Sala’o Cuban Restaurant & Bar Reviews

Went to Sala’o for lunch. Great ceviche, Cubano sandwiches were great. Fabulous Daquiris and Mohito’s. Our server Michael was very good, attentive, and helpful. Would recommend it to anyone.

We had a party of 3 and luckily noticed that they automatically add an 18% service to the bill. When you give your credit card, they remove the bill that shows service charge and then the waiter asks for an additional tip when he brings your card back! The musicians also solicit the diners for money for the “music”. The drinks did not have any alcohol! The only good thing was the good was OK.

Yesterday we attended my husband's birthday, and overall, the experience was very enjoyable. The food was exquisite, the service was good, and the musical atmosphere was excellent. However, we were disappointed by the attitude of the waitress who attended to us. We had barely finished eating when she asked if we wanted to order dessert and coffee to settle the bill and leave. Despite having been in the restaurant for exactly two hours, and despite the reservation stating that there was an additional fee, we were not informed about how much that additional charge would be after that time. In summary, although the place is excellent, the feeling of being rushed out after exactly two hours was disappointing

Stopped in because the live music lured us in. Had an enjoyable cocktail and a delicious dinner! Would highly recommend spending time here!

The restaurant has curb appeal from the outside. The menu was fun and seemed to be evenly split between fish and meat. Drinks were well made. Great first experience of Cuban food in Little Havana.

Great food and drink - Aramis makes a great mojito! Lovely atmosphere and decor. Clean toilets. Would happily visit again

The live music guided us here like the Pied Piper. This is exactly what I expected in Little Havana! Great live music, food and a great server named Yahitza! Our entrees were Pescado Frito a deep fried whole snapper and Grilled Swordfish both were excellent. Friday and Saturday and most nights there is live shows with dancers!

I was robbed in this place and management denied to help us. We have the video recording that an employee showed us and after we called the police to file a report they refused to help us. These are the supposed manager and thieves.

I only went there because I wanted to eat the famous Cuban sandwich. Nothing memorable. The place is beautiful. Live music. Service to fail [the kind they don't see now that you get up to make room for others]. Normal price.

I originally planned to go to Old Havana, but the line was too long. I liked the live entertainment, service, and food. I had the sword fish, which was delicious. I also like the Hemingway references spread throughout.

There was a fantastic Latin band and dancers on two stages and the bartenders were even dancing with maracas. It was a wonderful lively venue with great cocktails. I highly recommend for a very entertaining night out.

Great cuban sandwich with live music! Went there with friends! Had the best and most refreshing mojitos ever! I will come back for sure

I went to dinner there, and when the bill came there was an 18% tip included, The waitress immediately told us it was a city tax and we needed to leave her a tip because that went to the restaurant. I live in Miami and dine at the best restaurants in the city..This is a scam, there is no 18% tax from the city. I will never return there and they are ripping off their customers that don’t know better.

If you want to experience the real Cuban taste in Miami come to this place! The pork belly was delicious, the staff is extremely friendly and the music is great. It made me feel like I was back in Havana!

When seeking an authentic Cuban restaurant in Little Havana, everyone says go to Versailles. I was looking for atmosphere, music, and good food. It looked like Versailles just had the good food. Sala'O hit all of them out of the park. Very attentive staff. Excellent food, and a really fun experience. I'd go back. And I'd go back again. That good. That much fun. I will say that the music was loud. That may not be for everyone. And, they do add an 18% service fee to the bill (which we only knew because we read it on the menu). We found to be true in many restaurants in Miami.

Strategically located in the heart of Calle 8, it's a perfect ripoff. Almost $80 for 2 persons who ordered just 2 entrees, 2 appetizers, and one beer. Pork Chop - Not fresh meat, dry and no tender (best is in Havana Harrys) Rice "asopao" of seafood - I was able to fish just 2 shrimps (they were supposed to be prawns, maybe dwarf) and 2 small oysters. Sardines croquetes - tasted kind of acidic 18% mandatory tip included, no matter the party size (the waiter suggest suggested another personally tip only for him) And the best for the night: a shot of Pectobismol to clean my intestinal track!!

Took my better half to an early dinner . We were greeted by the outgoing manager Mr. Marcel who introduced us to the night Manager MS. Laurent. The food was excellent and the service superb. Great pricing for south Florida. Ready to celebrate my birthday here with party manager Jose. I feel like we were family. Not to mention the 3 daiquiri’s.

