Great Cuban restaurant! Recommending to everyone. Nice family owned place which is refreshing in the sea of chain restaurants.

So I'll be honest and say Yelp has spoiled me. I now will NEVER step foot into a place with less than a 4 star rating. My fellow Yelpers with the help of Triple D, Best Thing I EVER Ate, Tasty travels etc. have yet to let me down. I visited Mambo's because of Guy Fieri and everything from the roast pork, to the plantains, black beans and tostones were all delicious. read more

Well, the service and the quality has gone down really low. Food took too long. Once the food arrived, it wasn't even hot nor was it warm. I order ropa vieja, way too much sodium. Our waiter was not even friendly. His service was very lousy. He kept bumping into me and didn't even bother to apologized. And the table next to us waited quite sometimes to get their utensils even though they got their food faster than we did. I'm just going to leave it as is. Never ever going back there again. read more

Randomly stumbled upon this gem and it was delicious! I came for lunch and had a sandwich and plantains, which hit the spot. You gotta try it! read more

We love this place! Until we moved recently, Mambo's was a go-to. They're so sweet and accommodating. Always cheap, fast, and delicious.

The decor is cute and the service is decent but I did not enjoy the food. The ceviche was old. There's only so much like you can add to try to make it taste better. On top of that it's overpriced for the quality of food you're getting. The restaurant has a parking lot. read more

Was out on a site visit for a company event I was organizing and my HR manager suggested we have lunch. I can't believe I didn't know this amazing place existed in Glendale. The parking lot is a bit small, but we were able to find a spot. You walk in to a very cute and spacious restaurant. It's small, but the high ceilings make it feel bigger. We were immediately seated in a small corner table for two and our drink order was taken (outside seating is available as well). Looked like it was a family ran business with lots of regular customers because the waitress (an older woman) knew a lot of the customers by name. I ordered the grilled chicken breast with fried plantains, rice, Pico de Gallo, and beans. The chicken was perfect and so were the sweet friend plantains; but the beans mind blowing. I could have ordered a whole bowl of just beans and rice as a meal. They were the best part of my meal (not as good as my mommas though). The menu has a lot of choices and I need to go back to try something new. Or maybe I'll go back just to eat the black beans! This place is a must try if you're in the neighborhood though! read more

Mambos Cafe - Shredded Beef - Forgot the Name - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

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Mambo's is my favorite Cuban restaurant in town. The ambiance, the service and the staff make you feel right at home. There was a slight mistake in our order and the staff went above and beyond to make up for it. Shout out to the staff Aracely and Mauricio who make me want to come back (they deserve a raise imo!) The staff really appreciate their customers :) I genuinely love this place and hope everyone gets a chance to try their tostones rellenos con shrimp, sangria, ropa vieja sandwich and arroz con leche! Bomb and classic! Thanks Mambos! read more

Mambos Cafe - Tostones rellenos con shrimp! Perfect for this Father's Day! - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

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I was very disappointed in this place, the food needed or lacked flavor, they do have good service but other than that I wasn't impressed sorry folks read more

Tried this place after I was told it is good Cuban food. I'm originally from South Florida, which is essentially the heart of Cuban food. To be fair the staff is friendly and on top of their tables. The issue I had was the food. At the beginning things where going well, the bread and sauce was good and also they way they provide water was interesting. When it came down to the food, the fairy tell ended. I ordered a pork plate, which came with rice and beans and fried plantains. The pork was too crispy in general (over cooked) the parts that where not crunchy did have flavor. The rice and beans where a let down. No association to authentic Cuban food? The fried plantains, too me appeared they came from the pre-cooked frozen kind? All shaped identically and the flavor that just says frozen. I'm always on the hunt for good Cuban food. La Cubana in Glendale has this place beat, but not by much as some of their dishes are too greasy. FYI - I've driven past this place for over 10 years and have never been interested in trying it until someone mentioned it to me. I believe they need better marketing in terms of their sign. read more

