Being in Tampa, there are times where all I want is some good ole' Cuban food. On the day of our visit, I was craving black beans, pernil and maduros for lunch. We came here because I knew we would get just that... and they definitely delivered the goods! La Lechonera reminds me of those little Latin cafes in Miami. The ones that are borderline just dirty but you go to them anyway because you love the food. Well, La Lechonera isn't dirty by any means but it has the same cafeteria style setup and the Spanish-only speaking staff that you would find in Miami. As you enter the cafe, you see the food counter with all the lovely menu items on display, which the staff serves to you in big, heaping portions. On the far left side, you have the cafeteria with tables alongside the walls and windows, and family tables at center stage. A few things can be guaranteed here: - juicy pernil (it is epic- you must try it) - big portions (literally had enough for lunch and dinner later that evening) - delicious fruit juices (with your typical Latin fruits like passion fruit, mamey, lulo, etc.) - an affordable price (super cheap, seriously) Another reason La Lechonera reminds me of Miami: the Cuban guy that was at the front counter. He spoke so fast and mumbled... I knew he had to be Cuban. My husband usually understands Spanish, unless its spoken from a Cuban to which my hubby cannot decipher even a word. No problem though, I was there to translate! This guy pretty much called my meal on the spot. I guess I had "pernil and a passion fruit juice" written all over my face when I walked into the cafe. All in all, a great meal was had here. One of my faves in town... and I'll be back to try the mofongo. ;-)
(4)
Ricky Z.
We ate " Carne frita " & " Lechón Asado " With Trifongo.. Carne Frita was awesome , lechón was not that good .. Needs more flavor . Trifongo was AMAZING & the portion, was so nice .
(3)
Gigi S.
I like this place because they are always fast and friendly. Most things are already made, or are quickly assembled. They have a cool array of sodas that no other bodegas carry cold as well. What I ate there was great, what I took home was well packed up for me, and stayed really hot. This place combines the speed of a fast food place with traditional lechon and puts everything behind the line where you can get up close and personal before deciding what to buy. Que yummy, I say! Arriba!
(4)
Meredith M.
I have been frequenting this restaurant with my family since I was wee and it has never disappointed me as it did recently. My roast pork sandwich was very dry, though it still tasted alright, it was a chore to eat. It was a little late in the day so perhaps the pork was more dry than usual because it had been sitting too long (that's kind of a terrible excuse though). The plantains were tasty and caramelized deliciously, happily improving my outlook of the meal. Octopus salad (which I tried because of a yelp review) was mediocre, unfortunately. The pus was tender but I think whoever cleaned it may have phoned it in.
(3)
Jason P.
20 bucks got us roast pork with yellow rice, black beans, and yucca, breaded steak with toooons of fried plantains instead of beans and rice, a papa relleno, and tres leches cake. Everything is delicious!! I'm a happy guy!
(4)
Ben N.
TL;DR - my go to place for quick latin food in seminole heights Modest price increases since I've been coming here but they've used that money to update and refurbish their restuarant. Quaility has stayed consistent Cubans sandwiches are now $3.50 Dinner plates are $6+
(4)
michelle l.
Awesome Latin buffet with great staff. After readingg the reviews, I had to try the pork. The lichen asado did not disappoint. It was well seasoned, and the chicharones were fantastic. I was also delighted by the vast amounts of food I received for less than $7. The moro rice was not totally dried out like it can be at a lot of places. The plantains were fantastic. One great feature of this place is that they don't consider rice and beans two separate sides. So you can get rice and beans (NOT moro rice) AND plantains or yucca as your two sides. So great.
(5)
Elliot S.
We tried this place several years ago and were less than impressed with it. We recently gave it another try and glad to say that it is actually pretty good. The place is a little bit of a dive with the building being older, but it's kept clean, the service is adequate and the staff is very friendly. The food is standard cuban/puerto rican cafeteria fare, but they -surprisingly- pull it off nicely, and the portions are more than generous. They always have both the puerto rican "pernil" (they call it lechon asado, although they do not roast the whole pig like a real "lechonera" would) and the cuban "puerco asado". Both are very tasty and the pernil always has the crispy "cuerito". Also have arroz con gandules, arroz moro, pasteles and tamales; among many other options always available. The "morcilla" is really good too. On the "a la carte" menu, they have different mofongo combinations with pernil, carne frita. chicharrones de pollo, and seafood. Although not as good as their neighbors at "La Casona", the mofongo is pretty good and the value cannot be beaten. I've personally been less than impressed with their cuban sandwich, but it seems like the sentiment is not widely shared since they sell a ton of them. Our most recent order consisted of mofongo with chicharrones de pollo (the chicken was crispy and very tasty), yellow rice with puerco asado and yuca (enough for two people), and a morcilla link for less than $20.
(4)
Mark P.
My fellow Yelpers pointed me in the direction of La Lechonera for Latin food. I trusted their opinion so I hopped on over there for lunch. First impression was that the interior of the restaurant was cleaner and more updated than I had imagined. Not that it has great ambience or anything, but I was expecting it to be more rundown. So that was a plus. I also noticed as soon as I walked in that the smell of the food was wafting through the air. Now if it tasted as good as it smelled, I was in for a great lunch. The nice lady behind the counter showed me the various meats they had. I went with the roasted pork which is what they are known for (hence the name La Lechonera) with maduros (fried plantains) and yellow rice and black beans as my sides, with a couple pieces of Cuban bread thrown in for good measure. All for around $7!! Great deal! Then to drink, I got mavi (more on that later). After I got my roasted pork, I realized that maybe I should've gotten the roasted pork with onions because that one had steam coming off of it and it looked more moist. There was no turning back though; it was already on my plate. Although my pork had good flavor, it was a little dry and just lukewarm, as was my rice. A couple of the end pieces were also hardened so I didn't eat those. The plantains weren't as soft as I like but they were good nonetheless. The black beans surpassed my expectations. I've had them before at other restaurants but I was always indifferent towards them. They must have added some spices to it because I liked the flavor. Reminded me of the flavor of gallo pinto, a popular Costa Rican dish that I had for breakfast, lunch and dinner while I was there on vacation. As far as the mavi goes, I didn't enjoy it. For those not familiar with mavi (or mabi or mauby), it's a fermented drink popular in the Caribbean, especially in Puerto Rico. It's made from the bark of the mavi tree, cinnamon, ginger, sugar, and whatever else. It's an acquired taste really. I thought I had acquired the taste as I've had it a couple times before in PR and elsewhere but I was wrong. No mas mavi para mi! The lady was nice enough to give me a sweet tea instead. Muchas gracias! Would I go back? Definitely. I think you get great bang for your buck here. Most of the plates were under $8. I would just make sure that what I get passes the eye test.
