My boyfriend and I went to Mambos last night around 8pm (Wednesday) As we were walking in the waitress said Oh we were just closing but come on in!! I asked her a few times - are you sure ? really we can go somewhere else... but she insisted we stay. I could tell they were aching to go but the waitress was very friendly and didn't rush us out. The food was excellent. I had the garlic shrimp and my boyfriend had the shredded beef. My rice was a little dry but his looked good. The plantains were EXCELLENT. I also ordered empanadilla's but didn't realize until we left that I didn't get them. I also don't know if I got charged for them. They were 2.25 so I can let it slip if I did. I would go back and do suggest it for some good cuban food. read more

Had Sunday lunch here. It was ok. a few things prevents it from getting more stars. The good: - nicely decorated - friendly service - Charizo sausage was good - Salsa w/ bread - the salsa was good. the not bad but not great - The flavor was meh. - the prices were kinda high I thought for lunch (party of 3 for$55?) - the location - kinda of in the middle of no where.. for me anyway. So yeah, we stopped by cause my Bro saw this place on one of those food shows and the host said he stopped by cause he smelled something good from this place. I don't know if i would stop by again, but my Bro got the tab for this meal so no major complaints. Had the left overs of my Roasted Pork with beans and lettuce for lunch the day after. It was not any better but not any worse then the first time. No points there. read more

After watching DD&M, and being disappointed a few times with his so-called great places to eat, I was a bit hesitant about trying this place out. For once, he didn't disappoint! Bf and I went on Saturday night, we started off with the bread and salsa, got two empanadas, and I got their Mumbo chicken, and bf got the breaded chicken. The bread and salsa, wow, delish!! I was wanting to take that sucker home and pour it on all different types of dishes. The salsa is a bit spicy, but the bread absorbs it well. Yummm Empanadas were good, super hot, but we've had better, I think. Our main course was good, my chicken was good, but like many reviewers, it was a bit dry. However, bf's breaded chicken was super moist and juicy. Loved the rice and beans. I didn't get the bad service like many yelpers, it was in fact, great. The waitress was very friendly and was prompt with our food. Overall, definitely will return since it's so close, but my ultimate favorite cuban restaurant is Versailles. read more

Came here again all the way from OC to have their Roasted Pork...it's as amazing as I remembered! The empanadilla was excellent and their beans/rice was fantastic. The Tostones Rellones were better this time that last time...love this place, can't recommend it enough. read more

Mambos Cafe - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

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Lunch - Thurs., June 16, 2011 ***Restaurant/Facilities*** Private lot (oddly filled with 5 cop cars...but no cops inside the joint...?)...dining area is on the smallish side but not cramped...lotsa headshots on the wall, but no clue who any of them are. ***Food*** I only had the "Mambos Chicken"...in all honesty, it tasted like diluted chicken adobo w/ distinct bay leaves and black pepper flavors. I never understood why peeps would fry the chicken then jack up the crispiness by dumping thin sauce on it...make up your frickin' mind! The black beans, served in an unnecessary pool of bean juice, tasted a bit too medicinal, but the plantains were delicious. ***Service*** Nothing bad to report...standard lunch service. ***Summary*** I must have ordered the wrong thing, cuz it got packed shortly after I arrived. Mambos chicken was a let down (Versailles, you win this chicken smackdown!), so I'll try other things next time...if there is a next time. read more

Good as I remember it 2 years ago. I think better anyways i had the roasted pork came with white rice and black beans and plaintains which i love them. They have this bread they give u and this sauce that comes with it. Ohhh so good. I am taking a to go box. I will be back here. read more

Try their mambo chicken! so good and tender. full of flavor! Their cuban expresso was the best! Very strong but very tasty- just how I like it! read more

Mambos Cafe - Mambo Chicken! Gotta try it! - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

Came here for lunch on a Tuesday, the parking lot is small so you may need to park down the street but the walk is worth it. I ordered the breaded steak and even on a busy day our came out fast. The entree came with bread and red sauce, mix the beans, rice, and red sauce. The breaded steak was very good and was not dry at all. Service was fast as well, definitely coming back again. read more

A friend invited to this place called "Mambos" for lunch it's been around for a while I am just sorry I didn't go sooner. Nice vibe great food and wonderful customer service and low key. There empanadas are amazing and I had the shrimp with tostones and a little mojito on the side not the drink, and speaking of drinks you have to try there Sangria best I ever had ill be back there soon! And make sure you say hello to Raul an awesome person and owner of the place. For great Cuban food check this place out I recommend it highly read more

