Located in the heart of Miami Lakes - and near the cow fields - this El Novillo location was where I enjoyed my employer's Christmas lunch yesterday. Though they have a preset menu for corporate type events, our boss was generous enough to let us select off the open menu. The decor is made to look like the inside of a hacienda with the tile roofs and stucco columns (yes you tell I'm a structural engineer :) The music was mostly 80s ballads, and service was very attentive. They even brought one of the desserts with a candle for a colleague's birthday, and took our group's photo. We started with a couple of baskets of buttered herbed Cuban bread and dipping chimichurri, as well as an appetizer sampler including refried beans, fried cheese and tequenos. The fried cheese was served on a little piece of pita bread and is a must try. I also enjoyed the refried bean soup, especially when dipped with plantain chips. As far as my main course, everyone knows how much I love cows! I enjoyed a sizable piece of churrasco, juicy even at medium well, sweet plantains and moros (here they serve it with red beans instead of black beans) and crispy house-made plantain chips. The Tres leches was also very fluffy, with a lot of cream and perfect enough to send me to a nice little after lunch nap. I also washed it down with Cortadito. read more

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Recently went to "El Novillo" restaurant for a 25 year anniversary celebration. It was a group of about 25 of us and it was spacious in the seating and table arrangement for all of us to feel comfortable and not cramped up together. It was on a Friday night and they had live music playing with was nice for the occasion. With our pre-selected menu, we ordered a glass of Cabernet, their house salad (very vinegary!!! A tad bit too much in my personal opinion), and for entree the 8 oz baby tenderloin churrasco. (Shout out to one of our waiters! I didn't catch her name but she was honest with the menu recommendations and advised us to order the baby tenderloin churrasco which was a hit!). The mariquitas kept on coming around the table and we were stuffed. Another perk was how fast the service was. Even with our large group, we barely waited in between courses. If you want good Hispanic food on the fly, this is your place. read more

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I went to Novillo in Miami Lakes and let me tell you, I'm usually super loyal to my favorite Nicaraguan spot, but this one really tops it. The moment you walk in, it feels like you're stepping into the smallest pueblito in Nicaragua with all the authentic dishes you grew up around. That's exactly how it felt for me. The ambiance is perfect and the food is amazing. I ordered a sampler that came with a bit of everything and then the grilled steak with gallo pinto (btw when they come to serve you the rice on your plate don't feel shy to ask him to fill the plate up some more!) I was in heaven. The sangrias were also a hit. If you're seeing this, seriously give this place a try. I sure look forward to coming back! read more

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We went to celebrate my hubby's birthday. I picked somewhere close to our hotel. We loved every bite!! We sat on the patio and it was lovely. We ordered drinks-Cadillac margarita and a modelo. We ordered the sampler platter of appetizers-plantain chips, tacos, cheese, ribs, sausage and beans. Then we ordered the churasco steak and the fried whole fish. As stated earlier every morsel was delicious!! Then we ordered chocolate cake and a coffee. The cake we both said is exactly what you want when you order chocolate cake. It was moist, had a layer or pudding (we think) great frosting, and chips. If we lived closer this would be a regular place. It was busy, people coming in constantly, and just yummy!!! read more

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First off I just want to say that I was skeptical at first because I was in the mindset of Miami looks and "what's trending" but when my boyfriend told me this was a an authentic Nicaraguan restaurant I was ready to try it. He was born and raised here, but being that he lives in California now and I am a California native he wanted me to see authentic local cuisine. As we walked up, there was a cute little outdoor seating area. However, I wanted to sit inside so inside and the decor was very vibrant, and had a Central American vibe. From start to finish the service was amazing. They greeted us and smiled. They walked us to our table and sat down in a nice quiet booth. We passed by the corner. We noticed a man singing live inside, which gave it a pleasant ambiance. Our server came over and he was very friendly. We knew what we wanted to order right away. We ordered one chicken chimichurri and steak chimichurri. We sat maybe for about 10 minutes and then our server came out with our food. it was a good amount and so cool as they come with a tray that has rice and beans with planting chips! And what's the kicker here is you can have refills! The food was bursting with so many flavors. It was cooked perfectly. My steak and chicken had grill marks and the chimichurri sauce tasted so good. We were so delighted. I had so much food I was able to take my food with me back to our hotel. Afterwards, we were so excited so we both agreed to order two Café con leche and a tres Leche cake! Café con Leche came out with the Tres leches and let me tell you it was amazing bursting sweetness in your mouth. The tri leches was cooked to perfection with the amount of sauce. It was an overbearing. My boyfriend raved about this place and now I see why he loves it and every single time he comes to visit he stops by El Novillo! This definitely will be our go to restaurant when we come to Miami to visit family. we highly recommend it. We give it five stars. Everything was amazing. So when you are visiting Miami, do not forget to stop by Miami Springs and eat at El Novillos. read more

