Step into Rio Cristal, a classic Cuban diner where the palomilla steak reigns supreme, served under a fortress of crispy fries and sweet flan that'll steal your heart.
"This Cuban diner is known for one thing: the bistec rio cristal. It’s a thin steak with one giant side of papitas. It’s why people come here—a pile of fries the size of Mt. Tropical Park that makes you question if there really is a steak under all those potato twigs. But it’s there, juicy, and layered with onions and parsley. Some people like to spurt ketchup all over the top, but these are not finger fries. They’re short and bumpy so you can stab them with your fork and eat them together with your steak. Rio Cristal also might have the absolute best flan in Miami too." - virginia otazo, ryan pfeffer
"This Westchester Cuban diner is known for one thing: the bistec rio cristal. It’s a thin beef steak (let that “beef steak” translation sink in) with one giant side of papitas. It’s why people come here—a pile of fries the size of Mt. Tropical Park that makes you question if there really is a steak under all those potato twigs. But it’s there, juicy, and layered with onions and parsley. Some people like to spurt ketchup all over the top, but these are not finger fries. They’re short and bumpy so you can stab them with your fork and eat them together with your steak. Rio Cristal also might just have the absolute best flan in Miami too. " - virginia otazo
"This Westchester Cuban diner is known for one thing: the bistec rio cristal. It’s a thin beef steak (let that “beef steak” translation sink in) with one giant side of papitas. It’s why people come here—a pile of fries the size of Mt. Tropical Park that makes you question if there really is a steak under all those potato twigs. But it’s there, juicy, and layered with onions and parsley. Some people like to spurt ketchup all over the top, but these are not finger fries. They’re short and bumpy so you can stab them with your fork and eat them together with your steak. Rio Cristal also might just have the absolute best flan in Miami too. " - Virginia Otazo
"Established more than 40 years ago, this Cuban restaurant from Guines offers diners on Bird Road an array of tasty dishes. Don’t miss the palomilla steak (steak marinated in garlic and lime juice and pan-fried, served with crispy fries) and the restaurant’s signature black beans. Other standouts include grouper fingers, tasajo (jerked beef), roasted pork, and milanesas (breaded steak or chicken with tomato sauce and melted cheese). Save room for dessert and indulge in traditional flans, dulces con queso (preserves with cream cheese), or guava shells." - Stacy A. Moya
"Miami embraces nostalgia, and the city’s most iconic dishes are iconic for a reason. Longstanding classics are still some of the best places in the city old-school Cuban diner Rio Cristal." - Olee Fowler
