Very disappointed in the food here. My fiancé and I were urged by coworkers to eat here so we were expecting some pretty amazing food. The Cuban sandwich was lacking flavor, neither of us enjoyed our lunch here. Service was slow, server was inattentive and not very friendly. We got the impression we were bothering her although we are very low maintenance. Definitely won't be back. read more

I've been meaning to try this restaurant for a long time. Today, I made it there. The waiter/bartender was very friendly and made me feel relaxed. I ordered a glass of Cab. Not good. At $4.50, I guess I should not have expected much. Ordered a Spanish Soup (Caldo Gallego) This was good. I also ordered the Arroz con Pollo. This was terrible. I took a few bites and asked for my check. I did not want to make a scene, but this was the worse arroz con pollo that I have ever had. A dry chicken breast and wing sitting on top of dry yellow rice. At $12.95, this was a crime. At least the staff was very nice. That is why I did not want to blame them for the quality of the food. John S read more

I came in for lunch last week and was very disappointed with my service. Our waitress seemed very uninterested in me and my family and constantly kept disappearing. When she was actually in the dining room she was sitting down talking!!! I had to ask the only other waitress there for extra napkins and the check. When my waitress finally came back to check on me she smelled of smoke! Are you kidding me??? read more

Best place around Tampa area to get Ropa Veijia! Amazing!! My boyfriend loves the fried fish. Make sure you ask for the creamy herb dressing for your Cuban bread!!! Nice people! read more

The food is absolutely Fantastic. Absolutely the best Spanish food I've ever had. Lobster is a great deal and and side of some killer potatoes and corn. The place is very clean and I would recommend this place to anyone. Awesome service and The Devil Crabs are one of a kind! read more

The food is excellent, however the service needs work, my husband and I are in our mid twenties and the last 3 times we have been we've been treated like children. The last time was the last straw we waited 50 minutes for food and drink refills. Won't be back. read more

I absolutely LOVE this restaurant! Every time I'm in Florida visiting my family we always come here for the best Cuban food. The staff is always smiling, happy, and ready to provide the best service. For anyone new I'd recommend the Cuban sandwich or the chicken and rice dish and definitely eat some of the delicious bread with olive butter. While you eat enjoy the amazing historical family photos they have up on the walls. This is my favorite restaurant in the whole state of Florida! read more

I stopped in for an early dinner and even though it was a casual place the wait staff and music tried to make it an upscale restaurant. The service was very slow even though they weren't busy. I ordered the Ropa Vieja with black beans and yellow rice and it was more of an Americanized version. The Ropa Vieja was in a heavy tomatoe sauce with no peppers or onions visual. There were parts of the rice and beans that were cold mixed with hot versions as if they heated it is the microwave. There was no bread provided even though I ordered the dinner portion. I was charged $16.95 for the food and LA Teresita provided larger portions with bread for dinner for $ 8.95. read more

Close to the worst take out experience EVER! Waited for close to 5 minutes, before being greeted. Ordered a Coke to go and I was provided a coffee cup because "they ran out" of regular cups, the hostess stand was a total mess, no itemized receipt and no "thank you"! Hope the food is good... read more

AWESOME! Delicious food, and wonderful service, so polite and helpful with questions. Been a Cuban I can appreciate real Cuban food and this hits the spot! We look forward to our next meal at "La Septima Cafe". read more

I have been going to la septima since the mid 90's. this place is always great,very consistent with there quality! great job guys! i know first hand how hard it is to satify diffrent taste buds and la septima has it down to a science! read more

I've been going to this family owned business for over 10 years also when they were on parsons. I get the Pescada ala rusa - breaded white fish, with yellow rice and black beans. they have the BEST rice and beans hands down. I will support this biz until the end! friendly staff and reasonable prices. read more

Delicious, authentic Cuban food with a nice homie feel in the atmosphere. The service could be better (our server was a bit slow and not very friendly) but overall this was a good place. We will probably be back. read more

We have been a consumer of La Septima for many years. Their quality of food and service used to be much better. They are not consistent anymore, and it seems that every time we eat in or do take out, there is a problem. We don't get the Cuban anymore because it is made wrong every time and the bread is hard. We always get the end of the loaf, too. I don't know who is making them, but they can't follow the order. Also, portions get smaller while prices go up. It's not like it used to be, that's for sure. I highly recommend that you check your take out order before you leave the restaurant. They have messed our up the last 4 times. Literally look at the food before you leave. read more

Excellent food! Great service-every time! My family and I go out to eat all the time and La Septima is always on top of the list! Nice to have a family ran business that makes you feel like family! read more

I've been ordering from here quite frequently. I always get the 7th ave salad without ham and tomatoes. I was told today that they can no longer make their salads by order. It's not that difficult to adjust lettuce and a few toppings. I will no longer be supporting them or getting friends/family. Many people have allergies and dislike certain foods. read more

