I've been to this place a few times mostly because it's so close to my office and it beats having the downtown lunch staples of sandwich/soup and soup/salad combinations on a daily basis. With that being said, most of the time the service is slow. I mean it's the downtown lunch rush so the ladies should have a little more hustle. I have seen people leave without even seeing the menu because they haven't even been acknowledged. Heck even I have gotten up and left after waiting 15 minutes for a soda. The food isn't horrible but it's not the greatest either: 1. Empanadas are sometimes cold in the middle - I understand they are pre-made and cooked when they are ordered but get a timer people. 2. Daily specials - reasonable price for salad, rice, beans, meat and beans for $6.95 but it's pre-made and sits on what should be a hot buffet table which means it should be HOT! I've had to send my meal back to request that it be heated up. 3. Music - it's nice to have some background noise but it should be at a decent level, if I have to scream to talk to the person I'm with or so the waitress can hear my order it means it's too loud!
(2)
Jacob B.
The place is fine, but the food and sevice is bad, french fries seemed to be old, the "picada" had more potatoes than meet and it took forever to be served. There were like 6 servers that day, the restaurant wasn't full and they were very slow. The empanadas weren't 100% bad but greasy. I wouldn't recommend this place at all.
(1)
Sari M.
The food and the price so good... the only thing not comfortable are the spot light on the wall on the top of the entry door, so if you seat on the booth side that spot light will against your eyes, with loud music and those very bright spot light will disturbing your dinner. I felt like eat on the noisy bar because of that light. Make inside looks cheap.
(3)
Alex g.
The food didnt have much flavor. I say La Moon is a much better Colombian place for those who reside in the brickell area/ I personally had the El Cartel burger and it didnt have much taste. My wife had the calamari and it wasent much. We spent $30 for dinner which really wasent worth it.
(2)
E F.
This review is based on a carry-out order made via LivingSocial. I ordered a few small items to try, and each was very affordable and excellent. I also got the tres leche and that is the only thing I was not as pleased with because it appearred to be a pre-packaged item in individual packages. The food was ready for me when I got there and the waitress was very nice and helped me immediately. I didn't have to wait around. A friend told me she ate there with some colleagues and the dine-in service was terrible. I don't think I'll ever go there to eat, especially during my lunch hour at work, but I know however I will be ordering carry-out from them again!
(4)
Jake W.
SERVICE SUCKS!!!! Had the food here before and enjoyed it, went today and got up and left before ordering due to the rotten service. I am not sure why you would staff a restaurant with such rude rude rude rude rude slow slow slow slow slow service. We got up and went to La Moon instead where we found great food, great outdoor seating, and fantastic service!! The maduro at el cartel is good but not good enough to put up with the piss poor service!
(1)
Alvaro A.
First and last time. I am from Colombia so I know what good Colombian food is. This is place is not only way over priced but the food also leaves a lot to be desired. I had the Ajiaco today and it was salty, watery and it had almost no chicken in it. I told the waitress about it and She was totally careless. El Cartel never again !!
(1)
Gamaliel O.
My wife and I were in Miami for a vacation and as always, new food is part of traveling for us. I was specifically looking for hispanic food and the outdoor seating was very inviting. The menu offered lots of options from beef, chicken, fish, etc. The service was extremely friendly, the food tasted amazing, portions were perfect, great price. They happened to be running a 2 for 1 drink special, which we took advantage of. For an appetizer, we had empanadas - 3 for only 2.50. Great bargain. For dinner, my wife had the vegetarian plate and absolutely loved it. I had the steak with onions and again, loved it. Dessert consisted of flan and molten chocolate cake. Overall, our favorite restaurant on our trip!
(5)
Yang Y.
good seafood and steak,good mango juice.
(5)
Vivian P.
THis place is giving La Moon a run for their money- IMO. the empanadas (YUMMM) even the chicken ones. Stuffed arepas DELISH, Patacon with steak fingerlickin good, bucket of beers 3 for $7- a steal! We sat outside so atmosphere was nice, inside seemed fun but a bit loud. The girls servicing us were all super sweet and friendly. Another great local spot in downtown. ANDDD they DELIVER! Go check it out!
(4)
Mog C.
On a Sunday morning at 11am, Will R. was craving empanadas and not wanting to drive, we headed to Half Moon empanadas after checking reviews, only to find it not opened yet. El Cartel was next door and after seeing they also had empanadas, we sat down at a curbside table. The menu is pretty substantial and the offerings numerous enough that it took us a little while to decide on what to order. With reasonable drink specials (buckets of 3 beers for $8?) and Latin music playing loudly, I found myself swaying to the music in no time, forgetting about everything else. If only, it could have stayed that way. We ended up ordering three empanadas (2 beef, 1 chicken) for appetizers and an arepa rellena de pollo (pulled chicken sandwich) as well as a Churrasco (grilled steak) to share. Unfortunately, there was something definitely off that day with the cook/kitchen. Another table had ordered empanadas as well and when our two orders arrived, they sounded the alarm about the empanadas still being frozen inside. About to put a mouthful in my mouth, the waitress stopped us to check whether ours were the same way. Indeed they were. As she took them back inside, we continued watching the latin music videos and drinking more. When the empanadas arrived again 10 minutes later, this time at the same time as our main meal, we were preparing yet again to dig in when the other couple again found these empanadas to be frozen on the inside. By now, Will R. was starving and as he cut into our empanadas, he kept two that were cold but not frozen and sent the third back. The waitress was apologetic but obviously, it was the fault of the kitchen. Why frying times are not timed or why the empanadas were not at least checked the second time around is unforgivable. The Arepa Rellena de Pollo was good (though by this point, I was starving so I probably wasn't completely rational). The steak, which was an unevenly thin steak ordered medium as recommended by the waitress came with parts that were medium and parts that were rare, again showing the inability of whoever was cooking that day. The steak was definitely the best part of our meal but that was because Will R. happens to prefers his steak medium and I prefer mine rare. We had actually asked for medium rare but our waitress had suggested that the churrasco was best served medium. While the steak was the saving grace of our experience here, it was more by luck than due to the prowess of the kitchen. As such, I can't recommend this place, especially on the weekends. Price wise, this was reasonable. Our waitress was very nice. This place might just be better during the work week.
(3)
Yuni E.
All I can say is that the arepas,empanadas and batidos are really good,great price too if you just need to grab a quick bite,this is definitely the place to go.
(4)
Drew M.
I was in town and was not able to stay in my usual hotel, and ended up at the Courtyard downtown. This was about the only place still open. I had the bistec and a tasty Columbian beer. Service was good, food was really great. Only bad thing is, they don't take Amex, so I could not use my company charge card.
(4)
Michelle S.
I have mixed feeling about this place. We were in Miami for Ultra Fest and it was right by our hotel. The service is down right awful, We had to get up and go find the waitress numerous times on our own, the food took forever to come, they forgot part of our order, however when the food did come the first day is was BEYOND DELICIOUS. So delicious that we over looked how terrible the waitress service was and went back there the next day. The next day it was a repeat of the same bad service and the food was not as good the second time around (we ordered the same things also), so maybe it was just a really good chef the first time we went. A few other comments, the house music they played the whole time was awesome. The staff includes tip on the bill (or at least they did for us, we were a party of 6 so maybe thats why) so it wasn't like we had an option to tip less for the terrible service. The prices aren't bad at all.
(3)
Albert C.
Great first experience of Columbian food during our family travel to Miami. The staff were very friendly and the food were delicious with generous portion and reasonably priced.
(5)
Dan S.
food was over cooked, took 2 hours to deliver and even if you go to the restaurant you have to wait an hour on the table
(5)
Peter S.
We've been ordering delivery from here for a while and usually get the classics (e.g. lomo saltado, etc), but you have to go by and eat in person. This way you venture out and try some of their dishes that you wouldn't necessarily order out for delivery. Although not particularly healthy, they are very very tastey - try their fried plantain dishes, their columbian hot dogs, and crispy pork.
(4)
Joseluis A.
el cartel. my least favorite thing about this place is its name. everything else was very good in my opinion. me and some friends came here right after a night of heavy drinking at pub one. i lie, we only had one drink each but i wanted to sound badass. el cartel was busy, lots of clients. i was there with a group of friends, we were five in total. we sat inside and we got menus immediately. we shared, una picada. which is a lot of grilled meats, tostones, blood sausage.. you get the idea. we also got tostoned topped with melted cheese and sauces and the mazorca. not the healthiest meal of the day but certainly very tasty stuff and sometimes you just have to sacrifice. prices are good, our bill was about $45 and we were all full. el cartel is an alternative for those who live in the neighborhood instead of la moon.
(4)
Cena H.
First of all, I'm not Latino, I'm Anglo. My review should state that. Mozzarella sticks were some of the best I've had. The "big Wings" were absolutely the smallest I have ever seen in my life! I had the "bandeja paisa carne asada"' which the waiter told me was best seller and I hated it. The beef steak is thin and dry, the sausages were overlooked, the hard plantains were nasty, the fried egg over rice was overcooked and not runny, the beans lacked in flavor and complexity. The margarita was good and service pleasant. Maybe I don't like Columbian cooking.
(2)
Seb W.
This place is about as good as a small trash bag on top of a large trash bag. The quality was atrocious. They win an award for being the worst Colombian place in town. I am pretty sure the pincho I ate was made of gato or caballo because I think the gato would be more suave.
(1)
Andres S.
We had seen this place a couple of times as we drove by, and being the Colombian Food lovers that we are, we decided it was time to give it a try. Let me first say that the place (decor) is very nice and modern, even the menu design is quite appealing. We ordered a couple of Maracuya juices and they were great, but that was possible the highlight of our meal. Then we ordered a cheese finger or tequeño, some chicharrones, and some maicitos con queso. The tequeño (cheese finger) was seriously undercooked, and when we pointed this out to our waitress she took it back, only to come back with another undercooked tequeño but this time with less cheese, we couldn't eat the damn thing. The chicharrones were quite good, well cooked and tasty. But the maicitos con queso were simply sub-par and not up to the challenge. We ordered some pineapple sauce which to our surprise turned out to be some brown concoction with a weird cinnamon/clove taste, quite terrible. Then we also ordered some patacones and sweet plantains with cheese and chicken. The first ones were uninteresting, the beef filling had a strong cumin taste. And the sweet plantains were quite good. Overall, it was a mediocre experience, I think this place really needs to step it up if they want to compete with the big boys like La Moon and Los Perros, but from what we saw and tasted that day, this place will not be around for long.
(2)
Jack W.
