My band (The Suicide Chords) was across the street recording at ES AUDIO (Great studio by the way..),and since I'm the band 'Yelper' I was put in charge to find some good eats. I found Mambos and read a few reviews and also discovered that it was on Triple D. Our producer also recommended it. So we took a 50 yard walk and this is what I thought: Tha digs: Standard 'diner' type feel. Nothing fancy, but clean on the inside. There were a few ladies in the kitchen cooking up the grub, so don't expect that you're gonna get the cooks that you see on DDD all the time. The servers were nice and offered us waters while we waited. Tha grub: With my 2 separate visits I had the Cuban sandwich (meh.) w/ fries and the next time I had the Mambos Chicken plate. My favorite was the chicken. It was moist, there was A LOT of it. The plantains, rice and beans compliment it well. The sandwich was just okay to me...nothing to write home about. When I'm in the area I'm definitely gonna stop by. For the price, it's probably the best food in the immediate area... read more

I found this place on my TV food maps app. This place was on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives and I totally understand why! LOVED IT!! The staff was great... the food was awesome... the restaurant was perfect. When driving to locate the restaurant, the sign threw me off for a minute because "Mambo's" was not written as one word. I was split into two. Once I realized I was having a slow moment, we parked and walked right in. We were greeted with a smile and true enthusiasm. I informed the gentleman that we heard it was on the show and came to try it out. We were able to pick any seat... just an FYI, there is also bar seating. Once he brought us the Menus, I asked what dishes were featured on the show. The staff was able to point them out and guide us on the menu. If you love Cuban food, THIS IS THE PLACE FOR YOU!! I am Puerto Rican so this was right where I needed to be. The cuisine is similar to what I ate on a regular basis growing up. I treated my uncle whom had moved to California from New York. He was thrilled. He even got to speak all his Spanish and it was just like we were dining with family. For an appetizer we had Tostones Rellenos with Shrimp - Plantain stuffed with Shrimp and Pico de Gallo. Can I just say this was SO mouthwatering tasty. The plantains were in a bowl type shape... I wish I knew how to do it! It perfectly held the Pico de Gallo for one of those bites that make you stop and look at the set up yet hurry up to take another bite. We ate that like there was no tomorrow! I like to taste a lot of food when I try a new place so we ordered 3 entrees. They even got us an extra table because the plates were so big... lol. The first entree was Mambos Chicken. The plate comes with white rice, black beans and maduros (plantains). The chicken was cooked to perfection. It was juicy, flavorful, and appealing! The rice and beans were the perfect pairing especially since everything was seasoned just right. Often times black beans are over seasoned... this order tasted as if my mother was in the kitchen cooking for me. The second entree was Breaded Chicken that also came with white rice, black beans, and maduros. My Uncle fell in love with the plate. I don't particularly love breaded anything because in many cases breading can mask the true flavor of the meat. I took off the breading and still loved it. I knew they seasoned the meat and not just the flour. The third entree was Pan Con Bistec - Cuban style steak sandwich with fries. As my Aunt would say... "Hoooonnnneeey, that was to die for"... lol. The steak was just right. It wasn't tough or hard to bite. It wasn't full of fat. It was juicy. The flavor alone had me thinking about it days after... mad that I gave my Uncle all the left overs. I can't wait to be able to go back! AND to top it all off... the prices were VERY affordable especially for the amount of food. The table not too far from us asked about each plate and put it on their list to try next time. They let us know that they couldn't decide what to get and thanked us for ordering all the things they had discussed before we sat down... lol. They ordered the Breaded Steak and recommended for us to try that one next time. And I sure will! read more

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Cuban sandwich is amazing and so so very delicious. The Ropa Vieja was delicious as well! Highly recommend