To me average Cuban food! The service was great. The tostones is to die for. I got the breaded steak and it was just so plain. I would come back here to try other things. The parking was really easy. The bread was hott and complimentary read more

Never been to this restaurant was awesome had the ceviche then I had the mombo chicken let me tell you absolutely wonderful the Chile with the bread was awesome great tasting little spicy with big flavor not over powering this place Rocks my son had the Cuban sandwich said it was awesome coming back again soon staff was friendly and very nice great service -darryl I had the tops vieja and it was amazing. I actually got really quiet as I ate. Something my wife appreciated. My son had the pork sandwich and it was off the charts. Raul was super nice. Wish we lived nearby! -Darren read more

My only complaint for Mambo's is that it's not close enough to where I live! I've recently moved here from living in Florida all my life and in SoFlo there's so many good Cuban spots. Naturally moving to the West coast I knew it would be hard to find a Cuban spot (especially an authentic one), and I was right. I am not kidding when I say this was some of the best Cuban food I've ever had. I first ordered the Mambo's iced coffee which was so delicious. It was strong but not bitter, with just enough sweetness, and a hint of cinnamon to give a beautifully spiced taste. They give you a starter of expertly baked Cuban bread and a dipping sauce that will not disappoint your tastebuds. My main entree was their chicken breast, white rice/black beans, and tostones. Everything from that dish was cooked perfectly. The chicken was flavorful, juicy, and not dry patch on it. The blacks beans were some of the best Cuban black beans I've had in years. I was so happy that they didn't have a canned taste like some places do. The white rice was perfectly cooked and I could've ate a whole pot of that alone lol. Lastly was the tostones in which this Floridian girl was so happy to see! I don't see plantains around as much so it was such a pleasure to have some perfectly twice fried ones. The customer service was also pleasant, they checked on us just enough without being overwhelming. Everyone there was friendly and accommodating to your needs. The restaurant itself is smaller but I liked that aspect a lot. It reminded of some of the spots on South Beach. Small but full of culture. Overall, if you're like me and want some kind of Latin food other than Mexican food (which I love because I'm Mexican-American lol), then Mambo's is a MUST. Absolutely one of the best in SoCal. read more

We were traveling to Los Angeles from Chicago and saw reviews for mambo on a food show and decide to stop in and have lunch. The owner was so very nice and the food was excellent, the service was excellent and everyone of the staff members was very pleasant and went out of their way to make us very comfortable. We were able to try the soup dish that was not on the menu. We had the ceviche/plantain mix that was absolutely delicious I would definitely go back!!!!! read more

SOME OF THE WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE I HAVE EVER RECEIVED! I had been here once before with a group of friends for dinner a couple months ago. The waitress was less than friendly and talked down to us and acted annoyed when we asked what certain menu items were, but the food was pretty decent and we recently moved up the street, so my friends and I placed an order to bring home over the phone last night. Pretty simple: Two breaded chicken entrées (each with the veggie rice instead of white rice), an extra side of fried plantains and an order of Papa Rellenas. We go to pick it up and immediately the guy (with the tattoos) tells us that they ran out of veggie rice. They had my phone number and it would have been nice if they would have called and told me. I probably would have ordered with another Cuban restaurant instead. I told him that I probably wouldn't have ordered with them had I'd know, but it was ok, we'll deal with it. Instead of apologizing, he immediately copped an attitude and said he would cancel the order. I said it was fine, we were hungry and just wanted to go home and eat. He started ringing us up and gave my roommate (she was paying) the total. I told him that I wanted to check the food before we paid (pretty standard stuff) and he got really pissed off and took the bags from behind the counter and slammed them on the counter for me to check. I got to the Papa Rellenas, and noticed there was just one. I had never ordered this before, so I asked why there was just one. He said "Did you really think you'd get more than one for $2.25?" and I said that I had never ordered it before, and there were quite a few in the picture. He said "What picture?" On the website. Then he gave me a dirty look. The order was right and I had my roommate pay. He huffed and sighed the entire time. When we were done, I grabbed both bags and told him that I had been there before and liked their food, but due to his attitude, I would not be returning. He then tried to GRAB MY FOOD THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN PAID FOR OUT OF MY HANDS. I turned away from him quickly so he couldn't grab them and started walking outside. He followed me out, yelling at me (in front of a packed restaurant) and was acting very threatening. Everyone in the restaurant was looking, it was pretty embarrassing. When we got home and started eating, the rice was old, all stuck together and hard to break apart with our forks. The breaded chicken was extremely dry and the bread was stale. The only thing I really enjoyed was the fried plantains and the 1/4 of the Papa Rellena that I got to eat, since the 4 of us had to split it. There are far too many Cuban restaurants in that general area for him to be treating customers like that. It was a shame, because I can walk there, but there are three other Cuban restaurants on my way home from work, so I can just go to one of them next time I'm in the mood for Cuban food. Oh and to top it all off, the parking there sucks. read more

