Loved the food ! I am Puerto Rican and the Mofongo was authentic and fantastic. Not dry and delicious. I had it with masitas and my friend with shrimp. Both love it! We shared the pastelon empanada. I little shocked at the price but It was worth it!!! Between the flavors and the old salsa playing it took me back home. I'll be back . Although it's a good 35 to 40 minutes away for me , it was worth it! Cute place in a very small store front . We lucked out with parking. It's metered , (bring quarters) till 7:00, but I can see st. parking being an issue at times. read more

Excellent food and excellent service. The restaurant is cozy and the decor is beautiful. I went with a work group. Yes, the empanadas are that good but so was everything else. I wasn't able to pick a favorite. We probably sampled all of the appetizers and I can't say enough about how tasty all the food is--I'm talking finger ticking, lip smacking, chewing noises kind of good. I will definitely return! read more

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Returned to Mambo for dinner and had another pleasant meal. I am in awe, at how a small eatery takes advantage of every inch of their business with beautiful and unique decor, comfortable surroundings, and memorable meals. Remember to BYOB. I started with the Mambo Ice Tea (sweetened) and it was VERY GOOD and refreshing. We ordered the following: Tostones Montaditos (green plantains mounted with tenderloin steak). The steak was sweet, tender, savory, and combined with the plantain, made it an excellent starter and highly recommended. My Pollo A La Plancha (Grilled Chicken) was accompanied by Moro Rice and Sweet Plantains. This chicken was well seasoned, the onions were succulent, I always enjoy/perfer the dry moro rice, and sweet plantains are my favorite side. I recommend Mambo Empanada and hope that everyone will experience this popular restaurant. read more

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On the way to the comedy club and chose Mambo to eat. So glad we did. It's a small place that does tons of take out from what we saw. The service was excellent as everyone helps not just one server. We had many questions for them and they answered them all in a friendly way. The food it unique and amazing. 3 different empanadas and the lomo steak montaditos for apps and shrimp ceviche for main. The empanadas were all delicious and fresh. The lomo steak was unreal. Cooked perfectly and amazing flavor. Could not get enough. The shrimp was plump and delicious. Overall an excellent meal. Can't wait to get back. Enjoy read more

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This is what at first glance appears to just be a small empanada shop however has a quaint dining room in the back for you to enjoy an entire menu of food. We had 3 different empanadas (Mexican street corn, pollo guisado and shrimp ajillo) which all were absolutely delicious and a few different mofongos which all were absolutely AMAZING! The garlic sauce is soooo addicting and I wished they'd sold it because I would've purchased a vat and put it on everything at home lol. Service was also good despite having 2 large parties to tend to. We will be back. read more

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Been dying to check out this spot for ages. World class service! Excellent food, with massive portions. The ambiance of the place was ideal. The owner, Martin, took extra care to ensure the experience was magnificent. Must visit!!! read more

Mambo Latin Kitchen - Peruvian Near Me - Rutherford, New Jersey

Oh my, I have not had mofongo in such a long time. This restaurant is an unassuming storefront with a small seating area. When we got there on an random weekday at lunchtime, there were two other parties in the restaurant, no wait. But there was one person serving as the hostess, the bartender and the waitstaff. She did a great job. They have mini mofongos as a lunch special for $16, as well as $5.50 empanadas. The empanadas were good. But the mofongo - wow. A mofongo is a Caribbean dish comprised of plantains, mashed into sort of a cake, with meat, and then covered with delicious sauce. The sauce is sucked up by the mashed plantains so they are full of flavor. The mofongo here reminded me of the mofongos I had in my last trip to Puerto Rico. Very tasty, and my mouth is watering as I write this. I did not know you could even get this in New Jersey. I'm definitely coming back here for dinner. read more

Went twice. First time everything was delicious. Oxtail and the oxtail empanada. Both were on point. Second time oxtail was very salty. Different cook, or different recipe. Could barely it any of it. read more

There were only 2 other tables occupied when I was there with my wife, who by the way told me we should go elsewhere. . the service was nonexistent, the ceviche was good, I ordered tostones, I got 5 slices of a plantain, it was $10.00, I also ordered maduros, again, 5 little pieces for $9.00, so I paid $19.00 for what was essentially about half of 1 large plantain which cost about $1.00... I'm not cheap. but I am also not stupid, and the empanadas, less than half the size of any empanada that I've eaten elsewhere for double the price. . But for 2 Ceviche's which the waitress said were appetizers. . , 2 empanadas, and less than 1 plantain, to pay almost $100.00, I guess next time I'll be going to Rumba Cubana which is a stones throw away from this place. . and I did leave a 15% tip, because I'm not cheap... read more

