Came in for lunch from Warner Brothers Was packed so that was the first positive thing I had the El Pedro It was amazing I really enjoyed the warm bread and the dipping sauce They played great 70s music and a little jazz The servers were amazing. Can't wait to come back. read more

Went to visit the café and it was my worst experience there. I started off with two ham croquettes to potato balls. Ham croquette are OK potato balls were frozen inside they had rookie cooks in the back. They don't know how to adjust the temperature of a fryer. I Still let the server know right away then a different server came and brought me back two more croquettes that I ordered And the two potato balls that I sent back that I didn't want anymore after I told the waiter that I didn't want those two anymore he threw a fit and he actually started yelling walking away. How unprofessional is that? I acted like I didn't notice. And I can tell the guy had a really bad vibe the waiter on shift the girl who was taking our order was a sweetheart. Then our food arrived. My friend ordered a Cuban sandwich and I ordered Maria Noche, I noticed my friend sandwich was really burned on one side and he had a peel off the burn on the bread The pork was really dry and the sandwich didn't have any flavor. It was a total disgrace of a Cuban sandwich. They really need to get their act together or at least have some Cubans in the back making some food. It had no Cuban influence I will not be returning to the café because if I was gonna pay $35 for a Cuban sandwich and a few ham croquettes, they need to be spot on not just OK if I would've knew that I would've just went to Portos bakery and got myself a real Cuban sandwich at least they know how to execute a sandwich correctly very disappointing Mambo's Cafe and this is from a true American Cuban your food sucks. From someone who has been cooking professionally for about 20 years from head chef to private chef, your food is awful. read more

Delicious food, a hidden gem. The staff is tremendous. Highly recommend and look forward to going there again read more

We wanted a DDD place for lunch and so glad we made the right choice. Our server was such a great help since everything looked so good. We chose the combo platter, yucca fries for appetizers so we can sample most items. Our 4 year old loved the tostones and chorizo so much that he ended eating all of them and didn't share with us. He is a picky eater too. We shared Pan Con Lechon, Media Noche, Pan Con Piccadillo and Pan Con Bistec. The Piccadillo and Kedia Noche was our favorite. We will be back to try their entrees. read more

Mambos Cafe - Combo Platter and Yucca Fries - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

Tried calling 10 time within 10 minutes to place order for pick up, no one answered and voicemail was full. Seemed that they didn't want any business since It was 45 minutes prior to closing, never had this problem in the past. Very disappointing read more

Bomb food! Tasty and delicious! We love coming here! Raul and family are so nice! Place is clean! Food is clean! Portions are very good! Bread and salsa served when you sit down is excellente! The black beans are outstanding! We always leave here very happy :-) read more

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I was invited her for lunch and was SO impressed and pleased with the food, attitude if the employees and friendliness. It felt like a home feeling . Just so relaxing!! So much enjoyment that I returned 2 evenings later with 3 others and we all loved it!! They even said this be returning soon. Upon leaving I asked a few questions, met the owner ( such a terrific guy) and found it's a family owned restaurant, and long term restaurant! I can see why. I'll be back to try yet another delicious meal and enjoy the atmosphere. read more

Excelent home made flavor food. Very friendly staff. Cinco estrellas para ustedes. Gracias !

Just discovered this spot today. I liked the vibe and the staff was fantastic. I tried the Mambo Chicken and it was pretty dry, but my friend had a different kind of chicken that wasn't dry so I'll try something else next time. The rest of the food was great. I will say that there appears to be no A/C and that's a little crazy for a restaurant in the valley. There were fans but I was sweating while I was there. But again, staff was great and I'm willing to give it another try. read more

My friend and I went there for the first time. It was wonderful! Thank you Camila for the warm welcome and excellent service! read more

Delicious food! Quick service! Went for lunch and was back at the office inside an hour. We will definitely eat here again! Tables are a bit small and close together but it has a nice charm and warmth. There is also outdoor seating. read more

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When you are craving Cuban food, this is the place that you want to go and have some delicious Cuban food. The environment of this restaurant is so cozy. The food is Amazing!! The spices that there put in every dish are so tasty. I love their Cuban sandwich, the bread is so fresh, and they pressed it! I will come again and again and again to this place. You all need to check out this place. read more

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Guys, I am from Brazil and the best food flavor I can recognize the taste is the Cuban food. The black beans, the rice was tasted similar my grandpa food. The yucca is really delicious. Nice atmosphere and the owner is really sympathetic. The price is reasonable. Please, take your family or meet your friends there. read more

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So disappointing. The food was mediocre, no taste. Congri taste like rice a roni. Do not order the mambo chicken! The soy sauce over powered the taste, no lemon or garlic flavor. More like teriyaki & dry. Portions small. The sprinkle of cabbage on plate, not cuban at all. read more

