Let me start by saying, Don't let its shitty outside appearance fool you. This place is legit! Their food is authentic Cuban food at its best. "Puro Sazón Criollo" I grew up around Cubans and they would always have me over their house so...I appreciate authentic homemade Cuban Food. My suggestions are: Palomilla, Carne con Papa and Vaca Frita. Overall i give it 4 stars. -Food : Great. -Servings: Handsome Portions. -Prices : Affordable. -Service : Decent. -Parking : Lets just say, you wont have trouble finding any. read more

Food like my mom used to make! This unassuming restaurant behind Jack in the Box, is the most authentic and delicious Cuban food you can find. The masas (fried pork) with rice, black beans and fried plantains are to die for. The Vaca Frita is the best I've tasted and the fish is awesome. My friends and I eat there at least twice per month. I would give it 5 stars if the service was faster. Unfortunately, that's not the case. The servers are friendly and helpful, but very slow paced. read more

Over the years, there have been several restaurants that have opened in the location where Florida is now. None of them stuck. A few months. Maybe a year. They were all gone. UNTIL Florida. It's kind of a dive, but I love this place. The food is good. The service is good and all the ladies that work there are incredibly helpful, esp for us folks that speak no spanish. Anyway, I recommend the fried beef. garlic yucca and the mixed beans/rice. Their plaintains are fantastic. read more

I work next to Portos, but I drive here (2 to 3 minutes away) to eat. The food here is delicious. Portos is good for pastries but their food is horrible. Floridas is always great and consistent. The waitresses know I want a cola before I even sit down. The lunch specials are so affordable. It's a real home cooked meal for under 7 bucks. Check out all the receipts I posted. It's amazing how awesome this place is. You can easily spend the same amount across the street at McDonald's and get much less. read more

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Food is great and customer service is excellent! Our waitress was very sweet and attentive. My family and I eat here at least once a week. Definitely recommend it! read more

Food is good (reason I came a second time). They need to work on the clean aspect of the restaurant. It is a shame that a place with good flavor food is not looking the way it should. The place needs some major renovations, to attract other people. I had to wait 25 mns for my lunch (not too happy about that), but again food flavors are on point. To keep a restaurant clean shouldn't be that difficult... lots of room for improvement. Good luck! read more

Oh! Florida, not Flo-Rida! (haha) We decided to have dinner halfway between Monterey Park & LBC and this is where we wound up. Florida's got a lot of neon lights and leather booths. The place was almost empty save for about 2 tables. There were 2 ladies around the cash register and they were the ones to take our order; they started speaking to us in Spanish, and then proceeded in English. Thanks, ladies! Lessee - I ordered a chicken empanada to start, and then the garlic shrimp with rice + beans, and everything came out well overall. There was garlic everywhere! And they put like a tubbuh-budduh on the shrimp, too, so that was a success. Yum for the complimentary order of fried banana chips and green salsa! Yum for a deliciously made and fried, hot & crispy, flavorful chicken empanada. Yum for the plaintains and beans! (i'm sure you can mess them up, but they didn't!) But the rice was a little off. I ordered the yellow rice, and it wasn't that it didn't have a good flavor, but the texture wasn't there. It was pretty much overly wet and mushy. Yarg. MINE was yummy for the most part, but I tried everyone's (as per their requests) and theirs wasn't as yummy. That included dry and VERY thin slices of chicken (thus the dryness), sausage, and ribs. Boo :( Not bad, but I personally wouldn't say that it compares to Versailles; quite honestly, this place made me miss their garlic chicken =X read more

The chicken plate with beans and yucca was good. Moist chicken....would've liked more garlicky flavor like I'm used to at Versailles in West LA. I've had better yucca. The mamey milkshake was a tad bland. The free bread they give was a bit dry and stale as other reviewers have noted. Otherwise, the price was very reasonable. read more

Worst service, they ignore you. I can't believe how rude they are, food is not great too . I would not recommend it!

