Xiomara

Been to the Xiomaras in Melrose. The experiences have always been unforgettable. Their black beans are just ""mouthwatering delicious"". The ambiance at lunch time is quite cozy! If you Love Windows and Sunshine that is the place to have a unique Cuban lunch. Of coarse my ultimate favorite and always will be is Their Mojitos! The most interesting thing about it is of course the glass. If you have been there you know what i mean. If not go check it out! BEST of ALL i got to make my own MoJITO! Pros: MOJITOS. FOOD< aNd GO with someone you care about Cons: Not Enough time more

went for lunch and the sandwiches are so good! the KETCHUP is homemade and it's fabulous! more

Great ambience but the food is bland.\r Four of us went on a Saturday night and although our waiter was friendly our food took forever to come out. \r All 4 of us were disappointed by our meals!\r It has a great atmosphere but we all decided we wouldn't return because the food was so tasteless.\r It's too bad because the menu has an interesting selection\r Pros: ambience, parking Cons: bland food more

This is the first resturant review I have ever written. After eating at Xiomara today for lunch, I decided I had to tell people about it. I work down the street, so I've eaten at Xiomara for lunch 5 times and dinner once. Each visit has left me feeling more and more contented. \r \r The service has always been attentive without being annoying. \r \r The quality of the food itself is suprisingly good. I've read a few reviews of this eatery that said it was expensive, they obviously have not eaten at fine resturants around LA, because Xiomara's pricing is well within reason. \r \r The appetizers alone are excellent. The Shrimp tamales with Lobster bisque sauce are to die for. Everything is so fresh and flavorful, it's hard to go wrong.\r \r Thumbs up!!\r \r \r Pros: Delicious, great service. Cons: I wouldn't take a large group to the small dining room. more

We went ot Xiomara on a recent Thursday night looking for something a little different, and we were not disappointed. From the moment we arrived and valet parked, the service was absolutely top-class. We took notice of the reviews here and had a mohito each, and they certainly lived up to expectations.\r \r The menu is really interesting, we'll have to go back at least another couple of times because we were struggling to choose. We started with spicy duck and the smoked chicken flautas, both were excellent; perfectly cooked and flavorful. We followed with a roasted pork loin (special for that night) and the bouillabaisse. Again, great depth and complexity of flavors, in particular the bouillabaisse broth had a rich and spicy undertone which we found out to be from a yellow chilean pepper we'd never heard of before.\r \r The wine list isn't extensive, but the waiter recommended to us a cabernet sauvignon from Sonoma which was really good and sat well with the flavors of the food.\r \r We succumbed to the sales pitch for the chocolate souffle with coffee sauce (and were glad we did) and rounded off with a couple of espressos. As we left, the valet had already been alerted and had our car waiting right outside. Great service and really interesting food & drinks- what's not to like? more

I've been driving past this place for a long time and had never even thought about going in. \r \r I'm sorry I waited so long to go. \r \r My friends and I got a great table on Saturday night. \r \r First off, although the Mojito has become the second-most annoying cocktail in the world, I HIGHLY recommend the version served here - our server told us they grind the sugarcane on site. Whatever they're doing, the drink's amazing - although very potent. The Sangria is also fantastic - it's not too sweet or fruity, and it complements the food perfectly. \r \r Although everything we ordered was delicious, the standouts of the night were the Seafood Chupo (spicy seafood soup that was unbelievably good - we kept picking at it even when we had other dishes available, and we ended up sopping up the remains with bread), and the chocolate souffle (once again, not too sweet and the perfect end to the meal). \r \r The staff were terrific, and I had a wonderful time here. \r \r I'll definitely be back, and soon. \r \r \r \r Pros: delicious food, professional staff, nice room. Cons: not a lot of choices for timid eaters, a bit on the expensive side for some items. more

Update: The Pasadena restaurant appears to have completely dropped the ball on service. The menu is really expensive and I dont think there is any value at all to dine here. The food is tasty but in the end.. leaves a bad taste in the mouth... Pros: Intimate, Good parking, Amazing fresh food Cons: EXPENSIVE, POOR SERVICE, EXPENSIVE more

5 of us went there for my birthday celebration to location on Melrose. I had went previously to the other location in Pasadena, no problems there but Melrose is a whole other story. Our waitress first off could literally barely speak any English her accent was so STRONG, secondly it too forever to receive our food, third the wait was so long to get our check that I almost called the restaurant from my cellphone in order to get the check but my husband ended up having to take the credit card downstairs to pay the bill. This is really, really bad service. I filled out the questionnaire at the restaurant and also emailed and called them to express my dissapointment and NO ONE has bothered to call to speak to me or email me back. RUDE more

This is a great restaurant! Outstanding food, wonderful ambience and good service. The downfall: It's EXPENSIVE. We had a party of four and the bill came out to $250. That involved an appetizer, one drink for only 3 people, 4 entrees, and 4 desserts. Good dishes to try: the spicy tomato soup, swordfish, tomatillo/cilantro risotto, &tres leches flan. The mojitos are really, really good too. Overall a great experience. I would go back for a very special occasion. Pros: Food, drinks, Ambience, Service more

4 of us went and disallowed ourselves to order two of the same thing. The taquitos with chipotle sauce are a MUST EAT! It's served with the sauce inside of a scooped out mandarian orange, and the sauce is the best chipotle I've ever had. The duck appetizer was also great, it had complex flavors that were enjoyable. I'd not reccommend the asparagus/potato puree soup, however. It's boring. For entrees, I had the strip steak with bleu cheese mashed potatoes. Everyone agreed I had the best plate on the table. It was awesome. The lamb shank was presented flawlessly. Seabass was good. Oh, yes and the mojitos rocked the joint. GO! Pros: FOOD, Ambience, Mojitos more

This is a fabulous restaurant. The decor is incredible. The mojitos are to die for. The food is well worth the wait. Have a drink and the appetizer and great ready to give your taste buds a treat Pros: food, mojito, decor more

After 9 years eating at Xiomara in Pasadena, I found Xiomara on Melrose even better. You have to know the Cuban food to enjoy it. It's simply wonderful. Mojitos are so exquisite you should control yourself when drinking'em. Xiomara has achieved an extraordinary combination of French, American and Latino cuisines. Congratulations, Xiomara. Pros: Wonderful Cuban food., Exquisite Mojitos, Great service. more

I have never taken the time nor had the inclination to write about a restaurant before. However, after dining at Xiomara on Melrose, I feel like expressing the pleasure I've had on my three visits. I've taken my family twice and once I dined at the bar by myself. The food was excellent and the waiters were helpful and attentive. My guests were delighted! The food is fairly complicated and takes a little time but that offers you time for a drink and a little conversation. I live in Hancock Park and am so happy to have this restaurant in my area. It's an exciting and rewarding experience. Pros: food, ambience, mojitos more