Other yelpers negative reviews and complaints about price nearly scared me away. But this was the only place open in the neighborhood, so I took a chance. The food was delicious and the portions generous - I had the trio of empanadas and an arepa is cheese (not on the menu but they made it at my request). A third item, nothing wrong with it but i didn't like so she took it off my bill. I think the pricing is reasonable, especially for downtown Miami. I love Aguila beer!
(5)
Walter A.
Delivery menu is overpriced considering the quality, and the food was poor. Ordered a churrasco with fries. The steak was tough, stringy and tasted greasy - unlike any of the delicious churrascos I've had at countless local colombian and argentinian restaurants for far less money. Steak, fries and a dessert set me back $30 after delivery fee and tip. Make it $5.99 and I might consider it a fair value if you're starving and nothing else is open. This is low end ethnic cafeteria food for mid-range, brickell area restaurant prices.
(1)
Jessica O.
Great empanadas made fresh. Just order ahead of time.
(4)
Sep N.
I usually come here for breakfast. Good stuff. But I just came for lunch and everything was bad or mediocre at best. Picada, yuca, frijoles all no good. Stay away for anything but breakfast. Oh, and the servers are very nice and sweet but not good. I don't like to be negative but the truth will set us free....
(3)
George H.
Excellent Colombian restaurant , everything is very clean , nice music , service is good, the food is really good and cool beer , the lady's Lily and Tiffany are really nice and pretty's .
(5)
J.J A.
Im from NY where we have a lot of Columbian restaurants and I have to say I love this place. The first time I was in Miami I just stumbled upon this place as it was close to our hotel. I loved it right away. The staff were all very nice, the food was sooooo affordable and delicious. I loved it so much the next time I was vacationing in Miami I went again. If you want authentic Colombian food at a bargain with a relax atmosphere this is your place.
(4)
Max C.
I give El Cartel 5 stars based on value and service. I ate a tasty churrasco and drank a refreshing Maracuya while watching fun music videos on their flatscreens. The meal was authentic and reminiscent of a traditional meal in Colombia. The place was immaculate and the staff was super friendly.
(5)
Alexandra G.
Worst meal I've paid for in a long time, if not ever. Paid 50$ for 2 people and the only good thing was the Aguila and the empanadas were mediocre/overcooked. We also ordered berracos which were ok. The club sandwich and Hawaiian perro,un-edible. Terrible qualityof ingredients all around. I feel like throwing up. Never going back there and I live around the corner. Also the music was ridiculously loud.
(1)
Christian S.
I have gone here twice now. After my first visit I knew I had to come back. El Cartel has a great atmosphere, fun servers, and fantastic food! So far my favorite is the arepa con pollo but my friends loved their dishes as well. Give it a try and I'm sure you'll love it too.
(5)
Kew R.
Food was good. Deliver is slow but thats Miami
(4)
Gamaliel O.
My wife and I were in Miami for a vacation and as always, new food is part of traveling for us. I was specifically looking for hispanic food and the outdoor seating was very inviting. The menu offered lots of options from beef, chicken, fish, etc. The service was extremely friendly, the food tasted amazing, portions were perfect, great price. They happened to be running a 2 for 1 drink special, which we took advantage of. For an appetizer, we had empanadas - 3 for only 2.50. Great bargain. For dinner, my wife had the vegetarian plate and absolutely loved it. I had the steak with onions and again, loved it. Dessert consisted of flan and molten chocolate cake. Overall, our favorite restaurant on our trip!
(5)
Yang Y.
good seafood and steak,good mango juice.
(5)
Vivian P.
THis place is giving La Moon a run for their money- IMO. the empanadas (YUMMM) even the chicken ones. Stuffed arepas DELISH, Patacon with steak fingerlickin good, bucket of beers 3 for $7- a steal! We sat outside so atmosphere was nice, inside seemed fun but a bit loud. The girls servicing us were all super sweet and friendly. Another great local spot in downtown. ANDDD they DELIVER! Go check it out!
(4)
Sari M.
The food and the price so good... the only thing not comfortable are the spot light on the wall on the top of the entry door, so if you seat on the booth side that spot light will against your eyes, with loud music and those very bright spot light will disturbing your dinner. I felt like eat on the noisy bar because of that light. Make inside looks cheap.
(3)
Alex g.
The food didnt have much flavor. I say La Moon is a much better Colombian place for those who reside in the brickell area/ I personally had the El Cartel burger and it didnt have much taste. My wife had the calamari and it wasent much. We spent $30 for dinner which really wasent worth it.
(2)
Albert C.
Great first experience of Columbian food during our family travel to Miami. The staff were very friendly and the food were delicious with generous portion and reasonably priced.
(5)
Dan S.
food was over cooked, took 2 hours to deliver and even if you go to the restaurant you have to wait an hour on the table
(5)
Sep N.
I usually come here for breakfast. Good stuff. But I just came for lunch and everything was bad or mediocre at best. Picada, yuca, frijoles all no good. Stay away for anything but breakfast. Oh, and the servers are very nice and sweet but not good. I don't like to be negative but the truth will set us free....
(3)
George H.
Excellent Colombian restaurant , everything is very clean , nice music , service is good, the food is really good and cool beer , the lady's Lily and Tiffany are really nice and pretty's .
(5)
Alvaro A.
First and last time. I am from Colombia so I know what good Colombian food is. This is place is not only way over priced but the food also leaves a lot to be desired. I had the Ajiaco today and it was salty, watery and it had almost no chicken in it. I told the waitress about it and She was totally careless. El Cartel never again !!
(1)
J.J A.
Im from NY where we have a lot of Columbian restaurants and I have to say I love this place. The first time I was in Miami I just stumbled upon this place as it was close to our hotel. I loved it right away. The staff were all very nice, the food was sooooo affordable and delicious. I loved it so much the next time I was vacationing in Miami I went again. If you want authentic Colombian food at a bargain with a relax atmosphere this is your place.
(4)
Max C.
I give El Cartel 5 stars based on value and service. I ate a tasty churrasco and drank a refreshing Maracuya while watching fun music videos on their flatscreens. The meal was authentic and reminiscent of a traditional meal in Colombia. The place was immaculate and the staff was super friendly.
(5)
Andres S.
We had seen this place a couple of times as we drove by, and being the Colombian Food lovers that we are, we decided it was time to give it a try. Let me first say that the place (decor) is very nice and modern, even the menu design is quite appealing. We ordered a couple of Maracuya juices and they were great, but that was possible the highlight of our meal. Then we ordered a cheese finger or tequeño, some chicharrones, and some maicitos con queso. The tequeño (cheese finger) was seriously undercooked, and when we pointed this out to our waitress she took it back, only to come back with another undercooked tequeño but this time with less cheese, we couldn't eat the damn thing. The chicharrones were quite good, well cooked and tasty. But the maicitos con queso were simply sub-par and not up to the challenge. We ordered some pineapple sauce which to our surprise turned out to be some brown concoction with a weird cinnamon/clove taste, quite terrible. Then we also ordered some patacones and sweet plantains with cheese and chicken. The first ones were uninteresting, the beef filling had a strong cumin taste. And the sweet plantains were quite good. Overall, it was a mediocre experience, I think this place really needs to step it up if they want to compete with the big boys like La Moon and Los Perros, but from what we saw and tasted that day, this place will not be around for long.
(2)
Jack W.
Other yelpers negative reviews and complaints about price nearly scared me away. But this was the only place open in the neighborhood, so I took a chance. The food was delicious and the portions generous - I had the trio of empanadas and an arepa is cheese (not on the menu but they made it at my request). A third item, nothing wrong with it but i didn't like so she took it off my bill. I think the pricing is reasonable, especially for downtown Miami. I love Aguila beer!
(5)
Walter A.
Delivery menu is overpriced considering the quality, and the food was poor. Ordered a churrasco with fries. The steak was tough, stringy and tasted greasy - unlike any of the delicious churrascos I've had at countless local colombian and argentinian restaurants for far less money. Steak, fries and a dessert set me back $30 after delivery fee and tip. Make it $5.99 and I might consider it a fair value if you're starving and nothing else is open. This is low end ethnic cafeteria food for mid-range, brickell area restaurant prices.
(1)
Jessica O.
Great empanadas made fresh. Just order ahead of time.
(4)
Hannah T.
Great food and good service! It was recommended by our Uber driver as great authentic Colombian food and it very much delivered on that! It was filled with locals and very happening when we went for dinner (around 8pm).
(5)
Abraham A.
Do not eat here!!!!! The service is the very worst. Also they are scam artists. The name of the restaurant is "el cartel" and it seems like one of the guys working here thinks he really is part of the cartel. Try your best to stay away. Especially if you plan on using a Restaurant special discount that is advertised. It seems like the staff is not aware of the regulations you need to fulfill for your discount. And they misguide you in order to try to scam you in the end.
(1)
Anna R.
I'm giving them a one star because of the delivery disaster I just went through. I ordered my food over the phone, had a lot of trouble, nachos are on there menu and I asked for an order of them and he told me they have never had nachos on their menu. I called when it had been an hour because they told me that it would be 45 minutes, it's a Friday night so I figured they would be busy. The guy on the phone said the delivery guy left ten minutes ago and should be here soon. Fast forward to now 1.5 hours after I ordered and called to check on the order. The guy on the phone told me that the delivery guy had car trouble and was 4 minutes away. Now it's been 2 hours and I called again to ask where the delivery guy was, but they told me that my address isn't correct? So we went over it and the guy had the apartment number wrong. Then a new person gets on the phone with me and tells me that the guy was in my apartment building but couldn't find the apartment. So after going back and fourth For the longest time they tell me that the delivery guy went back to the restaurant and that they are sending him back to bring me my super cold food. The guy on the phone told me it was his fault for the mix up and apologized. But they still had me pay the full price for the food. And was so cold and you can't really reheat a burger properly and it was not worth $38. Terrible. Will never order again and never care to actually go and sit at the restaurant.
(1)
Brianne M.
Disappointed to receive my burger without fries as the menu says "Cartel Burger$7.99 Beef with a fried egg, white cheese, yellow cheese, ham, tomato, lettuce, potato chips and bacon. Served with fries." Apparently it doesn't come with fries so update your menu and let your guests know. Would have bought the fries afterwards but didn't feel like waiting again.
(2)
Jeff J.
