First time trying this place. The reason I wanted to try was because it came out on the diners, drive in and dives show. But came here today and was the complete opposite. The waitress looked like she didn't want to be there with her resting B$&@& face look. If you don't like your job, then find something else. There was only one waiter that I saw that actually seemed nice and liked his job and was working hard. The food was okay. It was very bland and had no flavor. I had to put a lot of salt and lemon to get any kind of flavor. Not at all what I expected. I think this will just a one time stop for us. read more

I grew up eating the Sandwich and it's the best I have ever had. Family owned and with heart and soul.

Really bummed about the experience we just had. We stopped by for dinner because we had a craving for the chicken. We ate dinner, which was great, but were really put off by what happened afterward. We basically were asked to vacate our table for the next party. This is not an unreasonable request, as it was a music night and we were a party of two at a four-top. However, the way we were approached was less than hospitable. I work in food/beverage, and have had to make a similar request or our guests. It's awkward, but since it is an inconvenience to the guest, it's best made softly and with an incentive. When we first came into the restaurant, we were about to sit at a table and were asked to switch to another. We could have been told at that point that we should sit at a two top. The man that asked us to move told us that he needed us to move because there was a party that needed the table. It came off as really rude and short. He told us he didn't mind if we stayed but to vacate the table, like he was doing us a favor by letting us sit at another table so we could finish our coffees. It was completely off putting. It left such a bad taste in my mouth I couldn't get out of there fast enough. Tip to the ownership: if the sketchy looking guy with the pony tail is going to approach guests to move, maybe teach him some service etiquette so your guests don't feel like we're inconveniencing you by dining there. read more

I've been coming here for YEARS! Their food and service is always exceptional. I'm sad the live music on Tuesday's has been eliminated, but we had some great times there listening to great live bands play. I usually get the same thing to eat all the time, but I know their other selections are amazing too. The breaded steak is so tasty along with plantains and rice/beans. The red sangria is made fresh and they take their time to make sure it is perfect. I once had dry plantains served and after mentioning it to them, they quickly took it back and brought a new plate. I appreciate their customer service and excellent food that continues to fill my belly!!! It's a Burbank staple and I wish you always the best of luck in business, thank you. read more

Mambos Cafe - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

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I absolutely love this place! Great service great food, not to mention the cortadito is the best!!! From the moment you walk in their customer service is ABSOLUTELY EXCELLENT. The food is authentic I might add. The ropa vieja I truly recommend. If ever in the area and in the mood for Cuban food this is definitely the place. read more

Aw man, this is based on my recent experience. We wanted to order food for pick up. We like coming here but this is unacceptable.... We called like 20 times. They either picked up and then hung up quickly, let it ring or it was busy. So we drove over there totally accepting the fact that we would order and wait. Well, not so much. We arrived to an empty restaurant (it was raining) and the first thing we heard when we arrived was the phone ringing and staff were walking by it pretending they couldn't hear it. We weren't even approached. So we walked right out. We won't be returning at all and I will tell all my other Mambo go-ers of my experience. Because not only is the taste of Cuban food important but customer service is right up there. It's too bad. But the good news: I found a replacement that night! Hey when you crave something, you should get it! read more

Doesn't disappoint, the food is delicious everytime. The tamales are one of my favorite items.

Mambo's is my favorite Cuban restaurant in town. The ambiance, the service and the staff make you feel right at home. There was a slight mistake in our order and the staff went above and beyond to make up for it. Shout out to the staff Aracely and Mauricio who make me want to come back (they deserve a raise imo!) The staff really appreciate their customers :) I genuinely love this place and hope everyone gets a chance to try their tostones rellenos con shrimp, sangria, ropa vieja sandwich and arroz con leche! Bomb and classic! Thanks Mambos! read more

Mambos Cafe - Tostones rellenos con shrimp! Perfect for this Father's Day! - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

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I just read most of these reviews and was really surprised by some of the negative ones. I'm sure they're real and things happened, it's just based on my recent experience, I find it hard to believe the staff was so rude and disrespectful. For those who read my reviews here and Trip Advisor, you know I'm as honest as it gets. My friend and I went to Mambos Café the other day and had a superb meal. We had a shrimp appy, I had a chicken dish, my friend had a vegetarian dish. 10+ on quality, quantity. The staff was highly respectful, friendly. The only thing is when you pay by credit card and get the bill, you get one total. You're not really supposed to tip on the tax, so you need to either remember the tax on the bill or simply ask for the breakdown when they bring the receipt. If management reads this post, please read the negative ones and figure out what happened.. and make sure it never happens again. This is a local place... and word spreads fast, plus Yelp reviews do help in the public's decision-making. If the take-out service and all other services are like the ones I experienced the other day, this place will do well. Again, we both had delicious dinners. read more

