Bongos is a treasure right next to Green Lake. Be warned that you will wait ~30 min for your food, and the outdoor seating can be cold and windy. However, once you get your food, your troubles will melt away. We got the Bart sandwich and the Desi plate. The sandwiches and plates are well priced, very filling, and so delicious! The meat is tasty, the yucca fries and sauce is good, and the rice and beans are amazing. The parking is a little weird, but I hope to return soon! read more

10/10 I bring family here. You can't go wrong with the West Indies chicken sandwich , it'll get messy tho.

Went here awhile back and figured I should leave the review this place deserves! The food here is absolutely amazing. Everytime I'm trying something new because this place has so many great flavors. read more

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This place has been on my list for so long (for obvious reasons) and finally got a chance to come by on a nice sunny day. Order inside, grab your tracker, and try to find a seat. Opted for The Bart which is their fall apart citrus braised pork with all the fixings: caramelized onions, jalapeños, cheese, ham, mustard aioli, cilantro on some crusty crunchy bread. Do yourself and make it a combo and get the yuca fries. Creamy golden fried yuca with cilantro aioli (I'm a hater of cilantro and I didn't mind this at all). Sandwich was very very messy and definitely big enough to share. The sandwich did end up falling apart so be prepared to get dirty with your hands. It was delicious and gave me Un Bien and Paseo vibes (I mean this in as the biggest compliment). I can't imagine going wrong with anything off the menu here. read more

I just had a terrible experience with a cashier named Kiara. I ordered online and dropped in to pick up my food 20 minutes later. I told the cashier my name, and she said with unnecessary attitude, "Um, it takes 30 minutes after you order for your food to be ready." I said "Ok, that's not a problem. It's been 20 minutes, so I am just letting you know I'm here." She responded "Well, 20 minutes isn't the same as 30 minutes." The whole thing was so petty that I just cancelled the order and left. She acted like I couldn't cancel, but I was just like "No, M'am, I want to cancel and I'd like a refund." It was ridiculous and I won't be returning. read more

So....the conversation went like this over the phone: "Hello Bongos." "Yes. Do you have Cuban Sandwiches." "Yes. We call it the Cuban Joe and we serve it with cole slaw." I had never heard of Cuban Sandwiches with cole slaw but OK. "Great. I will order one for pickup." I provided my name.....which they also go wrong. I picked up my wrapped and bagged sandwich and paid my $13 or so dollars. Quite a bit for a sandwich but if it's good....oh well. When I got home I unwrapped the sandwich and this is the slop I got for $13. Not even CLOSE to a Cuban Sandwich. So....my question is: "How the hell can you run a Cuban themed restaurant and not know what a Cuban Sandwich is??" Amazing how illiterate some people are. I have been to The Caribbean. I am very familiar with the food. I have had Cuban Sandwiches many places, including Little Havana in Miami. This is clearly Americanized Caribbean food with Caribbean spices. Won't be back. They actually have one more authentic and cheaper at PCC. Should have gone there instead. Oh well. Live and learn. read more

Bongos - This slop was $13. - Cuban Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Looks can really be deceiving for this place! My boyfriend and I both got "The Bart" on the menu. And we should've listened to all the other reviews saying how the sandwich was so messy and everyone regretted it. The sandwich itself was a train wreck it was so messy! Dripping all over your hands. The meat inside was so tender and good but then it soaked the bread making the bread soggy. I'm more of a fan of the Un Bien/Paeso sandwiches where you can still have the crunch of the bread. All in all it was good. And. So. Much. Meat!!!! Just a little too messy and soggy I did love the option of "The Bart" because it combines two sandwiches with all the great toppings. I want to come back and try one of their plates and sit on on their huge patio! It seems like this would be the go to summer spot! read more

Bongos - The Bart - Cuban Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Right off the bat, we were met with a good extremely friendly service, food came in about five minutes. Excellent fried chicken and brisket plates!! read more

Bongos - Cuban Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I'll start by saying to be fair I've never been to the Caribbean and really haven't had Caribbean food so this was a must try. It didn't disappoint. Pre warning that the food does have a little kick just in case you aren't into spicy. Not crazy but definitely can taste it. Having said that it was really good. We went during the week so lots of tables available and it's a super cute setting. We got the Cuban Joe sandwich, the tostones and the Desi plate. All were super flavorful and lots of food. The plate comes with rice and beans, mango slaw and a Maduro. All so good. I wouldnt go out of my way to eat here but if in the area I would go back and try some other items. read more

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Great food and service. Ample outdoor seating available. Parking is limited. I had a Desi sandwich and can't wait to return to try the other menu items - the portions were generous. read more

