What a gem. Mambo's is a happening little spot, right off of the freeway. I couldn't believe how easy it was to get to. We scored a parking spot right in front. You can call it hip. You can call it trendy. Just don't call me late, if you are going here for dinner (or lunch). While dining here, you may see big groups and you may see little families. There is also seating at the bar for those looking for a single spot. Classy photos, capturing the many eras of jazz, line the walls of what obviously used to be a garage. Young (and old) Hollywood professionals (and hopefuls) trade business cards over their meal. Service started off a bit slow but once our drink orders were taken, it was great from there. My daughter went outside the box and ordered their guanabana shake. It was more of a frothy milk vs. a shake. It had a really interesting flavor, hints of apples, mangos, and strawberries. I chose a side of their papa rellena to try and a vegetarian tamale. The potato ball is breaded and stuffed with a bit of ground beef. The tamale was very light, served with tasty black beans and rice as soft as a pillow. The Mr. had a Cuban sandwich, which was just about as authentic as it gets. The house Chardonnay was affordable and lovely. My daughter ordered the grilled chicken sandwich, thinking she was going to get your run of the mill chicken + lettuce + tomato, etc. She took one bite and her eyes said it all. She begged me to try it, to try and identify what made it taste so good. My guess was peanut butter. She is still talking about that sandwich. It was one of those, I never would have put that together, but my mind is blown away at how good it is. We will make this a permanent stop on our way down to SoCal! read more

The problem with restaurants that get lots of press, or in this case a prominent appearance on a tv show, is that expectations fly out the window. Then at least in the case of Yelp, we are subjected to dozens if not hundreds of reviews from people who've only reviewed one or two places. Certainly everyone has to start reviewing somewhere, but it's hard to take a reviewer seriously if there isn't a basis for criticism that amounts to something useful. I wish I could say they were wrong. Another problem is that if a segment is used to glorify a specific dish as it was on D,D & D, and you come and eat something else you aren't really experencing what the show was about. Most restaurants don't do everything well, they specialize in a few house dishes that they are known for. The episode singled out Tostones Rellenos with Shrimp and it's every bit as good as advertised. There are huge and abundant chunks of real shrimp, and we're not talking about those wussy little salad bay shrimp. Unfortunately, that was as good as it gets and the rest of the meal was like slipping down a children's slide into sand. Empenadas were okay, not bad and decent flavor but much too greasy. The vaunted roast pork sandwich was unremarkable in every way. It was easy to see the meat quality was good, but there was absolutely no flavor at all which is such an oddity in a Cuban restaurant. Versailles and El Floridita both make a much better version of this Cuban staple as does Portos if memory serves me. There is a pretty good smoky salsa that came with the bread appetizer that helped a little, but not enough to make it anything more than average. The best thing of all turned out to be the Iron Beer soda pop, which was a refreshing twist on something akin to Dr. Pepper, but better. There were other issues to contend with too. The location is downright odd, it's literally located between two dirty and unappealing auto repair shops which I'm sure is convenient for the mechanics but less so for any sort of ambience. Service was extremely friendly, and yet became worse and worse as the meal went on to the point it was almost impossible to flag someone down by the end. As it was only a moderately busy lunch hour, I can only imagine how stagnant the service would be during peak dinner hours. For those in the neighborhood, I would think this a decent place for a night out. They have music and you can dj on certain nights for a few songs if the mood strikes you, which is a rather cool concept. But for anyone driving any distance to get here, there are better Cuban choices in almost every sector of the city. So as much as it pains me to admit, most of the newbie reviewers got it about right. About 2-1/2, a mid C passing grade but don't let your mom see the report card. Best Plates: Tostones Rellenos with Shrimp, Iron Beer Soda Food - C+ Ambience - B- Service - B- Value - B read more

Mambos Cafe - Iron beer soda - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

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Food is delicious and authentic. Staff is friendly and helpful. Had the pulled pork and breaded chicken.

