El Novillo

Had a the Nicatizer Sampler Platter to try their different types of appetizers, they were average and then had Big Daddy 16oz Churrasco served with nice Gallo Pinto (rice and beans), fried plantains and plantain chips the steak was also average but lived the pickled onions. The atmosphere is nice Latin American style but a little bit outdated.

Food was nothing even close to good. Gallo pinto tasted like nothing, and I got a coke refill with ice melted water in it. I had the pescado a la tipitaba and was disappointed. No good flavors and fish appeared very bony. When we ordered the Sampler platter, they charged us the $5.99 sharing fee. Mind you, we were a group of 13. Who gets a platter if it's not to share. It's totally ridiculous. Only nice things were the music and atmosphere. Take your business elsewhere. 👎

We had searched for a venue for our small, intimate wedding in April and without further ado, we selected El Novillo Restaurant in 6830 SW 40 St in Miami, FL. We passed by in person and we spoke with Luis, sales manager, who helped us with the packages for 30 guests and he replied quickly and the price was perfect. The place looked beautiful and well maintained very clean and organized. Then we spoke with Cesar, General Manager, was so friendly and professional who helped us and gave us suggestions on preparing our wedding dinner and the set up. The day of the wedding dinner and they set up beforehand and then we added some decorations and florals for the event and looked absolutely beautiful. The decor and the romantic ambience is exactly what we wanted. We thought It was supposed to be very simple yet elegant but it was far more than we imagined. The pictures looked so beautiful and of course the food was fantastic! Our guests really enjoyed the delicious food and sangria. Yader was our head waiter and he helped us tending to our needs and wishes and he did an absolute job with us and we were so pleased with the amazing service he offered. We had an unforgettable night with our very close families thanks to El Novillo Restaurant and staff! I highly recommend this place! And I would choose it again for another event.

We were recommended to try this place, and it didn't disappoint. Food and service were wonderful! Give this place a try!

So, I'm basing my review on a quality to priced ratio. The food was OK. The portions were large, but the quality could have been better. My carne asada was not cooked to the requested temperature. Flavor was nica authentic, but I could have probably gotten better food at a fritanga. Nothing particularly special was offered. I will say that the customer service was great. Waiters were very attentive. The interior is beautiful. Just wish the food could have matched the details on the design. Also, it is a little pricey compared to other Nicaraguan restaurants in the area. If you've never been to a Nicaraguan restaurant, this would be a good start.

The food was horrible. It wasn’t fresh off the grill. We order 2 appetizer platters and they were absolutely terrible. The tacos in the platter, ribs & tortillas tasted old, not to mention the chicharrón and the chorizo. We were definitely served old food from the night before. We then ordered main plates, “The executive churrasco and carne asada, no taste at all and the side dishes gallopinto and the fried plantain also no taste and stale..Fritanga food tastes 100% better than this “upscale” Nicaraguan restaurant. They need to do something about their food, it needs to be of better quality. Not happy I spent over $300 in very poor tasting and quality food. Sad to say that the best thing we had was the service and the desserts. But you live and learn. Never going there again. 😠🤦🏻‍♀️

Went there a couple weeks ago for a family dinner. Food was amazing, service was above and beyond, and the live music that night was a nice touch.

Update . This time around, on my second visit to this restaurant on a regular weekday, it was a better experience than on the first visit. I brought my wife to celebrate our wedding anniversary, and this time the experience was much better. The food was always delicious, and our waiter was very professional and friendly. First visit. Good food but too crowded, waiters bumping into each other’s. Very uncomfortable to eat.

Been here many times and the food is usually on point, but they are not good for a large get together despite the many large groups you see as you walk in. They aren't capable of taking separate orders and instead bring you one bill where you are left to figure it out. This will most certainly result in errors and the server getting stiffed on the tip, but oh well. On my last visit the steak was cooked perfectly so no complaints there. The fried cheese seems to have been sitting out for a while and could've been sliced thinner. As for service, it was slow to the point I had to chase the waiter down for a drink order. All in all it's a sold Nicaraguan restaurant that I'd recommend for a casual night out. For a large group you should look elsewhere though.

