I stopped by Mama's Latin Cafe for a quick bite to break up my day and really loved it. The atmosphere was cozy and refreshing, especially in a time where every place feels overly "aesthetic." This spot felt original and welcoming exactly as it is. No fuss, just good energy. The cafecito was amazing, and I loved that she stirred it at the table, right before pouring it into the little cup. The ham croquetas were EXACTLY how I like them: flavorful, crispy, and not bland or greasy at all. I also got a guava y queso pastelito and it was delicious too. I honestly didn't even really look through the rest of the menu, but I loved the place and will definitely be back to try more quick bites every time I'm in the area. read more

Mama's Latin Cafe - Ham croquetas - Latin American Near Me - Fort Lauderdale, Florida

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This place was really nice. Great service. But I felt the portions were a bit small. It's a very cute place mom and pop. I ordered the ropa vieja with rice, beans and salad tomato and lettuce. My son had the soup. I might try this place for the sandwiches. read more

What a WONDERFUL find! Good Cuban breakfast with that wonderfully yummy bread used for toast! So friendly! Found out they have been there for over 20 years! I can see why! My husband's loved the Cuban coffee! I would go back anytime! read more

Excellent food and service at this little hole in the wall. Construction in the area may lead you to think it's closed but they are in-fact open. They do periodically post a note to announce being closed on day they may usually be open. Prices are very comparable to any place. read more

Mama's Latin Cafe - Roasted pork with rice, beans and plantain - Latin American Near Me - Fort Lauderdale, Florida

The chicken samich was on point.. The service was like having mom cook for me. The ambiance was literally like a family gathering.. Elizabeth was very engaging.. I will definitely be a continuing costumer.. read more

Reason for the low score is that there were some misses. They might be great for breakfast, but my fried pork chunks with a side of black beans missed the mark. Before I left with my takeout, I asked for a side of mojo sauce. She didn't have it. No garlic dripping in a limey sauce? No. That's what gives pork chunks that extra zip. I opened the container of black beans. This was more like black bean soup. I opened the container with the fried pork chunks and white rice with maduros. Where's the lime? I've never had fried onions on this dish before. The onions at other restaurants weren't fried like this. Geez, now I'm getting picky. The maduros and rice were spot on. It's a tiny place so don't expect to bring the whole family and all of your friends. They probably excel at Cuban coffee and some Cuban toast. When I'm in the mood, I'll try for round two. read more

Mama's Latin Cafe - a plate of food and a cup of coffee - Latin American Near Me - Fort Lauderdale, Florida

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I've been coming here for 15 years and they are always consistent. The quality and taste of the food and the exceptional service whether eating in or taking out. Some call it a little hole in the wall. I call it a diamond in the rough! read more

I love Mamas!!! They have the best breakfast and the best atmosphere!!! They are a cute little family cafe that always has amazing food !! The service is always amazing and they always make me feel like I'm welcomed !!! If you want a quick cafe con leche and breakfast don't hesitate go to mamas!!! read more

This was AMAZING! I was visiting Ft. Lauderdale and as soon as I landed decided to Google some delicious foods and this little gem came up. It is a small restaurant with very friendly staff. She recommended the "Pan con Bistec". So simple, but yet so flavorful.. it was very delicious. And their hot sauce just added the perfect heat and complimented the sandwich. I highly recommend them. The atmosphere and sense of community was a nice touch. read more

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NOTE: This place is CASH ONLY! Yummy, cheap eats. For no more than $6, you get a large enough sandwich that would put any sub to shame. A tiny hole in the wall found in a shopping plaza off of State Road 84, Mama's Latin Cafe is a hidden gem. They serve your typical cuban eats for breakfast and lunch. I visited for lunch and ordered the pan con bistec, adding cheese to the mix. I was pleasantly surprised with my order, it was delicious and the bistec was super juicy. The server was very friendly and attentive and extremely fast. I'm pretty sure we were in and out within half an hour. I also ordered a croquetta which was also pretty yummy. I'd definitely like to visit again for a quick lunch! read more

Mama's Latin Cafe - Pan con bistec - Latin American Near Me - Fort Lauderdale, Florida

