Call Me Cuban

One of the many Cuban restaurants on South Beach Ocean Drive, that tries to tempt you with their food as you walk by. We decided to give it a try as they were offering their lunch specials during dinner time. Very friendly service in a nice outdoor atmosphere. It was definitely a good idea for Miami Beach to make this section of Ocean Drive pedestrian only. We had the Ropa Vieja and Cuban Style Fricasse chicken and which were pretty good for a location based restaurant. Worth a try if you are looking for good Cuban food on Ocean Drive.

The food and overall vibe were good, and the live Latino music was fantastic. However, our experience with the service was disappointing. We ordered two dishes, one beer, and one cocktail during happy hour. A staff member was actively promoting discounted drinks at the entrance, so we clearly understood it was happy hour pricing. Despite this, the waiter initially charged us $135, which was incorrect. After we pointed it out, the bill was corrected to $104. Otherwise, we would have overpaid by nearly $30. Additionally, a 20% gratuity was automatically added to the bill without clear prior explanation, so there is no need to leave an extra tip. This should be communicated more transparently. Service-wise, we were not offered water, and our main dish was delivered by a different staff member with no explanation. It felt a bit disorganized and not what you would expect from a full-service restaurant. That said, the food itself and the atmosphere were enjoyable. Overall, I was satisfied with the experience, but the billing and service issues definitely need improvement.

Best service and food 🤤 Ask for Raima, she is the best server. She goes above and beyond with her service and hospitality. She had a strong personality recommending the Paella Hemingway just enough for two individuals. Try it, you will enjoy the food and service

Waaaay overpriced food and drinks (menu doesn't mention a mandatory 20% tip). The nachos were tasty (pic rel), but it's still just nachos. At least the service was nice and polite. Live music was a nice touch.

Food: hands down - the Homemade Empanadas! If you like spicy, they make a spicy sauce which is fabulous! I've tried ~10 different empanadas all over Miami and Miami Beach but this one is THE BEST! Service: didn't wait one min before someone came to our table. Atmosphere: we came on Friday and they had live entertainment. 💃

We come by here every year and the food is ok. When we first came here a few years ago, the food was delicious and not overpriced now it seems like the menu changes and it’s really overpriced. The service is always really nice. The reason for the low stars is because they put the gratuity on the check even for two people, and they add a beach resort tax on there when you’re not even staying near them or at their hotel and the pricing is out of control now

We had an amazing experience at this Cuban restaurant in Miami Beach! From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere was lively, warm, and welcoming. The live music added such a vibrant touch to the night — it truly felt like a celebration of Cuban culture. Our server, Frankie, was phenomenal — attentive, friendly, and went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed. He made us feel like VIPs the entire evening. The manager, Carolina, also stopped by our table and gave us great tips to enhance our experience. Her kindness and attention to detail really stood out and made a lasting impression. Great food, fantastic service, and a fun, upbeat vibe — we’ll definitely be coming back!

Raisa is the queen of service!!! She recommended the most amazing steak and rice and beans I have ever eaten!!! My daughter loved her Alfredo. And the tiramisu in an old classic coffee carafe. Live music and the extra large mojito and pinecolada in a pineapple. Watching the cars cruise by is an added bonus. Oh my lord this is a must when on south beach!!!

We enjoyed fantastic bottomless mimosas with server Juan. Such a comfortable place to enjoy lunch and a drink, with plenty of people watching! Would love to return some day.

Do not add a 20% gratuity to the bill! Allow customers to add their own tips as they wish! Some may not want to give tips or give less! Tips are not mandatory! It is shameful that you automatically charge customer 20%. I usually give 20%, and the service and food was good, but I don't enjoy people deciding on my tips! No one is entitled to tips! Not going back just because of this nasty move!

Came on a weekday morning and ordered the Burrito cubano and Cuban Criollo. Restaurant was pretty empty and we were immediately seated. Ambiance: 4.5/5 Beautiful scenery overlooking the beach area. Service: 2/5 While the waitress was friendly and helpful, the food took an incredibly long time to come out despite the restaurant not being packed. It took 49 minutes between when we placed our order and when our food arrived. Food: 4/5 This place seemed very promising because of the ambiance and views but the long wait for our food was very disappointing.