Dinner for 2. - Ambiance (2/5) It's not really fancy enough to be a lounge, but it doesn't quite feel like a sit down restaurant. So, it turns out feeling like a glorified cafeteria. - Service (4/5) Reasonably friendly the entire time, though service was a bit slow considering we were one of only two tables in the place. - Bread (N/A) - Jugo de Maracuya, $4 (5/5) Passionfruit smoothie was really delicious and not too sweet. - Empanadas, $7 (3/5) These were just ok. The inside was pretty mushy, and I couldn't decipher what was inside. - Mojarra Frita, $14 (2/5) Whole fried red snapper can be quite moist and delicious when cooked properly, but when executed poorly, it just ends up flavorless and dry. - Value (3/5) Considering you get a whole fish for $14, it's pretty good value. But then you factor in the sub-par empanadas, basically at more than $2 a pop... and the enthusiasm kind of goes away. - Final Word A rather forgettable experience. I'm a bit disappointed this was one of my meals during this business trip to Miami.
(2)
Lupe J.
Took about 45 minutes to get my food. Food is good but don't come hungry if you're not willing to wait for your food. Have had the fish and tilapia which are good. Again, the food is good but service is very poor.
(2)
Andy A.
Very disappointed. Got home from a long trip and just wanted good warm meal. After and hour and a half I called to make sure the online order was submitted, I was told that the delivery man had just left and should be there soon. I live 3 blocks away, 30 mins later still waiting... Finally an 2 hours after I placed my order the delivery man showed up with a bag of cold soggy food. Yummy!! Never again.
(1)
Amy L.
We ordered two arepas - one chicken and one steak. Without informing us, the waitress charged us four dollars for water. When the arepas came out, they were covered in unmelted packaged cheese and canned fries. The arepas themselves were so dry, it was difficult to swallow. The only redeeming quality about the meal was that the eggs were perfectly cooked.
(1)
Lesly R.
They are the reason why Miami businesses are getting a bad reputation. I place an order 16 minutes prior to them closing, when I came and got it. The guy was on his cell phone and then he scream at me that they close.... I really hate bad services. I am a programmer and I'm going to create an app where we can boycott bad services such as this one. These people think they can do and say anything they want to the puplic and everything should be o.k. It does not work that way.... Untill I receive an apology for your rudiness I am going to boycott your service. And that guy that work tonight at 3/23/23 9pm really need customer services lesson.
(1)
Ed G.
The food is really good, specially the ajiaco and the lomo salteado. but the service is horrible I've many times said I won't ever order from here but reality is it's the only joint that has ajiaco any day of the week close to Brickell. they should take some lessons in customer service specially the guy that takes the orders and the manager they seem to enjoy confrontation
(2)
Johnny S.
Very good authentic Columbian food. During the daytime their service is pretty quick and very attentive. The good thing was that the food was fresh and very tasteful. If you're in around the area and want to give Latin food a shot. Go here.
(4)
Nathalya G.
WORST DELIVERY SERVICE IN DOWNTOWN!!! I wish i could give this place 0 stars. My food never showed up they didn't even bother to call and cancel. I have to wait two hours, I called many times and they didn't pick up the phone. Horrible costumer service. The food is ok, there are many other Colombian restaurants with better service.
(1)
Sol S.
Horrrible service horrible good.. worst place ever to eat, there food is frozen. They take forever to bring the food, servers are eating crap at all times. music is too loud!!
(1)
Jorge D.
Food is really good and the delivery is usually very quick, but I ask for lemons every time I order a soup and they never send it. Not even a call to say they don't have. Update: ordered two more times, same thing I ask for something specific they confirmed it and never sent it ; when I call back to ask why or to demand they are sent they just say nothing could be done. Asked for a refund and was denied as well.
(1)
George E.
When we were seated we asked for two waters before we picked up our menus and started to decide what we would ordered. I was a bit surprised when our server brought two basic bottles of water at $2 a bottle. Even though I'm used to most restaurants just serving it for no charge I wasn't gonna make a fuss so we just took the $4 hit on our bill. Plus the complimentary chips and salsa already had me thirsty so I wasn't gonna wait the minute to ask for two glasses of water. The food was decent. We had an order of 3 empanadas for our appetizer which were delicious even if they were on the tiny side. As far as entrees the menu seemed very limited. We had an order of chicken cordon bleu and the chicken saltiado which contained more peppers than it did chicken. The staff was very attentive but sometimes it became annoying as we kept being checked up on every five or so minutes.
(3)
Talia G.
Food was GREAT so kudos to the chef !appetizer; the berracos were tasty with steak. The salmon and chicken cordon bleu were also very good plates. Service was fair and can use improvement. Although staff was very friendly and courteous. Overall OK.
(4)
Isidora E.
So today I called to place an order for delivery. As soon as somebody picked up the phone - we had a problem with communication because the person barely spoke any English. I understand that Spanish is very popular in Miami, but HEY - we are still in United States. English is a MUST! Very bad impression. So I called at 12pm and I was told that my food would come in 20-30 minutes. Okay. We live less than 10 minutes from the place and it should be fast. So my husband and I waited, and waited, and waited ... I decided to call back and the person told me that the food is "ALMOST THERE" . That was around 12:40pm. So we waited another 30 minutes and guess what ? The food never came. We got in a very bad mood, being hungry, waiting for the food more than 1 hour from the moment I called first. So we left the house, went to another restaurant and ate good. We went to the Gym and started to work out. GUESS WHAT ? At 1:45pm I got the call from the lobby that the food is there. WHAAAT ??? So they took 1 hour and 45 minutes to deliver the food ?! I started to laugh. That was ridiculous. Of course, we refused and will never call back again. BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE. BAD BUSINESS !!!
(1)
Kevin B.
Great food in this tiny place.
(4)
Terrell F.
Good Columbian. Right in the heart of historic Downtown Miami.
(4)
Michelle F.
This review is strictly for one amazing Colombian delicacy: berracos. I've gone to El Cartel a few times after critical mass and have always found myself chomping on berracos. They are soooo good! Extremely filling and satisfying! I 10000% recommend.
(4)
Sharon M.
While we were visiting Downtown Miami, we stopped in here to get some food. It was a small nicely laid out place. The food was pretty good. I had the chicken wrap and ordered a side of mixed veggies. My boyfriend had the grilled salmon which came with plantain chips and salad. Gratuity was already included in the bill (didn't like that) which is obviously customary in Miami. There was a slight language barrier that we somehow worked around, plus it was our waitresses 2nd day on the job. I would stop in again if I was in the area. The food was decently priced for what got.
(3)
Brian B.
Randomly came across this business and I must say it was a worthwhile experience. Not only was the service quite good but the dish I tried (the Cordon Blue), was delicious. The decor provided a nice relaxing environment for which I could enjoy my meal. I'd definitely go back and would definitely recommend this place to others.
(5)
Maria A.
I'm Colombian, and local, and was expecting a much more inviting tasty place. Service was awful, I had to get up and ask for service all the time, food was cold , not tasty, felt like i was served leftovers. I don't recommend this restaurant to anyone. I also saw the service to many foreigners and many people walked out without paying since there service was so terrible. One person left without paying their food.......I left very disappointed..... don't recommend this place to anyone
(1)
MICHELLE C.
We have driven past this place so many times and with the cute bistro tables outside and lime green umbrella's and powerful fans we decided to finally check it out. The inside has a very nice size bar and cool modern dining area. Although it was very hot outside we decided to sit outside because the fans were refreshing. Our waitress came over and was very friendly and ever so helpful with the menu as I could not decide what I wanted and kept asking her questions. She immediately pointed out three ice cold beers for $8.99, sure I could use a nice cold Heineken. Small beer menu but good prices. Then she said they have a special on three "Empanadas" one chicken one beef and one cheese for $2.99, so we ordered them. They have great cheap lunch specials, and dinner specials, very reasonable prices and good size portions. I ordered grilled chicken breast with three sides, I chose fries, steamed fresh vegetables and a salad. All for $10.99, when the plate came out it was a huge square white plate filled with my salad, plenty amazing steamed vegetables, nice fresh simple salad, and the grilled chicken was thin grilled to perfection, moist with great flavor. I can not even remember what hubby ordered because I was way to busy eating my delicious food and when I looked up his plate was wiped clean. Our waitress came over several times asking how everything was, refilling our water, she was great! Four stars for excellent friendly service, great reasonably priced Colombian food, this place put La Moon to shame, then again I have never been a fan at all. Open til 5 am on Friday's and Saturday's, with Breakfast specials as well. FREE WIFI BONUS! Great neighborhood restaurant, can't wait to have another great meal.
(4)
Larissa S.
Very disappoint! Horrible service. Not only they over charged us, the containers arrived broken. Plastic pieces inside the soup, who ever answers the phone has a horrible attitude and not to mention the delivery fee. The delivery guy requested for a tip when meanwhile they charge the delivery.
(1)
Naty S.
"El Cartel" The name is the best way to start this review... really? Following the Trend of all the Novelas on TV? Only good thing is that their food is good. Not amazing... But the extremely LOUD and unnecessary "Reggeaton" playing really loud and their "cartel" prices made my first experience the last. Really? I can't talk across the table because the music is coming out from every corner and the videos on TV just make it. I went with my niece for a Saturday breakfast and she couldn't even take the volume of the music and I shortly after had a stroke after I got a bill for $35 for some scrambled eggs, black berry juice and some arepas! Really people???? Not a good representative of Colombian taste and gastronomy! I wonder which market segment they are targeting?
(1)
Analise C.
shitty service. mediorce food. spend your money elsewhere.
(2)
Carlieny G.
This place is disgusting. Idiots work there. After buying a groupon I went here for lunch with the family. 25 minutes for waters. And when I asked for tap wayer they said they don't give people who use groupons water for free. We ordered after 45 minutes we asked for the manager. We asked what was going on and he said "Huh, I don't know I'm asking the girls. So we still waited after watching other people who arrived after us get their order first. We just got up and left. What a dump. Crappy food and even worse service.
(1)
Kevin C.
The steak and empanadas were delicious, and the servers were very nice. I sat outside on a Thursday night with my Colombian friend drinking Aguila beer, and she liked the food too and said it was authentic. The location isn't the greatest especially for dinner since it's downtown with practically no other nightlife besides Filling Station around the corner. Otherwise, I recommend.
(4)
Cam C.
I've been here a couple of times. Service needs improvement. The food is usually good, not consistently good though. I like the Maduro plate (be careful, sometimes the plantains are not good,) and the pollo salteado. I love an appetizer called Parceros (I think,) but the last time I was there, I didn't see it on the menu. The owner should renovate the place. The green and white decor is tacky. Oh! One last thing, the empanadas are very greasy.
(3)
Alison M.
