So many good places to eat in Mountt Dora, but we were so happy we chose this today! We used to live in Miami and have not experienced Cuban food this good. With the help of our server, Lupita, we chose tamale as an appetizer. It was huge - large enough for an entree and served with a small salad. With the Cuban bread and variety of sauces, we probably could've stopped there. But we powered through and ordered entrees of bistec Palo and a Cuban bowl with Viejo Ropa. The food was fresh, authentic, and served hot. Service was excellent. Two Mojitos,miller lite, tamale app, and two entrees were only $60. ( and one entree came home with us....it will make a nice dinner for both of us later) We will definitely be repeat customers. read more

We live about an hour away, but when we visit Mt Dora we usually make sure to visit this restaurant. The food is very tasty and the portions are generous. Even the kids menu items have generous portions, and they aren't limited to the typical chicken strips and burgers. We look forward to our next visit! read more

We LOVE this place! The staff is always friendly and on top of our drinks, the food is awesome and the ambiance is authentic. We always try to sit outside when the weather permits. We're from Miami so this is the closest to the food we used to get down there. I usually switch between the arroz con pollo, the palomilla, and the churrasco. A great place for families, friends, a date or any other occasion. read more

I love this place! Excellent and authentic Cuban food that is presented by a friendly waiter staff. If you can get there on the weekend then you are in for a treat; live music and it is some of the best Latin music you will hear. So drop by anytime and enjoy the wonderful indoor or outdoor seating, and enjoy your stay in Mount Dora, the lovely village by the lake. read more

Second visit to this place and neither was a good experience. The wine was good, bread was warm but hard. I ordered scallops...big mistake. Rice & beans were good but the overall experience was not. Will not be going back! read more

Delicious every time! Awesome servers. Very friendly. Nice seating inside and out! We've been there several times.

Went here today for what I thought would be a nice dinner. Although the waitress was very nice her service was definitely lacking. Once we placed our order amd received our drinks. She did not stop to check on us, or even offer refills. The inside seating area smells like a dirty mop. And they have carts full of dirty dishes and food sitting by the main entrance. The bathrooms are not much better as the have paper all over the floors. We spent over 2.5 hrs just for a sandwich and a glass of water. read more

Copacabana Cuban Café - Cuban Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

We have been coming to this restaurant since it opened 14 years ago and it is even better. The restaurant is always very inviting: great music, decorated nicely and very clean. Wendy is an amazing server and our food came out so quickly. She was very accommodating as I had a special request. The pernil meal was delicious. It was not dry and served with seasoned yuca and I requested black beans and maduros. Was perfect. We recommend Copacabana for lunch as well as dinner. read more

I spend a lot of time in downtown Deland and Copacabana Cuban Cafe is my instant go to for a special meal. I always get the mojo pork with black beans, rice, and fried plantains. We were served quickly and warmly and everything was amazing! The classic Cuban flavors were strong and everything was expertly prepared. I was especially impressed by our waitress. She was so energetic, sweet, and attentive. The atmosphere of the restaurant is so relaxing. It's decorated with art, has calming mood lighting, and when we were there, there was live Spanish music. If you're looking for something authentic and relaxing, this is the perfect place. read more

This is the second time I've been here and I will say, the first time was a better experience. It was really busy and so I'm trying not to take it too hard on them but, our server wasn't very friendly. Also, when we first walked up, 3 different people came in and asked us "how many?" while we still waited for the first. A little unorganized. Again, it was really busy and I know it can get crazy when restaurants are busy. The food was really greasy. I was hoping that the garbanzos guisados would be more saucy than they were, though they had great flavor. I love the bread they bring out before your meals with the sauces. We also ordered the vegetarian breaded mushroom meal and though the sauce was very tasty, the mushrooms were pretty soggy. The moros (rice and beans) was good. I'd go again, hopefully on a less busy day. read more

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If you're having Cuban food in Mt. Dora, this is definitely the one you want to go to! The drinks are always good, as is the food, and the service is friendly. There were four of us having lunch. I got the masitas with green plantains and Moro rice-it's my go to Cuban dish. It's basically fried chunks of pork, and I loved it. My husband got the pargo frita, which is a whole fried fish and it was delicious. My brother in law got the ropa viejas, a shredded beef dish. And my sister in law got a shrimp dish with vegetables, she really liked it as well. This was not my first time here and it definitely won't be my last. read more

