Small spot in NYC. The food was very delicious. I had a Cuban sandwich combo that came with rice and beans. Location is small but still has sitting space available limited. The staff were very friendly and the cost was worth the amount of food that was received. Recommended hands down.

Sometimes a hidden bite can be that place where you can escape from the world a bit and feel at home. Many hole in the wall eateries can feel that way and we'll be focusing on Margon a Cuban/Dominican restaurant in Midtown Manhattan that for many years has been a trusted staple of the area because of their customer service, welcoming atmosphere, and of course food especially their sandwiches. Having come here for many years myself, Margon has always felt welcoming and you come out of it with a smile on the face. The menu will be familiar to those with Caribbean cuisine along with having daily specials from empanadas, pork chops and beef stew to steak, king fish, roasted chicken chicharron, and more with of course the classic rice and beans all done well and filling but if you are looking to wash things down then it has to be with their tropical shakes always made fresh.

At $8, options like tamarind, papaya, wheat, and moril sonando are great but so is one of my go too tropical shakes here - mamey - that transported me to a past that may or may not have happened. Also a little extra is always done that they give you in a small cup on top of the drink itself which is great and goes back to that great service. But we have to talk about the sandwiches as having a dedicated guy doing the sandwiches every day, watching this guy work is like seeing a magician do their thing.

Having had both their media noche and Cubano sandwiches, that are always fresh and made on the spot, you cannot go wrong with either. But what is the difference between the two? A Cubano traditionally is the bigger sandwich with a crusty Cuban bread and a media noche sandwich uses a softer eggy bread as they both share the same filling of roasted pork, ham, swiss cheese, pickles and mustard so if your looking for a softer sandwich the media noche is what you want. At $13, the media noche is an easy grab and go bite that satisfies on its own much like the Cubano at $16 that makes for a great lunch meal. The combination of meats satisfies, the pickles gives that acidity to balance things, the mustard isn't overdone, the cheese melts perfectly and that bread works so well that absorbs everything but doesn't feel all consuming. Roast pork, ham & cheese, steak, tunafish, and chicken sandwiches are also options to explore.

It can get busy, especially at lunch time, and with the small space can get crazy but it still flows well showing the experience accumulated over many years. Good eats in the Times Square/Rockefeller Center area of Midtown can be hard to come by, but Margon is one of those establishments that, despite its hole in the wall nature, shouldn't be missed offering well done Caribbean food, a staff that cares about what they do day in and day out, and an atmosphere that is always inviting that whether you are in the area or looking for a great downtown NYC bite for lunch or even cover yourself for dinner, they will not disappoint.

Went for their Thursday special and got oxtail with rice and beans and a side salad. Also added a side of fried chicken chunk. You might as well get the fried chicken chunk plate since it was the same price ($15 or so). The food came with a couple of green sauces (which really wasn’t a green sauce, it was more like a garlic vinaigrette). The oxtail was delicious and loved the fried chicken chunk (so crispy and not as dried as I expected it to be). The sides, however, weren’t impressive at all. The rice and beans were mushy and the side salad was iceberg lettuce with canned veggies (no dressing). Wouldn’t be a bad place to get the oxtail from time to time.

Great customer service, they are such sweet people working here. They have lots of regulars coming in, joking with them, asking how things are going, etc. Cuban sandwich was the best I've had, tried the cortadito coffee. Then I saw some regulars ordering containers of white stuff, asked what it was and they said it's oatmeal, the best one ever. So of course I had to try it. Wow, so creamy and delicious! Wish I came here sooner instead of my last day. This place is a gem!

UPDATE: Ordered the pepper steak from Tuesday special. The rice and beans were excellent as usual, but the steak was a bit tougher than expected. Also, the dish had a sour flavor to it that didn't agree with my taste. It might be what others are looking for.

Small hole in-the-wall restaurant serving Cuban food close to time square. The staff was friendly and it was fast service. Ordered the oxtail Friday lunch special. The yellow rice and beans were very good. The oxtail was soft but it was a little too salty for my tastes. It was still good overall. Would try again.