After seeing Versailles on literally every single Miami travel guide I found online, I knew I had to give this Little Havana classic a try. My parents and I dropped by for an early dinner on a Thursday evening. Despite the awkward time (~4:30 PM), the restaurant was filled to the brim and we ended up having a ~30 min wait -- a testament to how widely loved this spot is! With the outdoor bar, peaceful neighborhood, and nearby Versailles Cafe & Bakery, our wait flew by, and, before we knew it, it was already time for dinner.

We were seated at a table in the center, which gave us a great view of the rest of the restaurant -- every table was occupied, although, based on their beachy outfits, Versailles seemed to mostly attract tourists rather than locals.

Their menu is a touch overwhelming, so I recommend perusing a bit beforehand -- a great way to use the inevitable wait time. We started off with their Stuffed Green Plantains, which were fantastic -- the plantains were dense and starchy, in sharp contrast to the light, slightly sweet / salty shrimp creole with pineapple and cilantro.

For our mains, we tried to get a variety; my dad tried the Ropa Vieja, which was alright, but a bit lacking in flavor. The portion size was also really small, and he ended up leaving the meal pretty hungry, despite all the extra veggies and potatoes I gave him from my Steamed Veggie Platter. My plate included a bona fide mountain of steamed potato, pumpkin, plantain, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots, and was topped with a mahi mahi fillet. The veggies were all great -- you really can't go wrong with basic steamed veggies -- albeit a bit overwhelming in quantity. The fish was fine, but a bit overcooked and almost rubbery.

Unfortunately, my mom was the one to leave our meal the most disappointed. She was drawn in by one of the seafood specials they advertised on the table -- I can't remember the name anymore, but it included a seafood medley (i.e., mussels, shrimp, clams, squid, snapper). In the photo, it looked like a huge platter of fresh seafood with a variety of dipping sauces...but our reality was quite lackluster in comparison. There was only about a half plate of battered and fried seafood that had clearly been frozen. It was dry, chewy, and both overly salted and lacking in flavor. This particular dish was definitely a miss -- from that, I would probably steer clear of most of their seafood aside from their fish and shrimp.

All in all, I'm glad my parents and I were able to visit Versailles and check it off our bucket list. I'm not sure it's quite worthy of its title as the world's most famous Cuban restaurant, at least based on the three dishes we ordered. Even so, it was a fun experience and a great intro to the rest of Little Havana!