No Appetite For New Miami Restaurant Glorifying Castro, Communism

BRICKELL (CBSMiami) – A new restaurant set to open in Brickell glorifies Fidel Castro, Che Guevara and communism, and Miamians say they want no part of it.

"Do you think when Cafe Habana arrives here they will be served a plate of humble pie?" CBS4 News asked a Brickell resident.

Antonio Serbia offered a simple answer, "Definitely!"

Forget the corn and the other so-called Cuban-Mexican food on the menu. Before ever tasting anything on its menu, Cafe Habana has already left a bad taste in Miamians mouths. 

"Miami history 101 you would know not to promote anything pro-Castro or pro-Che Guevara – and they did that," exclaimed Ronnie Overman. 

"It's a slap in the face to Cubans, it's tone deaf, it's insulting, you're just trying to capitalize off of it, it's egregious," said Josue, a Miami influencer, with an Instagram page aptly called, "What Josue Has To Say."

Cafe Habana, with locations in New York City, Malibu and Tokyo, is set to open in Brickell this spring. But, ahead of its move to the Magic City, the restaurant used some magic of its own to scrub its origin story like a set of dirty dishes. 

"The fact they changed their description right before the Miami opening, it looks, you know what you're doing, you're just trying to capitalize off the movement there is now in Miami," Josue added. 

No longer does the restaurant boast it was "Inspired by a storied Mexico City hangout, where legend has it Che Guevara and Fidel Castro plotted the Cuban Revolution."

In fact, it's a piece of history most Cubans wish never existed, just like the mural of the notorious rapper Biggie Smalls dressed like a commandant on the side of the New York City location.

"It's really unfortunate they don't know the city they're putting their restaurant in," said Serbia. 

"I just think there are some mistakes that are unforgivable and in Miami that happens to be one of them," concluded Overman. 

CBS4 News called and emailed Cafe Habana with no response.