La Cumbancha

"If you’re looking for Cuban food and want a higher-end experience this is a great pick. A selective menu of Cuban flavors and dishes accompanied by tasteful live music and pleasantly decorated surroundings makes this spot such a lovely addition to Main street. The location is convenient and I feel that prices were on par with quality of food and service. p.s. the torrejas are AMAZING"

"If I'm being honest, I wasn't too excited when I first heard that Miami Lakes was getting another Cuban restaurant. I am VERY happy to report that this isn't *just* another Cuban restaurant (and I definitely should've known that knowing that Julio Cabrera was behind it). La Cumbancha is a work of art. My friend and I went to go check out La Cumbancha for happy hour sometime in late December. When you walk in, you see walls covered in colorful murals, a lime green and orange bar, and a stage near the main dining area. Being that the restaurant had just opened for the evening, there was only one other party there at the time we arrived, and so we went ahead and sat at the bar. I am so glad that we sat at the bar, because we had front row seats to the witnessing the absolute magic and artistry that goes into making each drink. The bartender was very attentive and answering any and all questions we had about the happy hour menu and his recommendations. Spoiler alert: he did not lead us astray with his recommendations and every food item we tried was delicious. We ordered the chorizo croquetas that paired perfectly with the little smear of sweet marmalade beneath it, the malanga fritters, and the seafood bruschetta that tasted like a magical little paella on bread. For drinks, my friend and I both ordered from the happy hour menu to start. I really liked my drink, the margarita picosa, but I had extreme drink-envy because my friend's mojito was perfection. It wasn't excessively saccharine and was refreshing. We also had the chance to meet Julio's son, Andy, and he explained to us how they make their mojitos using cane sugar and not a simple syrup. Such a subtle difference in ingredients, but it definitely made all the difference. You could tell by the way that he spoke about the ingredients of each drink and in the way that he and the other bar staff elegantly crafted each drink that this is a place that is 100% serious about elevating what it means to create a cocktail. There was such an elegance to how the cocktails were stirred and garnishes so delicately placed in the glasses. It truly was like watching artists at work. As the evening went on and happy hour officially came to an end, the restaurant started to fill up with more parties and the band came on and the room with (more) life. It really felt like such a treat to be able to have this kind of experience on a weeknight in Miami Lakes. My friend and I ordered one more round of drinks. This time I had the 1888 Old Fashioned (absolutely solid. Delicious. 10 out of 10 and would definitely order again) and she had the Tomate Mi Paloma. I don't have the palate for mezcal and tomato drinks, but she loved it so I'll take her word for it being great. The paloma was garnished with a mysterious leathery piece of something, and we had fun trying to guess what it could've been until the bar staff put us out of our misery and told us that it was a tomato leather that was made in-house! I definitely plan on coming back for more happy hours, but also for the actual dinner experience! I keep seeing photos of the manchego flan and I am dying to try it."

"From the moment I walked into the venue the sounds of bongos, latin rhythms and Cuban beats pulsated into my body and I couldn’t help it but move my head and trace dance steps on the floor in place. The food was an amazing fusion of Caribbean and Latin flavors. The oxtail made you want to love people a little more at the end of the day because you felt so good. The service was excellent and the experience lovely!!"

"I am a HUGE fan of La Trova and Julio Cabrera created magic here as well. The vibe is marvelous. The drinks are amazing and fit anyone’s taste buds. The food is delicious. Definitely recommend the Try Teo for the croquetas. The Tasajo and the Tamal are also delicious. Fritura de Malanga is also yummy. They are courteous, clean and professional. The live music is amazing. If you are in the area, come try it. You will not be sorry."

"La Cumbancha is a new restaurant/bar located in Main Street of Miami Lakes. It has become in a short period of time the place to visit in the area, if you want to have fun dancing with live music, eat great food and have the best drinks. We met there with friends and had a wonderful time. I highly recommend it."