Was walking around Miami Beach and smelled some delicious Cuban food so I decided to come in. I sat outside, it is a very casual environment and a lot of foot traffic happening around you outside. The service was amazing, everyone was very nice, speedy and attentive and gave good menu recommendations. The pina colada was delicious I really enjoyed it. As for the food, I did not feel the same especially for the price. The entire food pictured came out to $82. (Automatic 20% included) The guacamole was nothing to write home about, but the malanga chips were a very nice touch I appreciated. The vaca frita was so oily, as well as the maduros from being in the greasy skillet. I thought the rice was pretty dry as well. Overall a bit disappointed in what I ate, although I do think the atmosphere and the pina colada was very good. I think if the value matched the quality of food I would give this place one more star, but I just don't think it warrants 3 stars!

On travel to Miami for work and was trying to find a spot to watch the eagles game but one sports bar wanted 100 min for table seating. The other bar had reservations and no open seating. I was heading back to my hotel and found this spot. They had two TVs, one outdoor and one indoor. The manager was very accommodating and the staff was pretty chill. Good food too!

My friends and I decided to check out Call Me Cuban at the Cardozo Hotel in South Beach, Miami after a nice lunch at Gianni's Restaurant (formerly the Versace Mansion). We opted for the El Daiquiri. It was delicious and refreshing. The service was good. The atmosphere was fantastic, especially with the Air & Sea Show happening nearby. It was the ideal spot for some prime people-watching while enjoying our drinks. Overall, Call Me Cuban provided a great "passing by" experience.

This place is pretty solid, not gonna lie. The ambiance is pretty awesome for being smack dab on Ocean. The bar is super clean, food is excellent and the service is on par for Miami Beach. Go with the Cubano and the vast assortment of Mojitos. How could you say no to that?!

Food is fine. But beware of the servers being sneaking about what they are charging you. No drink menus with price provided at first then when order they only say a Med or Large to choose from we realized too late that smalls do exist and are the normal size. Drink are clearly from premade mix and a MED coat $35. Holy heck. We are not new to traveling the world and they was the most sneaky server we have ever had. Beware of Ricardo's sneaky service. Food is the same as the next place but don't get fooled with the tourist trap pricing.

When visiting Miami, you hope the food is over the top. When going to a high tourist area such as Miami Beach, the food, ambiance, atmosphere, and experience better have that wow factor that will impress you from start to finish. After walking up and down South Beach all afternoon, my lady and I finally agreed to dine at "Call Me Cuban". Located at 1300 Ocean Drive in the heart of Miami Beach, this place is tucked right next to the Cardozo Hotel and adjacent to 13th St. As with all businesses in this area, parking is virtually nonexistent so it is best to arrive here by foot or rideshare. Or if you're fortunate enough, there are several hotels in close proximity to this place. Even though they've only been opened since 2021, the high amount of positive Yelp reviews made this place a must-try for my lady and I. We arrived during the afternoon of Sunday 3/17/2024 at around 3:35pm in which would be a late-lunch/early-dinner. Since it was a beautiful warm 84°F day, we opted to sit outside where you can get a full view of the park and beach only a couple hundred feet away. If you do plan on dining inside, this place has a dazzling interior including a pink neon sign that reads "Miami Made me do it!", a hot pink piano, colorful lighting, and comfy snakeskin lounge chairs. The entire representation of Cuba is apparent here as everything is presented quite beautifully. Best of all, this place has very generous hours of operation being open Monday-Friday from 9am-11pm and Saturday-Sunday from 9am-12am. This includes several rotating menus including Brunch, Happy Hour, Cocktails, and standard food menu. Since I was starving, I decided on ordering an appetizer of their "Tostones" (crispy fried plantains). My main entrée was their "Vaca Frita" which consisted of caramelized crust angus beef topped with onions, Mojo, Moro, and Maduro. My lady went with their "Guacamole A La Cubana" as her appetizer of choice. This used fresh avocados, jalapeño pico de gallo, and crispy Malanga chips. She opted for their "Pollo Cuban Tacos" which use lemongrass chicken, coriander, and cilantro topped with roasted pineapples, pico de gallo, and guacamole cream. Finally, we opted for a bucket of iced cold Coronas; only $20 for four! Not a bad deal considering you're at the heart of South Beach. As far as my angus beef, it was seasoned and cooked to perfection as the meat was very tender while I could taste the authentic Cuban seasonings. My plantains were also quite delicious as they gave me four very generous pieces that were caramelized to perfection. And the crispy Tostones had an excellent crispiness when dipped in the dressing. Even the Cuban rice w/black beans tasted delicious. I also had a couple bites of her taco and the chicken tasted moist and above average. Our waitress was very friendly and accommodating as she always made sure we were being taken care of. I will say that I was somewhat quite hesitant eating a big meal at South Beach since prices tend to be significantly higher than other parts of Miami. But this place was actually reasonably priced as we were able to stay full throughout the rest of the afternoon. All in all, I am going to give "Call Me Cuban" a perfect and unanimous five-star Yelp review. Excellent food, service, ambiance, and a great overall experience!