Food was good but not for the price, prices are high, I had a chicken churrasco, this was more like a piece of rubber, not much flavor. I was with a group from work, I would bet money that they use two separate menus. WILL NOT BE COMING BACK

The food was soo delicious. I was slightly confused on how they serve. But we were a big party so I finally got the idea when they got to me. You pretty much order your protein they bring it on a plate and then another person comes around with the sides and they serve how ever much you want. Neat concept. As a party of ten the servers did a great job of managing their time and bringing out food hot when served. Highly recommend this spot in Miami lakes.

We had called a week before and made the reservations for a party of 26 people. Upon arrival we were seated right away. It was a closed off room for everyone which was great. There was only one server which had me concerned at first but this man was nonstop. He was so attentive and on top of everything. Truly excellent service. The food was great and the portions are enough for leftovers. The appetizer was my favorite dish with a little bit of everything. I would definitely come back.

I'm Nicaraguan and I rather come here to eat than going to a fritanga. Hands down the prices are there and you get to sit and enjoy ur dinner with a nice ambience. The chicken churrasco with shrimp was delicious. Accompanied with gallo pinto, maduros and tajadas. So good !

An authentic Nicaraguan restaurant. The food was so delicious and full of garlic (My favorite). The service was super quick with the appetizers and drinks and very efficient. It truly felt very authentic and there was fun music playing. The Churrasco was absolutely delicious and I ended up putting the chimichurri sauce on absolutely everything. Will be coming back for sure!

Been there several times this year that passed came here on Christmas. It was awesome. They were pretty overwhelmed with the rush. I got someone else's mistake. They quickly replaced it with the correct steak. The drinks are good and great pricing. The food is amazing. This is the softest has ever tasted and the best Carne Asada. I have to say nothing has changed maybe a few bucks more per steak, but the service is impeccable. That rice with the beans is amazing. I love the sauces and the chimichurri and the Maduros and the Mariquita. Everything is delicious. Kudos to the staff in a very busy environment and Christmas handling it like always perfection love this place.yummmm

Amazing as always delicious and great service. Love the fried cheese w cabbage wow good sauce. The big daddy churrasco a one pound ! So good soft hot with the moros rice and fried plantain strips so good. I love the sauce too . Chimichurri and the hot picked carrot onion sauce or the red tomato spicy chile sauce all are great. Try the jalapeño white sauce they're bucks. It worth it. The drinks are awesome great sangria home made and fair on drinks. Prices went up just a little bit but still worth it plenty . Good service guys always busy.

Excellent food great ambience recommended highly for any special occasion or just to have a good meal. I eat there often and enjoy the various selections they have.

I hadn't been to El Novillo in years and I'm so excited that my husband and I decided to go for dinner. I had forgotten how nice the ambience was! We went on a Friday night where there was live music playing, and there seemed to have been a celebration going on so they had some mariachis playing. The food was excellent! I ordered the baby churrasco, which comes with gallo pinto, plantain chips and a salad. My husband had the Carne Asada, which was also also so delicious. I highly recommend dining here if you're searching for some delicious Nicaragua food. The service was also great!

Service was fairly quick, gentlemen were very friendly. The restaurant is super cute, looks like you are in a courtyard inside, there was no music tonight but it's a weeknight and it was early. Food was good, my Carne Asada seemed a bit under seasoned but the sauces make up for that - everything was fresh and enjoyable. Niece loved the Tres Leches at the end.

Very good food and service and staff very accommodating will continue to visit them we hadn't been in years and we have been back twice since the beginning of the year

This review is for a takeout order. I have been to my beloved El Novillo on bird road many times and have always been wowed by their food and service. However, I have now also experienced their takeout service. I had an accident in Februrary and have been unable to eat out ( such torture!!!)), so I have been relying on friends and relatives for meals. Luckily, our great life friends ordered skirt steaks and fixins from El Novillo to surprise me, and boy was it a hit!! The steaks were great. The sides were perfect: congri and fried plantains, mixed salad, garlic bread, and sauces galore. I'm so appreciative of my wonderful friends and especially thankful to El Novillo for a beautiful dinner ( even if it wasn't at their beautiful restaurant). Their takeout service was excellent, timely, and most importantly did not miss one single thing! I'm a fan

