La Ventana Restaurant
710 Washington Ave,Ste 2, Miami Beach, FL, 33139
La Ventana Restaurant Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in Miami Beach for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant blood pressure menu details.
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
710 Washington Ave,Ste 2
Miami Beach, FL, 33139 - Phone (305) 673-0912
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :9:00 am - 10:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : No
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Serena L.
So Frickin' Good! First visited this little gem 2 years ago while vacationing on South Beach and fell in love! Just came back from Miami two days ago and I am still dreaming about the yummy Shrimp Patacones I had two days ago. Everything is amazing! Can't wait to go back! PS. If any of the employees from La Ventana are reading this, please sent me the recipe. ; )
(5)Justin W.
We just dropped by for some empanadas- beef, chicken & cheese with spicy dipping sauce. Very yummy! Authentic Columbian fare and while your at it, get a Columbian beer and some Columbian snacks and chocolates for those home-sick moments! (3 stars because we didn't eat there and can't rate 5 stars on just empanadas)
(3)Norma G.
We were in the mood for some Colombian food and also a little thirsty so we ended up going to La ventana since I've seen it many many times driving by, I knew it was little but I was not expecting that little space. It was empty which was a good thing, I don't like crowded places. We ordered the Picada, enough for two people, maybe 3 and it has a little of everything :) . It was very yummy . With that being said, besides the place being small, they don't have a restroom I asked and the waitress told me I had to go to a public one :-O WHAAAATTT!!, then we asked for a cup of ice and then again she said, "we don't have any ice!!!" Omg! And then at the end another customer asked for a cappuccino and I overheard her say "we don't have any milk!!"... What in the H...!! This place is lacking a lot... Service is not the best either, the waitress didn't check on us once, and she seemed more interested in the guy sitting at the counter than the customers... Just saying... So I think that if I go again I would just order to pick up.
(3)Tim W.
Best Colombian food in SouthBeach Miami!! Food was amazing, friendly staff makes you feel right at home because they don't want you to leave lol make sure you come here with an appetite. Will definitely be returning soon!
(5)Judah S.
I have lived in the beach for about three years and we used to eat here with great frequency. Gradually the quality and the service both started to decline and we stopped eating here all together. After about six months we decided to give it another try and we will never ever go back. After taking three times as long for the pick up to be ready, we received spoiled food!! The hot dog bun had blatant visible green mold all over it. The egg was green as well. Look at the pictures to see for yourself The mold was so obvious that they either have a practice of serving mold or do not look at the food at all when they prepare it. DO NOT EAT HERE IF YOU CARE ABOUT YOURSELF.
(1)Naty S.
A nice surprise in South Beach, where everything seems to be a tourist trap, over priced and not well made. This place was open on Christmas Day ... Major PLUS!!! My family and I were in the mood of some good home made food and La Ventana was it for us on Xmas day! They are a very tiny restaurant, so if you are in a big group it may not be the best option... Their menu has all the typical Colombian dishes. We ordered "Calentado" which is a traditional breakfast in Colombia. The premise behind it is the leftover from the day before. Calentado is translated Re-heated. So is red beans mixed with rice, a side of Scrambled eggs, Arepa (corn cake) and some steak (a thin cut). You have this and it will make your day. Even better if you are hungover!!! Make sure to pair it with one of the juices (made on the spot) Maracuya -passion fruit-, Mora- Blackberry-, Tamarindo -Tamarind- or whatever else they have available seasonally. They also have a selection of Colombia Sodas like Manzana or Colombiana. Either will pair well with anything you get there. The food came in a timely manner, it was good, good portions and it had the authentic flavor that you expect for a Colombian Restaurant. Major cookie points, the selection of Colombian Snacks at their counter. make sure you try some if you are not Colombian... our lunch boxes were filled with these as we were growing up. I bet you won't be dissapointed!!!
(4)Junior P.
So before buying a groupon to check out this place, I came on Yelp. I read positive reviews as well as negative ones. So I went in thinking. "Let me check it out?" So my girlfriend and I get there, and order the Patacones con Carne(Plantains with Beef)! So good. We loved it. Even added some hot sauce, and it was delicious. Then, the entree gets there. I ordered a churrasco and she ordered a chicken breast. We both agreed that the meats were okay. Not bad, but not rich in flavor either. We eat out a lot, and I always try new places. However, the fries were great! They were season and crispy. And don't let me forget the salad. It had a very unique fruit dressing that just fit in right. So the sides were great but the meats just werent like other places. Last is the dessert, the last chance to save the meal, and it came through. The 3 leeches. Good size and we even left some. One little complaint I had was the service. They had two ladies working there, it's not a big place, but they could have checked up on our meal a little more. We ordered, got our food and paid. I wanted lemon for the steak and they never came by. So just make sure you stay ontop of them if you want something, bc they didn't come to us.
(3)Bevaughn C.
1st Colombian food experience and I'm stuffed cause I didn't want to leave anything behind on my plate!!
(5)Maria C.
Worst service ever, they don't care if you like your food or not regardless you will pay for it.
(1)Carla C.
I love this place for the same reason everyone else does. Great food at amazingly low prices. Gonna keep it short + sweet on this one. Came here one night for dinner. There was a line, but it wasn't bad. I asked the person in front of me, "Did you already put your name down?" and he replied, "They don't do that here. You just wait." I felt like such a noob! For some reason, not even a minute later, a woman called us over and sat our party of 4, even though there were a few patrons in front of us (maybe because they weren't a party of 4?). We didn't question it. We were hungry! In short, everyone loved what they ordered. I don't think you can go wrong here. Also, it's authentic Colombian food. I can attest to that. Lastly, their café con leche is perfection. Pure perfection. As is their café con hielo. That is all. We ended up coming back here everyday after that during our trip just to get café con hielo, including right before our flight. Yes. It was that good.
(5)Natalia G.
