Came here on a Friday night for food and drinks. Love the atmosphere. Live with live music. The service is on point and food and drinks were excellent. All the classics were great, including croquetas, chicharrón, and empanadas. Huge surprise favorite was the jerk wings - amazingly crispy with a sweet and spicy sauce on the side. Everything was great and can't wait to get back. read more

On one hand, this is NOT my kind of place. On the other, I'm apparently surrounded with people who are actually this place's target audience and they LOVE IT. I can see why, too, the fact that I don't doesn't mean I can't appreciate there is a reason why it gets absolutely PACKED all the time. For starters, it has two ambiances: outside with a sager, and inside, with a smaller, more "intimate" (well, at least in theory) stage. They say they have latin jazz shows, but so far, out of all the times I've been in, I think only twice it's been true (again, it may be that the people I go too just prefer to go to dance and we don't get there for the latin jazz, I don't think I'll find out by myself. The drinks are good. people who dance do really get a really nice time doing it (I'm not one of them) and the few times we've gotten a table to sit at, the service is fine. I don't ever recall having anything to eat. The show outside is more concert-like. Also, I'm not a fan of the parking situation in Calle Ocho and its surroundings, but across the street behind the McDonald's you can usually find a metered spot in your second or third round stalking people who are getting out. Overall, if that's your scene, you should go for a latin night of dancing and drinking (uber, please). I don't know anyone who likes that stuff that hasn't enjoyed an outing at Ball and Chain. read more

Great live music with delicious food and drinks. I would highly recommend this place to anyone living or visiting the Miami/Little Havana area. The place inside could have their lights lit up more for people at the bar and/or the tables to see the menu or the food in front of them. But overall great places. read more

If you are headed to Little Havana, you must head to Ball & Chain!!! First the music, the amazing staff and excellent food! Even got my best friend up to dance! This is a really special place and definitely worth visiting to get a taste of Cuba. read more

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After doing extensive research (YouTube, TikTok, Yelp, and word of mouth), everyone is saying to go to "Ball & Chain" for the best mojito. Considering I don't visit Miami very often (since I live out west in California), I haven't really had an amazing mojito since they are traditionally a staple drink in nearby Cuba and of course the south-Florida area. This brings me to "Ball & Chain", a well-known and established part of Little Havana's culture. They have actually been around dating back to the 1930's and have gone through numerous evolutionary changes over the years. They eventually settled at the location they're at now which is located directly on 8th St (Calle Ocho) in between SW 15th & 16th Ave. in the heart of Little Havana. During that time, legendary jazz musicians such as Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, and Count Basie have performed here. They still have amazing live music to this day which has brought thousands of locals, tourists, and everyone to this truly spectacular place. In addition to being a live music venue, they also serve as a bar and full-on restaurant. They offer very generous hours of operation being opened at 11am every day and closing as late as 3am on Friday & Saturday. Their food menu ranges from Cuban classics, burgers, tacos, salads, and wraps while their drink menu offer dozens of beers, cocktails, and of course the main reason why I came here, their "World Famous Mojito". This uses the signature Cuban Bacardi rum complete with fresh lime juice, sugar, and fresh mint sprigs. And at $20 (as of March 2024), it is one of the more pricey mojitos I have consumed. However, it was made to perfection and at least I can cross this off my bucket list that I enjoyed a mojito at Ball & Chain. I will say this and that is anyone that wishes to take a trip to Miami, definitely check this place out. The interior layout has a very cavern feel to it while the decor is rustic, gritty, and old school that has aged like a fine wine. And on the more comfortable Miami days and evenings, the back outside patio offers abundant seating as well as a small live stage for live music. But remember this place ain't cheap so if you decide on visiting for food + drinks, expect to dish out quite a bit of money. All in all, "Ball & Chain" is more of a Miami landmark than anything else. Just about everyone I've spoken to that has been to Little Havana has stepped foot into this place. So bring your energy, get ready for salsa, jazz, Cuban, reggae, and Caribbean vibes because this place knows how to bring a party. When you factor in the ambiance, atmosphere, location, amount of food and drinks on their menu, and experience, I am giving this place a respectable and above average four stars. read more

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This historic place located in the heart of Little Havana, has been standing proud since 1935 and I'm not surprised. Ball and Chain exudes a welcoming ambiance, complete with dulcet harmony filling the air, made for a memorable night of entertainment. You will experience daily live music, dancing such as salsa, bachata, mambo and delicious Cuban style food. It incorporates a bar, lounge and nightclub all in one. I attended there Mambo Monday night. Professional Mambo dancers would approach you to teach you how to properly dance for free. I opted for their world famous Mojito, pastelito daiquiri and plantain chips with guac, which did not disappoint. The staff were incredibly hospitable and attentive. Our waiter would come by every 5 to 10 minutes to check up on us. If you are in Miami and you are looking to have a fun time, definitely check this spot out or you'll miss out! read more

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Great food, food and drink selections, super good service and a festive atmosphere!!!!