This is a no nonsense, no frills but great food kind of place. Fast and friendly service with good prices. A perfect Cuban sandwich! Also, they definitely take credit cards!! Some older posts say they're cash-only. read more

Great intimate Cuban restaurant which seats at most 20. 2nd time here and the food is amazing. The staff is friendly and polite. This is a hidden gem and a must try. read more

My parents don't eat as much as I do, so I have no idea where I got my appetite from because it's not from them. After barely having dinner the previous night during my flight and mediocre breakfast from the Hampton Inn Fort Lauderdale hotel, I pretty much inhaled this delicious lunch. I'm almost positive that I averaged less than two chews per bite. I felt weak from the lack of adequate food prior to this lunch but felt MUCH better afterward. I was also contemplating whether to eat a second lunch from this place because I was still somewhat hungry and it was that good! This restaurant is small, but they had some tables that could probably seat up to 10-15 people altogether. It was not busy at all when we arrived on a Monday for lunch. I ordered the Bistec De Palomilla, which is Cuban-style beef steak that came with white rice, black beans, and sweet plantains. The beef was tender and seasoned well. The sides complemented the steak perfectly. The plantains weren't too sweet like some other places. I highly recommend this restaurant, especially if you're staying at the Hampton Inn Fort Lauderdale Airport North Cruise Port hotel across the street! ***NOTE: This is cash only!*** read more

Cubano regular, sweet plantains, and a mamey shake, all ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL. There are few restaurants that I've been to that were as reasonable and had such great portion sizes all including great food! I will definitely come back again! read more

Mama's Latin Cafe - Cubano regular, sweet plantains, and a mamey shake, all ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL. - Latin American Near Me - Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Summary: Wouldn't advise and would recommend you pass on this. I'm giving 2 starts only because the staff was sweet, but between the conditions of the mall, store front and interior, and food, I'm out! Detailed: I'm new in the area and have been trying out the places here on Marina Mile Blvd. I found this location online, and didn't expect much. Their menu hasn't been fully entered on Yelp or anywhere else, and all info online seems outdated. I ended up calling to confirm some info and ordered a few basics to test it out, and I was underwhelmed and mildly grossed out... The Cubano Regular sandwich was salty and bland at the same time, with barely any meat or pickles. I order a chicken soup and it was ok, but smelled like they may have used old rice, or that the soup had been sitting out for a little. El Batido de Mamey on the other hand, was for sure rancid. It seems like they used 2% milk without much ice, and that the fruit was bad because it tasted soured. I opened the cup and there was a foam on top that was bubbling. It was on my desk in a 73 degree office for about 2-3 minutes, and was still lightly bubbling. The staff was very nice and service was prompt, but the interior needs a coat of paint, the front of the store is pretty dirty, and the street has huge potholes that are deep, all over. Be careful driving or you may bust your suspension or at the least, scrape your chassis. In addition to everything else, I'm still trying to figure out how I paid over $16 with a 15% for these three basics. Could be that the area has a different price point, but usually this would've costed me around 12-14 with tip. Missing my shake, and considering all the rest, it's going to be a pass for me. read more

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We had lunch here recently with a friend. It was a last minute lunch date but we were able to walk in and get seated right away. We were immediately attracted by the menu options and great low prices. Location: It is located inside a busy shopping center and it is a small restaurant. So keep your party size in mind we are considering eating here. More than four people would be too much. Ambience: The restaurant was relatively quiet, noise wise, but all the tables are in such close proximity it's not a place to have any sort of confidential or sensitive type conversations. It was clean and had good lighting. Service: I think the service was excellent, the staff spoke both English and Spanish perfectly. The food came out quickly, we ordered full plates of food, which typically take longer in other restaurants. Quality: The food was flavorful, Moderate portions, and presentation was good. This is not a high-end type of restaurant, it is a casual locale. Tip: they only take cash so make sure to stop by an ATM before arrival. read more

Mama's Latin Cafe - Pollo A la Plancha - Latin American Near Me - Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Best Cuban food, friendly customer service and I love that there are Mexican options!! If you knew the background on the owners, you'd understand! The coffee never misses and the carnitas tacos are to die for. Don't believe the negativity until you try for yourself. There's a reason why they've been in business so long and have so many loyal customers! read more