Mambos Cafe - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

This is probably my favorite Cuban place in the LA area!! The items I would recommend are Mambo's Chicken and El Pedro. The chicken is sooooo good. And the staff are very friendly! read more

Tasty food. I ordered the Mambo chicken and it was good. Kind of similar to Versailles but definitely unique. Apparently this place has been showcased on Food Network. I ordered the chicken, beans and rice with some Materva (refreshing). Plenty of leftovers to doggy-bag for dinner.. My cohorts ordered sandwiches and they looked really good. When I asked what they thought 1 said it was better than Porto's and the other said Porto's was better. Parking is not great and the streets around there fill up quickly as well. The fresh bread and blended salsa is good and is their version of chips and salsa. I might be wrong but across the street it looks like it's where they filmed Superbad, in the scene where McLovin trys to buy alcohol at the liquor store.... read more

Opinions of a bunch of us that went there tonight: Port - too dry Mambo Chicken - Fair + to good Grilled shrimp - Good appetizers - Good For the money it's worth 3 stars but I think Versailles (both locations) are better. read more

Went today for lunch for the first time. Place was clean, service was good, and the food was excellent. I had the chicken plate and everything was cooked perfectly and tasted great. read more

Mambos Cafe - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

LOVE THIS PLACE!!!!! Food is amazing! Family friendly and owned. Great! Like getting a home cooked meal.... read more

Taking someone on a first date to a restaurant you've never been to is a huge gamble, but thankfully this one paid off. The waitress and all servers were very friendly and attentive to our needs, but in no way imposing on us. It was a very relaxed yet intimate environment with atmospheric candles on every table. Basically the restaurant set the stage for a great evening without being expensive at all. The food was delicious, though I'm not really lucky about anything. I got the specialty chicken which was perfectly cooked to the point that it almost melted in my mouth which was awesome. Also I haven't had yuca since I was in south America 5 years ago, so getting that was a treat. Needless to say, I can't recommend this place enough, especially if you want to set the mood for a no pressure evening on a first date. read more

Outdoor seating and pup-friendly! They serve their beer in frosty mugs and the dishes we had were great: We had the Ropa Vieja and Mambo's Chicken. All dishes come with maduros (yay!) I was really in between 3 and 4 stars. It was pleasant, close to where we live and tasty. Nothing that blew our socks off, but still perfectly enjoyable and satisfying. We'll be back! read more

FINALLY was able to eat here. I ordered the roasted pork with some tostones. The roasted pork was very tender and great flavor. The tostones where very plain and no flavor. I would definitely order the roasted pork again and again. my wife got the Cuban sandwich and was very good also. one of the best. we will be back read more

Hubby and I came here actually on May 5th which was a Friday night but figured it wouldn't be too busy since it's Cuban food and not Mexican food. Anyway, at first we were the only people here besides the staff, which was great because they explained the menu to us as well as all the specials. I went with the chicken with avacado, my husband went with the seafood special. Both were amazing, normally I'm not a fan of black beans especially just served in a bowl, but these were out of this world. The plantains were also amazing. In addition they serve a basket of bread with dipping sauce that is so good I could eat just that and be happy. I can honestly say that this is our new favorite place and in fact we did return on Sunday with my son who was also equally impressed saying he wished he lived closer so he could return a few times a week. We're looking forward to returning when they have music, we were advised to make reservations as they do book up fast. read more

Great found, friendly staff super prices. Well worth a visit. Had the special for the day. Ate til I was stuffed then enjoyed a Cuban coffee. If you enjoy Cuban food and coffee this is a cafe you must visit. read more

Want to avoid long lines at Porto's? Then come on over to Mambo's where the Cuban sandwich is just as good. We have been going to this family owned restaurant since the 90's and it never gets old. You can park right there in their lot or there is nearby free street parking. They also serve Jupina which Porto's no longer sells. The Ropa Vieja is excellent as is their Roast Pork. My mother loves the Croquetas and my daughter loves the Sirloin Steak (Bistec De Palomilla). You really can't go wrong with anything on their menu and their prices are reasonable. Don't forget to order a delicious Cortadito when you are done with your meal. The staff is always helpful and you do see the owners on the regular as they are involved in both the quality and service of their business. read more

I'm leaving 2 stars because food is great, but service wasn't. They weren't even that busy and took them over 30 minutes to give us our food while another party came after us and got their food within 10 minutes. Seemed like they were catering to the white people more. Not once did they check on us and asked if we needed a refill. Very disappointed in service read more

Friendly staff.nice place. food was REALLY good ! The 4 star is only for not serving rum-cola which I went there for as Cuban restaurant. Otherwise very much recommended . read more