Best decision ever! Great mood, amazing music, delicious food. Don't miss it if you are looking for some fun during dinner time. Highly recommend!!

The food was delicious, the drinks were great too. If you go ask for Gabriel his service is top notch!

Fast and friendly service with tables on the sidewalk. We had the calamari appetizer and the Cuban sandwich. The marinated pork in the sandwich was absolutely delicious. Comfortable vibe and very reasonable prices.

Caution. Here you can be deceived. The Happy Hours menu has dishes very similar in name to the main menu (only slightly different ingredients). You order snacks for $ 3.99 and you get an invoice for $ 12 for each meal. The interior is beautiful, the quality of the kitchen is not very good.

Eating outdoors and having good music is in itself a good reason to go to a club. Add to this excellent Cuban cuisine and....... Advised.

A spectacular place to spend a nice night. The food, atmosphere, music and shows are the best. Special thanks for Guillermo's attention, very attentive and always pleasant, his commitment to service and customers is incredible. I would go again without a doubt 10/10!!!!

Michael was our server, perfect! Good live music and a dancer during the day. Décor very pretty and lots of Hemingway references. If you are in Little Havana give it a go.

The best of little Havana in Miami, good food and drinks, good service and if you go to Rolando it's top, it's definitely worth it for lunch or dinner

first the bartenders. these are professionals. they don’t use goops of sugar but instead make all their flavors but custom mix. best margarita i have had. the food excellent. simple clean pure ingredients. the ambience may be the best in little havana. we met manager steven who really wanted our feedback. you can tell this is a place that wants to be the best and will work for it. nice to see pride in the work

I was two times there and I love it! The live music, very classy and not too loud, the food is delicious, nice people, great ambience snd a veeery friendly service.

While touring the Little Havana area my husband and I walked up and started reading the menu from outside and decided we would try this place. It did not disappoint. Everything we had was awesome. Fish dip, pork chop and seafood soup. They were very delicious. I also had mojito and it was good too. The drinks were a little pricy. The only thing I was alarmed about was after dinner I excused myself to the restroom and a waitress came out of the stall and did not wash her hands.

Great place for Locals and tourist. The food is great the ambiance is very nice. We loved everything we ordered.

Best lunch ever and the price was phenomenal. Best Cuban food. Yummm. Our waitress Janeth was the best. Drinks were tops! Thanks!!

Located right on Calle Ocho. Super fun Cuban restaurant. We went on a Saturday night with a bunch of friends. Delicious food, wonderful live music-great fun atmosphere! Totally recommend, just don’t order mojitos, they were terrible.

We were charmed by the atmosphere and the music, indeed really good. Probably that’s why we add to pay the players a tip. After the food prices are correct, hopefully because the food is correct also. We were really disappointed by the waiters who try to be nice to make you forgot that 18% is already charged as tip, it’s a fight just to have a look on your charges. If you don’t pay attention you will pay twice. If you do so, they get angry. Also they push you to go fast with your food and beverages so you don’t really enjoy your time. Really too bad by acting this way, we won’t come again and we feel bad for the coming next customers.

My partner and I visited this restaurant last night (01/28/22). We agreed the place looked very nice with good music and service. The food was delicious, but unfortunately, I found a very long hair that I almost swallow, tangled in my vaca frita. I notified the waiter who was helping us and showed him the hair. He took the plate back to the kitchen, minutes later, another girl, probably the one in charge came to apologize. I know it was not their fault, but the only action that was taken was to replace my order of Vaca Frita with something different. In the end, when the waiter brought my bill, I realized that no discount for the inconvenience had been applied, instead, the whole 18 % tip had been added automatically. I was so looking forward to coming back, but I don't think I will.

Stumbled upon this place on Saturday. Good food drinks and live music. We got an app sampler, oysters, salmon, tres leche, and another dessert made from condensed milk. Everything was fresh and delicious. Drinks were great to- espresso martini, mojito, old fashion. Service was fast.

The quality of the food is certainly not exceptional, the service has many shortcomings, the music is very loud and prevents conversation. Nice place but definitely not for lunches or dinners with friends

We visited here with the Little Havana tour and were treated to a lively atmosphere and good food. The Cuban sandwich was tasty and the mojitos were well made. We had a good time here.