Out of the three cuban restaurants in Downey (not including Porto's) Florida rises above every time. Their food has always been spot on & their waitresses are always kind/attentive. There is a real homey feel to the place where one can just relax and enjoy some great cuban cuisine. Whether it be their tender lengua de res or classic arroz con pollo, you'll never be disappointed. ¡Aprovechó! read more

Florida Restaurant - La clásica media noche - Cuban Near Me - Downey, California

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My favorite Cuban restaurant is Florida's! I've been coming here for years, even after relocating about 40min away this is where I meet my friends to catch up and have the best arroz con pollo ever. It's tender and just perfectly delicious. Other great plates as well I just never get enough of the arroz con pollo with maduros. Love love this place. read more

We were very impressed with the food, definitely coming back for more. Moms and pops kind of place.

MMMM.... Food is just plain good, prices and the servings are perfect!!! Their moros are delicious!!! Nuff said! read more

The food is always excellent here. Taste homemade. The grilled chicken with onions and garlic accompanied by black beans and rice and plantains is perfection. The bistec empanizado (breaded steak) is a huge portion and perfectly breaded. Don't forget the flan with coco on top. Tastes better than homemade. The prices are cery reasonable and the waitresses are always efficient and on point. This place is one of our favorites. read more

Satisfying a Cuban craving can be tricky... After several missed opportunities, I decided to pop in on Florida's... At first glance, this converted 70's burger shack seemed a bit suspect (but what the heck, a hole in the wall is exactly that and sometimes the best place to eat). Our party of 4 were promptly seated near a wall-mounted TV, showing a crazy surgery show (WTF?), so asked them to politely switch it. Side note: Who in their right mind leaves a TV on at a dining establishment showing full surgical procedures? After ordering a sampling of appetizers, everything came back well cooked, and tasty (not a home run). Our main courses were also well prepared, with a decent flavor profile and fair sized portions. The only thing really lacking was the service! I see how various reviews hone in on the same one issue, good food and crap service. Management: get it together! It's hard to compare this place to just about any restaurant in the Miami or Hialeah area, given the stretch (geographically), but for my money (authenticity) it's best for to-go orders at this point. read more

I wanted to give this restaurant a 3 out of 5 due to the service. However, the food is delicious. This is my favorite Cuban restaurant. It seems to be short staffed and the waitresses speak super fast so pay attention! The restaurant could use some upgrading on the decor but... The food never lets me down! I recommend the Chicharon de pollo, ropa vieja (shredded beef), Ox tail, arroz con pollo (chicken and rice), morro (mixed beans and rice), and croquetas. read more

First time trying cuban food and honestly it was pretty good. I think I might have perhaps got the wrong item, but the food was good none the less. I ordered a salmon, on the side black beans, rice, and plantains. The rice was cooked right, the beans were great and flavorful, and the plantains were delicious. The salmon wasn't bad, but it was a bit overcooked. First salmon I needed a knife for that didn't come off a barbeque, but that said it was still a decent salmon too. I was satisfied and left happy. When balancing between 3 or 4 stars I think the dealbreaker ended up being that the soda comes in cans. It's not a big deal or anything, you still get a glass and a straw and ice, but ya know, fountain drinks are just better... And more important they're bottomless! But that was just a nitpick to top on with the overcooked salmon, because in truth all the sides were fantastic. I'm sure if I came here again and asked for whatever dish they're most famous for, I'd enjoy it. read more

I am originally from Miami and am Cuban-American, so hopefully that gives you a proper idea of how much Cuban food I've eaten in my 21 years of life. Haha. This is the first Cuban restaurant I've found in LA. For some reason there aren't more, it's pretty depressing. But anyway - back to this place. Good food. Not everything is amazing, but it's about as authentic as it gets out here. I'm happy this place is open and will be back soon. I had the ropa vieja and it was okay. Kind of odd tasting but I enjoyed it. My family had the Piccadillo, bistec empanizado, and bistec de palomilla. They enjoyed it, said the palomilla was pretty fatty though. Hope this helps. Give it a try! read more

First time! Totally would go back to try other dishes. Very large portions! I had one of the specials for the day...arroz con pollo. I like that there's specials everyday. Chicken was moist & rice was delicious! There was so much I took the rest to my boyfriend & he loved it! My other lunch buddies had sandwiches. They looked good & they said they were delish. The potato balls were great...or so my buddies said cuz they ate them so fast I didn't get any! Platanos were served with my dish. Tasty! The price for my lunch deal was less than $7.00!! I say that's very fair for lunch & the portion they gave! I'm looking forward to my next visit! read more