Worst place ever, they took forever to bring our food and top of that the food was expired, smelled really horrible the server gave us the worst attention, and still charge us a fortune, then the manager took three days to call me and apologize but wouldn't reimburse our money, even when I explain to her that we paid for food that couldn't even eat . Would never go to this place even if is for free! Such a waist of money and time
(1)Cassie G.
A couple of years ago, I wouldn't have been able to tell you much about Colombian food. Fast forward through the start and continuation of a relationship with a Colombian, and the couple of visits to Bogota that came along with it, I can now say I'm pretty well-versed in this type of cuisine... And it's pretty darn delicious. La Ventana is about as authentic as it comes on the beach. The owner and the entire staff hail from Colombia. I grabbed a Groupon awhile ago that afforded me an appetizer, two entrees and dessert for dinner. One of my favorite things about Latin restaurants are their fresh fruit juices - here, the mango, lulo and passionfruit are all refreshing or you can opt for refajo, a popular alcoholic drink that combines Aguila, a type of Colombian beer, with a Colombiana, a fruity cream soda. Just try it. For starters, I'm a big fan of patacones but their empanadas are great too. The bandeja paisa, the national dish of Colombia, does not disappoint for a main dish but I had to add some morcilla to the side at an extra cost to satisfy my blood sausage craving. I needed to save room for dessert and this one platter lasted me 3 meals! However, my boyfriend will be quick to devour one in a sitting. We finished off with tres leches cake. I don't think it was homemade but was a nice and sweet ending. The place is small, casual and no-frills if you're looking for an easy bite. For something a little bit more upscale, you can head to their sister restaurant across the street, Bolivar, where they serve Colombian dishes alongside favorites from all across Latin America. You can be confident that the entire staff is friendly and willing to walk you through the menu in case you are unfamiliar with this type of food before. No boyfriend or voyage to Colombia necessary.
(4)Conrad R.
This place is Delicious, cozy, unique and affordable. Its a perfect place for lunch after the beach or a dinner out. Theyve got friendly service and my favorites: garlic shrimp, churasco, the "real" white arepas and the tastiest rice ive ever had. I will let you figure out for yourself why its named "La Ventana"
(4)Tara M.
This place was really good! And the green salsa with the empenadas was sooo good we ate it with everything.
(5)Andres M.
Over price... 3 empanadas. Calentado 2 cafes.. $40 I got so upset , Im from colombia, but I live In NYC. Same food for $15 ... besides that waitres talking so loud about her personal life... who cares.. about your shit... make sure you read yout bill carelfully..
(1)Brody S.
Order dinner there through Grubhub last night. The empanadas and arepas were the best part and they were "good". Chicken plate was undercooked and the carne asada was overcooked- stick to the apps only here.
(3)Serena N.
If you want authentic Colombian food this is the place to go! We ordered the empanadas for our appetizer which were great. And for our entree we got the steak with plantains and rice. Food is tasty and fresh. Service is also great as the our waitress was really nice and helpful in making selections. Only minus is that there is no AC so it's quite warm. Also, the bathroom is located in another building so you have to leave the restaurant and walk there.
(4)Albert R.
After looking online for a Colombian restaurant in Miami Beach we decided to go with this place. we placed an order for three skirt steaks for a total of $75 without tip. The delivery took over an hour. The food(steak,eggs,beans) was tasteless and badly prepared. The avocados looked like they had been sitting out for three days as well. The arepas came wet because they were left to soak with the steaks. In all, this restaurant was a failure, customers should look elsewhere for quality non-overpriced food.
(1)Angel L.
I'm supposed to be getting ready for a happy hour with my friends right now, but now I'm going to be late because I've been compelled to sit down and write to all of you about how atrocious this place was. Serves me right for not opening the take-away box at the establishment so that I could at least have the option of returning it then and there... See, this is why I have trust issues!!! Prison food. Portions are stingy for the $17 bill I had to pay. Beans were served in a small container that wasn't even filled-up, now that I think about it, they might have just given me leftovers from someone else! Avocado wasn't ripe (there's NOTHING worse than un-ripe avocados, holy mother), white rice was gooey (too long in the rice cooker), egg was sad (that's the only accurate way to describe it, really), steak? (not really sure what that was), plantains were dry. Awful food. I still ate it though. Oh! And to add insult to injury, service was also abysmal! There were only 2 tables seated for one cash attendant, one server and the cook. The others had been served, leaving little old me to seep in the abuse. Ordered take-out, food took far too long to come out and when it did, the server bundling it up took the extra time to step in and give the cashier a quick lesson on the POS (point of sale, I worked retail :)) system! Gurl. Hellooooo!
(1)Jane R.
So much food for just $20! My friend and I split the empanadas and the huge meat plate (don't remember the exact name). The plate consisted of red beans, rice, plantains, a long thin cut of beef, columbian sausage, fried pork belly and some kind of grainy rice cake that looks like an English muffin. It was a delicious. My favorites from the plate are the pork belly and the columbian sausage. Empanadas were cooked perfectly - crispy and throughly cooked on the outside. We ended up getting chicken empanadas, for an appetizer and it came with a really spicy green sauce which was good. I personally can't handle spicy but I really liked it! It's a small joint but much better food than any place on Ocean Drive. There are maybe just 4-5 tables and some high top tables.
(4)Sabra N.
Delicious home style cooking, and generous portions. It's really hard to find good food on south beach but this is definitely a gem! Absolutely recommended.
(5)Pamela P.