The food here is good / ok, nothing fantastic. They are still trying to figure out what the heck to do since Guy Fieri called them phenomenal. Went in on a Saturday night and they were so far underwater they had no idea what to do. I'd save this place for a lunch time. My girl and I love cuban food after a trip a couple years ago to Miami and finding some really good authentic food down there. Haven't found anything close here in LA yet. We over ordered just to try a number of different things. Ordered the Appetizer sampler, the potato balls are really really good (as good as Porto's). empanadas are very good as well. Cuban Chorizo good as well. Other items on this sampler, ok. Diner items --- roasted pork, blah...... and just like many other cuisines, their take on "mojo" sauce was completely different than anything I have ever had. Maybe just like what they have down in Cuba, but not what everyone else calls it.... was more like Garlic Milk.... way too strong... and we like garlic...... The mambo's chicken (think that was what it was) was better.... very flavorful and moist meal. Dinners come with black beans and rice, which are very good. The Cuban bread served with the meal was very good as well. My recommendation ----- don't go there on Fri or Sat night until this Diners , Drive Ins and Dives fiasco boils over. They just can't keep up. Although the staff was extremely polite (we ended up having to sit at the counter and waitress was fantastic) they really are way in over their heads right now...... Probably a better place for lunch. If you are in the neighborhood, stop in, its good enough. Don't make a 30 mile drive just to go there like we did.... read more

I went here looking for lunch on the way into the office. I saw it on DDD and said, "Hey, gotta go..." The food was good, the family was warm and friendly, and the decor was cool. Definitely worth a try. I had some pork special and the meat came apart pretty good. I liked the simplicity yet the homely and comfortable feel overall. It was a labor of love to eat. Be cautious of your wallet though if you go looking to stuff your face. It's not anywhere near the quantity of Versailles, but it's a place you'll want to go in order to get a decent portion. read more

I stumbled on this restaurant yesterday after biking on the LA River. It had a great ambiance, there was a classic car show in the parking lot, a DJ, and football games on a few big screen TVs. I had a Mambo Chicken with plantains, rice, and beans. The chicken was on the dry side, but it was a mostly white meat piece. The plantains, rice and beans were really tasty. The service was excellent. It seems like a family owned joint and invite various jazz bands to play. read more

Let's start off by saying, I didn't know what Cuban food was until I came here. The atmosphere is very homey and the folks here are super nice. The food is delicious and the service is fast. What more could you ask for? I got the breaded chicken plate and it was delicious. My only regret here was not getting the flan for dessert. I will definitely try it the next time I go back! The one downside: parking SUCKS read more

Like the name suggests the food here runs on a spicy, fresh rhythm emboldened with flavor. The ambiance works great with the food; from the chili pepper red walls, to the hanging paper lanterns and reductive seating style. This tiny joint definitely sets its hip factor on par with its great dishes. It's easy to overlook Mambo's: Located next to an automotive body shop on an unassuming corner (Western and Victory) good luck finding parking in their lot during the workday lunch hour. Weekends quiet down significantly and may be the prime time to try this restaurant out without braving the wave of hungry locals on lunch break. Mambo's is now open on Sundays and usually closes around 9 on Tues-Fridays, 6pm on Sat and 8 on Mondays. Try to come with an empty bladder. The bathrooms are hidden outside the back of the restaurant like a dirty, little secret. Until I tried the Spicy Chicken (a fantastic new addition to their menu) the El Pedro (a chicken breast dish served with avocado/tomato/onions and 2 servings of rice) was my favorite. It's not a salty dish, but a very flavorful one. This particular dish stands out in that instead of being served with maduros and black beans, it is served with that additional scoop of rice, but if you're really craving the maduros the server may be kind enough to substitute one of the rice-hills for the fried plantains. The spicy chicken on the other hand was the perfect hit for a capsicum addict. It's a combination of ham, cheese, and chicken pieces smothered in hot green peppers and served with a side of rice and maduros. Top it off with their tastefully sweet sangria and you may as well be lounging on cloud nine. Trust me. Your taste buds will thank you. Their vegetarian dishes are not as impressive in terms of flavor. I've had the bean curd dish which didn't quite rub me the right way, but if you get other vegetable platters, the vegetables for the most part are fresh and delicately handled. The main draw of the sandwiches (of course) is the fresh, hot, Cuban bread. Throw some salsa on and it's a tasty treat. In my experience the fish has been fresh and suitably prepared. Usually not on the menu, you might have to look to their specials menu upon arrival. For those of you who like to be left alone, the service may fit your bill. If you're into honing your skills of witty repartee, these are not the people to experiment on. Even when I've been at this establishment during non-busy hours, I'm not neglected, but I tend to develop a bit of an attention-complex while I' m there. The food is so worth a bit of neglect. This is my favorite local restaurant and usually one of the first spots I'll take out-of-town visitors to. The prices are great and the servings are good. read more