One of many tourist options on the main South beach strip. The food was good. Service was also good. We sat outside to people watch. Inside facilities were very clean and nice. I had eggs with pork belly, and bananas.... I wish for breakfast had more of a Cuban flair.

Came here for dinner because I've never had cuban food. Hubby and I shared the Cuban Sampler and the Vaca Frita -- absolutely delicious. The shrimp toston from the sampler was my favorite, and the plantains from the Vaca frita was amazingly good. The drinks (old fashioned and a lemon drop) did not skimp on the alcohol. We were stuffed (though I could eat more of the plantains). Service was excellent, too.

Second time eating here and was as good as the first. Both times we've come for dinner and the ambiance is as good as it gets on Ocean drive. It seems they have live music most if not all of the nights which adds to the experience. The drinks are large and they don't short you on the alcohol either. Food is flavorful with good portions. So far this ranks high amongst the Cuban places I have tried in Miami.

Food and bottomless mimosas were so good. We had about 4 glasses each. A must try if you're on South Beach.

I love coming here! Bottomless mimosas for $20, great food and service! If the temps/humidity are decent, sit outside and enjoy the views and people watching. We tried every flavor of mimosa - you can tell they use fresh fruit. Food and customer service are excellent!

Wait staff was great! Food came out quickly, highly recommend the ropa vieja!! We sat outside because we were drenched from the rain but check out the inside, it has a fun vibe!

Call Me Cuban has a more modern, fusion take on Cuban food and great cocktails. I loved the ceviche and their signature truffled yuca fries. The Lechon Asado is the bomb. Amazing.

Absolutely delightful experience! We were treated to an incredible time. The food? Simply delicious!Every dish was bursting with flavor, leaving us craving more. Despite the bustling atmosphere, the service was exceptional. Our server went above and beyond to ensure our every need was met with a smile. And let's not forget the drinks - generously sized and expertly crafted, they were a true highlight of the evening. As for the atmosphere, it was lively, making for an unforgettable dining experience. Can't wait to return!

Pretty fun and good food. We thought it fit what we needed but it wasn't anything super special. The server was a delight!

Stopped in here for lunch one day. Great place to sit on the patio outside and people watch. Our service was slow. I got the chicken tacos. They were ok. Chicken was overcooked but the potato chips were a unique take on taco toppings. The white rice I got at a side was pleasantly tasty though.

Stopped in here for lunch to take a little break from walking around Miami Beach. The patio out front was super comfortable and had a nice relaxing atmosphere. The service was also great and helpful with recommendations from our waitress. I couldn't decide what to try so I just got the sampler. The croquettes, empanadas and tostada were all very tasty. I wasn't as mi CB of a fan of the pork belly because my personal preference is for pork belly to be crispier, but the meat on the pork belly still had a good flavor.

The Cuban sandwich stop on Ocean Drive! Try the juicy alligator bites. We went for lunch which was much quieter than love music at night, still great vibe! Make sure to specific you want the $8 happy hour margs because I was cleverly asked what type of alcohol I wanted which made my drink close to $25. Other than that, friendly service and good vibes

I ordered the avo-toast with salmon. It was delicious and had the right amount of acidity. The server was excellent and friendly

Deceptive practices: 1) 20% tip was automatically added to receipt but before I could review it, waiter shoves credit card machine in my face with a tip meter so I add a tip and find out afterward that I double tipped. 2) Lured in by 2 for 1 happy hour special. They charged full price for both drinks. 3) When ordering drinks we were asked if we want small, medium, or large. We chose medium. We find out afterword that medium is twice the cost of the advertised price on the menu. I don't like feeling taken advantage of so I will never come back here again.

