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Authenticity, atmosphere, and timeliness all down to the tee here. If you choose to sit down, your placed in what looks a few notches above a traditional diner. The menu is expansive with clear cuban notes and choices to choose from.
The ceviche' appetizer is great, and so are all of the chicken dishes. The Chicken with caramelized onion, yellow rice, and beans is probably the best I've had to this day. **The FULL bar is a nice touch too!
The price is almost too fair for the amazing food that you are getting. For what it is, ( a traditional cuban diner) Versailles gets 4 and a half stars. Also the amazing "late night" hours are a huge plus when most restaurants are closed and Taco Bell is just not on your agenda.
They know what they are doing, but it may be helpful to go with someone fluent in spanish for ordering reasons, but pointing to the menu works just as well I suppose.
I had really good lunch here - My client in Miami asked me if I'm interestd in Cuban (he's also cuban), I wasn't sure what to expect, so I met him at this location. I have to say I felt like I was in the movie set of anti-cuban movies from 60s, all mirror wall and pics of famous (notorious?) political figures...is Tony Montana here? haha.
Okay, so about the food - I had this steak dish, which was awesome (especially after I had too much to drink the night before). Plantain was nice but by the time it arrived they were too much. Potato was nice, also some kind of dipping sauce (someone please tell me what they were!!)
Waiter was nice, made me wish I can speak Spanish.
Parking is very easy, there's also extra parking space near the bakeries (owned by the same peeps)
Overall I enjoyed my first cuban meal.
Do you like greasy food? Heavy on the tummy? Old outdated decor? Funny smells from the cleaners they use? Never being able to communicate in English?
If you said yes to any or all of these questions this is the place for you. Of course its old school but sometimes that isn't great. Tradition? Meh, I have to say that there are newer Cuban places out there with food to die for.
In the past this was the place to go yes, but now it needs a serious overhaul. Plus the salad is 3 pieces of white iceberg lettuce a slice of tomato and a few slices of onion. That is not a salad, that is the toppings for a hamburger.
Was sadly disappointed considering the tradition behind this place.
Cubans go there because they have forgotten what Cuban food
can taste like.
I don't come here to eat; actually I think I did eat here like 25 yrs. ago. This is a "landmark" so everyone who lives or visits Miami knows about it. This is the place where all the Cubans hang out every time they hear word that Fidel Castro is dead. There's been so many in the last 50 yrs. when he took over Cuba that I've lost count.
I only come here for the "cafecito" when I have to go to Caballero Funeral Home. Cuban coffee seems to be a comfort drink for the Cubans for just about any occasion. I haven't been here for a long time, which is a good thing.
I am no expert on Cuban food, but I did grow up eating plenty of it in Chicago. And really do appreciate good Cuban food.
From the moment we arrived and got taken to our table, I was uncomfortable. Why? Well kids running around and parent's just letting them. Tables all squeezed together and I felt like I was having dinner with strangers. It was very loud in there. The dining room manager stood three feet from our table the whole hour or so we were there. Not moving, not speaking, just starring which made me feel like someone was watching my every move.
Waiter came over, kind of with an attitude. I ordered then hubby started to ask him for suggestions and he acted irritated and just wanted to get our order and leave.
Mariquita's to start- they were very good, with the garlic oil, nice.
Warm Cuban bread, very tasty and good
Ropa Vieja- normally one of my favorite dishes. It came with rice and plantains. It had no flavor to it at all. I feel like I am going to blow up from the amount of salt and pepper I poured on it to give it some flavor. Very bland with no spices at all......Disappointed, and it was a shame because the shredded beef was cooked perfectly, not tough at all.
Hubby ordered liver it came with black beans and rice. It looked more like beef stew. It was in a heavy brown sauce cut into big chunks. He said it was not that good.
What I did enjoy was the plantains, they were excellent.
The waiter never came over to refill my water, not once so I drank every last drop of hubby's. They were somewhat busy, but there was also a ton of servers and bus boys but they just could not refill your drinks I guess.