Random chance of coming here. Needed a place to eat after a long drive and saw this place. Food is really good! Love the Yuca and and plantains! So yummy! Portions are big too! Will be coming back! read more

So I was watching the Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" and Guy Fieri was here, I had to scratch my head because I have passed by here quite often and never noticed the place. So we had family here from MEXICO and they wanted to try something different, I scrolled through my bookmarked places to go and said let's go check out Mambo's..............http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/y8GN7BrZDeySWB9DfPbqqQ?select=IdxHc5H1vF0J9GsQ7R6IJg http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/y8GN7BrZDeySWB9DfPbqqQ?select=J5TnIp76MBAMEvnW08Isyg For apps I had 1-Croqueta and 1-Empanadilla http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/y8GN7BrZDeySWB9DfPbqqQ?select=fVNLOKSjFRYdaCiuQ78igA they were both good although not much filling inside, and to me the Croqueta seemed a little overcooked as you can see by the picture. Uncle had the Rib Eye http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/y8GN7BrZDeySWB9DfPbqqQ?select=r2m909AnneM8ktyAOBBb1Q which also comes with a side of black beans. Aunt had the Mambo's Chicken http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/y8GN7BrZDeySWB9DfPbqqQ?select=sgUFA84eUSOb5iGeAnbdzQ which also comes with a side of black beans. Wife had the Spicy Chicken http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/y8GN7BrZDeySWB9DfPbqqQ?select=pISiliChZe_P5WYP1tQFrA which also comes with a side of black beans. And I had the Roast Pork http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/y8GN7BrZDeySWB9DfPbqqQ?select=2UGzXUpvfSLaYpvSPRUVeQ which also comes with a side of black beans. So we are NO Cuban food experts but all the food tasted very good with the exception of the Burnt/Overcooked Croqueta, my Pork was delicious and very moist, I tried some of my wife's Spicy Chicken...well not spicy for me but all flavors worked well together. We all left happy and would definitely return, I would have given them 5-Stars but...........just had to take one off for the Apps (size, pricey and overcooked) 4-Stars and will return, to check out some other menu items....... read more

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I'll start by saying that the staff was very nice, the only thing I do wish they did come around a bit more to check on us, other then that their service was ok. Now as for the food I can't say I was very pleased with that I got. I got the Mambo's chicken sadly wasn't as good as I thought it would be. The side of beans weren't the greatest they had a burnt taste to them, the rice was really good, and the fried plantains were good. read more

Well I heard about this place from Guy Fieri's Diners Divesand Drive In. I will give it a second chance. Ordered Mambo's chicken and the chicken itself was very good. Tasty, moist and well prepared. I prefer My Cuban Rice prepared Morro style (mixed rice and beans). It was ok, kind of gummy which surprised me. I am a rice fanatic it's my thing. So I am a bit picky when it comes to rice so it was a little disappointing. On this day even the white rice I ordered was sticky so maybe bad chef day. Another miss were the Fried Plantains which I prefer to the sweet variety. Mine came undercooked. Not sure if they thought I was asking for my sweet plantains to be Fried. Those that know do realize that there is a major difference between the two. I still say give it a try as my dinner mates enjoyed their Salmon Ajillo even though they forgot to substitute the sauce as requested. Still I will return on a different night as overall it was a nice experience One thing I would to add is that I found the food surprisingly bland which should not be the case with Cuban Cuisine again perhaps the chef had a bad day as I see the potential but from my undercooked potato ball(meat in the middle was cold and the potato was hard) to the before mentioned plantains I have to give it a raised eyebrow on this review read more

Mambos Cafe - Salmon Ajillo - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

Best Cuban food and best service! I've been coming here for twenty five years and Hebe never been disappointed

Family owned and they make you feel like Family when you walk in. The red sauce is to die for, they should bottle the stuff. They could retire. The live music is passionate, they are a creative family and provide the environment for artists to show off. Now to the food...wow, the beans the rice the maduros. That's the basics and they all shine. Start to build off that and you won't be disappointed. read more