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My wife and I come here very often for their delicious and authentic Nicaraguan food. We usually order the "big daddy" churrasco and it's been consistently cooked to perfection. Their appetizers are fantastic, we usually go with pork baby ribs and beef tacos (10/10!) I've had a few of their cocktails and not yet have I been disappointed. Please don't forget to try their fried cheese ! read more

This place is our go to place for some great churrasco. It's always consistent and hardly ever has any hiccups. The service is on point and they are very attentive. We typically get the novillo churrasco and the baby churrasco. The little breads they give you at the beginning are addicting and you cannot leave without ordering the sampler. Highly recommend it. read more

We find this lovely Nicaraguan restaurant in the Miami Lakes area, the venue has a beautiful colonial architecture . Upon we arrived we received water and bread, unfortunately the bread was hard as a rock but we ended up getting fresh bread after our waiter came to check on us. Hoping our experience turned better we ordered the Nicatizer Sampler this was served with fried cheese, black beans, sausage, meat and a cabbage/carrot salad. The beans and the cheese was delicious and the meat was very tender. As for main entrance I ordered the Novello churrasco, and this dish takes all the stars of my review, the meat was phenomenal, perfectly cooked and nicely seasoned. I enjoyed every piece of my entree. My dish came with gallo pinto (rice and beans), plantain chips, house side salad and chimichurri sauce. They served the amount you desire so that was a big plus. As for the service, all the staff were very attentive and accommodating. There was a lot of parking available and we were able to get a table with very little waiting time. This is a restaurant that I will gladly like to turn and recommend if you enjoy a delightful churrasco! read more

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Service was soooooooo bad... Food good. Music good. Work on the service Not happy tonight The salad is on my shirt because they were in such a rush..... No bueno read more

Our staff have been meeting here for lunch for our Holiday Get-together for several years. Today, we did that again. Sadly, we encountered an extraordinary amount of other people there. The place was overcrowded by a ridiculously loud, ruckus, groups that made the restaurant sound like a bar during a finals sports game. The noise was so loud we could not hear our attempts at having a conversation. Then there was also loud music playing. The waiters were overwhelmed. Our dirty dishes from our appetizers were never picked up and our lunch dishes were piled on top. The food was average. Our bill was for over $350. We will never go back. Our celebration was ruined by your managers allowing the non-stop yelling and cheering that prevented us from having our meal. read more

Love this place. Food is amazing. Family oriented. Spanish vibes inside . Service was excellent . Friendly

Good food and service, easy parking Family oriented everything went well Food served in a timely manner good staff read more

Love this neighborhood spot. They have indoor and outdoor seating options and the food is to die for! I really appreciate the attentiveness of the servers. read more

Se demoran mucho para llevarte a una mesa aunque el lugar esté vacío, demoran mucho para atender, el lugar muy bonito pero el servicio al cliente no. Es un lugar nicaragüense y no hay carne asada. read more

It had been years since I ate at El Novillo and so happy I decided to stop in for a late dinner. The staff was very welcoming and sat us immediately. The servers were quick and diligent and made sure to serve us delicious bread as we were starving ! The food came out in great timing, was cooked perfectly and was absolutely delicious. The restaurant was closing but the servers made sure we had everything we needed and offered us coffee along with our yummy tres leches dessert. Perfect meal with great service = a new go to neighborhood restaurant for any time of day! read more

El Novillo Restaurant - Baby churrasco, gallo pinto, platano maduro and mariquitas - Latin American Near Me - Miami Lakes, Florida