Good food, nice atmosphere, doesn't feel very clean. Server distracted, not at all attentive. Awful, awful cocktails. Poor, almost dirty presentation, and taste horrible, syrupy, cheap and yet cost $10-$18! read more

I love Cuban and this restaurant came recommended highly. I also needed a venue for a private dinner, so decided o check it out: was glad I did so was saved the embarrassment of 24 unhappy diners, as food was mediocre. It was warm at best, awkwardly presented on the plate, and just not good taste and texture wise. I called the Next day to speak to a manager. It took almost a week, and when I finally got her- no interest. Told me the owner cooks, so couldn't imagine what happened with my dinner! Two stars are for the great porch. I love Cuban, but won't return here. read more

Beer was served warm and the staff was not too friendly. The drinks seemed a little watered down.

Naomi our waitress was amazing, good service & attentive. We went for a birthday dinner party of seven. Some plates were more flavorful! Chicken stew; ropa vieja & the copacabana plate was grill & nicely seasoned. Thank you. read more

The plantains and black beans were good. The dojo Bisho was stringy and bland. The large IPA was $9.00. I would probably not go back again.

The food is delicious. A dish you would not expect at a Latin restaurant is one of the best I have had. The fettuccini Alfredo. It is better than any of the Italian places in the area. read more

Copacabana was a great find for us while we enjoyed our first time in Mt Dora. We came for the seafood festival with some friends but being there weren't many veggie options for us, we decided to go and look and stumble upon this place. Came inside to ask for a host and the manager happened to rudely redirect us outside again to find the outside host. We decided to sit at the outside bar. The only available seats were close to the sink. At first everything was fine but there would be a STENCH that would cone and go, we first thought it was a dog that had peed on the patio but it was just more than that, so before we decided to leave we asked the server what the smell was, and very honestly she told us the sink had been backed up for a couple of days.... kinda worrisome for those people who work there and smell that EVERYDAY. We decided to stay, but find new seating, still outside just not close to the sink. The menu had quiet a couple of veggie options. However the tittle and description of these plates can be misleading to what it's actually served. I hope the owner can correct this issues going on with the place so it can continue to thrive. read more

Copacabana Cuban Café - Cuban Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

We were shopping for new flags for our yard in downtown Mt. Dora and happened up on this restaurant and WOW!! You must try this place! Everything was delicious! read more

They are friendly. Noise sound, I am deaf, I am not able to feel their beat of sound on the floor or walls - must have been quietly. If I have to wear a hearing aid, then I will hear it. I have no idea what they give the sound of music like. The food is great. I love ordering some food from them. Champ! read more

Food used to be very good, unfortunately is now below average. We will return to supporting Las Palmas next door.

Ordered a cubano for carryout, picked up as soon as it was ready. Staff was great, food meh. Pulled pork was overcooked and had almost no flavor, fries were soggy and cold. Not ideal for $13. Would like to try again sometime, but not a huge fan today. read more

We stopped for a late lunch/early dinner. I had the traditional Cuban sandwich which was very good, and my wife ordered the Fricase de Pollo Con Papas. Our waitress was very attentive and our meals were delicious. It was comfortable on the outside patio and we're happy we chose this restaurant. read more

Copacabana Cuban Café - Fricase De Pollo Con Papas - Cuban Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

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This was my second time trying this place out. My first time was unimpressionable so I haven't been back for quite a while. I'm glad we stopped in again because everything was so good, the flavors were rich and everything tasted fresh. Service was a little slow but it was dinner time on the weekend. Apparently the men's bathroom had some plumbing issues but that isn't a factor in my rating. However, it was a little strange how they brushed it off and didn't make it a priority. Nonetheless we enjoyed the food, drinks and atmosphere. They have some great margarita specials! read more

For the last 18 years the Copacabana Cuban Cafe in Mount Dora was our favorite restaurant. It has definitely gone downhill. The pork tamale didn't have any pork in it, the chicken was tasteless it lacked spice, the table sauces looked and tasted watered down. That was the 3rd time we were disappointed in our meals. I asked the hostess if here were new owners. She replied the children now run it. The menu didn't change but it's definitely not the same quality food. We won't be returning. read more