The food is excellent and great services.The owner, his wife and son are always there to be sure that you are having the best of the best. In my opinion the Cuban food that they prepare for you is outstanding. I have been there many times and we love it. I recommend Mambo's Cafe to all the viewers 100% . I had Cubans food many times throughout my life but Mambos Cafe super passed my expectation. read more

Feliz Cumpleaño Padre~ My father was born November 19th 1929 in Fomento Cuba. His 80th birthday. November is a really really stressful month for me. Sooooooooo many birthdays. From my mother, father to my wife. It is hard to plan not to mention very expensive as well. So be it that I was throwing a big party this upcoming weekend for my Wife's birthday on the 24th. I mentioned to my dad that I would be happy to take him out to lunch for his birthday on the 19th. My father is getting a bit old to hang out with us this upcoming weekend but 5 days after my wife's party is Thanxgiving and he will be in attendance for the Holiday. Lots of party planning and cooking to come~~ I told my father to choose wherever he wanted to go for lunch, My treat! He mentioned to me that the previous weekend he had watched the Food Network's Show "Diners / Drive-Ins and Dives" and they mentioned Mambos Cafe in Glendale, California. Now I watch A LOT of Food network every week, but I am really not a fan of that particular show. Either way though, Cuban food is pretty hard to find near where I live and it made perfect sense to try a new place out for the first time. Mambo's Cafe makes perfect sense in the scheme of the TV show on Food Network. A converted gas station with a few Diner style chairs at a counter and a dozen or so tables. The menu was a simple 4 page style be it that it was lunch time when we arrived. The restaurant does serve beer and wine, plus all of the standard Cuban fair like picadillo, papas rellenas, tamales, empanadas, croquetas, morros y christianos and of course black beans and rice. My dad had mentioned that the episode featured the famous "Roast Pork" and that is exactly what I went for. We started the meal with a couple of Papa Rellenas. This was the highlight of the day. They were homemade and very flavorful. My wife and I also got the Tostones con Shrimp Ceviche. Not the most Cuban of dishes, but an interesting way to fry the tostones and shape them into a cup to hold the ceviche. This dish was also very tasty. My father decided on a Media Noche Sandwich, which he had no complaints about. Good blend of flavors properly made. As for my Roast Pork, after tasting it the meat was just to dry, so I asked for a bit Mojo sauce to wake it up. The mojo sauce didn't help either. It was all acid and garlic and very bitter. I was a little surprised with both of these results. Mojo is such a Cuban staple. I can make it in my sleep and of course everybody has a secret recipe for it. The pork just did not carry enough flavor with or without the sauce. My wife got the breaded chicken. Although the breading was very flavorful, again the chicken cutlet was dry. On another note, the side dish which came with our orders, morros y christianos was really good. I solid tasting dish. Overall our first experience of Mambo's Cafe was just OK. If I am ever in the area of Glendale again, I may give them a try one more time. The restaurant is family owned, which I always cherish so much more than any big chain place. I am sure they work so very hard to put out great food. It just wasn't for me today~ So why did I give Mambo's Cafe a 5 star rating??????? I am slowly coming to grips that Parkinson's Disease is going to take my father's life someday. Hopefully not soon, but every meal is becoming increasingly more difficult for him to eat and handle with his hands. Which makes every time we go out to eat something to remember. Dinners were so special for my parents when I was growing up. They hardly drank, never smoked, but both of them loved to eat and eat. The hardest part of seeing my Mother battle Lou Gehrig's Disease 7 years ago was watching it take away her ability to eat. Parkinson's disease is no different. So I thank the converted Gas station turned Cuban restaurant with all the great photo's of Cuba adorning there walls for putting a smile on my dad's face for his 80th birthday. Having meals may become more difficult for him to do, but those great memories will live on forever. Salud~ ps May I live long enough to see Lou Gehrig's and Parkinson's Disease, not to mention all other brain stem disorders be cured someday~ read more