Drove from Orange County to try this place out! I grew up eating Cuban food, so here we go!! Red Sangria was very tasty. The trio appetizer was very good- papa rellena, croqueta and a Picadillo empanada was good as well, but could of used more meat. Main dish- I ordered Ropa Vieja with moros. Ropa Vieja was ok, it lacked flavor and it was lukewarm, the moros need improvement: lack of seasoning and the rice they used is not for moros, it tastes like Uncle Ben rice. No bueno!! Service was good. read more

Having never tried Cuban food before, this was quite a treat. We arrived at lunch time and were seated right away. We asked for advice on the menu items and the waiter made several good recommendations. I ordered a pulled pork sandwich, which was delicious. It came with fried plantain chips, and a tasty dipping sauce. We also ordered a chicken and rice plate, which was also delicious. This is a nice little restaurant with great ambience (playing soft jazz music). We had a great time and will certainly be back. read more

Amazing service with delicious food. I highly recommend this place. Super clean and family owned and operated.

This place lies about reservations and the service is awful. Not recommended.

Great Cuban restaurant! Recommending to everyone. Nice family owned place which is refreshing in the sea of chain restaurants.

So I'll be honest and say Yelp has spoiled me. I now will NEVER step foot into a place with less than a 4 star rating. My fellow Yelpers with the help of Triple D, Best Thing I EVER Ate, Tasty travels etc. have yet to let me down. I visited Mambo's because of Guy Fieri and everything from the roast pork, to the plantains, black beans and tostones were all delicious. read more

SOME OF THE WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE I HAVE EVER RECEIVED! I had been here once before with a group of friends for dinner a couple months ago. The waitress was less than friendly and talked down to us and acted annoyed when we asked what certain menu items were, but the food was pretty decent and we recently moved up the street, so my friends and I placed an order to bring home over the phone last night. Pretty simple: Two breaded chicken entrées (each with the veggie rice instead of white rice), an extra side of fried plantains and an order of Papa Rellenas. We go to pick it up and immediately the guy (with the tattoos) tells us that they ran out of veggie rice. They had my phone number and it would have been nice if they would have called and told me. I probably would have ordered with another Cuban restaurant instead. I told him that I probably wouldn't have ordered with them had I'd know, but it was ok, we'll deal with it. Instead of apologizing, he immediately copped an attitude and said he would cancel the order. I said it was fine, we were hungry and just wanted to go home and eat. He started ringing us up and gave my roommate (she was paying) the total. I told him that I wanted to check the food before we paid (pretty standard stuff) and he got really pissed off and took the bags from behind the counter and slammed them on the counter for me to check. I got to the Papa Rellenas, and noticed there was just one. I had never ordered this before, so I asked why there was just one. He said "Did you really think you'd get more than one for $2.25?" and I said that I had never ordered it before, and there were quite a few in the picture. He said "What picture?" On the website. Then he gave me a dirty look. The order was right and I had my roommate pay. He huffed and sighed the entire time. When we were done, I grabbed both bags and told him that I had been there before and liked their food, but due to his attitude, I would not be returning. He then tried to GRAB MY FOOD THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN PAID FOR OUT OF MY HANDS. I turned away from him quickly so he couldn't grab them and started walking outside. He followed me out, yelling at me (in front of a packed restaurant) and was acting very threatening. Everyone in the restaurant was looking, it was pretty embarrassing. When we got home and started eating, the rice was old, all stuck together and hard to break apart with our forks. The breaded chicken was extremely dry and the bread was stale. The only thing I really enjoyed was the fried plantains and the 1/4 of the Papa Rellena that I got to eat, since the 4 of us had to split it. There are far too many Cuban restaurants in that general area for him to be treating customers like that. It was a shame, because I can walk there, but there are three other Cuban restaurants on my way home from work, so I can just go to one of them next time I'm in the mood for Cuban food. Oh and to top it all off, the parking there sucks. read more