$9 for a two bite dessert. Ridiculous. Portions keep getting smaller and smaller while price increases

This past Friday my wife and I had a break from the kiddos and were hungry for a good steak. Since we live close to El Novillo we decided to give it a try. Located on Bird Road and 67 Avenue, this restaurant feels like you walked into the Mexico pavilion in Epcot just on a smaller scale. We were seated right away and our waiter welcomed us a basket of toasted garlic bread. The breads were very tasty and complimentary of the restaurant. We decided to ordered the Nicaraguan fried cheese and two Churrasco steaks. The fried cheese was good but I found the portion a little smaller compared to other Nicaraguan restaurants. Then came the Churrasco steaks which came with sweet plantains, plantain chips, and a house salad. The salad was fresh and but very oily while sides were on point. The Churrasco were well cooked but not as juicy and a little bland than I would like. I needed to drenched my steak in chumicurri sauce to get more taste. For dessert we ordered the Tres leche which was good but I wished it had more of the milk sauce. El Novillo was still a nice night out while the price and portions are still a good deal.

Went with family (party of 6) for Mothers Day, they don't take reservations for super busy holidays, but they were a well oiled pit stop crew. They looked like ants running in all directions, and they got people in and out in a reasonable amount of time, without sacrificing service nor food quality. My go to Nica restaurant when I want a great churrasco, at decent price (12oz $30), including their delicious gallo pinto and sweet and fried plantains. They also have a great lunch menu and it's a beautiful restaurant inside.

Came here for Mother's Day lunch and had great service and great food. The servers were all very attentive. Our meal started with free garlicky buttery bread that was addictive! The whole table (even the kids) absolutely devoured the two baskets they gave us. We were then given small side salads as well. We ordered the fried cheese appetizer - each order came with 4 pieces. They were perfectly crisp and warm and absolutely delicious. Our table ordered a kids churrasco, three baby churrascos, and the chicken churrasco. The kids meal comes with fries and a soda. The adult entrees came with a choice of white rice or rice and beans, as well as sweet plantains and plantain chips. The tres leches dessert was also fantastic. All of the food was cooked perfectly and, despite being very busy for the holiday, came out relatively quickly. There was live music playing which was a nice added touch (not sure if they always do this or if it was just for the holiday). Highly recommend!

Ordered takeout... food was given to someone else. Rather than making their mistake better, we were offered our money back after waiting 45 minutes. Good food but horrible customer service. I'll take my $100 elsewhere.

I was hoping the bad reviews on here wouldn't be true during my experience, but they definitely were. It's my first time coming to El Novillo. I've gone to Los Ranchos or El Madroño for sit down Nicaraguan food but never here. The decor was amusing, it set the scene as if you were in Nicaragua. It was quite busy, a 20 minute wait. We're walked to our table, they realize it's not clean yet. So they clean it in front of us for a few minutes. We're sat down and no one comes by for like 8 minutes. They serve our water and we throw in a bean appetizer. It's beans, with tortilla and queso frito (fried cheese). We then order the grilled fish ($22) and tell them it's to share. They charge an additional $5 if you're sharing a meal, as they bring you an additional salad and your own sides, gallo pinto (rice and beans) and plantain chips. We get our appetizer. The tortillas are stale and cold, the fried cheese is barely warm, and the beans were actually pretty good. But, it just didn't come together as an appetizer as things were cold, stale and hard and one thing was warm. It takes a looong time to get our food. Our server barely checked on us. We followed up with him and he said the food was coming shortly. After a little while we get the food. We were served the gallo pinto and plantain chips with the fish. The gallo pinto is not the best. Barely any beans, and so much rice. Some of the plantains were good and cooked well, others were undercooked. We decided to add a fried cheese order and it's 4 tiny pieces for $8. The cheese was okay, not the best. The fish was also lacking. It had a lot of dark meat for being a "white" fish and was lacking a bit in flavor. The plantain chips were stale and not fresh. We ordered the tres leches for dessert. The flavor was good but it was a bit on the dry side. I went to the bathroom and wow that was a whole other chaos. Only 2 of the 4 stalls had a working toilet and they were so dirty. This place has or had potential and hopefully some changes can be made. The service and food need a lot of improvement. Can't say I'll be back as it felt very overpriced for what I got. It might be better to head to a local Fritanga and get better, fresher, and more quality food.

