Best Local Cuban Eats in Miami
 

Looking for a quick super casual Cuban lunch spot in Miami. I will have a car so I'm open to somewhere outside the city, no more than a 45min ride or so.

45 minutes from where?

45 from Miami... or Miami airport specifically.

Molina's
11995 SW 26th st.(Florida TWP), Miami

Key West by the Gables Seafood Market and Grill
2238 57th ave SW(Coral Way), Miami

I have some close friends who are Cuban. They tell me that these are the best in Miami.

10 minutes from the airport on NW 7th Street - La Rosa. Great typical food. Versailles, 15 minutes from the airport is also popular and a good people watching spot. Both are popular with locals.

Mi Chica DW is Cuban and her family lives in Miami. On special occasions they go to Versailles. I have been there too and it is good.

I should have mentioned that Versailles cannot be described as super casual.

Above are good, but I prefer La Cassita near the International Mall 15 min from MIA.

I'm kind of curious why Versailles can't be described as "super casual"?
You enter and someone seats you at a plain formica table -- no tablecloth. You are given a big glossy laminated menu to choose from. You will be surrounded by all types of people including lots of workers in very casual clothes -- even some roofers and painters. The food comes quick and is really inexpensive. While the interior is lined with veined mirrors and "fancy" decor, it looks like it was done 30 years ago and is no fancier really than a Denny's trying to look a little more upscale. It's a noisy and bustling place. The waiters wear sort of tuxedo like jackets, but other than that I can't think of a single reason why eating there wouldn't seem like a very casual experience -- especially at lunch.

If this sounds like I'm putting the place down, I'm not. I love it. But to me it's as organized and quick as nearly any Cuban place will be and it is certainly one of the best. We had a couple hours to kill for lunch one day, but we could have easily been out of there in 30 to 40 minutes tops.

NP - good points. I have only been there for dinner so I have no idea of what it is like at lunch. As I mentioned, it is DW's family's special occasion place so we always dress nicely when we go. On the occasions we were there, and for me that would be about a half dozen times, people at dinner appeared dressed nicely too. By that I do not mean jackets and ties for men, but dressier than jeans and shorts.

Hmm. I guess I have never been there at night, and I suppose it would be a lot dressier in terms of the crowd. We did go once on a Sunday at noon and it was VERY dressy -- everyone coming from church, I suppose -- however, that was years ago -- I'm not so sure most people get that dressed for church any more! But on a very recent weekday lunch visit, we could have been in Denny's judging by the crowd and their dress around us, although admittedly there were a few business "suits" there and a few very well dressed older ladies making a special occasion of it.

I've been casual at Versailles.

It would be my pick for best Cuban.

Las Culebrinas is very good and you have several locations. The one on 27th Ave. is very nice. Versailles has just been around forever but no big deal.Close to the airport (10 min drive) is La Carreta in Mia Int'l Mall. Also nice and good atmosphere.

I would go to Las Culebrinas, you also get some spanish dishes on the menu.

If you're on South Beach you need not go any further than Puerto Sagua on Collins and 7th St. Great food, inexpensively priced, ultra casual atmosphere. Every time I think about their "masas de puerco"(marinated fried pork chunks served with black beans and rice) my mouth waters. Be sure to check out the dioramas on walls, depicting old Havana by the Scull sisters, flamboyant twins (they're in one of the works). One of them recently passed away I think.