I attended a media event for Latino Restaurant Week, hosted by Cafe Tropical in Silverlake, Los Angeles. Event Highlights: Artist Levi Ponce was honored for his work and mural at this restaurant. The event partner was Ford Latino, they shared a video presentation and brought a Ford F10 truck on display. I ordered a Cubano sandwich, it had pork patty, ham, mustard and pickles. I definitely recommend and would return for this sandwich. I also enjoyed a Maple glazed donut and Cafe con Leche (Latte). The Latino Restaurant Week began October 5th and goes through October 11th. Sincerely, Rosemary read more

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A lovely spot that reopened with Cuban heritage. They are known for their Cuban pastries and Cubanos. I went on a weekday, and the cafe had a steady flow of people. I tried their chicken pastelitos which are light, flaky puff pastries filled with pulled chicken. They have other ones such as beef, carrot and guava. I absolutely loved this because it has the perfect amount of sweetness and saltiness. I also tried one of their seasonal drinks - Brown Butter Caramel Matcha. Super creamy and smooth. You can truly taste the brown butter. I also had a chance to try their Maple Cruller which is a donut with a maple glaze. It is on the sweeter side and perfect with a cup of coffee. I would recommend getting one of their Cuban coffee beverages like the Cafe Lon Leche - smooth and velvety. It hits the spot in the morning. For the sandwiches, I tried their famous Cubano and California Burrito. The Cubano has smoked ham, lechon asado, mustard, swiss cheese, mojo criollo on pan cubano. The bread is so soft and I absolutely love that there's more meat than the regular Cubano. Baby pickles on the side. The California Burrito has braised carne asada short rib, avocado, pickled cabbage and french fries. Love that they use french fries in it, so there's some delicious potato flavor and texture in it. Great help and recommendations from the employees. The owner, Danny, is really friendly and was helping the staff with the front end and backend. I liked the whole ambiance of the restaurant - it's casual and a great spot to just catchup with friends. I probably would not work here unless you had headphones in, but it's a great spot to visit in Silverlake for good food, drinks and company. read more

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The guava and cheese pastry is to die for and the pimento breakfast burrito is a little bundle of happiness. Make sure to slather it in their homemade hot sauce. read more

Cafe Tropical - Sandwiches Near Me - Los Angeles, California

My boyfriend found this place and we wanted to give it a try, especially since it's Cuban style food/pastries! I ordered a matcha and I was kinda not a fan of it. Needed more matcha taste, but maybe I needed to ask for double matcha ? My bf got the cubano coffee and it was strong but good ! The star of the show for me was the Jamaican jerk sandwich ! So spicy, savory and delicious. I can't stop thinking about it til this day. We also ordered a Boston cream pie and a guava cheese streusel I believe. Those were great also but would've been perfect if it was warm. I would definitely come back to try more items on the menu ! read more

Cafe Tropical - Boston cream pie, guava cheese streusel, matcha and Cubano coffee - Sandwiches Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Went here for breakfast with my family and while the food was good the service here sucked. The guy who took our order had no customer service skills, didn't say good morning or smile once but when he was chatting it up with his coworkers all of a sudden he knew how to smile. Sorry you're in your mid-30s and have a cashier job but cmon man. They had loud rap music playing at 10am, we couldn't hear our own conversations. And then they have a sticker saying "I got narcaned in the tropical bathroom" I'm 26 years old and I don't even think that's funny, thats how you promote your business?? You don't think kids eat there? No wonder there were no kids. Food was good but not good enough for me to come back and sit through all of that again. read more

Cafe Tropical - Sandwiches Near Me - Los Angeles, California

One of the best Cuban sandwiches in town but one of the worst iced teas in town...tea tasted old/almost spoiled. Cuban was fantastic, howrver, but did not taste the cheese. Wonder if they forgot it that day. read more

AMBIANCE I stopped by this place for a quick breakfast bite to go and was very pleasantly. It gave a relaxed neighborhood breakfast place vibe, one that'd have its regulars. The staff were welcoming and friendly. FOOD I checked out their bacon, eggs, and Swiss breakfast sandwich on coco bread which was perfectly seasoned. I'd never had the bread before and it was a delicious delight. It was soft and airy, fluffy and tasty. It paired perfectly with the sandwich and its aoli spread. SERVICE I looked around the place while I waited for my food. There were some handwritten notes and books to read if I was in the mood or possibly came alone. The food came out fairly quickly. I asked the chef if it was made with love and he said yeah. It tasted like it lol . I'll definitely be back to check out some other items on their menu. The friendly staff and feel of the place definitely warrants another visit where I can dine in and enjoy the experience even more. read more