(4)
Kathy D.
I was in the area & pulled up my trusty YELP ap & saw I had LA Lechonera bookmarked, so I headed over, dreaming of boliche. Upon entering there was only 1 other diner & 3 people behind the steam table eagerly waiting to take my order. I quickly looked up at the menu on the wall & then started looking at the offerings on the steam table. We started with the rice & when I heard they offered brown rice, I got really excited. I have always wondered why there was no brow rice offered at most restaurants and only white & yellow. As the rice was being loaded onto my to go plate, it was not brown rice, but negra (the combination of white rice, with some black bean broth added for color. I will redial y admit I easily got at least a pound of black beans and rice. I had requested a lot of chopped onion for my beans & rice & upon arriving home was totally dismayed there were NO raw onions to be found. I know it's a personal preference thing, but just beans & rice is typically boring, hence the raw onion, really bummed on that one. Next the Boliche, the star of the show, the 1 food item I wanted more than anything else. I have almost always received 2 pieces & here just one piece. I guess they make up for it by giving you a boiled potato, on top of your pound of rice & beans. The Boliche had no Charizzo sausage in the center! Call me pot roast! Super bumbed. The restaurant is small & needs a facelift, but if the food was correct, who would care? If you tell me brown rice, I want brown rice. If I want my beans & rice covered in raw onion, not a big deal. If I order boliche, I expect a Charizzo center. The flavors were good & for the sheer weight of the food, it should have been a really good deal. But, when things are not what they appear & you get home to have dinner, only to find nothing quite like you ordered, the real dissapointment sets in. I am always on the lookout for good independent restaurants, unfortunately this is one I can take off my list & not worry about revisiting. To add to my angst, while taking a photo of the outside sign, a lady ran over & demanded to see my cell phone, stating I took a picture of her. I explained what I took a picture of & that there wasn't a prayer of her looking at my phone. She went on to call the police, I posed for a picture & gave her ample time to get pictures of my car & tag, what a sideshow! What's a girl to do? some days , just stick to what you know & leave the drama & disappointment to someone else!
(2)
Brett N.
Why 4 stars? Because it's a Latin greasy spoon, aka my favorite kind of spoon. --- --- --- My experience was probably of the 3.5 star variety, but I would definitely visit again. I attempted to order churrasco, but they said that they did not have it, apparently. And when I say that they "said" this, I mean that through broken english and body language, I came to the conclusion that there was no churrasco to be had. I was offered a "pepper steak" as a consultation prize, which led me to shrug my shoulders and nod. The steak was fairly plain, with peppers and onions on top. On the side, I ordered yellow rice and received enough to fill a bathtub. Of course, I added plantains too. My girlfriend ordered pork and moro (or whatever the proper term is for the brown, Spanish rice with beans mixed in.) Neither of us were huge fans of the contents on her plate, but I enjoyed mine. We definitely both noticed no shortage of grease, which had me worried that after earning every, last bite of my rice tub, that I would be hurting later on. But that anxiety was all for not, as I was operating at full strength for the remainder of the evening. I was amused by the guy on the other side of the counter. I'm not sure if he was the owner, or just a guy trying to make an honest, hourly buck. But despite out pretty thorough language barrier, he was pretty funny to communicate with. He just had this sly grin on his face the entire time that said, "hey man... I know we don't speak the same language, but I just want you to know that I'm hilarious in Spanish, and you seem pretty funny yourself for a white guy."
(4)
Hans E.
Extremely tasty Puerto Rican food. I had the pork and it was excellent. Tasted very authentic to me and reminded me of my trip to Puerto Rico when I was invited to eat with a family who lived by the plantain fields there. I'll definitely be returning.
(4)
Maria M.
In my first visit to La Lechonera...I can say I liked the food. I'm Puerto Rican, so I know about the food (born and raised there). My boyfriend and I had carne frita, I had it with mofongo, and the mofongo was delicious and he had it with tostones. He also enjoyed his food. The place is small, not fancy, but clean. I definitely will be back to try other dishes.
(4)
L J.
Yummy!!!! I believe my opinion really counts as I'm Puerto Rican and I lived in the island 22 years. This place is the perfect hole in the wall with all the delicious foods you could imagine. The have mofongo and I must say it compares to mofongo you can find in pinñones and maybe luquillo at the kioskos. The service is cafeteria style so I like my food to go for the most part. I highly recommend this restaurant. Btw prices are pretty good and portions are good to satisfy construction work appetite.
(5)
Martic R.
From the outside this place doesn't look like much and you don't know exactly what to expect when you walk in. To my surprise I found a cafeteria style dinning room, where you can let your eyes savor all the food while you are trying to make a selection. You can also order anything from the menu which offers a good range of options including seafood dishes like octopus salad!!! Overall good prices with a small reminder of the island.
(4)
Peter C.
Really good Puerto Rican food.. Cafeteria style or u can order fresh... Nice people and very very cheap and fair prices...
(4)
Mike S.