Oh man I wanted to like this place so bad! The staff was very nice - lovely people, and for that I am grateful. I ordered a media noche with fries, which is basically a Cuban sandwich on sweeter, softer bread... unfortunately it really lacked in flavor, the meat was very dry, and the bread didn't taste fresh. The side of fries also tasted like they sat for longer than they should have. I love Cuban food but unfortunately this place gave me one of the most lackluster sandwiches I've ever had. read more

My gf doesn't call me the food nazi for nothing. If you are looking for a Mexican styled home made brunch, Mambos is the place. Truly taste just like my momma made that fucking breakfast. Under $12 all you can eat brunch And a $16 all you can eat brunch and bottomless mimosas. The brunch today consisted of: Ceviche, posole, tortilla soup, chilaquiles, eggs, potatoes, sausage, bacon, rice, and beans. My girl and I are on bottle number 3 I'm a little buzzed writing this review. Enjoy. read more

Mambos Cafe - Brunch bottle service. Included on the all you can eat + bottomless mimosa special for just $16 - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

A great little place to eat Cuban food. Problems are there is very few parking and it gets very crowded around noon. So you need to get there early! As a starter, they give you a basket of bread and salsa. The salsa is awesome: tomato based with garlic; a hint of lime but not like the usual salsa you get at Mexican restaurants. Can't go wrong with that. Most dishes are served with maduros, their white rice and black beans. The beans comes on the side and you can mix and go as you like. My kind of meal. The maduros are caramelized but not too sweet. They go perfect with the rice and beans. The Mambos chicken is really good. The sauce the chicken is cooked in gives the chicken a nice flavor and keeps the chicken from being dry. The chicken is a generous portion. The breaded steak is also very well done. It is better than the breaded chicken because it is not as dry. You can ask for a side of their garlic sauce but get ready to have garlic breath for about 2 days. They also have the daily specials. I had the special twice but never got a chance to eat it again. But, they were good. Get it if you see something you like. The sangria is awesome. The white is better than the red. The pitcher is on the pricey side for what you get. Not too conducive for big groups, but they can accommodate. read more

Mambos Cafe - White sangria, halibut special with garlic and bean sprouts, breaded steak with rice and black beans, and roasted pork. - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

Mambo's has the best Cuban food in Los Angeles! The flavors in their ropa vieja are like nothing I have ever tasted before! The potato balls are also excellent. The staff is always friendly and it is a great place to dine in or take out! Definitely make a trip here if you love or just want to try authentic Cuban food! read more

Was absent from this local favorite club for about 10 years. Walked in today around 2 and had the best feeling. It felt like i was at home. Being Armenian and enjoying a culturally diverse food choices. I appreciate their amazing food, great customer service and friendly staff. Thank you guys and best of luck to you flr another 30 years read more

Mambos Cafe - Mambos Caribean Salad with pork - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

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Excellent Cuban food - sandwiches and full plates. Plantains are finely done. Chorizo is uncommonly good. Take out stays warm

Intriguing location any workmanlike district of Glendale on the corner of Victory and Western. A former autobody shop, this space is now tastefully themed to reflect the culture of Cuba as well as the cuisine. always crowded - arrive right when they open or right before they close - this service is brusque, but effective. The owner and the owner's son make concerted effort to get to know the regulars, which enhances the business and experience. The food is good, not great. The fried plantains (tostones) were little bit flavorless, and the pork con lechon was wonderfully tender but lacked the melt in your mouth butteriness indicative of the great Cuban restaurants. Beans and rice are more than adequate and their standard plantains where juicy and delicious. Much better than Versailles, but even with the hype, I have still yet to find an authentic and awesome Cuban restaurant in greater Los Angeles. read more

Mambos Cafe - Auto repair turned Cuban spot - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

If I could've given 10 stars, I would've! Literally, the BEST Cuban restaurant in LA. I've been a loyal patron of Mambo's Cafe since 1994 and will continue to do so. I'll definitely miss the live music however I'm just pleased that this incredible restaurant with amazing staff has been in life for so long. Gracias Mambo's, té quiero más. read more

