does anyone recommend Bongo's in DTD?

[Jenny]

i don't think they except reservations but i'd like to give dinner a try there. what did you think of the food, etc? thanks.

 

[fizz13]

DH and myself went for dinner there a couple of years ago and really liked it. It is not fine dining but we enjoyed the food a lot. Not too spicy but still had flavour and tons of rice served with everything. We enjoyed the setting, the music and had great service. If you are looking for a casual but tasty dinner, I think this is a great place to try.
Claire

 

[RebelHawk]

My DW and I try to hit Bongos every year for at least one meal. We enjoy the fast paced atmosphere and the food is really good. I personally am not a fan of Cuban beer but they have a good selection of adult beverages.

Where we live there isn't anything close to Cuban food but we can get fine dining equivalent to the other places at WDW all day long, that is the main reason we always look forward to hitting Bongos.

 

[LindaR]

Well.............I feel the opposite. If someone gave me a free meal there, I would decline.

DD15 and I ate lunch there June 2004. Food was ok, no complaints there. BUT THE SERVICE! I can honestly say that I have never had service THAT bad anywhere else. Good luck to you.

 

[ILUVDXL]

I think you'll like it for something different. Nor fine dinning by any strech of the imagination, but it's lively and the food is tastey. Besides, who could resist eating inside a giant pineapple? The dinningroom is multi-leveled and we've never had a wait to get in. Hope you enjoy.

 

[DeterminedOne]

Bongos ... Terrible food ... at least I thought so having never tasted Cuban food. The waitress said fried plantains were like french fries. Well, they weren't. I ordered what I thought the safest thing from the menu, pot roast. When they brought it out it was covered in a yucky gravy with peas in it. The service was also terrible. I should have known this because when we arrived at the podium young ladies acted as if we were bothering them. The waitress was slow and unattentive. Overall, it was a bad experience and I would not eat at Bongos again. Just my opinion.

 

[webray]

We love Bongo's, both inside and out.

We have went many times..it remains high on our list when looking for a great place with relaxing atmosphere.

 

[pixiedustforever]

i'd like to try Bongo's on next trip - in 2 weeks!!!

Only thing is that DS (11) and DD (12) will expect to see Ricky Ricardo after finding out that it's Cuban food! LOL!!!

Keep the reviews coming!

And no, plantains are NOTHING like french fries!!
Sorry y'all got bum advice!
I miss Pollo Tropical plantains, chicken & rice.
How do they compare?

"Pixiedustforever"

 

[punkin]

I like the food (americanized cuban) and the atmosphere. the service leaves much to be desired. Try the fried rice.

 

[ctrabada]

Bongo's is Cuban food... if you've never had it, you'll either love it or hate it. The food at Bongo's is high-priced and mediocre if you compare it with what you can get in Miami. I was not impressed with their service at all.

Since I live in South Florida, I can get Cuban food in almost every corner, and at least half the time it will be better than Bongo's (and much cheaper).

If you can't make it to Miami, then I guess Bongo's will fit the bill for Cuban food... it's not great, but it's not the worst, and it'll be different. One word of warning: a lot of the food will be fried and, if you're watching your carbs, forget about going there... most Cuban food is served with white rice, black beans and plantains. Cubans loooove their starch!

DeterminedOne, I can't believe they told you plantains are like french fries! No wonder you hated them! Plantains are more like bananas.... you can fry them either green (unsweet, sprinkle salt on them) or yellow (ripe and sweet). They can definitely be an acquired taste for someone who's never had them before....

 

[sotoalf]

I second ctrabada: if you've never had Cuban food, Bongo's is a novelty. Speaking as a Cuban-American, the food is pretty insulting - a mainstream, bland version of Cuban (rather like Gloria Estefan's music, but that's another story).

There's a few decent (not great, just decent) Cuban restaurants in the Orlando area. Save the big bucks for anotehr meal. If you got your heart set on Bongo's, order a mojito, a dish of plantains, and people-watch

 

[Kitster]

Oh yummmmm, I forgot about the fried plantains (must remember to get a bag of plantain chips while I'm in Fl this time,,,they're much better than potato chips!) I'm jazzed about the ham croquettes and Cuban black beans and rice......oh I can't wait. I'm dragging my DBF to Bongo's this trip. He's never had any type of Cuban food.

 

[mousefansmom]

BUT, we never got past the mojitas at the bar (their specialty drink). Try ONE, and no more than that!

Mousefansmom

 

[dischick4778]

We try to eat at Bongos once every trip. We love the atmosphere and the food is great too! Never had a complaint about it thus far. I would suggest you try it for yourself. It's worth it!

 

[scrappindentist]

We ate there a couple years ago and enjoyed it...we like cuban food...it's definately different and not for the very picky eater. I don't remember the service so it must not have been that bad. I too love mojitos so I would go there just for a drink! It was fun and I would go again but not with my kids.

 

[ctrabada]

Ah, yes, I forgot about their mojitos... they're pretty good... and their cuban coffee is good too... I usually get a "cortadito" (cuban coffee with a little milk) and a "pastelito" (pastry filled with meat) at their outside window....

 

[ecuagoddess]

fried plantains are like french fries in the sense that they are a "side" to almost every meal (burgers & fries, hot dogs & fries, etc.), not because they are made with potatoes. that's what the waitress meant.

i would suggest you try it for yourself. the "pot roast" (ropa vieja) doesn't come with "gravy," it comes with the sauce that accompanies ropa vieja. what i'm trying to say is that it's not pot roast, it's ropa vieja, so it shouldn't look/taste like pot roast. i know that it's probably translated that way on the menu, but that's because ropa vieja literally translated means "old clothes." would you order "old clothes?" not many people would, so they chose the closest approximation.

that's what's great about Disney Dining. something for everyone. how will you know if you like it if you don't try it?

 

[Tabetha]

Does anyone know if they make the mojitos with freshly extracted sugar cane juice? That's the BEST, but impossible to come by in Canada.