I would go back maybe at lunch for a Cuban sandwich but never for dinner. So many other places I enjoy more. Like Las Vegas or I am Latin in Appalatha.
There prices were very reasonable.
I did feel like it was cafeteria food and the decor was the same. aaghh...
I found this place on Yelp, and it was highly recommended as the most authentic Cuban place around. Once again, Yelpers comes through.
Cuban cuisine is right up there with the comfiest comfort food in the world. Everything we ate here was delicious and I wish there was a Versailles in San Diego. Pigeon peas with rice is heaven! So are plantains, yummy yummy. I ordered a shrimp dish and was very pleased with my decision.
The service was great, and all the waiters were all gorgeous, and had Cuban accents. When asked for recommendations, our server was quick to point out his favorites.
If you come here, get the sangria....I am a Sangria SNOB and I thought it was really good.
All in all, very authentic, reasonably priced for the portion size, and a fun way to spend the day outside of South Beach. I would definitely go back.
I got a real kick out of this place. The atmosphere, the people watching, the tasty food and entertaining waitstaff... it all makes for a fun dining experience.
Admittedly, I know nothing about Cuban food. Nada. But my madre wanted to try it while in town ... so I Yelped, and found Versailles. We headed over, and were pleasantly surprised by our experience! The menu was slightly overwhelming ... sooooo much to choose from. So we tried several dishes, all were impressive. Shout out to the ceviche and the mojito especially - exceptional. Portions were huge, but we made room for dessert. Tasty rice pudding and superb coffee. The roaming musicians were a nice added touch.
All in all, I was more than pleased with our experience, especially as Cuban food newbies. I know this spot is known as a touristy locale - but I think we may have been the only two people dining who didn't speak Spanish ... seems pretty authentic to me! We'll be back! And loved the cafe and bakery ... lots of friendly looking people milling around, sipping cafe con leche.
Cute.
Not taking it anymore!
Dont care how good the food is, (which it isn't), not friendly, feel like we are all herds of cattle. Been going for years, finally got smart and go across the street to La Carretta.
Yes expect tourists, shoot, Presidents eat here when they want to make good impressions with the Anti Castro Cubans. (Just realized I should not use the word shoot next to President!)
Best thing is two free private parking lots (security guard), you can dress anyway you want and bakery. They let riff raff in like me, and don't speak English very well. (Ask for the supervisor)
Always bring a sweeter ladies and get ready to be set back to the 1950s from waiter uniforms to mirrored rooms jam packed with tables as if an assembly line.
Good variation in menu but not exactly cheap. NOT good for vegetarians, (BUT what cuban place is?) gotta do a lot of a la carte and ASK questions. Do not expect the dish to be made as you usually know it, they put meat in places I never imagined.
OH and to top it off, expect Lard.
I am a Miami native and I eat here at least once a week.
To me, Versailles is synonimous with authentic.
Versailles is the "original gangster" of Cuban restaurants in Miami, no other place out here is more legitimate.
It has quality food, genuine character and old school service values.
My favorites are the Milanesa de Pollo and their Vaca Frita, but everything I've had there is good.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all ace.
I'm Cuban. Not pretend -- actually Cuban. Versailles feels like my grandma's house. A bunch of loud types and old gradma furniture and decorations. This place hasn't changes since 1960. The Angelic mirrors on the wall scream abuelita's house.
The food is above average but the price and quickness put this place over the top. Easily one of the best vintage Cuban places in Miami.
OLD SCHOOL CUBAN RESTAURANT FILLED WITH MIRRORS
We arrived during one of the most dynamic thunderstorms that I have ever witnessed. The storm did not deter the crowds because the restaurant was packed. The menu was so extensive that it was hard to decide what to order.
Cuban Sandwich
I not a big fan of Cuban sandwiches but this was one of the best that I have tried. Cuban bread was filled with ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard.
Versailles Paella
A large dish arrived with enough for two people. The paella consisted of mussels, clams, shrimp, and chicken in flavorful saffron colored rice. It was absolutely delicious.
Crema Catalana
A delicious Cuban version of crème brulee was big enough to share. Enjoy with a cup of Cuban coffee for a real treat.