Cafe Tropical - Sandwiches Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Worst cafe in LA, staff needs to wake up and be nice. Food is not Cuban and the music is so loud. Just horrible. read more

Cafe Tropical - Not funny, disgusting. - Sandwiches Near Me - Los Angeles, California

A rather chic coffee spot on a street corner with good decor and style. Of course, as always, price nor service or ambiance affects my star rating -- only what hits my tongue. The coffee here was actually rather delightful, there was definitely a bright, fruitiness to the Americano I had, which could indicate a rather well curated coffee beans they're sourcing. The hot coffee is also made in a good temperature, and is pleasant to drink immediately. The pastries had great potential to be a flavorful breakfast bite, but unfortunately fell short, as they seemed a bit dry and may have been sitting a while. Particularly the ham and cheese as well as the tomato egg pastry. Perhaps if it was a bit fresher or warm, it would've been the kind of morning bite, as despite the underwhelming overall palatable level of the dish, it was on the side of satisfying. A decent coffee spot, hopefully next time the pastries are even better. read more

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This is a nice casual neighborhood joint. We came in the morning and ordered coffees and pastries. The pastries were good. The cardamom morning bun was particularly delicious. I wish I could describe the flavor of cardamom but I don't know how. But the flavor in the bun was subtle and not too strong. The ham and cheese croissant was fine. The coffees were well-made. I had never been to the "old" version of this place so I can only comment on the current place. It did not feel ultra modern. To me, it had character and a relaxed atmosphere. I am more than ok with that. Metered street parking can be rough around here and you might have to hoof it a block or two. read more

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I finally got a chance to check out Cafe Tropical. They have been all over social media for their cortado and their guava pastry. It was breakfast time. Upon entering, I was welcomed by two lovely gentlemen who kindly took my order. I got the following items: - Guava pastry: Other yelpers noted that it tasted better before the renovation because there was more of a guava and cream cheese ratio compared to puff pastry. When I tried it initially I did taste the guava and cream cheese and it was lovely. It reminded me of porto's. But after I read the other yelp reviews, I do agree that it needed more guava and cream cheese. - Breakfast sandwich: I'm a huge fan of crispy borderline burnt bacon. If its not borderline burnt, its going back. The cook made this sandwich to perfection. Everything about it was fresh, from the egg (omelette style with butter?) to the fresh bread and mayo. I wish it had a bit of tomatillo sauce but thats just me. - Cafe con leche: pretty much what it says in English - a latte. I wanted to try the cortado but in that moment, I was waking up so I got a latte. The seating here is limited as it gets packed very easily with people. But they do have both indoor and outdoor seating. I want to come back to try more items from the menu and provide an updated review, but for now. I'm giving Cafe Tropical a 4 read more

Cafe Tropical - Guava Jam, cafe con leche, breakfast sandwich - Sandwiches Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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The Trop is an east side epic local hangout w the best coffee, breakfast, pastries and lunch too. Everything on the menu is fire - if you haven't been in here, you can't say you've been to Silverlake read more

Cozy little spot in silver lake. There's street parking along the side of the cafe and tables available inside and outside (just no shade outside so keep that in mind). Really cute interior space lots of natural lighting. Perfect for a quick meal and coffee. Service wasn't welcoming but wasn't cold either just very neutral. The cafe helado was very tasty. If you've ever had cafe de olla it has a very similar taste didn't need any additional sweetener. The pancake was so buttery and delicious! Breakfast sandwich had good portions. The pastries looked so good so excited to come back to give those a try. Had the location saved for a while and I love visiting silver lake so very glad I got to come by. There is limited seating inside but as mentioned above additional seats are available just outside the cafe. read more