There's so many things this place gets right that I'm not sure I can cover them all... The setting is so nice and casual, one of the best places in Seattle to eat outdoors, the food is served fast and it's amazing. All of it! Ps Make sure you get a side of there yucca fries. read more

This is a great place to come on a sunny day. I loved the outside patio, it was really spacious and the bright colors made it very fun. The drinks were really good, I had a passionfruit margarita and I would get it again. Strong drink with a great passionfruit flavor. The food was only okay in my opinion. I tried the fried chicken and was bummed out that it was boneless... it doesn't hit the same for me! But - I would definitely return and recommend this place to others for the vibes. Parking is limited in the lot, but there is usually ample street parking. read more

THE BIG: I'm converted now. Totally bonkers for bongos! Literally the edge triangle of a busy intersection. Has private parking, but you might be relegated to street parking. THE BLACK AND WHITE: The bae and I came here on a rare sunny seattle winter day. Walking into the restaurant, you're greeted with a leisure stroll over a sand bar before heading into the restaurant. Inside, you order and pay first before sitting down to eat. I can only imagine how busy bongos gets in the summer. We ordered the yuca fries, west indies carribean jerk plate, and the bart sandwich. The yuca fries were cooked well. I did get some inedible fiber pieces though. Other than that hiccup, the food was amazing. The bart was so juicy and the right amount of spices that made me teleport to the beaches of miami. Don't even get me started on the jerk chicken. The chicken was perfectly cooked and sauced. The plate included the base bottom of rice with black beans and fresh slaw. Oh and there's a singular fried plantain lol. THE FINAL BAMBOO: Overall damage done was $24 including tip and tax for a the west indies plate, yuca fries, and the bar sandwich. I will definitely be back! read more

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I have been wanting to give this place a visit since I bookmarked them like couple months ago. I finally got the chance and it didn't disappoint me at all. Especially their outdoor patio or an indoor beach?! I love it! Well creative idea to whoever came up with it. Got there on a Friday night, WOOOHOOOO! The line was pack... must be a good sign or people comes here just for the hype. Good thing it is not. Took me almost 40 mins to have an open table, but it was worth it. Everyone recommended the "Jerk Chicken" I just have to try it to believe that its the best. I also ordered the veggie platter as well. It was good, you get to try all their appetizers all in one plate. The Jerk Chicken was really good but it was a little too spicy for me the sauce on the top. Next time, I will order the same but with the sauce on the side. Overall, great experience for me. I can't wait to come to this place when its summer time. When you can sit outside. read more

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This place is a vibe. I had the West Indies Chicken platter and it really hit the spot. I bought 3 of the 4 hot sauces they offer, and they were pretty good but I wish they were spicier. I'll be back to try their other dishes. read more

Bongos - West Indies Chicken platter - Cuban Near Me - Seattle, Washington

It's good it's just not the same style of jerk chicken you'd get in Brooklyn. It's more of a BBQ flavor and you don't get the whole chicken pieces just cut up and skinless portions. Red's cafe comes closer to the crown heights flavor, but bongo's is solid. read more

Bongos is one of my all time favorite restaurants. The food is outstanding, the prices are unbeatable and the ambiance is so unique! My go to is the West Indies plate with a side of yucca fries topped with cilantro aioli, and a Caribbean guava cocktail to drink! read more

Bongos is a solid Caribbean spot, that has some great outdoor seating. I've been here a few times and usually get one of their plates which has a protein of your choice, rice, beans, and plantains with a mango slaw. I got the West Indies chicken plate which was great! The chicken is sweet and has a nice kick to it, which I expected but was spicier than I anticipated. The chicken was also cooked well with some nice char on it while also being very moist and tender at the same time. The rice and beans is solid, and the mango slaw is a good refreshing touch on the side as well. Overall I enjoyed bongos very much! Always a good spot when I'm around the green lake area. read more

Bongos - Cuban Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This was pretty good food for me could have been better. Good atmosphere with the sand. Dog friendly. See pictures read more

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Great sandwich's my favorite is the po boy shrimp Holly cow can we say flavor burst also had the chicken not as good as the shrimp but pretty good will definitely be coming back geee soon read more

We have a new favorite place to go before Husky basketball games! Wow! This place is amazing!! We both had a half and half plate with Desi (slow cooked pork with delicious spices) and the West Indies (jerk) chicken. Both were so flavorful- spicy but not hot. We upgraded to a combo - added a soft drink (lots of options in cans and bottles) and a small side of tostones. This was so much food, we didn't finish our tostones, and we LOVE tostones!! The meat comes on a plate that has a base layer of rice and beans with delicious tangy, non-mayonnaise-y slaw. and a Maduro for a sweet finish. Oh my goodness! I can't wait to come back and try some other dishes. They have a selection of five or six beers, so will try that next time. The pineapple hot sauce on the table was the perfect complement! I bet the outdoor space is hopping in the summertime! read more