I'll start by saying that the staff was very nice, the only thing I do wish they did come around a bit more to check on us, other then that their service was ok. Now as for the food I can't say I was very pleased with that I got. I got the Mambo's chicken sadly wasn't as good as I thought it would be. The side of beans weren't the greatest they had a burnt taste to them, the rice was really good, and the fried plantains were good. read more

I live in the neighborhood and have been eating at Mambo's regularly for close to 5 years. My wife and I recently walked over with our dog for dinner on a Tuesday evening, which is one of the evenings they feature live music, but we were planning on sitting outside on the patio because of the dog and because the inside tables are reserved for patrons looking to enjoy the band. We arrived a little after 7:00pm and the restaurant was very busy, which is normal for performance nights, so all of the outside tables were occupied by patrons waiting to be let in when the doors opened at 8pm. We were happy to wait, and did so for 45mins. During that time we were assured that we would be given the next available outside table. Unfortunately, at about 7:55pm a table opened up and was immediately given to a party who arrived significantly later than us. While the table was being cleared, I even received a gesture from the host informing me that we would be seated at that table. After watching the other party sit down, I politely asked the host why the other party had been seated before us, and I was told that they were somebody's "special friend". As a regular customer, I found this disappointing and explained that we come to Mambo's all the time and had waited patiently for a table for 45mins, reminding him that the party they seated ahead of us only just arrived. One of the waiters then felt the need to join the conversation and tell me that the other party had "called ahead" which I knew was complete nonsense because I had been standing in front of the restaurant when they arrived and witnessed the entire conversation between them and the host which informed me that they were walk-ins and did not have a reservation. At this point, I went from disappointed to upset, which I let them know. They very half-heartedly apologized and told me that the remaining parties (who were simply occupying space until the band started) would be getting up soon to go inside, and that we would be seated soon after. This is when I had hit my breaking point, as I had waited far too long for a table, been outwardly lied to, and been given no real sympathy or assurance that they intended to remedy the situation. I once again explained that I had already waited 45mins and was incredibly disappointed and considering no longer coming to their restaurant. The response I received was an unbelievably rude and borderline sarcastic "ok" from the waiter who had undesirably barged into my conversation with the host in the first place. It is heartbreaking when a restaurant that is a neighborhood staple and a great place to take friends and family is affected by success in business in a way that causes them to be apathetic toward any of their customers, but this is what is happening to Mambo's. As a result, I will not be returning to Mambo's anymore, but in the words of one of the rudest, most unprofessional waiters I have ever encountered, I guess that's "ok". read more