Husband and I were in town for a week from Maryland. We are both originally from Nicaragua, so when we found out this was a formal sit down Nicaraguan restaurant as opposed to the typical fritanga buffet style Nica places you typically find in Florida, we had to try it out. I really thought it was going to be some over priced version of traditional Nicaraguan dishes, and I wasn't wrong about the food being traditional, however it was not over priced at all and the service was impeccable. From the moment you sit down you are greeted with sauces, bread, and multiple rounds of salad. . I equate it to the Olive Garden for Nicaraguan food lol. You definitely do not leave hungry. I would definitely wat there again and again, and would recommend to anyone as a nice date night spot. Food is delicious and perfectly seasoned.

I was left a bit disappointed this time around at El Novillo. Oscar was a great server, joked around a lot with the table, and made the experience fun. However, the food itself left a lot to be desired. I love their concept where they come around with a huge bowl full of gallo pinto, tajadas and white rice but when they serve you, it's already cold because they walk around with it serving others. On the other hand the portions are huge so I can't complain. I'll speak on my plate which was the whole fish a la tipitapa which is the red sauce you see pictured. Think of it as a sofrito of tomato and onions and possible peppers. The fish was not seasoned whatsoever. The only thing saving the dish is the sauce but even then all the pieces of tomato and onion were huge chunks and unpleasant to bite into. It was overall a very sad $26 dish. I could've gone to a fritanga, spent less money, and had a better experience. Sad to say.

We have been going to El Novillo for the past 30 years and the food quality, presentation and taste has always been excellent. The he ambience is really a family environment with all types of occasions being celebrated. The management always goes out of their way to provide exceptional customer service. I highly recommend this restaurant for a family friendly great time.

Prices were raised very high and the staff has changed. I visited the restaurant after several months of not going, and the service was not the same. Our server (a woman on her 30's, with black hair and on the heavy side) was very rude when I asked why the food was taking an unusually long time to come out. She immediately started getting defensive and argued, on typical Miami fashion. That would have been acceptable on another restaurant, but el Novillo has always been friendly and professional, until now. We've been going to this restaurant for the past 25 years, and we will never go again.

Became one of my go to places in Coral Terrace! Quick and efficient service, good food... I always order the El Novillo churrasco and it hasn't disappointed me. Live music can be a little loud sometimes but place is very good.

Food was delicious but parking was tight unless you are lucky to get the few roomy spots in the front near the restaurant. Back to the food, the little taquitos and fried cheese sampler option is the best and u will need 1 sample per every 3-4 people. The main course your best choice is the steaks but the chicken was juicy and not too dry. The servers come by after you main plate arrives with all the rice, mariquitas (plantain chips) and maduros (plantains) you can have. You can even ask for a little more to go with any leftovers. The size of the dish was nice and I definitely had chicken to take home. I will say the bathroom was definitely created for when folks were shorter.

Went during lunch time, there was nobody to welcome us. Then a young waitress looked at us and ignored us. We went inside by ourselves until another waitress very kind guided us to the table. Decoration is beautiful, however restroom dirty, floor was slippery. Churrasco, & carne asada did not have flavor at all, red sauce really bad, rice and plantains cold. Compare to other Nicaraguan restaurants, this one was unfortunately disappointing.

This restaurant is amazing. The food,service, and quality is on point. The food comes out nice and pipping hot. The waiters are also on point. The prices are reasonable. For 13 people we paid 474$. That included drinks, appetizers and desserts. Love this place and will recommend to everyone.

Great spot for authentic Nicaraguan food. The portions are large and the food feels like you're at home. Prices are a bit high for the type of food, but was worth it seeing the quality of the meat. I had the executive "baby" churrasco and it was very tasty. 8 oz cut of meat cooked perfectly. It comes with maduros, platanitos and Gallo pinto (rice and beans). We shared the medium Nicasampler between the 8 of us which was the perfect size. Everything was delicious, specially the fried cheese and the taquitos topped with the cabbage salad and crema.

