Leela’s Restaurant

I came here during a weekend trip and Miami. I came across this place on Unilocal and thought I’d give it a try as I had never tried Haitian food. This place is amazing! Food and service is outstanding! You will not be disappointed eating here.

The best place I have ever stepped into. I’m from Philly and there is no place like leelah. I’m going back today!!! Lol
I might try the legume today not sure but I’m pretty sure what ever I get will be delicious.

Ate a veritable feast for $ 15. Did not need to order as much as I did. Had some griot along with okra and fried rice. Add a coke and a water. Just a heads up, at the time I went, there was no workable credit card machine so cash only.

This place is great! My girlfriend and I (I’m Haitian) were visiting from California and were Unilocaling out Haitian restaurants when we found Leela’s. Quaint restaurant with friendly staff and the food was bomb! I got the chicken, brown rice and beans (du riz), plantains (banan pese) and tore it up. If you are in the area, check this place it out. It’s worth it!

For someone craving home style Mange Haitian, it is very fitting. Nice Haitian décor and menu. I ordered the legume avec rice.

I have had Leela’s food a couple of times at Big Night in Little Haiti and just had to try the source considering the satellite experiences were so good. I had the stewed chicken with rice and beans, plantains, and veg. I washed it down with fresh limeade. Also on offer was creole shrimp, legum, griyot (of course) and stewed turkey, along with djion djion (mushroom) rice. Everything was fresh, delicious, and very wonderful. The place is super chill, Christine took care of us so well. Please get here and try for yourself.

Sak pase!!! Quaint spot in the heart of Little Haiti. They also cater the Big Night in Little Haiti events. The food is absolutely delicious, friendly service, and the atmosphere is delightfully welcoming. I highly recommend Leela’s if you want authentic Haitian food.

A delicious authentic Haitian family owned restaurant with excellent service and a laid-​back atmosphere. We ordered the red snapper with rice and beans fried plantings and vegetables and washed it down with Haitian beer. It was a perfect ending to an afternoon of visiting be very impressive Haitian cultural center. Make sure you stop in at Lelas restaurant if you are hungry for some authentic Haitian food.

Ooo the mac & cheese, ooo the red beans and rice, ooo the plantains. Soooo good. And the waitress was very sweet and accommodating

Me andmy girlfriend were in town from california and was wanting some good caribbean/​haitian eats. Looking through the reviews on Unilocal brought us to this lovely place with a very kind waitress. Very accommodating as well! My girlfriend only really eats seafood and they didn’t have something off the chefs menu for the day but he was fine with cooking her some shrimp to get her fed. The food was delicious! Would definitely recommend to some friends that are wanting to go somewhere off the beaten path. Price point was great as well! Paid about $ 23 for the both of us and had received a very good amount of food that filled us up. The spicy cabbage condiment is a must have if you like spice.

Best food ever! Period, no other discussion. If my mother were Haitian she would cook this everyday, God rest her soul! Leela’s is a not so hidden gem. The food is basically a history lesson in Afro-​Caribbean/​French cuisine. The taste are all familiar but difference at the same time.
I suggest everyone to stop in and experience some of the best food you will ever find.

Myself and girlfriend came here on Labor day weekend looking to try Haitian food for the first time. The food and service was very good. Very good Haitian hole in the wall! I ordered the poulet with Mac and cheese, rice and peas. Very delicious.

While in Miami, my boyfriend was interested in trying some Haitian food. We went straight to Unilocal for suggestions and found many of the Haitian restaurants to be rated highly however I can’t imagine any of them being better than Leela’s.
We took an Über to Little Haiti and got dropped off right in front of Leela’s located in a shopping center. We walked right in and were greeted by the sweetest lady I have ever met who I presume to be the owner of the restaurant. We told her that it was our first time trying Haitian food and she offered us some suggestions.
I ordered the Grillot, which is fried pork chunks w/​a plate of rice and peas, tostones/​fried green plantains and vegetables or mac and cheese (depending on which they have available). My boyfriend ordered the Poulet, which is stewed chicken w/​a plate of rice and peas, tostones/​fried greeb plantains and vegetables or mac and cheese. All I can say is. OMG! We both devoured our meals. Haitian cuisine is almost identical to Caribbean and Latin food. The meat was seasoned so well w/​delicious flavors and cooked to perfection. The rice & peas were served with a sauce to pour over the side that complimented the dish. And the mac and cheese, my goodness! Both meals were excellent but if I had to choose I think the stewed chicken was a slightly better than the fried pork.
Both of our meals and a Haitian beer came out to be only $ 21 which is reaaaally good in comparison to Miami prices. The owner was so appreciative when we gave her a tip and said that she hadn’t received one all day so TIP, TIP, TIP! This is a small Mom and Pop style restaurant run by a very hardworking woman w/​amazing food. I will definitely stop by here anytime I’m in Miami.

