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MANAGER WENDY MAHARLIKA

Born in Curitiba, Brazil, cultured from her Japanese-Brazilian mother, Filipino father, family in Nagano, Japan and raised in Miami.  At the age of 14, Manager Wendy Maharlika started her restaurant experience at Siam River, Miami where Chef Kevin Cory later came to instill a sushi makeover and they instantly became great friends. 

Wendy Maharlika left for the University of Florida and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Recreation, Majored in Tourism and Hospitality Management and Minored in Business Administration.  Wendy Maharlika worked for the University of Florida Hilton Hotel and Conference Center as Head Waitress and then as Restaurant Supervisor with direct supervision of Albert's, In-room dining and the 2-Bits Bar and Lounge.  Wendy Maharlika was awarded University of Florida Hilton Hotel and Conference Center's Employee of the Year, Front of House 2005.

Wendy Maharlika returned to Miami to work for Loews Miami Beach, The Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne and The Regent Bal Harbour. 

In 2009, Wendy Maharlika accepted an intense challenge to work for both The Regent Bal Harbour as Assistant Director of Food and Beverage from 7 a.m. and afterwards for NAOE ® until often 4 a.m.  Chef Kevin Cory and Manager Wendy Maharlika quietly opened NAOE ® on March 19, 2009.  For the next several months, Wendy Maharlika relentlessly worked a double mission without losing focus and received The Regent Bal Harbour Manager of the Quarter award, along with accolades for NAOE ®:

 

La Liste, the world's best restaurant selection

TOP 5 JAPANESE RESTAURANTS IN THE UNITED STATES

La Liste France11/16/2023

 

 

Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Award 2023

* * * * * FIVE-STAR AWARD * * * * *

Representing Miami with the Five-Star Award for E11EVEN Consecutive Years

- 1 of Only 79 Restaurants in the World -

- The Only Five-Star Restaurant in Miami -

Forbes Travel Guide 2/15/2023

 

 

AAA Newsroom

AAA UNVEILS (COMPLETE) TOP DIAMOND DESIGNATED HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS OF 2022

* * * * * FIVE DIAMOND DESIGNATION * * * * *

- 1 of Only 64 Restaurants in North America -

- The Only AAA Five Diamond Designated Restaurant in Miami -

AAA Newsroom 2/7/2023

 

 

AAA Five Diamond Designation and Inspector's Best of Five Diamond 2022

NAOE

- AAA FIVE DIAMOND DESIGNATION -

- INSPECTOR'S BEST OF FIVE DIAMOND -

AAA Diamonds 2022

 

 

Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Award 2022

* * * * * FIVE-STAR AWARD * * * * *

- NAOE Completes A Decade of Ten Consecutive Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Awards -

"If you're looking for an intimate dining experience, this is it."

Forbes Travel Guide 4/26/2022

 

 

 

 

 

~ ~ NAOE Celebrates 10 years in Brickell Key and 13 Years Overall ~ ~

4/17/2022 (Brickell Key 2012)
3/19/2022 (SIBFL 2009)

 

 

 

 

 

Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Award 2017

FIVE-STAR AWARD

FIVE YEARS IN A ROW

2013 ~ 2014 ~ 2015 ~ 2016 ~ 2017

Forbes Travel Guide 2/22/2017

 

 

Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Award 2016

NAOE

FIVE-STAR AWARD

1 of 3 JAPANESE RESTAURANTS IN THE WORLD

Forbes Travel Guide 2/22/2016

 

 

TIME

La Liste

BEST RESTAURANTS IN THE WORLD

TOP 3 JAPANESE RESTAURANTS IN THE UNITED STATES

Time / La Liste France 12/12/2015

 

 

2015 Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Award

NAOE

FIVE-STAR AWARD

Forbes Travel Guide 2/11/2015

 

 

Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Award 2014

NAOE

FIVE-STAR AWARD

"In this petite Japanese jewel box, only eight diners can claim seats.

Chef/owner Kevin Cory and manager Wendy Maharlika treat you like a guest in their own home.

