Simple spot with great Cuban food that does the classics well. It's very rarely over crowded and I've never had to wait for a seat.

2nd time visiting this gem in a week . Friendly waitstaff and great service . The food is amazing , so fresh and authentic . We had a Cuban feast ... Picadillo with Moro rice ( highly recommend), tostones , salad, chicharron , Cuban sandwich, ropa vieja & ended with flan and cafe con leche . Popular local family run business . Has available parking lot and spacious bright clean restaurant space . Don't miss this one when in Tampa, worth going out of your way for ! Amazing deserts , have all 3 ( rice pudding, flan & bread pudding) read more

Arco Iris Cafe - Moro rice, chicharone, white rice and black bean, tostones & picadillo - Cuban Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Went here today after shopping at Pirate Fashion, searched Cuban food, it came up. My husband, granddaughter, grandson and a friend from Sweden. It was amazing we all got something different. GD a deviled crab that was full of crab,soft inside crispy outside, she loved it, better then mine she said. She ordered spaghetti and meatballs thumbs up. Grandson had fried pork chunks, and fries, delish he said, and huge servings. Hubby ordered breaded steak, the steak was full of flavor and onions. I ordered beef stew and split pea soup and rice, the beef stew took me right back to my Tia Conchitia and grandfathers living in Palmetto Beach/Ybor City. Our friend had the Cuban hamburger chorizo and ground beef Pattie. Every single item was wonderful highly recommend, better than a lot of others in the area. Go try it! Will not disappoint. read more

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Love this local cafe. Perfect before a Bucs game. Got a Cuban to go for after the game. Good service. Clean and Fresh read more

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Yummy Cuban food, casual atmosphere. You. An order to go - over the phone. They have their own parking lot. I've dined in a few times and have ordered take out. I have always been happy with my food. Typical cubism cuisine. Gills you up and won't break the bank. Staff has aways been pleasant. read more

This place looked like an old style shop,it was clean and the staff was friendly, we had breakfast, and it was good. If we're back on this area, we will definitely try their lunch or dinner options. read more

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Have been searching for the best Bistec Empanizado sandwich and this place came up! Bistec was very tender and not over fried...delicious! I rate this place better than La Teresita! Service was good...only downside is the tables are too close together! We will definitely be back! read more

We visited this cafe because we heard the food was delicious and they did not disappoint. We were greeted immediately and seated. The restaurant is bright with lots of light and is bigger than it looks from the outside. Our party of three ordered yellow rice, chicken, black beans, collard green soup, and a ham and cheese sandwich. All of the food was delicious. We have absolutely no complaints. Our waitress was very attentive, checking on us to see if we needed anything, if we were satisfied with the food and providing hot buttered Cuban bread that was also delicious. If you're looking for a nice place to have a good meal I definitely recommend this cafe to support a small business owner. read more

It's a must stop when in Tampa for your Cuban food fix. The food is always on point, wide range of selections from sandwiches, breakfast, main dishes, deserts, and coffee. Service is always good and they are always attentive...food comes out super fast so many people come here for lunch. Ambiance is your typical Cuban food establishment with many tables & booths...when in Tampa give this place a shot. read more

Arco Iris Cafe - Cortadito - Cuban Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Have gone here a few times now, found it based off of reviews. Very happy with this place! The food quality is good, the interiors is clean and modern, although we usually take it to go for a picnic. The staff is kind, and they are also fast. The prices are great which is one reason we chose it to begin with. The vaca frita is our favorite! read more

Arco Iris Cafe - Vaca frita & Madurai - Cuban Near Me - Tampa, Florida

We were craving picadillo and it was a bit plain. I've always thought it included olives and sometimes raisins..... devil crab and yuca was good. Service was fast and friendly. It is very clean. read more

Roast Pork with Chinese Fried Rice....yummy. Also bought a large container of black beans because I plan to use later with another meal. The pork was juicy and full of flavor and the fried rice was full of shrimp, pork and cubes of ham , very good ! Reminds me of a Cuban restaurant I found in NYC a few years ago that also served a mix up of Cuban and Chinese.This is a nice change up to the usual yellow rice side, ( which I also love,) that you get in most local Cuban restaurants. The black beans were good but this time it was more liquid than usual. More like black beans soup. But they were good with lots of flavor. read more