What HORRIBLE management this place has. I have NEVER been treated the way they treated me at Mambo's Cafe. A friend of mine suggested it and said he's been there several times. We told the waitress that two out of three of us were just going to order beer for now and that I was going to order food and a beer. The owner came by and asked for our I.D's. This wasn't our original waitress. Then she said my two friends couldn't have their drinks without ordering food. She left without hearing/seeing our reaction. Keep this in mind, my two friends were waiting for me to get there and had ordered coffee & and espresso. A few minutes went by... then it dawned on us... the MAMBOS DECIDED NOT TO SERVE US ANY BEER UNTIL WE ORDERED MORE FOOD. Even though I ordered food and we told our waitress we would order more later (that's why we still had our menus). WHY DID YOU CHECK OUR I.Ds WHEN YOU DIDN'T PLAN ON SERVING US. Then we overheard the couple next to us saying their Iced Tea tasted strange and had to switch it out for something else. How can a place mess up on Iced Tea? I'm not sure what's going on in this establishment. They must be making so much money they don't care about taking ours... but they're not... only 4 other people were at the restaurant. They weren't at all busy and they just lost out on a minimum of a $50 tab, our money wasn't good enough. We ended up spending our money at a Story Tavern in downtown Burbank straight after (money well spent). What's worth it is making a report to the BBB for denying us service. How bad is it that our waitress had to apologize several times to us making up for the actions of such a horrible, wicked person who happens to own the place. They don't deserve a restaurant at all. read more

Firstly, this is Cuban food and it is far different from the Mexican food that most Angelenos are familiar with. The flavors are abundant and the meat is moist. Both Chicken and Beef dishes are very well prepared and properly spiced. Customer service is excellent. The live Latin Jazz music is a treat. Big kudos to Ralph (owner) for recognizing me as a semi-regular and coming over to greet me. This man knows the importance of customer loyalty and he expresses his gratitude in a very eloquent sincere manner. Here, one is treated like family and not like just another customer (pay attention Versailles and Portos). Whenever I am attending a function at LAEC, I always stop at Mambos and treat myself to one of their culinary creations. read more

Came and had a tasty lunch. The staff was friendly and the restaurant comfortable. Tried the grilled chicken and the Mambo's chicken. Both we satisfying. Finished with flan which was a bit grainier than I prefer but still enjoyable. All in all a nice Cuban bite. read more

Mambo's Cafe is a taste of Cuba tucked away in what is technically Glendale, but it's basically Burbank. My favorite is the roasted pork - garlicky, porky goodness. And the sides... Who knew that black beans and rice would overshadow roasted pork? Maduros - sweet, fried plaintains - to die for! When I feel like being penetant for my carnivorous sins, I enjoy their Picodilloskar - soy ground "meat" sauteed with tomatoes, onions, and bell pepper. Service is friendly. Atmosphere is inviting. Having said what I like about Mambo's, I have to go to THE DARK SIDE. ** Now, I'm just saying what I saw with my own eyes: One morning I was standing outside of a Smart & Final Extra, not too far from Mambo's Cafe. I saw a man wearing a Mambo's T-shirt that looked familiar from the restaurant, pushing a very full shopping cart. Packing tons of items into his vehicle: - packs of chicken - cans of things - huge tub of lemonade mix - who knows what else This kind of made my heart sink. I really enjoy the food at Mambo's but I felt disappointed that they procur ingredients from a Smart & Final. Yes, I know it's a small, family-owned restaurant, and this might be hard economic times, but I would hope that a place that has the ability to churn out great food can get quality ingredients from quality purveyors. When I think of great food, I don't think of Smart & Final. For a place that has been around for years, and has proven to be very popular, and has had media exposure on the Food Network, I would think that relationships with meat and produce purveyors would be established. Am I willing to overlook this and keep eating at Mambo's? Maybe. But, I'll always have this lurking in the back of my head. read more

Mambo's... You got some 'splaining to do. Why is it that the service here is so bad. I mean, not to make a racist remark, but I'm sure you could get from Cuba to the Florida Keys faster than you can get any resemblance of service out of this place. While Tostones rellenos with shrimp is one thing that I really love here, I really can't stand the service they got going. It's odd also because I generally don't like Rellenos all that much. So it's very good for what it is. I can't really suggest anything else. The chicken is really not great. Though I'm not much of a chicken person. I think the real kicker here is that Porto's is over just a bit and if I'm going to compare Cuban places and just have the thought that Porto's is just a small distance away, there's no chance I'm choosing this place over Cuban food at Porto's unless I'm in the mood for that shrimp rellenos. I also think the service, as stated is not great at all. Not even slightly decent. So it's just a pass or one of those try once and never again type of places. read more