Stopped by this place, and though it was noisy, it had a nice vibe. We had a cheerful and pleasant dinner. The service was incredibly friendly; we couldn't decide what to eat, so the staff helped us out, and everything tasted amazing.

Great service, staff were attentive and even gave recommendations regarding where to go in Miami. Food was excellent. Terrace was an excellent dining environment.

Came for brunch on a Friday with three girlfriends. Was very underwhelmed. FOOD: We shared a few things, none of which blew me away. I was very excited by the guava and cheese French toast but it was really lacking in flavor. SERVICE: The waitress kept trying to take my plate away when I was still picking at it enjoying time with my friends. I hate when people do this, it makes me feel rushed. AMBIANCE: Cute spot. There are giant fans on their outdoor patio/deck. OVERALL: I wouldn't recommend for brunch. Won't be back.

We stayed at the Cardozo hotel and enjoyed an appetizer at Call Me Cuban. It was delicious! This morning we had their breakfast. Simple but good. The potatoes were deliciously crunchy! I can't wait to try other menu items tonight.

A lot of the restaurants on Ocean are tourist traps with mediocre overpriced food so I always order hesitantly and play it safe. This place was a breath of fresh air. I was highly impressed with the quality and freshness of the food. I had the pork belly tacos which were good. My date had the grilled chicken which was BOMB. I wish I ordered it. There was a mezcla of grilled fresh vegetables and a nice pickled onion slaw on top. It was delicious. I also ordered the pork tostones dish (not pictured). It fell a bit short for me which I wish it had more flavor but I did also take out the guacamole so maybe that's the element it was missing. Drinks are weak, but it was Happy Hour and only like $5 so it was fine

Food was pretty good, no real complaints. The main complaint is actually the server herself. Miracle seemed personable offering advice on the menu, regardless that it was unsolicited, but then was pushy and overbearing. She had judgements on everything that we wanted to order, and then in essence belittled your choices if you didn't decide to get what she suggested. Then also I know most of Miami is like that... but tried to go through so quick that you didn't notice that gratuity and a resort fee were added in there. Food was a dime a dozen and wasn't good enough to draw me back to compensate for the service.

We picked this spot because of it's location, and our love of Cuban food. Reviewing the menu when we got there, I sort of got a 'fusion' vibe and not straight up Cuban - that's neither good or bad, just making a comment. I ordered Pork Belly Tacos and LOVED every bite of them. I had to alter them a bit because I was unable to eat the sauce that they put on it, so I had the guacamole sauce and it. was. spectacular! The others in my party ordered a Brisket something or other (which he thoroughly enjoyed) and Black Bean Soup and Caesar Salad (although that's not the salad she ordered, she did enjoy it). Great location on Ocean Drive. Comfortable seating, we sat outdoors - which always makes for terrific people watching. I was disappointed in the service - I waited until I got home to do the review, which was a good thing because it appears that our lack of service here is pretty much what we experienced while in Miami Beach. We were never asked how our meal was, nor were we asked if we wanted another drink (we would have ordered, had we been asked). They waited quite long to approach us after we were done eating, I do appreciate that they didn't want to rush us but by the time our wait person finally checked back in wall we wanted was the check. It was disappointed that no one checked in because the salad that was received for one of my friends was not what she ordered, she said it was good though (since no one checked in and we couldn't make eye contact with anyone, she just ate). I was in the restaurant business for a number of years, as well as being the child of restauranteurs, they not only lose out on income with this kind of service but no matter how good the food is I'll likely not go back to any of these restaurants because we did feel neglected at each of them. And since this seems to be how restaurants on Ocean Drive operate, I'm not sure that this is where I'll want to spend my next MIA vacation. Overall the food was good, we weren't disappointed with anything that we ordered.