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I love the Café Tropical for so many reasons, whether it's to stop off at a meeting and see friends, or have an incredible breakfast or a sandwich, or just bring coffee and baked goods home to a loved one. Danny is amazing. I've seen him help out a lot of people that had no money for coffee or food - and it may even be at the detriment of the profits, but that's just who he is a very kind hearted & generous soul. I've been coming to the café Tropical since 1996 and I still see some of the same friends that I saw back then when I venture in. Yes we all complain about gentrification and the prices of things, but employees need to get paid and leases need to be fulfilled. I'll spend extra money to go to a place where I know I'll appreciate the food and the ambiance and service and be appreciated and know that I'm helping out the community and not serving some chain store massacre situation. read more

Cafe Tropical - My honorary balloon from back in the day - Sandwiches Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I met some friends there who seemed to know everyone behind the counter but just realized everyone in the restaurant seemed to be in some sort of friendly conversation. I ordered the DANNY's BREAKFAST And asked for the eggs over medium - coffee cake and the gluten-free muffin all was delicious Great Hang read more

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I've had coffee from here a few times, I'm usually on the go but this time I was able to sit and enjoy my coffee inside. Such an aesthetically nice looking coffee / cafe spot! The folks who work here are always friendly .good coffee!!! read more

Cafe Tropical - Cool bathroom art - Sandwiches Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I've been coming to Cafe Tropical since the 80s when I moved into the neighborhood. I've been there countless times and also introduced this place to many of my friends. It always felt friendly and homey. Yesterday I had an experience there that changed all of that for me. A friend and I were biking and his bike chain came loose. We stopped on the corner for him to fix it. He asked me to run inside and get him a napkin since he was going to get his hands greasy and neither of us had packed a wet wipe. No big deal, right? I'm there once a week, order coffee or breakfast and always tip well. I walked in get a napkin and the guy behind the counter asked me if I needed help. I told him no, and just went to where the napkins were. He continued to follow me. As I took 4 napkins he got very rude. "Are you buying anything?" I told him that my friend's bike chain was loose and we just needed a napkin...but I was there once a week. He gave me a really unpleasant, shit eating grin. "So you're not buying anything?" I asked him if this was a problem. He kept up with this attitude. "Well...", he said. "You're not buying anything.' I said, 'today I just need 4 napkins. Is that OK?" Again, with this weird grin on his face...'Well, at least you're asking now." I went outside and told my friend, who also comes to Tropical all the time and he couldn't believe it. 4 napkins? He went inside and gave the guy a dollar to pay for the 4 napkins. He said the guy was also rude to him. This was a clear sign that our neighborhood place is gone. The new owners have definitely changed the vibe of it. Other friends have told me about some bad experiences here, but I've defended the place. But I can't anymore. In that one moment, over 4 napkins, they lost two long term customers. Can you imagine someone from any restaurant hassling you over 4 napkins? I go to lots of places in our neighborhood. I was at Pazzo Gelato and saw the guy behind the counter give a free ice cream to a homeless guy. I've seen the neighborhood take care of its own. This is not that. Not anymore. The place has also had a weird septic smell that doesn't seem to be going away. I'll miss my cubano and my cafe con letche, but the old friendly vibe of this place is gone. RIP Cafe Tropical. read more

Such a nice bakery with good vibes. Got a guava and cheese with a cafe con helado and it was perfect. Service was helpful and friendly and everything is reasonably priced. read more

Cafe Tropical - Sandwiches Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Great cafe on Sunset with coffee and food. Service is great and has a decent amount of seating. Tried nearly all their pastries and had no complaints. Flaky crust and rich filling for all. Had a cappuccino and really enjoyed it. Pricing is pretty good, considering the area. Parking is tough. read more

Cafe Tropical - Inside - Sandwiches Near Me - Los Angeles, California

We were looking for a new place to try out for Sunday brunch and my daughter suggested this place. I must have driven by it several times, but I've never noticed it. The menu had several interesting things to try out, so we all picked out something different. We were lucky that we got there early enough before the line got longer. There are several spots to sit inside, but everything was taken, so we ended up sitting outside. Luckily we had an umbrella to shield us from the hot sun. The tables are kind of small, so the three of us fit perfectly. We waited for awhile before I decided to check on the status of our food. Found out one of our meals was already sitting out. When you sit outside, no one comes out to tell you that your food is ready, so that was disappointing. I decided to wait for the other two dishes before going back outside. That was my main beef, that there's no speaker or person to come let you know that your food is ready when you are sitting outside. read more

