Brocato’s Sandwich Shop

Great food a must stop anytime you are in tampa. Bring cash it’s cheaper and try the mary party sampler. So you can try the Cuban sandwich, devil crab cakes, and stuffed potatoes (papa rellena). Great service and they have little mini jugs of lemonade and sweet tea for anybody who wants homemade goodness. Place is packed for a good reason this place has run since the 1940s. Keep doing what you guys are doing :)

This was my first time here and actually the first time I heard of Devils crab. We don’t have this back home so I didn’t know what to expect. Ordered the Biggie Nana and Homemade Stuffed Potato. I was surprised on how humongous it was. I split the Devil’s crab with my wife and I totally forgot that she doesn’t eat beef. So I could only eat a few bites of the stuffed potato after eating the crab. It was delicious and tastes good with the hot sauce. I was told they have one of the best Cubans in the area. I will have to try it net time I come here.

Great devil crab! Fried but not greasy and full of fresh crab. Not fishy tasting. I got a 12″ Cuban. It was huge. Not your traditional one. Has lettuce and tomato and thinly sliced ham. Bread was nice and light. A little too much mayo though. I don’t feel a Cuban needs mayo. Sandwich was good but not as good as some. 12″ is great to share. Bring cash or pay extra for credit card ($ 1.99). Crowded at times. If in a hurry get their app and order ahead. Had the roast pork sandwich on a separate visit. Nice pork but comes with lettuce and tomato and pickle. Because the meat is hot the lettuce is cooked by the time you eat it and the tomato is hot! Bring your appetite or bring a friend to share!

Yet again Unilocal brings us to a hidden gem. Wasn’t sure what to expect, but a sandwich shop that serves what seems like a 1-​pound crab cake (that also happens to taste like seafood gumbo), and breaded-​and-​fried mashed potatoes filled with picadillo, was NOT it. The Cuban was quite tasty, but at least once try the «devil crab». One caveat — with the devil crab the combos are not cheap.

A good friend of mine has a family member who owns this establishment. I never took the time to actually go and check it out until recently. Brocatos lives up to the hype. Seriously! The devil crab here is the size of a Nerf football. I wish I had listened to my buddy sooner because I could be enjoying the devil crabs on a regular basis. They’re sandwiches are great too! Cool and funny atmosphere inside with ample seating outside. Parking is limited so be quick!

This was one of the worst restaurants I have ever dined at. Besides the 45 minute wait for a cold Cuban sandwich, the café con leche made with milk that was left sitting out UNREFRIGERATED, and an unsanitary dining area — Every single employee I came in contact with was extremely rude. I understand that restaurants can be busy, but to yell and give an attitude for asking a question like «Where is the coffee I ordered?» And «Where do I pick up the coffee I ordered?» Is unacceptable. I rarely post bad reviews because I think sometimes it might be a once in a while thing. But after dining here and searching online, this restaurant has had food safety violations before and they continue to keep up their unsanitary practices.

I know a lot of folks mention the Cuban sandwich, but I always go for the roast pork sandwich. It is tender and sooooo flavorful and you cannot get another one like it in Tampa Bay (in my opinion… Cuban Breezes is close, but Brocato’s still wins!) I’ve had the Cuban here as well as the devil crab, both are OK, but I’ll stick with the roast pork sammich every time!

Best deviled crab I’ve ever had by far. This place is an institution. Worth every penny they charge and big enough for two people to share. Try it, do what I say. Practically everything you buy comes with a drink, and that includes beer if you like.

We had a CL deal for Brocato’s sandwich shop and since we were in downtown Tampa on a Saturday afternoon, and since the place closes at a weird time of 4pm, we decided to make a run for it and check it out.
Getting to Brocato’s requires some work. It’s located on the outskirts of downtown Tampa so you have to make a short drive. Once you’re there, you park your car on a dirt parking lot. The place looks very inviting and cool from outside with all the signage and outdoor seating. The inside is also very historic looking with photos of famous people that have been here and newspaper clippings. The order process is quick but the menu is a little confusing. There are 2 board which show the available sandwiches and the sides. We decided to get a Cuban, plantains, and an empanada. The cuban sandwich was very different and I have to say that it was not traditional. A Cuban is supposed to have a thick but of ham but here it looked like thinly cut deli meat. The bread was nice and crispy though. The plantains tasted good but not very fresh and a little too smelly. The Empanada, which costed a whopping $ 5 for one, was satisfying but not memorable. It was filled with some minced beef filling which looked like the same one they use for their giant potato side item. Some bonus things that we graciously received for free were: 3 bags of potato chips, 2 pre-​packaged cookies, and a really tasty gooey cake. They also offer unlimited free refills on soft drinks.
In conclusion, Broacato’s was a fun little excursion that provides us with plenty of food to last two meals. It was worth a trip to see all the history, however, we will probably not make another trip just to go here. There are sooo many Cuban options everywhere in Tampa that provide a more authentic experience.