The place to go if you want real Cuban food in Miami.
Shit, I'd be here every night if I lived in Miami.
We had a group of about 10 and we were put in a room with other large groups - the decor was cool/tacky, and there was a cuban mariachi-style band cruising around.
I had the oxtail, which I pretty much get at every cuban joint I go to and it was amazing. People at my party who had not tried oxtail before were mightily impressed. Note: served on the bone, which may chill some people out.
The rice, plantains and beans were all solid as well.
Sme of the other folks were not quite as impressed as me, the fried fish was a bit over cooked as well as the fried pork.
But my dish was a huge winner.
I'll be back!
i waited to yelp this place until i got back home. i'm a california bay area dude and i went to miami for vacation. everyone said that i had to try versaille, the epitome of authentic cuban. it was damn good and the meats are delicious.
however, i had nothing to compare with. so when i came back home i tried some other cuban restaurants and i never found anything as close as versailles.
expand out to the west coast!!
A classic.
Good, greasy Cuban food with excellent Cuban Coffee.
In comparing this one to La Carreta, I would say the food is good at both places. They both all of the the staples of Cuban cuisine and both do it right. But the the atmosphere in Versailles feels historic and quite Cuban.
Miami.
I love you Miami. If I did not have to live in Chicago, I would live there, I promise. In fact, I would move in right next door to this amazing cafe and eat platanos fritos and flan every day. Then, I would take up smoking cigars with the locals. I miss you, Cafe Versailles. Love, Lisa
Picked up some friends from the airport and headed straight to Versailles, it was about a 5 min ride. We noticed that it was packed with tourists and service was slow.
Churrasco was a bit tough and kind of bland, there was no seasoning. The dipping sauce was tasteless oil. Where's the lime? Where's the garlic? The pork was hard, dry, and even more bland. Where's the green chimichurri sauce nyc Cuban joints serve w/ their lechon? We also had a shrimp dish and it tasted like ketchup??? The plantains were the only thing that was good... had to be Goya, frozen section.
Anyway I had to apologize to my friends for suggesting this place.
the food was really yummy, authentic and with a very reasonable price. I would love to go back there again. It was the best meal out of my Miami 3 days visit
I love their cortadito with evaporated milk. So yummy.
The food is your typical cuban food served in a cafeteria style restaurant with lots of plates and fork clattering noise in the background. The fun thing is people watching and the dessert creme brule that is tasty.
We followed the reviews to Versailles during our recent trip to Miami - twice, actually - and we had good experiences both times. I am in no way an expert on Cuban food, but one of our goals in Miami was to get better acquainted with it, and Versailles had an impressive menu that covered the gamut - from Cuban sandwiches to Chicken Imperial to picadillo - and it provided us with lots and lots of choices.
For us, ordering Cuban food was a little like shooting in the dark, so we decided to go with one of the two sampler platters on the menu for a taste of all of the staples. We also ordered the chicken & rice. The portions here are huge, people. My plate of chicken & rice arrived with a monstrous chicken breast on a heeeeaping pile of yellow rice, and a healthy side of sweet plantains. This dish was just OK. My favorite items on the sampler plate were the croquettas with a smoky ham and potato filling, the picadillo, and the side of black beans. Our side order of yucca fries with cilantro dipping sauce was a winner. Mmm, mmm....I don't know what it is, but they put some kind of seasoning on the yucca and then fry it up just right. We were stuffed and didn't try the sweet potato pudding on either occasion - a decision I'm still lamenting now.
It looks like Versailles is an institution, with lots and lots of older Cubans, who look like regulars, making friendly small talk with each other and the waiters. We had the same waiter both times and he insisted on speaking Spanish with us, so we obliged (or, submitted is more like it) with our rusty high school Spanish. But when it comes to food, the universal thumbs-up is really all that's needed to make people feel like they speak the same language - and our thumbs were up in the air most of the time :)
Versailles. The setting takes place in Al Pacino's "Scarface" movie...