Mambos Cafe - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

Before moving to Paso Robles, we lived in LA and boarded horses at LAEC down the street from Mambo's. Excellent cuban food served by a very friendly family. We return every time we show at LAEC or are in LA for other reasons. Recommend the breaded chicken, the roast pork, the moros y christianos (black beans and rice) and especially the maduros. read more

After returning from Miami, I had a need to find a cuban restaurant out here in California that could meet my Ropa Vieja cravings. MAMBOS is that place. Absolutely DELICIOUS Ropa Vieja with white rice, black beans and plantains. This is definitely now my go-to cuban restaurant. We were a little thrown off by a couple of the staff that didnt seem to be knowledgeable enough on the menu (or cuban cuisine) but we got our food right and the place had a great vibe. Been around since 1988 and was featured on Food Networks Diners, Drive Ins and Dives! It has an old cuban feel with a jazz edge. Would definitely return! read more

Came here with the family today! Everything was mouthwateringly delicious! We had tostenos rellenos, mambo platter, Cuban sandwich, and the special of the day Chuletas de puerco (pork chops) read more

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Food to die for! Great service... Check them out anytime but you must go for the live Latin jazz read more

I can seriously eat at Mambo's everyday. I will choose this place over anything else. If my hubby askd me, "Where would you like to go today?" My first choice is always Mambo's. There's something about their food..it's so yummy and healthy. I always ask for a El Pedro and a Mamay milkshake..and watch as everyone enjoyingly eats their food.` read more

Good Cuban food, I like their coffee after a good meal... Music is good... Nice little spot

This place used to be a gas station and garage at one time. It's very small and quaint. The food was unremarkable and a little pricey. However, the day I attended they had a live band performing music and that was outstanding. Overall the place gets two stars, and an extra star because of the live band. read more

Ohhhhhhh Mambo Best Cuban restaurant in the world... I love Mama and Papa Raul...amazing food amazing people I have been coming hear for six years and keep coming back... read more

Had lunch here for the first time last Thursday. It was packed and so was the parking lot, use street parking. I ordered the Roasted Chicken with black beans, rice and plantains. I wish the chicken was a just a little juicer but the BB, rice and plantains were spot on. Best plantains I've ever had (sorry nina :/ .) I was drooling over the potato balls and cuban sandwiches that were being fired out of the kitchen. I want to come back to try so much more! read more

Media Noche is legit! Good, friendly service and staff, in spite of all the crazy Covid protocols. We will definitely be back for more!

I ate here a few times some 17 + years ago, and if today's lunch any indicator ...it appears that not much has changed. It is 11 a.m. on a Wednesday, I am the only one in the dining room other than some very friendly staff who are straightening up and getting ready for lunch. I ordered the roasted chicken, with black beans white rice and platano. Black beans had zero flavor, the chicken was the size of a softball only there is nothing soft about it. It must have been roasted the night before. It was dry and stringy, hard as a rock. Just an FYI, black beans should be sauteed with onions garlic oregano olive oil and red wine vinegar. These beans taste like out of a can, minus the salt. read more

I like this place. Cute, good food and nice service. Their chicken is so yummy and plantains are on point. The servers are very nice and helpful. read more

My husband and I make trips to this area for Ikea and mambo's!! We are 2 hours away! The food is so delicious. I brought a group of my friends here before we went to the Hollywood bowl and everyone left full and happy!! read more

The food here was delicious the service was fast and the plantains were so sweet! We'll defiantly come back with friends and family!! :)

Food is exquisitely flavored and prepared. Their mojo de ajo is a garlicky all purpose powerhouse knock out sauce. My favorites are bisteak de pollo empanisado and croquettas de jamon. Yummy read more

Do yourself a favor and skip the heavy fried appetizers and go right to the awesome, FRESH food. Went here for a business lunch and LOVED it. Crazy busy tho, I'm warning you. Everything was fresh and I have to say it was the best Cuban food I've had in a really long time. The garlic sauce is awesome, I got 2 servings and stank for the rest of the day. It was worth it tho! read more

Saw this on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives show. It was so close to my work I decided to give it a shot. Service was good. I ordered a tuna melt and it was very good. The bread was perfect for the sandwich. Next time I'll venture to some of the other sandwiches. read more

It's been a very long time since I've been here. Hubby brought me for lunch and I was not disappointed. My favorite is the lechon (roast pork), white rice, black beans and maduros (fried sweet plantains). So good. The place has a cool jazzy vibe and the service is awesome. I honestly suggest you go and and get some awesome Cuban deliciousness. read more

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