The food at Mambo's is delicious. Never had I thought of dipping bread in a salsa. Now I can't get enough. The pork, rice, and beans are insanely flavorful. It's a lot of food, so bring your appetite. read more

Oh Mambo, this place is outstanding. Here's the breakdown of our experience: 1. Food - You always start off with some bread sticks and salsa (a combo I've never had), and it's pretty good (salsa has some heat). We had the Tostones (fried plantains topped with Pico de Gallo) as an appetizer, and everything was really fresh and the plantains had a nice crunch. Everyone in our party had the roast pork for entrees and enjoyed it. While the pork looks dry, it's pretty moist and has awesome flavor. The black beans are great to pour over the rice or pork, as is the salsa. Basically, all our plates were clean at the end of the meal and we were stuffed. 2. Service - This is where the place really shines. It's obviously a family-run business and the entire staff is very welcoming and friendly. They were always there to make sure we had everything we needed, but weren't intrusive. One of them (the owner's son) even gave us a free order of tasty Papa Rellenas when they found out we were visiting from Texas! 3. Atmosphere - A pretty small place with limited parking, but hey, it makes for a cozy little meal. Signed pictures of celebs and local art adorn the walls and Jazz music plays in the background. Overall, I'd say the food is very good, probably four stars. But the service and everything really make it a pleasurable, unique experience worthy of five stars. read more

Mambos Cafe - Roast Pork - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

Food tasty but the service sucks. They shouldn't seat you if they can't serve you (within 10 minutes). I waited 10-15 minutes once & not a single person came to take our drink order. I will only go again if it's NOT a busy time & someone else is buying ;) read more

I came here for dinner about a week ago after hearing that I was a good place... It's such an easy place to miss as it used to be a gas station converted to a restaurant. So, I ordered the roasted pork which was just okay, crispy and shredded but it was missing flavor. It would of been better with a garlic sauce or so. Say from Zankou.My friend ordered the fish which was somewhat fishy. The sangria was just okay, nothing special. It hasn't sat out for a while to let the fermentation process. It was just whipped together. Overall, the experience was okay, nothing fabulous. I though the potato ball cost too much. Better just to go to Porto's. read more

I live up the street and have for 5 years. My boyfriend and I just decided to try Mambos last night for the very first time. Great food!!!! Great sangria!!! Great place!!! Will for sure be back!!! read more

3.5 Stars Came here on a Saturday night at 8pm There weren't any parking, so we had to park on the street and walk over. We waited for 30 minutes and was the last table to be seated for the night (they closed at 9pm) Service was sloooowwww. It took a while for someone to take our orders, bring us drinks and give us bread. The staff are friendly but they are just slow in nature I think. They did care about us, but they're just too busy running around. We asked a lot of questions about the food because we are definitely not very familiar with Cuban food. The waiter was friendly and tried to be helpful. He kept saying everything was "awesome," or 'out of this world!" We took his advice and ordered large 1/2 red wine 1/2 white wine Sangria! OMG! It was so amazingly good I could drink the whole pitcher again tomorrow! It's a little weak, but I'm a lady and like sweet drinks, so I love this Sangria! Breads finally made the way to our table. It was interesting type of breads.... it was okay. We got some appetizers but there were some confusions so I received a wrong dish. No problem, the waitress came to fix it as soon as I flagged her down. I ordered the Breaded Chicken and it was good, not amazing, but it's a very great tasting dish. This dish usually comes with white rice (which is "out of this world!!!" according to our waiter) but I substituted it with their yellow vegetables rice - very yummy. For the chicken, I added lots of lemons and also used the dipping sauce they gave you for the bread as "salsa" It was recommended by the waitress there. Over, service was slow, but their sincerities made up for their speed. Food were good in general, but I wished to try their Spicy Chicken, maybe it'll more amazing than the Breaded Chicken. read more

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Although this is listed as a DDD establishment, there was no signage. The menu offers traditional fare with some fresh spins, like including vegetarian options. The beverage menu is strictly overpriced. The atmosphere can get loud with boisterous children. Serving size is plenty. The plantains were the best I've had in years! read more