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El Novillo is a Miami Lakes institution. Always great service and delicious food. The baby churrassco is the way to go. We go here at least once a month. They have a full bar and play music on the weekends. read more

Comida y servicio muy bueno ,un ambiente tranquilo excelente para poder compartir en familia

Sadly, the food at this restaurant has drastically gone downhill. We have been coming to this restaurant for almost 30 years, but the significant decline in the last year or so is too hard to ignore at this point. This evening, the baby churassco was the slimmest, smallest piece of meat, and it was dried up and tasted awful. We have never complained before this evening, and pointed it out to the waitress who just laughed and said that is how it should be - and then laughed and when about her business. The manager was summoned over, and he proceeded to say that's how it should look, a small dried up piece of meat they charge almost $30 for - and then he laughed and walked away and didn't even try to make it right. He walked by a couple times, and this old smug man saw the steak was still off to the side untouched and he had a smile or enjoyment about it as if he thought it was humorous. When the waitress came back she saw the steak was essentially untouched and when told the steak was completely dried out and disgusting she just smiled and shrugged her shoulders and asked if we wanted desert. As a side note, the restaurant was quite empty even though it was still dinner time. We have had other less than perfect meals there in the last year or so, but this was by far the absolute worst experience and the only time we lodged any complaint. It was only out of a matter of orinciple but they had no class much less any interest in making it right. I have replaced my old review which has been rendered irrelevant and meaningless. El Novillo has become a complete joke and a disgrace to its former self. No more lunches, dinners, or yearly Christmas parties will ever take place here with me present. Look who is laughing now read more

El Novillo Restaurant - Latin American Near Me - Miami Lakes, Florida

All things considered El Novillo is not only peak but my favorite restaurant. The appetizer platter is delicious and enough to feed families for generations. I've gotten the Churrasco with chimichurri at least once every single year since I was 5 years old and it has never disappointed. The inside is beautiful and super vibrant and service is always friendly and quick. Thank you El goat Novillo for making steak my favorite food read more

El Novillo Restaurant - churrasco - Latin American Near Me - Miami Lakes, Florida

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Went here to celebrate my friends birthday. Had a wonderful experience. Delicious food with pleasant service. I will definitely eat here again. read more

El Novillo Restaurant - Latin American Near Me - Miami Lakes, Florida

Mixed thoughts. I have gone to El Novillo many times including New Years. But it seems to me on this visit portions are smaller drinks bland and prices not in line with what is offered. The service was great and the ambiance continues as always good. I will not be back any time soon we'll see at a future date read more

Walking inside makes me feel like I'm in a villa. The internal ambiance is amazing. Truly feels like a little get away. I heard that they are known for their Churrasco so I had to go with that and a side of shrimp. The food was delicious, especially the shrimp. I will admit that I enjoyed the shrimp more than the churrasco which is a bit disappointing since the churrasco is what they are known for. The churrasco could have used a little bit more salt and I ordered it medium rare but arrived medium well. Nonetheless, I still ate it and enjoyed it. The service was also great. Attentive and welcoming what else can you ask for. Overall, I had a great experience and I hope to came back sooner rather than later read more

This is definitely the best place to eat at In Miami Lakes. Ask for Lidia. She is wonderful! Her recommendations are on point, and her service exceeds expectations. Just enjoyed a wonderful dinner and wine recommended by Lidia that made this experience memorable. read more

Good was great! I requested my steak to be medium rare and to my surprise it was not over cooked. Our waiter was a little slow to refill our water but I was the only one in the table drinking water so maybe that's why? Does not take away from the rest of the experience and meal. read more

Ive been coming here since I was a little girl - im 29 now, so for an establishment to be open this long, it speaks highly of it. THE PLACE: Located in Miami Lakes, plenty of street parking is available. Inside, the decoration feels like a Latin American town complete with a fountain. Could be cleaner, but it was clean enough. THE FOOD: Food is great. We had a sampler for starter complete with fried cheese, beans, tortillas, salad, chorizo and sausage. For Entrée, I had the baby churrasco and by boyfriend had the chicken churrasco - excellent. THE SERVICE: My history here with service hasn't been the best, however, in my latest visit on Valentines day, it was fantastic. The host weren't great and even skipped and misinformed us, HOWEVER, our waiter was amazing and the rest of servers had exceptional team work skills. read more

El Novillo Restaurant - chicken churrasco - Latin American Near Me - Miami Lakes, Florida

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Sadly, not like it used to be. Food is ok and service could be better for the price you're paying.