This restaurant is firmly located in the center of a long string of Latin restaurants all up and down Armenia Avenue, my primary flight path for local eating. The varieties include Cuban, Spanish, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Colombian, Honduran, Peruvian, etc........some classy, some minimal, and most adequate. La Lechonera falls in the lower tier based on lots of comparisions. I found the Puerto Rican mofongo to be greasy and off-flavored, compared to the marvelous version at La Casona, further north on Armenia. The atmosphere is hectic/haphazard but it remains a popular place with low prices & lots of regular customers. Minimal seating, zero amenities, and most customers are getting take-out.
(2)
Amara G.
IRS stands for Impossible RelationShit. My accountant kindly acted as mediator, but smacked me with a catalogue of my edible lifestyle. Boy! He was mad. Maybe he was hungry. He must have being to say such things. My friends did not offer condolences and we were all taxed, vexed and grieving. We got together at my house and had an epicurean intervention. I have kept to my word and have eaten out much less. I have even cooked! My cat stares at me in disbelief. "Who are you and where is my spoiled owner?" he meows when I use the stove. My melancholy drove me to seek comfort food... that there is no way I would make for myself. How comforting can it be to cook your own comfort? Like really, let's get real. How can I restore my sense of well-being and improve my mood by cooking Puerto Rican food and then doing dishes? I might be broke but not insane. La Lechonera became the obvious rehab. Many people do not like where it is located... in the very Cuban and Puerto Rican part of Armenia... duh! Where would you go to find the real thing? Exactly, where the people who cook and eat their typical food live! Many people do not like how bare it looks (a latin cafeteria very common in Puerto Rico). Walk in. Imagine you are on vacation. You might feel out of place, but you forget that the minute you are overwhelmed with the tasty choices. Pernil (marinated roasted pig), stew chickpeas, red beans, black beans, tamales, marinated octopus salad, ceviche, alcapurrias... I had planned to beg for a plate with a bit of everything, a food orgy, bountiful and limitless...endless combinations; but the couple right in front of me at the line did just that and I was baffled. Perplexed, I decided to ask for Carne Frita and Mofongo. Please, ask me. You must have monfongo before you die. Write it right now in your bucket list. Because I am psychic and you will definitely go in your future: You're welcome. Carne frita is fried pork in cubes... seasoned to perfection. Moist and tasty. Mofongo is green plantain that has been fried a bit, then mashed with pork rinds, a tad of bacon fat, and garlic. A concave ball of delicious. The mofongo is usually served with chicken broth on the side to dip it in. I also, let's keep the pig motif here... let the irony not escape... had congri rice or moros con cristianos which is black beans and white rice simmered together. Yummmmm. Side orders of sweet fried plaintains (amarillos) which are the opposite of tostones (green fried plantains). I was lucky. We waited very little to be served as the mofongo is done when asked. Sometimes the line for take-out food reaches the outside of the small house no matter how prompt they try to serve you. -"The servings are those your grandmother would give you during Sunday lunches. Lovingly generous. Two people can easily eat from one dish (there would be some great left over for you to take home) and the prices are cheap and beyond affordable"-- that is what I told my accountant when he called to check up on my epicurean rehabilitation. He showed up and ate his advice and my leftovers.
(5)
Benjamin H.
I am one of the pickiest eater you will meat. It has to be fresh, consistently great, and value a costumer's input. This eatery has it all. The eat in experience is simple yet the food you get makes it perfect. I love the attention they put in everything from the amazing Cuban sandwiches to the mouth watering Ropa Vieja. When you get it to go it makes a perfect meal for 2.
(5)
Kevin L.
Very good Ropa Vieja, it is the only thing I get there. It is cheap for a lot of food, yellow rice is better than most other restaurants.
(4)
Mark H.
I haven't actually sat down and eaten in here, but last weekend La Chica brought me a roast pork sammich that was to die for. She said the plan was to get me a Cuban, but everyone in line was opting for the roast pork sandwich instead. This thing, even after a 25 minute travel to Westchase, was still warm, juicy and freaking delicious. It's a roast pork sandwich, how can it be so good, one might ask. So I'm here to tell you why. This was no ordinary pernil. This was lechón-style pork with the crunchy bits and pieces of fat and skin. Imagine taking your favorite pernil, and sprinkling in delectable pieces of chicharron, and then slapping that on some pressed Cuban bread. That's what this sandwich was like, and I can wait to eat it again! A true Tampa, Florida sandwich, where Puerto Rico and Cuba meet.
(4)
Grant W.
I come here at least twice a week, for the food, for the wonderful staff who I can hardly hold an English conversation with, and the owner who asks me why I'm so "flacko" every time I come in, and, most importantly, for the absolutely absurd portions. We are talking serious bang for your buck. Quality Spanish food served cafeteria style in the heart of Tampa means good, cheap food. Many locals go here regularly. When I look around and see that I am the only white person in there, I know this place is legit! I would highly recommend the pressed Cuban sandwich for $3.50! and the pork with onions dinner for $6! I usually eat half of my dinner and save the other half for lunch the next day!
(5)
Scaramouche R.
I am originally from New York and this is the closest thing that I have found to an authentic Puerto Rican cuchifrito. Yes, it's a restaurant (greasy spoon) but you're also going to find all of your favorite Puerto Rican fried foods - Alcapurrias, rellenos de papa, bacalaitos, etc. This is also the best place I've found to get a Cuban sandwich. At the time of this review you can get a very large sandwich for only $3.50. I always ask them to add some chopped pork from the pernil that's there. Depending on how much, they add a couple of bucks to the price. So for around five dollars I get a ridiculously large sandwich that's pressed and heated and oh so yummy. Favorites: pernil, ox tail stew, goat stew, mondongo, mofongo (any variety), boliche and their frituras. I'm still looking for that authentic cuchifrito, but until then this place will do nicely.
(4)
Laura B.
