Mambo's sits diagonally on the corner of Western and Victory in Burbank. There is a small parking lot, a patio for outdoor dining, and a couple of tables inside with a bar area that looks like it used to be part of an old diner.
The restaurant was dark inside and the service, although quick was not particularly friendly. I felt like the waitresses were friendly to most of the other customers but I also felt like when we walked in, we walked into a party we weren't invited to. It seemed to be a restaurant full of regulars.
The menu had a lot of foods on it that I was not familiar with and no descriptions. It ended up being very blind ordering. It didn't look like anyone in the restaurant was still eating so we couldn't even see any food before we had it. I ordered the slow roasted pork and it came with white rice, black beans and maduros. I had no idea what maduros were, but I decided to risk it. Another person I was with got the Beef Picadillo (we didn't know what picadillo meant) which came with the same sides. The third person got chicken with avocado and salsa that came with salad.
When our food came (very quickly) we learned that maduros are fried plantains. The roast pork I had was very moist and delicious--although a little bland. The white rice and black beans were nothing special. The beef picadillo was a mixture of ground beef, spices, and green olives. I thought it was really flavorful--but the flavors were very strong. The person that ordered it didn't actually like it and so I ate most of the beef and reluctantly passed over some of my pork. The chicken dish sounded like it was a little dry and nothing special.
The prices on the meals were good. I was very full when I finished eating. I think I would go to Mambo's again, but I might climb out of my shy shell and ask the waitress what some of the other menu items were so that I could try something a little more Cuban.
Mambo's Cafe
1701 Victory Blvd
Glendale, CA 91201
Map
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