Cuban music filling the air, the hot Miam sun, street vendors, tiny shots of super-strong Cuban coffee, the sweet smell of fried plaintains...
And of course, Versailles serving yummy authentic Cuban cuisine at the same low price as they did back during Scarface's days. The price can NOT be beat. Let's not forget to mention the rustic Cuban-retro decor.
Always a "must-go" everytime I'm in Miami... reminiscent of Cuban history, vibrancy, and culture.
In my life, there are few restaurants that I frequent as often as I do Versailles. I come here all the time for breakfast, and for their dinner specials. Namely, the Thursday albondigas, and the chicaros or garbanzos. Yes, I come at least once a week. I know the menu by heart and although not everything is perfect I still love it. It is what it is. I don't expect the best meal on earth but I do expect comfort. Whether I need some of Miami's best croquetas, or the world's best cuban coffee or cortadito at the window, I know I can count on Versailles to be open in the morning until the wee hours. It's a Miami staple and unlike others I don't think it is overrated.
The food was soooo good!
We had caldo gallego, tamal, boliche, camarones enchilados, "the classic" sampler, "criollo" sampler, tres leches, natilla and coffee.
However, the floor was slippery (from humidity?)- i was skating to the table! & the service was a little slow.
Other than that -- :)
Love the cheesy decor too. My friend saw Versailles on some food channel show and HAD to eat here... I'm glad we did!
what else can i add that hasn't already been said? if you are in Miami, you have to go here. That's it. This might not be the best food you get, but it will be the most authentic food you will get (and it will feed you for at least a day if not more).
Even though half the room are tourists these days, the other half is still people from Miami. The place has probably not changed much over the last 25 years, but you don't want this place to change. What you want is Cuban food just as your Cuban grandmother (if you had one) would make it. and i think they more than succeed in delivering on that.
and after lunch, or dinner, or whatever you got, go next door to the Versailles Cafe and have a Cuban Coffee ... for $0.60 ... way better than Starbucks at less than half the price.
Great place, great food, great service!!
everything stands out here! try the cuban sandwich!! and the natilla!
If living in Miami isn't enough to make you feel like you're in Latin America, Versailles truly takes you there. THIS is a Cuban restaurant. Everyone, I mean everyone, eats here--Courting couples, richy rich families with grandma borrowed the nursing home in tow, average families, workers after a long day at work---even tourists trying to soak in a little taste of Calle Ocho.
The ambiance is unique, to say the least. At first, we thought it was packed with a waiting list a mile long when we drove up to the place judging by the number of people standing outside. But, when we walked in we were seated right away, and the restaurant wasn't completely packed...at least for a good 15 minutes, at which point I think the place reached capacity and the party was in full swing!
Watching the adorably uniformed servers tag team tables here is entertainment enough, but Versailles takes the "latin feel" to another level. At some point in the night when I went, a "tuna" of male musicians came out and started singing Spanish serenading songs, of which I only recognized Clavelitos. But as if having a tuna wasn't enough, the members were clad in medieval Spanish garb!!!--one was even wearing tights and those puffy little medieval shorts!
And the food. Oh man, was it good. We each got something different from each other, and we each loved our food. I got the creole sampler, which had so much food on it I think I ate from it for a couple of days afterwards. Others got paella, seafood in some tomato sauce, and the best one was probably the ultra cheese loaded seafood gratin. For dessert we had pastelitos and cortaditos--both of which were the best we've had in Miami, and you KNOW Miami is full of good pastelitos and cortaditos!
If you eat Cuban food, chances are you already eat here. If it is your first time, this is the least intimidating way to try it out. Just order a sampler plate and get ready.
This was my first taste of Cuban food and I must say, I was impressed. Although everything on the menu sounded pretty unhealthy, I figured I would indulge and try a bunch of things. I got some fried chicken of sorts which was more fried and bone than chicken, but it was still yummy.
The fried sweet plantains were excellent, as was the white rice. I also got a corn tamale on the side which was very good too. I tried a bite of my friend's croquette sandwich which was sort of like a ham paste and it was surprisingly delicious.