Feliz Cumpleaño Padre~ My father was born November 19th 1929 in Fomento Cuba. His 80th birthday. November is a really really stressful month for me. Sooooooooo many birthdays. From my mother, father to my wife. It is hard to plan not to mention very expensive as well. So be it that I was throwing a big party this upcoming weekend for my Wife's birthday on the 24th. I mentioned to my dad that I would be happy to take him out to lunch for his birthday on the 19th. My father is getting a bit old to hang out with us this upcoming weekend but 5 days after my wife's party is Thanxgiving and he will be in attendance for the Holiday. Lots of party planning and cooking to come~~ I told my father to choose wherever he wanted to go for lunch, My treat! He mentioned to me that the previous weekend he had watched the Food Network's Show "Diners / Drive-Ins and Dives" and they mentioned Mambos Cafe in Glendale, California. Now I watch A LOT of Food network every week, but I am really not a fan of that particular show. Either way though, Cuban food is pretty hard to find near where I live and it made perfect sense to try a new place out for the first time. Mambo's Cafe makes perfect sense in the scheme of the TV show on Food Network. A converted gas station with a few Diner style chairs at a counter and a dozen or so tables. The menu was a simple 4 page style be it that it was lunch time when we arrived. The restaurant does serve beer and wine, plus all of the standard Cuban fair like picadillo, papas rellenas, tamales, empanadas, croquetas, morros y christianos and of course black beans and rice. My dad had mentioned that the episode featured the famous "Roast Pork" and that is exactly what I went for. We started the meal with a couple of Papa Rellenas. This was the highlight of the day. They were homemade and very flavorful. My wife and I also got the Tostones con Shrimp Ceviche. Not the most Cuban of dishes, but an interesting way to fry the tostones and shape them into a cup to hold the ceviche. This dish was also very tasty. My father decided on a Media Noche Sandwich, which he had no complaints about. Good blend of flavors properly made. As for my Roast Pork, after tasting it the meat was just to dry, so I asked for a bit Mojo sauce to wake it up. The mojo sauce didn't help either. It was all acid and garlic and very bitter. I was a little surprised with both of these results. Mojo is such a Cuban staple. I can make it in my sleep and of course everybody has a secret recipe for it. The pork just did not carry enough flavor with or without the sauce. My wife got the breaded chicken. Although the breading was very flavorful, again the chicken cutlet was dry. On another note, the side dish which came with our orders, morros y christianos was really good. I solid tasting dish. Overall our first experience of Mambo's Cafe was just OK. If I am ever in the area of Glendale again, I may give them a try one more time. The restaurant is family owned, which I always cherish so much more than any big chain place. I am sure they work so very hard to put out great food. It just wasn't for me today~ So why did I give Mambo's Cafe a 5 star rating??????? I am slowly coming to grips that Parkinson's Disease is going to take my father's life someday. Hopefully not soon, but every meal is becoming increasingly more difficult for him to eat and handle with his hands. Which makes every time we go out to eat something to remember. Dinners were so special for my parents when I was growing up. They hardly drank, never smoked, but both of them loved to eat and eat. The hardest part of seeing my Mother battle Lou Gehrig's Disease 7 years ago was watching it take away her ability to eat. Parkinson's disease is no different. So I thank the converted Gas station turned Cuban restaurant with all the great photo's of Cuba adorning there walls for putting a smile on my dad's face for his 80th birthday. Having meals may become more difficult for him to do, but those great memories will live on forever. Salud~ ps May I live long enough to see Lou Gehrig's and Parkinson's Disease, not to mention all other brain stem disorders be cured someday~ read more

