Mana Escondido Café

Can't believe it was my first time here! It's a small shop that's very loved by regular customers. I came to grab a quick lunch and there were people in and out. It was clearly my first time, but one of the workers were very helpful with explaining to me the menu.I got a sandwich, a side, and a pastry for under $20. There are a few seating options.I loved the TRIPLETA SANDWICH. It has three meats- ham, roasted pork, and steak. SO GOOD. I love that instead of bread, it's with sweet plantains. They'll ask what kind of toppings you want, but I went with everything (lettuce, tomato, onions, etc). It's very messy to eat, so it comes with a fork that will be used shortly after a few bites. This is a great spot for lunch. There are some other things I want to try next, like their breakfast options (only 9-11am).Will be back to try more authentic dishes!!

What up Boston. After a lot of kind of tourist food, i wanted to try a local small business for dinner and saw that maná escondido cafe had some legit reviews!came in Saturday evening around 5:45. there were 2 other parties that ate alongside me. i was greeted with a smile at the counter and i asked the woman what was the best thing to order. She recommended the beef stew combo and i decided to get an empanada.the food came out very quickly and i dug in. First off, and really my only negative for the place... my food was lukewarm at best. i prefer my food to be hotter and i think when the temperature is hotter, it gives the impression of freshness.in terms of taste, it was all really really good. i'm a sucker for any kind of meat and rice plate and the beef and potatoes was flavorful along with the rice and beans. i also love plantains and these were nicely fried. the empanada was so-so. not a lot of filling.overall, i love my small businesses regardless. definitely give this place a try

I use to love this place until they made me feel unwelcome because I am a service animal. When they told my mom they couldn't allow dogs, she kindly told them I was a service animal. At this time, he insisted I had to provide "paperwork" proving my service employment or I had to leave... please see Massachusetts state law below, taken from Certification"Assistance animal owners in Massachusetts are not required to possess any certification or identification." However, "[a]ll dogs, whether pets or assistance animals, need to be registered with their town/city, but there is no official registry of assistance animals."Primary service animal lawMGL c.272, § 98A Physically handicapped persons with dog guides; public places or conveyances, penalties for denying accommodationPlease do not continue to deny people their right to enjoy your food with their legal service animals. It made me feel uncomfortable to go back :/ and is incorrect... For reference, I am a 5.5lb shih tzu and I have a service dog tag, but I am not required to wear it.

This place is awesome. Food is absolutely incredible and really well priced. Service is pretty quick. There are a few tables inside where you can sit and eat. I wish I could eat here every day!

I don't even want to write about this place because I I wanted to be My Little Secret, but if I don't share, am I really a true friend? So I've been craving Puerto Rican food for some time now, and I was Googling some places, and most of the places that came up were places I had already been to except this one. So I drove there from Belmont to be welcomed by the cutest woman, and she is so sweet. They have a board which has tons of options for food, or you can order from the buffet which is two types of rice, beans, pork, different variations of chicken, different variations of beef with potatoes and carrots. They have pastelitos and everything you can possibly think of as far as Puerto Rican food. She was so freaking sweet. It just made you want to stay there. They do have a few seats to eat there. I took my plate to go. I don't know how far I got because I started eating it as soon as I got in the car. I couldn't stop you, didn't either, but someone needed my parking spot, so I did. I kept telling my daughter to hand me some of the sweet plantanos while I was driving. It was just too good, there's plenty of street parking. You have to stop by here, show her some love, and really try this food because it is amazing. Oh, and most importantly, there's a variety of hot sauces, and the Sriracha one is the perfect amount of heat.

This place is a gem! Real small place most people only get food to go. Everyone is friendly empanadas and this sandwich pictured I forgot the name but it was absolutely delicious! Flavor is perfect very fulfilling I loved this place

Ordered half the menu for my first time trying and man was I not let down by anything! The standout was the tripleta sandwich, easily could have eaten another 10 of them based on the taste. The older couple working was also extremely kind and attentive. Will be back and have told others to go already

Food is very good. The people running the restaurant are pleasant. A family atmosphere for sure. Clean as well.

I really love this place. The service is always so kind and hospitable, and the food is amazing every single time. They're a small business, so please support them. This is fantastic for all kinds of people, especially college students who are looking for a cheap but filling bite.

Nice people, nice small interior. I got the chicken fritura, the shredded root stuffed with beef, and yellow rice w/ peas. First two were great, rice might not be everyone's style but I loved it, very cheap as well.