Brocato’s is one of the most popular places in Tampa to grab a Cuban Sandwich and Devil Crab. I have visited on a few occasions and the small restaurant is usually packed. Sometimes it can take 10 to 15 minutes to just place an order and another 15 minutes to get the food. On my most recent visit I ordered the Cuban Sandwich traditional style (without lettuce and tomato). The 8″ sandwich alone in filling and satisfying. The bread was flakey and nicely toasted and the sandwich was filled with a generous portion of flavorful ham. My main criticism was the lack of roast pork in the sandwich; I felt like I was eating a ham sandwich instead of a Cuban. I also had the Devil Crab, which is the real star of Brocato’s. The fried ball of fresh shredded crab meat, onions, and peppers is filled with flavor and a must order when visiting Brocato’s.

I got a groupon to go to Brocato’s because I had heard about the giant sandwiches they serve, also I love Devil crab. My friend and I ventured out a little before noon because I heard they are very busy and I was glad we got there when we did because a line formed right after us. There were lots of people already eating at tables inside and outside and others waiting for their number to be called.
This is a family run place, and a lot of people are working hard to keep up with the crowd. When your order is ready the owner calls your name and number on the loud speaker. It is kind of entertaining when someone is not there.
I saw the devil crab on our way in and I knew it would be enough for lunch. It was the biggest one I have ever seen and there are huge chunks of lump crab meat in it. Very good! My friend got the buffalo chicken sandwich, it was also huge.
All orders come with chips, a drink and a small package of cookies. You get a good amount of food for the price. My friend and I both took our chips and cookies back to work to eat later. A lot of working people and locals come here for lunch, and you can see why. It is affordable, relatively quick, and good.

Pros
Good food
Good people serving it
Easy straight forward salesmanship
Cons
Bees
Chuckie doll wearing Buccaneers jersey.

My wife warns me against eating at restaurants that offer Groupon deals. She is right about Brocatos. Our journey started with a confused disorganized menu. I asked the cashier about breakfast and she barked responses treating us more like inmates than customers. With her poor customer service I normally would have walked out, but I had to use my Groupon.
I ordered a steak omelet that was huge and loaded with shredded Philly style steak. The steak was average quality and the fries were mediocre. My wife’s egg and steak sandwich was much better than my omelet. The Cuban bread used for her sandwich was excellent. We enjoyed the diner feel and the oldies music was charming.
I don’t see us returning due to the terribly rude customer service. The 3 stars are for the large portions, good value, and unique ambiance.

I didn’t realize the weekday rush would be so insane! Parking in the super rough, rocky parking lot, I walked up and found a crowd! Waited in line, while watching for a table to get ready to leave to have my Mom sit while I ordered… and soon enough one became available. QUICK — jump in and get it!
We shared a pressed Cuban, a deviled crab, chips and a drink. It was so large, we couldn’t finish everything! It was very tasty too!
They are so busy, but they all keep it together and the line is outside the building, goes inside and then wraps throughout the interior to the pick up area and the few tables inside are packed as well.
It’s really squishy and certainly not an intimate location for lunch. It’s loud.
But, the food is good and the prices are right!

Yum! Go to this place if you are looking to seriously get your NOM on! The portions here are absolutely enormous. If you think you can split a 12″ sandwich with someone else, you might want to think twice. The Cubans have SO MUCH MEAT on them that it’s difficult to finish 6″. My main complaint is that my Cuban came out somewhat cold– not pressed HOT how I would prefer it.
We tried a bunch of their other sides and specialties, which were all super tasty. I would highly recommend the stuffed potato. I don’t know who thought of this unusual abomination, but it was a fried joy. Mashed potatoes and ground beef, fried up in a ball?! Totally awesome! The deviled crab was tasty, IF you like spicy food. Not my fave, but my brother loved it.
The rice and beans were also crazy delicious. Old come back here. If you visit, be sure to come HUNGRY!

This is Tampa own nice sandwich store. This is the area they generate a lot crowd during the lunch hour. It is pack most of the time. The sandwich is famous in this area.
We have the Cuban Sandwich with hot press. We order all inclusive sandwich fully loaded. The sandwich is very thick nice cheese. The ham is very juicy. The mojo pork just a few slice in the center. The pork need to be more mojo marinated with better strong taste. Overall, this is a big sandwich for a hungry person.

