Mambo Cafe

Cristina Guhman (Cris)

First time here. Very busy place and the servers are always on the run. You need to grab your own table or you’re sol! The drinks are good but they kinda make you buy the glasses/cups which brings the price up to almost $30! The food takes forever to come. As busy as they are it’s understandable. That’s a very busy place. Our server was extremely courteous and attentive. She set the expectation for the waiting time of 45 minutes and asked if it was okay. We agreed to wait. Every time she walked by us she’d ensure to let us know she was keeping an eye on it. We didn’t wait that long. We got our food at around 30 minutes. The food was very good and we had a good experience. The waitress was very sweet and apologetic. This is a very busy area in downtown Miami. There’s no way you’ll get quick meal service. Drinks however are made very quickly. There were two bartenders there and you don’t need to wait to get your drinks. You can just sit there enjoying our drinks and watching what was going on around the area. Many boats and people to see. If you’re in a hurry to eat, go upstairs or across the street and find a regular restaurant because at this one you’ll wait to get a table and to get your food. But it is totally worth it!

Agony305

I absolutely love this place. Food overall is very good but I mainly go for the mofongo. It's made fresh, not dry and goes awesome with the shrimp sauce. Portions are shareable and the ambiance is great. I don't live close so whenever I go it's a treat. I was so happy they survived the pandemic. Anyone from out of town looking for some good Spanish food should definitely check it out. For the locals looking for some good mofongo...it's worth the gas, tolls and parking.

k G

I’m from LA and tried this place for the first time. The small salad was good, vegetarian quesadilla yum yum, my mom and friend got the Cuban sandwich and thought it was good. They felt it needed a little more tomatoes and lettuce. Bedsides that the only thing I wish they offered was more option for vegetarians with items they already use. Rice, beans, maduro, salad. The atmosphere was good. The quesadilla made up for the difference no doubt. Staff was nice and the photo taking person took nice photos.

Rajendra Thapa

Great environment. A lot of crowd from the nearby boat rides and thousands of hungry people. Don’t expect a fine dining experience here. Don’t be surprised to see flies trying to join the party. I must say that the food was absolutely amazing and our server very friendly. Definitely recommend the place to everyone.

Randy Peralta

The drinks were good, the food tasted great, especially the flan that took the cake for me. Our waiter was friendly. The atmosphere was great close to the water, giving a nice cool breeze on a hot day.

Tracy Kral

Stopped in here for lunch while waiting for my cruise got a seat right by the water pretty busy with the service was good I have photos of the menu and shrimp quesadilla and planting shrimp the quesadilla wasn't that great kind of greasy. Defense although granted this is not a Mexican restaurant I don't expect authentic Mexican food but it was pretty good. Lots of options on the menu. But note they automatically add 18% gratuity to your bill even for me dining as one person.

K.P C

We loved this place. The food was really delicious. The drinks were expensive almos $50 in 2 drinks but the rest was very good. Our server was very friendly and helpful. We tried vaca frita and the pork and it was great. Definitely will recommend this place.

Adriana Perez

Mambo Café at Miami's Bayside location undoubtedly shines in terms of its prime spot. The view of the pier and its placement right on the bustling strip, coupled with the musical ambiance from neighboring restaurants, create an atmosphere that is nothing short of exceptional. The overall vibe is undeniably great, making it an attractive place to spend time. However, it's worth mentioning that, unfortunately, the food at Mambo Café left much to be desired. It was, to put it mildly, rather lackluster. Even the fries on the plate looked quite sad. It becomes evident that when dining here, you're primarily paying for the location rather than the culinary experience. On a positive note, the service was a standout aspect of our visit. Our waiter was truly fantastic, which added to the overall positive ambiance. However, there were still areas where improvement could be made. One aspect that caught us by surprise was the drink pricing. When ordering drinks, be aware that they come in an unattractive glass cup that essentially costs $23. It's a detail that they don't always communicate upfront when you're ordering, although it is found in the menu. This practice may feel like an overpriced phenomenon, primarily driven by marketing, but it may leave you questioning its necessity. In summary, Mambo Café at Bayside offers an unbeatable location and atmosphere, making it a desirable spot for a lively evening. However, it's essential to be prepared for food that doesn't quite match the high standards set by its surroundings. During our visit to Mambo Café, an interesting experience unfolded when a photographer from the restaurant approached us and offered to take pictures. They kindly mentioned that one of the photos would be complimentary, while additional pictures would come with a price tag. We ended up taking multiple shots, and they printed and presented them to us in frames. The pictures turned out great, and it's safe to say that if they were offered at an affordable price, we would have likely purchased them. However, it was a bit surprising to learn that they were charging a rather hefty $20 per picture or two for $30. Given that they had already invested in printing our pictures, a more reasonable fee might have been a wiser choice. Perhaps a more modest $5 per picture could have encouraged us to buy them all, and it's a missed opportunity for the restaurant in terms of revenue. It's somewhat perplexing that they didn't consider providing the photos to clients as a gesture of goodwill, especially when everything else at the establishment is on the expensive side. Overall, it was a memorable encounter, but the pricing strategy for the pictures left us questioning their approach. Side note; I added a few extra videos of neighboring restaurants just to give you a feel for the vibe

Sharieka Crawford

VERY Tasty! I had The Complete Experience and the food definitely lived up to the name. Our waiter was excellent. Only 4 stars because it was my friend's birthday and I ordered a cheesecake and the presentation of the slice was a little messy.

Alba “AlbaSole”

Good food! We eat the alligator for the first time and was very good 👍 the atmosphere was brilliant with music and nice view from the balcony! One start lost for the restroom very very disappointed they are so dirty with cockroach!