Best empanadas I've ever had. Chicken ones are my favorite. I must have gone here at least 10 times in the past few months just for the empanadas.
(5)
Sonja R.
Great food hands down. Very casual cafeteria style spot. Typically I go there to pick up a bunch of food to bring home, since it's not a sit down restaurant, but they do have tables. Great prices and I have yet to try anything that I didn't like. Pasteles, pernil, pollo guisado, arroz con habichuelas are all an excellent choice.
(4)
Alexi B.
Delicious, good quality "Spanish and American" food. The menu is vast, lots to choose from. I had the ropa vieja with yellow rice, black beans and plantains. Very good, but the plantains were undercooked and a bit hard. Service is friendly, and it's a nice casual place to enjoy your meal.
(3)
Steve E.
Lechón is a popular Latin dish involving a roasted whole pig cooked slowly over charcoal on a rotisserie until the skin is crispy and the seasoned pork is thoroughly cooked. La Lechónera is therefore the place which serves up Lechón, and here in Tampa you'll find La Lechónera along Armenia Avenue just north of Hillsborough Avenue. Other diners have described this place as a Puerto Rican eatery which also serves Cuban, Colombian, and Honduran food, so I'm gonna play it safe and just call this another terrific Latin eatery along Armenia Avenue. From the outside this little yellow building looks very unassuming, until you start noticing all of the cars in the parking lot, and see the line of people forming outside the door. La Lechónera serves cafeteria-style Latin food and the lines of people stretching out the door attest to the goodness of their cooking. Most folks were there to pick up to-go orders which is a good thing since there are only about a dozen tables inside. As quickly as the tables are cleared another group of people were sitting down. They were slammed on a Saturday afternoon, but the lady behind the counter told me that they are always busy. She apologized profusely that they did not have any clean serving plates, but offered to put my meal into a carry-out container, and then gave me a wink and said that she'd add a little extra to make up for the inconvenience. I ordered the house special which was Lechón A La Barita Con Guineos Verdes, and in my butchered Spanish that translates into the roasted suckling pig with green bananas (plantains). She gave me a side of yellow rice, black beans, and chopped onions, along with several pieces of Cuban bread and fried plantains. Imagine my shock when I got to the table and realized that the woman had given me enough food for TWO entire meals! The roast pork was excellent -- still moist with pieces of crispy skin attached. The yellow rice, black beans, and chopped onions were delicious, and the fried plantains were some of the best that I've had. I munched away very happily until I was full, and then realized I had barely made a dent in all of the food that this woman had given me. I sealed up the to-go container and put it in a bag to take home for tonight's dinner. Now the best part.... the everyday price for this incredible meal was $5.95. A lot of food for a cheap price - you can't beat that!
(4)
Malinda L.
Definitely a diamond in the rough! We tried the pollo fricase, the chicharrones, mofongo plate and the coconut flan. So so good. The chicken just fell off the bone, so tender. The chicharrones were the best I have had in a long long time. Absolutely sinful, I could probably die happy after eating those. The mofongo was awesome as well and the carne asada that came with it was incredibly tasty. Seriously, this place was good and the person working there(owner?) was very nice. Of course we had to try some of the desserts that were displayed in the front. We tried a mini-cup of the coconut flan. It was so yummy I had to buy a large one for my coworkers for the next day. I want to eat here all the time.
(5)
Steph G.
Best roast pork sandwiches around. Their Cuban is pretty top notch too. Always clean, with friendly employees. Skip the desserts- you can find better flan and tres leches cake elsewhere.
(4)
Laura S.
I have an unrelated business and I see this kind of deciept before, It seems that the competetors are at again, with the lousy reviews. I have been going to La Lechonera for just about ten years now. In my opinion it is not only consistant but the best in Tampa and is as close as you are going to get from Puerto Rico with out traveling there. I have never had a bad meal. While I stick to Yellow rice ,Pork, Red beans and Pastelles. I have tried Ropa Vieja, their salads ,Sandwiches,Tamales white rice 7 Black beans and all were very good. The one thing I really hate hate about going to La Leconera are the long lines waiting, There have been times when the line was out the door, but there is always always a line. That has to trell you something ! . The prices are reasonable not cheap. But the authenticity in my opinion is very good. Don't believe the other reviews without trying it for yourslef you may find that for any more authentic Puerto Rican food you will have to either go to Puerto Rico or have your MOM cook it for you.
(4)
C-Mac W.
Puerto Rican cafeteria-style restaurant with family-friendly atmosphere. The Mofongo con Lechon was okay. Probably the biggest downfall of the dish was that the mashed plantains with garlic and chicharrones were a little dry. The pieces of roasted pig skin atop this dish were definitely the stars. I could have devoured a whole plate of those bits of crunchy goodness! Overall, it was a fair meal for a good price. ( I'd rate it a 2.5 but you can't give a 1/2 star rating, so 3 it is!)
(3)
Christine G.
Lacked flavor. Nice staff. Mofongo was not good. Go to LaCasona if you want delicious mofongo. Won't be back here.
(2)
Ivan L.
I am Puerto Rican and travel extensively on business throughout the world and the USA. I always look for a Rican restuarant wherever I go. I have found some jems in Phonenix, and even in Portland Washington. My recent trip to Tampa I looked for and found a real jem "La Lechonera". I entered the restuarant and found to my amazement that everything they advertsed in their menu was available. So many choices! I ordered my first meal Mofongo con carne de cerdo and a side salad. It was served to me in less than five minutes and it was wonderful. They pile the food on the plate so much so that I could not finish the entire meal and I consider myself to be a big eater! I went back for lunch and diner the next day. Most of their business is take out and the customers were lined up while I was there eating. The management and staff were very attentive and friendly. The best part was the prices. Most of the complete meals were under seven dollars!!! With a Malta India about $9.00. Needless to say I will be going back there when in Tampa!!!
