Cafe La Trova

"A restaurant that feels like a party isn’t usually the kind of place we want to eat at, but Cafe La Trova is the best spot in Miami to have a big, loud, and fun dinner that actually tastes good. You should come to this very large Cuban restaurant if you have anything remotely important to celebrate. There will be live (and loud) music, perfect daiquiris, and some excellent empanadas. And having found all that under one roof seems like reason enough to celebrate." - ryan pfeffer, virginia otazo

"Having fun at Cafe La Trova is as inevitable as having a panic attack while merging west on the Dolphin near that Allapattah exit (you know the one). This is Miami Cuban culture distilled into a dinner party. The whole dining room is constantly teetering on the edge of breaking out into song and dance. The live music (and the daiquiris) make you shimmy in your seat. Bartenders occasionally whip out instruments and start singing along with the band like Broadway understudies. The only thing keeping people in their seats—and off the tables—is the good Cuban food on those tables. It’d be a shame to step in that arroz con pollo." - ryan pfeffer, virginia otazo, mariana trabanino

"Semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurant presented by Acqua Panna® Natural Spring Water." - Erin Perkins

"Celebrate Noche Buena at this Calle Ocho hotspot helmed by Miami's Michelle Bernstein. On Christmas Eve, enjoy a Noche Buena celebration that features a family-style three-course menu, including lechon, with cocktails and live music. Price: $95 for adults, $30 for children 12 and under." - Alona Martinez

"Vest-clad bartenders hand-mix cantinero-style cocktails at Julio Cabrera and Michelle Bernstein’s Cafe La Trova on Calle Ocho. The Cuban cocktail spot, which landed on both World’s 50 Best Bars and North America’s 50 Best Bars lists, features two distinct spaces: a main bar for Cuban classics like the Hotel Nacional and house daiquiris, plus a back room creating Miami Vice-era drinks. Live bands play nightly while servers pass Cuban plates through the Always-Havana-inspired dining room." - Olee Fowler