Cafe Tropical - Sandwiches Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Went here with the pastry chef from tartine.we both loved it. I went to high school at Marshall and the food is 200 percent better now.whoever gave less than 4 stars must be a competitor or ate out the trash can. read more

The coolest and best coffee shop in LA easy hands down not even a question. These guys do it right they do it because they love it and you can feel it in the atmosphere. Go there bring ya friends there bring ya moms there. The service is amazing the food is as good as coffee. Guava pastry cubano an Americano and a topo and it's on read more

LA yelp reviews are absurd bc this place deserves 5 stars!! The food is fantastic, the coffee is great, the service is kind, the inside is bustling with community members it's 1000/10. Also! the owner created feed the streets LA and offered tons of free meals during the fires a year ago!!! They are LA!! read more

Really liked this place! The Chilaquiles breakfast burrito was stellar. Really liked the vibe inside too. read more

Cafe Tropical - Sandwiches Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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A cafe truly for the community. I can tell there are a lot of regulars here and the employees seem to really enjoy the atmosphere as well. The food is delicious - I tried their breakfast sandwich which was made with coco bread (made with coconut flour). It was so soft and paired incredibly well with egg yolk of the eggs & aioli. I tried a bit of the orange juice - which you can tell was freshly squeezed - and the café helado made with condensed milk. They also have pastries (chocolate chip cookies, guava tart, donuts etc.) I would definitely recommend trying this cafe :) read more

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I come here every Wednesday, as someone who comes from Cuban decent and has been to Cuba, this place brings me a lot of joy. All the employees are supper great, wanna talk, and include a smile. These are some of the pastelitos in LA, and the sandwiches are top tier. I have zero complaints about this place. There is a coffee shop every 50 feet on this block, but this place stands out.. read more

Cafe Tropical - Cold brew and a chicken pastelito covered in the hot sauce - Sandwiches Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Aw man, the whole team is just exotic and fabulous. I literally can't go a morning without stopping by for my scrumptiously delicious cold brew -- or my favorite, the cortadito, made only by DJ Toks. I'm not from LA, but this place has become a true safe space where I can let my German Shepherd roam and sip coffee in peace. The food? Incredible. The chilaquiles burrito jumpstarts my day -- and occasionally inspires me to actually show up to work. The croissant lets me dream of Paris. I haven't been, so this is as close as I get. And the donuts? Filled with seasonal fruit and pure joy. Thank you to the whole team for changing my life. Highly recommend. read more

Cafe Tropical - Art - Sandwiches Near Me - Los Angeles, California

an absolute gem! if you know you know. your favorite bakery's, favorite bakery! possibly the best coffee shop in the world. dogs are welcome. tokes is a wizard. read more

Cafe Tropical - dinning area. - Sandwiches Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Chilaquiles breakfast burrito was a hit. Thoroughly enjoyed the burrito and the spices. Also got an iced earl grey tea and it was nice and cold. Seating was sparse for a 10:45am brunch time but is easily available as people come and go. First timer and definitely not the last time I'll be here. read more

Cafe Tropical - Entrance on the corner of Silverlake and Sunset - Sandwiches Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I stopped by Cafe Tropical yesterday on Mother's Day and was greeted by loveliest woman at the register! When I asked questions she was very patient and she was so friendly. She made my day! I got 6 chicken pastelitos and they were just so delicious! I had only been here once before and the pastelitos are so memorable and I truly think they are just perfect in terms of size and flavor. I wish I lived walking distance from here because I would be here every single day!! read more

Cafe Tropical - Chicken Pastelito (6) - Sandwiches Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Favorite cafe in all LA! Love the staff, love the food, love the vibe. The croissant a hidden gem in Los Angeles. Run don't walk to this cute historical LA spot. read more

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Wow, wow, wow is all I can say. Had lunch here today with my nephew and we both had the Cubano. I've been around the block once or twice so I have had my share of Cuban sandwiches from LA to Miami. This has to be the best Cuban sandwich I have ever had. The bread was warm, the ham and pork meet was tender and savory. The cheese melted just right. Try this place, you won't regret it! read more

