we literally stopped by this place 3 times in five days. tamales the size of a small guinea pig AND freshly squeezed oj?! perfection. oh, and their hot sauce Chili Willy was FIYAH. read more

This small restaurant serves a fusion of Nicaraguan/Central American, Cuban and American cuisine. It has a bar style sitting, which accommodates about 12 - 16 people inside. We come to this spot every time we are in Miami Beach. Portions are quite big and food is very tasty, it does not dissapoint. read more

Playa Cafe - Desayuno Centroamericano de Chorizo - Cuban Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

Horrible service. We were served by Blanca and ordered a Cuban sandwich. After waiting 20: minutes my friend went to ask if the sandwhich was coming and they just started making it. Blanca admitted that she had forgotten and did not want to offer anything to compensate for osing 20 minutes of our time. Any other establishment would have comped the sandwhich because of customer service. This has been my worst sevice experience in a restaurant Horrible servicio. Fuimos atendidos por Blanca y ordenamos un sándwich cubano. Después de esperar 20:minutos mi amigo fue a preguntar si venía en camino y lo empezaron a hacer. Blanca admitió que se le había olvidado y no quiso ofrecer nada para recompensar perder 20 minutos de nuestro tiempom. Estea ha Sido mi peor experiencia de sevicio en un restaurante read more

5 stars well deserved! Very small hole in the wall place in Miami located one street over from the beach. It is very popular among the locals so decided to give it a try. Ordered the Cuban sandwich combo (comes with fries and a soda) Huge sandwich and full of flavor! I must say BEST Cuban sandwich I have ever had. Also ordered a side of the Sweet Corn Tamalitos, so yummy!!! Comes with a side of butter that just melts on top. Very friendly staff that I had a good time talking too. Overall excellent place! Don't judge a book by its cover, the food is amazing. read more

See all

While i was at Playa Cafe I saw: some straight up affiliated types; a smokin'-hot 19 year old mother of a 3 year old (I overheard both ages as one of the affiliated types was trying to holler); more than a few Cuban yodas (2'-3' tall, very leathery, spoke in riddles); a Russian bodybuilder with a long, curly ponytail, tank top, jean shorts and a lolita-looking girlfriend; skateboarders -- who rode their boards into the cafe and down the main isle; ... and I wouldn't have it any other way. I got a taste of the insane, eclectic nature of Miami and I was ready to sign up for a full glass. Service was a little all over the board. An initial phone call to find out how late it was open was greeted with "Que? QUE??? *click*" But once I arrived, I was waited on by a very nice and patient waitress who seemed as amused/resigned to the insanity happened all around her as one would imagine. I ordered the media noche with fries and a strawberry shake. I ordered in Spanish, she smiled and responded in English. B+ for effort, no? The sandwich was delicious. Served piping hot, the sweet bread/cheese combo with salty ham, mustard and pickle was exactly what my tastebuds craved and I had been jonesing for a real, authentic Cuban milkshake ever since I moved away from Orlando [redacted] years ago. Both satisfied on an extreme level. I wasn't over the moon about the potato sticks (was in the mood for fries) but it was a seriously tiny nitpick. I'm ready to put PC into rotation. read more

Some of the best cheap authentic Cuban eats in SoBe comes from this hole in the wall mom 'n' pop diner. Eating here is seriously like getting amazing home cooked meals. If I lived nearby, I'd forego cooking at home and just come here everyday. It's way cheaper and faster than preparing your own meal. The place is a little dingy and service can be slow as the staff really caters to their Spanish-speaking regulars. But with that said, all you have to do is brush up on your Spanish and just remember the basics for ordering the food you want. Even if you're sitting at the couter right in front of the servers, they seem to go to great lengths to not make eye contact with those who obviously look like non-locals. I'm sure they could appreciate my attempts at speaking my broken Spanish though, because they still addressed me as "mami." Their Cuban sandwich is delicious and huge, plus it's dirt cheap at only $4.50. However, the best thing they serve is not on the menu and only regulars know about it (well, now you do too). It's their caldo de res - a big piping bowl of tender fall-off-the-bone beef and veggie soup that's only $4 and amazing. Reminds me of the beef soup my own mami makes at home. read more