Second time here and once again the food didn't disappoint. From a Cuban's standpoint, the food is pretty spot on for authenticity. Portions are decent and everything was very flavorful. Only thing I think is kind of odd is the red sauce that comes with the bread. It's like a salsa and I'm just not use to seeing bread at a Cuban restaurant served liked that. Usually the bread is buttered with hints of garlic but that's ok. It's not bad. Overall, it's a great place. If you're in the area, I recommend giving them a try. read more

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I came in at a slow hour, had 2 expressos, then decided to get a hot sandwich and bowl to go. It was little gamey but maybe that's what it's supposed to taste like. It wasn't quite hot, more like warm and slightly tough, both the bread and meat. Service was friendly. read more

This place is always good. The sandwiches are delicious. Plus they are quick and not too expensive. read more

Such a cute place. All the food was super flavorful. Good price. And the sangria was sooo good. Loved it. Just wish they had sour cream for the fried plantains. read more

Best, most authentic Cuban food I've ever had in my whole life. Super cutie staff and service too. Thank you Mambos! Xx

Food and service are great and it is a very casual place. Try the Sangria and Mambos chicken, you can't go wrong. Also, the bread and salsa they service is worth the trip! read more

Great food and service!! We went when it was not so busy. Enjoyable and relaxing. We will be returning.

Great ambiance and outstanding service. Food tasted authentic and prepared by Cuban staff.

One of Glendale's finest gems! Food is amazing and atmosphere is great. Always look forward to coming here and come about once a week, if not more often. Waiters and waitresses always go above and beyond to make sure everyone is taken care of. Especially Susan! Thank you for everything Mambo's family, really appreciate you making my family feel welcome. Unlike many restaurants, Mambo's is appreciative of your business! Shrimp fajitas pictures below, soooo good. read more

Mambos Cafe - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

So great! Love the atmosphere a lot too, it definitely gives family-owned vibes in the best way and the service is really friendly. Probably my favorite tuna melt I've had at any restaurant. read more

I love this place so much! The food is delicious. Fresh, flavorful, and cravable! Even the bread is delicious. The pork is not fatty, it's just flavored well and perfect consistency. The beans and rice are the perfect side with flavors and perfect mixed. The plantains are the perfect end to the meal, not greasy, just to die for. The place is small, but service is great; friendly and attentive. A completely wonderful experience! read more

I've been here before on an evening that I was attending a nearby event. I guess I remembered it better than it was. Went to lunch here on a Sunday and it was not a great experience. Very few patrons which should have given me a clue. Only one waiter serving who was pleasant but overworked so his service was spotty. I ordered the pork that according to them was one of their best dishes. It tasted like it had been sitting for a long while. Not only was the pork dry (inside and out) but the congri was the same. Seems like due to the lack of patrons the food tends to sit around. They got my lunch companion's order incorrect and although somewhat tasty had no authentic Cuban flavors. Disappointed as there are so few good Cuban restaurants in LA. read more

Food is absolutely mouth watering, delish perfection! Service is very friendly & on point! Ambiance is really warm & inviting! Definitely best Cuban food in the San Fernando area! Highly recommend! read more

So delicious, always excellent and friendly service! I wish I could give more stars. The place is so beautiful clean, and has the best music, and Cuban vibe. This is the best home made Cuban food you will get in LA. I have Cuban family so I am very particular. We have been coming here since I was in elementary school and I hope they never close! Their bread they serve with salsa when you are seated is the best we always devour it! I can never get enough of the salsa. My usual is the breaded steak, rice and beans and I love to squeeze a little lemon on my steak. My son loves and always gets the Cuban sandwich. I did move away from the this area but we frequently come back whenever we are craving Cuban food! read more

This place is a hidden gem in Glendale! My sister and I stop in for an early dinner Thursday night. The parking lot was a good size and the spaces roomy. The inside was like stepping into a cozy warm kitchen and the whole restaurant was extremely clean. Nothing lavish in decor, but we could tell that the owner and staff takes great pride in the upkeep of the restaurant. Neither my sister or I had ever had Cuban food before and the owner was so patient with our questions. We ordered the Avocado Shrimp, and it was delicious! Best part is, this dish is made using wild tiger shrimp. For the price, it's an amazing deal. The Spicy Beef was tender, flavorful and not too spicy. We loved the perfectly cooked rice and sweet sauté plantains. We also got the crispy plantains and they were tasty! We will definitely be back! read more

If your in the mood for Cuban food or just coffee, then this is the place. Great food & Service. We'll be back.