Very good Cuban sandwich! The rice and beans were also very flavorful. We had this for takeout, so I presume eating at their cafe would be even better! read more

Came in for the first time. Atmosphere could have been better if they had music playing inside the restaurant, they do have live music outside. The food was ok, flavoring could've been better and portions were miserable, but you still pay as much as other places. Not like other Cuban restaurants I've been to through out this nation. As you can see one of the plates my mom had, she left hungry and she even had yuca, but that was a small tiny piece. I had to give her my yuca service was great by David E. He went above and beyond!! read more

Copacabana Cuban Café - Veggie Plate with some yuca, exactly what you see is what you get - Cuban Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

There was a two hour wait to dine at The Goblin Market so after wandering around the area we ultimately ended up here at Copacabana. What stood out to us was the fact that we were greeted so warmly immediately. After we got our menu's, a nice old man came over to the table and sat right next to me. He took one of the menu's and started going over some of his favorite dishes, explaining in full detail how it's prepared, and what ingredients were originally used in Cuba, so it wasn't long before we realized that this friendly stranger who made himself at home at our table was the owner. We chatted with him for a while, and I went on his recommendation to get the pollo guisado (fricassee of chicken) it came with white rice, black beans and you could pick whether you wanted fried plantains, sweet plantains or salad, I went with the salad. It was SO MUCH food for just $12.99, but not only was it a good deal, it was incredibly delicious too, and I had enough left over to make a meal out of it the following day too. Just some minor details to note which stood out to me as a diner. They bring bread and butter to your table, but it's not just any ho-hum bread, they make their own cuban bread here, and it is so good that the moment it hit the table, it was all gone in less than 2 minutes. I say this because there is a high probability that when they ask you if you want bread, you might have to wait a bit, and this is why, but let me assure you that it's totally worth it. Their cafe con leche is really good, and a great way to end your feast; enjoy! read more

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Cold entrees, dry food, reheated food. Disgusting. Owner was audacious enough to try and apologize for her kitchen, and still charge us for everything. TWO cold entrees, sloppy joe is what served here. Disgrace to Cubans. read more

Copacabana Cuban Café - Cold entrees. Dried out and days old reheated food. Do not eat here. There is another Cuban place down the street. - Cuban Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

Food was top, I repeat, top tier. Great service and perfect music to set the right mood.

If you ever visit Mt. Dora, this place deserves your attention. The food is good. VERY good. The menu is a mix of traditional Cuban and "westernized" dishes. If you're into Cuban food, you'll find the good stuff here. Everything from good old-fashioned Cuban sandwiches to tender cooked shredded pork with onions and seasonings, served with yucca, yellow rice, red beans, and plantains (the Pernil). The red beans ROCK. There's a lot on the menu worth exploring. I saw a description for a skirt-steak served with chimichurra sauce. I'm spoiled on a very stellar version of this here in Atlanta, but I'm curious enough to try this when I'm visiting again. The star of our show was the mojito. Actually, the star of the show was the company. My friends are simply very cool people. Knowing them makes me a very lucky man. My very cool friends and I had (ahem) a few of the signature Copacabana Mojitos. Fantastic. Everything a mojito is supposed to be: sweet, refreshing, and delicious. Don't miss out on this libation when you're in the area, unless you're a recovering alcoholic. In which case, just stick to the food. This Mt. Dora gem is one of several reasons I'll happily return to Mt. Dora. Holler if you're coming with. read more

Copacabana Cuban Café - Copacabana Mojito - Cuban Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

Service was fast, welcoming, and very friendly . The menu was very big lots to choose from and everyone in my party LOVED the food. It was phenomenal and will definitely be back. read more

Went to Mount Dora for a women's retreat and the speaker mentioned the Cuban coffee here was fantastic. I had to see for myself....she was right! I had two! The amazing fresh hot Cuban bread whetted my appetite for an early lunch even though I was only planning on coffee. The sauces for the bread were yummy too. I ordered the ropa veija sandwich! It was comparable to the delicious ones I've had in Key West. I tasted my friend's Cuban sandwich. That was better than the ones I tried in Key West and Miami. So fresh with lots of meat, thick meaty Swiss and sauce. I would love to go back here. Very nice server. Super fun music in the background. I couldn't resist some shoulder bongo jiving. read more