See all

Authentic! $7.50 for a huge Cuban sandwich, fries and a soda. They have lots of local flare, if I hadn't had a craving for a Cuban while in Miami I would have gone for the skirt steak or chicken milanese. But the Cuban was on point. My boyfriend had to resist getting a slice of tres leches (only 2.50) but there's always next time. Sitting room is sparse / it's like a diner or bar set up with a couple tables behind it. we took ours to go since it's right next our hotel. read more

Playa Cafe - Always gotta get a Cuban while in Miami. - Cuban Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

BEST ORCHATA (HORCHATA) EVER. EVER. EVER. Our first stop in Miami. In fact, Cuban will always be my first stop anywhere in Florida. Authentic, hole in the wall, cheap and delicious Cuban food. Cuban sandwich: not the best I've had, but good amount of meat for $4.50. We got the works: papas rellenas, tamalitos, queso frito, baleada (with steak, extra $5). I would definitely recommend the tamalitos (fresh corn!) and baleada. HIGHLY recommend the orchata. read more

I was directed to Playa when I asked a local tour guide where the best place to get authentic Cuban food. This place is a legit diner, including ginormous photos of food placed up on a wall as a menu. The ladies here speak mostly Spanish and they're used to people coming and just pointing to the things they want so it's not awkward by any means. I sat on a stool by the counter and people watched while waiting for my fried pork chop and fries. I chatted up with the lone tourist diners there and they raved about the food (and portions!) so I was on top of the fact that I was hungry, I was excited to eat! The nicely seasoned pork chop was accompanied with some onions and a side of rice in addition to the fries! I will warn you, if you dine in, be prepared for your clothes (and hair!) to smell like fried food when you leave :) read more

Playa Cafe - Fried pork chop - Cuban Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

Probably one of the few places in SoBe where you can grab cheap, authentic Cuban food located right off the strip. This is where the locals come to eat. Both the Cuban sandwich and Media Noche were made-to-order and packed with warm meat, fresh ingredients, and mini, crunchy potato sticks. They served a couple lunch specials -- one being caldo de res, which is a beef shank or beef bone marrow soup with chunks of potato, leafy greens, and a small corn on the cob. It seemed like one of the more popular items at Playa Cafe. The establishment, and most of the clientele, spoke Spanish fluently and ordered only in Spanish. Though even if your Spanish isn't up to par, pointing or saying certain items on the menu will suffice. The service is a tad slow, but then again it seems a more relaxed, casual environment, and we also came by during busy lunch hours. Overall, a decent place for some cheap, authentic Cuban eats when in SoBe. read more

Playa Cafe - Media Noche - slices of pork, ham, and cheese - Cuban Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

We ordered to go because the only seating was at the counter, but it was well worth it. I still dream about the pupusas and the slaw.

What can I say... Hmmmm okay, every time I visited Miami beach, this place is always the first place and last place I go. And only thing I order? Chicken soup and passion fruit juice. First up, the environment. Typical Cuban restaurant, small, noisy, not very well decorated but always tons of Cuban natives eating here. It has two rows of bar tables which can accommodate about 15-20 people tops. If you are looking for a quieter place to hangout with people, this place is not be good for you. Second, the food. Chicken soup is made at heaven. You have got two pieces of chicken meat, some plantain and a piece of corn in your soup. The flavor is just right, very diversified. The passion fruit juice is very fresh, you can actually see them unpeel the fruit. The flavor is very balanced with sweet and sour, just delicious and refreshing after eating the chicken soup. All in all, I will give a 95/100, 5 points for sometimes long waiting times during busy hours. read more

Playa Cafe - Passion fruit juice. A must try here. - Cuban Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

See all

This was the biggest hole-in-the-wall I found during five days in Miami Beach, and the only establishment whatsoever I went back to... three times. Situated in a nondescript stripmallish block of Washington Avenue, I spent three lazy mornings at the Playa Cafe reading the Herald, eating their unbelievably cheap breakfast plates, drinking many cafe con leches, and watching locals come and go. The people watching is first-rate here - the place looks like hardly anything has changed in years and the food was comforting in a way that reminded me of being in someone's kitchen. I have a feeling that there were a lot of places like this before Miami Beach became expensive. If you like traveling to cities you've never been to but hate ending up where the tourists go, this place is for you. Oh, before I forget - the coffee was also among the best I had during my entire visit to Miami. So sit at the counter, don't be afraid of the styrofoam plates and plastic cutlery, and drink it all in. Tip: Speaking Spanish here is not just helpful, it's almost necessary. Thankfully my teensy bit of kitchen spanglish worked well enough to see me through, though I found myself wishing I was fluent - conversing with the staff and eavesdropping on the regulars would have made my visits even more entertaining. read more