Yum. I have to admit that since we moved to Miami that I've been a little wary of Latin food because I haven't really loved anything I've tried, but El Cartel just changed all that. This place is great. The food is super tasty, the portions are huge, everything is fresh, it's totally affordable and the women working there are super helpful and friendly. The only reason I'm not giving them 5 stars is because they have a crazy colored strobe light in there and until I switched tables to get out of it's line I felt like a was taking crazy pills. The BF and I ordered the churasco and a whole fried fish. Both came with sides, it was A LOT of food but everything was so good. I loved the rice. They also have delicious homemade sauces that went really well with dishes. I totally recommend checking out El Cartel.
(4)
Ashley M.
Really cute location that's open late in Downtown (a BIG plus). I've only been once so far and shared a cheese and beef stuffed plantain, however it was really good. Although, everything is wonderful with copious amounts of cheese, right? The service was really good, very friendly and surprisingly prompt for a late-night place. We visited them at around 11:00 PM on a Friday, and while there were a few other tables, they weren't packed. This is a great alternative to La Moon when you don't want the crowds and the wait. I'm looking forward to trying their perros.
(3)
Erin R.
So all the reviews about bad service DO NOT APPLY to my experience. My waitress was friendly, helpful and quick. On to the food. We got plantains covered with beef and chicken for apps, SO GOOD. I ordered lomo saldato for dinner which was different than the Peruvian preparation I'm used to, but was so tastey . Happy hour had 2 for 1 drinks. The drinks were weak sauce, but everything else gets a thumbs up from me
(4)
Lara P.
Empanadas tasted like the ones you can get in bogota, crispy without being greasy and full of flavor! Dont forget to order a jugo maracuya....tastes out of this world. I prefer mine "en agua" for the most refreshment. Decor is hip and helps straddle the cravings of authentic colombian food and a cool place to chill downtown. The whole place is spotless clean with friendly wait staff. I only wish the would turn down the music a few decibles as I did not see a dancefloor. The flashing disco lights turned on during daylight midmeal was quite unecessary in my humble opinion. My boyfriend scraped his plates clean and polished down a tres leches with by far the best cafe con leche in down town. Highlights: chicken poppas criollas AMAZING colombian empandas...crunchy, bite size and savooorrry fresh!! tostones could use some work and I wish they served the aji that they serve at San Pocho on 8th street, the green kind. Overall cant wait to come back and sample more delicious colombian fare.
(4)
Joseph D.
Great Columbian food at a good price in the downtown area. They are open late (6am on weekends), so if you're home it's great food for late night delivery.
(3)
Mike A.
I wish we tried the food. We waited 45 minutes with only 10 people in the restaurant and they never brought our food. It should not have taken more than 10 minutes for a cheeseburger and omelette. We will not be going back.
(1)
Alma R.
I was here yesterday with a friend after checking out the exhibit at the Miami Art Museum. When I first walked in I was drawn to all the green I saw. I ordered churrasco w/ rice, beans and maduros on the side. For dessert I had a maracuya dessert which was beyond delicious. The waitress Tiffany, from Ecuador was so sweet and genuine. The other waiters would always come around and ask how our meal was. Very happy I tried this place and would definitely recommend. Check out the pics of my meal and dessert
(4)
Carlos P.
Decided to check this place out after passing on it time after time. Ordered multiple appetizers (unfortunately I do not recall the names) which included the loaded sweet plantains (good) with chicken, loaded salty plantains (tasted overcooked/stale) and the chicken empanadas (not good at all, only had half of three). For the entree I ordered the grilled chicken, with rice and beans. Nothing really stood out. The only thing out of all this was that the sweet plantains appetizer (loaded with cheese, chicken, potato strings and some sauces) are really good, everything else, could have passed on. Also, though the server were nice, they were fairly slow. Don't see myself ever returning.
(2)
Gloria A.
I've been to this place a few times mostly because it's so close to my office and it beats having the downtown lunch staples of sandwich/soup and soup/salad combinations on a daily basis. With that being said, most of the time the service is slow. I mean it's the downtown lunch rush so the ladies should have a little more hustle. I have seen people leave without even seeing the menu because they haven't even been acknowledged. Heck even I have gotten up and left after waiting 15 minutes for a soda. The food isn't horrible but it's not the greatest either: 1. Empanadas are sometimes cold in the middle - I understand they are pre-made and cooked when they are ordered but get a timer people. 2. Daily specials - reasonable price for salad, rice, beans, meat and beans for $6.95 but it's pre-made and sits on what should be a hot buffet table which means it should be HOT! I've had to send my meal back to request that it be heated up. 3. Music - it's nice to have some background noise but it should be at a decent level, if I have to scream to talk to the person I'm with or so the waitress can hear my order it means it's too loud!
(2)
Jacob B.
The place is fine, but the food and sevice is bad, french fries seemed to be old, the "picada" had more potatoes than meet and it took forever to be served. There were like 6 servers that day, the restaurant wasn't full and they were very slow. The empanadas weren't 100% bad but greasy. I wouldn't recommend this place at all.
(1)
E F.
This review is based on a carry-out order made via LivingSocial. I ordered a few small items to try, and each was very affordable and excellent. I also got the tres leche and that is the only thing I was not as pleased with because it appearred to be a pre-packaged item in individual packages. The food was ready for me when I got there and the waitress was very nice and helped me immediately. I didn't have to wait around. A friend told me she ate there with some colleagues and the dine-in service was terrible. I don't think I'll ever go there to eat, especially during my lunch hour at work, but I know however I will be ordering carry-out from them again!
(4)
Jake W.
SERVICE SUCKS!!!! Had the food here before and enjoyed it, went today and got up and left before ordering due to the rotten service. I am not sure why you would staff a restaurant with such rude rude rude rude rude slow slow slow slow slow service. We got up and went to La Moon instead where we found great food, great outdoor seating, and fantastic service!! The maduro at el cartel is good but not good enough to put up with the piss poor service!
(1)
Mog C.
On a Sunday morning at 11am, Will R. was craving empanadas and not wanting to drive, we headed to Half Moon empanadas after checking reviews, only to find it not opened yet. El Cartel was next door and after seeing they also had empanadas, we sat down at a curbside table. The menu is pretty substantial and the offerings numerous enough that it took us a little while to decide on what to order. With reasonable drink specials (buckets of 3 beers for $8?) and Latin music playing loudly, I found myself swaying to the music in no time, forgetting about everything else. If only, it could have stayed that way. We ended up ordering three empanadas (2 beef, 1 chicken) for appetizers and an arepa rellena de pollo (pulled chicken sandwich) as well as a Churrasco (grilled steak) to share. Unfortunately, there was something definitely off that day with the cook/kitchen. Another table had ordered empanadas as well and when our two orders arrived, they sounded the alarm about the empanadas still being frozen inside. About to put a mouthful in my mouth, the waitress stopped us to check whether ours were the same way. Indeed they were. As she took them back inside, we continued watching the latin music videos and drinking more. When the empanadas arrived again 10 minutes later, this time at the same time as our main meal, we were preparing yet again to dig in when the other couple again found these empanadas to be frozen on the inside. By now, Will R. was starving and as he cut into our empanadas, he kept two that were cold but not frozen and sent the third back. The waitress was apologetic but obviously, it was the fault of the kitchen. Why frying times are not timed or why the empanadas were not at least checked the second time around is unforgivable. The Arepa Rellena de Pollo was good (though by this point, I was starving so I probably wasn't completely rational). The steak, which was an unevenly thin steak ordered medium as recommended by the waitress came with parts that were medium and parts that were rare, again showing the inability of whoever was cooking that day. The steak was definitely the best part of our meal but that was because Will R. happens to prefers his steak medium and I prefer mine rare. We had actually asked for medium rare but our waitress had suggested that the churrasco was best served medium. While the steak was the saving grace of our experience here, it was more by luck than due to the prowess of the kitchen. As such, I can't recommend this place, especially on the weekends. Price wise, this was reasonable. Our waitress was very nice. This place might just be better during the work week.
(3)
Yuni E.
All I can say is that the arepas,empanadas and batidos are really good,great price too if you just need to grab a quick bite,this is definitely the place to go.
(4)
Drew M.
I was in town and was not able to stay in my usual hotel, and ended up at the Courtyard downtown. This was about the only place still open. I had the bistec and a tasty Columbian beer. Service was good, food was really great. Only bad thing is, they don't take Amex, so I could not use my company charge card.
(4)
Michelle S.
I have mixed feeling about this place. We were in Miami for Ultra Fest and it was right by our hotel. The service is down right awful, We had to get up and go find the waitress numerous times on our own, the food took forever to come, they forgot part of our order, however when the food did come the first day is was BEYOND DELICIOUS. So delicious that we over looked how terrible the waitress service was and went back there the next day. The next day it was a repeat of the same bad service and the food was not as good the second time around (we ordered the same things also), so maybe it was just a really good chef the first time we went. A few other comments, the house music they played the whole time was awesome. The staff includes tip on the bill (or at least they did for us, we were a party of 6 so maybe thats why) so it wasn't like we had an option to tip less for the terrible service. The prices aren't bad at all.
(3)
Joseluis A.
el cartel. my least favorite thing about this place is its name. everything else was very good in my opinion. me and some friends came here right after a night of heavy drinking at pub one. i lie, we only had one drink each but i wanted to sound badass. el cartel was busy, lots of clients. i was there with a group of friends, we were five in total. we sat inside and we got menus immediately. we shared, una picada. which is a lot of grilled meats, tostones, blood sausage.. you get the idea. we also got tostoned topped with melted cheese and sauces and the mazorca. not the healthiest meal of the day but certainly very tasty stuff and sometimes you just have to sacrifice. prices are good, our bill was about $45 and we were all full. el cartel is an alternative for those who live in the neighborhood instead of la moon.
(4)
Cena H.
First of all, I'm not Latino, I'm Anglo. My review should state that. Mozzarella sticks were some of the best I've had. The "big Wings" were absolutely the smallest I have ever seen in my life! I had the "bandeja paisa carne asada"' which the waiter told me was best seller and I hated it. The beef steak is thin and dry, the sausages were overlooked, the hard plantains were nasty, the fried egg over rice was overcooked and not runny, the beans lacked in flavor and complexity. The margarita was good and service pleasant. Maybe I don't like Columbian cooking.
(2)
Seb W.
This place is about as good as a small trash bag on top of a large trash bag. The quality was atrocious. They win an award for being the worst Colombian place in town. I am pretty sure the pincho I ate was made of gato or caballo because I think the gato would be more suave.
(1)
Peter S.
We've been ordering delivery from here for a while and usually get the classics (e.g. lomo saltado, etc), but you have to go by and eat in person. This way you venture out and try some of their dishes that you wouldn't necessarily order out for delivery. Although not particularly healthy, they are very very tastey - try their fried plantain dishes, their columbian hot dogs, and crispy pork.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Very Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Gloria A.