I stumbled upon this place in 2024 and was immediately hooked. I absolutely love mofongo and Mambo's is the best I've ever had, hands down! Unlike most mofongo, it's not dry & even reheats well. The chicharron chunks that are incorporated into it add the perfect crunch. The sauce it's served with is delectable. It all comes together for the most fantastic monfongo you'll ever have! I live 45 minutes from it & will drive the distance. read more

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Their grilled chicken sandwich is delicious! Great price, great portion size! We've ordered a handful of times and have not been disappointed. We've always done take out and service has never been an issue. Hoping to dine in soon, we'd like to take advantage of their outdoor seating which has a great set up! read more

It's a small restaurant but very cozy and nice inside (definitely did not expect it based on the outside appearance). Servers were attentive but let's talk about the food-- ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS. We only ordered apps and the portion sizes did not disappoint. Ceviche was delicious as well. Everything was absolutely delicious and I think this is my favorite Peruvian/Cuban/Latin American restaurant in North NJ. Definitely a must try. Very hard to pick a favorite dish but their empanadas stole my heart. I cannot wait to come back again!! read more

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This is still my favorite empanada place. Their philly cheese steak empanadas are so delicious that the others pale in comparison. I also like their chicken & my son loves their cheese burger empanadas. They have a lovely small restaurant and their menu was good the 2 times I dined there. After trying their empanadas I wasn't really interested in the entrees. I also occasionally get their sweet plantains. read more

Food , service, ambiance was excellent. Definitely recommend this place. We had the shrimp garlic empanada, which was amazing the skirt steak with the rice and beans and plantains and a garlic sauce. Amazing. Everything was cooked to perfection. read more

I hadn't been here in a while. Did a recent pickup and had to travel for it. Here's the order Cheeseburger Empanadas...absolutely delish! Very tasty and I would definitely get it again! Croquetas - they were ok. Not as tasty as they used to be, but still edible. The ones from 5 years ago had a slightly sweet taste and weren't so salty. They were my favorite croquetas, and I can get these anywhere in Hudson County, so why travel? Because they were that good, but not anymore. Vegetarian Chaufa. Meh. Didn't have much flavor. All I could taste was the scallions and it didn't meld with the rest of the rice. I don't know what happened, but it definitely did not taste the way it used to. New cook maybe? Using less tasty ingredients? Probably. Also, I remember they used to put scrambled eggs, like they do in fried rice, but there wasn't really enough. The veggies were cut in big pieces and placed on top. It just wasn't right. So that's a big "no". Is it worth for me to travel from West New York for take out? I say not anymore. It's a real shame. I don't know what happened, but I found out that the place has new owners, so that could be the deal. But if I'm ever in the area, I would definitely get the empanadas! read more

This place is only a few blocks from my Girlfriend's place. She has never tried it. I convinced her to go and we couldn't be more happy. We were greeted by happy eager people and seated in the tiny dining area. We weee a bit early and didn't have a reservation but the sat us anyway. The room was excellent for date night Latin music kept it even more festive. It's dark in there but manageable. Maybe the music was a little loud but you gotta go with the flow. The food was astonishing! We did a small plate thing this time. My girl is picky and will only eat seafood so we had a shrimp appetizer and we had the calamari. Both were good but I got a shrimp empanada as well and it stole the show. We will certainly be back again. read more

Ordered takeout, but prices are very high on GrubHub. Food was excellent though! Ceviche was fresh with a punch of lime, pickled onions and very tasty yucca chips. Would have preferred corn nuts vs the fresh corn, but it all still worked together. Wings were a refreshing twist on the usual and were great with the garlic dipping sauce. Chicken sandwich with the yucca fries was very flavorful. I've had their Sancocho before, and it's one of my favorites! BYOB too which is always a plus! Just a star short bc it's very expensive here. read more

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My go to spot for a empanadas in Rutherford. Local. Yummy. Friendly. Great little spot

Very happy we ate at Mambo for brunch today!!! Great location, felt like I was in Cuba. The food was superb, good enough that I ordered 1/2 dozen empanadas to go for a snack later. Yet another great local spot for brunch, definitely coming back again. Only complaint I would have is I thought the viva Columbia dish I ordered was a bit on the stingy side with only 2 pieces of pork belly and street parking only. read more

