel.

Beware of any restaurant on Ocean Drive offering half off anything.

Run the other way.

Heres a hint to eating in South Beach.

Eat a big lunch and for dinner split appetizers.

In a pinch there is a TGI Fridays on Ocean Drive and Fifth Street. If your son is anything like any other 26 year old, he is an eating machine.

If you stick to tap water rather than any sort of drinks you'll have a much better chance of sticking to that budget.

I've seen mention of a prix fixe program called Winter Miami Spice - $23 lunch, $36 dinner. The restaurants operated by China Grill Management have extended it through March - China Grill. Blue Door at the Delano. Tuscan Steak. Kobe Club. Asia de Cuba at the Mondrian. Are any of them worth a splurge? Is anyone else extending the dates? The few that I called (Emeril's, Table 8) said no.

Asia de Cuba is reliable. But- after you pay for something to drink and tip you'll have spent your daily allowance.

Nexxt Cafe, 700 Lincoln Road Mall. Food much better than Van Dyke's. There's an Outback Steakhouse 6th & Washington
Clarke's. pub kind of place 840 First St
There is a diner about 11th & Washington
Joe's Stone Crab has a take out place where they also have a few tables
Epicure, a gourmet market at 16th & Alton, makes great sandwiches & also has prepared food which you can buy & eat there in their table area.
Whole Foods at 10th & Alton has the same set-up and is almost as good as Epicure.

I'll second the recommendation for Nexxt Cafe. And the portions are huge, so you can just order a couple of things and share them.

topping this hoping for more recommendations. As of now, we will be at the Park Central, Ocean and 6th. But who knows where we will end up.

There are plenty of places to eat on a budget:
The Best Cuban food in South Beach is at Puerto Sagua on 7th and Collins. Inexpensive diner type.

Pizza Rustica on Lincoln Road is super inexpensive good pizza by the slice, with interesting combinations. Under $6 drink included!

La Sandwicherie on 14th St. makes great sandwiches and subs. It's good for lunch and taking to go for the beach.

Paninoteca on Lincoln Road has good Euro Italian sandwiches.

Da Leo is a good Italian on Lincoln Road has a special where the price starts off very low early in the evening until it reaches full price around 8:00. Check it out first.

Spris on Lincoln is also good, especially their personal pizzas.

Miss Yip Chinese is on Meridian.
Pasha's Lincoln Road is really inexpensive Mediterranean/Middle Eastern.

A La Folie Cafe on Espanola Way has terrific crepes and French bistro food. Good For Brunch!

Least expensive good seafood Place is Grillfish on Collins & Espanola.

Best place on Lincoln Road to stop and have a beer is Zeke's. $3 even for imports from 60 countries!

Best cheap beer is Club Deuce! Closed from 2AM to 4AM and happy hour 7AM to 7PM.

You'll see nothing but locals there. Truly a dive.

Have we forgotten the delectable chicken of Pollo Tropical?

Einstein’s Bagels for breakfast

Prima Pasta on 71st street

Club Deuce??? you forgot to mention best to arrive inebriated!

If you're on a budget, plan to eat on the 'strip' for lunch as most cafes offer lunch at half price. Be weary of ordering alcoholic drinks as that's where they make their money back. Otherwise, there are plenty of delis of the strip which offer sandwiches and such at a reasonable price.

Agree that your problem will be drinks. You can probably find food for that - but not anything to drink but tap water. (Some of the restaurants charge the same for soft drinks as they do for wine - so don;t think ordering a Coke will help.)