I've been to this place a few times mostly because it's so close to my office and it beats having the downtown lunch staples of sandwich/soup and soup/salad combinations on a daily basis. With that being said, most of the time the service is slow. I mean it's the downtown lunch rush so the ladies should have a little more hustle. I have seen people leave without even seeing the menu because they haven't even been acknowledged. Heck even I have gotten up and left after waiting 15 minutes for a soda. The food isn't horrible but it's not the greatest either: 1. Empanadas are sometimes cold in the middle - I understand they are pre-made and cooked when they are ordered but get a timer people. 2. Daily specials - reasonable price for salad, rice, beans, meat and beans for $6.95 but it's pre-made and sits on what should be a hot buffet table which means it should be HOT! I've had to send my meal back to request that it be heated up. 3. Music - it's nice to have some background noise but it should be at a decent level, if I have to scream to talk to the person I'm with or so the waitress can hear my order it means it's too loud!
(2)Jacob B.
The place is fine, but the food and sevice is bad, french fries seemed to be old, the "picada" had more potatoes than meet and it took forever to be served. There were like 6 servers that day, the restaurant wasn't full and they were very slow. The empanadas weren't 100% bad but greasy. I wouldn't recommend this place at all.
(1)Sari M.
The food and the price so good... the only thing not comfortable are the spot light on the wall on the top of the entry door, so if you seat on the booth side that spot light will against your eyes, with loud music and those very bright spot light will disturbing your dinner. I felt like eat on the noisy bar because of that light. Make inside looks cheap.
(3)Alex g.
The food didnt have much flavor. I say La Moon is a much better Colombian place for those who reside in the brickell area/ I personally had the El Cartel burger and it didnt have much taste. My wife had the calamari and it wasent much. We spent $30 for dinner which really wasent worth it.
(2)E F.
This review is based on a carry-out order made via LivingSocial. I ordered a few small items to try, and each was very affordable and excellent. I also got the tres leche and that is the only thing I was not as pleased with because it appearred to be a pre-packaged item in individual packages. The food was ready for me when I got there and the waitress was very nice and helped me immediately. I didn't have to wait around. A friend told me she ate there with some colleagues and the dine-in service was terrible. I don't think I'll ever go there to eat, especially during my lunch hour at work, but I know however I will be ordering carry-out from them again!
(4)Jake W.
SERVICE SUCKS!!!! Had the food here before and enjoyed it, went today and got up and left before ordering due to the rotten service. I am not sure why you would staff a restaurant with such rude rude rude rude rude slow slow slow slow slow service. We got up and went to La Moon instead where we found great food, great outdoor seating, and fantastic service!! The maduro at el cartel is good but not good enough to put up with the piss poor service!
(1)Alvaro A.
First and last time. I am from Colombia so I know what good Colombian food is. This is place is not only way over priced but the food also leaves a lot to be desired. I had the Ajiaco today and it was salty, watery and it had almost no chicken in it. I told the waitress about it and She was totally careless. El Cartel never again !!
(1)Gamaliel O.
My wife and I were in Miami for a vacation and as always, new food is part of traveling for us. I was specifically looking for hispanic food and the outdoor seating was very inviting. The menu offered lots of options from beef, chicken, fish, etc. The service was extremely friendly, the food tasted amazing, portions were perfect, great price. They happened to be running a 2 for 1 drink special, which we took advantage of. For an appetizer, we had empanadas - 3 for only 2.50. Great bargain. For dinner, my wife had the vegetarian plate and absolutely loved it. I had the steak with onions and again, loved it. Dessert consisted of flan and molten chocolate cake. Overall, our favorite restaurant on our trip!
(5)Yang Y.
good seafood and steak,good mango juice.
(5)Vivian P.
THis place is giving La Moon a run for their money- IMO. the empanadas (YUMMM) even the chicken ones. Stuffed arepas DELISH, Patacon with steak fingerlickin good, bucket of beers 3 for $7- a steal! We sat outside so atmosphere was nice, inside seemed fun but a bit loud. The girls servicing us were all super sweet and friendly. Another great local spot in downtown. ANDDD they DELIVER! Go check it out!
(4)Mog C.
On a Sunday morning at 11am, Will R. was craving empanadas and not wanting to drive, we headed to Half Moon empanadas after checking reviews, only to find it not opened yet. El Cartel was next door and after seeing they also had empanadas, we sat down at a curbside table. The menu is pretty substantial and the offerings numerous enough that it took us a little while to decide on what to order. With reasonable drink specials (buckets of 3 beers for $8?) and Latin music playing loudly, I found myself swaying to the music in no time, forgetting about everything else. If only, it could have stayed that way. We ended up ordering three empanadas (2 beef, 1 chicken) for appetizers and an arepa rellena de pollo (pulled chicken sandwich) as well as a Churrasco (grilled steak) to share. Unfortunately, there was something definitely off that day with the cook/kitchen. Another table had ordered empanadas as well and when our two orders arrived, they sounded the alarm about the empanadas still being frozen inside. About to put a mouthful in my mouth, the waitress stopped us to check whether ours were the same way. Indeed they were. As she took them back inside, we continued watching the latin music videos and drinking more. When the empanadas arrived again 10 minutes later, this time at the same time as our main meal, we were preparing yet again to dig in when the other couple again found these empanadas to be frozen on the inside. By now, Will R. was starving and as he cut into our empanadas, he kept two that were cold but not frozen and sent the third back. The waitress was apologetic but obviously, it was the fault of the kitchen. Why frying times are not timed or why the empanadas were not at least checked the second time around is unforgivable. The Arepa Rellena de Pollo was good (though by this point, I was starving so I probably wasn't completely rational). The steak, which was an unevenly thin steak ordered medium as recommended by the waitress came with parts that were medium and parts that were rare, again showing the inability of whoever was cooking that day. The steak was definitely the best part of our meal but that was because Will R. happens to prefers his steak medium and I prefer mine rare. We had actually asked for medium rare but our waitress had suggested that the churrasco was best served medium. While the steak was the saving grace of our experience here, it was more by luck than due to the prowess of the kitchen. As such, I can't recommend this place, especially on the weekends. Price wise, this was reasonable. Our waitress was very nice. This place might just be better during the work week.
(3)Yuni E.
All I can say is that the arepas,empanadas and batidos are really good,great price too if you just need to grab a quick bite,this is definitely the place to go.
(4)Drew M.
I was in town and was not able to stay in my usual hotel, and ended up at the Courtyard downtown. This was about the only place still open. I had the bistec and a tasty Columbian beer. Service was good, food was really great. Only bad thing is, they don't take Amex, so I could not use my company charge card.
(4)Michelle S.
I have mixed feeling about this place. We were in Miami for Ultra Fest and it was right by our hotel. The service is down right awful, We had to get up and go find the waitress numerous times on our own, the food took forever to come, they forgot part of our order, however when the food did come the first day is was BEYOND DELICIOUS. So delicious that we over looked how terrible the waitress service was and went back there the next day. The next day it was a repeat of the same bad service and the food was not as good the second time around (we ordered the same things also), so maybe it was just a really good chef the first time we went. A few other comments, the house music they played the whole time was awesome. The staff includes tip on the bill (or at least they did for us, we were a party of 6 so maybe thats why) so it wasn't like we had an option to tip less for the terrible service. The prices aren't bad at all.
(3)Albert C.
Great first experience of Columbian food during our family travel to Miami. The staff were very friendly and the food were delicious with generous portion and reasonably priced.
(5)Dan S.
food was over cooked, took 2 hours to deliver and even if you go to the restaurant you have to wait an hour on the table
(5)Peter S.
We've been ordering delivery from here for a while and usually get the classics (e.g. lomo saltado, etc), but you have to go by and eat in person. This way you venture out and try some of their dishes that you wouldn't necessarily order out for delivery. Although not particularly healthy, they are very very tastey - try their fried plantain dishes, their columbian hot dogs, and crispy pork.
(4)Joseluis A.
el cartel. my least favorite thing about this place is its name. everything else was very good in my opinion. me and some friends came here right after a night of heavy drinking at pub one. i lie, we only had one drink each but i wanted to sound badass. el cartel was busy, lots of clients. i was there with a group of friends, we were five in total. we sat inside and we got menus immediately. we shared, una picada. which is a lot of grilled meats, tostones, blood sausage.. you get the idea. we also got tostoned topped with melted cheese and sauces and the mazorca. not the healthiest meal of the day but certainly very tasty stuff and sometimes you just have to sacrifice. prices are good, our bill was about $45 and we were all full. el cartel is an alternative for those who live in the neighborhood instead of la moon.
(4)Cena H.
First of all, I'm not Latino, I'm Anglo. My review should state that. Mozzarella sticks were some of the best I've had. The "big Wings" were absolutely the smallest I have ever seen in my life! I had the "bandeja paisa carne asada"' which the waiter told me was best seller and I hated it. The beef steak is thin and dry, the sausages were overlooked, the hard plantains were nasty, the fried egg over rice was overcooked and not runny, the beans lacked in flavor and complexity. The margarita was good and service pleasant. Maybe I don't like Columbian cooking.
(2)Seb W.
This place is about as good as a small trash bag on top of a large trash bag. The quality was atrocious. They win an award for being the worst Colombian place in town. I am pretty sure the pincho I ate was made of gato or caballo because I think the gato would be more suave.
(1)Andres S.
We had seen this place a couple of times as we drove by, and being the Colombian Food lovers that we are, we decided it was time to give it a try. Let me first say that the place (decor) is very nice and modern, even the menu design is quite appealing. We ordered a couple of Maracuya juices and they were great, but that was possible the highlight of our meal. Then we ordered a cheese finger or tequeño, some chicharrones, and some maicitos con queso. The tequeño (cheese finger) was seriously undercooked, and when we pointed this out to our waitress she took it back, only to come back with another undercooked tequeño but this time with less cheese, we couldn't eat the damn thing. The chicharrones were quite good, well cooked and tasty. But the maicitos con queso were simply sub-par and not up to the challenge. We ordered some pineapple sauce which to our surprise turned out to be some brown concoction with a weird cinnamon/clove taste, quite terrible. Then we also ordered some patacones and sweet plantains with cheese and chicken. The first ones were uninteresting, the beef filling had a strong cumin taste. And the sweet plantains were quite good. Overall, it was a mediocre experience, I think this place really needs to step it up if they want to compete with the big boys like La Moon and Los Perros, but from what we saw and tasted that day, this place will not be around for long.
(2)Jack W.