Came to this place with a friend and my family and I ordered grilled chicken breast (Pollo a la Plancha). I had no issues with my food, it had good flavor but the service could be better. They specialize in Cuban food but they had too much of a selection. I may not go back on my own but if my friends invite, then I would join them. read more

Florida Restaurant - Cuban Near Me - Downey, California

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Always have an excellent experience here! My favorite plate is the pollo a la plancha and it's always amazing. Staff is very nice and hard working. Truly a Downey gem! read more

Absolutely delicious Oxtail and great price too, my gf has tried oxtail from popular Cuban restaurants in LA and OC this is her favorite ... minus one star just cause not all the food is awesome ... the lechon asado is just so so ... but overall this place is great ... enjoy read more

Great closely authentic Cuban Food, while it's certainly no Verailles....the pork dishes have been juicy and filling. As with any Caribbe style restaurant they can mainly be judged on their plantains which were great!! Certainly a great snack to grab on the not-too- go, certainly a better alternative to almost any fast food chained place while on the go. The servers we friendly and greeted with a warm smile...however the fast speaking Spanish is tough for us gringo-looking diners :) but adds to the overall flavor and flair of the place. read more

So last week I had a craving for 'platano frito' (plantains) and was too lazy to drive to Versailles from Downey. So lucky for me there's this place right near my house, right? i could practically walk to. My friend talked this place up and down whenever I mention I live in Downey, so I decided to try it a while back. I have to say 'the jury's still out' on this one. I have been there 3 times and each time has been different. Different scenarios, different company, and different times of the day. Last Friday was no exception. First time I was there I wasn't too impressed, as the prices were way above what the place should be demanding. Then a few months ago (on my friends advice that it had gotten better and was 'the best!) I decided to try it and I have to say the food had gotten better and left a pretty good impression. SO i decided to go again. This time around I decided to get the Rib Eye steak plate with the smothered onions, served in 2 plates with the rice, beans, and plantains separate from the Steak itself. Next to the plantains, i think the smothered onions on top of the steak does well for the taste buds. On this particular visit I noticed the order was ready rather quick. There were other tables dining, but somehow I thought we got lucky with the fast service. Until I got my grub, that is. I know this is going to echo other yelpers here, but it truly was not to par with the Versailles (or the Cuban Bistro.) The steak I got was not rib eye, but more of a lean skirt steak with a little bit of fat on the edges. I was really hoping for a more thicker cut, maybe with more of the burnt edges of fat that you hate to admit you like. Total let down. The rice and black beans were OK, but not something to write home to. About the only reason I am giving it a '3' is for the craving I had going into the place to begin with -- the plantains....Between the onions and the plantains, there was a meal all in itself. The plantains save the day here. But that steak was not having a good outing. The good: *Plantains, plantains, plantains *Order anything with the smothered onions (you'll thank me later) *plenty of bite sized breads to start you off with *Inka Kola in the fridge *the Prices *plenty of TV's and Music to the theme of the place. The Bad: *getting into that parking (sidewalks are too high and lots of traffic) Just know you'll scrape something. and if you miss the entrance, just know you'll be have to get creative on getting back to square 1. *The customer service is a bit overworked and it shows in the treatment (almost like you're paying dearly for someone else's doings on the waitresses) *The rice is super dry. I'm not saying I won't go back to this place anytime in the future, but I will think twice about fulfilling my love for plantains. read more

So I have to agree with other reviews that the service could be improved. But, at the same time I think that is their style. Basically they take forever in between you getting seated, taking your drink order, taking your food order, and finally getting the food. Once you get your food, they don't really check on you until it's time for dessert or the check. Other than that, it's like another reviewer said, the Cuban version of a Mexican hole in the wall restaurant. Expect fluorescent lighting, pleather seats, and plastic flowers. But that's not the point. The point is that the food is delicious and reasonably priced. We started with mojitos ($5 dollars each). Then we tried their tostones (fried green plantains) which were enhanced by the lemon and garlic dipping sauce. We also got some sliced avocados and warm toasted bread. For the entrees we tried their 'mar, cielo y tierra' (surf & turf plus chicken) and the steak and shrimp. They both came with rice, black beans and fried plantains. I opted for their yellow or spanish style rice, which I thought was yummy. I also loved the friend plantains as they were substantial and not too greasy. The steak was tender and well flavored and the shrimp were of a good size and grilled well. Beans were excellent as well - really great seasoning. I wish we would have had room for dessert, but we did have two mojitos each and plenty of leftovers to take home. We also tried the Cuban coffee, and it was yummy (and I'm not a coffee drinker). Definitely on our to-revisit list. :) read more

