Miami, especially the Brickell area, is lacking when it comes to Mexican options, but thankfully, La Mexicana opened last year to fill the void. Although the restaurant focuses on serving Mexican food, they cater to the Brickell lifestyle by offering a Sports Bar inspired setting. This means you can indulge in Mexican food, drinks, and sports all in one.
Although the interior and décor scream out “Brickell,” the food manages to maintain a sort of comfort level that is rarely seen in the area. Everything is down to earth and focuses on serving Tex-Mex dishes that are meant to satisfy. That means that the portions are plentiful for the prices and are flavorful enough to make for a thoroughly fulfilling meal. I’m in no way claiming this restaurant as authentic Mexican or even delicious, but when the mood strikes for some Mexican cuisine in the area, La Mexicana is not a bad option.
The tacos are a simple, yet pleasing dish that I seem to stick to whenever I visit. The pork is braised with achiote, tomato and chipotle and served with pickled red onions on a warm corn tortilla. The tender meat is succulent and tasty, boasting a slight kick that is restrained by the pickled onions. All atop the corn tortilla, it makes for a pleasant bite that satiates my cravings for tacos. Although the food is respectable, I’d be happy coming here just for the cocktails. First of all, they offer a happy hour seven days a week featuring two-for-one drinks from 4 to 8 p.m. That alone makes for a reason to stop by, especially considering drinks in Brickell are some of the pricier ones in the city. Even if that weren’t the case, their menu consisting of mostly Margaritas is creative and diverse enough for everyone to find something they like. The Coco Pina Margarita, made up of tequila, triple sec, pineapple juice and coconut, reminds me of a Pina Colada with a Mexican twist. Actually, I may prefer this drink since it refrains from hitting that cloyingly sweet level that Pina Coladas typically hit.
As mentioned previously, the food here is not something that is going to blow you away, but the atmosphere, great drinks, and affordable prices make La Mexicana a restaurant worth visiting. The modern and colorful vibe created by pastel colors mixed with large TVs make for a different way to experience sports events in an area of the city that seems to have restaurant that stick to a certain formula.
La Mexicana
1451 S Miami Ave, Miami 33130
(305) 371-8859
By Santiago Cardona