Food was okay- the highlight was the plantain side dish. Service was awful! Waitress had attitude, service was slow, and when we tried to flag her down she was downright unresponsive. Food's yummy, but isn't eating out about the ambiance and service? Yikes! read more

Before you order anything else, the Mambo Combo Platter is a must. Tostones, chorizo, 2 papa rellenos, 2 croquetas, and 2 emanadillas...delicious. I was impressed with the music too and every Tuesday they've got live Latin Jazz going down. If you live in the area, you need to get on that. After the app, my GF could only muster enough courage to order a grilled chicken salad. I, with my machismo firmly in hand, went with the Bistek Emapanizado. To be fair, the restaurant was slammed so things didn't go as smoothly as I would have liked. But the owner is from Jersey, so I'm always going to give one of my own the benefit of the doubt. The salad was large and the bistek was equally massive. That's the thing I love about Cuban cuisine. They challenge your manhood with their portions. What many consider a meal, they may consider a snack. That's the kind of thing that really makes me happy. So where would I rank Mambo's Cafe among the Cuban greats in LA? I'd put them behind Versailles and Mi Conchinita. Versailles is just a beast and Mi Conchinita so thoroughly surprised me that I can't do them the disservice of not ranking them with Versailles. But Mambo's is a great family-run business that deserves a looksie... read more

I've been going to this place for years. They have good Latin food but they've always had very poor service. No smiles, they take a really long time and the room and seating is kinda cluttered. Come on Mambos! After all these years you should know good customer service is extremely important. I always walk out discouraged. Oh!! I went there tonight, the waitress was evil! I ordered the mambos chicken and she said "we're out" with pleasure. How do you run out of your signature dish??? read more

Mambos Cafe - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

Horrible, HORRIBLE, H O R R I B L E!!!!!!! I am shocked the previous reviewer was even comped by a free glass of wine considering the attitude of the staff at this place. Mambo's website claims their food is the best in Glendale. Sure if overpriced, dry, tasteless Cuban food is something you enjoy then yes, they are. I have been here twice, the first time the food was subpar and the waitress was incredibly rude. I thought I'd give it a second chance because this confirms I am a sucker for punishment. The second time the food was horrible and the waiter's attitude made the experience from bad to just plain terrible. It's one thing to run out of a side dish on a Saturday night but it's completely different when you are rude to the customer because of it. Don't fall for the hype just because this place was featured on an episode of Diners & Drive Ins. If you want great Cuban food go to Porto's or anywhere else that will be half the price and twice the flavor. Scroll through the reviews on here and you will see over and over again how many people mention the dry food and terrible service. Even the previous reviewer who defended the Mambo's and their actions mentions how dry the food was! Seriously, save your money and time and go anyplace but Mambo's, even I can cook a better Cuban meal then this place and I don't even know how to cook! read more

Ok, in reality its like a 3.99999999999999999 - but I round up. Went here on a weekday for a late (12:44pm) lunch, and here is how it went down: 1) Corporate America, this place qualifies as for all the 60 minute lunch people. They will get you out and on your way on time to meet your lunch deadline. 2) We walked in and saw the ominous sign "Please wait to be seated"... we were greeted within 10 seconds and sat down rather quickly. The guy was very nice and brought menus to us as soon as we sat. Took drink orders instantly! (Iced Tea is non-sweetened and flavored, I loved it) 3) We ordered the avocado salad which comes with onions to share as an appetizer, I didn't have any, but the table guests were very happy! 4) The place has some outdoor seating as well as indoor seating. The walls are covered by pictures of famous people who have eaten there before (I think...) 5) I had the breaded chicken, which was very tasty. I was happy with my choice. They take a filet of chicken breast, bread the piola out of it, place it next to some greens, with fried bananas and black beans. Its enough to fill your tank from a better part of your day! Chicken might have been a little too dry for my taste, but its breaded, what do you expect.... right? 6) Service was very quick, very friendly, and very good. They never let my iced tea get to the bottom. They even took precautions to make sure they didn't mix up the drinks when they took them away for refills. Big plus in my book! (You have any idea how many places mess this up?? Next time pay attention and see for yourself.... I always put my bendable straw upside down and catch them when they bring me the wrong drink) 7) Prices are very good! Lunch for 3 people came out to $45. I plan to grace this place with my presence again..... Thumbs up! TFR read more

