Las Olas Cafe — Restaurant in Miami Beach

Jan 14, 2023:

I have been to many ethnic take-out food places and this was a surprising gem to find in Miami Beach. STAY AWAY if you are prone to diets, all food here is either High Carbs or High Carbs!

Regardless, The food is delicious! Typical of Latin food, all meals are typically slow cooked in various Spices and condiments. It is naturally Non-vegetarian since many vegetables are cooked on same grill as their meat products (as are All grills!- little known secret!). Is it Kosher-? Forgetaboutit!

They do a Huge amount of take-out business and claim to be available thru GRUBHUB. The menu is quite Long and extensive and even has PHOTO's on separate signs to entice you - look for them!

Menu items are in both English and Spanish, although the cashier's seem to speak SOME English you may need to pronounce your items in as close to Spanish as you can. It will bring a smile to their faces to see you try and will endear you to them.

Use the photos on GOOGLE to pick your choices - There are many photos of the colorful menus in the photos, besides my own.

CUBAN Sandwiches ("Cubano") are most popular item, but so are many of the fried Pork products. There are many items to choose from!

Full meals are typically around the $10 mark. Meal items are sold as 1 Protein + 2 sides (or something like that), with "Protein" being MEAT, PORK or CHICKEN. Sides are a delicious list of Latin favorites.

If you know Latin food from other countries, you will recognize many items but a few use "native people's" names. All the favorites are here: Plantains ("Platanos"), Fried Sweet Plantains ("Maduros"), White or Yellow Rice ("Arroz" - "Blanco" or "Amarillo"), Tostone (Fried slice of Green Plantain - looks like a Large cookie) and French Fries ("papitas fritas").

Specials vary by day but they seem to be the normal items but check for yourself!

All are delicious! Mine was! I ordered Chicharon w Plantain slice = Pork Belly slices +Plantain slice, my wife ordered a Cuban sandwich ("Cubano"). It is all worth the trip and despite appearances it is all affordable, even for a family of 4.

In a window display are a bunch of hand-holdable fried foods. Ask about the fillings. These items are only about $3, and really good if you are in a hurry to grab something quick to eat as you walk, or want something for that child that likes to...

Authentic mom and pop cuban cafe popular with the locals. I stopped into the cafe with my family after checking out South Beach. The cafe is several blocks off the beach, and had virtually no tourists stop in while we enjoyed our lunch.

I ordered the lechon, (roast pork shoulder) which was tender, juicy, & delicious. Others in my party ordered a cubano sandwich, empanadas, a lechon sandwich, and a cubano rice bowl with fried plantains and boiled yucca. Everybody was pleased with their meal. The portions were large and more than enough. The only part of my meal that was sub par was the mixed vegetables, which I ordered instead of rice to try and stick to a low-carb diet. The veggies were visible in a hot food tray where you could select from prepared food, and looked as overcooked and mushy as they were when they arrived with my food. My fault for not paying attention. I tried some of the red rice that would have come with my meal, it was tasty and well-seasoned.

For dessert we shared an order of freshly fried churros with a caramel sauce. The hot churros sprinkled with cinnamon sugar were amazing! I tried a couple bites (curse you diet!) and reluctantly handed over the rest to my daughters. Everybody agreed they were the best we ever had.

Do not expect a restaurant feeling if you stop by here, it is a place locals come and order food at an outside takeout window or order inside and sit at one of the four picnic tables arranged in a row in the tight space. If you are good with that, you will be more than satisfied with your experience! My family loves local flavor and culture, and Las Olas Cafe...

This has quickly become my go-to breakfast place in Miami Beach BUT it’s important to go in with the right expectations to avoid disappointment.

First of all, this is a neighborhood spot. Don’t expect a fancy environment, over-the-top service, or high quality ingredients. It’s simple, affordable home cooking run by a small crew and should be judged as such.

Second, go early in the day to get the best selection and freshest food. They’re usually sold out of most things by midday. Have a few options for things to order, in case your first choice isn’t available.

Third, yes the wait can be long but once you figure out the system of ordering it’s not too bad. I’d recommend ordering inside rather than at the outside window - for some reason I always get my food faster there. Once you’ve placed your order they’ll give you a receipt with your number on it and then you just have to wait for them to call out. Certain items may come out at different times so just pay attention.

Finally, the menu is very hit or miss. The breakfast plate is the best deal in town - their home fries are the best I’ve ever had. Coffee and fresh juices, when available, are amazing, and I LOVE their pastelitos. I would honestly skip the empanadas, bowls and daily specials, as the meat tends to be dry and the flavors are unremarkable. If you do get one of them, go with the maduros or...