Miami's Best Burger of 2025 is at Calle Ocho's New Cuban Diner
Ropa Vieja with a side of retro Americana
The diner is an American tradition right up there with college football and excessive ice. So one might wonder why a Coca-Cola-styled American diner would open up in a place called “Little Havana.” That same person has obviously also never seen a sunburnt family from Kenosha step off a Duck Tour and say, “I dunno, Janet, I’m hungry but everything here is so….ethnic.” Because if they had, they’d get the logic behind El Cuban Diner.
The spanking-new, ‘50s-style sock hop opens today on Calle Ocho, bringing a little classic Americana to Miami’s iconic Cuban enclave. But this new spot isn’t like the late-night, drunk-food rail cars you’ve experienced in New Jersey. It might look like a typical American diner, but the menu is filled with approachable Cuban food, perfect for a visitor who might want to dip their toes into Latin cuisine. But the burger, oh the burger is not to be missed.
So what, exactly, is a Cuban diner? Is this like a cafeteria?
NO! A Cuban cafeteria is typically a window where surly women serve you coffee that may or may not keep you awake until Easter. The Cuban diner looks more like a 1950s burger joint, but instead of Richie Valens playing in the background they have Rauw Alejandro. Servers are done up in paper hats and soda jerk uniforms, but they’re serving you ropa vieja and pappas rellenas. It’s an only-in-Miami kinda thing, and they’re totally pulling it off.
The Space: Think Spanish-language Johnny Rockets. Juanito Cohetes, if you will. The décor is painstakingly done up in chrome and red to evoke mid century America, down to tongue-in-numbed-cheek retro napkin holders that say, “Have a Coke.” As if anyone eating at a late-night diner in Miami needs a reminder. Tables are set both inside and out, like most spots on Calle Ocho, but this one feels like a nostalgic American painting.
What to eat and drink: The burger is, I shit you not, the best new burger I’ve had in 2025, and is already in my Miami top 3. It’s a simple griddle-cooked number made of wagyu beef, served with caramelized onions, cheese, and LTO on a soft, sweet bun. The crust is absolutely perfect and tastes a little like what an In-N-Out Burger would taste like if it weighed half a pound. It eschews the dependence on fat, grease, and vile sauces so many “gourmet” restaurant burgers use nowadays, instead relying on high-quality meat and bread.
The big milkshakes are solid, and the fries are the semi-battered crispy variety, akin to Burger King.
There’s also a menu of Cuban bowls, with staples like ropa vieja, churrasco, and vaca frita served with bacon congri and plantains. Plus typical Cuban sandwiches like pan con bistec and the classic Cuban. My entertainment for season will be posting up at the milkshake counter and listening to tourists try and pronounce “Pollo Criollo.”
Perfect for: Visitors who want to explore Cuban food in a place that feels familiar; Locals who haven’t been to Calle Ocho in a while and want to try something different.
Expect to pay: $25 per person, more if you indulge in a frozen margarita or mojito.
Pro tip: Get the burger. For the love of god and Celia Cruz, get the burger.
How’s the parking: On a weeknight, you’ll find plenty of street parking. On a weekend, Calle Ocho is, well, Calle Ocho. Head west of SW 17th Ave. and you’ll find something.
@elcubandiner // 1620 SW 8th St., Little Havana