Excellent taste, smooth service with excellent low key place. Service fast and friendly. Wow is what I can say..Kids love the first Cuban experience read more

Mambos Cafe - Um some Cuban grinz....today - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

Mambo's in one word? Overrated. My husband and I were itching to try Mambo's for months. We saw Guy Fieri stop there on Diner's, Drive In's, & Dive's and were drooling throughout the entire episode. If we didn't stop by soon we were going to burst. We went this past Friday night and the place was PACKED. Must be good right? Meh. Service was ridiculously slow. Most of the servers were behind the bar. One woman was making her rounds through the dining area and that was it. The hot bread and salsa they serve? The salsa was delicious (smokey with a kick at the end) but the bread??? I think they purchased it from Ralph's, sliced it, and threw it in a bread basket. I was expecting something more - hot buttered deliciousness perhaps - but we were disappointed. For drinks, I had the house sangria and my hubs had a Negro Modelo. His beer was just fine (obviously, it came out of a bottle), but the sangria was sweet and lacked any sort of punch. We started off with a pork tamale.. but I think they forgot the pork. The cornmeal was tasty, but I wanted meat damnit. It was MASSIVE, but didn't hit the spot. For our meals, I ordered the Mambo's Chicken and he ordered the breaded steak. For me, the chicken was ridiculously dry. The rice was good (it had a nice sweet flavor, very moist too) but the beans were ok (garlicky!). I had to eat beans when I ate the chicken simply for moisture. The Breaded Steak was alright. To me, it tasted like meat flavored calimari. That's the best and only way I can put it. I couldn't bring myself to finish. I'm with Cynthia A. - go to Versaille instead! PS - Guy Fieri .. this is the 2nd time you've disappointed me. Epic Fail on your part. Boo. read more

Went here on a Tuesday night. Did not know it was music night or what ever when I got there security at the door stop me but was having a personal conversation on his cell phone this was at 7:30pm after he finish he did apologize. But ask me if I had a reservation because the place was book. He told me I could sit on the patio. Told him it was find and I was waiting for the rest of my party 5 people more this is were it goes south. 15 minutes to bring me menu 5 minutes after that the rest of my party arrived and another 15 minutes before they take our drinks orders. The waiter was very nice. But the food was very slow. Almost 45 to 1 hour. Food quality average better off eating at any Cuban place. It's true I saw a lot of people deny entry to the place because it was full According to the security guard but the place was more than half empty all the time. We left after 8:40pm. No more than 6 people with reservation went in. There was still room for like 60 in there but they won't let people in. The patio is ok but you would get the smile from the group playing that night and when you ask security to ask them to move away from entry way because smoke is blowing your way he plays dumb and says nobody is smoking.f read more

Really dry and no taste Mambo's chicken. I thought it would be as good as Miami -I thought wrong! Guy must have been stoned and tasted it with his stoner taste buds! Service sucked, too long to get the bill to get out! read more

While not quite an "expert" on Cuban food (or any food, for that matter) I did grow up in South Florida and have eaten my share of Cubans. I live only 2 miles from here and I can't belive I have never eaten here before. In fact, I didn't realize it was a restaurant until I searched it out. My 2 daughters and I had an early dinner yesterday and the place was rather empty. Like I said, EARLY. My youngest had the sirloin (palomilla), my oldest had the breaded steak (empanizado) and I had the beef picadillo (Cuban sloppy joe). I always order picadillo the first time I go to a Cuban restaurant; it is my guage. The picadillo here was awesome. It was less "saucy" yet more flavorful than most, with big chunks of garlic and green olives. Both of the steaks were completely gone by the ned of dinner, so I assume the were good. Both my girls commented at how good the rice was. It was perfectly cooked, slightly moist and tasty. Good portions, attractive interior, ample parking, beer and wine, beer and wine and beer and wine...all lead to a place I'll often return. read more