Other yelpers negative reviews and complaints about price nearly scared me away. But this was the only place open in the neighborhood, so I took a chance. The food was delicious and the portions generous - I had the trio of empanadas and an arepa is cheese (not on the menu but they made it at my request). A third item, nothing wrong with it but i didn't like so she took it off my bill. I think the pricing is reasonable, especially for downtown Miami. I love Aguila beer!
(5)Walter A.
Delivery menu is overpriced considering the quality, and the food was poor. Ordered a churrasco with fries. The steak was tough, stringy and tasted greasy - unlike any of the delicious churrascos I've had at countless local colombian and argentinian restaurants for far less money. Steak, fries and a dessert set me back $30 after delivery fee and tip. Make it $5.99 and I might consider it a fair value if you're starving and nothing else is open. This is low end ethnic cafeteria food for mid-range, brickell area restaurant prices.
(1)Jessica O.
Great empanadas made fresh. Just order ahead of time.
(4)Sep N.
I usually come here for breakfast. Good stuff. But I just came for lunch and everything was bad or mediocre at best. Picada, yuca, frijoles all no good. Stay away for anything but breakfast. Oh, and the servers are very nice and sweet but not good. I don't like to be negative but the truth will set us free....
(3)George H.
Excellent Colombian restaurant , everything is very clean , nice music , service is good, the food is really good and cool beer , the lady's Lily and Tiffany are really nice and pretty's .
(5)J.J A.
Im from NY where we have a lot of Columbian restaurants and I have to say I love this place. The first time I was in Miami I just stumbled upon this place as it was close to our hotel. I loved it right away. The staff were all very nice, the food was sooooo affordable and delicious. I loved it so much the next time I was vacationing in Miami I went again. If you want authentic Colombian food at a bargain with a relax atmosphere this is your place.
(4)Max C.
I give El Cartel 5 stars based on value and service. I ate a tasty churrasco and drank a refreshing Maracuya while watching fun music videos on their flatscreens. The meal was authentic and reminiscent of a traditional meal in Colombia. The place was immaculate and the staff was super friendly.
(5)Alexandra G.
Worst meal I've paid for in a long time, if not ever. Paid 50$ for 2 people and the only good thing was the Aguila and the empanadas were mediocre/overcooked. We also ordered berracos which were ok. The club sandwich and Hawaiian perro,un-edible. Terrible qualityof ingredients all around. I feel like throwing up. Never going back there and I live around the corner. Also the music was ridiculously loud.
(1)Christian S.
I have gone here twice now. After my first visit I knew I had to come back. El Cartel has a great atmosphere, fun servers, and fantastic food! So far my favorite is the arepa con pollo but my friends loved their dishes as well. Give it a try and I'm sure you'll love it too.
(5)Kew R.
Food was good. Deliver is slow but thats Miami
(4)Gamaliel O.
My wife and I were in Miami for a vacation and as always, new food is part of traveling for us. I was specifically looking for hispanic food and the outdoor seating was very inviting. The menu offered lots of options from beef, chicken, fish, etc. The service was extremely friendly, the food tasted amazing, portions were perfect, great price. They happened to be running a 2 for 1 drink special, which we took advantage of. For an appetizer, we had empanadas - 3 for only 2.50. Great bargain. For dinner, my wife had the vegetarian plate and absolutely loved it. I had the steak with onions and again, loved it. Dessert consisted of flan and molten chocolate cake. Overall, our favorite restaurant on our trip!
(5)Yang Y.
good seafood and steak,good mango juice.
(5)Vivian P.
THis place is giving La Moon a run for their money- IMO. the empanadas (YUMMM) even the chicken ones. Stuffed arepas DELISH, Patacon with steak fingerlickin good, bucket of beers 3 for $7- a steal! We sat outside so atmosphere was nice, inside seemed fun but a bit loud. The girls servicing us were all super sweet and friendly. Another great local spot in downtown. ANDDD they DELIVER! Go check it out!
(4)Sari M.
The food and the price so good... the only thing not comfortable are the spot light on the wall on the top of the entry door, so if you seat on the booth side that spot light will against your eyes, with loud music and those very bright spot light will disturbing your dinner. I felt like eat on the noisy bar because of that light. Make inside looks cheap.
(3)Alex g.
The food didnt have much flavor. I say La Moon is a much better Colombian place for those who reside in the brickell area/ I personally had the El Cartel burger and it didnt have much taste. My wife had the calamari and it wasent much. We spent $30 for dinner which really wasent worth it.
(2)Albert C.
Great first experience of Columbian food during our family travel to Miami. The staff were very friendly and the food were delicious with generous portion and reasonably priced.
(5)Dan S.
food was over cooked, took 2 hours to deliver and even if you go to the restaurant you have to wait an hour on the table
(5)Sep N.
I usually come here for breakfast. Good stuff. But I just came for lunch and everything was bad or mediocre at best. Picada, yuca, frijoles all no good. Stay away for anything but breakfast. Oh, and the servers are very nice and sweet but not good. I don't like to be negative but the truth will set us free....
(3)George H.
Excellent Colombian restaurant , everything is very clean , nice music , service is good, the food is really good and cool beer , the lady's Lily and Tiffany are really nice and pretty's .
(5)Alvaro A.
First and last time. I am from Colombia so I know what good Colombian food is. This is place is not only way over priced but the food also leaves a lot to be desired. I had the Ajiaco today and it was salty, watery and it had almost no chicken in it. I told the waitress about it and She was totally careless. El Cartel never again !!
(1)J.J A.
Im from NY where we have a lot of Columbian restaurants and I have to say I love this place. The first time I was in Miami I just stumbled upon this place as it was close to our hotel. I loved it right away. The staff were all very nice, the food was sooooo affordable and delicious. I loved it so much the next time I was vacationing in Miami I went again. If you want authentic Colombian food at a bargain with a relax atmosphere this is your place.
(4)Max C.
I give El Cartel 5 stars based on value and service. I ate a tasty churrasco and drank a refreshing Maracuya while watching fun music videos on their flatscreens. The meal was authentic and reminiscent of a traditional meal in Colombia. The place was immaculate and the staff was super friendly.
(5)Andres S.
We had seen this place a couple of times as we drove by, and being the Colombian Food lovers that we are, we decided it was time to give it a try. Let me first say that the place (decor) is very nice and modern, even the menu design is quite appealing. We ordered a couple of Maracuya juices and they were great, but that was possible the highlight of our meal. Then we ordered a cheese finger or tequeño, some chicharrones, and some maicitos con queso. The tequeño (cheese finger) was seriously undercooked, and when we pointed this out to our waitress she took it back, only to come back with another undercooked tequeño but this time with less cheese, we couldn't eat the damn thing. The chicharrones were quite good, well cooked and tasty. But the maicitos con queso were simply sub-par and not up to the challenge. We ordered some pineapple sauce which to our surprise turned out to be some brown concoction with a weird cinnamon/clove taste, quite terrible. Then we also ordered some patacones and sweet plantains with cheese and chicken. The first ones were uninteresting, the beef filling had a strong cumin taste. And the sweet plantains were quite good. Overall, it was a mediocre experience, I think this place really needs to step it up if they want to compete with the big boys like La Moon and Los Perros, but from what we saw and tasted that day, this place will not be around for long.
(2)Jack W.
Other yelpers negative reviews and complaints about price nearly scared me away. But this was the only place open in the neighborhood, so I took a chance. The food was delicious and the portions generous - I had the trio of empanadas and an arepa is cheese (not on the menu but they made it at my request). A third item, nothing wrong with it but i didn't like so she took it off my bill. I think the pricing is reasonable, especially for downtown Miami. I love Aguila beer!
(5)Walter A.
Delivery menu is overpriced considering the quality, and the food was poor. Ordered a churrasco with fries. The steak was tough, stringy and tasted greasy - unlike any of the delicious churrascos I've had at countless local colombian and argentinian restaurants for far less money. Steak, fries and a dessert set me back $30 after delivery fee and tip. Make it $5.99 and I might consider it a fair value if you're starving and nothing else is open. This is low end ethnic cafeteria food for mid-range, brickell area restaurant prices.
(1)Jessica O.
Great empanadas made fresh. Just order ahead of time.
(4)Hannah T.
Great food and good service! It was recommended by our Uber driver as great authentic Colombian food and it very much delivered on that! It was filled with locals and very happening when we went for dinner (around 8pm).
(5)Abraham A.
Do not eat here!!!!! The service is the very worst. Also they are scam artists. The name of the restaurant is "el cartel" and it seems like one of the guys working here thinks he really is part of the cartel. Try your best to stay away. Especially if you plan on using a Restaurant special discount that is advertised. It seems like the staff is not aware of the regulations you need to fulfill for your discount. And they misguide you in order to try to scam you in the end.
(1)Anna R.
I'm giving them a one star because of the delivery disaster I just went through. I ordered my food over the phone, had a lot of trouble, nachos are on there menu and I asked for an order of them and he told me they have never had nachos on their menu. I called when it had been an hour because they told me that it would be 45 minutes, it's a Friday night so I figured they would be busy. The guy on the phone said the delivery guy left ten minutes ago and should be here soon. Fast forward to now 1.5 hours after I ordered and called to check on the order. The guy on the phone told me that the delivery guy had car trouble and was 4 minutes away. Now it's been 2 hours and I called again to ask where the delivery guy was, but they told me that my address isn't correct? So we went over it and the guy had the apartment number wrong. Then a new person gets on the phone with me and tells me that the guy was in my apartment building but couldn't find the apartment. So after going back and fourth For the longest time they tell me that the delivery guy went back to the restaurant and that they are sending him back to bring me my super cold food. The guy on the phone told me it was his fault for the mix up and apologized. But they still had me pay the full price for the food. And was so cold and you can't really reheat a burger properly and it was not worth $38. Terrible. Will never order again and never care to actually go and sit at the restaurant.
(1)Brianne M.
Disappointed to receive my burger without fries as the menu says "Cartel Burger$7.99 Beef with a fried egg, white cheese, yellow cheese, ham, tomato, lettuce, potato chips and bacon. Served with fries." Apparently it doesn't come with fries so update your menu and let your guests know. Would have bought the fries afterwards but didn't feel like waiting again.
(2)Jeff J.
