So just got back from a first time trip to Miami/South beach. Of course we tried lots of Cuban places. Havana 1957 was our favorite and Versailles little Havana is a must do, especially for the coffee. So back in LA had a Cuban cuisine craving. This place is not very far from us so we tried it out. One thing to keep in mind, it closes at 8:00 pm...so we almost missed the cutoff. Overall we were satisfied with the food and the prices...will have to try a few more items to make a final judgment. Personally I thought the chicken dish and pork dish was a bit dry(the meat), but everyone else thought it was fine. I think if it would have been more marinated that would have solved that. Just a bit overcooked. Hopefully just an end of the day thing. Milkshakes, rice/beans, and plantains were great. Good place for Cuban food fix. Will definitely try again. Staff was great and the place was nice both inside and outside. Plenty of parking too. read more

Best place in town for lunch and dinner. Great great food. Amazing atmosphere and staff. I could go on and on about this place. AMAZING read more

Ordered the steak & onions ... excellent. The food and service was great.... I'll be back!

Oh, Mambo's... I really wanted to like you. After seeing it on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives as well as hearing good things from friends about the food, finally went tonight after years of having it on my list of places to try. The food was good, albeit a bit overhyped. Split the trio app, which was pretty good -- can't go wrong with fried goodness! For my main, I got the Cuban sandwich with maduros. I'd been craving a Cuban for some time and was disappointed -- the sandwich was hot, but the pork was dry and the flavors were... not quite there. The plantains were tasty though! Had a couple of bites of the roasted pork dish, which was probably my favorite of the night. Would definitely order that next time if I came back... which is NOT happening. The service I received this evening was the worst I've ever experienced. We initially had a gentleman who greeted us, sat us at a table and took our drink orders. (He was awesome -- I wish I got his name!) He let us know that the kitchen would be closing in a short while, which I thought was odd since the hours online said the place was open until 9pm. Nonetheless we tried ordering as quickly as possible. He was really friendly and helpful in giving recommendations. We ended up getting a different server - this time a lady, who ended up serving us the rest of the night and was really rude for most of the service. One of our party's order was missing a side (which was an extra cost) and she was dismissive about it, saying the dish was coming (spoiler alert: it never came). Also, we barely received our food a few minutes prior and had *maybe* two bites of our food and she came over and asked if we needed some boxes (uhhhhh...). Clearly she wanted us out -- even though there were a couple of other parties still dining in as well. The attitude she gave us was cold and certainly appalling... I couldn't believe it was happening. I never write a bad review, but this experience was one for the books. I really wanted to like Mambo's -- glad I tried it this one time -- but I'll be taking my business elsewhere. Hard pass. read more

The food here is so good! Always consistent and I love they have a good selection of drinks. The vibe is awesome and very much laid back. If you're lucky, you may catch some music acts along with your dinner. They have some yummy "dishes of the day" and when I'm not getting the Mambo chicken, their ropa vieja is really good too. read more

I've had this bookmarked for a while and was finally able to give it a try. I read all the reviews and saw the mixed feelings, there seemed to be a lot of people calling the roast pork dry and not flavorful. This is my takeaway -- pork wasn't flavorful, at some point I didn't know if I was eating pork or chicken. However, if you mix everything together and form the perfect bite then all is well. Plantains we're great and had a little crips to them. Rice was moist and flavorful. Beans were good. Make sure to ask for salsa, I drenched the pork in it. Empanadas we're very yummy. I went with beef. I would definitely come here again, but it wouldn't be top of my list. Bummed about that because I really wanted this spot to be a home run. read more

Ok chicos and chicas I took my husband to have dinner for his bday and I have to say I am giving This restaurant 5 TOSTONES aka delicious plantain chips I have to say food is delicious it's like home made vives . We had the platter with all the goodies Appetizer so good!!!!!!! the garlic steak And my husband had there Spaniard chorizo sandwich on Cuban bread to die for ! Wait the chicken Chicharrones took me back to when I was a kid ! But to top the food ! They provide the best FFAS Fast Friendly Amazing Service my husband got a piece of the Flan the owner makes it was so good I wanted to take my shoes off lol cause my toes curled . My fav Cuban restaurant but don't take my word for it Get in your car and drive out to mambos cafe get you some dinner or lunch ! You are welcome The foodie hunter weeeeepa ! read more

