Karla Bakery

We recently moved to the neighborhood and we were so glad to find a Cuban bakery so close by. We’re having breakfast right now and this tostada Cubana is incredible. Best toast I’ve had in a long time. It’s cheap too! A full breakfast (eggs, toast, and fries), a breakfast sandwich, two pastelitos and two Cuban coffees came out to $ 15. I just took a bite of the pastelitos de guayaba y queso for this review and it’s also delicious. We’ll definitely be coming here next weekend.

Best pan con bistec in Miami! And the price is unbeatable. They also have a great selection of pastries to choose from

Very delicious guava and meat pastries! I love coming here during the weekends for a pastelito box. Their Cuban bread is everything!

Great find! Was in Miami for work, I’m a big fan of Porto’s in Southern California. So itching to find an excellent Cuban bakery while I was out here. Found It! The folks here were REALLY nice. Some folks here commented on the slow service. I didn’t see any of that. Ate here around noon during the work week. It was quick. Some folks also commented that there were some folks that spoke little English. Found that their English was just fine. One cashier didn’t speak much English, but to me I thought that made the place even more LEGIT. I ordered the Steak Sandwich, which was HUGE. Also got the Guava Pastries, and Carne Empanadas. Delish! The owners were really cool, and gave me a few extras to try on the house. Will be back!

Waoo what can I say really this dessert left me speechless the best flan cheesecake I’ve had in a while it was amazing I could taste how fresh it was will Definitely be coming back for more

Where do I start! I love Karla bakery the food and the service is exceptional. I’ve been here several times and each one gets better. I ordered some party platters online and as always I was very pleased. The ladies at the bakery are not only nice they are on top of their game. As soon as you walk in they offer to help. It’s so refreshing to get great service and also it’s quite unusual these days. I gotta give it to karlas owners they are on point with customer service. I do have a recommendation please open one up in the south. I live in the Redlands and I know that a Karla out here (184 and 147^th) would make a killing … There are no bakery’s down here and that would be a gold mine.

Perdón este si es bueno, el que es malo es otro…

I had a bad experience I posted on Karla bakery this week. With Negative review.
I wanted to say my post got management concerned enough to reach out to me that is rare caring thoughtful
FYI *****
They also reached out to today to replace the pastries that means that they care about how we feel. So I am giving them five stars since we are all human are here for the long haul. As for me I will continue to go when in area. Happy thanksgiving all.

Karla bakery is a cuban bakery with typical and new style cuban bakery goods. For instance spinach croquettas, mini cordon bleu balls tried both and are really good. But, this bakery has an ordering food system that I found out for myself which brings truth to the reviews I read. First, you walk up to the cashier place your order and pay, then you will get your receipt an a number and wait till you get your food. Hopefully you don’t have to wait that long for your order it can happen, just bring patience with you to this place. They are open 24 hours. Customer service 1.5 stars. Food so far 4 stars. Prices excellent. Will I go back? yes.

Great breakfast for a hungry traveler. Way too much food for one person, but the bread is so good!
Not many people speak enough English to help order. None of the menu is in English.
I wanted to get a pastry, but never managed to get any.

First time here I am a former miami resident. The other places I used to go quality was going down. So I went to Unilocal to try a new place. I’m glad I did this is my new favorite place. I ordered 4 different pastelitos. Each were great. The line was long and there was a wait. I had no problems with that since the food was great. Will be cal in town for thanksgiving and I can’t wait to go back.

About to embark on a double shift starting at 5:30 AM. One good thing about Karla’s is that they’re open 24 hours. I waited my turn I line and ordered a Lg. café con leche evaporada (much richer and more delicious than regular milk) and a tostada xtra butter. Also for my break I got a pastelito de carne (meat) and guyaba (guava). The service was EXTREMELY slow and I was in a bit of a hurry. I don’t understand my it took so long if the pastelitos are already made and the toast goes in a plancha… 5 minutes top, but it took them 15 minutes to get my order to me.
The bakery is large and very clean. There was about 6 other people there… They were still intoxicated from the club rambling on very loudly. And the ladies behind the counters are a little chusmita as we like to say here in Miami.
I was not happy with the tostada because it was not authentic at all… They did come through with the extra butter as I asked. My café con leche was delicious though I had to add a little bit of sugar. I did not eat the pastelitos and gave them to a co-​worker.
I probably will only return if i have to work another double shift and only because they are the only ones open. I know what to order and what not to order.

I could come here at anytime if I’m craving a pastelito because they stay open 24 hours which is great and idk how they do it but their pastelito always taste really fresh at any given time. The cashier ladies are sweet and attentive. I love coming here.

Que Pena ya no Es como antes el sistema Nuevo Es pesimo mas lento y el customer service Es malisimo

I really thought this place was going to be outstanding since I hear a lot about it. First off their café con leche is a no go. I order the large and it looks like a small. Anyhow my complain with it, it felt watery, not milky like other places. Barely any expresso in it as well.
I also ordered a pastelito, which I must say was good. It had a lot of filling in it.
My last item was a pan con tortilla. It wasn’t bad by any means but I want impressed. It was just ok. It was huge so you might want to share it. Overall not a terrible experience, but they can step up their game just a bit.