The best Cuban food in Los Angeles, with no close contenders in sight. Better than Versailles. Better than El Colmao. Better than Porto's (although, I do believe that their flan is brought in from Portos, which is why they may sometimes 'run out' of dessert on a given night.). Hip, vibey, no pretense, and a lovely family-run restaurant. We've also catered parties for about 75 people from Mambo's and they've always been generous and accommodating. A great hangout if you're a musician, too. We've lived all over Los Angeles and while we now live about a 30 minute drive from Mambo's, we still make the trip several times a year when we crave the best home-style Cuban cooking available west of Miami. read more

Really the best. Great service, super food, fun ambiance. Beer selection is good - served in a frozen mug - mmm-hmm. Try the yukka fries. The Medianoche sandwich on toasted Hawaiian bread is the delicious. This has become my favorite business meal casual restaurant. read more

I went here for their live Latin Jazz Tuesdays. First things first. The band was AMAZING. Now it is quite a large and loud band for a small space so next time I will be bringing earplugs just to save my ears a bit. I wouldn't want it any other way, though. My friends and I ordered mojitos which were spot on. Not too sweet with the perfect amount of Rum. We then ordered the combination plate of Cuban appetizers. The epanadillas with beef were flaky and delicious. THe croquettas were very flavorful. The tostones were fried to perfection. My brother ordered the grilled vegetable plate (yes they have a few vegetarian options!) and it had nice fresh grilled veggies with rice and beans and maduros. All good stuff! The menu is not huge but it is solid! read more

I saw this place on "Diners Drive-ins and Dives" and decided I had to try it since it is not far from my house. The parking is definitely a nightmare, be prepared to walk if you come during busy hours. Otherwise, the food is wonderful. Their papa rellenas are too die for. The Spicy Chicken Dinner is good, and their Mamobs Chicken is fall off the bone tender. Oh and the homemade Sangria is great! read more

Really enjoyed the food great service,healthy portions, definitely will make for frequent dinning.

This place is just OK. I saw it on the Food Network and the host was making it sound like it was the greatest Cuban food place around. Just straight to point, I was not impressed at all. It is pretty pricey if you look the small portions of food on your plate. I rather head out to Porto's in Glendale or Versailles on La Cienaga where the food is really good for the price. read more

Went here for the first time and loved it. Yes, the free cuban bread and salsa is excellent: some of the most tasty salsa I've ever tried, and the prices were super cheapo. I got the Caribbean salad (or whatever it was called?) with the grilled chicken and it was heavenly... came with a load of black beans on top and melted swiss that was to die for, yet being that it was on a salad, made me feel a little bit healthier. Will definitely get it again! (I tried the pork also, but man, that grilled chicken salad was insanely good.) read more

This used to be one of my favorite Cuban restaurants, but the last few times I've been it's just been okay. I don't know why the change in the last year, but both the quality of the food and the quality of the service seem to be going down. I ordered the ropa vieja as usual and it was off. The taste was not quite right and it had way too many tomatoes. I do love their plantains though, but overall not what it used to be unfortunately. read more