When my husband and I travel, we like to find what he calls the "Local Joker" spots which is what most folks call you Mom & Pop joints. Eating at the larger commercial places are cool, but we both feel like you get a chance to really see what the "down home" cooking in the area is like, and you also get a chance to support a small local business at the same time. With that being said, our stop at Mama's Latin Cafe was a great choice! We started with 2 empanadas for an appetizer. (I had the beef and my husband had the chicken. The beef was much better and it had more beef in it than the chicken one. They gave us some homemade hot sauce on the side - which I didn't really care for too much). For our entrees, I had the Bistec de Palomilla (Cuban Style Beef Steak ), and my husband had the Pechuga de Pollo (Grill Chicken Breast - about $8 each plate). Both were served with white rice, black beans and sweet plantains. Both were MARVELOUS choices! My husband eats pretty fast, and I am normally finding myself still eating some 10 minutes after him, but this time, I finished my food, and turned and started munching off of his plate. Needless to say that there was absolutely NOTHING LEFT on our plates when we were done! This place is definitely a local spot to stop in and check out!!! read more

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This little local spot is a gem! Friendly staff,good cooks,a few tables to sit or you can sit up at the bar. Great Cuban coffee. Food is delicious. I just love this spot been coming here for years. Good eats if your in town or traveling thru. Love supporting local business Right near FLL Airport read more

Delicious Cuban breakfast great cafe con leche and friendly service! Will be coming back soon! CASH ONLY!!!! read more

Mama's Latin Cafe - Café con leche - Latin American Near Me - Fort Lauderdale, Florida

This place is the absolute bomb. We can literally walk to this place from our house across the street and im grateful for that, and i appreciate this place even more after trying the cuban restaurant literally 2 mins drive away down the street that put mayo on my cuban sub. Husband from PR loves it too. Only open until 3pm so have to get there early. We have their cuban subs for breakfast once a month. Husband gets croquettes and empanadas, well that's what makes it home in the bag at least. Hidden gem. read more

Very good quick Cuban fast food. Can't beat the quickness and the quality. Their coffee is great. They also have breakfast and it's darn good too. Food always is hot, customer service is great and you can't beat the Spanish soaps playing the back ground. I'll stay coming here. read more

Mama's Latin Cafe - Latin American Near Me - Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Definitely the best Cuban spot in town. No need to go down to Miami, this is real stuff! Great coffee, and very nice staff! A regular eatery for me! read more

Mama's Latin Cafe - Cafe con Leche - Latin American Near Me - Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Great people! Enjoy the conversation with Elizabeth and Gabby. They introduced me the Mexican sausage on my egg sandwich

It's not bad. Had un plate de lechon and rice with black beans. The place is low budget but the food is really good. Of course I am not to partial to a Cuban restaurant that does sell Mexican items. I think it takes away from the place and that makes one feel as if they are not giving it one hundred percent. Of course, the taste of the food kind of said it all. I mean don't get me wrong, it was good and all but not quite the Cuban quality that I am known to expect. I have had better but for what it is and where I am at, this is good enough. Portions are okay, nothing to write home about and the only downfall I have encountered was that they only take cash! For an out of town-er this can't be good, but I make due and let go of the $20. read more

The best Cuban coffee. They're always so sweet and take care of you!! I always get a cafe con leche. Very affordable and super comforting

Visited Fort Lauderdale and decided on Mama's because of the high yelp reviews. We wanted 2 breaded steak entrees and croquetas but they didn't have any croquetas left for the day. They decided to make them fresh for us (and they were fantastic fresh). We walked out without realizing we'd forgotten the croquetas and the cashier ran us down at the store next door to make sure we got them. Great food and even better service! read more

Yummy food, great service , only drawback is CASH ONLY! Other then that great , I love their soups and steak dishes

This is a real hidden, hole in the wall sort of find. The clientele seemed to mostly be locals and many were Cuban (a good sign!). Now, I can't say that I'm any sort of expert on Cuban food. But from my limited judgement, BEST CUBANO SANDWICH EVER. It was warm, savory and a tiny bit gooey from the cheese. So delicious. The plantains were also amazing; the perfect sweet compliment next to the cubano. The servers were very nice and extremely attentive. They even brought us to go bags when they noticed we were wrapping up the second half of our sandwiches (they're big!). The prices were super cheap. A relief. 5$ will score you a sandwich the size of your arm and an extra $2 will get you a plate of plantains. read more