I have been going to this restaurant since they opened on Parsons Avenue but on Saturday night the serve and the food were both so bad, I will never go back. We had a guest in a wheelchair and they waited to seat us in the way back of the restaurant so that it was hard to get to our table. One opened up right at the front door which would have been perfect and they chose to sit 2 people who came in after us. Did they not want a handicapped person right up front. It took 1.5 hours to get our food which was lukewarm, they brought 2 salads but not the 2 soups. The appetizers came out with the meals! So the manager agreed to take care of the bill and give us dessert. Nice.... But wait when the bill came only 2 dinners had been taken off. So we called her over again and we were informed after she talked to the owner that the only way to comp all the dinners was to take all the food back to the kitchen. At this point in time I wanted to throw it at her. Not a problem. Have it all including that free dessert you just brought us. We paid for our drinks, left a tip for the waiter and will never go back. The sad part is tables around us were seated, got their food, and left. At least 2 rounds of people. The manager will have to review the video tape to verify that information. All of it was just BS! Try a different restaurant if you want Cuban/Spanish food! read more

My folks are regulars at La Septima. I came to town for Dad's surgery, and had lunch here. Upon learning of the situation, Owner Ron Fernandez went to the kitchen and had my Dad's favorite chicken soup made from scratch although it was no longer offered on the menu. Made a week's worth of soup and presented it to us on the way out. No charge. Awesome. Plus my deviled crab and black bean soup were authentic and perfect. read more

To start, this was our first visit here. Our waitress, Vanessa, was spectacular!! She knew so much about the products, had a cheerful, caring attitude and best of all, made us feel so comfortable askng what was what. The food.... the food.... whoaaaa.... my partner had the Cuban bowl with picadillo. He is a big eater and could not finish it all and said it was superb! I had soup and a whole Cuban. I was given 2 samples of the Caldo Gallego and Spanish bean to try to decide which one I wanted to order. The cup is a BOWL ....I mean a bowl almost anywhere else.... delicious Caldo Gallego soup!! The Cuban, pressed was huge and next time I will order half. We had the Yuca for appetizers.... the garlic butter sauce was astounding! The bread makes you sigh and with the olive butter you say OH MY!! So good.... I enjoyed my first visit there firstly due to VANESSA and then the wonderful food that transported me to another country. Great food, plenty of it, wonderful service and reasonable prices ..... THANK YOU VANESSA AND WE WILL BE BACK!!!!! Hopefully you will serve us again! read more

My husband heard of this place for their famous and best Cuban sandwich in the Tampa area so we went for lunch to try it out on a week day. The cuban sandwich was very disappointing; the oil or the butter in it was rancid and my husband had to send it back. The palomilla steak was bland and lacked seasoning, the white rice was like a day old! at least it tasted like that. We asked for a cortadito and the server didnt know what that was, I'm Cuban and we had to tell her what it was and how to make it, well it didnt come out as such it was mostly a bad cafe con leche. They have devil crab croquettes but no ham croquettes? This is a must in a Cuban place. The only good and tasty appetizer we tried was the devil crab croquettes. Overall disappointing experience Sorry for this review but please try harder with the menu and in the kitchen. read more

Without a doubt the WORST Cuban food I have ever had. I grew up in Miami and am accustomed to finding terrific Cuban food just about anywhere. Tampa not so much. La Septima Cafe was dark and dingy inside. The "bread" brought to the table was old, hard and tasteless. The Cuban sandwich was burnt. The roasted pork was extremely dry and unseasoned. The Ropa Vieja really did resemble and taste like old shredded clothes. Still looking for a decent Cuban meal out.... read more

Thank you for blessing us so much with the incredible dinner experience (Fat Tuesday Crawfish Boil with fresh crawfish flown in from Louisiana) last night in addition to finally meeting the fabulous celebrity chef known as Darlene Herrick, AND Ron & Dahlia Hernandez, proprietors of La Septima, who had the incredible vision of creating much more than a restaurant, but a true gourmet experience. You all made Cathy and me feel so special - like family, from the moment we walked into La Septima. Ron treated us to a tour of the stainless steel kitchen, which would make any Iron Chef proud to have such a facility to work in (I owned a gourmet deli in the Ozarks years ago, and it was fun to get a behind-the-scenes tour). We had a wonderful waitress, who made sure that every course was an enchanting experience, from the incredible appetizers to the main course, and dessert! OH Desserts - Orange Blossom (Dreamsicle) pie, Guava cheesecake and homemade flan! Wow is the word that comes to mind - from beginning to end, it was a WOW foodie experience. On top of the food and welcoming hospitality, we were delighted to see several friends of ours from as far away as Clearwater, Largo and St. Pete. We drove over an hour in rush-hour traffic to dine at La Septima. Let me just say, I will be making the trek again and again. You have a five-star here, and THANK YOU for the delicious experience. Our palettes are still celebrating today from the delectable dining adventure we were so fortunate to enjoy last night! read more