I was advised by local Yelper that if in Little Havana, that a stop at Ball & Chain was a must, so off we headed. Read a few of the previous reviews. The area and even the building itself both have quite a bit of history. Opted for a mojito as we watched the band play. The music and the drink were great and looking around, it appears the establishment is filled with tourists. We did not sample the food as we were headed to Versailles for a late lunch so not able to comment on the food. It was a positive Little Havana experience. read more

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"Elsy G. Is Amazing!! She made my Grandson's 16th Birthday a Great Celebration of Love. She had the Head Musician sing Happy Birthday to him and the Pineapple, Lights and Confetti really exceeded our Expectations. Our Family loved Ball & Chain, the Food was a Culinary Delight and we will recommend Ball & Chain to our Family & Friends. We look forward to returning again. Many , Many Thanks for making our Grandson's Birthday a Beautiful Experience!"Copy review read more

Ball and chain is a miami classic. Located right on Calle ocho. The music is great here. With a live band usually playing live. If you want the true full Miami cultural experience you have to stop here. There's salsa dancing on Thursday. The drinks are refreshing. Being vegetarian myself. I was surprised to see a Cuban spot with so many veggie options. The veggie tacos were probably the best veggie tacos I've had. A great spot to catch up with friends and to see the real miami. Definitely coming back ! read more

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I came on Sunday to enjoy lunch with my family & had the best service from Yulissa & Maria from Venezuela & their team; they were sweet, prompt and ensured we were well taken care of + the food was delicious! The vibe is great here read more

Ball & Chain - Masitas de Puerco - Music Venues Near Me - Miami, Florida

If you're looking for some fun while you're in Little Havana, this is the perfect bar to check out. I was delighted to see it was still as popular when I used to live here. It's one of the best places for salsa dancing in Miami. We were a group of eight and had a fun time catching the live band on a Saturday night around 9:45pm. I love the talented dancers here who will approach you and ask for a dance. It's such a blast and it's more lively at night. On this visit, I ordered an incredible mojito. I've never been a mojito person, but the mojito here was delicious. I could not stop chewing on the sugar cane that came with it. Do note that like most popular places in Miami, the drinks are not cheap. I highly recommend adding Ball & Chain to places you need to visit in Miami. read more

Ball & Chain - Music Venues Near Me - Miami, Florida

This is a tourist location not a local spot. Took awhile to get seated and the tables are very small. They rush you in and out like a conveyer belt. Not much customer service, they all seem unhappy. Great music, very clean and the food is good. But very over priced, not worth the money at all.Cuban food is always affordable but not here. I would try another tourist trap in the area. read more

Great vibe, great music, unmatched service. Brenda was amazing. Great drinks! Would highly recommend popping in. U may get stuck lol

Walking past Ball & Chain within minutes of arriving in Miami, we had no plans to stop--but the energy was magnetic. The music, the atmosphere, and the incredible performers reeled us right in. My husband was invited to dance, and he absolutely loved it! The live band was phenomenal, the crowd was full of life, and the entire experience felt like the perfect Miami welcome. If you're in Miami, don't just walk by--step in and enjoy! read more

Such a fun vibe with great music and cocktails. Perfect taste of Havana. Staff was fantastic. read more

Ball & Chain - Music Venues Near Me - Miami, Florida

I will say this, if you're going to dine there, don't expect to really talk to you table. Just sip on the drinks, eat the eats, and listen to the music and get wrapped up in the vibes. It's very loud, but that's the vibe they are going for with the live music to keep the energy up and people dancing. Just set your expectations out of what you will get from the outset and you'll be good. The place is super fun, lively Calle Ocho sucks you in. The drinks are delicious and fresh - highly recommend the coconut mojitos! The bands are always on point, with vivacious energy and sets the mood for the whole place. If you're celebrating a birthday, this is a great spot! They really DO IT UP with the celebratory touches of sparklers, high energy singing, and light show. The queso frito is some of the best I've had. Holy delicate cheese and guava sauce. We ordered multiple rounds. Great food overall, tasty dishes, and celebrating Miami culture. This is a fun spot and must visit in Little Havana. read more