So just got back from a first time trip to Miami/South beach. Of course we tried lots of Cuban places. Havana 1957 was our favorite and Versailles little Havana is a must do, especially for the coffee. So back in LA had a Cuban cuisine craving. This place is not very far from us so we tried it out. One thing to keep in mind, it closes at 8:00 pm...so we almost missed the cutoff. Overall we were satisfied with the food and the prices...will have to try a few more items to make a final judgment. Personally I thought the chicken dish and pork dish was a bit dry(the meat), but everyone else thought it was fine. I think if it would have been more marinated that would have solved that. Just a bit overcooked. Hopefully just an end of the day thing. Milkshakes, rice/beans, and plantains were great. Good place for Cuban food fix. Will definitely try again. Staff was great and the place was nice both inside and outside. Plenty of parking too. read more

Great food. Great service. Admittedly, I passed this location a million times in the 20 years my family has been in this area. Never even paid attention to it. Happened to see it on Yelp one day and mentioned it to my mother. She, being the connoisseur of Latin American foods that she is, decided to check it out solo, and came back with, "It's pretty good," but it lacked enthusiasm. At that point, I back burnered the desire to try it. Man was I upset that I had. The food was great from start to finish. Had a party of 6 plus my little one. EVERYONE left feeling full and happy. Service was great despite the busy atmosphere. Our waitress talked us through the menu, detailing not only her favorite items, but also the most popular items as well. Our occasion was my birthday, so I was not allowed to see the bill at the end of our adventure, but no one made a face upon seeing their totals, so I'm assuming it was not outrageous. I purposely did not pay attention to price because I know most Caribbean restaurants tend to be on the pricier side. I'm told they have live music one to two times a week, and have definitely put that on my list of things to experience as I'm curious to see how they would fit a live band in that small building. Definitely on my list of places to return to. read more

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Best place in town for lunch and dinner. Great great food. Amazing atmosphere and staff. I could go on and on about this place. AMAZING read more

Ordered the steak & onions ... excellent. The food and service was great.... I'll be back!

The food here is so good! Always consistent and I love they have a good selection of drinks. The vibe is awesome and very much laid back. If you're lucky, you may catch some music acts along with your dinner. They have some yummy "dishes of the day" and when I'm not getting the Mambo chicken, their ropa vieja is really good too. read more

One of the finest Cuban Restaurants I've been to. The food is just as delicious as you can get. The seasoning is perfection. This is a must visit place. The staff is gracious, helpful and super friendly. I'm a big fan as of today! read more

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Ok chicos and chicas I took my husband to have dinner for his bday and I have to say I am giving This restaurant 5 TOSTONES aka delicious plantain chips I have to say food is delicious it's like home made vives . We had the platter with all the goodies Appetizer so good!!!!!!! the garlic steak And my husband had there Spaniard chorizo sandwich on Cuban bread to die for ! Wait the chicken Chicharrones took me back to when I was a kid ! But to top the food ! They provide the best FFAS Fast Friendly Amazing Service my husband got a piece of the Flan the owner makes it was so good I wanted to take my shoes off lol cause my toes curled . My fav Cuban restaurant but don't take my word for it Get in your car and drive out to mambos cafe get you some dinner or lunch ! You are welcome The foodie hunter weeeeepa ! read more

Oh, Mambo's... I really wanted to like you. After seeing it on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives as well as hearing good things from friends about the food, finally went tonight after years of having it on my list of places to try. The food was good, albeit a bit overhyped. Split the trio app, which was pretty good -- can't go wrong with fried goodness! For my main, I got the Cuban sandwich with maduros. I'd been craving a Cuban for some time and was disappointed -- the sandwich was hot, but the pork was dry and the flavors were... not quite there. The plantains were tasty though! Had a couple of bites of the roasted pork dish, which was probably my favorite of the night. Would definitely order that next time if I came back... which is NOT happening. The service I received this evening was the worst I've ever experienced. We initially had a gentleman who greeted us, sat us at a table and took our drink orders. (He was awesome -- I wish I got his name!) He let us know that the kitchen would be closing in a short while, which I thought was odd since the hours online said the place was open until 9pm. Nonetheless we tried ordering as quickly as possible. He was really friendly and helpful in giving recommendations. We ended up getting a different server - this time a lady, who ended up serving us the rest of the night and was really rude for most of the service. One of our party's order was missing a side (which was an extra cost) and she was dismissive about it, saying the dish was coming (spoiler alert: it never came). Also, we barely received our food a few minutes prior and had *maybe* two bites of our food and she came over and asked if we needed some boxes (uhhhhh...). Clearly she wanted us out -- even though there were a couple of other parties still dining in as well. The attitude she gave us was cold and certainly appalling... I couldn't believe it was happening. I never write a bad review, but this experience was one for the books. I really wanted to like Mambo's -- glad I tried it this one time -- but I'll be taking my business elsewhere. Hard pass. read more

The potato ball things are way too big and not that moist or tasty. I like a steak from here. Feel like the rice and beans and menu in general used to taste a lot better. read more

I've had this bookmarked for a while and was finally able to give it a try. I read all the reviews and saw the mixed feelings, there seemed to be a lot of people calling the roast pork dry and not flavorful. This is my takeaway -- pork wasn't flavorful, at some point I didn't know if I was eating pork or chicken. However, if you mix everything together and form the perfect bite then all is well. Plantains we're great and had a little crips to them. Rice was moist and flavorful. Beans were good. Make sure to ask for salsa, I drenched the pork in it. Empanadas we're very yummy. I went with beef. I would definitely come here again, but it wouldn't be top of my list. Bummed about that because I really wanted this spot to be a home run. read more