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excellent!! food..service.we love linda! everything on the menu is excellent. trigonometry is my favorite read more

Mambo Latin Kitchen & Empanadas is a Latin restaurant specializing in Peruvian dishes and craft empanadas. Their menu, which is fairly extensive, also features some Caribbean dishes like Mofongo and ropa vieja. I thought that most of the dishes were quite pricey compared to their their peers (close to $30 per entree) but their rotisserie chicken orders were a great deal. I got the half chicken which came with two sides. For my sides I ordered white rice and tostones. The meal also came with their signature garlic aioli sauce and cilantro japaneno green sauce (they gave me and my partner enough for 5 entrees) . I was very satisfied with my meal. I've had Peruvian rotisserie before and I thought this chicken was super juicy and well seasoned. It fell right off the bone and paired very well with the garlic sauce (I prefer the garlic sauce to the green sauce personally). The tostones were a little bit on the hard side but still good. I definitely anticipate that I will order this again. TBD if I will order other items given that it's a bit pricier here, but that's my only complaint. Everything else was great. read more

Mambo Latin Kitchen - 1/2 Chicken and 2 Sides Combo - so good! Look at all the sauces. - Peruvian Near Me - Rutherford, New Jersey

Mambo is the hidden gem you've been waiting to discover! The moment you walk in, you're greeted by friendly staff and a very cozy and inviting environment. The food is a delicious blend of Cuban, Peruvian, and Dominican dishes; I cannot recommend the oxtail empanadas enough! ALL of the amazing staff members go above and beyond to truly make you feel at home. The food, service, and remarkable environment easily makes Mambo one of the best New Jersey restaurants! read more

Mambo Empanada Kitchen on Union Avenue in Rutherford is a solid spot, but I have a bit of a personal connection to empanadas--my wife, who has Puerto Rican heritage, makes some great ones. So, when I found this place, I had to give it a try. I got two types: a shredded chicken empanada and an oxtail one. The chicken was a bit dry and disappointing, but the oxtail one? That was a game changer. It's made with braised oxtail, potatoes, and carrots, and it's absolutely incredible. I've been back for it a few times since. The reason for the four stars is that on two separate occasions, they didn't have the oxtail empanadas available, which was a letdown. I get it--braised oxtail takes time, and it's a specialty item, so I'm empathetic. I haven't had the chance to try the rest of the menu yet, but the empanadas alone make it worth a visit. read more

Thoroughly enjoyed my time here! Went for St Paddy's day because Shannon Rose was ridiculous. Everything was delicious, the prices were reasonable, and the service was great! The portion sizes were great too! My only tiny qualm was the food was a bit slow to come. All-in-all, I will eat here again for sure! read more

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Wow! What an outstanding meal we had at this small, but cozy spot. The restaurant is decorated with splashes of old Havana, making the ambiance very charming. All the servers were very pleasant and efficient. But onto the real star - the food! We ordered: Mexican Street Corn Empanada, Arepitas Dulce, Trifongo with Pernil, Carne Asada, Crème Brûlée Cheesecake, and Coquito Flan The Empanda was perfect to share because it was quite large. Crispy outside, with a delicious corn filling. They have a long list of very creative empanada options. Definitely recommend. The Arepitas were smallish sweet corn cakes, topped with ropa veija. It comes with three. These were outstanding! So much flavor from the very savory meat contrasting with the sweet corn cake. Divine! My husband had the Carne Asada, which came with perfectly cooked tostones, rice, and red beans. The portion is massive. There was a family of three next to us that was sharing this as their entree. Steak cooked and seasoned perfectly. I had the Trifongo, which was also humongous. From the first bite, I was knocked out by flavor. A heaping pile of beautiful roasted pork, atop a sweet and savory mix of yucca, plantain, and maduros. Omg! One of my favorite dishes in the area! You must save room for dessert. The Flan was the best that I've had, and the cheesecake was heavy but delicious. Even my espresso was crazy good! The prices are very reasonable for the quality and quantity of food that you get. We brought home enough for a second meal! Also, it is BYO so that helps keep your cost down. Don't miss out on this real gem. read more

I don't even like Cuban food and this place is fantastic. The food is incredible and the empanadas are ALL good. Yes, it's a fusion restaurant so it's not just Cuban. Maybe that's what makes it better? 100/10. It's also BYOB, the decor is adorable, bathroom is very clean and staff are friendly. read more

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Food: delicious empanadas! Entrees were ok Service: this is a mom and pop place; friendly; attentive as they can be, not going to expect much more than that, they're doing the best they can Ambiance: tight knit spaces; thankfully no covid protocol needed(!) The empanadas alone are worth it read more

Wonderful flavor in all of their food. Menu includes different Latin American favorites.