Just like most Banana Republics government systems, Karla Bakery’s sales operations don’t make any sense. But just like most Banana Republics, the food is awesome. The nonsense may not be entirely their fault, but they probably are the only Cuban bakery with a «system». Yeah, in Miami, having a system, a method, only causes confusion. In Karla Bakery’s case, nobody gets it, because that is not what people are used to, and because that is not the way things work ’round here.
Let me preface it this way. If you go to a Cuban bakery, you must know how to order. These bakeries have an implied system where you have to get the attention of the person behind the counter to be able to order. This may be aggravating if you are extremely polite or shy, if you don’t know how to get people’s attention, or if there is a large group and people get picked at random. To be successful, and able to order, you need to be, in the parlance of Hispanic Miami, «cojonu».
Once you have the person’s attention, you start to point out every pastelito, pastry or croqueta that you want, and they either write it down on a little slip or they put it in a box (or a tray). Then you walk to the cashier to pay, and that’s when you remember you wanted one more thing, so you go back and call the person that helped you (she is probably helping somebody else already) and interrupt and add something to your order. If you decide to be considerate and wait, then you fall in a category nobody wants to be part of, which is «tremendo comemi*rda».
That’s how you order at a Cuban bakery.
Maybe out of this frustration, Karla Bakery developed their «system». For logical people, this may seem straight up: you make the line to the counter, order, get an order number and pick up. It seems straight forward but the truth is, Miami is not ready for that. How can you order if the food is not in front of you? If you have Alzheimer, like 60% of the population in Miami, you end up with messed up orders and upset people that don’t want to make the line again to order what they forgot to order in the first place. I don’t come here as frequently as I would like to, or as I used to, but when I do, I see all these shortcomings and the frustrations boil. People get their order and want to add something but they don’t want to make the line again. It almost never fails.
But after telling you that, I now have to tell you this. There are about fifteen cafeterias, ten bakeries and ten supermarkets serving Cuban pastelitos in a ten block radius, and this bakery is always packed. Just to get your order is an easy fifteen minutes. The reason is a no-​brainer. Not only do they have some of the best pastelitos in Miami, but also the largest selection, and more. It has become an institution because of the variety and innovation, without a doubt.
My favorite things to order here are guava/​cheese pastelitos, and the meat/​special pastelitos, which are meat pastelitos with ham and cheese, topped with an olive. Of course, that is not all I order, I also get cheese pastelitos, guava, coconut, meat, cangrejitos, tequeños, and other stuff. But that is just some of the pastelitos, I can’t think of the whole list. Oh! yes, croquetas…
And I wash all this down with a café con leche. You may also get a juice, or a batido, even a fresh squeezed orange juice.
Don’t forget this is a real bakery though. There is a whole display full of desserts, which includes flan, capuccino, señoritas, etc, and they make bread, crackers and baked goods. Plus, you can place orders for cakes and party trays, or you could pick up one of the *to go* trays and be the life of the party (trust me on this one).
Finally, know that when you come here, it’s going to take time. If you are ordering pastelitos, do what I do and write a list on your phone, that way you don’t forget anything. I know it’s crazy, but you don’t to make the line again (trust me on this one).
Wait, did I say that again?

This review is strictly for the products, I cannot gauge for the service since the pastries were delivered to me by my boyfriend from his recent work trip to Miami/​Boca.
The guava and cheese pastry! It’s a must!
The guava alone is great, but the cheese combo is even better. It’s Cuban meeting Danish. I would pass on the coconut pastry; it’s not fresh coconut meat but rather coconut flakes. The carne pastry was decent, but i’m sure much better when freshly made.

