Cafe Lago

Secret hide out spot with a new kitchen and brand new service approach. The Lago remains but everything completely revamped. Good food hidden away in Doral.

Probably that lake view is the only thing this place has going for it but eating at many Cuban Café’s I think I know a half ass setup when I see one. Mind you after the first experience you want to give the place the benefit of the doubt but on multiple occasions the food was simply mediocre and minus well be served to the stray animals out back. Not even the presentation entices you to eat it. I’m trying to find something that is worth coming here for but to be quite honest even the coffee here is bad. I just rather drive on by and hang a right at 97 ave for Tropical Café. …Just Saying

I’ve been here twice, food is good and service as well, good spot next to the lake, definitely coming back!!!

Are you hungry? This little secret hideaway café in Doral along NW 12^th Street offers your typical local café fare at very reasonable prices.
Quick and easy service with a simple menu, it caters to the mostly blue collar crowd that works nearby. But something interesting has been happening lately. As word gets out, this little gem is starting to attract that white collar Doral atmosphere. It’s now «the» little cafeteria to go to for lunch.
Located lakeside (don’t ask me the name of the lake… I think it’s a number) it has a small interior (four booths, and six stools) with about five tables outside. The waitresses are constantly busy running orders and getting those to-​go orders ready.
Breakfast is inexpensive (about $ 5.00) and lunch can run around $ 8.00; It gets jam-​packed in the mad lunch rush, but if you call ahead, they can have it ready for you to pick up.
Check it out, and don’t forget to tip in cash!
*if you drive there, you may have an issue with parking. I recommend calling ahead and picking it up.

I initially loved this place, the girls that work the counter are sweethearts, and the food was what you’d expect from a Latin Café, but over the span of about the last year, their prices went up twice, and the quality control of the food went out the window.
Be careful when ordering take-​out, especially breakfast — the cook will often put the food in the to-​go container while it’s still burning hot, which results in melting the plastic container and getting toxic chemicals in your food.
When I politely mentioned it to the staff the next day, it seemed like the food I got that morning was *different*… as in the onions were literally blue in color for some reason, and the bread I got was dry and stale.
I heard that they’ve changed owners twice… Bottom line, there’s obviously some problems going on behind the scenes at Café Lago. I will check back with them in a couple of months, but this daily regular has found another Cuban café just up the street.

After starting with a new office in Doral, I’ve seen co-​workers order and talk up this very cost effective, big portion lunch spot…
If you’re looking for giant portions for low cost ($ 7) perfect, you’ll love this place.
Although, if you have an extra $ 2, go anywhere else. Sadly the chef’s seem not to care about the quality that comes out of their kitchen, probably underpaid and overworked.
The front of house staff probably treats regulars with kindness, but very disconnected with anyone, customer service fail.
Overall, not a great experience… it could merit another attempt, where I’d be the rude customer asking to check the quality of the food before I picked it up? but after all the reviews from co-​workers, I hoped it’d be great.
I may be biased because I ran a restaurant for some time, but very disappointing.

I have to DEFINITELY agree with Gustavo M. on this one. This place is in fact buena, bonita y barata. I first came across it right here on Unilocal when searching for cheap lunch spots in my area, and once again I wasn’t let down. For a total of $ 8.50 I got a HUGE portion of white rice, black beans, a PHENOMENAL Vaca Frita and fried plaintains. Given, that I’m in the area, I opted to go pick it up versus having it delivered and I’m so glad I did. The outdoor seating area is a dream and lured me in almost instantly! Very rinky dink, but yet absolutely divine when combined with the noon time breeze and its lakeside ambiance. I definitely recommend this place for anyone looking to enjoy great Cuban food at an affordable price! The only reason I don’t give it 5 stars, is because of the lack of good service. I had placed by my order since 11:05 AM and scheduled to pick it up by noon. I was inside the restaurant by 11:50 AM and waited about another 10 minutes to be taken care of, while my food was ready and packaged on top of the counter all along. There were about 4 or 5 women, all catering to the 5 police officers sitting on the other side of the bar, completely ignoring everyone else in the restaurant. Each time I, or anyone else would ask to be taken care of, they would all respond with «Just one sec.» All in all, it was a good experience, I’ll definitely be back to Café Lago, but next time, with a bit more time to spare.
XO!

good food at good prices, but the only thing I dont like is waiting an hour & a half for delivery even though they are a couple blocks away! like literally 2 blocks away! its like this ALL THE TIME!