Playa Cafe - Cuban Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

See all

Food: Tasty, filling, a lot of options, home cooked feeling; great sodas Value: Great, like 5 star authentic hearty meal for 6-9$ great. Service: mixed, some waitresses are nice and attentive, others are more like, "black coffee no sugar or milk." Attitudes are more pleasant towards Spanish speakers! I recommend pork chunks with rice (ask for the house chili sauce in a cup/not chili willy's) Cuban sandwich and midnight sandwich looked amazing too. If you are trying not to get yourself into a food coma, order a sandwich to share. When I said value I meant value. Yum! Thanks for the great lunch Playa Cafe! read more

Playa Cafe - Stuffed plantain with chicken: delicious, with rough mayo "Cole slaw" type veggies and tasty shredded chicken. - Cuban Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

It's a tiny diner and it's always busy but It's open 22hours a day so no excuses not to stop here Cheap delicious Latin food Not just Cuban but that's their roots. The Cuban sandwich was amazing with shoestring fries and a soda it's only $6.50 I just wish I remembered to ask for pickles The roast pork sandwich is equally delicious with sautéed onions I have so many items that I have yet to try, it's gonna take a month to get thru them all! Ceibeños Fried tacos Arroz con Pollo Vaca frita Pupusas I can't WAIT!! read more

This spot is amazing! Is a good atmosphere and there is always people there. Pros Food was excellent Service was great Location is awesome They sell beer Open really late Near other clubs so you can walk there after Cons find Street parking read more

Playa Cafe - :) - Cuban Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

Best place to grab Cuban food in South Beach, for sure!! Food -- 5/5: I got Smoked Pork Chops and my husband had Cuban Sandwich. The portion is huge for one person and you really get the best for your bucks. That sandwich could cost $13 instead of $6! The food is delicious, though the pork chops are a bit too salty for my taste. It's also nice that you can pick salad/ plantain/ beans to go with your order. We also loveeee their lemonade!!! So.. Oh... Good!! Fresh orange juice and lemonade made right in front of you! Decor -- 3.5/5: I honestly didn't really care about the decor. The place looks quite old and small, but it is exactly the type of good gems that only the locals know about. Service -- 4/5: The lady who got our orders was friendly and helpful, but people here seem to speak mostly Spanish so it was a bit hard to communicate.. Overall, it's a perfect place to grab delicious Cuban food for a great price! Will be back when I'm in town for sure :) read more

Playa Cafe - Smoked Pork Chops! Cuban food is my new favorite. - Cuban Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

See all

Always authentic Cuban food in South Beach! Great prices too! Must be okay eating on a counter and do not recommend delivery! read more

Wonderful hole-in-the-wall restaurant. It was a little challenging ordering not speaking Spanish and it was so worth it. Everything I tried was delicious and I was so grateful to Yelp for finding it. read more

Perfect and inexpensive South American cuisine. This dive was a hidden gem among a chain of touristy restaurants. My group and I sat at the counter and ordered the palamillo steak and the chicken tacos. Everything was wonderful! The plantains were fresh and a perfect soft texture. My steak was severely pounded (which I like due to the origins of this meal) and had a great seasoning to it and was full of flavor. My side of rice, beans and salad came with the dish and it only set me back $7. Yes. You heard that right. For the price of a mascara, you could have this feast! Sit at the counter and enjoy this hole in the wall! read more

Playa Cafe - Palamillo Steak with salad, rice and beans. - Cuban Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

A great spot to get an excellent authentic and local spot to get Cuban cuisine in Miami was well worth the wait.