Cafe Tropical - Cuban Sandwich - Sandwiches Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This is such a cute little Cuban bakery! The ambiance is so cute & chill - it's the perfect spot to bring your laptop and get some work done while you sip on a cafe con leche & snack on a pastry. The coffee is great and they have delicious fruit pastries. They also have some good Cuban snacks like croquettas & arroz con leche. I haven't tried their sandwiches yet, but they also look really good! read more

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I used to occasionally attend meetings down the alley from Café Tropical, mistakenly thinking it was a "nice place" based on its charming patrons and smiling servers. How delightfully naive of me. That was until a day that will live in petty infamy forever--the day I committed the ultimate Silver Lake crime of standing while partially blind.While waiting for the bus after a meeting, my partially blind left eye apparently failed to perceive that I had drifted a few feet into the sacred airspace of the café's entrance. Mind you, nobody had to walk around me. I was simply existing.Enter our hero: a burly gentleman sporting a short, blue-black dyed 1970s afro, Coke-bottle glasses, a bright blue T-shirt, and eyes filled with the kind of venom usually reserved for cartoon villains. This fierce, hungry lion lunged at his terrifying prey--an elderly author--and unleashed a tirade of vitriol so explosive I genuinely thought I was about to be physically flattened. His weapon of choice? Threatening to call the police on me multiple times for the heinous offense of loitering near a bus stop.Frozen in shock, I moved aside and watched this beautifully maladroit, ill-tempered creature fly into a colossal rage. All I could do was offer a chorus of, "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry," which apparently wasn't enough for his grand performance. Thriving on the embarrassment of the restaurant patrons and confused passersby, he continued beating that dead horse into a fine dust until duty finally called him back inside.I have vowed never to return. Frankly, the second-hand embarrassment I felt for both him and Café Tropical was overwhelming.In case anyone is curious, I am a Black author and engineer with two master's degrees. But let's be real: I don't believe for a single second he would have channeled his inner gladiator if I had been white, blue-eyed, and blonde. But hey, this kind of behavior seems to be a feature, not a bug, of modern Silver Lake. The neighborhood's latest trend seems to be hiring Black staff members who excel at hating themselves while enthusiastically genuflecting to white patrons.Silver Lake is fast becoming a masterclass in passive-aggressive racism. If you're white, congratulations! You probably won't notice a thing. But if you are Black or brown, just hang around a few eateries and meeting places long enough. The reality will become loudly, embarrassingly obvious. I, for one, cannot relate to nor abide it. read more

This place is amazing. Toks knows what he talking about. The breakfast coco bread sandwich was amazing. The coffee and tea and the vibes is so good. The cook boogie is a very good cook. I would rate this place 10 stars if possible. The Jamaican coco bread is absolutely amazing. read more

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Had a great experience at Tropical! The customer service was on point--friendly, funny, and super helpful. The vibe was really good, and the pastries were delicious! Appreciate the great energy and service. Loved it! read more

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What else can I say about an iconic place? It's amazing. Go there get a guava cheese roll, grab a cafe helado and eat a breakfast sandwitch then finish off with great conversation with staff and company. read more

Cafe Tropical - Chicken Pastellito Guava cheese roll Cafe helado Cafe con leche - Sandwiches Near Me - Los Angeles, California

If cheers were a coffee shop! Best coffee, bakery and vibe! The owners not only saved cafe tropical, they are consistently improving it!

Parking was super easy to find. I thought it might be difficult but it wasn't whatsoever, at least in my experience. I got the Cafe con Leche with oat milk and a Cubano sandwich. I can tell the coffee was good, but for me I like my coffee bordering on the sweeter side and it wasn't sweet at all. I know I ordered coffee and milk, but it severely needed some suga! This is no fault to this establishment, that's just my preference. I have been wanting a Cubano sandwich and didn't feel like driving nor waiting in line for one at Porto's (although at Porto's, it's totally worth it!) ... I just didn't have time... and this place 1) I have been wanting to try and 2) was nearby. I wasn't a fan of the Cubano here. I just thought it was ok. It's extremely heavy and drenched in oil. So saturated in oil that when you picked up the sandwich, you can see the grease on your hands. It's just not a sandwich I would reorder. Tbh, I didn't feel well afterwards and I hadn't even finished this $16 sandwich - I just tossed it. read more

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Food is bomb. Coffee delicious. Nicest people. Vibes are impeccable. So welcoming. Great place to post up and get work done. Strongly recommend. read more