Came here for a special event, and wow! I was so surprised by the service and quality of food. This food is authentically Nicaraguan, packed with flavor, and spice if wanted. The Churrasco was cooked to the perfect temperature and was tender and juicy

I love this place. I've been coming here since I was a kid. Manager sat me down on a busy New Year's Eve. Ana, the waitress, is highly professional. Thankful for this restaurant and the staff!

We haven't dined here in years. We decided to go back and try it again. -Food was still great -Service lacked a little at first but then they redeemed themselves. -Atmosphere is what you'd typically find in any Latin restaurant. -Value: although prices have gone up considerable since our last visit, we find it to be still a good deal.

Yes yes yes!!! I have not been to Novillo in years, I have to start by saying the quality of food was a 10! Everything was delicious. I got the baby churrasco to die for it was a party of 5, we made reservations and walked in and was sat down immediately. The waiter was great with his suggestions. They had live music which made it fun! The music was a good noise level not too loud. I would definitely recommend, the atmosphere the food and the experience overall was a 10+ experience . Will be going back

He's been here that I haven't been to this restaurant they still have the same at them take food the service is just great I had the Carneia Asada gallo pinto and rajadas The food was on point on everything and I had a sangria and I had the tres leches just excellent

Food is dry! Not even just the meat but even the salad. The ambiance is nice & so is the customer service thats the only reason im giving it a 3 star. Definitely never coming back

El Novillo has amazing food. That is not even a question; hence, the reason for the 5 stars; however, this is NOT a nightclub. Unfortunately, we took relatives from Spain to eat here hoping to catch up on conversation, and enjoying a nice dinner atmosphere. There was ONE musician with very loud equipment. We had to yell all through our dinner, and while the music was nice, there is NO REASON WHATSOEVER for the volume it was blaring at. That completely ruined our dinner and YES we asked to have it turned down, and he did 1/2 a notch. The space is too small for this type of entertainment OR AT LEAST put it at a quiet, enjoyable setting where people can talk.

You get your money's worth and you know the quality is good!. A great price for the "steak" which is always tasty. The food is consistently good! Love the unlimited... chimichurri, the gallo pinto rice, the fried bananas, the long "mariquitas" and even the bread! The service is efficient. We love to go there.

The last time I went to this restaurant I was in my 20s. It's been a VERY LONG TIME! We decided to celebrate my daughters graduation with the family here since it was a more centralized location and everyone wanted Spanish food. I read some reviews prior and I got very nervous between the food not being so good and the location being not to clean etc. From the moment we arrived we were greeted with amazing service. Everyone was so nice and it took me back in time but in a good way. I didn't take any pictures of the food because honest to god as soon as it came we devoured it and no one was thinking of pictures. The fried cheese and ribs good lord what a gift! We ordered two large samplers and it was gone in seconds. The wine was delicious. I ordered the carne asada and many ordered the baby churrasco. Cooked to perfection and tender meat. They give you gallo pinto rice and plantain chips with all the food they serve you as much as you want. Then we ordered a variety of desserts also gone in seconds. Crowd pleaser was the tres leches. Everyone smiling and drinking made me so happy. We had an absolutely wonderful night, perfect graduation, and the end with a delicious meal and impeccable service. Thank you to our server! I can see why they've been in business for years. Thank you !

Good service but very mediocre underwhelming food and outdated decor. The meat honestly tasted borderline rancid I could barely eat it. I found this place on open table and made a reservation since it was available and nearby. I could have ordered pinolandia and enjoyed it more and spent less. I wouldn't go back.

El Novillo was spectacular never fails with quality or flavor of all their food. I brought my bf for the first time and he was so happy. I was a bit worried because I made it in half an hour before closing time. I noticed the server was not very happy with it so while I was not greeted with a smile I was still treated well, served quickly and it didn't affect my dinner experience at all. High recommend!

Yesterday I went to this restaurant after taking my mom to the doctor. I had been a customer of theirs for over 30 years and frankly I was looking forward to it. Place without a doubt is clean and quite appealing and I was expecting a great meal. I was so disappointed !! It was a terrible experience. Food was horrendous. The steaks were returned twice for being undercooked and came back over cooked! Even the gallo pinto was bad. I complained and though the waiter was courteous and nice they did nothing more. To say I was angry is putting it mildly After paying my bill ( no discount by the way) I talked to the manager and told him my experience. He merely listened and didn't say one word!!! I will never go back. Not worth it. Sad but true. In its heyday it was a great Nicaraguan restauran.