I live in the neighborhood and have been eating at Mambo's regularly for close to 5 years. My wife and I recently walked over with our dog for dinner on a Tuesday evening, which is one of the evenings they feature live music, but we were planning on sitting outside on the patio because of the dog and because the inside tables are reserved for patrons looking to enjoy the band. We arrived a little after 7:00pm and the restaurant was very busy, which is normal for performance nights, so all of the outside tables were occupied by patrons waiting to be let in when the doors opened at 8pm. We were happy to wait, and did so for 45mins. During that time we were assured that we would be given the next available outside table. Unfortunately, at about 7:55pm a table opened up and was immediately given to a party who arrived significantly later than us. While the table was being cleared, I even received a gesture from the host informing me that we would be seated at that table. After watching the other party sit down, I politely asked the host why the other party had been seated before us, and I was told that they were somebody's "special friend". As a regular customer, I found this disappointing and explained that we come to Mambo's all the time and had waited patiently for a table for 45mins, reminding him that the party they seated ahead of us only just arrived. One of the waiters then felt the need to join the conversation and tell me that the other party had "called ahead" which I knew was complete nonsense because I had been standing in front of the restaurant when they arrived and witnessed the entire conversation between them and the host which informed me that they were walk-ins and did not have a reservation. At this point, I went from disappointed to upset, which I let them know. They very half-heartedly apologized and told me that the remaining parties (who were simply occupying space until the band started) would be getting up soon to go inside, and that we would be seated soon after. This is when I had hit my breaking point, as I had waited far too long for a table, been outwardly lied to, and been given no real sympathy or assurance that they intended to remedy the situation. I once again explained that I had already waited 45mins and was incredibly disappointed and considering no longer coming to their restaurant. The response I received was an unbelievably rude and borderline sarcastic "ok" from the waiter who had undesirably barged into my conversation with the host in the first place. It is heartbreaking when a restaurant that is a neighborhood staple and a great place to take friends and family is affected by success in business in a way that causes them to be apathetic toward any of their customers, but this is what is happening to Mambo's. As a result, I will not be returning to Mambo's anymore, but in the words of one of the rudest, most unprofessional waiters I have ever encountered, I guess that's "ok". read more

What HORRIBLE management this place has. I have NEVER been treated the way they treated me at Mambo's Cafe. A friend of mine suggested it and said he's been there several times. We told the waitress that two out of three of us were just going to order beer for now and that I was going to order food and a beer. The owner came by and asked for our I.D's. This wasn't our original waitress. Then she said my two friends couldn't have their drinks without ordering food. She left without hearing/seeing our reaction. Keep this in mind, my two friends were waiting for me to get there and had ordered coffee & and espresso. A few minutes went by... then it dawned on us... the MAMBOS DECIDED NOT TO SERVE US ANY BEER UNTIL WE ORDERED MORE FOOD. Even though I ordered food and we told our waitress we would order more later (that's why we still had our menus). WHY DID YOU CHECK OUR I.Ds WHEN YOU DIDN'T PLAN ON SERVING US. Then we overheard the couple next to us saying their Iced Tea tasted strange and had to switch it out for something else. How can a place mess up on Iced Tea? I'm not sure what's going on in this establishment. They must be making so much money they don't care about taking ours... but they're not... only 4 other people were at the restaurant. They weren't at all busy and they just lost out on a minimum of a $50 tab, our money wasn't good enough. We ended up spending our money at a Story Tavern in downtown Burbank straight after (money well spent). What's worth it is making a report to the BBB for denying us service. How bad is it that our waitress had to apologize several times to us making up for the actions of such a horrible, wicked person who happens to own the place. They don't deserve a restaurant at all. read more

Firstly, this is Cuban food and it is far different from the Mexican food that most Angelenos are familiar with. The flavors are abundant and the meat is moist. Both Chicken and Beef dishes are very well prepared and properly spiced. Customer service is excellent. The live Latin Jazz music is a treat. Big kudos to Ralph (owner) for recognizing me as a semi-regular and coming over to greet me. This man knows the importance of customer loyalty and he expresses his gratitude in a very eloquent sincere manner. Here, one is treated like family and not like just another customer (pay attention Versailles and Portos). Whenever I am attending a function at LAEC, I always stop at Mambos and treat myself to one of their culinary creations. read more

Well, the service and the quality has gone down really low. Food took too long. Once the food arrived, it wasn't even hot nor was it warm. I order ropa vieja, way too much sodium. Our waiter was not even friendly. His service was very lousy. He kept bumping into me and didn't even bother to apologized. And the table next to us waited quite sometimes to get their utensils even though they got their food faster than we did. I'm just going to leave it as is. Never ever going back there again. read more