Located in the most popular stretch of Calle Ocho, this restaurant offers the most delicious Cuban seafood. The swordfish and the salmon are amazing.

We sat at the bar and had a great experience.Our bartender was a superb mixologist and handsome too. Great decor and atmosphere. We order the corvina ceviche, garbanzos with chorizo and croquetas. The food excellent at a good prize. Excellent live music, Highly recommended. The only drawback is not about the restaurant, it's about the location. Calle Ocho is an iconic place for us Cubans and it's a shame the city government does not maintain it. Drunks, homeless and filthy streets do not reflect what our magical city is about and what Calle Ocho represents. Wise Up City of Miami Commisioner, tourists are coming and looking at this filth.

The roasted pork slider was good, but the deep-fried fish sandwich was overwhelmed by the coleslaw placed directly onto the fish. We had to wait a little even though the restaurant wasn't that crowded at lunch. The musicians were great, but an 18% service charge was added automatically.

Nice and lively restaurant in Little Havana. The roasted chicken was very tasty and the shrimp empanadas were great. The deep fried snapper was a sizable portion but I would give it a 3 out of 5 as it was dry. Note: there an 18% service charge automatically added to the bill, you can add to that if you wish as a tip to service staff.

This is a fun place with good food and service. There is live entertainment and the front is open to the street so you can enjoy the scene.

✨ A delicious experience ✨ Visiting this restaurant was a success. The Mood is very welcoming, with a decor that invites you to relax and enjoy. The staff was warm and quick, always attentive to every detail. The food was spectacular: well served dishes, with fresh ingredients and a taste that really surprises. Moreover, the presentation of each dish was impeccable. The value for money seemed fair, considering the quality of the experience. Without a doubt, an ideal place to go as a family or to share with friends or couple. 100% recommended!

Nice atmosphere , great drinks , average drink prices for Miami , but I wasn’t impressed with the food at all, upscale vibe, but the food was lacking , service was 5 out of 10 and the rices were a bit high , stopped in for dinner on a great night , during this COVID pandemic things were very quiet down there but I imagine the place would be a lot busier during a normal season

Indeed the decoration of the restaurant is nice. But it is a perfect tourist trap. The food is not good and expensive. They just want to get the more money from you. 18% mandatory tip included, no matter the party size.

First we had a great waiter, Augustine, who's smile makes everyone smile! Nice, open air seating with a very nicely appointed space. They offer an inexpensive lunch menu and drink specials. The Pork Masitas were excellent as well as the Ropa Veija. Two sides come with the entree - the Rice and Beans were delicious, along with a generous serving of Maduros. Presentation was great! Keep up the good work!

So delicious. Ropa vieja was excellent, so was the black beans and rice and the plantains. Atmosphere was fun. When there is live music, it gets pretty loud, so if that bothers you I would say avoid it at those hours--it's really too loud to even talk with the people at your table then. But in terms of food and drinks, I highly recommend.

Nice place with live music and good service! Plates and drinks are a little over priced in comparison to the portions and quality! I for example ordered an entre of shrimps for $8,50 but they gave me 4 shrimps, also ordered lobster, and obviously lobster is expensive anywhere you go, but for $45, they gave me a tiny portion, i also had 2 mojitos, total was 101$ plus the tip! Definitely not worth it because I wanted to go to McDonald’s afterwards, I was still hungry!

The typical Cuban food is not existing.- I do not know where they acquired the chef. The typical Cuban Menu reads like any other Cuban Restaurant, but when you get the food, is done in a different way. Probably the Chef was born under the Castro period, which lacked from dishes and the main ingredients. Do not even asked for dessert which is very bad and really different.

We were recommended this place. We had the Empanadas- they were good & the calamari. OK- nothing amazing. Cocktails although they pricey were good.

The quality of the food is certainly not exceptional, the service has many shortcomings, the music is very loud and prevents conversation. Nice place but definitely not for lunches or dinners with friends

Looking for an authentic Cuban sandwich look no further, plus the entertainment and atmosphere was fantastic. We got to experience live cuban music and dancing.