El novillo has been a staple in the Miami lakes area for years! Consistently delicious food, great service and at a good price! We were looking for a last minute place for Mother's Day lunch and knew we could not go wrong at el novillo! If you're looking for delicious, authentic Nicaraguan food - look no further! read more

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I've been to Nicaragua and enjoyed their cuisine. So I was really looking forward to trying this restaurant in Miami. It has both indoor and outdoor seating, but you should sit inside because the seating and decor are stunning. Please see the photos below. We arrived without reservations for an early dinner and were seated right away. They begin with bread and three signature sauces. Chimichurri, tomato sauce, and onion pickle are all available. I particularly enjoyed their chimichurri sauce, which is always a great addition to any meat. My husband ordered their executive churrasco, which is their best center cut tenderloin charbroiled to your liking. I ordered their chicken churrasco with chimichurri sauce. Their entrees come with a side salad, rice and black beans, and some chips. I enjoyed their rice and black beans, which were both delicious. The food is beautifully presented, and the service is prompt. Obviously, the food is inspired by traditional Nicaraguan dishes, so if you like that food, you'll enjoy this place. The portions are very generous, as evidenced by the photos, and we had no room for dessert. I wholeheartedly recommend this restaurant! read more

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We were a party of 4 that came on a Friday afternoon for a late lunch. Service was fantastic! Shout out to Lidia R. , our waitress! She was the sweetest, kindest and best waitress Ever! We ordered the sangria and fried cheese to start. The cheese could have been a little more warm but still delicious. Then we all ordered the executive churrasco that was about $23 for an 8 ounce. You are served gallo pintos and mariquietas. The steak was cooked perfectly medium and was so tender and juicy. The beans and rice mix was also delicious. It all paired nice with the refreshing sangria. We were too full for dessert but their options looked yummy. I highly recommend here and ask for sweat Lidia R. ! read more

I've been going to this place since it opened. I can safely say that in the over 20 years that I've enjoyed coming here ONE waitress stands out among all that I've been attended to. Her name is Lidia and she is by far the most attentive profesional and helpful of ANY that have helped me before. I only go when she's there even though some others are good but they don't hold a candle to Lidia. The food is also good and the ambiance is mostly positive with the occasional loud big tables that is to be expected. read more

My friend is from Nicaragua and he loves this place. I don't know why. It's good, but not great. We went on a Friday at lunch (or slightly after, because he likes to eat a little later) and we were seated immediately. I had the Nicaraguan Fajitas, which are just like any other fajitas except they do not come with tortillas. You just eat them from the platter. He had steak that I thought was overcooked but he loved it. The meal comes with beans and rice, which was good, fried plantains, which were delicious and plantain chips, which I don't care for. There is also garlic bread (toasted, too much for my liking) and toppings. One was an oil with parsley(?) and another was onion, carrots and green peppers in a sweet vinegar. It was quite good. Then there was ketchup with onions in it. I didn't try it but he loved it on his fries. I don't think French fries are authentic Nicaraguan food, but I haven't been to Nicaragua, so maybe they are. We split a flan for dessert and he had a Cuban coffee. He said it was delicious and I'm taking his word for it because I don't drink coffee. The bill for the two was just over $50. We didn't have anything to drink but water. I find it a bit on the high side, but he loved it. And since he was paying, I didn't complain. If he ever wants to go back, I'll go. Especially if he offers to pay. But I will never suggest it. It's a long drive from where I live and there are plenty of restaurants that have better food at lower prices and are closer to my house. But it was good. read more

El Novillo Restaurant - Delicious. - Latin American Near Me - Miami Lakes, Florida

I use to visit this restaurant regularly but stopped going since the quality of the meat seemed to have gone down until recently I gave them another opportunity and I'm glad I did the "churrasco" was excellent again. Service was excellent as well. read more

10/10 recommended!!! This place serves the best Nicaraguan food!! Everything we ordered was full of all sorts of deliciousness and cooked to perfection. I've been coming to this restaurant since I was a kid and their food is always on point. The temperature of the steak was exactly how I wanted it. The sangria needed more wine but it was still good and the service was impeccable as always. read more