Mambos Cafe - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

I gave this play a try twice after living in Tampa. Sadly, it is entertainment Cuban food for white people. Great service and ambiance but if you are Cuban and want food to be what you know, you will be disappointed. I will admit that both times I was craving comfort food so I ordered the Lechon, it was flavorless and dry. Maybe the rest of the menu is better. But if the basics aren't right, I'm wary of branching out. The black beans were runny, like soup. Instead of thick. The chefs need a refresher in flavors. At the end of the meal both times I felt like it was entertainment Cuban. I'm sure this has its niche, the place was packed, but I can't recommend, nor would I send someone here as their first taste of Cuban. read more

Mambos is everything our neighborhood needs! The food is excellent and the staff is amazing! They have a great variety of foods and every dish I've tried is so tasty, it satisfies all my cravings. Service is top notch; fast, friendly, and professional! read more

I lived a block from this Cafe when it used be a Auto Shop, it was a gas station before that in the late 80s. Never tried back then. So off the cuff pandemic style I stop by to order take out. The taste and seasoning was there but the pork was tough like jerky meat. I dreaded having to chew it. No moisture at all. Like it was from the day before. Oh the seasonings seemed right though. I think if the pork wasn't so stringy it may have retained moisture better. I don't know ‍ it was just dry. Black bean were a little hard. Rice was good. And. The salad was fresh. The rice pudding well Idk how it was because they didn't include it. But I ordered it. I substituted beans for salad and they gave me a container of beans. No drink. The guy brought it to my car and told me it was $34 I paid cash with a Bennie. When I looked at the reciept it was $22. Funny because He said $34 and I repeated $34 I tipped him a couple of bucks I thought it was weird bc he didn't thank me. I think he thought I was gonna pay with my card and he was gonna tip himself 10 dollars. read more

This place food was so delicious. My first time trying this place I loved how the meat falls off the bone. It's so juicy.. this a really intimate Cuban restaurant and their servers are so welcoming and nice I will be for sure coming back. This Cuban restaurant makes their food delicious I dont know how I never knew about this place #mamboscafe #bomb #yummy #firsttimehere read more

Mambos Cafe - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

Being a former resident of Miami and having lots of experience with with cuban food, I can say that Mambos doesn't reflect Cuban food. We ordered coffees and it tastes like cheap cafeteria coffee. I ordered Cuban sandwich and instead of grilling it to add a little crispz they microwaved it. That made the bread rubbery and the meat inside was tasteless. My wife ordered pan con mantequilla and they had no idea what that is. We ordered other items, but I don't want to get into the details. I feel bad that lots of restaurants are struggling but it's not an excuse to misrepresent any type of cuisine. Cuban coffee or cuban tasting coffee isn't had to make. We had to throw away most of the food. read more

This kind of place reminds you to enjoy the little things in life, like a great plate of rice & beans :). Im not familiar so much with Cuban food so when I came on a girls lunch date I just stuck with the basics. White rice with dark blackish beans hit the spot! Also pretty decent potato balls. This place was perfect for a "light" meal & was responsibly priced. Service was so-so. Our waiter wasn't the friendliest but he brought everything out fast & our drinks were filled so we left happy that's for sure. read more

I've been to Mambo's a few times and it never disappoints. I usually go for lunch with co-workers since we work in the area. Today I ordered the Cuban Sandwich, which is a hot pressed sandwich with roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, mustard, and pickles on Cuban bread. The only issue I have is that I'm not a fan of mustard and I couldn't get it without because the bread is already made with the mustard spread. However, it doesn't have too much on so it didn't bother me. The restaurant can get crowded at times, but there are some seats outside as well. If you watch Diners, Drive-ins and Dives with Guy Fieri, he ate here. You can find his stamp of approval behind the bar! read more

Mambos Cafe - Cuban sandwich for lunch! - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