Arco Iris Cafe - Roast pork with special fried rice and platanos. And a lg container of black beans 2 pieces of Cuban bread & soy sauce, which you don't need - Cuban Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Great cheap and fast Cuban food spot in the heart of tampa! Super simple old school classic serving up all your favorites . I live the roast pork with rice and beans , others rave about the lamb shanks! Either way its one of these places you have to try for yourself! read more

The real deal in Cuban food here in what to me as a NY/NJ person is an out of the way location in somewhere in Tampa I was never before. This place is extremely casual. The food was excellent, the portions were large, and the prices are cheap. I don't think you can go wrong with anything you order. I just felt rushed by the server who insisted on taking our orders even though our entire party wasn't yet seated. Strange indeed! read more

Yummy place for lunch! The steak sandwich was good (could've used a little more sauce) but the boiled yuca was soooo good!!! Croquetas from here are cooked really good. Everything is very reasonably priced too read more

Food was amazing and authentic. Best plátano maduro I've had in a long time. The service was fantastic. Genuinely nice people are hard to find. I loved it and any time we come back to Florida we will visit again! read more

Delicious food! Another one of our favorite spots when visiting Tampa. Good service and friendly staff. The empanadas and breaded shrimp are yummy. Everything we've had here is delicious. Would definitely recommend read more

I have been looking for a Cuban Chinese place for a long time. I have only seen them in NYC. The number 4, Palomilla steak and Fried Rice, was my go to in NY. SO I was so thrilled to see this here. It was just a expected. Tasty, full of flavor and lots of food. Good stuff. I will definitely be back. read more

Arco Iris Cafe - Restaurant inside - Cuban Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Special fried rice really is special as heck! The whole place is pretty special though. The menu feels a little endless, there are tons of sandwiches, of course the fried rice as I mentioned above (which I would say is the hero dish), and even spaghettis. Similarly to the the menu, the restaurant is surprisingly big too. They open at 7am and so even if you're not nearby for lunch, swing though for breakfast and more specifically a cortadito or $2 cafe con ledge. Because major local gem alert. read more

Arco Iris Cafe - a plate of fried rice and bacon - Cuban Near Me - Tampa, Florida

I live close to Arco Iris and visit all the time for take out. I typically do takeout because the restaurant gets so busy and I live so close it's just more convenient. This is a go to spot when I have guests in from out of town who don't get to eat Cuban food as often as people who live in Tampa. I typically order a few pressed cuban sandwiches "all the way", shedded pork (ropa vieja) with a side of sweet plantains and black beans and one or two of the Cuban Chinese dishes. Everyone loves trying the fried rice that comes with these dishes. They are all wonderful! I am not a huge fan of the Cuban pizza or the salad unfortunately so will not be ordering that again but everything else I've tried on the menu has been fantastic. Great Cuban food open for breakfast, lunch and dinner! read more

The food is great and the service is too when I go there to eat after Mass with my friends. When I go there alone or with family the service is not the same. Folks come in after me get serviced and often I to have to make a fuss to get noticed. The management needs to let staff know everyone is entitled to same service. Our monies are the same GREEN! Shame on you when God is blessing your restaurant with great success! read more

Why 5 stars? Because I'm so glad Arco Iris lives on. --- --- --- I was very sad when the other Arco Iris closed down - it was my absolute favorite Cuban restaurant in Tampa Bay. I knew that this location existed but was under the impression that it was just a mini-version of the now defunct spot. I was picturing almost like a deli counter with a couple of tables. But it turns out, it's honestly not much smaller! And if the menu is any different, I didn't notice it. I went with my ole' reliable go-to: churrasco steak with yellow rice and plantains. It was just as tasty as I remembered it to be from the old location. My only complaint was that rice was pretty bland and not as... buttery as I was expecting? Either way, I wasn't too mad because I was back at Arco Iris after I thought I'd lost it forever! Bonus: I ordered a mango batido. I am not exaggerating - I could literally drink this every day for 50 straight years and never get tired of it. Lastly, I'll finish with how the lunch started, which might have been my favorite part: the smell. It's an overwhelming aroma of Cuban coffee and I don't know if there are five better smells on the planet Earth. read more

