Mambos Cuban Express Mandarin

Empanadas are stuffed beyond capacity. Coconut shrimp with the mango was yum.

I grew up in Little Havana in south Florida surrounded by Cuban culture so was excited when driving by I saw hidden behind trees as I waited in queue to get on the highway the sign that advertised a nostalgic cuisine. I had to come back after running an errand solely to try the food even if it was away from my original path. I was more so aiming for some nostalgic pastelitos. My wife went inside to order while I stayed with the kids. She ordered a couple sandwiches which I am glad she did because I will say, the guava and cheese pastelitos left a lot to be desired. My rating would have dropped to 2 stars. They were overpriced and did fulfill the nostalgic taste. The guava paste seems to have been sweetened with more sugar and not the sticky red paste I grew up eating at some of the best pastlito bakeries in south Florida. The pastry was thicker with more flakes than normal making it drier and instead of a glaze they added a thick layer of regular sugar. It did not taste right, it was overly sweet and not something I could eat in one sitting. The cheese was also missing in the taste overtaken by the guava paste which overpowered and overwhelmed the taste. The saving grace and why I might return however is for the cuisine. Wife ordered two versions of the pan con bistek. The toned down option was just bread, a good helping of steak and cooked onions, the bread was nicely buttered and decent flakiness the bread not exactly the same as I grew up eating but I think it may actually have helped, not as flaky and wider made it easier to manage. The sandwich gets a 4/5 on my book. The upgraded version of the sandwich however, that was a real treat and why I will likely return to try other items along with the sandwich. Same bread and meat situation and onions. But adding lettuce and tomatoes. It has been a whole and recall a crunch so likely the potato sticks as well don’t remember if the other one had it. But it was a phenomenal sandwich. It has been a few days and remembered to write this review because I still have those dreaded pastelitos but the thought of the sandwich persists. It is not hole in the wall of little Havana type of sandwich. But it reminded me of the more upscale Cuban restaurant in Miami Beach in the way the mixture of the ingredients added with a sandwich that is clearly made on a plancha causes the regularly cool ingredients to transform. The acid of the tomato that is released onto the sandwich combined with the relief of the warmed lettuce that remains partially crunchy but relatively juicy makes for a very gourmet taste. I’ve tried other well known Cuban restaurants in Jacksonville and this sandwich stands out. It competes with the better sandwiches I’ve had in south Florida and I highly recommend trying it. I just hope you have the same experience I did. One thing about Cuban food. It’s all made to order and whoever made this sandwich did a great job.

We went for a weekday lunch. The restaurant was clean and orderly. We’d already preplanned our order so the pleasant server got our drink and food orders at the same time. The orders came out in a reasonable time and tasted great. The Cuban sandwiches were very good and they came with a nice sized portion of battered fries. The sandwiches were substantial enough that we brought half of each home. I love me a good Cuban sandwich and this one was exceptionally good. The silverware was very clean, so we knew the utensils were new or their dishwasher was nice and hot; filmy cutlery is a sign of poorly washed dishes. Napkins on the table are a big thumbs up. The drink station was clean and orderly. We will surely return as there are other items on the menu that look good. Overall this was a great visit and we will be back.

Ambiente aconchegante , bonito e espaçoso. Servico excelente e é claro refeiçāo deliciosa. Consumimos Milanesa de frango e de sobremesa 4 leches. Delicioso!

Super acogedor lugar para un rato de buena comida ,buena musica y un buen compartir entre amigos . Recomiendo el dulce de tomate ,es una agradable mezcla del sabor de tomate con anis .

Hermoso lugar todos sus platos son una delicia quedamos muy complacidos La ropa vieja no se arrepentiran de probarla

It’s both a carry out and a restaurant. No breakfasts. Opens at 10:30. Good for neighborhood comfort food. Service was good. Mini croquetas were very good. Parking: It’s a little hard to find. It’s on the corner part of a small strip mall building.

I really enjoyed the food!! I love the cuban cuisine. Thanks