I'm crazy about them...I was eating the unauthentic food from Portos when I came across Mambos... Since then I have been coming to this super authentic restaurant... The potato balls are awesome and the chicken soup is to die for... read more

My friends and I came here because we saw it on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. I was pretty excited since Guy made it seem like the best thing ever, but I agree with other reviewers-- definitely overrated. While we perused the menu we were served bread and salsa. The salsa was smokey and not overly spicy. Kinda like Chipotle Tabasco but not. We ordered the Tostones Rellenos with Shrimp (Plantain stuffed with Shrimp and Pico de Gallo) to start. This was actually really good. The PDG was chunky and fresh and there was enough shrimp to go around. Probably my favorite amongst the dishes we tried but it's nothing extremely unique. It's basically a shrimp ceviche with plantains instead of chips. For my entree I had the Roast Pork which comes with white rice, black beans and maduros. I was a little disappointed in the pork. I thought it was going to be super tender and juicy but my pieces were dry here and there. I did enjoy the crispy edges though. The dryness made them taste a lil' bland so I asked for some hot sauce (they have Tapatio) and more of that salsa to juice it up. The rice and beans was seasoned, and both really tasty. The rice reminded me of the rice you get at Wahoo's or Baja Fish Tacos. The maduros weren't bad. I actually liked them a lot, but that could be because they were sweet and mushy like Filipino banana cue. I still chowed down cause I was hungry but I don't think I'll be coming back here. For better Cuban food I'd go to Felix's in Orange or Versailles in LA. read more

Oh Guy Fieri you steered me wrong on this one! In fact, this is the only DDD location that I have not enjoyed. The service was mediocre and the food was blech. I ordered the El Pedro...more like "El Poop-o." The chicken was fatty, greasy and bland. The pico de gallo was far from fresh. I am solely giving this place 2 stars instead of 1 because the fried yucca and the garlic sauce was pretty good. read more

I've had a lot of Cuban food in Florida and have been disappointed here in L.A. since most places have animal fat in their beans. This place has THE BEST Cuban food in Los Angeles!!!!!!!! read more

Terrible. If you're looking for less than adequate Cuban food and poor service, this is the place for you. I went to dinner here for the first time last night with 4 of my friends. We started with the mixed appetizer plate...nothing to write home about. Bland, bland, and more bland. But the real fun was the main course. I ordered 'the special of the day' - Pork chunk with shrimp fried rice. Bad enough the pork was dry and not very good but I noticed the shrimp fried rice had no shrimp in it. I made a comment to my friends saying maybe it was shrimp powder they used with the rice and not actual shrimp. But the table next to me heard and one of them also ordered that dish. Turns out he only got 1 small shrimp with his rice. So when the waiter finally came back to my table to check in us, I mentioned to him that there was no shrimp in my dish and my neighbor only got one in his dish. He went off to check in that. He came back 5 mins later and told me, 'Yeah, I mentioned it to them and they're sorry.' That's it. Nothing more. Not that I was expecting a comped entree but at least offer a free drink or dessert. Some kind of gesture would've helped. Bonus! Diarrhea to follow! read more

My husband and I went to Mambo's after we saw a segment on "Diners, Drive-ins & Dives" with Guy from the Food Network. From watching the show, it looked like their Roast pork and Tostones Rellenos with Shrimp was worth the drive to go there. So, TODAY actually, we ate at Mambo's. My hubs ordered the Roast Pork, and all I wanted was the Tostones. Tostones Rellenos with Shrimp is their take on ceviche--instead of a tortilla they used deep fried plantains. It was good, I liked it. My hubs and I were not too fond of their Roast Pork. It did not have as much seasoning as we expected it to be, and to top that, it was sort of dry also. We really liked their ceviche though. The acidity and saltiness of the pico de gallo and shrimp was really good. The contrast of the plantains and ceviche was very good. I would definitely come back to order the ceviche. read more