Doesn't Recommend

MiamiDude

Joined 5 years ago

El Novillo is No Bueno. My wife and I had some fond memories of going to Novillo's on 40th Street in Miami in the past, but we won't be back after what we've seen what's happened to the place.

We went there a couple of nights ago in need of a good churrasco and that famous Nicaraguan hospitality we knew about - we found neither!

First off, we were seated way in the back by the bathroom, and then, against all reason we were brought four menus in English when we were all speaking Spanish and my relatives clearly don't speak a word of English. (Just like 90% of their staff!)

As for the food, the famous Novillo churrasco was dry and listless, and it became a chore to complete it. They overcooked two of the three servings, all of which were ordered medium rare, and I ended up switching plates with my wife, whose beef was not as "well-well" done. The beef was initially brought out by itself, unceremoniously dropped onto the table in front of us like dog bowls: there the three strips lay awhile, with no garnish, no side dishes, only streak marks showing how they slid onto the plates.



When we politely told the waiter that he had brought beef when we had ordered chicken for the fourth person's entree, he questioned my mother-in-law's memory with a kind of passive aggressive remark about how he was "almost certain" that she had ordered the beef! Who do you think is more likely to remember what was ordered, the person who ordered the food, or the waiter who took the order without writing it down?

After declining dessert and waiting entirely too long for the bill, we paid and left, without hearing any customary polite words on the way out. The hostess, a pretty young lady with a bored frown who looked like she was sitting in detention, didn?t even utter the obligatory pleasantries like "We hope you liked it!", "How was it?" or "We hope you come back". Instead, she continued cleaning her ear with her little finger while snapping out an almost sarcastic "Thanks!"

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chefitoronaldo14

Joined 7 years ago

Chef Roberto Murillo. Chef ROberto Murillo Has made An Awsome Change After His father left Master Chef Ronald Murillo In the year 1998 ,He decided to move on further to another el novillo restaurant in miami beach witch now is owned by another company during the time past roberto skill increased in many culinary things ..while his father was moving on and restoring miami's restaurant but let me tell you EL NOVILLO RESTAURANT has the best food ever thank you

Master Chef Ronald & Executive Chef Roberto Murillo which remains in the restaurant

Gracias por transformar EL NOVILLO RESTAURANT

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Rick Munarriz

Joined 10 years ago

Nicaraguan steakhouse creates an inspired, celebratory dining scene with abundant portions and live music.. The Scene
Forgive the drab, suburban strip-mall exterior and enter a festive Nicaraguan village, complete with a two-story facade and gushing fountain at the center. Live music and an active bar scene turns the eatery into a popular watering hole later in the week. An attentive staff is always around to fill glasses or pile on slices of crispy, buttery bread.

The Food
Churrasco--juicy, thick and, at its size, jaw-tiring--may be the restaurant's signature steak, but the taconazo tenderloin--folded into the shape of a woman's shoe--is its most distinctive. Sides of sweet, fried plantains, crunchy plantain chips and red beans and rice are heaped tableside in just-say-when abundance. Stout, cigar-shaped, Nicaraguan-style tacos pack suprisingly sweet beef into rolled, fried corn tortillas. Tres leches, the house dessert, oozes with sweetened condensed milk. Pio quinto, a moist rum cake topped by a delicately creamy custard, is only a slightly lighter dinner finale.