El Leoncito Cuban and Mexican Restaurant, Titusville, Florida

 

“Part of the secret of a success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.”

Mark Twain

We had passed by this attractive, colorful restaurant a few times while exploring the Titusville area on our Florida vacation. Each time we passed by, we noticed the parking lot was always full. We knew that was a good sign. We first stopped by for lunch and it was so good we ended up going back to try their dinner later in the week. I give this restaurant a big thumbs up.

Walking up to the entrance, we loved the look of the multicolored bricks which made this a bright and fun looking restaurant. The double front doors were painted a gorgeous sea blue and beckoned us to enter. There was no wait when we went to lunch. When we came back for dinner another day, we only had to wait about ten minutes till they had a table for us.

The hostess greeted us, and walked us around a sitting area that looked to be within a small Mexican home. What a special, attractive accent making the small sitting area very private for special events like birthdays. The walls were decorated with bright paintings and the floor had a unique pattern on the tiles.

Our waitress stopped by to get our drink order while we looked over the menu. What a unique menu with Cuban food as well as the traditional Mexican dishes. For lunch, Joe ordered the Cuban which he said was delightful and I ordered a beef enchilada. When we came back for dinner we had another great meal. Both the chicken and steak enchiladas were the best I’ve ever had. All the food we tasted was excellent and we were fully satisfied.

The first El Leoncito Restaurant was started in 1977 and was only a small Mexican restaurant that was located in Whittier, California. In 1995, they added Cuban food when they moved the restaurant to Titusville, Florida. The restaurant is run by the Sanchez family who have worked in the Titusville area for over 18 years. The Sanchez’s have more than 32 years of experience and you can tell. This is a well run restaurant. Their Head Chef, Antonio Hernandez has been working with them for over 30 years. He definitely knows what he is doing in the kitchen.

This restaurant serves lunch and dinner and their hours are Monday – Thursday 11 AM – 9:30 PM, Friday and Saturday 11 AM – 10 PM and Sunday 11 AM – 9 PM. Their restaurant features a full bar and their Margaritas are really good. Check out the hall of fame while you are there and see all the famous folks who have come to eat at this fabulous restaurant. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see any while we were there. They also have a great outside patio where you can sit and see Indian River views. 

We had great service and were not rushed. As we left, I turned around to take a picture of the outside of the building and saw the Amigo that was painted in the upper window. We waved and said, “Adios hasta la prozima” (Goodbye till next time).