This used to be one of my favorite three Cuban restaurants in Tampa. No longer. The white staff, especially the men are abrupt and totally not appreciative of customers. Food, especially for breakfast has really gone down in quality. Café con Leche is nothing other than simply steamed milk. Even when I told the waiter there was virtually no espresso in my Café con Leche, he just looked at me and said that's the way we do it. Well, they can keep doing it that way, but I won't be back. Over the last several years I probably have gotten there 20 or 30 times per year, so I was not just a casual diner there. read more

I've passed by this cafe many times on the way to my BayCare appointment. I saw that they were open for breakfast and there happened to be a parking spot right in front of it. It was meant to be. Parking is very limited, and I don't think I've ever seen an open spot before. I was super happy after my appointment but needed a pick-me-up. Yes, only cafe con leche will do. I walked in and immediately noticed that everything looked clean. They were also in the middle of placing 12 by 12 porcelain tiles along the outside of the counter. Business must be good. I walked up to the counter and grabbed a menu. There were lots of yummy breakfast items. I ordered scrambled eggs with ham. The young man behind the counter asked if I wanted the ham scrambled in the eggs or on the side. I decided to have them in the eggs with Swiss cheese on top. A nice touch. I was thinking about getting platanos maduros as a side instead of grits. He said he could fry some up. Yay! He gave me the cafe con leche to drink while I was waiting for my order. The cafe con leche was good, but it could be stronger. I'll need to ask for another shot of espresso next time. Other than that, it was sweet and creamy. All good. My order was packed well because it was still warm when I got home. This was a very generous portion of eggs. It totally hit the spot. The platanos were perfect and sweet. The bread was good but I would have liked it to be more crispy on the outside. It was a to-go order so it probably softened up on the trip back home. It was still good. I couldn't eat all of it anyway. It was a lot of food. I'm looking forward to going back one day for lunch. I want to try the churrasco steak. I think the only negative would be the parking situation. You have no choice but to back out onto Habana into traffic. That corner of Columbus and Habana is very busy. I got out with no incident but you may want to park on the Columbus side. read more

Arco Iris Cafe - Cafe con leche pick-me-up - Cuban Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Delicious cuban food absolutely a must try if you're in the Tampa area! We had a large-ish party of 7 and our server was beyond patient with our adding on items here and there which was much appreciated. The food was freshly hot and delicious. They have cuban staples and some in house specialties like their fried rice which was delicious! read more

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I haven't been here since 2016 my kids took me to lunch here and I got to say how I miss there palomilla steak and black beans and of course I had to get my Cuban sandwich which is the best you can't go wrong with a Cuban sandwich when in Tampa stop in and grab a Cuban sandwich to go or dine in and try there breaded steak. read more

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Great food at a reasonable price. I can call them and have the food ready for pick up within minutes. They have been around for a long time and their Cuban food is great tasting. read more

Excelente comida y gran cordialidad del personal. No se van a arrepentir. This is a truly authentic Cuban plan with a variety of food and a clean establishment. Staff was cordial and humorous. The food came well before expected and hot to dig in. Vengan acá read more

This place is clean and pleasant, service friendly. Looks like they have regulars. Pork fritas was a bit dry inside but tasted good. Ropa Vieja was a tad sweet, but tender. Empanada was really good, but the papa rellena lacked flavor and I think it was from frozen because there were cold bits to it, even though the outside texture was good and crispy. The platanos and arroz morro were yum. I would probably come back but only if I were already close by. read more