I must've gained several pounds just from my lunch here today... and it all went straight to my badonkadonk. I'm trying to imagine how much of a punch my booty would be packin' if I ate here regularly, but such nightmarish thoughts get stopped at the door of my brain when I'm awake and lucid. It was loud as shit in here during peak lunch hour, as much from the chatter of the dozens and dozens of people that were crammed in there as from all the om nom nom nom going on. I had the Mambo's Chicken, which came with what seemed like half a chicken cooked in what vaguely tasted to my Chinese tastebuds like soy sauce, but probably wasn't, a heap of white rice, plaintains and a bowl of beans. I barely finished it all. The little parking lot can fill up quick, but parking can be found on the residential streets, under trees and stuff. read more

My Cuban girlfriend and I are regulars at this place... it is actually my favorite Cuban restaurant... the decor is nice and quaint and the service is laid back... But the best thing about this place is the food, the food, the food perfect portion and flavor... we try to get there at 2 to 3 times a month. read more

I am a true fan of Mambo's! I discovered this place earlier this year while going to a team lunch during work. Their flavors in dishes are authentic and delicious! I've gotten their grilled checken plate and chicken salad, and a few of their starters - all were yum. Others ordered the Mambo's chicken special and Cuban Sandwich. (everything is great, really!). Portions are huge and can be shared! Mambo's seems to be a popular place during lunch, but the parking is pretty horrible. you try to get there before or after the lunch rush. read more

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Shrimp and avocado salad! Love this place for lunch. Everything is fresh and authentic. Everyone is friendly and it seems there's a lot of regulars. I love the menu, but there are not a lot of vegetarian menu items. For those who eat fish and shrimp, you're set! Plantains are amazing! read more

First off, let me say that I haven't had much Cuban food, so to compare is hard. But I can say that the service is very attentive and welcoming. The food was delicious and a hearty portion. And they have a great cortadito. I had the chuleta w rice and platano frito. The pork chop was delicious and not dry at all, in fact the meat fell of the bone. Everything was seasoned deliciously. My friend had the bistec empanizado which was also very good. All in all, great experience and great food. I will definitely return. read more

Mambos Cafe - Chuleta w rice and fried plantains. - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

Food was salty and the service was just ok. Nothing to special about the dishes. Not terrible, just nothing memorable.The rice they use is super starchy. Servers did not come back and refill waters, but they did come back at leases 5 times to see if we had paid the check. The ambience is super cute. read more

Excellent food! Portions are generous. We had the sampler player-Amazing! For desert, the fried plantains with ice cream-Delish! Expresso--wow! read more

Mambos Cafe - Grilled Veggie Plate, not picture was a side of black beans. Extremely feeling, I had left overs. - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

Today Saturday May 21st my wife and I entered the restaurant at 12:30pm. The server said, take any seat you like. We placed are order with the server, roast pork and ropa vieja to be exact. Server brought my ice tea and a basket of bread. I noticed she didn't bring any small plates for us to place the bread. I thought nothing of it. We waited and waited no food. A good 45 mins later a table sat down next to us and got their appetizers and entrees. They received small plates for their bread. We still have no food. I asked the server where is the food. She came back and said they didn't start it yet. She replied, it happens! You don't forget to enter entrees into the POS. At the time their were three servers working. As a server she only had one other table and we had no food. You think she would have checked with the kitchen. My wife made eye contact with her several times. You think she would have checked on our table. Our table has no food! We asked ourselves are we invisible? The slender young white server with her hair pulled back is a horrible server. We angrily left the restaurant at 1:35pm. Wasted a hour of our lives to be tortured and now starving. My wife and I eat out every single day and I post food pics on my Instagram page. Thanks for treating us like shit! If I could give this place negative stars I would. A good friend of mine that is Cuban recommended Mambo's. Unfortunately I won't know if the food lives up to the reputation. Horrible servers can ruin a restaurant. read more

This is my favorite restaurant in all of LA. I could eat the roast pork here everyday. It is the perfect meal. Delicious rice, beans and maduros. read more