This little sidewalk cafe was located right in front of our hotel and what do you know! We had some of my favorite meals here. I'll admit, I wasn't expecting much from this place and the service is really my only issue with it. It is slower than molasses and that was consistent throughout the three meals we had here. The good news is, we were totally on beach time, so in the end, it was okay. The day started with bottomless mimosas for $19.95 and I highly recommend the guava! If that's not for you, they have five other juices for you to consider. We had the croquetas breakfast sandwich, which is made with a Cuban bread (also used in Cuban pork sando), and has several bacon croquetas on top of scrambled eggs, cheese and bacon. The only miss was that the cheese tasted like Kraft singles. The sandwich was huge and I couldn't even make it through half before tapping out. The potatoes on the side and seasoned, crispy, fluffy delights! My friend had the ranchero skillet and it was also enormous! Eggs, beans, sausage (but not breakfast sausage, it was a link of sausage like you'd have for dinner), potatoes, salsa, etc. She reports that it was also really good. Our other friend ordered pancakes and eggs with bacon and I had a bite of the pancakes, which, although they were really thin) were very tasty with almost a crispy little coating which I liked. On to happy hour, the street tacos at two for $9 was an awesome deal! We had the shrimp tacos which were the favorite and the spicy pork, which was also very tasty and two was enough for us so that was by far our least expensive meal! Last but no least, the drinks! You must try the Call Me Rita! Spicy, lightly sweet and refreshing, it was one of my favorite drinks. I also liked the Call Me Cuban. They have three different sizes and let me say, the medium is plenty unless you're sharing or have a DD!

if you enjoy paying $20 for a tito's, this is your spot. it'd do well if the food accompanied the cost, good atmosphere but i'd say if you plan on spending $600 for two people i'd recommend a Michelin star restaurant

Very good food. We had a very friendly server named Ricardo. He made great suggestions! Thank you!

Off the charts yummy! We tried several different dishes....ALL decidedly delicious! The yucca fries and ham croquettes unbelievable! Spicy margaurita the best drink ive had in years. Great service as well and fantasic sidewalk host. So glad we happened upon this special little place! Highly recommend.

Great food. Excellent drink menu. Fun place to people watch. The menu is more of a fusion than full on Cuban. That said, everything we got was great. Pork belly tacos, black bean soup, Caesar salad, and brisket. All verrrryyyyy good

Great place. Neat decor, fantastic food and the best service around. Our server Ricky was awesome.

Horrible service. If you're female and expect to be treated with any respect go somewhere else. The only plus was the wonderful host who was much more attentive than our own server, who went out of his way to completely ignore me by standing with his back to me each time and only making eye contact when he dropped the card machine on my knee cap or throwing the receipt. The restaurant charges a generous and mandatory gratuity so I guess there is no reason to try and provide good service. Server was mostly MIA and ignored my requests for plates, water, or even a napkin, seeming to wave his arm that I could grab one myself across the room off another table. The only reason we went here was it being recommended by the hotel, which must have some type of arrangement with Yuca restaurants. Food was not nearly good enough to make eating here worthwhile.

Mascarpone pancakes is delicious!Great service! Great ambience. Good food. Right way to start the Sunday.

Pleasant experience, I actually came here twice. I've loved the ambiance and drinks/food both times. The service is quick, but doesn't feel rushed. I've gotten ice cream, mango margarita, a strawberry marg, and their carne Assad nachos. Serving size is great and price is reasonable. The frozen marg only comes in mango flavor, but you can get a reg marg with many of the other flavors. There's a little ice cream parlor connected to the restaurant/hotel. I loved my food and had no complaints. The drinks are the size of a child's head, fairly strong, but not overbearing. I preferred the mango over the strawberry. The margs come in 3 sizes the jumbo is like $36. There's outdoor and indoor seating. Outdoor seating is covered and porch style. I've never needed a reservation when I've come and I've come around dinner time and close to 10 pm. I highly recommend this place!! Tons of seating and Instagram worthy/beachy vibrant vibes. Paper straws for those interested. Good views of south beach.

The food was amazing! The drinks were good too! I highly recommend. The employees were nice and explained menu items well. Great service!

Food was excellent, service was great, and the outdoor patio was lovely to eat at. Beautiful little restaurant on the street near the beach.

Food was fantastic. Service was good. Drinks were stiff. I would 100% go back if in Miami in the future.