I’m kind of out of my league here as I’m not too familiar with Haitian food. But I know a quality establishment when I meet one and Leela’s is a class act. The chef focuses on what I would venture to be home-​cooking staples and the love and warmth came through in every bite. Pikliz is my new fave condiment, a spicy vinegary cabbage side perfect for the slow-​cooked stews from the Island. Our server was one of the sweetest ladies I’ve meet in a long time. An absolute peach. The hand painted murals on the walls make the experience all the more special. It all makes me so happy to have moved back to south Florida.

OMG this is the best place ever. Do not be deterred by the neighborhood or the reviews. This was the best food I’ve ever had at any establishment. The chef was so attentive to all our needs and treated us like pure royalty. He went above and beyond to meet any request that we had. He prepared items that were not on the menu from scratch. There were three of us and we all had different dishes each that were all absolutely delicious. I’ve never been treated so good at a restaurant. The portions were large and the prices were cheap. The red snapper fish is a hit as well as the cow foot soup. If your looking for the ultimate Haitian experience then look no further this is it!!! We even took pictures with the chef (chef Lebon). We took our leftovers to go and he gave us full servings in our to go boxes. He’s so sweet and I pray God blesses his business to continue to flourish and prosper!!!

This place is Very charming with traditional home cooked Haitian food. The woman serving us was super sweet and shared with us that she’s been cooking for 27 years! If you’re looking for the authentic Miami experience, this is a great place to go to. I’ve lived in Miami the past three years and it felt like I was somewhere in Haiti, being served a delicious home cooked meal.

A group of my college girlfriends and I were visiting Miami Beach and we decided to venture into Little Haiti for some ethnic food. We visited on a rainy Saturday evening. To our surprise, we were the only ones there! We were seated by the restaurant owner and cook, Leela (I’m assuming, I did not ask, but she mentioned it was her place) who was very attentive to us and greatly explained in detail the menu she had out.
When some of us were a little unsure of what sort of food there was, Leela kindly brought us to the front of the restaurant where there was a cafeteria style counter with hot foods behind it. From here we could see the amazing deliciousness she had waiting for us.
Each of our meals went a little something like turkey, beef or chicken stew with rice and beans, and fried plantains with pickled cabbage as sides. Some of us also got the fish, which I was told was great!
My meal consisted of the turkey stew and beef. Overall, it was delicious! I am a huge fan of flavors and different spices. You can tell the chef put some hard work and time into prepping these meals. It was also a large plate with another side plate of rice so you get a huge portion for about $ 10 – 12! Leela was also so kind enough to let us sample Haitian soda and food of our choice :)
The 5 stars is for the food really, and for Leela! She was so kind, we had a good conversation about school and her kids, and her hard work. She brought in the local minister to say hello to us. You can just tell that we were so openly welcomed, it was a great experience!
Don’t be intimidated by the neighborhood, although you should try to stay safe if out walking, as our Über driver had forewarned us. We came and left without any problems despite the pouring rain. Definitely try this place out for some amazing and authentic Haitian cuisine while supporting a local business!

Great Haitian home cooking with friendly service. The lady serving was very friendly, letting us know we were about to feel at home :). Alex (part of ownership family) also came in and made us feel very welcome.
Everything was good, and healthy! My Panamanian culinary expert suegrita loved the bacalao. Cabbage was great. Pikliz (spicy cabbage picante) on black beans and moist rice was banging! The prestige was ice cold too!
Fantastic, simple spot to enjoy very reasonably priced Haitian home cooking, if you are opened minded to being in the area.

Amazing home cooking! Great value and really friendly people.
Best in Miami, IMO
The chef helped me order what I was looking for and gave samples of other dishes for the next trip.
I really recommend this place as a casual spot

Just had this at the reflektors/​arcade fire show and OMG so freaking good. Big portions!