Ok this place is definitely a hole in a wall. I've been here twice... a saturday and sunday. Saturday I was nursing a hangover, and what's better than a soup and a beer? So I was very surprised that this is the only Colombian place that I've ever been to that offers fish sancocho (as opposed to chicken or beef). I was hyped, I got there about 11:30AM and I was told the soup wasn't ready til 12:30. I waited, and it was delicious. Although when I asked what kind of fish they used... I was told the broth is made from 'cherna' but the fish chunks they put in your bowl is tilapia. Not cool with tilapia (due to high cholesterol content) ... but the broth from the cherna was amazing. I just had the broth and the veggies (yuca, potato, corn). Sunday I went back because their Sunday special is oxtail... and I don't know any place that makes oxtail better than me (for my palate). This time, I didn't want to wait, so I did not go until 2PM.... they were all out of soup. The very attentive waitress said they only had the broth from the bottom of the pot left. I said bring it! That's usually the best and most flavorful broth when I cook it myself so I was ok with it... it did not disappoint ... and I got some of the smaller oxtails which are the most flavorful.. heaven in a bowl... with an ice cold aguila beer and very spicy chile of course.... I will be coming back here on a regular basis. Of note: the air conditioner sucks. Soup makes you sweat anyway, but its hot in this little place, makes you sweat twice as much.
(3)Lex S.
This was my fave place in sobe! I cant explain how yummie this place is! Talk about a hidden gem off the beach!! Will be making this my number one stop every time i visit
(5)Nadia H.
Cute little spot in South Beach. I dug the ambiance, which had a casual rustic, colorful Latin-inspired feel. I love empanadas, but have never had fried ones before. They were quite good - flavorful, crispy, not at all greasy. We also had a seafood-mix dish with garlic sauce. Also very flavorful - it came with mussels, a few shrimp, scallops (I think), and one little octopus. Everything felt a hair on the rich side for my palate (I'm from California), but I'd definitely recommend this spot.
(4)Jay H.
Omg my favorite Colombian restaurant when I come to miami. I've been here hear after year and the food and service is always exceptional !!!
(5)Keith H.
We really enjoyed our meal here. Food overall was excellent and very authentic. Empanadas are very good, fresh, crispy and lots of filling (we shared one of each). But as appetizers go, the patacones are outstanding! Super crisp tostones LOADED with stuff (we chose shrimp - great choice) on top. At the table we had the Bandeja Paisa (combo platter), Cazuela de Mariscos and Camarones al Ajillo. All were very good. The restaurant is small and cozy. Service was warm and professional. Our server, Magaly, was terrific. If you're in SoBe and craving good, authentic Latin food, give it a try!
(4)Nathan E.
A few years back there were about a half-dozen good Colombian restaurants on South Beach. Sadly, most of them have disappeared. But on a trip back to South Beach this week, I was delighted to discover La Ventana is a survivor. The prices have gone up a little since my last visit, but the food is still excellent. And nowadays an authentic Colombian restaurant on South Beach is a rarity, making La Ventana even more special. I like to order from the breakfast menu all day. Colombian breakfasts are always great, and I think you get the most value in the breakfast platters - and they all come with wonderful white-corn arepas (like a savory cornmeal pancake). And most of the daily specials are terrific too. I want to return on Tuesday so I can get the Ajiaco con Pollo. If you're familiar with Colombian food, the Ajiaco is very good here. If you've never had Colombian food before, then your taste buds are going to be amazed. Ajiaco is a potato soup made with about a half-dozen different specific types of potatoes, including papas criollas, which are rare in the United States. It's one of my favorite dishes ever. And it's just not properly made anywhere except for Miami and Colombia/ What else. I love Colombian (cornmeal) empanadas. Here they serve you three, with a salsa verde on the side that's pretty hot. They're good accompanied by Colombian beer. The one thing on the menu that doesn't impress me is the new list of tapas. It looks like an attempt to compete with trendier restaurants by offering smaller portions for more money. It's a Colombian restaurant. If you go here, expect to eat a great-big bandeja paisa and just accept that you're going to feel bloated for a while. If you're on a diet, then go to Lincoln Road. Paying $10 for two little tapas (the same price you would pay for a whole bandeja) is just silly.
(4)Jamia S.
Was visiting Miami with my daughter, teenage sister and another friend. We wanted to make sure we tried food that we couldn't get back home in Houston. I saw this restaurant on Groupon and thought why not give it a try. The FOOD was AMAZING. You must try the WHOLE fried fish with the Columbian hot sauce. Jennifer gave us good service. We were impressed! This place is a must...
(4)Maria G.
Great little spot on Washington Avenue. A nice, delicious and affordable alternative to the tourist traps that line Ocean Drive. Authentic and Delicious Columbian food. Hit the spot and the wallet in the right places.
(4)Jili C.
No Business Ethics !!! Never again,,, Charge Extra tips ＆ ï¼´ï½ï½˜ï¼Œ Very sad place,,, Please learn how to do business !!!
(1)Ro P.
Found this amazing spot on Yelp, and it did NOT disappoint. We got the bandeja paisa & churrasco... so filling and so good! Loved the casual setting and decor. Our waitress was a doll, too!
(5)Andrew R.
At a first glance the place doesn't look like it would be good, but never judge a book by its cover bc it is absolutely amazing ! Friendly service, food was great (ordered the skirt steak, salad, and fries, all tasted amazing!) Had an Colombian beer (aguila) also tasted good with the steak, and the flan for desert, ALL DELICIOUS ..would fed come back next time I am in Miami
(5)Lauren R.
It was our first time in Miami as a couple. We had two days to explore and take in all the authentic restaurants, coffee houses, and lounges. We came across this place thanks to Yelp. After my fiancé read me some of the reviews we decided why not?!? We walked up and thought it was so small of a place. Hesitated for a quick sec and decided, why not?!? We were so happy happy with the "why not" choice we made!! This "so small" of a place was magical. Our taste buds were going off like fireworks! We recommend the Shrimp Cocktail to start. We were expecting the traditional shrimp cocktail (5-6) hanging off a glass, filled with cocktail sauce. No. We got a bountiful of shrimp in this incredible sauce that was cool, fresh, and a bit minty. For our meal, my fiancé had the steak and I had the chicken. We ate half do to the size of our portions but, by the time we got to our hotel... We were already digging out our left overs! This little place is a true gem. We will be returning on our future trip! :)
(5)Donna P.
came here with the $24.99 dinner for two groupon. it did not disappoint. got the picanda de la ventana & the portion was huge. it literally can feed more than 2 ppl. eveb though its all meat, the dish is not greasy. I deducted one star because the servers didn't ask if our food are ok or if we need anything else, or refilled our drinks. though they are nice they just didnt follow thru.