Excellent Cuban restaurant with live music, wide choice of food and cocktails, truly exquisite cuisine, friendly and helpful staff

This place is cozy and beautiful ,they have two musicians playing old cuban songs that made you traveling to the best time in Cuba

Sala'o, a term coined by Hemingway describing the worst form of unlucky is truly a misnomer for this very fortunate find. A cosy Hemingway themed setting in the heart of bustling Little Havana is truly a lucky find. The restaurants rich ambience attentive friendly service had us waiting in anticipation for the food. What a surprise! The food by far exceeded our expectations. Majuas Fritas were crisp, not oily and fresh tasting. This is a very challenging dish and one of my favorites. Was I pleased! This was followed by an excellent ceviche and croquetas de pescado. We filled up on appetizers and tasty drinks with very authentic mojitos and other Hemingway favorites . We were so impressed with the food, drinks and service that we returned the next day. Our server Katrina quickly remembered us from previous visit and again distinguish herself by her attentive and unobtrusive service.On this visit we went a little deeper into the menu including the Sopón de Mariscos All consistent Their one-of-a-kind dessert fanguito a misture of dulce de leche mousse croutons and chocolate was truly exceptional. In an era of corporate dining and cookie-cutter meals, it is truly a treasure to find such unique and outstanding restaurant. I look forward to many frequent returns.

A true Cuban experience in the heart of little Havana! The freshest, most inventive seafood. Great drinks, ambiance, and great staff! Live music adds to the wonderful experience of this beautiful place. Highly recommend

Yesterday, March 1st, we went to celebrate my birthday, we sat at the tables outside and what was my surprise, the duo's music (which is what we are going for) was not on the speaker, I asked the violinist and he told me He said he couldn't do anything, that it was the order of the house. What a waste. Ya Salao, it's not the same.

My husband and I were really looking forward to trying a Cuban restaurant in Little Havana since this was our first visit to Miami. The restaurant is very nice & the staff seemed very nice. We ordered the ceviche which was pretty good. We decided to try the Caribbean WHOLE lobster cooked in a red Cuban sauce. Basically we were served a cut up small lobster tail (4 little pieces) in a red broth. I ate it in literally 6 bites. It was ok.....until we got the bill. I will preface this by taking responsibility for not asking what the MP or market price was before we ordered. To our shock, we were charged $60 for this dish! We paid $120 for 2 little cut up lobster tails in a broth. Again, we didn't ask what the MP was...so that's on us. We also ordered several glasses of wine and a mojito. They didn't give us the complimentary pita and fish spread (bread and butter) until after we received our bill. Now I have no problem paying for a great meal but this was ridiculous. Just a warning, if you go there....make sure you ask the market price if that's what you order. I also can't shake the feeling that since we weren't Hispanic, we were taken advantage of. My husband didn't want to say anything because he is kind and generous and took responsibility since we didn't ask the market price. I've never left a poor review for any restaurant but I just couldn't let this one slide.

The food was fresh and not overly spicy. Enjoyed everything from the octupus, ceviche, steak and mojitos. Drinks could have been bigger for the price, however it was top shelf. Live band everyday in the heart of Calle Ocho.

Drop by for a drink to wind down and ended up making friends with the manager on duty Manuel, wow what a great and down to earth guy. Service was impeccable, great atmosphere , bartender Camilo knowledgeable and not stingy on the alcohol and finally Daniela my server what can say but AMAZING!!!! I love this place.

Super food, not too expensive, nice, friendly and helpfull staff. The best file mignon we ate in Miami. Nice cuban music and perfect cuban beer

Not only do they offer live music on a Wednesday night that would otherwise would have been wasted in a different bar/restaurant. But this restaurant manages to balance to perfection the amazing Latin spirit while offering an amazing and relaxed environment with unprecedented Latin music. They also have pretty good appetizers and the drinks are in a moderate range. Pls do yourself a favor and try the mojitos with “flor de caña” o “Matuzalen” and their amazing mojito flavor I prefer Guava.

Took an Uber from downtown Miami. Best decision we made. The ambience definitely captured the Cuban influence. The menu reflected an authentic Cuban cuisine. The cocktail menu offered Cuban cocktails! The Mojito was exceptional. We ordered the clams as an appetizer. For dinner the pork chop “Chuleta”was cooked to perfection and plentiful. The catch of the day was also delicious: a very flavorful white fish. The accompaniments of roasted vegetables and rice with beans complemented the meals. The music entertained us making it feel like we were in Havana!