The mention of Cuban food means two things to me: congri and media noche. I went for the media noche for myself. The family split the breaded chicken and the roast pork. The chicken was great. Thin, crispy, tender and you can't lose with the black beans and rice and maduros on the plate. Great dish, I'd take it for myself next time. The pork was ok. The meat was tender but a little dry and bland as could be. Nothing to it...garlic, onions and pepper. Quite disappointed with this dish. If the delicious garlic salsa wasn't on the table for the save, this would have been cause for a downgraded star rating. As it is, 4 stars is generous...how do I half star a place? 3.5 is a more representative rating. The media noche is a lock though. Deliciously toasted, melty cheese, plenty of flavor and just a shame to finish. If a foot long option was available I'd have gotten it. It blows the Porto's equivalent out of the water by mile! Overall the visit to Mambos was good but not great. The service was good. Waitresses were friendly. The music was a tad loud but it was in good taste. The decor is always a shout to cubanismo and the self serve water bottle for the tables is always one of the best things about this place. I'll be back for the media noche and perhaps to try the mambo chicken that looked good on the next table! Hope they add something to the roast pork plate though...it could have been the shnizzy with some effort. read more

I tried their ropa vieja. Very good entree and great staff. Next on the list is the Cuban sandwich without a doubt.

Our go-to Sunday spot. Service is always fast and friendly and they have a cute patio to eat outside. Try the mambos iced coffee -- that cinnamon tho! Basically every plate I've had is great, fave is the shredded beef! read more

Had it for lunch. Ordered the roasted pork lunch entree, which comes with platanos maduros, black beans and rice. Well, I'd say over all it was just decent. Doesn't mean to say it was bad or even "meh", but I won't say it was great. It was just... decent/good. It's not that the pork lacked flavor. It had flavor, but it was b flat standard and not jazz, you know what I mean? It wasn't knock your socks off, out of this world, slap your momma etcetera and fill in the blank. The maduros were cooked very well, and the black beans while fair enough were a little soft and not as exciting as I like em. Now, I'll confess to a certain bias:I have some ridiculously great recipes for roast cuban style pork and black beans. I've mastered these recipes, and Mambo's doesn't even come close. BUT........ that dish takes a day to make. So, if you're in the mood for decent Cuban food for lunch, and you're in the neighborhood, I'd say you could do far worse. Give it a shot. read more

I found the service very friendly, and did not experience a wait (at all). All the food was cooked and prepared just right - and we left very pleased with our meal and a nice portion of leftovers ;) The Order: Avocado, Shrimp, Tomato salad: a full plate, sweet grilled shrimp and a full avocado. It was a bit much for two - but the table next to us suggested this dish so we dove in! Glad we did too! Spicy Chicken: I'm not sure this dish could take any more ingredients! Onions, jalapenos, cheese, ham, rice, plantains...I'm sure I am missing something. This was a good dish. Rib Eye: A+ a perfectly cooked and served with a full plate of sides. A green salad, rice, and plantains. All in all a nice experience, nice sized portions - definitely a place I will visit again and again! read more

I had been craving Cuban food and since I was in the area, I remembered I had seen this place on Yelp before. I decided to give it a try based on the positive reviews. When I walked in it felt very familiar and then I saw a picture of Guy Fieri and remembered I had seen Mambo's Cafe on his TV show. That was a surprised! The food was good, I had the Steak Sirloin and my date had the Breaded Steak. They both came with black beans, white rice, and small salad. Also they bring bread with a salsa that has a spicy kick to it. Overall, the food was good and the service was great. I want to come back to try their more traditional plates along with some sangria or wine. Highly recommend Mambo's Cafe! read more

My favorite Cuban spot in LA, Hands down!!! Thank you & don't ever change. Give me some mambos chicken with extra sauce, arriba !

This place is packed at lunch. Go ahead and let your co-workers know you'll be gone more than an hour if you're planning lunch at Mambos. The rice and beans are always heaven along with the bread and sauce you get when you sit down. But on occasion the main dishes are hit or miss, depending on how busy the cook is. Last time I was there the mother tried to charge us $2.85 for a refill on our drinks. Who charges for refills anymore? I wasn't too happy about that. Especially since she was so busy she totally forgot about our table. She dropped our food and that was the last we saw of her until we had to hunt her down for our bill and our $3 refills! Unless you have the time and patience, I suggest you skip this place at lunch and go when you're guaranteed to have everyone's undivided attention. Because when this place is on, it's on ... but when it's busy, it's a gamble. read more