After being disappointed by another place that I found on Yelp that had received great reviews, I was somewhat skeptical and went in with low expectations. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. The wait staff was extremely nice and responsive. When the food came, it was very good. I tried the Walk around La Septima so that I could try several things and I enjoyed them all. If you are looking for 4-star gourmet presentation, this is not the place. This is hearty Cuban homestyle. I thoroughly enjoyed the meal. The Mojo sauce was fantastic on the pork...and everything else! Next time I'm in the Tampa/Brandon area, I will definitely go back. read more

I ordered the seventh avenue salad with creamy herb dressing. It was delicious !!! I've ordered carry out before as well and the food is always hot and amazing. read more

Disappointed. The bread was stale. Ordered breaded steak white rice yuca and platanos. The rice was bland and watery. The platanos tasted as if they came frozen in a bag and cooked in the microwave....the yuca was good. Cuban sandwich was just deli meat not fresh pork. Staff doesn't even crack a smile. read more

I just went for my first time today. Food and service was excellent. Would recommend and plan on eating here very often from now on.

After stumbling over his hidden gem, looked online and found a great article about the history of this place; that they are 20 years and counting in the Brandon area. I think that SAYS SO MUCH about the success of an age that is plagued by an abundance chain restaurants that serve people frozen, pre-made garbage. We've visited a few times now and the service is amazing. If you find them on Facebook, they will often let you know what they're doing on a given day - they had a paella day last week that was out of this world. If you're in Brandon, go find this place and check it out! read more

Service was good, food was decent, prices were kind of high for the portion size of the meat. Overall good experience we will be back. Also they have different daily specials for each day of the week. read more

La Septima is in the top three Cuban restaurants in Tampa, definitely. Ybor city has good options, but nobody wants to live in Ybor, so this spot in Brandon is essential. The Cuban sandwich is as you would expect a Cuban sandwich to be...get it pressed, duh. The seventh Avenue salad is something that should be spoken to. It has ham, salami, banana peppers, olives, and amazing dressings that they make in-house to match (and way more stuff). I have gotten this to go on my way home and it's the best salad I've ever had. Hands down. They are ultrafast for to go orders, and I know because I work nearby and see them a couple times every month. they do a good job of employing capable staff members, so the service is terrific when you eat there as well. It's never been to raucous inside, and is a comfortable setting in a large dining area, all tables. You can't ask for more from a food establishment in Florida. Across-the-board successes in flavor, innovation, and service. read more

My Husband and I were on a Date Night. He had never been there and wanted to try La Septima Café. Not a lot of people there, but had to wait for our waitress. Asked what was on the salad as I don't like onions or tomatoes. The waitress said onions, tomatoes, olives and 1 other item (4 items all together) asked if cheese could be added and she said that that would be $.50 extra! questioned why when the 4 items would not be accompanying the lettuce! Also they don't supply croutons! OK so I accepted the fact that the salad would only have lettuce and $.50 for cheese. When salad arrived very little bit of cheese came with the lettuce, very disappointed. OH well. I ordered the Breaded Palomilla Steak, & Yellow Rice, you get 2 sides, including the rice. there were only 4 offerings of sides. White /Yellow rice, Plantains, & peas. Can't eat plantains so ordered peas, gave them to the Hubs but they were very very soft. He didn't eat them either!! So I was really looking forward to the Breaded Palomilla Steak. The Steak came, and my Husband made note that it was really greasy, as grease was pooling on top of the breading. Was looking for a napkin to dab on the grease but only had the one that came with the silverware. The Hubs got the Cuban bread (that was not even fresh) and started trying to dab the Cuban bread in the pooling grease so I could eat it. The breading was NOT crispy or golden brown and it was falling OFF the meat!! and there was no Flavor only the taste of OLD OIL!!, Come on this is a Spanish Café, you expect to taste the spices, not even salt!! The yellow rice was sooooo soft and gooey. My husband ordered the Yellow Rice & Chicken he immediately said that there was NO flavor in the Rice nor the chicken, it was over cooked. He did not finish his meal as well. I only ate a couple of bites of the Breaded Steak and the Rice, of which was billed at $16.00!!! His Yellow Rice was billed at $13.45. Total bill was $40.63, Took the Steak home, tried to doctor it, but really couldn't eat it so gave it to the Dogs. Sorry La Septima we will NOT be coming back. read more