I had a cafe con leche...looked at the menu...mostly cafe snacks but no pupusas:( Small place but REALLY GOOD COFFEE!!! read more

A gem is defined as something prized for great beauty or perfection . A gem is the perfect word to describe our experience at Mama's Latin Cafe. I went to breakfast with my beautiful wife who's pictures are shown in this review. We were served by the beautiful owner Gabriela and outstanding server daughter Elizabeth . Elizabeth's father Dagoberto serves up the best Cuban and Mexican dishes cooked to perfection . Their coffee was rated the best coffee in Fort Lauderdale by New Times Weekly Newspaper . The ham , cheese and egg omelette was prepared in classic Cuban style i.e. rich tasting, filled sky high and ever so slightly browned. (See photo ) The Cuban soft white bread was served warm and buttered. Of course we did not refuse the highly acclaimed cafe con leche! We are certainly going back . In my next review I will write about their tacos ( where else can you get 2.00 tacos !) and I'm sure to savor it with Dagoberto' own taco sauce. I will also try their home made flan ! So as the saying goes to be continued! read more

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I have been circling this place a few times and finally stopped in! A cute little hole in the wall that serves AMAZING cuban sandwiches and some tasty cuban coffee. It is a family ran restaurant and you can tell the heart in the the atmosphere as soon as you step in! Tip- They accept cash only. read more

I stayed at Hampton Inn Ft. Lauderdale Airport North Cruise Port Hotel. Must mention service is great and they checked us in several hours earlier. Their shuttle guy, "Hector" suggested Mama's Latin Café for Cuban food. We walked over after I called since I saw their hours were very SHORT. They use to close at 1 ish , I was told but they are now open till 4 p.m. I got the steak, onions with rice and black beans with platano ...sweet ones. Only $9.00! Its a café that you may have seen growing up watching "grover" in Sesame Street . Do you remember the pretend restaurant, kinda cheesy? Well this is like a rented space that is low low low key but the FOOD IS AWESOME! My background is of Puerto Rican food and so is my boyfriend. He loved it too. read more

We had the carnitas tacos, bistek meal with onions, rice, beans, plantains, a regular cubano and a pork sandwich. Delicious!! The steak was very flavorful as well as the carnitas. The tacos were very fresh and is the perfect size if you just want a small snack. The homemade hot salsa was amazing! The plantains were perfectly sweet and tangy. The lady at the counter was very nice even with the 12 guests she was serving. The business could probably hold 20 people. Overall, I would definitely come here again if our travels bring us back to Fort Lauderdale. For visitors, I suggest to experience and enjoy the local flavors!! read more

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Horrible horrible customer service. And very dirty place. The ladies at the front are extremely rude and talk to customers like we are trash. I ordered a ropa vieja and wanted to substitute the beans with rice and they said they couldn't do it. Even though I ordered from them many times before and they did it. They just handled it completely wrong. And told me "I don't care who you are we don't do that" in Spanish. So take your money somewhere else. This place is trash. read more

I love this place! Great sandwiches and Cuban coffee. Super reasonable. We come every year from wisconsin. read more

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My niece used to live near here and said the Cuban sandwich was terrific. She is right! It was delicious. The pork tacos are also very good. read more

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Four star is only because the place is a dive. They are absolutely fantastic. Family run, great service attention and most importantly great food. You can see the father cooking everything fresh through the pass through. Highly recommend. I personally love the pan con bistec. Have never had a bad thing. read more

In Ft. Lauderdale for vacation from Boston Ma, Looking for a quick cup of Cuban coffee. Found this place on Yelp. It was the absolute best coffee with excellent sandwiches & breakfast. Very friendly employees . Highly recommend. We will be back. read more

I came in for a Cuban and felt like the people were very nice, but the Cuban sandwich I ordered was very bland. The bread was not the type I would expect from a transitional Cuban and it just was not that great of a sandwich. They only take cash and not sure I would repeat. read more