So delicious, always excellent and friendly service! I wish I could give more stars. The place is so beautiful clean, and has the best music, and Cuban vibe. This is the best home made Cuban food you will get in LA. I have Cuban family so I am very particular. We have been coming here since I was in elementary school and I hope they never close! Their bread they serve with salsa when you are seated is the best we always devour it! I can never get enough of the salsa. My usual is the breaded steak, rice and beans and I love to squeeze a little lemon on my steak. My son loves and always gets the Cuban sandwich. I did move away from the this area but we frequently come back whenever we are craving Cuban food! read more

This was my first time dining at Mambo's, but my husband had been there several times. This place was awesome. Amazing service and food. The owner was so nice and accommodating. Totally recommend this cute, cozy, family owned restaurant. read more

The potato ball things are way too big and not that moist or tasty. I like a steak from here. Feel like the rice and beans and menu in general used to taste a lot better. read more

Hours are wrong. Showed up before 6. Says it's open until 7 already closed. Blergh. Maybe the food is good. We will never know.

This is just okay Cuban food in my opinion - I have not been wowed by this place, and the prices are a bit high for what you receive. I got the rope vieja the last time I went - the meat was a bit stringy and dry, but the rice was good and I loved that the sauce drenched the rice. The plantains were just ok, and I love plantains, especially the ones that are soft and juicy. These were a bit dry and not sweet. The beans made my stomach hurt. Overall, I believe there are better Cuban restaurants out there. read more

Sooo goood. It's remind me my home country. I loved it and will go back soon. Thank you very much Maye read more

Too much to say from the food and drink to the owners. I've known them a long long time. The best Cuban food around!!!

As seen on The Food Network, this place is absolutely amazing! During such a terrible time in life (due to COVID), the roast pork, cuban sandwich, and breaded chicken will certainly make your day substantially better. Not to beat a dead horse but as you can see, their roast pork speaks for itself. Juicy, tender, and absolutely full of flavor. Dollar for dollar, pound for pound, it doesn't get any better than this! Bc of the COVID restrictions, I've had to get my order to go but it's still absolutely amazing and delicious! The people here run a really tight ship because the food quality is always so very consistent and the people here are all very nice polite friendly and helpful. Ive read that it's a family ran business and you can tell by the high quality of food and service! Can't wait to be back again! read more

Mambos chicken with side of tostones & black beans was DELICIOUS. Came with lots of rice and plate could have easily fed 3. Will go again and again. Will have to try other menu items. Service was lovely! Only downside is YELP app said opens 11 but was still closed when we got there at 11:30 on a Thursday. read more

If you are in the area and looking for a good lunch or dinner i don't think mambos will disappoint, my two go to's are mambos chicken or mambos spicy chicken. It is in an old converted gas station, small inside, but not tiny. I have only eaten lunch and never been during a dinner rush and don't know how crowded it may be. But the food and service has always been very good. read more

... love this place, and have for years! bfrom the maduros to the chicken to the various desserts, the food and service is superb.

When a friend from out of town suggested we have Cuban food I called Mambos Cafe in hopes we could make it for dinner -- it's a really cute place tucked away in a corner of Glendale -- they actually waited for us to show up and brought us the most delicious cuban fare we could hope for -- I loved my tostones and grilled chicken with a Cuban twist -- the fried yuca was also delicious. My friend and I had a nice get together complemented by our great dining experience and we truly enjoyed the food, so I recommend this neighborhood cafe highly -- and wish to thank them for waiting for us -- I hope to return very soon! read more

Authentic Cuban food! Love this place! Small and informal and terrible parking but worth the effort! Super nice people too!