(4)Lexie L.
Seafood mixed and fried fish fillet. We also tasted a very spicy sauce. I love this place!
(5)Chelsea W.
It's actually mind-boggling to me that this place has such great reviews. I went here last week with my boyfriend after reading all of the rave reviews. We each ordered two tapas and a drink. My sangria was just okay. Too much brandy for my liking. For one of my tapas, I ordered the queso empanadas. I made sure to say queso instead of cheese in fear that the waitress would mix it up with beef. Two bites into my empanada, I realized that it was in fact beef. I don't eat meat so this was very upsetting to me. I flagged the waitress down and told her that my empanadas were beef when I had ordered cheese. She didn't even apologize and instead picked up the plate and said, "Ohhhh ok." I tried to explain to her that I don't eat meat and I was really upset that I had accidentally done so. She said she'd bring me queso empanadas and I told her to just bring one. At that point, I had lost my appetite. She did bring me my queso empanada and it was just ok. My boyfriend liked his food but he wasn't blown away by it. We had to flag the waitress down again to ask for the check. She still had not apologized for the empanadas mix up. She also didn't take them off the check. What she did do was add 18% gratuity to the check (this was not anywhere on the menu nor did she tell us she did so). My boyfriend didn't even notice the added gratuity which makes me wonder how many other people haven't noticed this and end up double tipping their mediocre waitress. Overall, this experience was really disappointing, to say the least. Still confused as to how my experience could be so different from the vast majority.
(2)Jessica R.
Great food! Absolutely love the patacones with checken. Great fresh juices too! Always a great experience.
(5)Cyn C.
Best tamales ever at this low key, small, no frills Colombian joint. You know it is good because it is filled with Colombians and the owner often opens up 45 minutes late (not 9 am on the dot...but people stroll and wait.)
(4)eglys h.
OMG! Talk about a small place! If you are ok with very tight small places then this would be ok with you. We felt a bit closed up and and to actually slide our table a few times during dinner to accommodate other patrons who sat around us. This was funny. We started off with the Patacones De Pollo - $8.99 - this was a few tostones topped off with shredded chicken. Well unfortunately the tostones were the frozen kind and were actually not cooked all the way through and I found frozen cold spots throughout. The shredded chicken did not have much flavor to it at all and it too was a little cold. Our meal consisted of Bandeja Paisa -$12.99 - This was your everyday any other Colombian food restaurant plate - consisted of the usual white rice, fried egg, piece of steak (churrasco), red beans, a pork rin and a small arepa - Egg was so over cooked it actually was hard - unable to break into rice. Beans were a bit cold, steak was a nice thin piece cooked as I ordered it and it was actually seasoned with a nice flavor. We did have to request new eggs - but I guess waitress did not understand it was both of us who needed a new egg that hubby did not get a replacement and therefore did not eat an egg. Arepa was ok - Dessert we had a Tres Leche - $3.75 - It was presented very pretty, but thou it did have a nice flavor, the actual cake was missing one of this desserts most important ingredients, the different milks. It was actually a bit on the dry side. Over all this place is way too small for our taste. Bathroom is actually outside down one door - find out it is a communal bathroom shared by all business on that strip. Service was ok. Don't think we would come back here to eat. There are so many Colombian restaurants in our community where you can get the same type of food and even better tasting without the feeling of being in a closet.
(3)Ana B.
Best Colombian Restaurant I have tried so far!!!! Everything was amazing highly recommended!
(5)Kari D.
This is a small place with good food. The atmosphere could be better and the service was a bit slow when we were there for dinner on a weeknight. There was just one waitress -- she was doing her best and was very sweet though. I thought the food was quite good. Full disclosure: I don't eat meat. The friend I was with said her meat was great. And generous serving sizes = leftovers!
(3)Char Y.
clean restaurant with good service. we ordered chorizo - good and fatty patacones - ok, completely flavorless empanadas - ok, slightly oily & need more filling chicharron - good & crispy mojarra frita - ok, slightly dry yes everything was fried but can be more flavorful.
(3)Crystal H.
We had eaten at Hakassan the night before, and although it was a good meal we wanted something authentic and local. Found La Ventana bc we were in the shopping district and researching nearby restaurants on Yelp. Walked in and immediately realized it was a hole in the wall - yes! We ordered the churrasco bc someone next to us was eating it and it looked AMAZING! So glad we did! Make sure you order it with rice and beans and mix the two before you eat - sooo good! We also ordered the seafood mix soup- meh. Too many mussels and the shrimp were tiny and seemed like they came from a frozen bag. Would have given La Ventana 5 stars if the seafood mix was better. This is not the place for service. But if you need a break from the Miami scene and want some good food, them you've found your place!
(4)Dave W.
Awesome meal loved the service and the food. Golden beverages from Columbia reasonably priced. Food a great value. A couple blocks off the beaten path for tourists so even better!
(5)Holly N.
Got beef empanadas (it only comes with 3) and they were pretty small. They were okay... Tried some of my friend's skirt steak that came in her tapas (which was also small, but hey it was only $5) and that was delicious! Should've gotten tapas and empanadas. The tres leches wasn't the best I've ever had, but it was pretty darn good. It was really cute too! I'd probably be a bigger fan of this place if the portions were bigger. Though, I'm not sure if these were normal sized portions and I'm just used to Texas-size portions??
(4)Miguel V.