MIND BLOWN! That about sums it up. We were looking for a new Cuban restaurant to change things up, saw the positive reviews and said why not. Thank goodness we did! From the outside, its most humble and unassuming storefront hides the treasure within. From the moment you step in, you just know this is going to be special. I can't emphasize enough how transcending the food was. I dare say BETTER than my grandmother made (forgive me abuelita)! Legit! So much so we just have not stopped talking about it. The empanada menu alone makes it hard not to order them all. And it's BYOB!!! This will be on our go to list and look forward to trying EVERYTHING! The decor is the cutest and well curated! Fresh and clean and awesome music/ambiance. Lastly the service could not be more hospitable and genuine. This is a find! Be sure to make reservations!!! read more

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Generous servings and good service, very authentic! Will be back! Friendly staff and ambiance.

Food amazing, service was best ever, Diana was a great server very attentive to our needs. The place was very clean, and nicely decorated. Best of all the food was so good read more

Omg always great food and ambiance, the owner egan hope i spelled it right, is always so inviting he really loves his customers..wow i always go read more

We were in the area from out of town and came across this gem. So happy we did because the food was amazing! It's small but so cute. Wish we lived closer to visit more often. We started with a cheeseburger empanada and a Philly cheesesteak empanada. They did not make it for a photo, unfortunately. We inhaled them. My daughter had a (virgin) piña colada and I must say it was one of the BEST I have ever tried in my life-- so good! I can't explain it but you could tell that it wasn't a premade mixture and had the perfect coconut to pineapple ratio with a whipped cream cinnamon topping. Delicioso! We had trifongo for our entrees (pernil and oxtail). No complaints at all. The servers were also friendly and nice. And last but definitely not least, it's BYOB!! read more

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It's been almost 6 years since I tried this place. 6 years ago is when they first opened and I gave them 2 stars, never returned till now. I ordered takeout: half chicken with 2 sides, white rice & tostones. I also got the pastelon empanada & guava/cream cheese empanada. Let's start with the chicken plate - so they have stepped up their game. The chicken is no longer dry, it was nicely cooked and tasty. The rice was a little blah, I know it's just white rice but there was something missing. The tostones were good. The meal comes with 2 garlic sauces and one green sauce.I asked them to give me one garlic sauce and two green and they totally ignored my request haha. If you are planning to eat the garlic sauce don't plan on kissing anyone or talking to anyone for the rest of the day, it's very garlicky but good. The green sauce is also good and elevates the chicken. The pastelon empanada came with a cilantro sauce I didn't care for. Also, how can an empanada be filled with so many things but have no flavor? Weird. The guava & cream cheese empanada I'm going to 100% take credit for haha... In my 1st review, I mentioned how the guava was a chunk, and it should have been more of a spread. Well, guess what? Now it's a spread. Haha it was my favorite part of my meal, although I stuck my knife in the middle of it and mixed the 2 ingredients together to get a more even taste with every bite. Will I be back before another 6 years? Possibly to check out their lunch specials. I thought the food was a little overpriced tbh. I would also probably never eat inside, it's a tiny restaurant and the music was blaring! I could barley hear the hostess telling me my food would be ready in 7 mins when it actually took 20. read more

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Small but cute restaurant. Would highly recommend reservations. Workers were nice, good service, and delicious food. The trifongo was amazing. read more

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Mambo staff and owner always give me and my family great food and even better service. My favorite go to restaurant in Rutherford.