For starters I will say their steak if phenomenal. However, I am giving a 3.5/5 for their location and other food choices. The price of the food for the quality is not equivalent to one another. Their rum infused cake for dessert option was very disappointing and could not finish it. The atmosphere was not that great but like I said their 40$ steak was very tasteful and was filling. Would be back if the prices were lower and not so expensive for quality of food.

Best Nicaraguan cuisine in Miami. The quality of their service and food was excellent.

This is one of the best all around Nicaraguan cuisine restaurants in Miami. The inside decor makes me feel I'm in the middle of a beautiful neighborhood in Nicaragua; from the water fountain in the center of the dining room, to the Spanish styled roof tiles outlining the bar area. The service is professional and top notch, and exactly what you'd expect from a fine restaurant in Latin America. The food is prepared and served to perfection. I had, and highly recommend, the Churrasco. I ordered mine medium well, and it didn't disappoint; tender juicy flavorful center. It includes gallo pinto (a Nicaraguan food staple made of white rice and red beans), fried sweet plantains, and mariquitas (plantain chips). I also had vigoron, which is made of boiled yuka, pork rinds, and chopped cabbage. I suggest an ice cold Toña (Nicaraguan beer) to help with digestion. :-) I had a great meal, and no matter what you order, I'm willing to bet that you will too.

We visited the restaurant Saturday 26 at 3:40pm, first my father got there, then me then the rest of my family. At the beginning he made the comment that he already asked for a beer as soon as he got there. Then the server came asking if we were ready to order something to drink, my father told him he requested a beer before and the response of the server was: "Oh. But I'm the server here! So what do you want?" That sent the first alarm, but alright, I'm there to enjoy lunch. Then my sister ordered a filete en salsa jalapeño and then she got a hair on her plate. Server was gone for a while so we needed to call a busser, to call the server, then the server called the manager and his response was shocking to me: "How weird, because everyone in the kitchen wear hats". At that point my sister was mad already, because instead of apologizing, the guy I don't how what he was trying to say to us. On top of all I needed to be requesting water everytime because my glass of water was empty at least 2 times for more than 10 minutes. The server with his attitude and absence, the lack of professionalism of the manager and the deficiency on at least having water on the table (which is at the end the servers responsibility) made me not want to come back to this restaurant

The ambiance is great! I love the queso frito, taquitos, the baby churrasco and then they bring the side to you on a plate for you to tell them when (LOVE THIS!)The dessert are also pretty good! Love coming here because we leave full! The service is great and are very nice, they usually on top of their tables!

What a great Nicaraguan steak house. It is in a small shopping plaza off of SW 40th - parking is tight because there's plenty of shops and restaurants in the plaza. The food is pretty amazing here with decent lunch specials! The churrasco was cooked medium, perfectly recommended by the server. The beans and rice and sweet plantains were delicious. All accompanied by fresh hot, buttered bread. Definitely recommend trying this place out!

Food was amazing, skip dessert. I ordered the sample platter as an appetizer which brings a nice assortment of items like fried cheese, beef tacos, ribs, and sausage. For my entree I ordered the chicken with white sauce which was amazing. The plantain chips were so crispy and delicious. Ask for a side of jalapeño sauce, has a nice kick! The chicken was perfect as was the Gallo pinto (rice and beans). PLEASE SKIP DESSERT! We ordered the caramel flan which tasted like bubble gum (DISGUSTING!!!). We also ordered two tres leches plus which were not good either, they were very dry.

Good spot for large groups and the best churrasco around. Staff is very nice and the inside of the restaurants tries to transport you. Other than the steak I am not a big fan of the rest of the food. I had the mushroom steaks which were very plain and the salmon could have been cooked more. For some steak and rice come here but if you are looking for vegan/vegetarian options I would go elsewhere.

Food is delicious, good service and great ambiance. Baby Churrasco was tender and well cooked