Living a few blocks from there is so cool! I end up there at least once a week for an Aguila, papa criolla and an arepa de chocolo con queso. :-) Just tell them to heat the arepa a lot so the cheese is good and melted. There is no place else to get Colombian food in SoBe as far as I know and this place is nice. It is more coastal Colombian, speaks to why they have Cartagena photos on the walls, but the food is good just the same.
(5)Lindsay D.
Last weekend I came here for my anniversary dinner with my boyfriend (thanks to Groupon!) and it was absolutely fantastic. The place is indeed tiny, but I loved it. It was cozy and homey which is really nice! There was only one other table than us so it was a nice quiet dinner, and our waitress was fantastic. She was super friendly and answered all of our silly questions about the menu, as well as stopping by the table to make sure we were happy. She even told us a bit about Colombia and the lifestyle there - so nice! We were a little undecided on the menu as neither of us have had Colombian before, so it took us a little bit to decide. Eventually we decided on the beef empanadas, my boyfriend had the picada de la ventana, and I had the cazuela de mariscos. The food was amazing! So much flavour and so much of it! The picada plate had tons of variety, and my cazuela was full of seafood. I couldn't believe how much there was in it! Needless to say we both very full and very happy by the end of it. We managed to squeeze in a tres leches for dessert, which was absolutely delicious. It's quite sweet though, so if you don't have a sweet tooth you might want to try something else! The only thing I wasn't completely satisfied with was the sangria as it was clear that the fruit in it was from a can. Overall I'd say this is a great place, just go for something other than sangria if you want a drink.
(4)T R.
My family and I had a great experience at this restaurant. The food is so good and flavorful and the waitress that we had was so nice and pleasant. I would definitely recommend this place to a friend.
(5)Angelica A.
This place has really good food at an affordable price (compared to most restaurants in SOBE). My husband ordered the churrasco, sub'd fries for platano frito, and loved it. I ordered the plate with the beef, egg, and fried pork. It was also good. The cheese empanadas were really good as well. The only reason they don't get the fifth star is because they didn't have all the food available. My cousin wanted the soup but they were out. She then wanted the breaded chicken and they were also out. Overall, it was a great meal.
(4)Jose S.
It was awful, we asked the dish with the name of the restaurant for 2 people, "picada la ventana", it supposed to be chicken, beef, chorizo, morcilla made on the grill, but they don't say when, at least on week before, everything was either dry or super greasy, hideous, we just try a bit and we sent back the dish to the waitress that she didn't even ask before if everything was ok, we didn't get any apology or alternative so we ask for the check, and she even dared to include 18% extra for the gratuity. In summary I don't recommend this restaurant at all, awful service and even worse food.(normally we leave totally empty the dishes, but this was the first time that we couldn't)
(1)Andrea C.
this little crappy, dingy looking hole in the wall with an off premise bathroom straight out of a murder scene has some seriously good food.....went for a groupon deal and was extremely and pleasantly surprised with our dining experience. We were the only ones there, shared some delicious empanadas (chicken, beef and cheese)....I had the skirt steak and my husband had a whole fish that he raved about. The desserts (flan and tres leches) were amazing. Really good food! And the young lady who waited on us was very sweet and pleasant. Since we're going back to Miami in a few weeks, just purchased another two groupons to enjoy some more good food =)
(5)Mio F.
First of all I had a Groupon... otherwise the place is not cheap. (two people around $80) For tiny, unpretentious place (on the busy Washington) the prices are a bit too high. Service was good, and got the two seafood dished according to the recommendation. Shrimp cocktail was good (nice citrus sauce) but fried fish was mediocre... no flavor. Parking will be an issue also unless you want valet parking. Overall, the experience was not bad but I will not go back there unless I have a special coupon.
(3)Sofia J.
5 stars for the fresh squeezed mango and passion fruit juices alone!! The sweet plantains and shrimp tapas have just out of this world flavors! All 3 empanadas - delicioso! The sampler platter is a downfall, instead of a nice sample of diff Colombian foods, it's mostly seriously deep fried stuff, only the chicken and sausage were good and beef was flavorless and rubbery, next time we'll get an actual entree. Restaurant.com cert for the win!
(5)Bernadette M.
Good, Colombian eats... Never had Colombian food so was excited to try this. Simple, no frills restaurant with only one girl working the cashier and tables. She was attentive and gave us recommendations when we asked her. I like how everything tasted healthy, didn't feel heavy or greasy after our meal. Liked the array of condiments on the table. Portions are big enough to share and prices are reasonable. Bandeja Paisa-Colombian platter, great way to try sample everything. Beef wasn't chewy. Good platter! Patacones de camarones- crunchy and tasty. Mmmm shrimp! Pollo en salsa de creolla- this had a delicious flavor, chicken was tender, my bro in law's fave. Cafe con leche- my bro in law said it was good Natas custard- not much of a sweets person. This was ok, just tasted like custard.
(4)Saba A.
A cute little place that reminds me of eating out in Mexico! I sat at the bar, chewing away three fried empanadas with cheese and shredded chicken. Saw many people walk in and out for their to go orders on a Sunday late afternoon. Hard working ladies and hard workers in the kitchen. Food is cooked and served fresh and they have great prices. A little escape from Ocean Drive to get some peace and good food!
(3)PJ L.
Out-freakin-standing !!!!!! The food here i absolutely great. The empanadas are hot a tasty. Skirt steak was tender. All the table-side sauces are reall good too; especially spicy pink. Highly recommend
(5)Steve F.
The place is tiny but the was food great. I really wish it had a little more room for bigger groups. The waiting time for food was on point though. I had la Bandeja Paisa which was delicious and the portion was more than generous. Give it a try if you're in a small group.
(3)Christine S.