The hub for Cuban politics, politicians, Tampa's Who's Who & average people like myself, there's this restaurant Arco Iris. The best place to eat Cuban food in Tampa from something as simple as Cuban tostada & cafe con leche to the unbelievably delicious Flank steak (Vaca Frita) with creole red beans and rice & everything in between...it's all that good...! This place is non-stop with people that seem to come from all over to have some scrumptious cuisine and you can tell who are the regulars since they warmly greet each other when they walk in as if they were all meeting up at abuela's house. Arco Iris is no frills but service is good & food is even better so stop by 'cause you won't be disappointed and enjoy some seriously delicious Cuban food. Bon Appétit..! read more

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I agree with other reviewers, the Cuban sandwich here could have been so much better, unfortunately it missed the mark. To start off the server asked me what I wanted in the sandwich (ie lettuce, tomatoes, mayo, etc) which I think is ridiculous when it's known that a true Cuban sandwich has none of that in it. Ultimately I asked her to omit all of the above mentioned unnecessary ingredients, as well as the salami (a Tampa addition). The amount of pork in the sandwich, as with lots of other similar places in the area, was almost non-existent, the sandwich had mostly ham. Also, they barely pressed the sandwich and it was mostly cold. I also asked for a cortadito which was had the appropriate milk to coffee ratio but the coffee itself was not that great. read more

Arco Iris Cafe - Cortadito, teaspoon for reference - Cuban Near Me - Tampa, Florida

I have literally grown up here. Not fancy...Good service, delicious food and amazing cafe con leche! read more

Arco Iris Cafe - Breakfast sandwich...Egg, cheese and bacon on Cuban bread....pressed! - Cuban Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Excellent sandwiches great service great coffee we had the breakfast sandwich priced right too! Love it!

When I ordered scrambled eggs, THEY SERVED ME POWDERED EGGS. Like the crap they would serve at a Hampton Inn buffet. ARCO: Are you so fucking cash-strapped that you can't serve REAL EGGS? AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!!!!!!!!! read more

Delicious and affordable Cuban food. Ate here before a concert at Ray Jay and it was the best idea I've had in awhile. Convenient, fast, friendly and super tasty. We ordered the palomilla, lamb shank and baked fish with various sides including yuca, sweet plantains, black beans and yellow rice. We ate everything. If I had to pick a favorite I would say the lamb shank but everything was excellent. We will be back for sure! read more

Was in the mood for a true cafe con Leche and this little cafe did not disappoint! Tostada and cafe hit the spot...so if your looking for a mom and pop Cuban this is the place!! read more

A Tampa institution! Every dish is authentic just like we cook at home! Their roast pork is delicious!

I ordered special fried rice and it was very very good. The food is reasonably priced.

***Pre-COVID-19 review*** I love Arco Iris' churrasco flank steak. This hearty, not-so-pretty, but this 12-inch hunk of meat will satisfy that inner-savage waiting to crawl out of the depths of your belly. Each bite of it will not only help you get closer to your recommended daily protein intake, but also keep your taste-buds happy. The deep moo-rific savoriness, juicy char, and feeling of the meat sticking to the lining of your stomach -- hmm, this entree is by far my favorite. I didn't even get into the churrasco sauce -- a light mix of jalapenos and cilantro that paired perfectly like Kobe and Shaq once did. I wish I could buy a bottle of this stuff, and pour it on everything, and that even includes Asian food. I ramble sometimes. In addition to their flank, I also love their croquettas. Sure, their pork filling doesn't necessarily rank amongst the best I've ever eaten, however, their crunchy breading does! Oh, I think I need to calm down right now. I've also tried their Cuban sandwich (good), tostones (ok), and yuca side (ok). I could go without and wouldn't necessarily recommend them. If you couldn't tell from this review, I am a fan of their steak and croquettas. And whether delivery, pick-up, or dining in (whenever that returns), maybe one day you'll be a fan, too. read more

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Ended up leaving after no one acknowledged us at all. A couple workers stared at us from behind the counter! A couple came in right afterwards and were greeted and given menus right away. It looked like they were regulars so who cares about new business, right? Worst experience in a long time. read more