Food was delicious and service was great! Excellent prices for large portions! We are so happy we discovered this place and we will be back soon read more

This spot is delish !!!! They closed down Habanna Cafe!! So I come here now. My favorite plate is the breaded chicken with rice and beans w/ the platanos. 5 Stars read more

Florida Restaurant - Awesome place to eat Cuban food!!!! - Cuban Near Me - Downey, California

The plantains a very delicious, the food is pretty good. Service is a little slow, however, the servers are super friendly, they can't control how fast the cooks...cook? Anyhow, a little expensive, but all for all, I enjoyed my meal. grilled pork with some house sauce, cheese and ham. onions, avocado, white rice, black beans, it was pretty typical. read more

The food was just ok nothing amazing but the service was great.

The arroz con pollo lunch special was everything. The rice was so flavorful, as was the chicken. Stay away from the appetizers. Well, they aren't that bad, they are not a "must-have". read more

So i have a couple Cuban friends that rave about this place. It 's close to the house and for some reason i just never got around to eating here. Finally i tried it. Not once, but twice in a month. To tell you the truth i wasn't that impressed. The food is OK but just didn't have that WOW Factor for me. It's not bad, not at all but i guess i was expecting a bit more. Maybe i just don't enjoy Cuban food..i don't know but it wasn't what i expected. Honorable Mention: A booth by the TV, so you can at least watch TV while not being totally happy with your meal. read more

Found this little dive via one of the social sites. We ordered the sampler: nothing extraordinary, would not order it again. The sampler included: 2 croquetas, NOT TO OUR LIKING....texture & taste, to be acquired. 1 empanada, which was just ok, a little oily & tasted like a chimichanga. 1 cuban tamale, edible, but nothing that wowed me. 2 potato balls, these are really small and needed more filling. Porto's & Habana Cafe are way better. Main dishes: Medio pollo con yucca y moros: DELICIOSO! Hearty portion. Sopa de Pescado y Camaron, it was ok, but wouldn't be my top choice to order if I were to return. Overall, this place is just okay. read more

Wish never had stopped by this place. Food was just not good and the service could use some improving. We order the "Yuca con Mojo" for the appetizer and two "mojito" However the Yuca was good, they brought it with the entrees. The Mojitos were ok. Then we order the "Arroz Frito el Floridita" and the "Frita Cubana" The Arroz was cold, it had very little taste and just one or two pieces of shrimp... ok... maybe three. The Frita, which is a Cuban Hamburger, was so bad I don't even know how to describe it. I was just the worst hamburger I have ever seen. We just couldn't eat it. read more

Not very traditional Cuban food... it seems it's a mix of hispanic, mexican & cuban cuisine. Not impressed at all. Very greasy and ambience is not the that great. It's cheap and can fill you up if this is what you want... read more

Best Ropa vieja ever! Very authentic! Love it! Try the bistec empanisado with a Malta! So good! read more

Horrible service, to place an order they take for ever. Server doesn't check up on you and when you ask for something gives a snotty look and answers back rude. If I would be able to give them a no star I would. read more

Everything amazing. Got that Cuban feel, café cubano on point. Food 100% definitely stop in and try it if your interested in some amazing Cuban food read more

Florida? Take me to Florida ! Everything else is just snakes! I can't believe I've lived my whole entire lifestyle without being come here. It's going good so well that I can't wait to see you tomorrow. For the killer lunch special makes me feel like a damn woman on an island. I just love coming here especially some times when it's a special day I take my ol lady out for the night of the nights. You are the best friend I've ever had. Thank you for all the support you e ever given me . I truly appreciateall you do and all the courage you've given me. See you at arrival of Friday! read more

For years I have passed this restaurant up and each time I consider it I denied to visit. Well I finally did and honestly it's not that great. I may have to come a couple more times to change my review; my gf and I each tried a different plate but we weren't crazy about the choices. However, the staff and ambience was nice and there is ample parking and the coffee is bomb read more

I love this place because it feels like home. All the ladies love my grandpa and are always so friendly. It's hard to find authentic Cuban food like my abuelas but they nail it. We go at least once a week. read more