A tiny place with a big personality! The server was very informative and the owner/manager was humble. He even offered us wine on the house! Holla! My friend and I bought a certificate off of Restaurant.com and boy oh boy were we in for a treat! EMPANADAS!!!!!!!! Whatever that sauce is, it is delicious!! You get three for $4.95. Cheap, yet soooo delicious. I had the MOJARRA, a deep fried whole fish, with rice, beans, and plantains. They came with patacones (green plantains), but I traded them for the maduros (sweet plantains), and they are the best damn plantains I've ever had. Melt in your mouth good! My friend has the Pollo Empanizado, which was very juicy and seriously took up more than half the plate and was slightly overflowing. I don't know where you get chicken breast that big, but it was HUGE. (see the pictures!) Don't judge us, but on our last day, my friend and I went back to get empanadas to eat on our way home. The owner was like "You're back again?!" How embarrassing! Until we meet again, La Ventana!
(5)Jane A.
Great place!
(4)Turly H.
It was my first time visit a Colombian restaurant. I like everything I ordered, except the rice is little bit too salty for me. Overall, it was a great experience. Definitely, I will go visit again soon!
(4)Ken W.
Great food, good service, good portions at a reasonable price. Had the Bandeja Paisa and it was very tasty. The pork belly was delicious, sweet plantains were good as was the steak and rice and beans (though it's hard to mess that up). Despite the sketchy bathroom, I'd come back for another meal.
(4)Carlos R.
My favorite Colombian restaurant. Everything is good. Soups are home made. Teeny tiny small space feels like your in mom's kitchen with family.
(5)Alex M.
Good Colombia food. Not much to complain about.
(3)Chris M.
Ordered the steak with fries and salad to go. Steak was overcooked and chewy, salad was drenched in an overly sweet dressing that made it inedible, and the fries were underdone. Saving grace was the chicharron with fresh limes, I'll only return for that, but with almost every latin grocer selling those for less, it won't be likely.
(2)Kelly G.
After a miserable walk down Ocean Drive being harassed by every host and hostess, we were dying to go anywhere else. We were so sick of paying for low quality meals and getting terrible service. We searched extensively for a reasonably priced quality meal. La Ventana seemed to have good reviews and we're always up to try something new. So Colombian food it was! It's a very small place (no bathroom!) but quaint. It seems like somewhere you sit for lunch or take out. Either way, we sat by the window and ordered a bottle of wine. The server, a really sweet girl, helped us with the menu because a lot of the menu items were unfamiliar to us. They only served the wine from one vineyard. We had a bottle of Cabernet and it was pretty good. We were just glad to know the price before hand! (On ocean drive we got a surprise of 60$ for two drinks!) For dinner we started with beef empanadas with spicy sauce. They were very good. She wasn't kidding about the spicy sauce either. Tread lightly! My boyfriend ordered the crane en creole (might have butchered the Spanish there). It arrived as a flattened steak with peppers and onions, white rice, and salad. I could tell he wasn't impressed. The meat was really tough. I ordered the skirt steak that the reviews raved about. I exchanged the salad for red beans and it also came with fries. I kept the spicy sauce from the empanadas to put on the steak as well. I made the mistake of ordering the steak medium rare and it came out very rare. I had her take it back to make it medium. It turned out a nice medium rare after that. The steak comes with some garlic, herb sauce. I didn't think that had much taste to it so I just used the spicy sauce. The fries were seasoned really well and I enjoyed the combination of the fries and red beans. In the end, I thought the skirt steak was a better choice. My boyfriend wishes he had ordered the same. Overall, it was only an okay meal. I'm not sure we would revisit, but we were happy to have a great server, moderately reasonable prices, and genuine food.
(3)Anna M.
Was a little bit bland to be Colombian food. I felt like it could have been a little more flavourful ! My experiance wasn't bad the waitresses never really did anything more than they needed to :/ wasn't really checked up on . I had the natural mango juice and it was amaaazing! Prices are a little bit too much for what they serve
(3)Andres R.
The service was ok until they didn't have the key to open up the the door of the restroom I went with my little kids. My son had knee surgery and he had to walk for at least 10 minutes. Food was overprice and unfortunately the steak was cold. They charge an 18% gratuity in your bill and they also had an extra line to add additional tip. I believe it's a trick for them to rip you off. I would look the bill carefully. Thank you and if you want real Colombian food go to Kendall or Miami.
(1)Annie W.
Had a delicious sample of an empanada & something-or-other on a plantain on the South Beach Culinery Tour! Very tasty! Loved the beer/soda combo, too! YUM!
(5)Maria D.
Great service and really good food. Try the grilled tilapia. Comes with yuca fries, rice, and salad. Plantains are good, too!
(5)Sophia S.
An oasis in a desert of tourist traps. My dining partner and I had one tapas plate (charrones and chorizo) which were tasty tasty, then split the seafood mix with garlic sauce and the grilled skirt steak. The seafood was a true mix--shrimp, scallops, muscles, octopus, I think some fish with a zesty sauce and plenty of rice to soak it all up. Delish and a surprisingly large amount of food for such a small container. The steak was flavorful on its own but also had a good sauce. It was grilled and had a charred flavor while still being medium rare in the middle--an easy thing to mess up with a thin cut, but done excellently here. If the food wasn't good enough, our meal, with 4 beers, was only about $60something and I left in pain I was so full. The quality, quantity, and price secured this as a 5-star experience for me. Though I haven't tried it, I see that they serve breakfast all day. I'm looking forward to trying that next visit.
(5)Sonny G.
Ok I give La Ventana food 5 stars. This place had THEE BEST, most amazing seafood casserole I've ever had. It's a whole bunch of delicious seafood in this cream sauce. I give the restaurant itself about 3.5 because it's super small, and because you have to wait a reallly long time for the food even if your seated. I'm not from Miami so i don't know how it works down there, but common courtesy would tell you to let your customers know that their food is on it's way or that it might be taking longer than usual...you know that kind of thing. The waitress didn't say anything to us. After 45 minutes my friend (Florida native) got up and told the girl at the counter that we would leave if the food didn't come with in the next 15 minutes. Sure enough it came and they told us her steak took a long time to cook, but jeeze let us know in advance!