No nonsense Cuban food served in a no nonsense atmosphere. There are celebrity pictures on the wall but instead of trying to impress you, these pictures only serve as reminders that this place is the real deal. I used to go there every so often when I worked in the area but moving away has definitely limited those opportunities. I must have been spoiled because ever since then, all Cuban food has seemed rather...boring. If you are used to Cuban food at Versailles, I think you will be pleasantly surprised. I have tried Versailles so many times I cannot recall and yet have never had what I would say is a "great" meal there. Why do people go there? Is it that much cheaper? I have had a number of things at Mambos but what I recall the most is the breaded pork chop. It's really nothing amazing but it's exactly what you'd expect. Whenever I crave a Cuban breaded pork chop, I always think of Mambos. Plus, they also have amazing bread and salsa (free). My friend ordered the cuban sandwich and said it was good. This is a good restaurant and you can definitely do worse in LA. read more

My husband and I moved from Miami to LA a little over five years ago. We have been searching for a good cup of Cuban coffee and have finally found it! The Cuban Espresso is excellent. The strength and sweetness are authentic. read more

So I came to So-Cal for the weekend with some friends and we went to this place. it wa YUMMMY. The beans were so flavorful and the pork I ordered was really tender. Everyone loved their food especially the beans and plantains. The only couple things that kept me from giving this place 5 stars is that we ordered these potatoes balls and they never came, and it was kinda dark lighting. Other then that I would definitely try this place out again. read more

So a friend of mine seen the restaurant on the Food Network so we decided to try it while I was in town. We went on Saturday night and the place was pretty packed, from what I understand they don't do reservations. It seemed like the restaurant was under staffed. We had a large group so we couldn't eat together. The food was terrific, but the service was pretty bad which is why I gave it 3 stars instead of 4. I had some chicken and black beans, and the beans were probably the best beans I have ever had. The chicken was tender and seasoned well. I would definitely eat here again, but not on the weekend or during prime dinner hours. Check it out! read more

Triple D suggestion - So thanks Guy. The place is very friendly, and open. I liked the decor. Though I would have to say I wasn't as impressed as Guy, and some of the other customers were with maduros. Weren't bad, but to me, they didn't live up to the hype. The rib-eye was terrific, though. For the dollar amount, it's definitely a revisit. read more

I really enjoy this place. I would've rated it higher but sometimes, and it has only happened a few, but they are kinda slow. The food is great. I really like the spicy sauce that comes with the bread right when you sit down. I enjoy Mambo's Cuban Sandwich better than Porto's. The bread is nice and flaky, the pork is tender, the ham is sweet. The maduros are amazing!! The place does get very very busy during lunch. I do agree sometimes they are slow, but you sorta over look it unless you are on a time limit for lunch. I hardly ever see the wait staff not doing something. It's a hit or miss when i go. Oh and parking is really difficult when it gets busy. I've heard people park two blocks away. I love the decor. The old blue/jazz pictures on the wall are fantastic. read more

What I hear about Mambo's is very different from what I experienced at Mambo's and I'm sure a big part of it was because I went when the restaurant opened rather than at night when the place is filled with live music and other festivities...or so I hear. At open, the dish I wanted wasn't ready yet...which was the dish that was featured on the episode of Triple Ds. You figure that those featured items would be better prepared because everyone will request it. To make-up for my feelings of disappointment, out came the most DELICIOUS SALSA BREAD combination I've ever had. This salsa was so good that I asked them if they sold it in a Two-Liter bottle for me to take home and that I'd by 4 bottles of it! I was already imagining it with everything I would eat at home: eggs, steak, rice, cereal, etc...=) Unfortunately, the answer was no. So, I ate the Cuban Sandwich and had the Mambo Chicken. Both were decent, but not spectacular. Versailles by far has the best Cuban Chicken I've tasted and Mambo's doesn't come close. There was this mesmerizing black & white picture hanging on the wall of a girl holding a trumpet in some metropolitan area. I asked if that was for sale, too...but unfortunately, no. And that's it. If it wasn't for the salsa and the picture of the trumpet girl, this would've been a less favorable experience. This is #5 on my quest to eat at all the Diners, Drive-ins, & Dives in America (or at least in So Cal)! read more

