Bongos Cuban Cafe

[Wilver]

We are heading to WDW at the end of the month and are thinking of going to Bongos Cuban Cafe in Downtown Disney. The menu looks really good but we want to make sure that we don't waste a meal at someplace that isn't that good. Has anyone been to Bongos and what is your opinion about it?

Thanks,
Wilver

 

[vicki_c]

I just read a not very good review of Bongo's here in the last few days - and then a few other people chimed in saying it wasn't that great. Maybe you could try a search for it and that thread will come up. It was a thread where someone asking something like "explain to me why I should eat at Disney" or something, but they had really only eaten at DTD.

 

[WheelCEO]

I love cuban food.. and being in south florida we have PLENTY of choices. We have a local bongos and I've also eaten at the one @ DTD and enjoyed it very much.

 

[webray]

Bongo's use to be one of our favorite places, but we ate there a couple weeks ago and we were extremely disappointed. We won't be going back for a long time, if ever. Food was way off, serviced extremely slow.

 

[FireDancer]

I ate there once and had a good experience. There was a live band there and it was deafeningly loud but once we got used to it we didn't mind. If you want to have an actual conversation with your companions though I would make sure there isn't a band.

 

[Art 1]

My wife and I like Bongos. The food is good and also the atmosphere. We like to go down in the evenings and have food and drinks and watch the 9:00 show.

 

[TDC Nala]

The mojitos were excellent. The food wasn't.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

The mojitos were excellent. The food wasn't.

I love a good Mojito!
Note to self: have drinks at Bongo's and eat elsewhere!

 

[melbatoast]

I ate there a couple of years ago, and it was the worst food & service I have ever had at a restaurant. The food was bland, mostly made w/hamburger. We got a sampler of some kind, but it all tasted the same. We had the WORST service, we had 3 different waiters during our meal, and we had to ask a random person for our check, because no one brought it! We almost walked out it was that bad.

 

[dawgfan]

We ate there a couple of years ago. I was really looking forward to good Cuban food. BOY were we disappointed. The food was terrible. It was completely bland. The server advised us that WDW will not allow them to serve spicey food so that the food is acceptable to a wide range of palates. He said that this was not real Cuban food but a watered down version. He was Cuban. This was prior to him getting into a serious argument with the bartender and a bus boy over a spilled server tray. What a complete disaster this was.

 

[disneyfreak89]

We love Bongo's! We have to go there every trip and usually get their Cuban sandwiches and ask for marquita's (plantain chips) instead of fries (for an additional fee).
Their mojitoes are amazing and their cappucino's are delectable!

 

[hmillerbarilla]

I was contemplating this too as DH & I are going on an "adults only" trip and thought it would be something new. We love spicy food though, and sounds like this is bland. But, if the mojitos are good, we might stop in.

Is there a bar here? Can you just walk in and order drinks?

 

[DOOM1001]

Cuban food is not spicy,why are people saying it's supposed to be spicy?

 

[DOOM1001]

My parents are both Cuban and I live in Miami so believe me I've eaten my fair share of Cuban food and it's not spicy.Here's some info:

http://archives.secretsofthecity.co...table/2008/02/cuban-cooking-not-spicy-culture

http://www.inmamaskitchen.com/FOOD_IS_ART_II/food_history_and_facts/cuban_food_cooking.html

I've eaten at Bongo's and didn't find it to be that great,I didn't think it was bad but just not that great!I prefer the Columbia Restaurant in Celebration in Orlando or the original one in Tampa's Ybor City.

http://www.columbiarestaurant.com/ybor.asp

 

[PearlySwan]

^^ Yeah. I'll never forget when one of my co-worker asked how I made my tacos! I had to explain we don't make tacos and we don't have spicy hot food either.

 

[disneyfreak89]

Is there a bar here? Can you just walk in and order drinks?

As soon as you walk in ask to sit at the bar to the right. The stools are made to look like bongo drums.....the whole decor atmostphere is nice with cuban music playing in the background during the day and a band at night.