The weird thing I learned about Cuban food though is that it seems like the foods/flavors are similar to standard foods popular in America, but the combinations are different. I noticed this mainly with the "mojo" sauce that came with my fried chicken. The mojo oddly enough tasted like the garlic sauce that goes over shrimp scampi. So even though the sauce was good, I didnt eat much of it with my chicken because my taste buds were confused!
I highly recommend this place, and if you haven't eaten Cuban before, just be adventurous and try anything that sounds good because most likely it will be! The best thing about the meal was the cheap price-- two of us ate full meals with extra side dishes and drinks, yet the bill only came to $24. We were so full from the huge portions that we didn't have room for dessert, but next time I will have to try some of the pastries from their bakery.
Authentic Cuban restaurant with plenty of history and an 80s diner decor.
This is the restaurant in all of Miami which symbolizes Cuban dining and culture.
Starting with the street vendor selling Cuban pictures, flags and tee- shirts, to the service window for your quick shot of expresso you find yourself taking in a full experience. The restaurant has not been updated in 40 years and the tables and chairs are cheesey.... So what. It's part of the experience. I am very critical of Cuban food as a Cuban-American I expect the best to be served as a true representation of what our culture has to offer. With that said I have been here a several times and have come with outsiders interested in sampling Cuban. No complaints ever and plenty of compliments.
Obviously this place is low cost and you can not walk in expecting service found at the Ritz Carlton.
This place is usually very busy and fortunately there are 3 lots.
Never had Cuban food before but my realtor recommended that this one was a must try so we tried it and now I'm a fan of Cuban food.
There's an outdoor bar area for coffee where you'll find people drinking those tiny cups of potent coffee and reading newspapers.
We ordered a sea bass and I had the sample platter with everything from fried pork to plantains and beef stew. EVERYTHING on my plate tasted good except I could have done without the boiled Yuca. The Sea Bass was amazing! There was a tiny hint of butter and a delectable assortment of herbs with it.
The plates were huge and very reasonably priced. We ordered a pitcher of Sangria filled with fruit, apparently they age it for a couple of days, it was wonderful.
We ended the meal with a tiny cup of Cuban coffee that puts Starbucks to shame. I'm definitely a fan.
Three parking lots. Eight specials in addition to an enormous menu. Dozens and dozens of patrons.
It's a Cuban food warehouse, complete with paper place mats, uniformed waiters, and assembly line efficiency and quickness. It's actually unnerving, how quickly your food and drink is brought out after ordering it. I mean, the hurried New Yorker in me likes it, but the paranoid New Yorker in me wonders how that speed is possible without compromising the bacterial integrity of my gastrointestinal tract.
I wanted the Ropa Vieja but they weren't able to accommodate my bell pepper allergy [they make it in advance with peppers]. A lot of their dishes have peppers, so I was relegated to the fried vaca, which wasn't very good. It was intensely greasy, chewy, and just ugh. But the rice, beans, and especially the plantains were good. The guanabana shake was extremely rich and delicious and made up for some of their other shortcomings.
It was cheap and good [enough].
I know, I know.....this place is a staple in Miami. In all my years in Miami, I have been here my share of times. Recently it's been for purposes of taking my out of town relatives in here for a Cuban meal. I did not like going for a while because I found the food to be mediocre at best. Nothing to write home about. Recently I have discovered that the food has evolved. It's now become acceptable in my book. The ambiance is GREAT and takes the cake in my opinion! You can't get any place like this in Miami! The mirrors, the mix of old and young Cubans, the loud chatter, and oh yes LA TUNA.....the troupe of young men from Spain that sing and prance around in their costumes with tambourines and mandolins in hand! I love this! Go if you want good Cuban food and to people watch! To get an earful of Cuban politics and worldwide events, skip the restaurant and sip cafecito outside! Also a great experience!
*water in my mouth* the food here rocks! Delicious authentic food. Fried Yucca is a must have appetizer! Mojitas are delicious too! Food amazing too!