One word: MAMBOS This spot is really cool. This place was featured on Food Network with Triple D. Funny thing was I never knew this place even existed. I would always drive by this place on Western on my way to Griffith Park. I always thought this was like a car repair place. After all the sign on the corner says, "SMOG CHECK". The Cuban sandwich with pork is hella good and for about $8 is not bad. Straight up good. I also tried the chicken dish with rice, beans and plantain for about $10. This is really authentic Cuban food and it's really good. The service is decent, it's a family run business and it's a small place so it feels pretty cozy. The negative part is it doesn't stay open very late and they are closed on Sunday's. Deduct 1 star because some people want their Cuban food fixation with their moho sauce. read more

VEGAN CUBAN FOOD IN LA? I must be dreaming! Pretty good vegan plates; although, sometimes not super consistent with the salt that is added (sometimes too salty, sometimes a little bland). Very cute place with live bands on Tuesdays. Cons: outside restroom, small parking lot and no liquor license. read more

I usually go there at lunch time after my son's baseball games. The food is good, everything tastes fresh and like homemade food, which I really appreciate. Besides, the servers are really friendly too. The menu is quite small, though. I wish they had more options... Although I understand, since nothing seems to be frozen up, and they are a small business restaurant, I'm pretty sure they opt for quality over quantity (of options, I mean). You can't go wrong with their breaded chicken. It comes with delicious rice and Cuban beans. They have live music on some weekdays, but unfortunately I've never been, but I heard they get really crowded. If you don't know Cuban food, don't be scared at all! I'm not Cuban either and a lot of non Cuban people go there. It's for everybody, really! They have amazing fresh salads too, and yummy sandwiches on crunchy fresh bread. I like the vibe there, it feels really cozy! Let's support the local business! It's a family owned restaurant and they seem to be genuine nice people who truly love their place; and it shows on the food!!! read more

Apparently, my wife has decided that this is a Caribbean-themed week of dining, and she chose Mambo's for our stop in Cuba. We started with the papas rellenas, which are breaded and fried mashed potato balls that are filled with ground beef. They were a little over fried but they were nonetheless tasty. For lunch, I ordered Mambo's chicken, which was a chicken breast covered with mojo and served with black beans, white rice, and maduros (fried plantains). As I dug into the chicken, the first thing I noticed is that the skin was very soggy, which is what happens when chicken is cooked at too low of a temperature. Not particularly appetizing. A chicken can be covered in mojo and still have very crispy skin (see Versailles). The chicken was also pretty dry. I tried to dip each forkful into the mojo under the chicken to give it some more moisture and some much needed flavor, but I quickly ran out of mojo, leaving me to eat a dry and bland bird. The rice was perfectly cooked and a good vehicle for eating the black beans, but, like the chicken, the beans were pretty bland and needed some salt. My wife tried them and thought they tasted burnt, but I did not notice that. On the bright side, the maduros were some of the better maduros I have tried. Overall, the food was okay, but I have had much better Cuban food elsewhere. read more

Mambos Cafe - Papas rellenas. Fried potato balls filled with ground beef. - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

Great food!! One of my favorite restaurants; I go here with my family all of the time. The owners are so friendly too. There is live music in Tuesdays and Thursday and it really creates a cool authentic vibe. read more

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OMG ! The owners are amazing! They have entertainment! The food and cafe con leche is to die for!!! read more

Mambos Cafe - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

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This was my first time having a Cuban sandwich and I wasn't too impressed. However, the other items on the menu look super appetizing and this place gets extremely busy during the lunch rush! I'm marking this as A-OK for now based on my experience with the food, but I will most definitely update it after my next foray at Mambo's! read more

Dang this place is good. A diamond in the rough.

Yummy cuban food, service is good as well. I haven't really tried the full menu but I really liked the chicken salad. For once, a place where they do their avocados right! read more