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help a tourist please?
DH & I will be in your fair city for 1 night pre cruise.
We'll be staying at the Downtown Hilton on Biscayne Blvd near NE 16th.
The cruisecritics are making me a little nervous telling me it's a bad neighborhood etc. I suspect it's just a big city & one has to be vigilent.
I'd like some info about the monorail system? Can we use it or no?
Is there public transportation to Miami Beach or do we need to take a cab?
Where would you reccomend we go for a fun dinner with local flair? I understand Gloria Estevan's place Bongo Bongo is in the area but is expensive. We really don't want to spend too much. If we do pick that do we need reservations?
I just found & read some good reviews about a casual bisto called Bin 18. What do you think about that? We can walk.
DH loves good beer. 
I found Gordon Biersch Brewery in Brickell & the Playwright Irish Pub on Washington in Miami Beach. I doubt the Pub has much Miami flair but DH would probably love it. Is there someplace we can eat within walking distance of there & then go for a drink?
TIA for your help. The locals always know better than the tourists. 
Re: help a tourist please?
That neighborhood is not bad - I work in that area. On the north side the river, it's a little sketchy at night, but where you're staying you should be fine. It's just a few blocks from Brickell which has TONS of night life. You can try Segafredo's or River Lounge for more of a relaxed atmosphere with lots of Miami flair. Gordon Biersch has great food too. They're really close to that hotel. You're right across the street from the Epic hotel, and the restaurant there (Area 31) is AWESOME, but a little pricey. Pretty much anywhere in that area is going to be pricey though. Bongo's is in Bayside which is a great mall for tourists - you should definitely check that out either way - and they are a little pricey for Cuban food (which you can get for dirt-cheap at any local eatery like Versailles or La Carreta) but you're paying for the atmosphere as much as the food. Always make reservations when you can. Miami is crowded and unpredictable, so you never know.
The Metro is definitely a good idea, but you can't take it to Miami Beach. You'll need to get a cab.
I've been to Bayside. I'm not inclined to go back but you never know. Even though I will be one, I'm not a fan of tourists.
You say our hotel is just a "few blocks" from Brickell. I thought mapquest said it was 2.5 miles. Not sure I want to walk that in heels.
I saw reviews for Versailles & La Carreta both of which looked interesting. I'm just not sure if we can get there easily.
MIL will be picking us up when we come back. Maybe we can go to one for a late lunch before we fly home to the cold.
Thanks.
Haha... Ok, well I am definitely not a tourist and I love Bayside.
And Brickell is really not that far from your hotel. Honestly, I'm not a fan of walking anywhere (especially in heels) and I'm not exactly sure that there are many places at all within walking distance of your hotel. You may have to take a cab to get anywhere interesting.
Good luck either way.