Mambo's Cafe is a taste of Cuba tucked away in what is technically Glendale, but it's basically Burbank. My favorite is the roasted pork - garlicky, porky goodness. And the sides... Who knew that black beans and rice would overshadow roasted pork? Maduros - sweet, fried plaintains - to die for! When I feel like being penetant for my carnivorous sins, I enjoy their Picodilloskar - soy ground "meat" sauteed with tomatoes, onions, and bell pepper. Service is friendly. Atmosphere is inviting. Having said what I like about Mambo's, I have to go to THE DARK SIDE. ** Now, I'm just saying what I saw with my own eyes: One morning I was standing outside of a Smart & Final Extra, not too far from Mambo's Cafe. I saw a man wearing a Mambo's T-shirt that looked familiar from the restaurant, pushing a very full shopping cart. Packing tons of items into his vehicle: - packs of chicken - cans of things - huge tub of lemonade mix - who knows what else This kind of made my heart sink. I really enjoy the food at Mambo's but I felt disappointed that they procur ingredients from a Smart & Final. Yes, I know it's a small, family-owned restaurant, and this might be hard economic times, but I would hope that a place that has the ability to churn out great food can get quality ingredients from quality purveyors. When I think of great food, I don't think of Smart & Final. For a place that has been around for years, and has proven to be very popular, and has had media exposure on the Food Network, I would think that relationships with meat and produce purveyors would be established. Am I willing to overlook this and keep eating at Mambo's? Maybe. But, I'll always have this lurking in the back of my head. read more

Mambo's... You got some 'splaining to do. Why is it that the service here is so bad. I mean, not to make a racist remark, but I'm sure you could get from Cuba to the Florida Keys faster than you can get any resemblance of service out of this place. While Tostones rellenos with shrimp is one thing that I really love here, I really can't stand the service they got going. It's odd also because I generally don't like Rellenos all that much. So it's very good for what it is. I can't really suggest anything else. The chicken is really not great. Though I'm not much of a chicken person. I think the real kicker here is that Porto's is over just a bit and if I'm going to compare Cuban places and just have the thought that Porto's is just a small distance away, there's no chance I'm choosing this place over Cuban food at Porto's unless I'm in the mood for that shrimp rellenos. I also think the service, as stated is not great at all. Not even slightly decent. So it's just a pass or one of those try once and never again type of places. read more

Food was okay- the highlight was the plantain side dish. Service was awful! Waitress had attitude, service was slow, and when we tried to flag her down she was downright unresponsive. Food's yummy, but isn't eating out about the ambiance and service? Yikes! read more

I saw this place on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dive's and decided why not. If Guy likes this place I would too. After 2 visits I can honestly say, why Guy why???!!! I seriously don't get it. The decor was cool. An old gas station transformed into a Cuban diner. But the food was just so so. Not bad, but definitely not good. Next time I am heading over to Portos. read more

Before you order anything else, the Mambo Combo Platter is a must. Tostones, chorizo, 2 papa rellenos, 2 croquetas, and 2 emanadillas...delicious. I was impressed with the music too and every Tuesday they've got live Latin Jazz going down. If you live in the area, you need to get on that. After the app, my GF could only muster enough courage to order a grilled chicken salad. I, with my machismo firmly in hand, went with the Bistek Emapanizado. To be fair, the restaurant was slammed so things didn't go as smoothly as I would have liked. But the owner is from Jersey, so I'm always going to give one of my own the benefit of the doubt. The salad was large and the bistek was equally massive. That's the thing I love about Cuban cuisine. They challenge your manhood with their portions. What many consider a meal, they may consider a snack. That's the kind of thing that really makes me happy. So where would I rank Mambo's Cafe among the Cuban greats in LA? I'd put them behind Versailles and Mi Conchinita. Versailles is just a beast and Mi Conchinita so thoroughly surprised me that I can't do them the disservice of not ranking them with Versailles. But Mambo's is a great family-run business that deserves a looksie... read more

I've been going to this place for years. They have good Latin food but they've always had very poor service. No smiles, they take a really long time and the room and seating is kinda cluttered. Come on Mambos! After all these years you should know good customer service is extremely important. I always walk out discouraged. Oh!! I went there tonight, the waitress was evil! I ordered the mambos chicken and she said "we're out" with pleasure. How do you run out of your signature dish??? read more

Mambos Cafe - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

Horrible, HORRIBLE, H O R R I B L E!!!!!!! I am shocked the previous reviewer was even comped by a free glass of wine considering the attitude of the staff at this place. Mambo's website claims their food is the best in Glendale. Sure if overpriced, dry, tasteless Cuban food is something you enjoy then yes, they are. I have been here twice, the first time the food was subpar and the waitress was incredibly rude. I thought I'd give it a second chance because this confirms I am a sucker for punishment. The second time the food was horrible and the waiter's attitude made the experience from bad to just plain terrible. It's one thing to run out of a side dish on a Saturday night but it's completely different when you are rude to the customer because of it. Don't fall for the hype just because this place was featured on an episode of Diners & Drive Ins. If you want great Cuban food go to Porto's or anywhere else that will be half the price and twice the flavor. Scroll through the reviews on here and you will see over and over again how many people mention the dry food and terrible service. Even the previous reviewer who defended the Mambo's and their actions mentions how dry the food was! Seriously, save your money and time and go anyplace but Mambo's, even I can cook a better Cuban meal then this place and I don't even know how to cook! read more