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Bike Parking : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Has TV : Yes
Sasha P.
Being in Tampa, there are times where all I want is some good ole' Cuban food. On the day of our visit, I was craving black beans, pernil and maduros for lunch. We came here because I knew we would get just that... and they definitely delivered the goods! La Lechonera reminds me of those little Latin cafes in Miami. The ones that are borderline just dirty but you go to them anyway because you love the food. Well, La Lechonera isn't dirty by any means but it has the same cafeteria style setup and the Spanish-only speaking staff that you would find in Miami. As you enter the cafe, you see the food counter with all the lovely menu items on display, which the staff serves to you in big, heaping portions. On the far left side, you have the cafeteria with tables alongside the walls and windows, and family tables at center stage. A few things can be guaranteed here: - juicy pernil (it is epic- you must try it) - big portions (literally had enough for lunch and dinner later that evening) - delicious fruit juices (with your typical Latin fruits like passion fruit, mamey, lulo, etc.) - an affordable price (super cheap, seriously) Another reason La Lechonera reminds me of Miami: the Cuban guy that was at the front counter. He spoke so fast and mumbled... I knew he had to be Cuban. My husband usually understands Spanish, unless its spoken from a Cuban to which my hubby cannot decipher even a word. No problem though, I was there to translate! This guy pretty much called my meal on the spot. I guess I had "pernil and a passion fruit juice" written all over my face when I walked into the cafe. All in all, a great meal was had here. One of my faves in town... and I'll be back to try the mofongo. ;-)
(4)Ricky Z.
We ate " Carne frita " & " Lechón Asado " With Trifongo.. Carne Frita was awesome , lechón was not that good .. Needs more flavor . Trifongo was AMAZING & the portion, was so nice .
(3)Gigi S.
I like this place because they are always fast and friendly. Most things are already made, or are quickly assembled. They have a cool array of sodas that no other bodegas carry cold as well. What I ate there was great, what I took home was well packed up for me, and stayed really hot. This place combines the speed of a fast food place with traditional lechon and puts everything behind the line where you can get up close and personal before deciding what to buy. Que yummy, I say! Arriba!
(4)Meredith M.
I have been frequenting this restaurant with my family since I was wee and it has never disappointed me as it did recently. My roast pork sandwich was very dry, though it still tasted alright, it was a chore to eat. It was a little late in the day so perhaps the pork was more dry than usual because it had been sitting too long (that's kind of a terrible excuse though). The plantains were tasty and caramelized deliciously, happily improving my outlook of the meal. Octopus salad (which I tried because of a yelp review) was mediocre, unfortunately. The pus was tender but I think whoever cleaned it may have phoned it in.
(3)Jason P.
20 bucks got us roast pork with yellow rice, black beans, and yucca, breaded steak with toooons of fried plantains instead of beans and rice, a papa relleno, and tres leches cake. Everything is delicious!! I'm a happy guy!
(4)Ben N.
TL;DR - my go to place for quick latin food in seminole heights Modest price increases since I've been coming here but they've used that money to update and refurbish their restuarant. Quaility has stayed consistent Cubans sandwiches are now $3.50 Dinner plates are $6+
(4)michelle l.
Awesome Latin buffet with great staff. After readingg the reviews, I had to try the pork. The lichen asado did not disappoint. It was well seasoned, and the chicharones were fantastic. I was also delighted by the vast amounts of food I received for less than $7. The moro rice was not totally dried out like it can be at a lot of places. The plantains were fantastic. One great feature of this place is that they don't consider rice and beans two separate sides. So you can get rice and beans (NOT moro rice) AND plantains or yucca as your two sides. So great.
(5)Elliot S.
We tried this place several years ago and were less than impressed with it. We recently gave it another try and glad to say that it is actually pretty good. The place is a little bit of a dive with the building being older, but it's kept clean, the service is adequate and the staff is very friendly. The food is standard cuban/puerto rican cafeteria fare, but they -surprisingly- pull it off nicely, and the portions are more than generous. They always have both the puerto rican "pernil" (they call it lechon asado, although they do not roast the whole pig like a real "lechonera" would) and the cuban "puerco asado". Both are very tasty and the pernil always has the crispy "cuerito". Also have arroz con gandules, arroz moro, pasteles and tamales; among many other options always available. The "morcilla" is really good too. On the "a la carte" menu, they have different mofongo combinations with pernil, carne frita. chicharrones de pollo, and seafood. Although not as good as their neighbors at "La Casona", the mofongo is pretty good and the value cannot be beaten. I've personally been less than impressed with their cuban sandwich, but it seems like the sentiment is not widely shared since they sell a ton of them. Our most recent order consisted of mofongo with chicharrones de pollo (the chicken was crispy and very tasty), yellow rice with puerco asado and yuca (enough for two people), and a morcilla link for less than $20.
(4)Mark P.
My fellow Yelpers pointed me in the direction of La Lechonera for Latin food. I trusted their opinion so I hopped on over there for lunch. First impression was that the interior of the restaurant was cleaner and more updated than I had imagined. Not that it has great ambience or anything, but I was expecting it to be more rundown. So that was a plus. I also noticed as soon as I walked in that the smell of the food was wafting through the air. Now if it tasted as good as it smelled, I was in for a great lunch. The nice lady behind the counter showed me the various meats they had. I went with the roasted pork which is what they are known for (hence the name La Lechonera) with maduros (fried plantains) and yellow rice and black beans as my sides, with a couple pieces of Cuban bread thrown in for good measure. All for around $7!! Great deal! Then to drink, I got mavi (more on that later). After I got my roasted pork, I realized that maybe I should've gotten the roasted pork with onions because that one had steam coming off of it and it looked more moist. There was no turning back though; it was already on my plate. Although my pork had good flavor, it was a little dry and just lukewarm, as was my rice. A couple of the end pieces were also hardened so I didn't eat those. The plantains weren't as soft as I like but they were good nonetheless. The black beans surpassed my expectations. I've had them before at other restaurants but I was always indifferent towards them. They must have added some spices to it because I liked the flavor. Reminded me of the flavor of gallo pinto, a popular Costa Rican dish that I had for breakfast, lunch and dinner while I was there on vacation. As far as the mavi goes, I didn't enjoy it. For those not familiar with mavi (or mabi or mauby), it's a fermented drink popular in the Caribbean, especially in Puerto Rico. It's made from the bark of the mavi tree, cinnamon, ginger, sugar, and whatever else. It's an acquired taste really. I thought I had acquired the taste as I've had it a couple times before in PR and elsewhere but I was wrong. No mas mavi para mi! The lady was nice enough to give me a sweet tea instead. Muchas gracias! Would I go back? Definitely. I think you get great bang for your buck here. Most of the plates were under $8. I would just make sure that what I get passes the eye test.
