Delicious food, a vibrant atmosphere and a never-ending party is what I got out of an evening at Bongos Cuban Café in Disney Springs.
Growing up in South Florida I was surrounded by Cuban culture. Our local Publix sells croquetas and empanadas in the bakery and we never had a problem getting fresh loaves of Cuban bread. So, when my family decided to celebrate my sister’s college graduation at Bongos Cuban Café at Disney Springs, I was excited to get some authentic Cuban food (something that’s hard to come by in Lake City.)
Bongos Cuban Café is owned by Gloria and Emilio Estefan and has been serving up authentic Cuban food in Disney Springs for over 20 years. It’s tropical décor transports you to the Old Havana (the building is even topped with a massive pineapple!).
Coming off of a two-hour long graduation ceremony, we were all ready for a party. We had a party of 11, and Bongos Cuban Café was actually one of the only restaurants in Disney Springs that was able to accommodate all of us. We sat down and you could feel the energy pumping through the room. The Latin dancers were strutting their stuff on the dance floor and all the customers were smiling and clapping along.
We started off with classic Cuban garlic toast and we ate all three baskets in about two minutes. Then it came time to order, and there were so many yummy options it was so hard to decide.
I will say this, if you’re eating at Bongos be prepared to spend a pretty penny. The food is expensive in my opinion, but this is coming from someone who was raised on the McDonald’s Dollar Menu. Our family never eats anywhere this nice, so it was definitely a special treat.
I got the baked roasted chicken empanadas served with guava BBQ sauce. It was on the appetizer menu and the portion was still really big. The meal came with four large empanadas stuffed full of juicy chicken. The slight kick from the chicken paired perfectly with the sweetness of the guava in the sauce.
My family ordered some other delicious food that looked incredible. Check out what they ate:
Miriam’s “Special” Chicken and Rice: Quarter chicken served on a bed of yellow rice and sweet plantains.
Lechon Flatbread: A crispy flatbread topped with roasted pork, mozzarella cheese, sweet plantains and a drizzle of honey.
Ropa Vieja: Shredded beef slowly cooked in the restaurant’s Kitchen Criollo sauce with onion and peppers. Served with black beans and rice.
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We ended the meal with a delicious slice of Tres Leches cake. Overall, the food was great, but I would say that Bongos is more of an appetizer and drinks joint for me. The atmosphere is what makes this restaurant a Disney Springs must.
The Happy Floridian 