Excellent Cuban sand and chicken sand. Great platters and cheap. As good as Carreta and about half the price. Great cheap café con leche y Cuban toast is under $ 2 I think! Sit outside and enjoy the lakeside (rockpit) view with ducks, iguanas and huge fish waiting for leftovers.

Good Cuban restaurant if you are in that part of Doral. The restaurant is small with a few bar stools and tables inside and they offer outdoor seating. The portions are Huge and the prices are Cheap. They make a Great omelet with Ham, Onion, and Swiss Cheese on Cuban Bread. Their Cubans plates are flavor full and you can’t go wrong for the Value. They deliver and take credit cards. The staff is nice and your Order comes out Fast!

Bueno, bonito y barato.
The food in this place is good (bueno). The menu is hand-​written and photocopied. So you a sure that whatever you order is fresh, and if you are running late they may have run out of it. Can you hear Paul Bocuse in the distance? His book ‘La Cuisine du Marche’ revolutionized French cooking by suggesting menus should change with what was available in the market. I had a very tender skirt steak (bistec de palomilla) with rice, beans, and plantain. Steak was perfectly seasoned with lots of garlic and topped with caramelized onions.
The place is a truck stop, hole in the wall, but if you squint your eyes when sitting in the terrace, and look out into the water, your mind’s eye will see the beauty (bonito) of the place.
Yeah, prices are cheap (barato).
For a quick lunch on the run this is the place in Doral.

You want a cheap, and fast lunch Café Lago is the place to go to. Their portions are enormous and I always end up sharing a plate with a coworker. The chicken soup is my favorite thing off the menu. Sit outside so you can feed the enormous fishes in the lake, and birds.

I had lunch here today. I normally go to La Carreta, which has great food. I have to say I have found a new favorite for when I am in Miami and looking for home style cuban food. The food was seasoned perfectly and the prices can’t be beat. It gets a little noisy on the terrace since it’s in the MIA flight path but it’s not horrible.

Café Lago… I visit this place with my boss and sometimes co-​workers at least 1 to 3 times a week. Although it’s a «man-​made created lake used to divert storm water», it is nice to get out of the office and enjoy home cooked style food. I would rather pay $ 6 to $ 7 per plate at this place, than to gulp down a overpriced, loaded with calories fast food combo. Food tastes good and prices are very reasonable. I have tried varioius dishes here, my favorites is the Grilled Chicken steak served with tomato, lettuce and onion salad and 2 very large hawaiian tostones (Fried green plaintains). My least favorite dish was the yellow rice with chicken (arroz con pollo) I actually felt like getting in the kitchen and showing the Chef or Cook how its really done. Yes, the parking is never easy but it depends at what time you visit. I also enjoy feeding my left over Pan Cubano slices to the very large fish, turtles, and birds that occupy the lake. I observe a variety of people eating there not only «dock workers» eat there, its all types of people from different industries.

This place is great. Really good food at a really good price. I was brought to this restaurant by some of my coworkers. This restaurant sits along the edge of a small lake. Lago stands for lake in Spanish. Hence the name. The owners are from Cuba and are really sweet people. There is a miniature version of this café within Southcom.
I have ordered chicken and salmon platters here. Most dishes have side items of white rice, black bean soup, fried plantains or a small salad. They also have croquettas (fried ground pork links), pasteles (pastries), batidos (shakes), espresso, and a number of other items on the menu.
The only negative thing I would have to say is about the parking. Be careful! The street is very busy and when you pull out of the parking space you are in the middle of the street. Cars fly by at about 40 MPH.
Note: For non Spanish speakers, employees speak English, just be patient.

lago is a hole in the wall with horrible parking– BUT i order the chicken salad which is more chicken than salad and ohh soooo delicious! we order for the office and pick up to go its fast and yummy. anyone who works in doral knows lunch is pricey but not at lago. trust me this salad is awesome its a full piece of grilled chicken breast with a lime flavor and onions tomatoes and greens a creamy sauce and a little bread roll– around $ 5

Caf el Lago is nothing if not straightforward. It is a small restaurant (caf) near a «lake» (el lago). Notice the quotation marks? That’s because this particular «Lake» is a man-​made creation precisely 2 blocks square, constructed to divert storm water away from the service streets that form it’s perimeter.
This tiny restaurant in the middle of Miami’s warehouse zone exists mainly to feed the local dock workers quickly and cheaply. Offering vaguely Cuban fare, the best that can be said about the food is that it’s never made me sick. And while our cubist lake of dubious origin is’nt exactly charming, it does allow one to get outside and enjoy some fresh air in an area not exactly known for dining al fresco