Born in to a family of fishermen in Cuba, the 11 Garcia brothers learned the aquatic trade at an early age. They began immigrating to the United States in the 1960s, working tirelessly for local fishing companies in hopes of one day owning their own business. That dream became a reality in 1966, when the Garcia brothers opened their fish market right on the Miami River. A decade and a few fryers later, they turned their shop into the restaurant it is today.

The mission at Garcia's Seafood Grille & Fish Market has always been, quite simply, to serve fresh seafood. But rather than disguising the eatery as a luxurious timeshare for fish, Garcia's takes a more proactive approach in getting fresh catches through its door: it has its own fleet of fishing boats. That water-to-table method produces popular house specialties, from swordfish and dolphin-fish fillets to grilled lobster and fried jumbo shrimp. Many of the catches come in sandwich form, too, inspiring the Miami New Times to name the restaurant home of the city's best seafood sandwich) in 2014.