(4)Kathy D.
I was in the area & pulled up my trusty YELP ap & saw I had LA Lechonera bookmarked, so I headed over, dreaming of boliche. Upon entering there was only 1 other diner & 3 people behind the steam table eagerly waiting to take my order. I quickly looked up at the menu on the wall & then started looking at the offerings on the steam table. We started with the rice & when I heard they offered brown rice, I got really excited. I have always wondered why there was no brow rice offered at most restaurants and only white & yellow. As the rice was being loaded onto my to go plate, it was not brown rice, but negra (the combination of white rice, with some black bean broth added for color. I will redial y admit I easily got at least a pound of black beans and rice. I had requested a lot of chopped onion for my beans & rice & upon arriving home was totally dismayed there were NO raw onions to be found. I know it's a personal preference thing, but just beans & rice is typically boring, hence the raw onion, really bummed on that one. Next the Boliche, the star of the show, the 1 food item I wanted more than anything else. I have almost always received 2 pieces & here just one piece. I guess they make up for it by giving you a boiled potato, on top of your pound of rice & beans. The Boliche had no Charizzo sausage in the center! Call me pot roast! Super bumbed. The restaurant is small & needs a facelift, but if the food was correct, who would care? If you tell me brown rice, I want brown rice. If I want my beans & rice covered in raw onion, not a big deal. If I order boliche, I expect a Charizzo center. The flavors were good & for the sheer weight of the food, it should have been a really good deal. But, when things are not what they appear & you get home to have dinner, only to find nothing quite like you ordered, the real dissapointment sets in. I am always on the lookout for good independent restaurants, unfortunately this is one I can take off my list & not worry about revisiting. To add to my angst, while taking a photo of the outside sign, a lady ran over & demanded to see my cell phone, stating I took a picture of her. I explained what I took a picture of & that there wasn't a prayer of her looking at my phone. She went on to call the police, I posed for a picture & gave her ample time to get pictures of my car & tag, what a sideshow! What's a girl to do? some days , just stick to what you know & leave the drama & disappointment to someone else!
(2)Brett N.
Why 4 stars? Because it's a Latin greasy spoon, aka my favorite kind of spoon. --- --- --- My experience was probably of the 3.5 star variety, but I would definitely visit again. I attempted to order churrasco, but they said that they did not have it, apparently. And when I say that they "said" this, I mean that through broken english and body language, I came to the conclusion that there was no churrasco to be had. I was offered a "pepper steak" as a consultation prize, which led me to shrug my shoulders and nod. The steak was fairly plain, with peppers and onions on top. On the side, I ordered yellow rice and received enough to fill a bathtub. Of course, I added plantains too. My girlfriend ordered pork and moro (or whatever the proper term is for the brown, Spanish rice with beans mixed in.) Neither of us were huge fans of the contents on her plate, but I enjoyed mine. We definitely both noticed no shortage of grease, which had me worried that after earning every, last bite of my rice tub, that I would be hurting later on. But that anxiety was all for not, as I was operating at full strength for the remainder of the evening. I was amused by the guy on the other side of the counter. I'm not sure if he was the owner, or just a guy trying to make an honest, hourly buck. But despite out pretty thorough language barrier, he was pretty funny to communicate with. He just had this sly grin on his face the entire time that said, "hey man... I know we don't speak the same language, but I just want you to know that I'm hilarious in Spanish, and you seem pretty funny yourself for a white guy."
(4)Hans E.
Extremely tasty Puerto Rican food. I had the pork and it was excellent. Tasted very authentic to me and reminded me of my trip to Puerto Rico when I was invited to eat with a family who lived by the plantain fields there. I'll definitely be returning.
(4)Maria M.
In my first visit to La Lechonera...I can say I liked the food. I'm Puerto Rican, so I know about the food (born and raised there). My boyfriend and I had carne frita, I had it with mofongo, and the mofongo was delicious and he had it with tostones. He also enjoyed his food. The place is small, not fancy, but clean. I definitely will be back to try other dishes.
(4)L J.
Yummy!!!! I believe my opinion really counts as I'm Puerto Rican and I lived in the island 22 years. This place is the perfect hole in the wall with all the delicious foods you could imagine. The have mofongo and I must say it compares to mofongo you can find in pinñones and maybe luquillo at the kioskos. The service is cafeteria style so I like my food to go for the most part. I highly recommend this restaurant. Btw prices are pretty good and portions are good to satisfy construction work appetite.
(5)Martic R.
From the outside this place doesn't look like much and you don't know exactly what to expect when you walk in. To my surprise I found a cafeteria style dinning room, where you can let your eyes savor all the food while you are trying to make a selection. You can also order anything from the menu which offers a good range of options including seafood dishes like octopus salad!!! Overall good prices with a small reminder of the island.
(4)Peter C.
Really good Puerto Rican food.. Cafeteria style or u can order fresh... Nice people and very very cheap and fair prices...
(4)Mike S.
