Lorena Garcia Cocina

I had just arrived to MIA from a long flight from Hong Kong and I wanted to get a coffee and something light to eat. Lorena Garcia Cocina was the 1^st place I noticed when I got off my plane. The American coffee was weak and the Beef Empanada was very dry. What more can I tell. Not very good. The price was fair but the taste was sub par.

How did this lady scam Taco Bell into giving her money!!!
I was stuck in the Miami airport and was desperate for some food. The Lorena Garcia Cocina was directly across from the gate so I decided to give it a shot. I got 3 empanadas, one chicken, one ham and cheese, and one breakfast (ham, eggs and cheese). All three were all crust with almost no filling, and the little filling they did have looked the same in all three.
The three empanadas and a soda were almost $ 15. Okay, it’s an airport, prices are going to be higher, but for that price, at least put some meat in the empanadas.
Horrible!

This place is garbage and Lorena Garcia is a thief. I was almost reluctant to leave a tip because I felt so robbed. I had the Jerk Chicken and my wife had the Turkey and Brie sandwich. We paid 26.99 before tip for the two sandwiches and an iced tea.
The T&B sandwich had grape jelly on it, and the JJ sandwich tasted like fake jerk sauce on chicken salad.

This place was bad even as airport restaurants go. The jerk chicken in the sandwich bore a strong resemblance to a piece of corrugated cardboard with pepper. It had clearly been sitting in a warmer for hours. The side fruit salad had, incredibly, canned peaches in it. What chef would ever associate her name with CANNED PEACHES IN A FRUIT SALAD? Miami airport would be better off with a TGI Fridays then with this lame excuse calling itself «a more simplistic, ethereal approach as an expression of life and living» (the chef’s silly quote on the wall explaining her ‘Vision’ for cooking as an art!). Avoid even if hungry.

I would give this no stars but it’s not an option. I had been waiting to visit a Lorena Garcia restaurant for quite some time. I was so excited to have a layover in MIA. First stop off the plane, Cochina.
I was surprised by the very limited menu (6 salads and 6 sandwiches) but none the less jumped in.
I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich with Cesar salad and my friends ordered sandwiches was as well.
Well here is my quick summary. The sandwich was ice cold (it was supposed to be hot) and it was also missing two components that were listed on the menu. The dressing tasted store bought and nothing about this place was special. I was so disappointed. There was no love tasted in that food. I can’t believe that Lorena Garcia puts her name on this place. Don’t eat here. Please.

Quick pit stop during my layover at Miami International. Had the breakfast empanadas and Cuban coffee. Def something worth grabbing when you are on the go!

If you are tired from traveling, rushed to get to your gate, and just want a decent cup of coffee, I would suggest drinking toilet water before stopping here.
You could easily go outside and scoop up some dirty rain water, put a sugar packet in it, and maybe some armpit sweat and you have the closest match to their coffee. After that, take out $ 3 and throw it away. That’s what it was like to order here.
Just praying now that the banana I ate from here doesn’t kill me.

Totally average food with expensive drinks. Mojitos were $ 13– decent but nothing spectacular. All the food comes on plastic plates with plastic silverware. The side fruit tasted like it was old fruit sitting around. The signature salad, was ok, but just a salad with blue cheese, walnuts, apples and balsamic dressing on the side. Why is this place even associated with a well known top chef. I feel like I could have had this food in any airport restaurant in the country. Definitely not worth the price or walk.

The food was tasty… the bill was a shocker!!! $ 13 for a mojito that wasn’t even ‘authentic’ (no muddling).
I guess your paying to waste time in between flights.
Would I come back… no. Absolutely not!
Our server was the best thing about this place… thanks mark!

Value: 3
Customer Service: 1
Food Quality: 3
Let me start off by saying that the price of airport food was taken into account when I graded this on value. Had this food been paid for other than an airport it would have been given a 1.

My waitress Brittany was sweet like warm cookies and patient like a Sunday School teacher; she made me comfortable even as i sat and nursed a cup of coffee for 90 minutes. She made my 8 hour layover bearable. The rest of the staff were friendly and professional. The Grill Sergeant loves a well running culinary unit. Kudos!

Finally! Last time I was in this section of the airport it was at 6am and they weren’t open yet, today however it’s 9am and they are.
Not sure why they stuck her restaurant at this end of the airport which seems to see less traffic, but that’s ok. If you have time to kill and you’re in the mood for an empanada it’s worth checking out.
This is basically a tiny food shop tucked beneath the mojito bar. They have a cooler with drinks, some organic teas I hadn’t seen before which looked good, some pre made salads and sandwiches. They also have hot empanadas which are the highlight in my mind. The bf got the media Luna (croissant) and the beef empanada. He didn’t even offer to share the beef empanada so it must have been good. I had the spinach and the breakfast — ham egg and cheese. The spinach was good, and the breakfast was really good. Looked like I took the last one, so definitely the most popular at this time.
I’m hoping she gets to expand this and have more offerings… Despite the fact that’s its 9am I could definitely go for some tacos right now!

OMG! If I didn’t love Lorena Garcia before then I sure love her now! As far as airport food goes… Her place blows everything else out of the water. With a bigger menu I am sure this would be an excellent Miami breakfast spot. They had empanadas AND café con leche (you know, the really creamy and sweet ones your Abuela made). The empanadas are so deliciousand are baked instead of fried (to promote healthy eating?). But if you expecting Venezuelan style empanadas just drop it and think of Venezuelan pastelitos. Especially the cheese and ham ones! Que rico!
It is nicely hidden beneath the Mojito lounge sign but trust me… It is there and totally worth the trip down the airport passages.