Super friendly staff. Food was prepared and quickly ready for takeout pickup. Good portions. Cuban sandwich was a bit on the bland side and meat was a bit overdone but pork dinner was really good and plantains were perfect! All in all, would return. read more

Went for Sunday lunch with my family. Every bite of food was freshly made, veggies super crisp and ripe. I had the cuban slow roasted pork, was absolutley tender and bursting with flavor. The Sangria was made with fresh fruit and paired perfctly with the pork. My wife had a steak sandwhich with crispy flat plaintains instead of bread and loved every bite of it. Our waiter Gary was super friendly, patient and reccomended an incredible freshly grilled shrimp, avocado, lemon, tomato salad that was the best thing I've eaten this year. If you like Versailles, you will love this place. Parking is very easy and abundant, very safe and clean neighborhood. They have live music on Tueaday nights so thats a nice bonus. All in all just an amazing experience, great food,amazingly nice staff, the prices were shockingly affordable for such a nice and classy place. If your hungry its worth the drive no matter where you live, you'll be glad you did. read more

3rd round of cuban in a month... Versailles and El Floridita were the other two. From the outside, Mambo's looks like a rundown shack, in the inside -- quite eclectic really. Quaint, tasty beers, and homestyle cooking at a reasonable price. If you like pork, you've come to the right spot. Black beans, slightly flavored rice, and plantains... Just your basics but they're done with a homestyle feel that blows Versailles... Yea I said it... OUT OF THE WATER. read more

My boyfriend and I ate here last weekend and he warned me that the restroom was out in the side of the building, so that already made the place not feel as nice as other restaurants. The bathroom was clean, but the design and location made it feel more like a gas station bathroom. We both ordered chicken dishes and boy was that a mistake, lol! I ordered the fajitas and he ordered the chicken sandwich. When our food arrived my boyfriend told me his fries were cold. I also noticed his bread looked squished, but he said the bread was fine. But then he mentioned that his chicken was tough. I got scared because I also selected chicken, but I took a bite of mine. As I ate it, I really had to chew! I hate wasting food, but when I was done half of the chicken was left on the plate and there was no way I was keeping it for leftovers. It just seemed like it was leftover leftovers, reheated too many times. Really not good! Neither of us mentioned this to the waiter because we didn't want to send our whole plates back since it was edible. In retrospect, I think that would've been a good idea, because I got hungry again later that night. I had just been really hungry when we arrived there so once the food arrived I gave it a good effort to get down what I could. There were also some good qualities about the food that I want to bring up. The black beans were very good and the plantains were absolutely amazing! They were the first thing gone off of my plate! I wished I had gotten more like some other Yelper suggested. The service was also exceptional! The waiter was fast, friendly, and knowledgable about the ingredients and of gluten! That was great! Overall, the meal did not make us sick and the service was so good that I wish I could leave a better rating, but that chicken we ate was just too tough to get down. I'll be in no rush to return. If I do, I'll stay away from the chicken and remember to get black beans and plantains. read more

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Prices are kind of expensive but the food is tasty. The maduros are the best!! Just the right amount of plantain sweetness :) I also really enjoy their bowl of black beans with a hint of garlic. On Thursday nights they have a love jazz band playing inside the restaurant. On this particular night they stay open way passed 9pm read more

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So I realized that I have been going here for years and I have not shared how delicious this place is. True authentic Cuban food, 5 stars, and worth every penny. I order Mambos chicken , which comes with a large Breast, white rice, cooked bananas, black beans..they serve you bread and salsa to start you off and you can't forget the lemonade ... wow!! I have ordered a few dishes and NOPE never disappointed!! Mambos is like going home for lunch or dinner. And if you need to wait for a table WAIT , it's worth it, oh ya I am crazy I have to have the avocado salads too lol but guess what I eat it ALL! read more

Mambos Cafe - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

Upon entering, it looks like something out of 60s diner decor. It also has pictures of people on the wall but make no mistake, the food here is very good for the price. They give you sliced Cuban bread with hot sauce for starters (See pictures). I ordered the sampler @ $11.95 (the first thing on the menu, also see pictures) to get an idea of how the food was here. I like the potato balls, they were a bit better than Portos. They were a bit bigger and not as greasy. The beef enpanadas were also very yummy. All of the food here tastes homemade. The garlic sauce is incredibly strong! My friend who works for the mouse ordered their roast pork entree @ $9.00, which I might add, was one of the best I've had. Service was spotty at times and they ran out of desert, which we found out after finishing the meal, that was my only gripe. read more

