Versailles Restaurant

Versailles Restaurant has been the epicenter of Miami's Cuban culture since 1971. Located on Calle Ocho (SW 8th Street) in the heart of Little Havana, this mirrored, chandelier-lit restaurant serves traditional Cuban cuisine to over 1,000 customers daily and has hosted every major political figure, celebrity, and journalist who has visited Miami.

For families, Versailles works because it is unintimidating despite its fame. The atmosphere is loud and bustling -- servers shout orders, families fill large tables, and the energy is warm and communal. Nobody will judge a noisy toddler here. The 300+ seat dining room absorbs crowds, and the line (there will be one) moves quickly.

The menu is traditional Cuban cuisine: roast pork (lechon asado), shredded beef (vaca frita), Cuban sandwiches, rice and beans, fried plantains (tostones and maduros), and croquetas. Portions are famously large -- a single entree can feed an adult and a child. The Cuban sandwich alone is enough for most kids. For adventurous eaters, the oxtail (rabo encendido) and paella are excellent.

The ventanita (walk-up window) on the restaurant's exterior is a Miami institution. Here, locals line up for cafecito (a tiny, potent shot of Cuban espresso, $1-2) and pastelitos (flaky pastries filled with guava, cheese, or meat, $2-3). The ventanita is open late and requires no wait for a table.

For families, stopping at the window for a cafecito and a pastry is a quintessential Miami experience that takes 5 minutes and costs under $10.

Versailles sits in the heart of Little Havana, making it a natural anchor for exploring the neighborhood. Walk west on Calle Ocho to see the Domino Park (Maximo Gomez Park) where Cuban elders play dominoes, cigar shops, fruit stands, and colorful murals. The neighborhood is safe, walkable, and offers kids a window into Cuban-American culture that is unique to Miami.