CHŌ Funky Asian Bistro has slid into the former Paya space on 17th Street in Miami Beach, swapping out the island vibe for a moody, neon-lit pan-Asian playground in Sunset Harbour. The solo project from restaurateur Mohamed "Mo" Alkassar pulls flavors from Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, China and Indonesia, with shareable plates and a strong cocktail program built for lingering nights. The room leans into after-dark energy with low lighting, red banquettes and a pagoda-framed open kitchen that keeps the cook line squarely in the spotlight.
According to the Miami New Times, CHŌ opened at 1209 17th St. under Alkassar's new Mo Momentum Group and marks his first solo restaurant after co-running Paya with chef Niven Patel. That report notes the menu is organized into five sections — Snacks, Raw, Dumplings & Friends, Wok and Mains — to make the whole thing easy to pass around the table.
Paya goes dark on 17th Street in March, and Alkassar held onto the 17th Street lease before flipping the space into the new concept. That quick turnaround — Paya closed in early March and CHŌ debuted just weeks later — is the latest example of rapid concept rotation on South Beach as operators chase the evening dining crowd.
Menu Highlights
CHŌ's menu leans playful and portable. Korean fried chicken with confit-garlic kewpie and house-pickled daikon, a Vietnamese shrimp roll with peanut-hoisin and nuoc cham, and a crab curry with jackfruit and spaghetti squash are among the offerings. Many plates are meant to be shared, and the restaurant groups dishes into Snacks, Raw, Dumplings & Friends, Wok and Mains, per the restaurant's online menu.
Design and Cocktails
The room, co-designed by Cuban-American artist Mokibaby, is drenched in crimson light and layered with mirrored surfaces, vintage trinkets and a photo-booth-style moment right at the host stand, as detailed by the Miami Herald. Cocktails are a major pillar of the concept, built around inventive, shareable drinks meant to keep the night moving as plates come and go.
Where It Fits In
Cho lands amid a packed spring for Miami restaurants, with outlets like Eater Miami tracking a wave of new openings across the city. Alkassar's ties to Ghee Indian Kitchen — a multi-year Bib Gourmand honoree in the MICHELIN Guide — give the project built-in local credibility even as he steps out on his own.
CHO's hours are listed as 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Sunday–Thursday and 6 p.m. to midnight Friday–Saturday, with reservations available through the restaurant's website. For more information, the restaurant lists its address as 1209 17th Street and its phone number as (305) 281-9328 online.