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My friends are I were in Mt. Dora for the day and decided to stop in here for lunch. It had pretty good reviews on yelp so we thought we would check it out. It was a lovely day so we chose to sit outside. They have a large outdoor seating area. Service was fine and food was eh. We started with the croquettas and I must tell you these were the worst croquettas I have ever had in my life! It was just like goop inside. It wasn't warm. It wasn't the right consistency, and the price was a bit high for the amount you get. That said, Little Havana and 3 of the best croquettas you ever ate for $1 may have spoiled me. I had the medianoche and my friends had Cuban sandwiches. They weren't bad, they just weren't great. I would've strongly preferred a Cuban sandwich from Publix. The fries were good at least. read more

Copacabana Cuban Café - Media noche with fries - Cuban Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

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I have been coming here since Copacabana first opened, and while they had a few teething problems in the beginning, this place has turned into one of the best Cuban restaurants I have ever been to, easily on par with anything in Miami and Little Havana. The basics- rice and bean, Plantains and Cuban bread are all good, and every main dish I have had has been excellent. Alberto (the owner) always greets me, he is friendly and sincere, and genuinely wants you to have a good time. I can see some of the complaints here have merit, as when it gets busy, service slows a bit, but hey, that's in most restaurants. I have been here a lot, and will continue to come back! read more

Hmmmn. Nice waiter and cool shaded patio were the highlights of this lunch stop. The restaurant was out of bread, fries, margaritas etc. the sandwiches were dry and pretty tasteless. The mojo sauce didn't have any mojo. Recommend you just keep walking. read more

Had a lovely lunch there on 2-3-24. The food was so good and authentic. First we had Classic Mojitos. There were very, very good. They were not overly sweet like some places. The ham croquettes were excellent. My husband had the Gambas Ajillo and I had the Bistec Palomillo. Both were very generous and accurately prepared. The steak was so tender I def not need the steak knife. The black beans were wonderful as well as the Plátanas maduras. The prices were very reasonable and service was excellent. The place was packed due to the Art show but the staff were friendly and attentive. We will be back!!!! read more

Satisfied my craving for Cuban food!!! Ropa Viejas was delicious. Rice was cooked perfectly. The maduros were so tasty. Good find. read more

Our favorite place to dine when we travel to Mt. Dora!! Always pleasant servers and great food! Have had several different dishes over the years and they've all been great. read more

We were making a quick visit to Mount Dora and looking for a place for dinner on a rainy afternoon. We had tried going to one restaurant, but because we had our dog with us, they told us we couldn't eat there. I had seen this restaurant while walking past and recommended it to my husband. We walked back and asked if we could sit on the patio with our dog for dinner. They were happy to accommodate us and even asked if we wanted to sit inside. Outside was fine with us, and our waitress came over for our drink and food orders. We placed our orders and waited for her to come back. We weren't in a hurry, so we didn't really notice that she hadn't come back until another woman, later to be found out the manager, came out to check on us and asked if we placed an order. She said she would check on that for us, and came back a few minutes later to let us know that the waitress had walked out with no notice!! She was super apologetic and immediately asked for our orders again to make it right. Within a few minutes, we had our food and drink orders. I had ordered the ropa vieja and cortadito, and my husband ordered the pechuga a la plancha and the house mojito, and our dog had a plate of the plain grilled chicken. My plate had tenderly shredded pork with tomato sauce and peppers, yellow rice, sweet plantains, and black beans. My husband had flattened seasoned chicken breasts, grilled onions, yellow rice, and black beans. The food was excellent with plenty of seasoning and portions, and our dog loved the chicken! The manager kept checking on us, her mom and dad the owners checked on us, and her dad even brought out vanilla flan on the house for us. We felt like a part of their family and loved talking with them during our visit. The food and drinks were reasonably priced for two adults, and the piano music and singing added to the atmosphere! My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed everything, and we highly recommend this family owned place. We definitely want to come back! read more