(4)Tom G.
Oh, man what a treat for the Beach! I thought I was out in Westchester, Kendall or Sweetwater. Tiny little place where you have to be careful not to offend anyone with an elbow in the eye as you walk to a table. The food here is as downhome as it gets. Comfort food is always rib stickin good in any language or culture. And the price? Can't get any better. You may be tempted to tip 60-80% just so the wait staff can pay for parking.
(4)Karen r.
Great food at this place! Try the Churrasco skirt steak, it is perfectly seasoned and tender, delicious. Sweet plantains are good, and the arepas are great. Service is a little slow, but that's probably because it's a small place and everything is prepared to order.
(4)Ana K.
Best empanadas ever!! Food tasted truly Colombian.
(4)Derek F.
Starting the culinary tour that I can hook you up with through southbeachgroup.com under concierge services
(4)Mark N.
I have spent some time in Colombia, the food here is OK but not great. I think this is a good option for the area however, because South Beach is full of incredibly overpriced tourist traps with bland uninteresting food, and this place is a short walk from the beach. If you have not had Colombian food, this can be a good introduction for you. This is a very small, casual storefront place with a good variety of Colombian dishes available. I will return when next in SoBe because it is better than most of the alternatives, but I assume better Colombian food is available elsewhere in the Miami area.
(3)Len D.
Apparently they have food tours in Miami beach and this happens to be one of the stops. Not a bad thing, it didn't affect the speed of the service when the group came in, but I thought it was worth mentioning. We ordered the sample platter which includes slices of chicken, steak, pork, chirizo, little baked potatoes, fried yuca, fried plantains, tostones, arepas, and blood sausage. Everything was made OK. Chicken was a little dry and steak wasn't seasoned well. We really enjoyed the blood sausage though and pork. The plate can easily serve 4 people. I would come here again if I was at South Beach and in the mood for some cheap Colombian food. It was pretty affordable and the service was good.
(3)Pourina R.
3.5 stars is most deserving, but I will have to settle for 3. Fairly clean restaurant with decent food and fantastic tapas prices. Two tapas items for $5!! Can I get a hellll yea? Empanadas were also good and the sauce had a nice kick. Chicharrones were the shizz and surprisingly the fried chicken wings had a pretty nice crisp to them. So good that it could put Chinese style fried chicken wangs and even some soul food places to shame. The "pasta" soup though was just okay. A little on the salty side. I'm unsure is spaghetti is the traditional pasta in Colombian chicken soup?
(3)David R.
Food was good. Small small place. Right on Washington. Overpriced. Get the bandeja paisa! =D
(3)Karen B.
La Ventana was supposed to complete the Latin American weekend food trifecta: Cuban, Peruvian, and Columbian. I assume - or more appropriately hope - the experience at La Ventana is not representative of the entire country and cuisine. The restaurant is tiny and rather non-descript, but that's okay. We were warmly greeted and promptly seated. After reading rave reviews about La Ventana's sangria, we were excited to order a pitcher. Guess what? You don't have to go to the restaurant to try it, because they use Real Sangria and fruit cup - all ingredients that you can find in your grocery store aisles for much less than $20.99. The appetizers (beef empanadas and patacones con camerones) were decent, although we did have to confirm it was beef because it looked and tasted like chicken. Wanting a variety of food, we then ordered some tapas. I guess we should have expected that the portion size would be miniscule at the price of 2 for $6.99, but I was surprised by what was brought out. There must have been only 3 ounces of churrasco and 10 tiny little shrimp on the plate; the other plate contained a few plantains and 2 bland corn cakes. Okay experience, but on the whole, unimpressive.
(2)Rachel And Gabriel T.
We went here instead when we realized otentic restaurant was closed. The place is small with cute tables and chairs. We went on an off hour so the place was not packed. We ordered the picada de la ventana which was a sampler platter that included steak, sausage, chicken, pork, plantains, corn and tomato. It was good for the first couple of bites but everything was pretty much deep fried and it quickly got old. Halfway through the dish, we were just focused on chewing and the oil sitting on the plate. To sum it up, this is not for the weakhearted!
(3)Maria M.
My husband hasn't had a chance to check out any Colombian food since we moved to Miami and since we were going to be spending the day at the beach, we decided to check out La Ventana. The best we can say is mediocre at best. The restaurant is on a slant and we had to change tables so we could sit comfortably. The waitress was pleasant; however, we didn't get our drinks until our appetizer came out. It also took along time to get the bill, then wait for her to pick up the bill, then wait again to get our credit card back. The food was okay and very over priced. Granted, we did get quite a bit of food, but the quality didn't reflect the price. In summary: quantity over quality
(2)Katrina W.
Food was good. Service very bad. She was more interested in catering to her friends. She never checked any tables after food was delivered. Asked twice for water, after the table in front of us got up to ask for water. Then we were given the wrong receipt, after she ran the charge... It wasn't busy.
(2)Miss B.
In one word, excellent. Meal for 2 was $65, BUT we were greedy and had enough food for 2 meals! I would say you can eat with $15 easily. We had camarones ajillo, rice, red beans, sweet plantains, empanadas, platacones(fried green plantains with shredded white meat, tomatoes and parmesan cheese on top), pollo a la plancha (grilled white meat, steak style). The salsa for the empanadas was AMAZING, the ajillo sauce was like nothing I have ever tasted, outstanding, the only thing I could have done without was the chicarrones (should have know this but for some reason was thinking fried pork cutlets vs skin). HIGHLY recommend this spot for a solid meal whether lunch or dinner or just a quick yummy snack. In walking distance or a quick cab ride near South beach/Ocean Blvd. hotels or the Inter-coastal hotels like Mondrian.
