Cuban Restaurant El Tropical — Restaurant in Cape Coral

I was really in the mood for Cuban food tonight. After looking online, I chose El Tropical, called them up, and ordered mine to go. Breaded steak, white rice, black beans, yucca, a potato ball, sweet plantains and a beef empanada. Yeah, I went all out for $15 and change, but I expected to much on it for a couple days. When I got home, I grabbed a fork and spread out my own personal Cuban feast.First of all, I was bummed because they didn't give me the limes I specifically asked for. Breaded steak or bistec empanizado is always served with limes. No matter, I started on the potato ball. Pretty good. Crunchy, not greasy. The empanada was equally good and packed with meat. A little too much cumin, and surprisingly enough, what I thought were raisins, but none of the traditional olives. Ok, I'll keep an open mind. The rice was as good as any Cuban white rice. The beans were flavorful but a little watery. The yucca was delicious. Tender, garlicky and garnished with onions. The sweet plantains were good, but not the best in the world. Lastly, I tried the breaded steak. It looked like breaded steak, thin, not as crunchy as it may have been when it was just cooked, but a large promising portion. When I took my first bike, it felt grainy and overcooked and the flavor of the meat was definitely old. It had been around for a while. Like the taste of a freezer. I tried another nibble to be sure and yep, it was old. Oh well, there were other tasty things. I munched on the rest. When I was about ready to close it up and save the rest for tomorrow, I took 1 more bite. A spoonful of rice and what I thought was a crunchy piece of sweet fried plantain. I spooned it into my mouth, and felt the most curious crunchy sensation and my teeth cam together. What. Was. That. I spit it out, and it was a crunchy deep fried cockroach. No f-ing way. So, there you go. Old meat and fried roaches. And I drove 25 minutes there and 25...

I am Cuban and trust me when I say I feel bad for who ever eats here and believes this is good Cuban food no lie everything tasted horrible I ordered take out it was $51.00 with taxes when I got to the restaurant the lady at the bar asked for my receipt and added herself a $2.00 tip into my total. My original total was $51.00 AFTER taxes i ended up paying $53.00 and some change after she came back with my receipt why are you self tipping if my service was take-out shame on yall for stealing from your customers never going here again the place is dark is old is outdated is dirty the cups at the bar are dustier than an ac filter I was so upset that I got charged that much money for food made in a place that disgusting and like I said the food tasted like trash McDonalds would've been a better choice than this place. No lie save your money go elsewhere these people don't care about their customers otherwise they wouldn't self tip behind your own back if you still decide to go here watch your total because it will change I shouldn't need to tip anyone if my order is take out and I am picking it up well they lost me as a customer and I eat out every day I would've been a good paying customer but you guys stole from me even if it was a 2 dollar tip that the bar tender added for herself is wrong she didn't do nothing but walk 2 steps get my food and hand it to me and you guys didn't even make good food shame on y'all man no wonder this place is running itself into the ground a Thursday night and the place was empty I should've known better when I saw that but my food was already ordered by phone I was just there for a pick up I hope the owner knows his employees are stealing customer money and self tipping their selves this was yesterday Thursday August 31 like I said before just run away...

Placed an order through Uber eats. I ordered the Cuban sandwich the big one that is over $10 with Uber came out to over $14. When I receive the sandwich whoever made it forgot to put mustard and pickles so it was extremely dry. I called the restaurant and spoke to a waitress that says that she made it and was sorry that she forgot to put those items. I told her the same which was inedible and if she can make me a new one and have it delivered to me because I don’t drive. She told me that she would have another one made and brought to me by 1230. Well they never showed up and now when I called the restaurant I get a busy signal. Seems like they blocked my number. I will be in there eventually to talk to the manager because this waitress had no clue about what was going on and how to handle it. She didn’t know when the next server was coming in and told me that there was no manager in the restaurant. So who’s running the place I asked her and she said I don’t know. Great way to handle business whoever is running this place. Are used to go there years ago and the food was so good. I have to say that I was very disappointed and I will never order from...