This restaurant is firmly located in the center of a long string of Latin restaurants all up and down Armenia Avenue, my primary flight path for local eating. The varieties include Cuban, Spanish, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Colombian, Honduran, Peruvian, etc........some classy, some minimal, and most adequate. La Lechonera falls in the lower tier based on lots of comparisions. I found the Puerto Rican mofongo to be greasy and off-flavored, compared to the marvelous version at La Casona, further north on Armenia. The atmosphere is hectic/haphazard but it remains a popular place with low prices & lots of regular customers. Minimal seating, zero amenities, and most customers are getting take-out.
(2)Amara G.
IRS stands for Impossible RelationShit. My accountant kindly acted as mediator, but smacked me with a catalogue of my edible lifestyle. Boy! He was mad. Maybe he was hungry. He must have being to say such things. My friends did not offer condolences and we were all taxed, vexed and grieving. We got together at my house and had an epicurean intervention. I have kept to my word and have eaten out much less. I have even cooked! My cat stares at me in disbelief. "Who are you and where is my spoiled owner?" he meows when I use the stove. My melancholy drove me to seek comfort food... that there is no way I would make for myself. How comforting can it be to cook your own comfort? Like really, let's get real. How can I restore my sense of well-being and improve my mood by cooking Puerto Rican food and then doing dishes? I might be broke but not insane. La Lechonera became the obvious rehab. Many people do not like where it is located... in the very Cuban and Puerto Rican part of Armenia... duh! Where would you go to find the real thing? Exactly, where the people who cook and eat their typical food live! Many people do not like how bare it looks (a latin cafeteria very common in Puerto Rico). Walk in. Imagine you are on vacation. You might feel out of place, but you forget that the minute you are overwhelmed with the tasty choices. Pernil (marinated roasted pig), stew chickpeas, red beans, black beans, tamales, marinated octopus salad, ceviche, alcapurrias... I had planned to beg for a plate with a bit of everything, a food orgy, bountiful and limitless...endless combinations; but the couple right in front of me at the line did just that and I was baffled. Perplexed, I decided to ask for Carne Frita and Mofongo. Please, ask me. You must have monfongo before you die. Write it right now in your bucket list. Because I am psychic and you will definitely go in your future: You're welcome. Carne frita is fried pork in cubes... seasoned to perfection. Moist and tasty. Mofongo is green plantain that has been fried a bit, then mashed with pork rinds, a tad of bacon fat, and garlic. A concave ball of delicious. The mofongo is usually served with chicken broth on the side to dip it in. I also, let's keep the pig motif here... let the irony not escape... had congri rice or moros con cristianos which is black beans and white rice simmered together. Yummmmm. Side orders of sweet fried plaintains (amarillos) which are the opposite of tostones (green fried plantains). I was lucky. We waited very little to be served as the mofongo is done when asked. Sometimes the line for take-out food reaches the outside of the small house no matter how prompt they try to serve you. -"The servings are those your grandmother would give you during Sunday lunches. Lovingly generous. Two people can easily eat from one dish (there would be some great left over for you to take home) and the prices are cheap and beyond affordable"-- that is what I told my accountant when he called to check up on my epicurean rehabilitation. He showed up and ate his advice and my leftovers.
(5)Benjamin H.
I am one of the pickiest eater you will meat. It has to be fresh, consistently great, and value a costumer's input. This eatery has it all. The eat in experience is simple yet the food you get makes it perfect. I love the attention they put in everything from the amazing Cuban sandwiches to the mouth watering Ropa Vieja. When you get it to go it makes a perfect meal for 2.
(5)Kevin L.
Very good Ropa Vieja, it is the only thing I get there. It is cheap for a lot of food, yellow rice is better than most other restaurants.
(4)Mark H.
I haven't actually sat down and eaten in here, but last weekend La Chica brought me a roast pork sammich that was to die for. She said the plan was to get me a Cuban, but everyone in line was opting for the roast pork sandwich instead. This thing, even after a 25 minute travel to Westchase, was still warm, juicy and freaking delicious. It's a roast pork sandwich, how can it be so good, one might ask. So I'm here to tell you why. This was no ordinary pernil. This was lechón-style pork with the crunchy bits and pieces of fat and skin. Imagine taking your favorite pernil, and sprinkling in delectable pieces of chicharron, and then slapping that on some pressed Cuban bread. That's what this sandwich was like, and I can wait to eat it again! A true Tampa, Florida sandwich, where Puerto Rico and Cuba meet.
(4)Grant W.
I come here at least twice a week, for the food, for the wonderful staff who I can hardly hold an English conversation with, and the owner who asks me why I'm so "flacko" every time I come in, and, most importantly, for the absolutely absurd portions. We are talking serious bang for your buck. Quality Spanish food served cafeteria style in the heart of Tampa means good, cheap food. Many locals go here regularly. When I look around and see that I am the only white person in there, I know this place is legit! I would highly recommend the pressed Cuban sandwich for $3.50! and the pork with onions dinner for $6! I usually eat half of my dinner and save the other half for lunch the next day!
(5)Scaramouche R.
I am originally from New York and this is the closest thing that I have found to an authentic Puerto Rican cuchifrito. Yes, it's a restaurant (greasy spoon) but you're also going to find all of your favorite Puerto Rican fried foods - Alcapurrias, rellenos de papa, bacalaitos, etc. This is also the best place I've found to get a Cuban sandwich. At the time of this review you can get a very large sandwich for only $3.50. I always ask them to add some chopped pork from the pernil that's there. Depending on how much, they add a couple of bucks to the price. So for around five dollars I get a ridiculously large sandwich that's pressed and heated and oh so yummy. Favorites: pernil, ox tail stew, goat stew, mondongo, mofongo (any variety), boliche and their frituras. I'm still looking for that authentic cuchifrito, but until then this place will do nicely.
(4)Laura B.
