Glenn Lindgren: We first came to Arco Iris to taste the best plantain chips (mariquitas, or what Arco Iris calls chicharritas) in Tampa. They do an excellent job with the chips, slicing the plantain into paper thin strips and quickly frying them in hot oil. The chips are just a small taste of what you'll find on the menu.

Raúl Musibay: Arco Iris is a small, family run restaurant, the kind of place we like. It's located in the heart of one of the older Cuban sections of Tampa, not far from the airport.

Jorge Castillo: Arco Iris means rainbow in Spanish, and this small place will give you a very warm feeling. The restaurant is bright and airy and the service is prompt.

Glenn Lindgren: Here you'll find many of the traditional Cuban favorites, all made with loving care in the kitchen. From the creamy frijoles negros to the delicious garlicky yuca, the cooks here know what they're doing and they don't take any shortcuts.

Raúl Musibay: They have good sandwiches here and a lot of people come for lunch. Their breaded grouper sandwich is very nice, the breading is crisp and the fish is tender and juicy. Get a fish sandwich with a side of frijoles negros and you have an excellent lunch!

Another reason to come to Arco Iris: Some of the best looking customers in town.

Jorge Castillo: You'll find a little of the Chino-Latino here with a great fried rice dish loaded with mouth-watering pork pieces. If you've never had the Cuban version of this Chinese dish, Arco Iris is a good place to get acquainted. Take your choice of six Chinese-style fried rice dishes with roast pork, breaded fish, chicken, beef steak, and plantain.

Raúl Musibay: The Pechuga a la Rusa is a Russian style chicken breast. The Russians never did anything good for Cuba – except giving us another way to cook chicken.

Glenn Lindgren: If you have a "meat and potatoes" person in your group, Arco Iris also has two American favorites: the T-bone and the filet mignon. Both steaks are tender and cooked just the way you like them. You could go completely American and order your steak with salad and french fries, but why not expand your horizons and get a side of yuca and platanos maduros, fried sweet plantain?

Raúl Musibay: If you want steak, why not get a Cuban steak? The palomilla steak is great , a plate-filling cut of meat smothered in fried onions.

Jorge Castillo: All of the dishes are very good and the prices can't be beat. This is one place where you can feed the whole family and eat a nice dessert too without breaking your budget.

Glenn Lindgren: Whatever you order, expect to get a huge plateful. Just pace yourself and plan on bringing home some leftovers.

You can order anything on the menu for takeout. If you are staying by the airport, pick up an order to bring back to your hotel room.

Raúl Musibay: Let me tell you that the people here are very friendly. They really make everyone feel at home.

Glenn Lindgren: Great service, delicious food, and bargain prices – what more can you ask for?

HOURS: Tuesday through Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

PRICES: Cheap!

DRESS: Very casual

CARDS: Yes

The Details

Arco Iris Restaurant

Arco Iris
3328 W Columbus Drive
Tampa, FL 33607
813-879-1357

Visit All of Our Sites:

iCuban.com | Cuban-Food-USA.com | Cuban-Christmas.com | Three Guys From Miami

About Us/Contact Us | Legal and Privacy Policy

You can make your own Cuban food at home!

Free Cuban Recipes:

Drinks | Appetizers | Salads | Main Dishes | Soups

Side Dishes | Desserts | Index

Three Guys From Miami:

Cuban, Spanish, and Latin American food recipes, Miami/Little Havana Travel Guide, Miami Restaurant Guide, Hispanic Culture & Food

The Three Guys From Miami are: Raúl Musibay, Glenn Lindgren, and Jorge Castillo

Check out The Three Guys From Miami's Google+ Fan Page