Not good anymore. The pork in the cuban tasted off - either poorly stored or old. They used the microwave to try to melt the cheese on the steak sandwich (failed). House potatoes were oily with no seasoning and of course looking nothing like the prominent photo. Fries were undercooked and also greasy (oil is probably not hot enough). The service has always been slow but the last time it just took way too long as the two girls behind the counter took takeout orders, waited on everybody and tried to make food and serve drinks. The fresh squeezed OJ for under $4 is amazing however, and is the only thing I would recommend. read more

I liked it so much I think I have reviewed it on my check in but is so delicious... you feel really comfortable with all kindness in the place! Recommended read more

Playa Cafe - Camarones empalizados - Cuban Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

See all

First place we needed to try again after returning 4 years later, still amazing and delicious. Did not disappoint . From freshly squeezed juices, to their coffees ( my personal favorite, cortadito) to their breakfast and sandwiches etc.. this is a must when in Miami read more

One of the must do things when I went to Miami was to eat an authentic Cubano sandwich. And thanks to Yelp, I found a delicious hole in the wall place on the streets of Miami beach. There are lots of locals that eat here as well as some foodie tourists that stop by. The menu comprises of cuban sandwiches as well as other cuban entrees. This place is more like a diner as they only have counter seating (no tables). I ordered the cubano sandwich and it was so good. The melty cheese with the ham just went so well together with the bread. I ate it with the habanero hot sauce they had available and it was perfect! I also tried their sweet corn tamalito. This was so good. The sweet corn used is different from the usual tamales I eat. There was a savory sweetness to it. And the thing was small, which was perfect as an appetizer. This is exactly the type mom and pop place I love discovering when on vacation. Cheap, delicious, and authentic! read more

Playa Cafe - Sweet corn tamalito - Cuban Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

See all

Incredible joint for well-priced breakfast lunch or late night in Miami. We were tourists there for our first time and found it because of yelp! I speak Spanish so that was a big plus as it could get hectic or confusing if you don't. The croquetas are heavenly and I was astonished at how delicious the pupusas were too. Could recommend enough and we never spent more than $30 on crazy huge meals here! read more

Playa Cafe - Pupusas and marinated pork - Cuban Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

I'm surprised that this place has very few reviews, and it's so hard to find on Google. It's very authentic, but also small place in the middle of busy Washington Ave. But the food is so good everyone should know about it! I even took my parents here the first time they visited me in SoBe. It's not touristy or fabulous, but it has personality, it's small, cozy and has a small town latin "panadería" feel to it. People are nice. It's very down to Earth and a breath of fresh air in a very pretentious, plastiky town. I love it!!! Try their "lomo empanizado" (breaded steak) with some good ole' white rice ("arroz blanco") and black beans ("frijoles negros"). DELICIOUS!!! read more

Best hole-in-the-wall spot in SoBe! I tried my first Cuban sandwich here and it was delish!!! The portion was so big that I had to take the other half of the sandwich to-go. They have happy hour daily so we got to enjoy a cerveza with the locals :) The prices are low. I wish we found this place sooner so that we would be able to try everything on the menu. read more

Playa Cafe - Playa Cafe South Beach - rolled tacos & Cuban sandwich - Cuban Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

See all

Came here one day because of a craving for fried fish. I ordered the fish filet meal with rice and beans and french fries. The fish was good! I recieved a large piping hot breaded filet of fish that was flavorful and hit the spot. However, To my dismay my beans were cold, which I found super odd, they had nice flavor but something about that rubbed me the wrong way and I didnt finish them. My french fries were ok, my only complaint is that I recieved so little of them. It was like a toddler serving of fries. The service was fine and honestly for the beach it was quite good. Most service on the island brings little to be desired. I may come here again but the cleanliness of the place bothers me and the cold beans were the icing on the cake. read more