Ok, in reality its like a 3.99999999999999999 - but I round up. Went here on a weekday for a late (12:44pm) lunch, and here is how it went down: 1) Corporate America, this place qualifies as for all the 60 minute lunch people. They will get you out and on your way on time to meet your lunch deadline. 2) We walked in and saw the ominous sign "Please wait to be seated"... we were greeted within 10 seconds and sat down rather quickly. The guy was very nice and brought menus to us as soon as we sat. Took drink orders instantly! (Iced Tea is non-sweetened and flavored, I loved it) 3) We ordered the avocado salad which comes with onions to share as an appetizer, I didn't have any, but the table guests were very happy! 4) The place has some outdoor seating as well as indoor seating. The walls are covered by pictures of famous people who have eaten there before (I think...) 5) I had the breaded chicken, which was very tasty. I was happy with my choice. They take a filet of chicken breast, bread the piola out of it, place it next to some greens, with fried bananas and black beans. Its enough to fill your tank from a better part of your day! Chicken might have been a little too dry for my taste, but its breaded, what do you expect.... right? 6) Service was very quick, very friendly, and very good. They never let my iced tea get to the bottom. They even took precautions to make sure they didn't mix up the drinks when they took them away for refills. Big plus in my book! (You have any idea how many places mess this up?? Next time pay attention and see for yourself.... I always put my bendable straw upside down and catch them when they bring me the wrong drink) 7) Prices are very good! Lunch for 3 people came out to $45. I plan to grace this place with my presence again..... Thumbs up! TFR read more

Mambo's in one word? Overrated. My husband and I were itching to try Mambo's for months. We saw Guy Fieri stop there on Diner's, Drive In's, & Dive's and were drooling throughout the entire episode. If we didn't stop by soon we were going to burst. We went this past Friday night and the place was PACKED. Must be good right? Meh. Service was ridiculously slow. Most of the servers were behind the bar. One woman was making her rounds through the dining area and that was it. The hot bread and salsa they serve? The salsa was delicious (smokey with a kick at the end) but the bread??? I think they purchased it from Ralph's, sliced it, and threw it in a bread basket. I was expecting something more - hot buttered deliciousness perhaps - but we were disappointed. For drinks, I had the house sangria and my hubs had a Negro Modelo. His beer was just fine (obviously, it came out of a bottle), but the sangria was sweet and lacked any sort of punch. We started off with a pork tamale.. but I think they forgot the pork. The cornmeal was tasty, but I wanted meat damnit. It was MASSIVE, but didn't hit the spot. For our meals, I ordered the Mambo's Chicken and he ordered the breaded steak. For me, the chicken was ridiculously dry. The rice was good (it had a nice sweet flavor, very moist too) but the beans were ok (garlicky!). I had to eat beans when I ate the chicken simply for moisture. The Breaded Steak was alright. To me, it tasted like meat flavored calimari. That's the best and only way I can put it. I couldn't bring myself to finish. I'm with Cynthia A. - go to Versaille instead! PS - Guy Fieri .. this is the 2nd time you've disappointed me. Epic Fail on your part. Boo. read more

Really dry and no taste Mambo's chicken. I thought it would be as good as Miami -I thought wrong! Guy must have been stoned and tasted it with his stoner taste buds! Service sucked, too long to get the bill to get out! read more

While not quite an "expert" on Cuban food (or any food, for that matter) I did grow up in South Florida and have eaten my share of Cubans. I live only 2 miles from here and I can't belive I have never eaten here before. In fact, I didn't realize it was a restaurant until I searched it out. My 2 daughters and I had an early dinner yesterday and the place was rather empty. Like I said, EARLY. My youngest had the sirloin (palomilla), my oldest had the breaded steak (empanizado) and I had the beef picadillo (Cuban sloppy joe). I always order picadillo the first time I go to a Cuban restaurant; it is my guage. The picadillo here was awesome. It was less "saucy" yet more flavorful than most, with big chunks of garlic and green olives. Both of the steaks were completely gone by the ned of dinner, so I assume the were good. Both my girls commented at how good the rice was. It was perfectly cooked, slightly moist and tasty. Good portions, attractive interior, ample parking, beer and wine, beer and wine and beer and wine...all lead to a place I'll often return. read more

I'm crazy about them...I was eating the unauthentic food from Portos when I came across Mambos... Since then I have been coming to this super authentic restaurant... The potato balls are awesome and the chicken soup is to die for... read more

We love this place! Until we moved recently, Mambo's was a go-to. They're so sweet and accommodating. Always cheap, fast, and delicious.

