Best Cuban sandwich I've had in years!!! Nothing in Florida compares to the deliciousness of this perfectly crafted Cuban tradition. I wish Melbourne was closer to me and that they didn't shut down in the late afternoon, which seems to be when I'm somewhat in the vicinity. Oh well, I look forward to the next time.

I recently tried the Cuban sandwich at el ambia, and it was absolutely incredible! The bread was perfectly toasted--crispy on the outside with just the right amount of chewiness on the inside. The combination of savory, tender pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard was spot-on, delivering that perfect balance of flavors you expect from an authentic Cuban. Every bite was a little piece of heaven! Soo delicious especially after a long flight!! The ambiance is also super cute and eclectic with Cuban items.

This is another excellent find in the dwindling retinue of excellent, true and authentic Cuban restos almost anywhere in the country. Don't get me wrong, there are some good ones out there, but they are becoming harder and harder to find. The El Ambia Cubano Cuban Restaurant in Melbourne stands up as one of the best Cuban Culinary traditionalists we've found in a very, very long time. Thanks to my daughter for turning us to this fascinating Cuban tour de force! As a family at the table, we were able to be able to savor quite a few items in their culinary repertoire, finding their dishes superbly prepared and presented. We made a point of starting up with the no brainer Mojitos for thirst quenchers. We then proceeded with appetizers of croquetas de jamon and empanadas - the croquetas were excellent, the empanadas were very OK! In the coming meal, we found how they extraordinarily mimic the genuineness in flavors, textures, aromas, style and presentation. It's been a long, long time since I've been able to discern and appreciate the most traditional of spices in Cuban cuisine like fresh garlic, aromatic cumin, delectable oregano, Bell pepper, Black pepper, Coriander, Onion, virgin Olive Oil and bay/laurel leaves, not to mention saffron (a little known but crucial spice in Cuban Cuisine) in differing quantities and combinations to render each separate dish its mouthwatering flavors. Our samplings included their house specialty, Ambia's Proprietor's fave, Hemingway Rice which is a Pearl of the Caribbean Cuban Seafood paella with a decent sized lobster tail on over the yellow rice, along with delicate and tender fish and shrimp prepared together along with sweet juicy plantains and a fresh salad. My Wife's Puerco Asado and congri and also with Plátanos maduros and salad was beyond excellent. Ambia's Flan is exquisite, and very Cuban, while wrapping the meal up with a few Cortaditos made the afternoon perfect. They've been around since 2009 apparently not only offering great food, but a Cuban atmosphere I've not experienced not years. Between their nostalgic décor, furnishings and overall welcoming attitude, excellent food and music, inside and outside seating in very Cuban-setting, Ambia is definitely A-1, 4-Star, y increible! El ambia (a Cuban slang for 'the friend') definitively makes them your 'CFFF's' - Cuban food friends forever!

I was in town from AZ and stopped by to get dessert, Great flavors. Only thing I regret was not staying longer to see the band

Having lived in Miami for the last 6 years I've never had a Cuban sandwich this good. And I've been too all the top tier sandwich shops in Miami. Even reheated it had every little ounce of flavor it did while fresh. Highly recommend.

Stopped here for dinner and music while staying in Melbourne. We had the tostones relleno , whole snapper, mojito , and the contra Fidel (surf and turf ) . The taste of all food was great . The surf and turf served up 'minute steak ' as the turf , not bad pretty good but don't expect a half inch cut of steak. My snapper was absolutely excellent . Great flavor and fried to perfection . Ambiance was nice , gentlemen playing an electric violin to some good Latin music. If o could I'd give it 4.5 stars .

I thought the food was very yummy and fed the little group of people well. My dad enjoyed the Whole Snapper and ate the whole thing. My Contra Fidel was yummy as well. The foods I enjoyed the most were the plantains and the enchiladas. The crispy delicacy of the crust mixed with the meat in the middle was delectable. The sweet plantains were the needed sweetness to add to the dish. The service was very nice and the live music added a nice ambiance for the meal.

Here today on travel. We came to the historic downtown of Melbourne. And found this little gem of a restaurant. Today we had picadillo, the house special dish, pollo asado (chicken dish-huge dish) and Masco( not sure if the spelling, de peurco. The different flavors were wonderful. The service was good. The mojito was on tart aside, but tasty. Thank you for the fresh brewed ice tea. Overall, this was a great grind in our trip to Florida. Thanks for the good eats....

A hidden gem! I have lived in Melbourne for 5 years and I never knew this Cuban restaurant was here! Got the Cuban sandwich, flan and a mojito which were all very good. This place definitely has a lot of personality (just reading the menu will make you laugh) and I liked the outdoor seating with a view of the canal. It was really busy when we went so the service was a bit slow, but that's just a sign that people like this place!