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Palavana Cubano

4.0 (33 reviews)

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Lydia C.

This is an excellent addition to the Garage Food Hall! I ordered their Classic Cubano sandwich. The Sandwich is packed with flavor and is delicious. It was about $16 for the sandwich plus mixed fries, sweet potato and plain fries. I wish there were more sweet potato fries, but there is enough under the sandwich to fill you up. I left with half my meal and could heat it nicely in the evening for dinner. The food is delicious, but rather pricy. --a few things to note. 1. The Garage is a Food Hall -- expect there to be a lot of noise depending on the time of day. 2. You go to the counter and order, and it is about 15 minutes before your food is ready. The individual at the counter let me know that up front, as they make everything to order. 3. You will get your food on a tray, and they will call out your name when it is ready. It is self seating.

Memu
Liz P.

This place is inside The Garage, a food court-type place near Mass Ave. in Indianapolis. We stopped by kinda randomly for the dumplings place and then I wanted a Cuban sandwich also. They have all kinds of interesting options. I think we got the Tampa Cubano which has a different meat instead of ham. It came with the Cubano itself and also plantain chips. It was $13 which is a little pricey but not terrible. I'd like to try a few other things on the menu as well if I return at some point.

Tostones
Amy M.

Sadly, I didn't love this or the service. I do love a good cuban sandwich and I love a Reuben so I figured the Cuban Reuben would be amazing. My complaint with the sandwich is the bread. It's dry and crusty. Aside from that I'd say the sandwich was just okay. I missed the part on the menu that said the sandwiches came with plantain chips, so my disappointment with the service is due to not being informed or corrected. When I asked what her recommendation for a side was, this would have been the perfect time to make sure I knew there were plantain chips that come with it or explain to me what the Cuban fry upgrade entails. Instead, she recommended tostones. I've had many tostones and even made them myself. These were very dry. Thankfully I ordered the garlic mojo sauce and used that to dip them in. The sauce was good but a recommendation for a better sauce pairing would have been appreciated. Some service training would go a long way here.

Cuban with crisp plantains and the an order of fried plantains
Clinton C.

Cuban was good! Nothing crazy just a good Cuban. The plantain chips it came with tasted like store bought with seasons thrown on them sparingly. The Fried Plantains though we're cooked nice but lacked any flavor whatsoever but the dip they came with did provide a small kick of heat but that was the only bright point on a rather classic Cuban meal.

a variety of food items
Andrew W.

First time at Palavana Cubana did not disappoint. From the ease of ordering, the friendly workers we encountered, and the mouthwatering food, it all made for an enjoyable visit! I ordered the Cuban Reuben and WOW - one of the best sandwiches I have had in a while! It was packed full of ingredients, prepared to perfection and was very filling. My wife enjoyed the sample platter and my daughter really enjoyed the Cuban Salad. We are already looking forward to going back. Thanks for a great first experience, Palavana Cubano!

a bright pink counter with planters
Peter P.

This isn't going to be much of a review because all I did was order a cup of coffee (it is one of the only places in the Garage Food Hall that has coffee). It as good. It took about 5 minutes to make, but that is to be expected with Cuban coffee.

Rice Bowl
Angela O.

Nestled inside The Garage food Hall this cute location packs a great smell. On my way out the smell drew me in and prompted me to get a meal to go. Unfortunately they were out of shrimp so I went with a vegetarian option. The rice bowl didn't disappoint. It was lite and fulfilling. Hopefully they have shrimp to add to this tasty bowl on my next visit.

Cuban Reuben
Mike F.

I've always wanted to travel to Cuba, but its island beauty and culture have eluded me thus far in life. I love Cuban food, and fortunately, Indianapolis has options not requiring scrutiny from immigration authorities. Palavana Cubano is the newest Cuban kid on the block, and through the generosity of its owner, invited Yelp Elites to enjoy a sampling of their food. I hit that "RSVP" button with enthusiasm. The eatery is in The Garage, and although I think the place is awesome, it's usually too crowded and noisy for the introvert in me. Thus, Palavana Cubano had not been on my radar prior to the event. The sampler I generously received included half a classic Cubano, rice and mojo beans, Cuban fry mix, and plantain chips. The sandwich was great...really great. The meats were juicy and flavorful, and it was quite large. I found the rice and beans to be blander than I'd like...but I ate it! I did not expect to like the plantain chips, as I don't care to combine sandwiches with sweet sides. The chips were savory, and I don't think I'd need to order fries if these were already included. On my own dime, I ordered the Cuban Rueben. I was very, very impressed. By "impressed," I mean it was "perfection." It's a large sandwich, and next to the Reuben at a place sounding like "Shapiro's," it's the best I've had in town. Thank you, Palavana Cubano. I can't wait to be a return customer!

The Cuban
Megan F.

I tried the Cuban, although they had many other interesting menu selections... I opted for a classic. The sandwich had great flavor and was very filling. It was served next to a mountain of banana chips. This meal was large enough for two.

Tampa cubano & Cuban fry mix
Madison C.

Another great restaurant located inside of The Garage! Palavana Cubano offers a nice selection of cuban sandwiches & a few other different items as well. Out of all the restaurants in The Garage, their drink selection is my favorite (& they even do free refills on fountain drinks). My boyfriend & I like to order one sandwich to share because they are so filling. All the sandwiches come with plantain fries, but I recommend upgrading to the Cuban fry mix and trying it with their ketchup! We have never had an issue with service here & have enjoyed all the different Cuban sandwiches!

Tampa Cuban
Victor C.

Great place to stop in and get a quick bite. Sandwiches are awesome and fries are always perfect. Everything comes in super generous portions so you will not leave hungry! Plenty of parking all over the garage and their set up is pretty cool and nostalgic. Everyone is always super friendly as well! Really recommend the spicy Cuban!

Classic Cubano
Kristin S.

Let's start with the beginning...the ambiance draws you to the place (right on the corner and BRIGHT). The second thing that drew me in was the young man with a huge smile taking orders. My husband came last week & I've been so jealous. Yelpers had an opportunity to try a sampler - and my favorite is everything. The mojo beans and rice are full of flavor, Cuban mix fries are fresh & crispy, plantain chips are a no-brainer any day of the week, Cubano is pressed to perfection. Highly suggest. All workers were so kind & food is delicious!!!

Isabelle M.

Really yummy food! Service was a little slow considering it was a Tuesday before lunch rush. But that's okay. My sandwich came out delicious. When it came out I thought the chips were potato chips. No! They are plantain chips! They were a great touch to the meal. The sandwich was flavorful and hot. We also tried the Cuban bowl which i was a little west about - cubed ham on rice isn't tan everyday craving - however, it was really good. One of my favorite additions in the Garage Food Hall.

The Spicy Cubano

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1 year ago

Charged me $28 for a dry ass sandwich. When I asked for mustard, they wanted to charge me $2.18. For mustard for my dry ass sandwich.

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3 years ago

Flavor is good. Portion sizes good. Veggies are fresh. I love the plantain chips. And service was fast. What more could you ask for?

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Palavana Cubano - cuban - Updated May 2026

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