Dinner for 2. - Ambiance (2/5) It's not really fancy enough to be a lounge, but it doesn't quite feel like a sit down restaurant. So, it turns out feeling like a glorified cafeteria. - Service (4/5) Reasonably friendly the entire time, though service was a bit slow considering we were one of only two tables in the place. - Bread (N/A) - Jugo de Maracuya, $4 (5/5) Passionfruit smoothie was really delicious and not too sweet. - Empanadas, $7 (3/5) These were just ok. The inside was pretty mushy, and I couldn't decipher what was inside. - Mojarra Frita, $14 (2/5) Whole fried red snapper can be quite moist and delicious when cooked properly, but when executed poorly, it just ends up flavorless and dry. - Value (3/5) Considering you get a whole fish for $14, it's pretty good value. But then you factor in the sub-par empanadas, basically at more than $2 a pop... and the enthusiasm kind of goes away. - Final Word A rather forgettable experience. I'm a bit disappointed this was one of my meals during this business trip to Miami.
(2)Lupe J.
Took about 45 minutes to get my food. Food is good but don't come hungry if you're not willing to wait for your food. Have had the fish and tilapia which are good. Again, the food is good but service is very poor.
(2)Andy A.
Very disappointed. Got home from a long trip and just wanted good warm meal. After and hour and a half I called to make sure the online order was submitted, I was told that the delivery man had just left and should be there soon. I live 3 blocks away, 30 mins later still waiting... Finally an 2 hours after I placed my order the delivery man showed up with a bag of cold soggy food. Yummy!! Never again.
(1)Amy L.
We ordered two arepas - one chicken and one steak. Without informing us, the waitress charged us four dollars for water. When the arepas came out, they were covered in unmelted packaged cheese and canned fries. The arepas themselves were so dry, it was difficult to swallow. The only redeeming quality about the meal was that the eggs were perfectly cooked.
(1)Lesly R.
They are the reason why Miami businesses are getting a bad reputation. I place an order 16 minutes prior to them closing, when I came and got it. The guy was on his cell phone and then he scream at me that they close.... I really hate bad services. I am a programmer and I'm going to create an app where we can boycott bad services such as this one. These people think they can do and say anything they want to the puplic and everything should be o.k. It does not work that way.... Untill I receive an apology for your rudiness I am going to boycott your service. And that guy that work tonight at 3/23/23 9pm really need customer services lesson.
(1)Ed G.
The food is really good, specially the ajiaco and the lomo salteado. but the service is horrible I've many times said I won't ever order from here but reality is it's the only joint that has ajiaco any day of the week close to Brickell. they should take some lessons in customer service specially the guy that takes the orders and the manager they seem to enjoy confrontation
(2)Johnny S.
Very good authentic Columbian food. During the daytime their service is pretty quick and very attentive. The good thing was that the food was fresh and very tasteful. If you're in around the area and want to give Latin food a shot. Go here.
(4)Nathalya G.
WORST DELIVERY SERVICE IN DOWNTOWN!!! I wish i could give this place 0 stars. My food never showed up they didn't even bother to call and cancel. I have to wait two hours, I called many times and they didn't pick up the phone. Horrible costumer service. The food is ok, there are many other Colombian restaurants with better service.
(1)Sol S.
Horrrible service horrible good.. worst place ever to eat, there food is frozen. They take forever to bring the food, servers are eating crap at all times. music is too loud!!
(1)Jorge D.
Food is really good and the delivery is usually very quick, but I ask for lemons every time I order a soup and they never send it. Not even a call to say they don't have. Update: ordered two more times, same thing I ask for something specific they confirmed it and never sent it ; when I call back to ask why or to demand they are sent they just say nothing could be done. Asked for a refund and was denied as well.
(1)George E.
When we were seated we asked for two waters before we picked up our menus and started to decide what we would ordered. I was a bit surprised when our server brought two basic bottles of water at $2 a bottle. Even though I'm used to most restaurants just serving it for no charge I wasn't gonna make a fuss so we just took the $4 hit on our bill. Plus the complimentary chips and salsa already had me thirsty so I wasn't gonna wait the minute to ask for two glasses of water. The food was decent. We had an order of 3 empanadas for our appetizer which were delicious even if they were on the tiny side. As far as entrees the menu seemed very limited. We had an order of chicken cordon bleu and the chicken saltiado which contained more peppers than it did chicken. The staff was very attentive but sometimes it became annoying as we kept being checked up on every five or so minutes.
(3)Talia G.
Food was GREAT so kudos to the chef !appetizer; the berracos were tasty with steak. The salmon and chicken cordon bleu were also very good plates. Service was fair and can use improvement. Although staff was very friendly and courteous. Overall OK.
(4)Isidora E.
So today I called to place an order for delivery. As soon as somebody picked up the phone - we had a problem with communication because the person barely spoke any English. I understand that Spanish is very popular in Miami, but HEY - we are still in United States. English is a MUST! Very bad impression. So I called at 12pm and I was told that my food would come in 20-30 minutes. Okay. We live less than 10 minutes from the place and it should be fast. So my husband and I waited, and waited, and waited ... I decided to call back and the person told me that the food is "ALMOST THERE" . That was around 12:40pm. So we waited another 30 minutes and guess what ? The food never came. We got in a very bad mood, being hungry, waiting for the food more than 1 hour from the moment I called first. So we left the house, went to another restaurant and ate good. We went to the Gym and started to work out. GUESS WHAT ? At 1:45pm I got the call from the lobby that the food is there. WHAAAT ??? So they took 1 hour and 45 minutes to deliver the food ?! I started to laugh. That was ridiculous. Of course, we refused and will never call back again. BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE. BAD BUSINESS !!!
(1)Kevin B.
Great food in this tiny place.
(4)Terrell F.
Good Columbian. Right in the heart of historic Downtown Miami.
(4)Michelle F.
This review is strictly for one amazing Colombian delicacy: berracos. I've gone to El Cartel a few times after critical mass and have always found myself chomping on berracos. They are soooo good! Extremely filling and satisfying! I 10000% recommend.
(4)Sharon M.
While we were visiting Downtown Miami, we stopped in here to get some food. It was a small nicely laid out place. The food was pretty good. I had the chicken wrap and ordered a side of mixed veggies. My boyfriend had the grilled salmon which came with plantain chips and salad. Gratuity was already included in the bill (didn't like that) which is obviously customary in Miami. There was a slight language barrier that we somehow worked around, plus it was our waitresses 2nd day on the job. I would stop in again if I was in the area. The food was decently priced for what got.
(3)Brian B.
Randomly came across this business and I must say it was a worthwhile experience. Not only was the service quite good but the dish I tried (the Cordon Blue), was delicious. The decor provided a nice relaxing environment for which I could enjoy my meal. I'd definitely go back and would definitely recommend this place to others.
(5)Maria A.
I'm Colombian, and local, and was expecting a much more inviting tasty place. Service was awful, I had to get up and ask for service all the time, food was cold , not tasty, felt like i was served leftovers. I don't recommend this restaurant to anyone. I also saw the service to many foreigners and many people walked out without paying since there service was so terrible. One person left without paying their food.......I left very disappointed..... don't recommend this place to anyone
(1)MICHELLE C.
We have driven past this place so many times and with the cute bistro tables outside and lime green umbrella's and powerful fans we decided to finally check it out. The inside has a very nice size bar and cool modern dining area. Although it was very hot outside we decided to sit outside because the fans were refreshing. Our waitress came over and was very friendly and ever so helpful with the menu as I could not decide what I wanted and kept asking her questions. She immediately pointed out three ice cold beers for $8.99, sure I could use a nice cold Heineken. Small beer menu but good prices. Then she said they have a special on three "Empanadas" one chicken one beef and one cheese for $2.99, so we ordered them. They have great cheap lunch specials, and dinner specials, very reasonable prices and good size portions. I ordered grilled chicken breast with three sides, I chose fries, steamed fresh vegetables and a salad. All for $10.99, when the plate came out it was a huge square white plate filled with my salad, plenty amazing steamed vegetables, nice fresh simple salad, and the grilled chicken was thin grilled to perfection, moist with great flavor. I can not even remember what hubby ordered because I was way to busy eating my delicious food and when I looked up his plate was wiped clean. Our waitress came over several times asking how everything was, refilling our water, she was great! Four stars for excellent friendly service, great reasonably priced Colombian food, this place put La Moon to shame, then again I have never been a fan at all. Open til 5 am on Friday's and Saturday's, with Breakfast specials as well. FREE WIFI BONUS! Great neighborhood restaurant, can't wait to have another great meal.
(4)Larissa S.
Very disappoint! Horrible service. Not only they over charged us, the containers arrived broken. Plastic pieces inside the soup, who ever answers the phone has a horrible attitude and not to mention the delivery fee. The delivery guy requested for a tip when meanwhile they charge the delivery.
(1)Naty S.
"El Cartel" The name is the best way to start this review... really? Following the Trend of all the Novelas on TV? Only good thing is that their food is good. Not amazing... But the extremely LOUD and unnecessary "Reggeaton" playing really loud and their "cartel" prices made my first experience the last. Really? I can't talk across the table because the music is coming out from every corner and the videos on TV just make it. I went with my niece for a Saturday breakfast and she couldn't even take the volume of the music and I shortly after had a stroke after I got a bill for $35 for some scrambled eggs, black berry juice and some arepas! Really people???? Not a good representative of Colombian taste and gastronomy! I wonder which market segment they are targeting?
(1)Analise C.
shitty service. mediorce food. spend your money elsewhere.
(2)Carlieny G.
This place is disgusting. Idiots work there. After buying a groupon I went here for lunch with the family. 25 minutes for waters. And when I asked for tap wayer they said they don't give people who use groupons water for free. We ordered after 45 minutes we asked for the manager. We asked what was going on and he said "Huh, I don't know I'm asking the girls. So we still waited after watching other people who arrived after us get their order first. We just got up and left. What a dump. Crappy food and even worse service.
(1)Kevin C.
The steak and empanadas were delicious, and the servers were very nice. I sat outside on a Thursday night with my Colombian friend drinking Aguila beer, and she liked the food too and said it was authentic. The location isn't the greatest especially for dinner since it's downtown with practically no other nightlife besides Filling Station around the corner. Otherwise, I recommend.
(4)Cam C.
I've been here a couple of times. Service needs improvement. The food is usually good, not consistently good though. I like the Maduro plate (be careful, sometimes the plantains are not good,) and the pollo salteado. I love an appetizer called Parceros (I think,) but the last time I was there, I didn't see it on the menu. The owner should renovate the place. The green and white decor is tacky. Oh! One last thing, the empanadas are very greasy.
(3)Alison M.
