Bienvenidos a Little Havana! Home to a thriving Latino community, Miami’s vibrant Cuban center sits just west of Downtown. The Little Havana neighborhood is known for its incredible Cuban restaurants, lively nightlife, and active arts community. Brightly colored storefronts house art galleries, clubs, lounges, and mom-and-pop shops—all of which have Latin tunes spilling out the doors and onto the streets.
Calle Ocho (8th Street) serves as the main drag and is always bustling with locals discussing politics over coffee and cigars. But the street really comes alive for Little Havana’s monthly arts fest/block party, Viernes Culturales, aka Cultural Fridays. Like much of South Florida, Art Deco architecture abounds, while many locals reside in Mediterranean-style houses and bungalows.
Practice your Spanish and get ready to rumba! Amazing Cuban coffee, the best Cubano sandwiches in the country, and minty muddled mojitos make this Miami ‘hood a national treasure. Vamos a Pequeña Habana!
Commuting in Little Havana Miami
The Metrorail does not service Little Havana, but bus routes offer public transportation. If you’d rather drive, you’re just a quick 10-minute drive to Downtown via FL-836 E. Driving in the Little Havana neighborhood is possible, but traffic is common. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to reach your destination.
Where to eat in Little Havana Miami
Where locals eat brunch on Sundays
Versailles Restaurant
3555 SW 8th St.
Head to the “World’s Most Famous Cuban Restaurant,” Versailles Restaurant for a brunch of croquetas, ropa vieja, or one of their famous Cuban sandwiches. Or, just grab a guava pastry and café Cubano from La Ventanita, the restaurant’s little outside-facing takeaway window and bakery shop.
The best coffee shop
You can get a Cuban-style cafecito (sweetened espresso) at any of the ventanitas (walk-up windows) dotted along Little Havana’s streets.
The best take-out spot for when you don’t feel like cooking
Sanguich
2057 SW 8th St.
Sanguich de Miami may have the best Cubano in the city, thanks to the cozy cafe’s house-made ingredients. This is just one of the reasons why the Little Havana neighborhood is on our list of best Miami neighborhoods.
Late-night eats for when you’ve had one too many
Pinolandia Fritanga
99 SW 12th Ave.
Little Havana is also home to many Central and South American immigrants who brought along their gastronomies. People line up for Pinolandia Fritanga’s classic Nicaraguan cuisine at all hours of the day and well into the night. You can load up on carne asada, gallo pinto, fried sweet plantains, and whatever else looks and/or smells good for less than $20. Pro tip: Get mango juice or fresco de cacao to drink from the market in the back.
Where to drink in Little Havana
The dive bar where everyone knows your name
The Union Beer Store
1547 SW 8th St.
The Union Beer Store has 20 beers on tap, and that’s about it. Belly up to the bar or grab a growler to go. Either way, this bar is sure to become your favorite go-to spot on weekend nights.
Where to drink mojitos outside
Ball & Chain
1513 SW 8th St.
Calle Ocho’s “World Famous Live Music Bar & Lounge” Ball & Chain is off the chain on Saturday nights, but the classic Cuban nightclub’s tropically decorated open-air patio makes for a great day-drinking spot as well. Enjoy a divine mojito and some tapas as you take in the Latin jazz music emanating from a pineapple-shaped stage. Put simply, it’s one of Miami’s best bars and it proves it every day and night.
Where to get cocktails on a first date
Cubaocho Museum & Performing Arts Center
1465 SW 8th St #106
Another Calle Ocho locale, the Cubaocho Museum & Performing Arts Center is a center for Cuban culture that just so happens to mix yummy rum beverages. Your date will be swept off their feet between the extensive collection of vibrant Cuban artwork and live music.
Things to do in Little Havana Miami
Parks in the Little Havana Neighborhood
Little Havana is famous for Domino Park, where retired locals come to discuss politics over riling games of dominos. They won’t let you play, but you can sit and watch. Then go grab a scoop of artisanal gourmet ice cream or two from the nearby Azucar Ice Cream Company. Cuban and Latin American-inspired flavors include guava, mango, and mamey, while their signature Abuela Maria contains vanilla, guava, cream cheese, and Maria cookies.
Closer to a grassy median than a park, Cuban Memorial Plaza is home to the eternal flame which burns in memory of the Bay of Pigs Invasion in 1961, other memorials for those who fought for Cuban independence, and a large ceiba tree where Afro-Cuban Santaria practitioners leave chicken bones as a ritual sacrifice.
Located alongside the Miami River, the 10-plus acre Sewell Park features a large collection of Cuban royal palm trees. The compact Coral Gate Park has a playground, plus a basketball court, a tennis court, and a baseball diamond. Marlins Park has a handy, retractable roof to keep baseball fans out of the hot Miami sun.
Boutiques in the Little Havana neighborhood
What Little Havana lacks in cute clothing boutiques, it makes up for in family-owned cigar shops. Watch as trained tabaqueros (cigar rollers) roll authentic Cuban cigars at El Titan de Bronze and Cuba Tobacco Cigar Company. Stock up on souvenirs at Sentir Cubano, which sells Cuban art, clothing, posters, flags, and games. Get a classic pleated Cuban short sleeve button-up from Ramon Puig Guayaberas. Shop vintage designer clothing and accessories at Back In Style.
Theaters in Little Havana
Just across Calle Ocho from Ball & Chain sits the historic art deco Tower Theatre. One of Miami’s oldest cultural landmarks, the Tower Theatre screens independent, foreign, and revival films with Spanish subtitles. The Manuel Artime Theatre showcases dance, opera, drama, and symphony productions.
Decked out in Art Deco Revival decor, the Miami-Dade County Auditorium features operas, symphonies, theatre presentations, ballets, concerts, lectures, and more. Teatro 8 is so dedicated to the Hispanic arts community that its homepage is in Spanish. The intimate Teatro de Bellas Artes culture and entertainment center is known for its long-running musical comedy and Spanish-language drag shows, the Midnight Follies.
Farmers Markets in Little Havana
Who needs farmer’s markets when you have fruit stands everywhere, like the open-air mom-and-pop shop, Los Piñareños Frutería. Keep an eye out for Chucha, the pot-bellied Vietnamese pig, as you shop fresh tropical produce and sip on a Latin American-inspired smoothie or some sugar cane juice, called guarapo, at this neighborhood market. Pick up some fresh fish, lobster, or stone crab at La Camaronera Seafood Joint and Fish Market.
Walk of Fame in Little Havana Miami
In addition to the many attractions we already discussed, there are a few more top-rated places not to miss in Little Havana. Calle Ocho’s Walk of Fame, or El Paseo de las Estrellas as the locals refer to it, honors famous Cubans such as Gloria Estefan and salsa dancer Celia Cruz.
Renting in Little Havana
Rent in Little Havana may be costlier than in some of the other neighborhoods. However, it tends to be much cheaper than places like Downtown Miami or South Beach Miami. Here is what you can expect to pay in Little Havana, Miami, for rent:
- Average cost of a studio rental: $1,650 per month
- Average cost of a one-bedroom rental: $2,000 per month
- Average cost of a two-bedroom rental: $2,750 per month
Short-term rentals may also be an option in Little Havana, Miami. The heavy Cuban influence in Little Havana can be a great starting point for new residents. Some Cuban families may move to Little Havana for a short-term rental until they find out what other cities are available in Florida and throughout the country.
You may also be able to save on rent by searching within the different areas of Little Havana. Moving inland in Florida, for example, can lead to lower rent and less traffic.
What are you waiting for? Make Little Havana home. Search thousands of Miami apartments on Zumper and find your next place.
Related content
