Tapas Restaurants near Hialeah, FL

“La Cocina is exactly the kind of place Hialeah needed. When you just don’t feel like getting dressed to go trip over the cracked (but colorful) sidewalks of Wynwood or dealing with panic-inducing street parking (that might just be me) for a tasty cocktail, La Cocina is close to home and hits the spot! And they have a free parking lot right across from Stephen's.I first visited La Cocina with friends in 2019 when excitement for the Leah Arts District was at its peak and lots of block parties and events were being held nearby. The vibe and quality of drinks, food, and ambiance has not changed! I will say, however, the times I’ve gone back since the pandemic/reopenings, La Cocina hasn’t been quite as busy as it was before 2020, which depending on how rambunctious of an ambiance you need to enjoy your cocktail, may or may not be a good thing! They used to be open more evenings of the week, but understandably they’re now only operating Friday and Saturday nights, and sometimes Sundays if there’s an event going on. There are some evenings where there’s a pretty good crowd, and in those instances, service does become a bit slow as there isn’t enough staff, but they do their best!If you’re someone like me and you’re petrified of fighting for attention and trying to shout and order a drink at the bar, have no fear as you can take a seat and they come to you! Socially awkward friends, you’re safe here. Within this year they changed up their menu, but most of the food options are the same. I’m not sure if they’re still on the current menu, but there were some cochinito tacos that were phenomenal, and the chicken and waffle sliders were great for sharing. The guava frita burger is one of my favorites, but with the recent menu change, the price has gone up (which is completely understandable in these times), but the burger is now served with coleslaw instead of fries. I hope that leaves you stunned in silence as it did to me. I can’t think of many circumstances in which I would like to enjoy a burger, possibly buzzed, and dip my fingers into some coleslaw. Please bring the fries back as the default side. You can substitute the cole slaw for fries, but last time I did, I think it was a $4 upcharge.But speaking of fries, it’s not listed on the menu, but please believe me when I tell you that you need to order the basket of fries. I don’t know how they do it, but they’re consistently the best fries you could hope for when you’re several drinks in. It’s just pure starchy, salty, potatoey magic. They’re so good that they have their own paragraph in this review. Get the fries.As for the drinks, there’s something for everyone on the menu (even non-alcoholic drinks). The names and concepts behind them are funny and tasty, and very very Hialeah. The presentation is *chef’s kiss*. My absolute favorite, which is no longer listed on the menu, was the Ya Tu Sabes, which was a mango old-fashioned. Andy, the cowboy hat-wearing rockstar of La Cocina that has been there since the post-pandemic reopening, always comes through when I ask for it even though it’s no longer on the menu. I’ve tried different drinks (the Que Cute from the first drink menu was a second favorite; it was guava and gin-based), but nothing compares to the Ya Tu Sabes. I very often come to La Cocina just for that drink. They serve it with a nice big ol’ cube of ice, so you know it’s legit.I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves, but there are plenty of reviews also raving about the awesome attention to detail of the decor. As a Latina of non-Cuban descent, there are often many things about Hialeah that in a sense have made me feel left out, or that I couldn’t relate to. But there’s something about how La Cocina captured the essence of a childhood in Hialeah that still evokes a sense of nostalgia for me, and I really appreciate that.There is a LOT to love about this place, and I hope it continues to thrive and provide as this awesome little speakeasy in Hialeah. Definitely check it out!

Vegetarian options: They have fries and yuca fries!

Parking: There is a p“

“Awesome food, drinks and atmosphere“

“todo es perfecto rica y variada cocina con los mejores platillos elaborado los mejores chef y gran experiencia“

“exquisitos sandwiches y todo el producto es artesanal. Todo sabroso👌🏻“

“Outstanding Spanish gastronomic experience! Every dish was delicious and unique. A little hidden gem in Miami“

“It was amazing! Nico was a great server and every exceeded expectations“

“100 Montaditos 8565 SW 24th Street Miami, FL 33155 (Westchester Mall)

Chain restaurant review

5 Stars

The first 100 Montaditos opened on a small beach in Islantilla, Huelva, Spain, by Jose Maria Capitan in 2000. The name comes from the ancient Spanish culinary habit of filling small slices of bread with various ingredients found in the kitchen. Hence, Jose Maria Capitan and staff came up with 100 different proposals for a Montadito. They now have over 350 eateries in Spain, 34 in Italy, 20 in Portugal, 13 in Mexico, 5 in the United States, 3 in Guatemala, 2 in Columbia, and one each in Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Paraguay, and Ecuador, with Panama rounding out their international holdings. According to Wikipedia, the holding company in the U.S. filed for bankruptcy in 2015. They went from a total of 17 here to 5 and paused any further U.S. Expansions for now.

Suffering from insolation inundation one only finds in Southern Florida, I was thankful for the cool, crisp air conditioned air that hit my face right before my olfactory senses were immediately attacked by the aroma of freshly baked bread as I entered this location. My server is Leo. He warmly greeted me in Spanish. He immediately switched to flawless English when I told him I don't speak that Romance language. Leo informs me that everything is made to order. I faked a slight cough to wipe the drool from my lips and asked Leo for a Number 70 and 91 Montaditos.

Considering they bake the bread and make each Montadito to order, Leo was back in no time with my order. Before Leo had retracted his serving arm, I had Number 70 firmly in my mitts and headed straight toward my eagerly awaiting palate. This particular Montadito was a congenial concoction of Morcilla, roasted peppers, and an out-of-this-world chipotle mayo spread—the bread. The bread was amazing. Crisp, flaky crust, springy, chewy interior was what all breads aspire to be. The homemade Morcilla (sausage) was bursting with savory succulence, and the peppers were perfectly roasted.

Forcing myself to move on from Number 70 (oh, how I love thee), I greedily grabbed Number 91 and, without ceremony, began chowing down. Number 91 was lovingly stuffed with Serrano ham, mozzarella, fresh tomato, arugula and made on-site pesto sauce. Serrano is regularly applied to all dry-cured ham products in Spain instead of jamon de York, which is cooked whole on the bone. Needless to say, this was as spectacular as Number 70. That bread, though!! I am confident they don't dry-cure the hog in the back, but Holy Porky Pig, this was phenomenal.

The Big Boy says, “This chain food, scratch that. This food is uneffinbelievably fantastic. This is it if you ever needed a reason to visit the Miami metro area other than your Aunt's ambrosia salad.”“

“Lynette was awesome - she recommended a few dishes the were just out of this world. She provided us with excellent service. The restaurant was clean and very welcoming. My wife and I loved it and will definitely be back.“

“Muy buenas atenciones desde que entra ,hasta que sale a buscar tu coche la verdad ,la verdad hacía ya que no iba un restaurante con tantas atenciones y una comida excelente ,volvería ir gracias 😘“

“Parking: The place is a nice place for wine and food. Both were quite good and the service was excellent. There was also a young singer that was very good. I do recommend the place if you are looking for good place to have a relaxing evening.
Parking is in the back of the place, on 58St.“