Yum. I have to admit that since we moved to Miami that I've been a little wary of Latin food because I haven't really loved anything I've tried, but El Cartel just changed all that. This place is great. The food is super tasty, the portions are huge, everything is fresh, it's totally affordable and the women working there are super helpful and friendly. The only reason I'm not giving them 5 stars is because they have a crazy colored strobe light in there and until I switched tables to get out of it's line I felt like a was taking crazy pills. The BF and I ordered the churasco and a whole fried fish. Both came with sides, it was A LOT of food but everything was so good. I loved the rice. They also have delicious homemade sauces that went really well with dishes. I totally recommend checking out El Cartel.
(4)Ashley M.
Really cute location that's open late in Downtown (a BIG plus). I've only been once so far and shared a cheese and beef stuffed plantain, however it was really good. Although, everything is wonderful with copious amounts of cheese, right? The service was really good, very friendly and surprisingly prompt for a late-night place. We visited them at around 11:00 PM on a Friday, and while there were a few other tables, they weren't packed. This is a great alternative to La Moon when you don't want the crowds and the wait. I'm looking forward to trying their perros.
(3)Erin R.
So all the reviews about bad service DO NOT APPLY to my experience. My waitress was friendly, helpful and quick. On to the food. We got plantains covered with beef and chicken for apps, SO GOOD. I ordered lomo saldato for dinner which was different than the Peruvian preparation I'm used to, but was so tastey . Happy hour had 2 for 1 drinks. The drinks were weak sauce, but everything else gets a thumbs up from me
(4)Lara P.
Empanadas tasted like the ones you can get in bogota, crispy without being greasy and full of flavor! Dont forget to order a jugo maracuya....tastes out of this world. I prefer mine "en agua" for the most refreshment. Decor is hip and helps straddle the cravings of authentic colombian food and a cool place to chill downtown. The whole place is spotless clean with friendly wait staff. I only wish the would turn down the music a few decibles as I did not see a dancefloor. The flashing disco lights turned on during daylight midmeal was quite unecessary in my humble opinion. My boyfriend scraped his plates clean and polished down a tres leches with by far the best cafe con leche in down town. Highlights: chicken poppas criollas AMAZING colombian empandas...crunchy, bite size and savooorrry fresh!! tostones could use some work and I wish they served the aji that they serve at San Pocho on 8th street, the green kind. Overall cant wait to come back and sample more delicious colombian fare.
(4)Joseph D.
Great Columbian food at a good price in the downtown area. They are open late (6am on weekends), so if you're home it's great food for late night delivery.
(3)Mike A.
I wish we tried the food. We waited 45 minutes with only 10 people in the restaurant and they never brought our food. It should not have taken more than 10 minutes for a cheeseburger and omelette. We will not be going back.
(1)Alma R.
I was here yesterday with a friend after checking out the exhibit at the Miami Art Museum. When I first walked in I was drawn to all the green I saw. I ordered churrasco w/ rice, beans and maduros on the side. For dessert I had a maracuya dessert which was beyond delicious. The waitress Tiffany, from Ecuador was so sweet and genuine. The other waiters would always come around and ask how our meal was. Very happy I tried this place and would definitely recommend. Check out the pics of my meal and dessert
(4)Carlos P.
Decided to check this place out after passing on it time after time. Ordered multiple appetizers (unfortunately I do not recall the names) which included the loaded sweet plantains (good) with chicken, loaded salty plantains (tasted overcooked/stale) and the chicken empanadas (not good at all, only had half of three). For the entree I ordered the grilled chicken, with rice and beans. Nothing really stood out. The only thing out of all this was that the sweet plantains appetizer (loaded with cheese, chicken, potato strings and some sauces) are really good, everything else, could have passed on. Also, though the server were nice, they were fairly slow. Don't see myself ever returning.
(2)Gloria A.
I've been to this place a few times mostly because it's so close to my office and it beats having the downtown lunch staples of sandwich/soup and soup/salad combinations on a daily basis. With that being said, most of the time the service is slow. I mean it's the downtown lunch rush so the ladies should have a little more hustle. I have seen people leave without even seeing the menu because they haven't even been acknowledged. Heck even I have gotten up and left after waiting 15 minutes for a soda. The food isn't horrible but it's not the greatest either: 1. Empanadas are sometimes cold in the middle - I understand they are pre-made and cooked when they are ordered but get a timer people. 2. Daily specials - reasonable price for salad, rice, beans, meat and beans for $6.95 but it's pre-made and sits on what should be a hot buffet table which means it should be HOT! I've had to send my meal back to request that it be heated up. 3. Music - it's nice to have some background noise but it should be at a decent level, if I have to scream to talk to the person I'm with or so the waitress can hear my order it means it's too loud!
(2)Jacob B.
The place is fine, but the food and sevice is bad, french fries seemed to be old, the "picada" had more potatoes than meet and it took forever to be served. There were like 6 servers that day, the restaurant wasn't full and they were very slow. The empanadas weren't 100% bad but greasy. I wouldn't recommend this place at all.
(1)E F.
This review is based on a carry-out order made via LivingSocial. I ordered a few small items to try, and each was very affordable and excellent. I also got the tres leche and that is the only thing I was not as pleased with because it appearred to be a pre-packaged item in individual packages. The food was ready for me when I got there and the waitress was very nice and helped me immediately. I didn't have to wait around. A friend told me she ate there with some colleagues and the dine-in service was terrible. I don't think I'll ever go there to eat, especially during my lunch hour at work, but I know however I will be ordering carry-out from them again!
(4)Jake W.
SERVICE SUCKS!!!! Had the food here before and enjoyed it, went today and got up and left before ordering due to the rotten service. I am not sure why you would staff a restaurant with such rude rude rude rude rude slow slow slow slow slow service. We got up and went to La Moon instead where we found great food, great outdoor seating, and fantastic service!! The maduro at el cartel is good but not good enough to put up with the piss poor service!
(1)Mog C.
On a Sunday morning at 11am, Will R. was craving empanadas and not wanting to drive, we headed to Half Moon empanadas after checking reviews, only to find it not opened yet. El Cartel was next door and after seeing they also had empanadas, we sat down at a curbside table. The menu is pretty substantial and the offerings numerous enough that it took us a little while to decide on what to order. With reasonable drink specials (buckets of 3 beers for $8?) and Latin music playing loudly, I found myself swaying to the music in no time, forgetting about everything else. If only, it could have stayed that way. We ended up ordering three empanadas (2 beef, 1 chicken) for appetizers and an arepa rellena de pollo (pulled chicken sandwich) as well as a Churrasco (grilled steak) to share. Unfortunately, there was something definitely off that day with the cook/kitchen. Another table had ordered empanadas as well and when our two orders arrived, they sounded the alarm about the empanadas still being frozen inside. About to put a mouthful in my mouth, the waitress stopped us to check whether ours were the same way. Indeed they were. As she took them back inside, we continued watching the latin music videos and drinking more. When the empanadas arrived again 10 minutes later, this time at the same time as our main meal, we were preparing yet again to dig in when the other couple again found these empanadas to be frozen on the inside. By now, Will R. was starving and as he cut into our empanadas, he kept two that were cold but not frozen and sent the third back. The waitress was apologetic but obviously, it was the fault of the kitchen. Why frying times are not timed or why the empanadas were not at least checked the second time around is unforgivable. The Arepa Rellena de Pollo was good (though by this point, I was starving so I probably wasn't completely rational). The steak, which was an unevenly thin steak ordered medium as recommended by the waitress came with parts that were medium and parts that were rare, again showing the inability of whoever was cooking that day. The steak was definitely the best part of our meal but that was because Will R. happens to prefers his steak medium and I prefer mine rare. We had actually asked for medium rare but our waitress had suggested that the churrasco was best served medium. While the steak was the saving grace of our experience here, it was more by luck than due to the prowess of the kitchen. As such, I can't recommend this place, especially on the weekends. Price wise, this was reasonable. Our waitress was very nice. This place might just be better during the work week.
(3)Yuni E.
All I can say is that the arepas,empanadas and batidos are really good,great price too if you just need to grab a quick bite,this is definitely the place to go.
(4)Drew M.
I was in town and was not able to stay in my usual hotel, and ended up at the Courtyard downtown. This was about the only place still open. I had the bistec and a tasty Columbian beer. Service was good, food was really great. Only bad thing is, they don't take Amex, so I could not use my company charge card.
(4)Michelle S.
I have mixed feeling about this place. We were in Miami for Ultra Fest and it was right by our hotel. The service is down right awful, We had to get up and go find the waitress numerous times on our own, the food took forever to come, they forgot part of our order, however when the food did come the first day is was BEYOND DELICIOUS. So delicious that we over looked how terrible the waitress service was and went back there the next day. The next day it was a repeat of the same bad service and the food was not as good the second time around (we ordered the same things also), so maybe it was just a really good chef the first time we went. A few other comments, the house music they played the whole time was awesome. The staff includes tip on the bill (or at least they did for us, we were a party of 6 so maybe thats why) so it wasn't like we had an option to tip less for the terrible service. The prices aren't bad at all.
(3)Joseluis A.
el cartel. my least favorite thing about this place is its name. everything else was very good in my opinion. me and some friends came here right after a night of heavy drinking at pub one. i lie, we only had one drink each but i wanted to sound badass. el cartel was busy, lots of clients. i was there with a group of friends, we were five in total. we sat inside and we got menus immediately. we shared, una picada. which is a lot of grilled meats, tostones, blood sausage.. you get the idea. we also got tostoned topped with melted cheese and sauces and the mazorca. not the healthiest meal of the day but certainly very tasty stuff and sometimes you just have to sacrifice. prices are good, our bill was about $45 and we were all full. el cartel is an alternative for those who live in the neighborhood instead of la moon.
(4)Cena H.
First of all, I'm not Latino, I'm Anglo. My review should state that. Mozzarella sticks were some of the best I've had. The "big Wings" were absolutely the smallest I have ever seen in my life! I had the "bandeja paisa carne asada"' which the waiter told me was best seller and I hated it. The beef steak is thin and dry, the sausages were overlooked, the hard plantains were nasty, the fried egg over rice was overcooked and not runny, the beans lacked in flavor and complexity. The margarita was good and service pleasant. Maybe I don't like Columbian cooking.
(2)Seb W.
This place is about as good as a small trash bag on top of a large trash bag. The quality was atrocious. They win an award for being the worst Colombian place in town. I am pretty sure the pincho I ate was made of gato or caballo because I think the gato would be more suave.
(1)Peter S.
We've been ordering delivery from here for a while and usually get the classics (e.g. lomo saltado, etc), but you have to go by and eat in person. This way you venture out and try some of their dishes that you wouldn't necessarily order out for delivery. Although not particularly healthy, they are very very tastey - try their fried plantain dishes, their columbian hot dogs, and crispy pork.
(4)