THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Bongos Cuban Cafe

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Bongos Cuban Cafe Restaurant Review:

“Location, location, location!” the old real estate adage advises. And indeed, this huge Cuban resto-lounge’s location on Biscayne Bay---attached to American Airlines Arena, between Miami’s cruise ship port and Bayside Market Place’s shops---is a big key to the place’s popularity among tourists. The retro ambience, an evocative fantasy of pre-Castro Cuba, is also a draw, especially on weekend nights when locals join visitors as the spot morphs into a salsa club with live entertainment and dancing. Admittedly, those whose priority is authentic Cuban food can do better at any number of less expensive restaurants in town, where cooking (and service) are more consistently careful. But diners who eschew seafood and other items that require precision timing and are looking for basics like ropa vieja or, better yet, a mountain of mariquitas (plantain chips) with garlicky mojo, plus a well-made mojito, will have the makings of a fun night out.