Café La Trova

Café La Trova is a Cuban cocktail bar on SW 8th Street in Little Havana, opened by the maestro cantinero Julio Cabrera and his longtime friend, the chef Michelle Bernstein. Cabrera is described by the bar as a celebrated ambassador for Cuban culture, and the bar is built around the art of the cantinero style of bartending.

The bar has a strong record in international rankings. It has been placed at number 42 in North America's 50 Best Bars in 2024, 2025 and 2026, and it has appeared in the World's 50 Best Bars list, reaching number 24 in 2023. It was also named the best bar in the South in 2022, and Cabrera received an industry icon award in 2023. The rankings are a useful guide to its standing among cocktail bars in the Americas.

Cocktails are the focus, so ask the bartenders for a Cuban classic if you are unsure where to start. Live music is part of the atmosphere, and the bar's photo gallery shows musicians performing. Opening hours are listed on the bar's hours and location page, so check them before you go, as they can vary by day.

Café La Trova suits couples, groups of friends and cocktail enthusiasts. Reservations are available through the website, which is the best way to secure a table, especially at weekends. The bar also hosts private events and sells gift cards.

If you want to watch the bartenders at work, ask for seats near the bar when you book. Pace yourself if you plan to visit Ball & Chain or other Calle Ocho bars afterwards, and consider eating first at Versailles or Sanguich de Miami further west on SW 8th Street. Gift cards are sold through the website if you want to treat someone, and private events can be arranged through the enquiry form.

The bar is at 971 SW 8th Street, east of the central blocks of Calle Ocho, so it combines easily with a walk west towards Domino Park, the Walk of Fame and Ball & Chain at 1513 SW 8th Street. Sanguich de Miami and Versailles are further west on the same road if you want to eat before or after. Taxis and ride-shares are the easiest way to get home late at night.