Happy Hour in Havana
Calle 23 Brings Cuban Flair to Coral Gables
There’s a new happy hour hangout in town: Calle 23 Miami. Having opened in the beginning of March, they had to shut down just weeks later. But since their grand reopening in May, it’s been back to socially distanced business.
Located on Miracle Mile where Plomo Tequila and Taco Bar used to be, Calle 23 offers deals on drinks and bites from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. That’s right, they even have happy hour on weekends. Complete with neon lights and tropical décor, you’ll be transported from Miracle Mile to Havana (for those who know the Cuban capital, Calle 23 is the main drag through Havana with night clubs, restaurants, government offices and the famous Coppelia ice cream bar).
During the two-hour time slot, their signature cocktails are all $7. The cocktail menu includes a spicy margarita, several mojitos and a classic Moscow mule. The spicy margarita – made with Hornitos Plata tequila, agave, jalapeno and lime – has the perfect amount of heat. The rim is laced with cayenne salt for a little extra kick. If you’re not a fan of spicy cocktails, you can’t go wrong with the mojitos, served classic or with flavors like passionfruit, mango and guava.
For those who prefer sweet drinks, the passion caramel is like a rum punch, combining Cruzan aged light rum, caramel, passion fruit puree and citrus. Wine by the glass and beer runs $5 and $4, respectively.
The happy hour bites are very reasonably priced, with everything $6 except for the picadillo empanada at $4. The meat on the ropa vieja tostones tasted more barbeque than Cuban, but we still enjoyed it. And the tortilla española – a staple at any Hispanic restaurant – was delicious. You can kick it up a notch by adding chorizo for $1. Our favorite was the ham croquetas (each order comes with three). The hardest part: letting them cool before devouring them.
Though Calle 23 is taking the place of Plomo, the ownership remains the same: The Greek duo of Loannis “Yiannis” Sotiropoulos and Efthymios “Makis” Palioura. They also own Copper 29 down the street and Crema Gourmet Espresso Bar a block away.
Calle 23 attracts a younger crowd to the Mile, making it a nice post-work spot for Millenials who work in the downtown.
Calle 23
230 Miracle Mile
786 – 325 – 3474
calle23miami.com