Maharlika holds down the dining room while Cory single-handily prepares every dish that comes out of the kitchen"

Forbes Travel Guide 1/22/2014

 

 

opentable best restaurants in america

BEST RESTAURANTS IN AMERICA 2013

OpenTable 12/11/2013

 

 

opentable best service restaurants in the united states

TOP 10 HONOREE

BEST SERVICE RESTAURANTS IN THE UNITED STATES 2013

OpenTable 3/5/2013

 

 

Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Award 2013

NAOE

FIVE STARS

1 of only 28 Restaurants in the World

"a jewel box of a Japanese restaurant"

"an impeccable experience in flavor, presentation and gracious service"

Forbes Travel Guide 2/26/2013

 

 

OpenTable Best Restaurants in the United States 2012

BEST RESTAURANTS IN THE UNITED STATES 2012

OpenTable 12/12/2012

 

 

Zagat 2013

Zagat - NAOE - 29 Food, 23 Decor, 28 Service

"I can't believe this exists in Miami" since it would be "outstanding even in Japan",

gush fans of this culinary star, rated the city's tops for Food and Service

Zagat 2013 America's Top Restaurants 11/6/2012

 

 

Yelp 2012 Real People. Real Reviews.

* ONE HUNDRED REVIEWS *

* FIVE STARS *

Yelp NAOE 100 reviews Five-Stars

yelp 5/2009 - 8/2012

 

 

OpenTable Top 100 Restaurants in the USA 2011

TOP 100 RESTAURANTS IN THE USA 2011

OpenTable 12/13/2011

 

 

Forbes Travel Guide formerly Mobil Travel Guide

Forbes Travel Guide formerly Mobil Travel Guide Annual Star Awards 2012

NAOE

FOUR STARS

- TOP 4 JAPANESE RESTAURANTS IN NORTH AMERICA -

Forbes Travel Guide 2012

(released 11/15/2011 on Startle)

 

 

Chicago Tribune Breaking News, Since 1847

WORLD'S TOP RESTAURANTS

"Of those (1,404) restaurants, 23 are considered the tops"

Chicago Tribune / Zagat World's Top Restaurants, Fourth Edition

(released 11/9/2011)

 

 

Zagat

TOP 30 RESTAURANTS IN AMERICA

Zagat Survey 2012

(released 10/25/2011 & 11/1/2011)

 

 

Fodor's | Travel Intelligence

Fodor's Choice

"Once in a rare while, you discover a restaurant so authentic, so special, yet still undiscovered by the masses.

By virtue of its petite size and strict seating times, the Japanese gem, NAOE, will forever remain intimate and original."

"Gastronomic Adventure"

"Stellar Service"

Fodor's South Florida 2012

(released 10/25/2011)

 

 

USA Today Travel

- Zagat Picks for Good Restaurants on a Business Trip -

- TOP 30 RESTAURANTS IN AMERICA -

"These restaurants, which scored 29 of a possible 30 for food,

are the best restaurants in the country."

USA TODAY Travel (Zagat 2012) 10/25/2011

 

 



TripAdvisor 9/25/2011

 

 

OpenTable

TOP 50 BEST SERVICE RESTAURANTS

IN THE UNITED STATES 2011

OpenTable 2/28/2011

 

 

OpenTable Top 50 Restaurants in the United States 2010

TOP 50 RESTAURANTS IN THE UNITED STATES 2010

OpenTable 12/16/2010

 

 

Forbes Travel Guide formerly Mobil Travel Guide

Forbes Travel Guide formerly Mobil Travel Guide Annual Star Awards 2011

NAOE

FOUR STARS

Forbes Travel Guide formerly Mobil Travel Guide

- TOP 3 JAPANESE RESTAURANTS IN NORTH AMERICA -

"Chef/owner Kevin Cory and manager Wendy Maharlika

treat diners at this petite Japanese jewelbox as they would guests in their own home."

Forbes Travel Guide 2011

(released 11/16/2010)

 

 

Miami Restaurant Power Rankings

1. NAOE (20.0)

"#1 each week for the past year"

Miami's Restaurant Power Rankings 11/10/2010

 

 

Zagat World's Top Restaurants Third Edition

NAOE

Zagat World's Top Restaurants, Third Edition

(released 11/3/2010)

 

 

BEST OVERALL RESTAURANTS - #1

OpenTable 11/2010

 

 

BEST OVERALL RESTAURANTS - #1

BEST SERVICE RESTAURANTS - #1

OpenTable 10/2010

 

 

eHow 10/1/10

 

 

BEST OVERALL RESTAURANTS - #1

BEST SERVICE RESTAURANTS - #1

OpenTable 9/2010

 

 

Frommer's

NAOE

3/3 STARS

Frommer's 3 stars

"Exquisitely prepared, hyper fresh sushi and Japanese fare.

This may be the closest Miami gets to Tokyo."