The decor is cute and the service is decent but I did not enjoy the food. The ceviche was old. There's only so much like you can add to try to make it taste better. On top of that it's overpriced for the quality of food you're getting. The restaurant has a parking lot. read more

My friends and I came here because we saw it on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. I was pretty excited since Guy made it seem like the best thing ever, but I agree with other reviewers-- definitely overrated. While we perused the menu we were served bread and salsa. The salsa was smokey and not overly spicy. Kinda like Chipotle Tabasco but not. We ordered the Tostones Rellenos with Shrimp (Plantain stuffed with Shrimp and Pico de Gallo) to start. This was actually really good. The PDG was chunky and fresh and there was enough shrimp to go around. Probably my favorite amongst the dishes we tried but it's nothing extremely unique. It's basically a shrimp ceviche with plantains instead of chips. For my entree I had the Roast Pork which comes with white rice, black beans and maduros. I was a little disappointed in the pork. I thought it was going to be super tender and juicy but my pieces were dry here and there. I did enjoy the crispy edges though. The dryness made them taste a lil' bland so I asked for some hot sauce (they have Tapatio) and more of that salsa to juice it up. The rice and beans was seasoned, and both really tasty. The rice reminded me of the rice you get at Wahoo's or Baja Fish Tacos. The maduros weren't bad. I actually liked them a lot, but that could be because they were sweet and mushy like Filipino banana cue. I still chowed down cause I was hungry but I don't think I'll be coming back here. For better Cuban food I'd go to Felix's in Orange or Versailles in LA. read more

Oh Guy Fieri you steered me wrong on this one! In fact, this is the only DDD location that I have not enjoyed. The service was mediocre and the food was blech. I ordered the El Pedro...more like "El Poop-o." The chicken was fatty, greasy and bland. The pico de gallo was far from fresh. I am solely giving this place 2 stars instead of 1 because the fried yucca and the garlic sauce was pretty good. read more

Randomly stumbled upon this gem and it was delicious! I came for lunch and had a sandwich and plantains, which hit the spot. You gotta try it! read more

Terrible. If you're looking for less than adequate Cuban food and poor service, this is the place for you. I went to dinner here for the first time last night with 4 of my friends. We started with the mixed appetizer plate...nothing to write home about. Bland, bland, and more bland. But the real fun was the main course. I ordered 'the special of the day' - Pork chunk with shrimp fried rice. Bad enough the pork was dry and not very good but I noticed the shrimp fried rice had no shrimp in it. I made a comment to my friends saying maybe it was shrimp powder they used with the rice and not actual shrimp. But the table next to me heard and one of them also ordered that dish. Turns out he only got 1 small shrimp with his rice. So when the waiter finally came back to my table to check in us, I mentioned to him that there was no shrimp in my dish and my neighbor only got one in his dish. He went off to check in that. He came back 5 mins later and told me, 'Yeah, I mentioned it to them and they're sorry.' That's it. Nothing more. Not that I was expecting a comped entree but at least offer a free drink or dessert. Some kind of gesture would've helped. Bonus! Diarrhea to follow! read more

My husband and I went to Mambo's after we saw a segment on "Diners, Drive-ins & Dives" with Guy from the Food Network. From watching the show, it looked like their Roast pork and Tostones Rellenos with Shrimp was worth the drive to go there. So, TODAY actually, we ate at Mambo's. My hubs ordered the Roast Pork, and all I wanted was the Tostones. Tostones Rellenos with Shrimp is their take on ceviche--instead of a tortilla they used deep fried plantains. It was good, I liked it. My hubs and I were not too fond of their Roast Pork. It did not have as much seasoning as we expected it to be, and to top that, it was sort of dry also. We really liked their ceviche though. The acidity and saltiness of the pico de gallo and shrimp was really good. The contrast of the plantains and ceviche was very good. I would definitely come back to order the ceviche. read more