(5)Jesse A.
The arepa breakfast was delicious, cafe con leche was perfect. Empanadas were good but fried cassava left something to be desired. Ask for the hot sauce! All options very affordable. I'd come back for sure.
(4)Krysten P.
Good food, just be careful if you purchased the groupon. They will tax you for the full "value" as well as calculate the tip off this. And it's SoBe so it will automatically be 18% on $50 even though you only paid $22 on groupon. Just a heads up, because we ended up spending more money with the groupon than our usual. Will not be returning because of our server "forgetting" to mention this to us, even though we live 2 blocks from here and had been 3 times within 2 weeks.
(1)Lisa C.
We came here because of the yelp reviews - I hate to say that Yelp led me astray. It's a tiny little place and the food is mediocre. My sangria was too sweet and almost all the tapas we ordered seemed to be fried and really unhealthy. I also got the impression that the people who worked there were annoyed that we showed up. I don't recommend going there. There is better food to be had in Miami beach.
(2)Richard W.
We were in Miami Beach for my Colombian wife's b-day and then our anniversary the next day recently. While she was heading home to Cartagena in a few days to visit familia, since she has only been in the US for a year, I wanted to treat her to some homestyle cooking (the one place we have in Albuquerque is woefully inconsistent and not all that authentic) and this was close to where we were staying in Miami Beach. She said the Bandera Paisa was truly the real deal and my Cazuela de Mariscos was choak full of a variety of pescado and almost as good as her mami's recipe. The service was attentive and the food came in a timely fashion and nice and hot. While the place is small and nothing special decorwise (though the walls did have a lot of great pics of Cartagena) they are occupying an expensive piece of real estate so choices have to be made.
(4)Andy B.
Went here on the advice of yelp, and were very pleased. I got Churrasco, and split some empanadas and a pitcher of sangria. good stuff.
(4)Walt L.
Wow, I just noticed that all the other reviews of this place were written by fellow Californians? Does this place not get any love from the locals!! ;-) This was my first taste of Colombian food and I really enjoyed it; though to be honest I only had a deep fried pork cutlet, kinda like Japanese tonkatsu without any gravy. Place is low key but friendly, and the portions were generous. And hard to imagine getting a better value, most entree items were less than 18 bucks!
(5)John D.
The food was good. The presentation was great and the price is right. The back of the menu has a full history of Columbia and it's major cities.
(5)Doctor J.
Food, service, and price was great...Finally, a place that has good food and a great price
(4)Christina B.
My fave lil spot around the corner for the Colombian Platter and coffee. Always real good, no complaints.
(4)Khristian B.
Being a certified Colombian by birth parents, I believed I have had some experience with Colombian food. with that being said *Hands up-hands up* O.M.G.! They had palitos de queso w/ pineapple sauce. For those of you that have not tried this piece of heaven it's just bread with cheese inside. The thing is, while it's popular in Colombia, I haven't found any restaurant to serve it-until now. I tried the tapas, which was reasonable and priced well. (2 tapas choices for $5!) I tried the palito de queso and the chorizo. The chorizo was amazing staying true to Colombian chorizo, not spicy and full of flavor. The empanadas were good, not the best but not the worst either. I took this all in with a delicious Maracuya (passion fruit) juice. The service was good and they stayed true to any typical Colombian restaurant and played the "Vallenato". Good place if you're in SoBe and want to be adventurous. If you've never tried Colombian food, I highly suggest you start at this place and try their tapas. CON: the bathroom is next door. WTF?!?!?!
(4)Grace D.
I don't know where to start because the experience at La Ventana was absolutely flawless; from the food tour the service to the ambiance, this place is a true homemade Colombian cuisine experience. I went with two of my co-workers and we ordered their classic bandeja paiza. The meat was tender and perfectly grilled on the outside (just the way it should be served), and the rice and beans were perfectly seasoned. The food came out at a perfect timing and our served Jannifer could not have been more accommodating! We frequent this place a lot because a lot but I have never ordered the classic Colombian dish - and although I tried this dish at many restaurants, I have to say that I finally found a place where they hit all the right notes.
(5)Melanie C.
Great service and quite inexpensive for the portion size. Small, hole-in-the-wall type place, feels very Latin American. The arepas were quite good -- definitely get the arepa de choclo, it's the best -- and the beans and rice were yummy, not too crazy spiced. I also loved the maduros (sweet plantain), as always. This is the perfect place if you want authentic Colombian food at a good price.
(4)Alan H.
Churrasco! Churrasco! Xlnt lentil soup, plantains, arepas. Small storefront place, casual, friendly.
(4)Jason J.
I dont think i've ever had columbian food before, and this was certainly a good introduction to it. it's a relatively small place, but for thursday lunch easily fit 5 people along the window. most of us had the bandeja paisa (mixed plate), which consisted of steak, sausage, fried pork, rice cake, rice, egg, avocado, beans, and plantains. definitely a good sized portion that fills you up. the fried pork was a little dry, but very tasty. the beans had good flavor, and the plantains were very moist, soft, and sweet. overall a very good meal, and would definitely come back. they also have aguila beer which is apparently columbian.
(4)Jen K.
Meh pretty much sums it up. Had the picada for four (selection of different tapas) and it was OK, but pretty greasy. We were starving from the flight in though, so it was tolerable. We came because our friend is Colombian, and even she agreed it was mediocre. Sangrias were the best part of the whole thing, should have just stuck to those. Bill for 4 was about $150 with our drinks, which I guess is the norm on South Beach. Our waitress seemed nice, and the service was quick, but based on food I wouldn't come back.
(2)Aria D.
Came here, after shopping and a long stroll, for dinner before hitting the clubs. I had the Tilapia entree, which was perfectly seasoned and cooked. The price was right to the point that I ordered another Tilapia to take back to my hotel room for the drunken hunger that came on later that evening. This place is AMAZING!
(4)