Ball & Chain - Music Venues Near Me - Miami, Florida

It's been over a month now with no response or a simple explanation from Ball & Chain or their management company Mad Room Hospitality as to why my reservation was cancelled for a Private Event despite a phone call and several emails. We arrived at 7.25pm for a confirmed 7.30PM reservation (via email) only to be turned away at the door as we were told there was a "private event". We showed confirmation email to door staff and they could not have been less interested. Not even an attempt to check with management or offer an apology, let alone an explanation. It was pouring rain just before we arrived with the weather forecast for much of the same. So "strolling" through little Havana for an alternative venue was hardly an option for "Miami Spice" Strangely enough, even though we were turned away at 7.30pm at the door with the "Private Event" in full swing, Open Table still confirmed a reservation via email at 7.47PM, at Ball & Chain for 8.00pm (Confirmation #84). Then at 8.32 PM, Ball and Chain sent a message via Open Table "Good evening; we are sorry but we have a private event until 11pm" I cannot believe that we were the only OpenTable & Ball & Chain party inconvenienced that night as there was obviously an issue with both the Ball And Chain in-house Reservation System & Open Table. Both applications had contact data for all Diners with Reservations. It would have been a simple task to bulk message all diners once Ball And Chain accepted the Private Booking. It was also not too much to ask for Ball & Chain Front of House to show a little empathy to Dinners who spent on average $50 to Uber to and from your restaurant on a rainy evening, disappointed, because of your mistake and the failure of your reservation systems. Good Service does not mean customers always get what they want. Mistakes happen in every industry, apps are not infallible and double bookings are inherent to the travel experience. But showing customers you understand & care is considered good service. Sincerely disappointed read more

Had a visitor in town and this Cuban restaurant and bar is a great place to bring out of towners to a unique and fun place. We arrived around 7 without a reservation but we were lucky enough to find seats at the bar facing the live music. We started with a cocktail. I had the delicious seasoned deep-fried whole Snapper with white rice and cucumber and tomato. Our bartender was very nice and attentive. read more

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Wife and I were walking by, and when we saw the name we had to stop in. We were just in for drinks, so we had a couple of their "World Famous" Mojitos. Now I love a good mojito and this place did not disappoint. We both agreed that they were close to the best mojito we have ever had. Perfectly balanced. The crowd was lively and they had some good classic Cuban music playing in the background. We will be back to give the food a try next time read more

Ball & Chain - Ball and Chain - Music Venues Near Me - Miami, Florida

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My friends and I dined in the Calle Ocho area this weekend for dinner and we always heard great things about Ball & Chain and wanted to stop in for a drink or two and to enjoy the music. The employee at the front door looked at me and said I couldn't be let in because I'm wearing shorts which I thought was a little odd. Then we scanned the crowd inside and noticed at least 10 other people in shorts at the bar. One of my friends questioned the employee in Spanish about it and he changed his story and said it wasn't because of the shorts it was because I'm wearing flip flops. It was like he changed his story on the spot and felt really weird and I personally felt targeted by the guy. There are no signs anywhere about dress code and nothing stated online on the restaurant/bar website other than age and ID requirements. It was around 9 pm and was still pretty quiet and not busy for Miami standards so the whole thing was pretty strange so we left and took our business elsewhere. read more

Overall felt like they rely on one-time tourists to stay afloat. // Pros: Guava Daiquiri was excellent. historic venue. // Cons: bar area smelled like vomit (personal deal-breaker), dirty bar and floors, walk-ins were stuck with bar seating & cocktail tables, took 10 minutes to get my card back from the bartender after paying. I suggest Cafe La Trova instead! read more

Ball & Chain - Guava Pastelito Daiquiri - Music Venues Near Me - Miami, Florida

This spot gives Miami life! Drinks on point, amazing service, and unmatched vibes. If you're ever in Calle Ocho, stop by the good folks at Ball & Chain and get a free salsa lesson! read more

Ball & Chain - Music Venues Near Me - Miami, Florida

I brought a friend here from Paris bc she wanted to Dance salsa. The bad thing is that there's no real dance floor so you have Dance among all the people - very uncomfortable. While dancing I stepped on a guy twice and he got so angry! Seriously? Now the bartender in the back had a bad attitude - I feel she thought that because I was a woman I was not going to tip her. I asked for water but it was $9! So I preferred a beer instead that cost the same (and indeed it hurt to give her a tip b/c of her attitude. Now here's the kicker: after dancing a while i got so thirsty that i had no choices BUT to buy a water. This time i was at the inside bar so i asked again - another female bartender (nicer) but she tells me it's $10! So i bought it but then I observed her and here's what she did: she broke the $10 into singles and walked over to another female bartender, handed her the money after kissing the cash. So I understood she took the cash as their tip sending it to their tip bowl with the other bartender! What a disappointment! And I'm the kind of person that will give 50% tip if the server is cool read more

Had a lot of fun at this place. Old school vibe in there. A lot of famous acts have played there. Drinks were on point. Definitely going back when I'm in town again read more

Ball & Chain - Outside view - Music Venues Near Me - Miami, Florida

When in Miami... never disappointed!! Live music and great drinks always. I've been in Miami 3 times and I always come here for a good time. read more

Awsome environment. The band was amazing food . Is amazing. Our server, Maria., was great. And all the other workers . Went out of their way to make sure I was ok . I'll come came back here my next trip to Miami Florida. read more

Ball & Chain - Mojito so yummy . - Music Venues Near Me - Miami, Florida

Great live band during lunch time. Really enjoyed the food, particularly the plantains and beans.