I was here on January 31^st of 2014 with my aunt. We met here with my uncle and his wife (also considered an aunt) for lunch. Already waiting for me and my aunt at the table was a Pan con Bistec. I shared half of it with her. Each half was large enough for one person. It was a good steak sandwich. I enjoyed it and if in the area again in the future I would stop here for another one.
While eating, we quickly engaged in conversation. All three of them are old enough to have known King Tut. They arrived to this country in 1962. The conversation consisted of how this business used to be something else when they first got here. A Golden Nugget they said. They used to come here to have an American Breakfast they unanimously said. I can’t confirm this but, them being so old and arriving here in 1962, I’ll take their word for it.
The first thing I noticed while in here was their pre-​set trays of Bocaditos behind their display case. I wasn’t sure if they always had this until last weekend, at an Unilocal UYE, someone showed-​up with a small tray of pastries from this location. Great idea if you need some last minute goodies for an event or party. Most bakeries, not all, you have to reserve these ahead of time.
Here’s the thing with their modernized ordering system you are going to hear about. It’s a great concept for a busy bakery as this one. Problem is, once you pay, you can’t add anything.
My aunt and I went on a last minute shopping spree before leaving. One of these, two of those and OH, uno de esos también. I paid and walked over to near where they call your number and waited. Then, out of the corner of my eye, «OH YUMMY! I want that too!»
and AHA! I couldn’t add it to the order. I had to stand in line and place a new order requiring a new number and another wait. Again, great idea for a busy bakery. Just make sure you know everything you want before ordering.
For the record, we ordered quite a few «de estos y de aquellos.» They were all very fresh and delicious. They are so busy that I couldn’t help but notice how frequently they walk-​out from the back with replacement goodies. We were here «chilling» for over two hours. There are a couple of small tables for one to dine on inside.
Things to note and blah, blah, blahs:
* Like my hometown of Hialeah, the preferred language here is español. Customers will be bilingual but highly doubtful that the employees will be too. Bienvenidos a Miami meng!
* Parking here can be a challenge. My aging decrapitating aunt was driving making the «finding a spot while she drives her SUV trying to see clearly over the steering wheel» a bit more strenuous for me. It’s a very busy shopping center on a very busy stretch of Flagler Street.
Yeah, four stars on Unilocal

When pondering the qualitative values of a good bakery, what criteria is most important?
Variety? Of course, you want a wide assortment of pastries, cakes, and desserts to choose from. Check. Karla has all that. The guava cake is scrumptious. The flaky crusts melts delicately into your mouth followed by that sinful taste of fruit compote. But they also have a variety of cakes, other hot pastries, and a showcase full of decadent desserts that all cry out, «Eat me!»
In addition to sweets, Karla sells empanadas, sandwiches, and lunch plates. The empanadas weren’t bad but they weren’t the best I’ve ever had either. Decent by all standards.
Coffee? Karla has that. You can enjoy a plain Cuban coffee for fifty cents or indulge and have a cortadito (with or without evaporated milk) for under a couple bucks. I opted for the coffee with evaporated milk. Although I ordered a large, it was clearly a small cup. What would a small would look like? Ummm… But given the price, I really couldn’t complain.
Seating? Check. There are several tables to enjoy your goodies. They weren’t cleaned on a regular basis but I don’t mind taking a napkin and cleaning it off myself.
Parking? Check. Although it is a busy little strip mall, there is a parking lot which is helpful given that parking in Miami is a challenge.
Value? Definitely. Decent prices that don’t make you feel like Jack the Ripper has been through your wallet.
Hours? Karla Bakery is open 24 hours so that is a huge plus because you never know when you’ll have a craving for a guava bake and café con leche.
Customer Service? Not so much. Some staff are okay while others are quite rude especially if you don’t speak Spanish. Upon ordering the café con leche evaporado, we were asked «light or dark»? Honestly, it’s a not a question you expect and it was hard to understand the words. We assumed the staff person asked small or large. She asked again, «light or dark» and started to get upset. There’s no need for that. It’s hard to hear and we clearly did not speak the language but to work in customer service, you have to be patient. Oh well. We got it all squared away but it made the experience feel lacking.
Overall, I’d come back. After all, how many Cuban pastry shops are open 24 hours? But next time, I’ll practice my Spanish beforehand.

My least favorite Cuban Bakery in all of Miami
I know some people that know a lot about food LOVE this place (BurgerBeast) and I respect their knowledge but they have no clue when it comes to Karla and her self righteousness.
First, the ordering system. They have this new angle number system and then you go to the counter and order and pay and then some lady (when she is done drinking her cafecito) forms your box and proceeds to fill it with over-​hyped pastelitos. Why did they have to reinvent the wheel. What happened to getting to a place and waiting to hear «Proximo» and then having your own personal croqueta concierge? You pick your pastelists by eyeballing them and you fill up the box the lady picked it based on space… couple inches left? fill it with a Señorita
another thing, the prices!!! what are these baked treats made of? Oro???
GTFOH
Pro-​tip
They are open 24 hours. Best time to go? NEVER

My cousin is the best.
I didn’t personally visit the bakery but my cuz from Miami brought a bunch of my favorite pastry to VA with her! I heart Pastel de Guayaba (Guava Pastry) and this bakery is legit. They prepare it so well. The pastry is flaky, slightly buttery, slightly sweet, and oh so good. The guava filling is smooth, light, not too sweet, and incredibly flavorful.
So happy and grateful.

One of the best guayaba (guava) pastelitos in town! If you are turned off by the abundant puff pastry in your Cuban pastelitos, Karla Bakery’s pastelitos are all about the filling. Their pastelitos are made with the perfect amount of pastry and guava so you’re getting a good chunk of guava with every bite. I ordered an assortment of pastry party trays for a bday gathering and it was a hit.
I know there are popular Cuban bakeries in town like Versailles which is a must-​do tourist stop, but I personally prefer Karla Bakery’s guava pastelitos. Can’t go wrong with them…