La Cantina - Hialeah

Always a great time at la cocina! Took my husband for the first time for some early evening drinks and bites and our bar tenders were absolutely lovely! We tried their croquetas and unlike your tradition croquetas, they were delicious! The ambiance, great and fun selection of cocktails, and service will always have me coming back for a chill night out. Ps. They have Salsa nights on Thursdays and I heard it get packed with salsa lovers!

La Cocina is exactly the kind of place Hialeah needed. When you just don't feel like getting dressed to go trip over the cracked (but colorful) sidewalks of Wynwood or dealing with panic-inducing street parking (that might just be me) for a tasty cocktail, La Cocina is close to home and hits the spot! And they have a free parking lot right across from Stephen's.I first visited La Cocina with friends in 2019 when excitement for the Leah Arts District was at its peak and lots of block parties and events were being held nearby. The vibe and quality of drinks, food, and ambiance has not changed! I will say, however, the times I've gone back since the pandemic/reopenings, La Cocina hasn't been quite as busy as it was before 2020, which depending on how rambunctious of an ambiance you need to enjoy your cocktail, may or may not be a good thing! They used to be open more evenings of the week, but understandably they're now only operating Friday and Saturday nights, and sometimes Sundays if there's an event going on. There are some evenings where there's a pretty good crowd, and in those instances, service does become a bit slow as there isn't enough staff, but they do their best!If you're someone like me and you're petrified of fighting for attention and trying to shout and order a drink at the bar, have no fear as you can take a seat and they come to you! Socially awkward friends, you're safe here. Within this year they changed up their menu, but most of the food options are the same. I'm not sure if they're still on the current menu, but there were some cochinito tacos that were phenomenal, and the chicken and waffle sliders were great for sharing. The guava frita burger is one of my favorites, but with the recent menu change, the price has gone up (which is completely understandable in these times), but the burger is now served with coleslaw instead of fries. I hope that leaves you stunned in silence as it did to me. I can't think of many circumstances in which I would like to enjoy a burger, possibly buzzed, and dip my fingers into some coleslaw. Please bring the fries back as the default side. You can substitute the cole slaw for fries, but last time I did, I think it was a $4 upcharge. But speaking of fries, it's not listed on the menu, but please believe me when I tell you that you need to order the basket of fries. I don't know how they do it, but they're consistently the best fries you could hope for when you're several drinks in. It's just pure starchy, salty, potatoey magic. They're so good that they have their own paragraph in this review. Get the fries.As for the drinks, there's something for everyone on the menu (even non-alcoholic drinks). The names and concepts behind them are funny and tasty, and very very Hialeah. The presentation is *chef's kiss*. My absolute favorite, which is no longer listed on the menu, was the Ya Tu Sabes, which was a mango old-fashioned. Andy, the cowboy hat-wearing rockstar of La Cocina that has been there since the post-pandemic reopening, always comes through when I ask for it even though it's no longer on the menu. I've tried different drinks (the Que Cute from the first drink menu was a second favorite; it was guava and gin-based), but nothing compares to the Ya Tu Sabes. I very often come to La Cocina just for that drink. They serve it with a nice big ol' cube of ice, so you know it's legit.I'll let the pictures speak for themselves, but there are plenty of reviews also raving about the awesome attention to detail of the decor. As a Latina of non-Cuban descent, there are often many things about Hialeah that in a sense have made me feel left out, or that I couldn't relate to. But there's something about how La Cocina captured the essence of a childhood in Hialeah that still evokes a sense of nostalgia for me, and I really appreciate that.There is a LOT to love about this place, and I hope it continues to thrive and provide as this awesome

I ended up at La cocina coctelería thanks to Yelp. I was in Hialeah and I was looking for a place to have a drink. I saw the reviews and the pictures that other patrons posted and it immediately caught my attention. The place is very small, which is the only reason I didn't give this place 5 stars. It is such a great bar but it is very limited. The drinks and the music were great. Super cute cocktails.

If you are looking for a bar that represents the Miami Culture La Cocina is it. Located in Hialeah this small bar is full of Miami-themed aesthetics, even the bathrooms are great for pictures. One of the drinks I had is The Piñaso style. Jupiña is a Cuban pineapple soda that is very popular in Miami. You can always find it in a local bakery or Latin restaurant. Is perfect to pair with your pan con croqueta or Frita style burger. At La Cocina they decide to spice it up and add Tito 's calling it Piñaso .

Food was great, the cocktails were creative and delicious, and the service was perfect. The restaurant's decor and ambient was fun and refreshing. Very happy to have discovered this gem and we will definitely return.