The food there has good portion, huge for one people. Better order one and share with your two friends. Cocktails is fine Service fee included into the bill But the atmosphere here is excellent you can see women from 18 to 81 dancing with the live music. Worth to try read more

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We took some time to walk around and hearing the live music, we made our way to Ball & Chain. There is some amazing history here and it was a great a place to hang out for drinks and appetizers. We had to wait about 10 mins for a small table to open up and the service was quick and the beer was cold! If you are in the area, make your way here and enjoy! read more

Ball & Chain - Music Venues Near Me - Miami, Florida

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I thought they were bluffing when they said they have the best mojitos, they weren't. most delicious mojito. i loved the old miami vibe here. read more

I love their outdoor patio, literally skip inside and head out back. It lush, relaxing and the perfect place to enjoy a mojito or cuba libre. They have misters and fans on those hot Miami days. I had sampled a number of appetizers and everything was tasty. They have sports on indoors, but stages out back for live music. read more

Our waitress was nice and very helpful. Friday was happy hour but 1 drink get 1 free plus a live band. The band was great. My food was good seasoned well read more

Stopped for lunch at this Cuban themed restaurant with a live band, bar centered in middle of bldg, open wide front entrance. Service was very attentive, kind & respectful however the portions were small & food was overpriced had a caliente margarita-no hotsauce, mojo chicken sandwich & cubano sandwich were not impressed by this tourist trap. Try Old's Havana Cuban Bar & Cocina across the street for a true authentic cuban food experience. I rate this place about 3-3.5 stars. read more

We came to eat late on a Saturday night and they had live music and dancing. We were seated in the back of the restaurant outside in front of the stage at low chairs and a small table which was not ideal and would have preferred a standard table but at that time, there wasn't much availability. The food and drinks came out quickly and everything was super delicious. The Cuban spring roll was small but the other portions were great. We would come back but definitely specifically request a tradition table in the first room. read more

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Go for the music and dancing! We sat at the bar around 3pm and we're served right away. Not strong drinks but the flavor was really good. The food is VERY over priced. We had less than 10 maduros slices for $12. They add a service charge and gratuity. read more

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Decided to come to this location while scrolling for event to do during New Year's Eve. I remember coming here once for one cocktail; therefore, my experience here was limited. When we arrive we were informed our reservation was cancel due to tables only doing bottle serve for the night. Since we had came in before the rush, the host was kind enough to offer us a table for about two hours to order food and drinks. To start the appetizer we ordered was the Chicharrones con Guacamole. This dish was okay nothing too spectacular and the pork was a bit cold for me but my partner loved it. As for the main entrees, we both had the Chicken Fricassee. This was the star of the show. Absolutely mouth watering. The seasoning and presentation was superb. We both enjoyed this dish and would probably come again for it. The rest of the night was fabulous liked with love performance and music. It was definitely a great choice. read more

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We stopped in during the middle of the day on our way to the airport, luggage in hand. It was blazing hot outside. July hot. The hostess said we couldn't sit at a table unless we ordered food. Fine. Whatever. Water. AC. Don't care, get me in there. Once we were sat it was great! Mojitos were delicious, complete with a sugar cane stick. So good! A band started playing Cuban music and it was so fun. We ordered churros and they were good too! I would love to go back to experience it at night. Looks like fun! read more

Ball & Chain - Stop in and have a drink! - Music Venues Near Me - Miami, Florida

They had live music when we stopped in. We had a few drinks and found out Celia Cruz used to perform here . Also, the I like it video by cardi b was shot here so that's a fun fact. I ordered a mojito which was good. The service was fast. We got seated pretty quickly. read more

Ball & Chain - Music Venues Near Me - Miami, Florida

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Loved the authentic cuban food, we ordered fried red snapper, cuban sandwich and fish tacos. The espresso martini is delicious! We were sat outside and enjoyed music from a dj and quick service! Definitely recommend stopping here when coming to Little Havana! read more

Ball & Chain - Sandwich Cubano Espresso Martini Salad - Music Venues Near Me - Miami, Florida