El Novillo Restaurant - Steak tenderloins with jalapeño sauce - Latin American Near Me - Miami Lakes, Florida

Just happened to be around the area and came from a friends recommendation. El Novillo did not disappoint. It's located in a cozy shopping strip with an outdoor patio seating area. Given the nice weather today, outdoor was a must. My friend and I were warmly greeted by the host and we were allowed to sit wherever we wanted. We had two servers that greeted us right away and took our orders. They immediately brought out garlic bread, salad, and 3 dipping sauces. We had the executive churrasco and chicken with mushroom sauce. The churrasco beef had the right amount of char to it while being super juicy inside. It was fine without any sauce in my opinion, but chimichurri sauce is a nice addition to the meal. The chicken was super hearty and satisfying with its white wine mushroom sauce. The rice with beans and plantain chips paired nicely with the whole meal. Tres Leches was for dessert. Loved how moist and "spongey" it was. Perfect Cuban lunch. read more

El Novillo Restaurant - Tres leches - Latin American Near Me - Miami Lakes, Florida

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For a spot that has been around for so many years, the quality has never gone down. Portions maybe, but for the amount of food you get it is still worth it. Entrees come with garlic bread and salad on top of the 2 sides on the plate. I don't eat much red meat anymore so I ordered the chicken with white wine mushroom sauce which was 5/5, so delicious! We were so full at the end of it we didn't have room for dessert but I'd love to try it next time. Service was also on point! Definitely a great local nica restaurant. read more

El Novillo Restaurant - Chicken with white wine mushroom sauce - Latin American Near Me - Miami Lakes, Florida

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IT all started with the placement of our group . right in the front by the front door. next to a water fountain like the ones you put in your front yard. they put the last table closest to the fountain. The staff thought that they were gonna walk past me in a space less than 24 inches from my elbow to the fountain. i move the table about 4 inches to make it more comfortable for me and would not allow several waiters and servers who i told to go around the tables that i was eating. The thing is that the staff knew that they were annoying me while i was eating so that that they wanted to make an issue of what they wanted to do but offered no alternative to table placement to assure a comfortable dining experience. I was a petty customer service issue but they offered no insight or solution if it was a problem to them, which in my opinion it was. the food: i must say i made a mistake ordering the churrasco medium rare that was my fault and having insight on how to behave in restaurants, i chose not to send it back but that i would eat everything but the meat that i would take home to cook and eat another day. all of the rest of the food was ok. but nothing that i could not do at home myself. to me it is a no frills place. I have eaten three times total over many years of living in miami and will not return nor do i recommend it. I was not impressed by the service, the food and the dining environment. the thing is that customer service is not easy. and if you skimp on anything it will be noticed. you cannot skimp on where you place your customers to eat especially if you made reservations available to your customers who have groups that are dining together. this is not a place i would recommend to you. stay home and cater it yourself. read more

This Miami Lakes staple is an anchor spot in the town. Its consistent flavor and presentation is comforting. The best sangria as well with lovely service and music. read more

We come here often, but today was different. This is not a place for a stroller, and they took a. Long time to bring us the high chair. It wasn't very empty and they took a while to bring us water and take our order. The rice wasn't so good today either. read more

The baby's churrasco is great, with salads, maduros fry plantains, and Gallo pinto ( bean and rice) is the way for an excellent choice; prices are affordable. I recommend to pair with a good wine. Great Restaurant! read more

El Novillo Restaurant - Churrasco and Gallo Pinto - Latin American Near Me - Miami Lakes, Florida

Okay so am I biased because I am Nicaragua or does this just make me an expert? This is one of one my absolute I guess higher scale Nicaraguan restaurants , is somewhere nice to bring family or bring friends for a semi nice dress up dinner , they have a really great bar fully stocked to make anything your little heart May desire I would make a reservation specially when visiting with a larger group and on the weekends because that's when they tend to be the most busy, you can call them and reserve or simply go on open table app anything you order here is guaranteed to be fresh and very tasty only recommendation I can give is that if you want your steak medium ask for rare because it's happened to me twice , still a really great meal! read more

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