Tropicana Cuban Restaurant

Ordered Catering for Thanksgiving, they have an a la carte menu or packages for larger groups. Do not skip out on the mojo !

I really, really like this place. I moved to Austin from Miami last year, and I miss the coffee so badly. They make a great Cuban coffee. I've also had the tostones and they were excellent. The place was cute inside and had a little coffee/alcohol bar area (pick your poison haha). Lady was super sweet and did not make fun of my poor Spanish :) which I appreciated. I cannot stress how perfect their cafecito is.

Finding a good Cuban restaurant in Austin is HARD. Unfortunately, Tropicana just didn't cut it for me. Look, I'm not expecting Miami-level Cuban cuisine - I just want to be able to enjoy some of my traditional favorites. Let's start with how greasy everything is at Tropicana. From their Cuban sandwich, to the ropa vieja, to the vaca frita - everything is so heavily drenched in oil. The ropa vieja in particular tasted watered-down as far as flavor goes and even resembled more of a stew in the container they served it in. Honestly, the highlight of my visit was their mamey batido (fruit milkshake).The service was really good, though! Our waitress was very perceptive and considerate to speak to me in English despite both my boyfriend and FIL speaking Spanish when ordering. The shopping area in which the restaurant is located in didn't feel very safe that late at night, either. Looks like I'm going to have to explore further south of the city, since there aren't many Cuban options up north where we live.

Cute little place for lunch. I really enjoyed the sandwiches here. They also have some dessert selections in the case. Everyone was super friendly and helpful.

I was missing my friends back home, so I took myself out to Cuban food as a treat. My stupid GPS kept screwing up after that intrusive fema blast, and it took me forever to find this place.I was hungry, my foot hurt, and I was cranky after a call with my Dad, but this place turned my attitude around within minutes.The music is relaxing, yet upbeat and fun. The variety of drinks is fun. And my meal was perfect. And the server was very good at his job. I think my liking their food made him as happy as it did me.:)I also had a sneak taste of their new apple pastry with Carmel, and it was a perfect fall sweet.I'm toying with getting some Cuban sweets to take home...My only bummer, which I couldn't edit until now is that I felt I was drastically overcharged, but due to being tired didn't fuss with changing it when the server smilingly claimed the prices had increased from the menu. I didn't expect to get the 'gringo tax" and probably won't return. But it was tasty.

I'm actually stunned that I haven't reviewed this place yet, y'all! Before we moved to Austin, Cafe Piquet's in Houston was our total go to for our Cuban fix! My beautiful mama is a full-fledged Cuban from Havana, and I was born in Miami, so I came as close as I could! LOL! When we got to the ATX, I went on the immediate lookout for proper Cuban, and Cafe Tropicana IS. JUST. IT. FULL. STOP.We always start out with the mojitos, of course! They're fresh, minty, and never too sweet!Next, I always bogart a couple of orders of croquetas because I love them so. I drench them in fresh lime, and my eyes roll back in my head! So, SO good! For my meal, I usually keep it simple with the veggie plate because I'm traditionally SO stuffed from the mega-delish croquetas, and the veggie plate has a choice of yuca (I always choose con mojo), a choice of plantain (I always choose tostones), and arroz con frijoles negros (separado, always), and an avocado salad (to feel good about my caloric intake! Akin to everything under the sun, plus a Diet Coke! LOL!) It's simply perfect for me! My hubby loves him the lechon (he describes it as the ultimate comfort food! The slow-roasted pork, the onions, and the mojo together are "the stuff of dreams," says he!), but, today, he's opting for the Medianoche! He loves that SO much, too! It's identical to a Cubano, but with semi-sweet bread. Pressed to perfection! My beautiful mama also got a sandwich today (the Cubano), so our pics won't be the most diverse in the world, but trust me when I say that there is not a single bad thing on this menu, y'all! They're both happy as clams! We finished with the classic pasteles de guayaba y queso and, of course, the Cafe Cubano! It's all like coming home! Big love!Calling all Cubans! Run! Don't walk! YMMV, but, to this tiny Cuban family, this place is EVERYTHING and wholeheartedly Cuban mama-approved! p.s. Ownership has recently changed, and my mama has been just a TAD bit skeptical of some of the menu authenticity, but I still, and will ALWAYS, find it worthy of the five stars that I'm about to give it! Gracias, Tropicana! We love you!

Do not order delivery from this place. Twice they canceled my order with no explanation. Worst service to not even call a customer or give a credit.

Ordered take out from here for the first time! My boyfriend picked it up! It was easy and convenient! Ordered Ropas Viejas and Roasted Pork! Def recommend these dishes to all who dine in. Will be back for more!

Amazing food and decent prices. The Cuban cafe con leche is also sooo good! Very authentic, has a mom and pop feel to it so you know its going to be delicious!

Mediocre Cuban sandwich with sub standard ingredients, served with a very stale bag of Lay's potato chips. Thedining room is charming but worn. The service was very good. Prices are reasonable, but I would have preferred to have paid a few bucks more for a true Miami style sandwich.