Frommer's Florida 2011

(released August 31, 2010)

 

 

BEST OVERALL RESTAURANTS - #1

BEST SERVICE RESTAURANTS - #1

OpenTable 8/2010

 

 

BEST OVERALL RESTAURANTS - #1

BEST SERVICE RESTAURANTS - #1

OpenTable 7/2010

 

 

Miami New Times

Miami New Times Best of Miami 2010

BEST OF MIAMI 2010

BEST JAPANESE RESTAURANT

Miami New Times 6/17/2010

 

 

BEST SERVICE RESTAURANTS - #1

OpenTable 6/2010

 

 

BEST OVERALL RESTAURANTS - #1

BEST SERVICE RESTAURANTS - #1

OpenTable 5/2010

 

 

#1

NBC Feast Rank 4/2010

 

 

BEST OVERALL RESTAURANTS - #1

 BEST SERVICE RESTAURANTS - #1

SPECIAL OCCASION RESTAURANTS - #2

OpenTable 4/2010

 

 

 

~ ~ NAOE ~ ~

~ ~ First Year Anniversary! ~ ~

3/19/2010

 

 

 

BEST OVERALL RESTAURANTS - #1

BEST SERVICE RESTAURANTS - #1

OpenTable 3/2010

 

 

BEST OVERALL RESTAURANTS - #1

BEST SERVICE RESTAURANTS - #1

OpenTable 2/2010

 

 

Yelp - Real People. Real Reviews.

Yelp - Best of Yelp Miami Restaurants - Highest Rated

HIGHEST RATED - #1

Yelp NAOE 5 stars 24 reviews                    Yelp NAOE 5 stars 65 reviews

yelp 1/10/2010                      yelp 1/8/2011

 

 

BEST OVERALL RESTAURANTS - #1

BEST SERVICE RESTAURANTS - #1

OpenTable 1/2010

 

 

BEST OVERALL RESTAURANTS - #1

BEST SERVICE RESTAURANTS - #1

OpenTable 12/2009

 

 

Florida Trend

BEST NEW RESTAURANTS 2009

Trust "Omakase (whatever’s best)'’ in Kevin Cory’s no-menu temple.

It’s a beautiful bento of fish and vegetables pure as his family’s legendary shoyu and sake.

Florida Trend 12/2009

 

 

opentable diners choice southeast florida

BEST OVERALL RESTAURANTS - #1

OpenTable 11/2009

 

 

Zagat America's Top Restaurants 2010

Food   Decor   Service   Cost
  -          -            -            M

ZAGAT America's Top Restaurants 2010

(released 10/22/2009)

 

 

10 BEST NEW RESTAURANTS, The Sisters Kardashian

TOP 10 NEW RESTAURANTS

City & Shore Magazine October | November 2009

 

 

Yelp - Real People. Real Reviews.

Yelp - Best of Yelp - Miami Japanese Restaurants

HIGHEST RATED - #1

Yelp - Best of Yelp - Miami Sushi

HIGHEST RATED - #1

Yelp NAOE 5 stars 13 reviews                    Yelp NAOE 5 stars 56 reviews                   Yelp NAOE 5 stars 86 reviews

yelp 10/10/2009                    yelp 10/10/2010                   yelp 10/10/2011

 

 

opentable diners choice miami-dade county

BEST SERVICE RESTAURANTS - #1

OpenTable 8/2009

 

 

miami herald

JAPANESE GEM NAOE SPARKLES IN SUNNY ISLES BEACH

"Effusive hostess Wendy Maharlika, who worked with Cory at Siam River,

guided us through the restaurant's history with the glowing pride of a new mom."

The Miami Herald 7/16/2009

 

 

opentable diners choice

BEST OVERALL RESTAURANTS - #1

OpenTable 7/2009

(First month eligible)

 

 

miami new times

NAOE BRINGS TOKYO TO SUNNY ISLES

"Wendy Maharlika, the other half of this two-person operation,

hosts, waits tables, and does everything else necessary,

all in a friendly and incredibly efficient manner"

Miami New Times 5/21/2009

 

 

NAOE - EXCELLENT OMAKASE IN SUNNY ISLES

"Wendy Maharlika, her business card ought to read maître d', hostess, sake sommelier, and public relations liaison."

"The Chef and Hostess were Earnest, Friendly, and Absolutely Charming."

Frodnesor / Food For Thought Miami 4/26/2009

 

 

 

 

 

~ ~ NAOE quietly opens ~ ~

3/19/2009

 

 

 

 

 

     south beach wine and food festival

GRAND TASTING RESTAURANT

Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival 2/25/2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

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