The food is amazing and the prices are great in comparison with all the restaurants on ocean drive. Gretel are server was amazing and all the service was great.

Every time we passed by this restaurant, it was empty. Now I know that it was for a reason. Do not waste your time and money on this place. Total waste. The service was the only good feature of this restaurant. Our waiter was friendly and courteous. Props to him. Food was mediocre and overpriced. You can find so much better in the area. Was so excited to try the loaded burger $19, thinking that for that whopping price, the burger will deliver the flavor. My disappointment cannot be put into words. The meat was charred to the point of being inedible. It was completely bland--zero spices or seasoning. So old, that the meat had zero taste. This was the worst burger I've ever had, and I had a lot of burgers. I wanted to cry. How hard is it not to burn your frozen burger patty and add some seasoning? Do NOT order. The American cheese was stone cold--not even melted. The fried egg was cold as well. There was barely any avocado. All toppings were tasteless. Who does this to a burger? The sweet potato fries were the only edible part of this dish. They are hard to mess up. $24 pollo asado was simple and tasty. The chicken was tender and mildly flavored. Rice and beans were standard. Huge portion to fill you up. For the bill, tax upon tax upon tax is added, which is ridiculous. State tax PLUS Miami Beach Resort tax PLUS 18% gratuity. All that money down the drain. Completely undeserved for the quality of food and experience.

Service is outstanding and the food is even better. My wife is Cuban and when we come to South Beach, we eat here at least 3 times during our 5 day stays. I love the Paella Hemingway which is delicious, filling, and well-prepared. The drinks are very stiff so be warned! We look forward to coming here for years to come!

Yummy yummy. Everyone should come here!! It is so cute inside. Everyone here is so nice!! The CROQUETAS DE LA ABUELA sooooooo delicious!!! The PAELLA HEMINGWAY is really good!! My husband couldn't put it down!! And the Cuban coffee was very good !!

We stopped in for some early afternoon drinks. The guy at the door was telling us it's happy hour...half price drinks. We went in and sat at the bar for a while but no one waited on us, so we went outside and sat on the patio. We got waited on fairly quickly. There were three of us and we ordered a Corona, a small lime margarita, and a med dirty banana. The dirty banana was DELISH...we finished our drinks and decided to go wander to find the rest of our party, so we asked for the bill. The bill, without tip, was $73!!! Needless to say, we won't be back there!

Went on Saturday, 7/13/24 with my wife. We had 3 mojitos each which were menu priced at $17 also shared two appetizers priced around $20 each. Everything was ok until checking the bill where I noticed everything was actually about twice the price stated on the menu. Mojitos came out to $33 each and the apps at almost $40 each as well as adding a 20% service fee and "HOTEL FEES." They don't even give a you forewarning that the prices change depending on the time you try to visit. We tried to call several times on Sunday and Monday with no answer, I was forced to drive all the way back to the restaurant just to speak to the manager finally in person to understand why my bill was not what is was supposed to be.

Call me Cuban came up on my social medias recently as one of the latest restaurants on Ocean Drive, and when an old friend called me and said she was visiting we made plans to come by for a Sunday night dinner. Located in the lobby of the Cardozo Hotel right on Ocean Drive, this restaurant has seating on the sidewalk & terrace - if you're up for Ocean Drive people watching - or indoors and at the bar for a cozier dinner. I arrived a little earlier than my friend, and I started nursing a nicely garnished & well blended mojito. I suppose it could have used a touch more rum, but anyway it was great for a Sunday dinner. While waiting, I actually got to accidentally enjoy an likely pre Basel firework show! They have a pretty varied large plates menu, but we were just looking for tapas ("picadera" in Cuban Spanish) and that we enjoyed. My truffled yuca fries were tasty, especially with the spicy sweet dipping sauce (I skipped the white cream one). The goat cheese balls my friend picked were also my favorite, with a nice tangy taste that played well with the fig jam. She ordered ceviche that I didn't partake, but I certainly enjoyed my baby back rib quesadillas. They had a decent amount of meat and were well flavored with sweet bbq sauce. Like almost every place on Ocean Drive, they have a mandatory gratuity but even then we had excellent service. I'd definitely recommend this as a date night spot!