My favorite place to go for Cuban food. Being Cuban and raised in Tampa, I can say they have the best Cuban sandwiches and devil crabs in town. Last week I had the crab enchilada and WOW, it was amazing! A must have. Before moving back to New Port Richey from Las Vegas, I would put in an order for six Cuban sandwiches and devil crabs. I would wrap them in foil and freeze overnight. The next day I would hand carry them onto the plane for the trip back to Vegas. Eating at La Septima is like being at home with family. The Fernandez family and Chef Darlene are great people and they always make you feel welcomed. It is well worth the hour plus drive from New Port Richey to La Septima in Brandon to get my cafe con leche, Cuban sandwich, devil crab and flan fix. Ahhhhhh.....Yes, I get a couple to take home with me until the next visit. Oh yes, I'm working my way down the menu and everything I have had has been excellent. I have seen the staff smile as I leave still wondering how at 5'3", 135 lbs., I could eat so much and still leave with a bag of Cubans and devil crabs. read more

Maybe my husband and I have seen too much Restaurant Impossible or maybe we just have high standards for what we expect from a non-chain restaurant. We went here on a Friday night hoping for a nice change from the chain stuff and some unique food we haven't tried. We unfortunately were disappointed. They advertise their food like it is homemade and authentic and from the large crowd we were hoping that was actually true. I ordered the Sangria which as a previous reviewer described had cinnamon and sugar on the rim, I however did not enjoy that and wiped it off. Due to the overpowering flavor of cinnamon I couldn't really enjoy the sangria and truthfully it tasted like it was poured out of a bottle not fresh made at all, I didn't finish it. Then we ordered the deviled crab. We were pleased with this part of the meal because there was a lot of crab and very little filling and the flavoring was nicely balance not overpowering, I did finish that. Then came the chicken and rice. The menu did not specify that the chicken was a leg and thigh on the bone. I would have preferred breast meat mixed in with the rice and was expecting that. I will say that it was tender and the flavor was good but it clearly came from a warming pan and had been sitting awhile. They had garnished it with peas on top but that was unappealing because the peas clearly came from a can and I was glad I did not order them as a side dish if that is the way they were being served. The peas are either straight from a can or grossly overcooked. I found the yellow rice flavoring just OK not impressive at all and it was sticky and lukewarm like it also came from a warming pan. The black beans I had as a side dish were also straight from a can and also not bad but not impressive at all. My husband was very unhappy with the steak with red sauce he ordered. He swears that it came straight from the freezer and was thrown on the grill and that his potatoes were powdered and not homemade. The garlic potatoes tasted good but he was right they had the unmistakable gluey texture of boxed potatoes. The bread was OK, again not anything particularly special as far as we were concerned, it was not even served warm. He has informed me that I can cross this one off the list because we will not be going back. I have to agree because I am no chef just a home cook but I can make better chicken and rice than that at home. And really how hard is it to make real potatoes? read more

My review about the La Septima Café is only based upon one item that I get time and time again when I go there and that's the The Agliano. The vegetables taste fresh, so no complaints there and the fish is always perfectly fried and hot when served. A few chips are sometimes a bit greasy, but there's a good amount leftover with that crunch! The sandwich is enormous and I can only finish 1/2 of it every time that I go. I do believe that you're getting a great deal for $8.95. However, I do agree with some of the previous posters when it comes to the décor. It is outdated, dark, and the servers need to ditch those black slacks and black button downs. This isn't a fancy restaurant. read more

The Best Spanish/Cuban restaurant ! We ordered the Walk around La Septima a sampler of there favorites. ropa veja, picadillo lechon asado with black beans and rice. WONDERFUL ! read more

Visiting the area and a local steered me to LeSeptima. Excellent in all aspects and ask the bartender to make HIS margarita and it was superb. read more

The food is really tasty and the restaurant is nice and clean. I would recommend this place for good food and excellent service. The portions are large, so, you know you will have left overs for tomorrow's lunch. read more

We emjoy the family ambiance and good cuban food. Favorite is the breaded steak. Never a long wait to get seated. Closes early though. We went last Friday at 9:10 and they were closed. read more

I had the Walk of Septima, which was a sampler of three dishes. Very nice. Conch fritter were a different treat. And the crab croquette was good too. Glad I came. read more

Not a super experienced Cubano aficionado, but I was very surprised by how great the food was. I tried the recommended Ropa Vieja and really enjoyed. Loved dessert too! read more

Great food!!! The cubans are the best! The 7th avenue salad is quite a generous portion and always comes with that wonderful cuban bread. The service has always been very friendly and attentive without interfering with the meal. There is a wonderful family feel to the place which is a nice stray from the chain restaurants. I give it a four only because I have this idea of a five being fine dining. This is a very casual atmosphere with great food, very good service and reasonable prices. I highly recommend it. The food for catering always receives compliments too. read more