We had reservations for 7pm to celebrate my Mommy for Mother's Day. My parents frequent this place a lot, but this was our first time. The place is quaint and the host was pleasant. This place is a BYOB so be sure to bring a bottle of wine or two. We bought a few bottles of wine for our sangria. We asked for tap water with lemon, but received sparkling water instead. I could barely hear the waitress when she tried apologizing. I told her it's fine just leave the sparkling. She was determined to change it to what I initially requested, but I told her again not to worry about it. This went on for about five minutes too long. We were then asked if we were ready to place our orders, but we never received a menu to do so. The waitress eventually introduced herself as Linda after she was asked and provided the menu. It was a QR Code. Instead of walking around to each person so we could scan or leaving the code at the table Linda held it near her. Unfortunately, a lot of menu items were missing and when asked if certain things could be done we were told no and that they do not have specials today. As a Latin American restaurant how is it possible to be out of skirt steak, fried fish, shrimp, or that whole chicken combos are unavailable for dine-in, but only for takeout or delivery. I found that to be peculiar. I wish Linda would've told us what was available prior to us placing an order only to be greatly disappointed. Our apps consisted of two orders of Guacamole with Plantain Chips, Crunchy Coconut Shrimp, Cuban Sandwich Bites, Pastelón Empanada, Mexican Street Corn Empanada, Beef Empanada, and a Cheeseburger Empanada. The guacamole and plantain chips were tasty. The guac was freshly made. The empanadas were huge and pretty tasty. My hunny didn't care for the cheeseburger empanada because he only tasted cheese when he bit into it. I recommend the Mexican street corn and the pastelón empanada The coconut shrimp weren't good. They were extremely oily, tasted microwaved, and the sauce that was paired with it was horrible. We asked that our apps and entrees be spaced apart so that we could enjoy ourselves. Unfortunately everything came out at the same time. The waitresses walked over with our entree's in their hands although we were still eating our apps. The waitresses looked at us and asked if we could move our plates so that they can set the entrees on the table. I asked Linda to provide us with take away containers as well as a bag since we were being rushed to clear the table. For our entrees we ordered LuLu's Oxtails, Skirt Steak with a side of Garlic Shrimp and two orders of the Rotisserie Chicken, Rice with Blacks Beans, Red Moro Rice and a side of Sweet Plantains. We all agreed that our entrees were good, but my hunny said that his chicken breast was on the dry side. Everything about our evening was uneventful. read more

Mambo Latin Kitchen - Half Chicken w. Red Moro Rice - Peruvian Near Me - Rutherford, New Jersey

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My friend had been raving about her birthday dinner here so decided to give them a try. Love the fact that they offer a blend of Spanish dishes from Dominican Republic, Cuba and Peru. Definitely some of my favorite Spanish dishes in one menu. Their Lomo is freaking amazing. Steak is tender and the way they cook it the fries stay whole and don't breakdown in the sauce. They offer many different and unique empanadas too. I have only done take out from here because I usually try to go on a Friday night and they are packed. The one thing I did not care for was an order of shrimp ceviche that seemed to be a guacamole set up with crabmeat on top, but then I got home I got half of a rotten avocado with a side with shrimp ceviche. Also the coconut flan was not that great. The coconut was bitter, instead of sweet. The tres leche was better. Definitely worth the try. read more

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First timer tonight. Saw on Uber eats. Glad I did . Each was baked fresh and had a lot of flavor. Wish I would of known if this place sooner. Highly recommend.... read more

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The sister restaurant of (now closed) Mambo Tea House, which was also in Rutherford, Mambo's Empanadas is apparently now known as Mambo's Latin Kitchen and Empanadas. Had been to the old MTH and this place many times, and they were both generally pleasant experiences... But I never felt compelled to write a review. It had been a while since going there, so my wife and I decided to give it a try. The inside had been given a makeover and it looked really nice. A few new sconce lights with hats hanging atop them, and the front of a '57 Chevy are nice new touches since our last visit. My wife has always loved their Cuban Bites as an appetizer, so that's what she got... I decided to get the (new) fried calamari. The squid was well-prepared, tasted fresh, and came in a nifty fry basket. The mini Cuban sandwich was very tasty as well. A BYOB that offers mixers to make sangria and some other drinks, the price for the sandwich was about the same as we remembered it, and the calamari was a nice-sized portion for the cost. An important thing to note is that their table topper menu points out that there is a time limit for the tables. Not sure how hard they enforce that, but it's there because it is not a big restaurant and they (understandably) don't want anyone overstaying their welcome if people are waiting to get in. The thing that definitely stood out about the menu is that the prices on main courses have gone up significantly since the last time we were there. I got the trifongo with garlic shrimp. The mofongo was not crispy at all, and the sauce for the shrimp was more sweet than garlicky for my taste. My wife got the Ropa Vieja with boiled yuca and Moro rice... She was not very happy with her meal. The Moro was great, but the yuca was a bit too Al dente, and the Ropa tasted like the chef accidentally doubled the salt. We got catering from their old place on Park Avenue many years ago, and the Arroz con Pollo we ordered suffered from that same fate... So that was an odd re-occurrence. We decided we will not be going back. read more

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