I ordered party pack sampler fro 12.99 that included a 6″ Cuban sandwich, a mini devil crab, a mini stuffed potato, a bag of chip, a drink and a flan. The most impressed was the devil crab. The coating was crunchy and the inside was filled with good amount of crab meat. The combination was quite tasty. The stuffed potato was pretty good also. I found the Cuban not bad at all. The ham got some smoke flavor. The pork was moist and flavortful. The tomato, lettuce, the dressing mixed nicely together. The flan dessert was a excellent choice. I liked it. There were so many drinks and chips to choice from. The building wasn’t fancy. Yet the workers were constantly cleaning and organizing the place. The owner chatted with the regular and friendly greeted everyone. This is quite an unique eatery in Tampa, for its good food and community atmosphere.

We came here on a Tuesday, mid afternoon, and it was still pretty busy — which is a good sign! This was my first time here, there was a small group of us and we had no problems finding a table. I got the small veggie sub pressed, which was very tasty, maybe a little too much cheese on it. The small was so big I barely ate half. Everyone else ordered Cubans of course!
I ordered a side of plantains which took forever to get but they were delicious. Some of my friends shared fries, one had a stuffed potato, and we took home some deviled crab of course! Everyone enjoyed their food.
There is really only outside seating. The inside gets very crowded with lines and people waiting for their food. We always love sitting outside but today was just a little too cold out.

LOTS OF FOOD… I have been coming to Brocato’s for YEARS. My first love of them was when they had a guy named Mike that used to make their Buffalo wings. They had hands down the best wings ever! I would order them for every party I had & would get large aluminum pans full of them… but alas, they don’t make them anymore. :(It took me a while to get over it but they have so many other great food items you don’t really notice if you never knew they had them to begin with.
The great thing about somewhere like Brocato’s is the portions. They do NOT leave you hungry. And how many times do you crave soup from somewhere & order a bowl & it’s really a cup. Come on, why are restaurants so chintzy on their soup portions? Well, Brocato’s isn’t one of those places. When I ordered Spanish bean soup, I got soup!
I have had their salads, fresh, flavorful & HUGE. All to order. The Cuban sandwiches, perfect every time and just chock stacked with meat. Their roast pork is to die for! I could go on & on, I have not ordered anything here that I haven’t liked yet.
There is a certain time of the day that they gather around to make the deviled crabs too. All fresh made items & DELICIOUSNESS at it’s best. They have a variety of items, sandwiches, stuffed potatoes, the menu options go on and on.
Wait, I almost forgot about breakfast, well, and that is not something you want to miss because it is the most important meal of the day. And, if you get breakfast at Brocato’s it may just be your only meal of the day because you get so much food! Their breakfast specials put Denny’s to shame & again, all fresh made & delicious.
Have a sweet tooth? Get a pastry or a cookie, and don’t ever forget your café con leche! each one made as you order…
They have grown immensely over the years & you can now access them from both sides as they have a great big area for parking on the southwest side of the building that runs between 14^th Ave & Columbus Dr. They have an outdoor area for lunch crowds & quick Cuban sandwich orders to attempt to alleviate the standing room inside.
So…Why did I keep a star? They have a small wait area & chaos when you walk in. I think it would be enough to scare me away if I hadn’t been coming here for so many years. I have left other establishments with this type of first impression as I don’t like to try to figure out any system with the hungry crowds of people towering over me… the pressure of it all, trying to figure out do I sit or do I order & not to mention not being able to see the sign that says ‘order here’ beyond the other people that are waiting.
Luckily I do know the system, so I won’t be missing out on my Brocato’s anytime soon.

I’ve had this bookmarked for a while now. I’m glad I was finally able to visit. We came during the lunch rush, and this place was a madhouse! There where so many people in line to order, I almost didn’t have anywhere to stand. I have to give them props though, because the line moved crazy fast, and my food was ready in a matter of minutes.
I ordered the Joe’s Special Cuban all the way, and the biggest Deviled Crab the have. If this review was on the food alone, I would give it three stars. Reason being, the food is nothing special, other than the giant portions (which is kinda cool). I’m giving it four stars due to the novelty of this place; that and the efficiency.
The Cubano was just okay. I think they forgot to press mine, or maybe that is how they do it here. Usually, a Cuban sandwich is pressed and the outside of the bread is slightly heated. The bread was a little stale, which was surprising due to the sheer quantity of sandwiches this place is pushing out. Maybe it was a fluke. The Deviled Crab was also mediocre. It wasn’t dripping with grease, so that’s a plus, but it was lacking in flavor. I noticed a nice mix of veggies and spices, but all the flavors were dead, as if it suffered freezer burn after preparation. Again, it could be a fluke. It wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t exploding with flavor like I had imagined. Maybe it was hyped up too much.
There is plenty of parking all around the building. The dining area was clean, with a few two-​seater tables inside, and a bunch of outside seating. Overall, this is a place I would bring out-​of-​town friends just for the experience & good priced food. Definately not my first pick for a Cuban sandwich.