Alma Cubana - Cuban restaurant in Miami Beach
Cuban restaurant · 650 Ocean Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139, United States · United States
★ 4.9 on Google · 11,811 reviews · View on Google Maps
Manipulation score
SuspiciousCompleted Aug 5, 2026 · 368 reviews flagged
How this score works
The score estimates how strongly this place's review record matches known manipulation patterns, from 0 (no signs) to 100. Verdicts: Clean below 40, Suspicious from 40, Likely Manipulated from 70; Review Drive when the flags are mostly staff asking customers for named reviews. It rises with the share of reviews flagged and how suspicious each one is.
- Burst
- — an abnormal spike of five-star reviews in a single day compared to the place's usual pace.
- Low activity account
- — the reviewer has almost no other reviews, photos, or Local Guide history; throwaway accounts look like this.
- Duplicate text
- — the wording is nearly identical to another review of the same place.
Verdicts are statistical estimates based on public review patterns, not accusations. Full methodology, signal definitions and known limits →
Case conclusion
What the numbers say
1,000 reviews examined
- Google rating
- 4.9★
- Not-flagged average
- 4.7★
- Flagged
- 37%
- Coverage
- 8%
All reviews shown by Google
632 examined reviews
368 of 1,000
1,000 of 11,811 Google reviews
“Not flagged” means no configured Revdict signal matched; it does not prove a review is genuine. Data fetched Aug 5, 2026.
Review brief
What reviews not flagged by Revdict say
Reviewers report that this Ocean Drive location offers a lively atmosphere with outdoor seating, live music, and strong service from individual staff members. However, many visitors describe it as an expensive tourist-oriented spot characterized by steep item pricing and automatic service charges. While several patrons enjoyed specific dishes like the ropa vieja and mojitos, others noted bland flavors and unexpected add-on costs.
+ Repeated strengths
Attentive and friendly service
Multiple reviewers highlight specific staff members for providing warm, welcoming, and attentive customer service.
3 supporting reviews
4★ · 2026-05-07
Great service from Rolando 👍🏽
5★ · 2026-05-09
Definitely get the paella and seafood catch. These were great for our 8-person group. We made a reservation and ate around 830pm. I think we ordered too many appetizers because we should have saved room to devour the seafood. Sangria and ma...
5★ · 2026-06-11
The service from the girl was excellent and very pleasant. I highly recommend requesting Paola's service; she's super attentive.
Vibrant atmosphere and location
Reviewers frequently praise the energetic environment, live music, and prime beachside setting on Ocean Drive.
3 supporting reviews
4★ · 2026-04-07
The proximity to the beach is amazing! The food tasted decent. Lots of Latin music going on.
4★ · 2026-08-04
The waiter was really nice, and comfortable.
5★ · 2026-06-03
Rey is an excellent host. Thank you.
Enjoyable drinks and select dishes
Several guests report having delicious mojitos, cocktails, and comforting dishes like ropa vieja.
2 supporting reviews
5★ · 2026-03-19
The mojitos were amazing! We had guava and kiwi and they were both amazing!! Leila was attentive and gave gave great recommendations 🤍
1★ · 2026-06-04
SCAM! With a 4.9 rating we had high expectations. Ended up being the worst meal with the worst service! First we got sat down and the place was empty. They have a 2 for 1 drink special which we took and since we had a bachelor party crew th...
− Repeated complaints
High prices and unexpected fees
Reviewers report expensive bills driven by costly bottled water, mandatory 20% service fees, and high drink prices.
3 supporting reviews
3★ · 2026-03-18
While the food was great, I would not recommend this place to others. You have street vendors, magicians, and homeless that they allow into the restaurant to hassle you and beg for money or purchases while you try to enjoy your meal. After...
3★ · 2026-03-19
Food decent, but 20% service charge? $8 fries? Still water $12? Over priced even for a tourist location
2★ · 2026-04-08
Came here with one other person for cocktails and a few starters — walked out $150 lighter and still hungry. A couple of things worth knowing before you go: • 20% gratuity is automatically added regardless of party size (we were a table of...
Underwhelming food quality
Some visitors state that certain food items tasted bland, pre-made, or below average for the price point.
2 supporting reviews
2★ · 2026-04-11
I had high expectations given the strong Google ratings, but unfortunately the experience didn’t live up to the hype—especially for the price point. The food quality was disappointing. I ordered the guacamole and it honestly tasted like pr...
2★ · 2026-06-28
Typical Tourist Trap. We decided sit down due to soccer screens. We ordered tacos and guacamole with beer. These were some of the worst tacos we have ever tasted. Guacamole was either old or from Costco. The terrible part is the restauran...
Inconsistent service and pressure to order
A few reviewers experienced inattentive server follow-ups or felt pressured by staff pushing additional items.
1 supporting review
1★ · 2026-05-21
We were a party of four and were extremely disappointed. The food was truly awful; the pizza looked like a cheap frozen pizza with just some mozzarella thrown on top. It tasted nothing special and was definitely not worth the price. On top...
Good for
- Drinks and cocktails by the beach
- Lively atmosphere with live music
- Outdoor people-watching on Ocean Drive
Avoid if
- You are looking for budget-friendly dining
- You object to automatic service charges and pricey bottled water
- You expect strictly traditional and consistently flavored Cuban cuisine
Review anatomy
Reviews per month
| Month | Reviews | Flagged |
|---|---|---|
| Mar ’26 | 28 | 4 |
| Apr ’26 | 152 | 65 |
| May ’26 | 339 | 108 |
| Jun ’26 | 234 | 78 |
| Jul ’26 | 195 | 94 |
| Aug ’26 | 52 | 19 |
Rating distribution
Evidence
- burst 13 five-star reviews on 2026-04-04 vs avg 2.1/day; 21 five-star reviews on 2026-07-17 vs avg 3.4/day; 21 five-star reviews on 2026-07-18 vs avg 3.9/day weight 1
- review drive 19 five-star reviews on 2026-04-18 vs avg 3.4/day, 10 of them name a staff member weight 0.5
- low activity account 316 reviews flagged weight 0.8
- generic account 1 reviews flagged weight 1
Flagged reviews
Showing the 10 most suspicious of 368 flagged reviews.
Alfredo Quiñones
2 reviews
★★★★★
2026-04-04
Michelle
adair quiñones
2 reviews
★★★★★
2026-04-04
Michel
Ivonne Avila
1 review
★★★★★
2026-04-04
Michelle
Lily Avila
1 review
★★★★★
2026-04-04
Michelle
Valerie Crow-McDowell
1 review
★★★★★
2026-07-17
We came here twice this week and had great drinks and food. We only read the reviews afterward. I loved my coconut mojito and my husband loved his classic mojito with Cuban rum.
Michael Dicent
1 review
★★★★★
2026-07-17
Rey was my waiter and he was serving me amazing, props! He also made me a happy birthday cake on his own benefit, Amazing Time!
Jhon Herrera
2 reviews
★★★★★
2026-07-17
Paola
Sanaa Stringfield
1 review
★★★★★
2026-07-17
Michel the best
CupidsLove
1 review
★★★★★
2026-07-17
Michael
Hernando Gonzalez Garcia
1 review
★★★★★
2026-07-17
Milu was excellent. And the food was a 10/10. Thank you.
Report generated Aug 5, 2026. Reviews change — you can request a fresh investigation.
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