Las Palmas Cuban Restaurant — Restaurant in Mount Dora

Today was our second time visiting this place. Our first time we went about 45 mins before closing and the food was honestly pretty terrible. It was flavorless and did not taste fresh at all. However we chalked it up to it being late at night and maybe just a one-off, bad experience so today we decided to give it another shot. Boy do we regret it. We all ordered the Cuban cheese burger and while it was flavorful the meat patty was so, so salty it was hardly edible. Our server was Ali, she very slow in her service and was not attentive at all. She seemed much more concerned with conversing/flirting with some guy at the back of the restaurant than attending to her 6 top table. Half way through our food we decided we couldn't eat any more as it was just not palatable, so we asked for the check. We waited and waited and waited, finally my husband got up with the kids to go wait in the car while I sat at the table still waiting for the check. I waited and waited, all the while she's about 5 feet away from me just talking with her co-workers, talking with other guests. She sees me sitting there and doesn't say a word, no " I'll be right back with your check" or "sorry about the wait ". I honestly was about ready to just walk out. Finally I guess she decided she should probably go collect payment from her table, so she came over with a credit card machine. The first question on the card reader was about tip. Mind you, she's literally holding the machine, watching me. Now I regularly tip 20%-25%. I used to be server so I know how hard it is to wait tables. But I did not feel she deserved even an 18% tip, however this restaurant seems to want to make their patrons feel pressured into tipping well, regardless of the quality of service. I really do not like this practice and I think it's unethical. On a side note, this place really needs a deep cleaning. Everything is dusty and sticky and grimy and the decor is kinda all over the place, the atmosphere is really lacking and kinda tacky and messy looking. All in all, our second visit to this place was not a success and my husband and I both agreed we would not be returning here. If you're looking for a great place to eat in downtown Mount Dora, look elsewhere. I am also very curious if management will reach out to me with a response. Good management would want to learn more about my experience and try to improve their restaurant, bad management will ignore this review and continue offering bad service and poor...

We visited Las Palmas in Mt Dora after our friends wedding as they had made reservations at the establishment based on its location and old Cuba charm. Unfortunately, upon our arrival we were told there were no reservations logged. Thankfully we were only a party of 8 and it was a Monday late morning and we were the only patrons there. Even though they aware that this was a wedding party we were stuck in the grubbiest, tightest corner back by the kitchen where the servers constantly run in and out. It would have been much nicer to have been placed in the main beautiful dining room. What a shame. Again, the only patrons there and it took 15 minutes to serve the table water and an additional 20 minutes to get our drinks from the bar, which were horrible and poorly prepared and presented. The food, although it took 1: 45 minutes to receive was hot, and quite tasty. However, many of the meals were missing the sides and we had to ask multiple times to receive them. Frankly I’m not sure if the food was really that good or if I was just so darn hungry by the time it came gravel and tree bark would have been delicious. The used dishes on our table kept piling up higher and higher until our own attempts to pre bus became a magnificent but very precarious dirty dish sculpture resembling something that Pablo Picasso himself would have admired. Still not taking the hint that we needed the table cleared so we would have room for the special cake we had brought we reluctantly asked for the manager. Lo and Behold! Our server WAS the manager; at least that’s what they told us. Geri was very kind and apologetic and that I appreciate. With that said it still took us 40 minutes to get our checks and at that time the table was still never cleared and we were unable to have the cake we brought. Our experience there was far less than satisfactory and I doubt any of us will...

Masks required. Tables socially distanced. Extremely clean. Colorful, upbeat atmosphere. Great music. Front door is open, ceiling fans on, but not breezy or chilly.

After walking Mt. Dora, we were hunting for food. On Mondays, many restaurants are closed!! A hostess greeted us outside the restaurant and welcomed us in.

We had a wonderful experience at Las Palmas. A warm greeting, immediate seating, very attentive server. And, super clean.

The meal started with drinks and a basket of warm bread with 3 covered containers for dipping. A creamy garlic dip, red sauce, and oil. We could have finished with this and we would have been completely satisfied and no longer hungry!!

I ordered tapas - Papas Rellenas, plantains, yellow rice, and black beans. And a beef empanada. Way too much!!

The Papas Rellenas are balls of mashed potatoes stuffed with a ground beef mixture with a crispy, fried coating. Very, very filling. Not spicy, so perfect for me.

Sweet plantains which have a firm texture, warm. I really prefer plantains to bananas!!

Black beans and yellow rice - one of my favorites.

And, I forgot, a beef empanada which I didn't touch, but thoroughly enjoyed at 11 p.m. which helped me sleep through the night!! Crispy shell, meaty filling.

I always anticipate Cuban food as being spicy. It's not. Which is great for someone who is very susceptible to heart burn, which I never get from Cuban food. But, that doesn't make the food bland, it's not. It's flavorful. Subtle. I'd classify it as comfort food - filling, warming, satisfying....