If you are in South Beach and want cheap food, this is it. My boyfriend and I stumbled upon this place during our first trip to South Beach two years ago because it was near our hotel. During our first visit to SoBe, my bf really wanted to get a cubano sandwich and they offered them for $4 in the window so we walked. There were two older hispanic men sitting there on the stools against the wall. No one really spoke English in the place and we ordered by pointing to the menu. I got the chicken fajita platter (HUGE portions, enough for the two of us, and so so yummy!) It was also only $8. Could have fed me for two meals! You could tell it was made to order too. Plus! This year, we decided to return to our cheap, local spot for breakfast TWICE. Desayuno especial for $3.79. We ate this breakfast here twice. Again, we were probably the only out-of-towners here. The lady spoke spanish to my boyfriend, lucky for us, he's conversant in spanish! I was trying to explain to her that I wanted my eggs over easy. I was worried at first but they came out perfect!! The special comes with two eggs (any way), a meat (bacon, ham or sausage), fries (lol?), a huge loaf of bread with butter and pressed (like the bread they would make a sandwich from) and a drink (coffee, can soda or fruit nectar). deliciousness all for under $4. They have other platters for breakfast for the same price as well. Yes it's kind of greasy but eggs and bacon usually are. Yes the place is the definition of hole-in-the-wall, but you know that before you walk in. And yes, they might speak to you in spanish, but reply in whatever language you want and they will still bring out exactly what you ordered. They are prompt, super friendly and the food is delicious! This is a great place to go, open early and close late, if you have spent all your money partying it up in South Beach but dont want to eat Pizza... read more

See all

Food was amazing! Literally the best food I've had since being in south beach. Portions were wonderful, food taste phenomenal! the guava juice leaves you wanting to drink it by the gallon. Splendid job!!!! read more

Service is a hot mess. Sandwich took a while to be made and didn't even have mustard. I ordered a Cuban and it taste like an incomplete ham and cheese sandwich. When asked about the mustard and mayo they simple offered to give me the bottles and add it myself. When I asked for the check they didn't even remember what I had ordered and asked me what I had in order to provide the check. Very small space, so be prepared to split up if you go in large groups. I did like that the menu had pictures for each dish. read more

Authentic and flavorful. Only complaint is that it's cramped and hard to get service. The Cuban was really good and packet with ingredients. The roasted pork was a bit dry but the rice and beans and plantains were awesome. The fried cheese was quest blanco and was good. But great. Was hardened by the time we got it. The empanadas was authentic and tasty as well. Worth a look was packed for a reason. read more

See all

Favorite hands down .. food got that soul in it .. my favorite breakfast in Miami Beach

Awesome spot for coffee and breakfast! The ladies are super friendly and everything we ate was great!

Oh my Gawd!!!! If I could give this food 20 STARS, I would!!! From Los Angeles, and never tried Cuban food till I visited Miami last week. Now I'm SPOILED, and can't find anything even CLOSE, here in L.A. This place is the BOMB!!! The stuffed plantains are INSANE!!!!!!! The Cuban sandwich RAWKS!!!!! I HAVE to visit there again, JUST for this fooooood!!!! read more

Stopped in for a cheap breakfast. Sat at the counter. Had one of the centroamericano chDiner vibe. Food was decent for the price. Much cheaper than the hotel dining room. Service was quick and pleasant. Might have been friendlier had I spoke Spanish. Seem to have a lot of regulars both dine in and take out. Update: After my initial good experience stopped in around 10 in the evening on a different day. Totally different vibe. Loud music. A couple of drunk losers hanging around. Sat at the counter and was ignored by the server who was busy messing around with her phone. Gave up and left. Hit Taco Rico around the corner before it closed. Much better experience. read more

Playa Cafe - Centroamericano - Cuban Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

See all

Ordered take out, which I wouldn't recommend because you want this stuff hot and fresh. Got a pork and cheese and chicken empanada, the corn tamale, and the Cuban sandwich. Cuban was a bit soggy by the time I got it, and nothing special. But it was big and tasted average, so that's a win for the price ($8). Pork and cheese empanada was a bit disappointing, but the chicken was good. The corn tamale is fully corn, wouldn't recommend that unless that's what you want. Would go back for drunk or cheap eats any time read more

Cheap Large Cuban sandwiches. 6 Dollars is enough too fill up a 200lb man! Small cozy place filled with locals, maybe around 20 seating places. read more

Playa Cafe - This was a 6,5 dollar steak sandwich with 1,5 dollar sides, which was the can soda and fries. - Cuban Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

My favorite brunch spot on the beach. From the fried fish, to the smoked pork chops to the marinated and super flavored pork...I'm in love. The flavor in each is amazing! Servers are friendly, but busy. Sometimes very busy, other times you can walk right in and order. Just depends. I think they are open 22 hours. 6am-4am. You will love this place. read more

Playa Cafe - Smoked pork chops. Juicy and delicious! - Cuban Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

See all