Best empanadas I've ever had. Chicken ones are my favorite. I must have gone here at least 10 times in the past few months just for the empanadas.
(5)Sonja R.
Great food hands down. Very casual cafeteria style spot. Typically I go there to pick up a bunch of food to bring home, since it's not a sit down restaurant, but they do have tables. Great prices and I have yet to try anything that I didn't like. Pasteles, pernil, pollo guisado, arroz con habichuelas are all an excellent choice.
(4)Alexi B.
Delicious, good quality "Spanish and American" food. The menu is vast, lots to choose from. I had the ropa vieja with yellow rice, black beans and plantains. Very good, but the plantains were undercooked and a bit hard. Service is friendly, and it's a nice casual place to enjoy your meal.
(3)Steve E.
Lechón is a popular Latin dish involving a roasted whole pig cooked slowly over charcoal on a rotisserie until the skin is crispy and the seasoned pork is thoroughly cooked. La Lechónera is therefore the place which serves up Lechón, and here in Tampa you'll find La Lechónera along Armenia Avenue just north of Hillsborough Avenue. Other diners have described this place as a Puerto Rican eatery which also serves Cuban, Colombian, and Honduran food, so I'm gonna play it safe and just call this another terrific Latin eatery along Armenia Avenue. From the outside this little yellow building looks very unassuming, until you start noticing all of the cars in the parking lot, and see the line of people forming outside the door. La Lechónera serves cafeteria-style Latin food and the lines of people stretching out the door attest to the goodness of their cooking. Most folks were there to pick up to-go orders which is a good thing since there are only about a dozen tables inside. As quickly as the tables are cleared another group of people were sitting down. They were slammed on a Saturday afternoon, but the lady behind the counter told me that they are always busy. She apologized profusely that they did not have any clean serving plates, but offered to put my meal into a carry-out container, and then gave me a wink and said that she'd add a little extra to make up for the inconvenience. I ordered the house special which was Lechón A La Barita Con Guineos Verdes, and in my butchered Spanish that translates into the roasted suckling pig with green bananas (plantains). She gave me a side of yellow rice, black beans, and chopped onions, along with several pieces of Cuban bread and fried plantains. Imagine my shock when I got to the table and realized that the woman had given me enough food for TWO entire meals! The roast pork was excellent -- still moist with pieces of crispy skin attached. The yellow rice, black beans, and chopped onions were delicious, and the fried plantains were some of the best that I've had. I munched away very happily until I was full, and then realized I had barely made a dent in all of the food that this woman had given me. I sealed up the to-go container and put it in a bag to take home for tonight's dinner. Now the best part.... the everyday price for this incredible meal was $5.95. A lot of food for a cheap price - you can't beat that!
(4)Malinda L.
Definitely a diamond in the rough! We tried the pollo fricase, the chicharrones, mofongo plate and the coconut flan. So so good. The chicken just fell off the bone, so tender. The chicharrones were the best I have had in a long long time. Absolutely sinful, I could probably die happy after eating those. The mofongo was awesome as well and the carne asada that came with it was incredibly tasty. Seriously, this place was good and the person working there(owner?) was very nice. Of course we had to try some of the desserts that were displayed in the front. We tried a mini-cup of the coconut flan. It was so yummy I had to buy a large one for my coworkers for the next day. I want to eat here all the time.
(5)Steph G.
Best roast pork sandwiches around. Their Cuban is pretty top notch too. Always clean, with friendly employees. Skip the desserts- you can find better flan and tres leches cake elsewhere.
(4)Laura S.
I have an unrelated business and I see this kind of deciept before, It seems that the competetors are at again, with the lousy reviews. I have been going to La Lechonera for just about ten years now. In my opinion it is not only consistant but the best in Tampa and is as close as you are going to get from Puerto Rico with out traveling there. I have never had a bad meal. While I stick to Yellow rice ,Pork, Red beans and Pastelles. I have tried Ropa Vieja, their salads ,Sandwiches,Tamales white rice 7 Black beans and all were very good. The one thing I really hate hate about going to La Leconera are the long lines waiting, There have been times when the line was out the door, but there is always always a line. That has to trell you something ! . The prices are reasonable not cheap. But the authenticity in my opinion is very good. Don't believe the other reviews without trying it for yourslef you may find that for any more authentic Puerto Rican food you will have to either go to Puerto Rico or have your MOM cook it for you.
(4)C-Mac W.
Puerto Rican cafeteria-style restaurant with family-friendly atmosphere. The Mofongo con Lechon was okay. Probably the biggest downfall of the dish was that the mashed plantains with garlic and chicharrones were a little dry. The pieces of roasted pig skin atop this dish were definitely the stars. I could have devoured a whole plate of those bits of crunchy goodness! Overall, it was a fair meal for a good price. ( I'd rate it a 2.5 but you can't give a 1/2 star rating, so 3 it is!)
(3)Christine G.
Lacked flavor. Nice staff. Mofongo was not good. Go to LaCasona if you want delicious mofongo. Won't be back here.
(2)Ivan L.
I am Puerto Rican and travel extensively on business throughout the world and the USA. I always look for a Rican restuarant wherever I go. I have found some jems in Phonenix, and even in Portland Washington. My recent trip to Tampa I looked for and found a real jem "La Lechonera". I entered the restuarant and found to my amazement that everything they advertsed in their menu was available. So many choices! I ordered my first meal Mofongo con carne de cerdo and a side salad. It was served to me in less than five minutes and it was wonderful. They pile the food on the plate so much so that I could not finish the entire meal and I consider myself to be a big eater! I went back for lunch and diner the next day. Most of their business is take out and the customers were lined up while I was there eating. The management and staff were very attentive and friendly. The best part was the prices. Most of the complete meals were under seven dollars!!! With a Malta India about $9.00. Needless to say I will be going back there when in Tampa!!!
(5)