Pros: Open late, quick seating, huge Cuban menu, Good Prices, I love the oxtail,
Cons: It can be a little loud, they often run out of the oxtail late at night, the decor is a little dated (mix between a Cuban Olive Garden and Denny's), Tres Leches is a little hard and dry.
I go here all the time when I have a Cuban food craving. I love the Ceviche (nothing fancy), Oxtail, and finish it off with a dessert.
This restaurant has been here forever so they know what they're doing when it comes to Cuban food... so says all the locals. I'm not Cuban so I take their word for it, and I'm never disappointed.
This restaurant is a must when you visit Miami... it's an Icon.
We had meant to go to the bakery but it closed at 9 p.m. so we went over to the restaurant and stood outside along with the others milling about for a cup of Cuban coffee and some pastries.
I chose to also get the potato ball. In LA, I love the potato balls at Porto's Bakery. Though the Versailles' one was huge, the flavor just was too salty. And it was somewhat cold and so the potato was flaking a bit. Still, it was almost painfully cheap.
That, the coffee and two other pastries were only $3.40!
Oh, and I tried the guava pastelito which was my favorite of the night. I loved the freshness of it.
The cafe is quite busy. You could go inside and look at the few pastries in the display case but we chose to stand outside and between me asking for things in English and being answered in Spanish, I eventually scored all the things I wanted.
I do have to say that coffee must have been really strong. I had a small cup and my stomach was unhappy with me all night. I don't usually drink coffee and possibly I should have ordered the decaf as they did have decaf.
Perhaps next time I'll actually eat at the restaurant but I'm told this is just one of those places you need to go once to get an idea of what Cuban food is about before moving on to an even better Cuban restaurant.
i ordered the versailles chicken which was very good. also it was tons of food for one person.
The only downside to this place is some of the servers are superr attentive and some of the other employees aren't too friendly, other than that great place to try if you're in Miami!
3.5 stars.
My second Cuban restaurant experience and contrary to what others may say about this establishment, it was a decent experience, worthy of the $30 taxi ride from South Beach.
I ordered the oxtail stew ($12) and the tres leches cake ($3). The oxtail stew was slightly on the salty side, but still darn good with the rice and plantains. The cake was simple, moist, and flavorful. I would highly recommend their Cuban flan as well.
I absolutely loved the Cuban expresso.
Sangria was meh, some cheap wine and a can of mixed cocktail ($16 for pitcher) didn't fool me.
The staff was very friendly and efficient. I practiced my Spanish and they were more than happy to teach me.
One of the better culinary highlights on our trip.
This place has really begun to go downhill for me. Every time I go there I am greatly disappointed. It's not just me, my hubby thinks so too.
The quality of the palomilla steak is lacking and the vaca frita (it used to be my favorite) can now be found better elsewhere (like Havana Harry's).
What used to be a Miami staple has recently slacked. I hope they can get their act together...soon.
Yum, yum, yum... I had the seafood paella, which started with fried plantains, followed by cafe con leche and cuban flan. My food was delicious.
I also got to sneak a bite from my friends plates, oxtail stew and rice pudding. Delicious! The oxtail stew was out of the ball park actually - I wanted to go back the next day to place an order for this.
My compliments to the chef for the great food and compliments to the owner for a good casual setting -- the stop and go cafe center was a great idea for those on the go!
I would definitely come here again if in town.
Super cheap filling breakfast can be found here, for $5 you get eggs, meat choice, grits or potatoes and coffee! Oh and the best Cuban style toast buttery and crunchy all at the same time yum!
Once again perfection. We went for breakfast before boarding our cruise but since we were… Read more »
Finding this restaurant has been one of the highlights of living in Miami. Everything Ive tried on the menu has been great. An excellent place to try Cuban cuisine for the first time. The baca frita is my personal favourite.
Leaving Miami, Ill miss all the late night meals with my fiancee guiding me through the extensive menu.
Miami, FL
Category: Cuban
Miami, FL
Category: Cuban
Miami, FL
Category: Cuban
Miami Beach, FL
Category: Cuban
Miami Beach, FL
Category: Seafood Markets
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