Excellent restaurant!! Great food. Great staff!! Andy super friendly, has attended us phenomenal!!! A 10 everything.

We each ordered a drink and my mojito and his margarita were tasty. The appetizer was delicious. We ordered the vaca frita (steak style) and the salmon picón. Wow our taste buds were loving it. Side orders of black beans and maduro completed the meal. Dessert was the fruita bomba. Again delicious! We truly enjoyed our dinner here. We enjoyed reading about Ernest Hemingway, his sayings and images are everywhere. Great atmosphere for a Little Havana restaurant. Our waiter was very helpful friendly and attentive. Yes, we are coming back.

My boyfriend had the half chicken which was cooked to perfection, juicy with nice flavour. Rice and beans are an excellent side. A bit disappointed with the fish and the mojitos though considering it’s a seafood restaurant with a pretty happening bar.

I loved the place, I went there on a Saturday night and had a blast, it was so fun and the waitresses were so warm specially Daniela Mazorra, great service I'll be returning soon

Had lunch here with my family and it was the best meal we had in Miami. The shredded beef dish was so good. The decor is really nice and the live music was a great addition. It started to rain and we ended up staying a lot longer than we had planned. Our waiter looked after us and it was a very relaxing afternoon.

We had a lovely meal, great service, nice drinks (they have a very good rum and Rhum selection), and really enjoyed the lively atmosphere.

Food and atmosphere were fabulous. Great friendly staff. Prompt service. Even live music at lunch on a weekday. Best experience in Miami on our trip.

Live music, expensive drinks, wonderful atmosphere. There was a curfew due to coronavirus. So the restaurant was very selective as to who they allowed to see it but otherwise nice atmosphere

Excellent Night Out Went with a group and had no booking.The area is low build and very safe and atmospheric.Foot and music excellent.Would highly recommend Sala'o

I was lured into this quaint reminder of a Hemingway hideaway by the trio of a band and the atmosphere. I order an assortment of seafood tapas, fish croquettes, ceviche, and a swordfish breaded nugget-like mouth bites, and a Cuban fish sandwich called Una Minuta. I washed it all down with a Piña Colada. Janith our waitress celebrated her Birthday which made the evening more festive. Funny to think I almost waited 45 minutes at a Thai restaurant and so glad I followed my gut, which I guess was more in the mood for Cuban food, beat, and much fun! Here's to Salao!

When you want something "light", Cuban cuisine is a good option. Nice and friendly place with live music. Chicken rice beans very good.

We liked the classical Cuban music, although it was a bit loud. We had mixed reviews on the food, but the plantain cups with shrimp, the ham croquetas and the tasajo was tasty. Our waitress Ivon was rude. We won't go back.

Great ambiance and decoration ,great service ....live music at night ....great choice for a good time specially at night

Yesterday was my mother’s birthday and we took her to Sala’o. First impression was great, good drinks and friendly server. While my parents waited for us to to find parking (25 minutes) they sat down and ordered drinks. Then the good impression STOPPED. A man with a red blazer (Carlos) came to inform us we could only stay for 2 hours!! (Shouldn’t this be a disclaimer when you call to make reservations?, at no point was I told that I was only allowed to stay at my table for 2 hours) Imagine that! He explained that people waiting for our table after 2 hours would be upset. My mother joked it was her birthday and that she didn’t want to be “thrown out”. He joked back and the rest of our dinner he kept questioning the server I assume as to the status of our order. As we left he was outside and made some other sarcastic remark. I did notice a large party sitting next to us when we arrived still there as we left (2 hours exactly). Wonder if he gave them the boot! Food good but if you want a pleasant and memorable experience on a special day go somewhere else. This is a one drink, main dish, coffee and please check yourself out in 2 hours kind of place.

Different kind of Cuban Food, not your traditional rice and beans and pork dishes. Presentation and flavors are fantastic, job well done, keep it up!

The service by Alexis was great. The tuna tartare was one of the best ever. Cuban sandwiches were huge and so very yummy; as was the grilled octopus. The vibe in the restaurant was so very chill. Would go back anytime.

This restaurant 10/10 I loved not only the food, but also the atmosphere and the music, we would definitely go again!!