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I've called 3 times over the span of a week explaining the issues on the delivery apps they use. The same reply is 'oh man I don't know what to tell you' I would think a note to whomever is up top that you're missing customers or at least lie to me that it's an issue your team is working on seems a better customer service reply. I've been here a couple of times pre COVID bring it was delish, but ordering post has been the biggest let down. Clearly I'm still trying to support the biz during these times but if they don't care, I surely won't bother trying anymore. read more

This Cuban sandwhich was full filling it was good everyone was friendly and helpful. The scenery was ok. Terrible parking. Don't ask the waiter to hold the mustard because apparently the mustard has to be added to the sandwich or the bread is pre made and they add mustard to it before hand I dont know, I just thought it was ridiculous. read more

Mambos Cafe - Cuban Sandwhich - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

Been years since we've been here. Was looking for something healthy and close to pickwick for bowling night and came across these guys! The food is amazing and they were more than congenial to accommodate my dietary restrictions. My husband had the mambo chicken it was amazing! Support this hard hit family owned business in Burbank and be rewarded with great food! read more

Mambos Cafe - Mambo's family restaurant - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California

The food is totally bland and has zero flavor at all. Would not recommend coming here if you like Cuban food and have ever had it before. It's kind of sad tasting. Seems like the place either has had their day if they used to be good, or people in the area must not like food that is made with any flavor at all. Everything was bland and dry and soggy. Kind of gross to be honest. read more

I love this spot. Beautiful family. Amazing staff. A gold mine spot. Family oriented . Great food. Feels like you are at your family get together. Highly recommend Mambo's. Love you guys ! Zee read more

Great food. Great service. Prices are great and the owner Raul is very attentive, accommodating and the Man. Gonna make this a weekly spot.

Another one of those restaurants you pass by and wonder about. Well I finally tried Mambos and it was good. Lunch time, pork, arroz and black beans, plantains and table bread. Big portions filled me up. Nice ambiance with portraits of stars who's visited Mambos. This was my first time, will return soon to give them another try. Great service. read more

One of my favorite lunch spots. Amazing food, great vibe. I recommend the breaded steak and also the cuban sandwich with ham & shredded pork is fantástico read more

Being on the Food Network, I had been wanting to check this place out for awhile now. Last Saturday I was able to do so with my sister and brother in law. We came in for lunch and ordered the Fried Yucca, Mambo's Cari-Bean Salad, the Roast Pork and the Picadilloskar plate. The Fried Yucca was good, I mean its a fried potato, whats not to like? My Roast Pork was ok, a bit dry and even though it was in some type of garlic sauce, was a tad bland for my taste. I actually preferred the rice and beans it came with as a side, more than the actual entree. My sister really enjoyed the vegetarian Picadilloskar the waitress recommended and my brother in law, who comes here often, always enjoys the Cari-Bean Salad. I'd come here again but I don't think I reorder the Roast Pork, I would definitely try something different. read more

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I am so disappointed I've tried the authentic Cuban food this place sucks the flavor of the food so disgusting no flavor at all so simple I do not recommend this place at all ....., read more

Even though I have worked near Mambo's for over 3 years, I had not been there until recently. This is some Cuban food that was pretty delicious. I had one of the pork dishes and it had great flavor and was tender. Prices were relatively reasonable, so happy to return one day. The service was great and very attentive. We actually called to reserve a table in advance, and it was waiting for us with waters and set. Fast food, good quality, reasonable prices, and good taste. Kind of everything that one is looking for (if you like cuban food :-)) read more

My friends and I went for a Sunday brunch. They had plenty of available seating. Their service was attentive and friendly. They had vegetarian and vegan options available. I got their soy based picadillo and it was delicious. Their beans and rice are safe to eat for vegetarians/vegans. They only regular milk for their cortado and other coffee options. I hope they provide non dairy options. read more

Thank you Mambos and welcome back am sure the neighborhood is excited to have you open again. The food was delicious today. read more

Mambos Cafe - Latin American Near Me - Glendale, California