Bongos - Cuban Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This eatery is a gem. Truly an awesome place with great food at fair prices. Good drinks and special cocktails. I would call the dishes, Cubano Fusion. It's a biz with special vibes and service you wish every restaurant had. Just fabulous. Really. read more

First time at Bongos and it did not disappoint! I got the Desi Plate and my friend got the West Indies Plate and they were both incredible. I also loved their outdoor seating and the little fire pit to keep warm. And I was so happy they had hawaiian suns! Overall, 5/5 stars. read more

Bongos - The West Indies Plate and The Desi Plate - Cuban Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Excellent food.... Like really really good man! Colin the owner is super chill and the staff are awesome! Highly Recommend 10 out a 10! read more

Bongos - R & D chillin like a villain.... Best Caribbean food in Seattle! - Cuban Near Me - Seattle, Washington

SO GOOD!!! Only reason it isn't 5 stars is because what I went there to try was sold out :( So don't go at the end of the day! But we got the Jerk plate, Trinidad Steak, (plates come with Sweet Plantains,rice/beans/Mango coleslaw) we also got a side of sweet plantains, Side of tostados and two drinks (about $40 something total) There's inside seating but he outside seating has you sitting in sand with a tiki hut for a bar/ice cream hut. Gives you an island vibe because you order right when you come in, take a buzzer and go find a seat to wait until you get buzzed to come get your food. read more

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This place is simply amazing. I stopped by around 2PM for a late lunch and they were so busy! Huge crowd during off peak hours - big sign this was the right lunch choice! Husband and I tried their Desi plate, West Indies Plate, and shrimp po'boy sandwich. The spiciness of the chicken in the West Indies plate was so goooood. The chicken was so most, so flavorful (drooling as I type this, lol). Desi plate had succulent pieces of pork sautéed with onions. A match made in heaven for my pork-loving hubby. My favorite out of all three dishes was the shrimp po'boy sandwich. It was filled with perfectly cooked plump shrimps. Don't get me started on the sauce... it can be bottled up in a 4oz with a price tag of $10 and I'd still buy it. Such great food and customer service. Definitely have a returner from our household! read more

After an intense 5 hours of outlet shopping, we were ready for a late night dinner. I'd done a quick search for food earlier and Bongos was the chosen spot. They specialize in Cuban and Caribbean cuisine. We dropped in on a Saturday evening (around 9:30pm). We were there late but they greeted us with smiles and open arms. The girl working the front was incredibly friendly and sweet. The decor is rustic and fun; love the surfboard up on the wall, the coffee bean bags decorating the ceiling, the hipster hanging lights and the sand out on the patio. A little hidden beach oasis. The menu is split into sandwiches, plates, combos and sides. They were sold out of multiple things (pork was all gone) so we asked for their recommendations. There's also 7 beer options available on draft. Love the beer tap that's dressed up as a bowling pin. - Ten pin pineapple wheat ale ($5.25 US pint) - we decided to try out their pineapple wheat ale which was refreshing and good pineapple tones. - Trinidad steak ($13.99 US) - marinated and grilled steak. We opted for medium rare which is exactly how it was cooked; tasty and tender. All their plates come with beans, rice, mango slaw and a maduro (plantain). Portions are generous and come with a good amount of meat. We were surprised to that there was a whole layer of rice underneath everything! - West Indies ($10.99 US) - jerk spiced chicken with west Indies sauce. The chicken had some heat to it but still retained all the flavour. Good bite and tons of chicken. The plantain was legit and we both liked the mango slaw. Excellent spot to grab Cuban/Caribbean food! Would definitely come back to Bongos and try their sandwiches next visit. read more

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Very good basic Caribbean food, decent prices and excellence service. Too bad they don't sell Cuban coffee. Will definitely come back.

Bongos catered my husband's 50th birthday for 35 people. We had more than enough rice, beans, slaw, salad, jerk chicken, picadillo beef, vegan pastelon, and maduros. The food arrived buffet style so it was easy to serve and it was perfectly cooked and hot/fresh. It was affordable and Eleazar went above and beyond as he helped us select the perfect menu for our group. It was so nice to be able to relax and enjoy our party as we shared one of our favorite restaurants with our friends! read more

This place is bomb! Service was excellent and quick and staff were super friendly. Servings are generous. I don't have pics of the main entrees but we had The West Indies and the Bucco and of course HAD to order the Tres Leche bread budding! Boy everything was FANTASTIC AND TASTEFUL. Well worth the drive from the south end. Will definitely be coming back when we're in the area. read more

Bongos - Tres Leche breast pudding - Cuban Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Why has it taken me this long to go to try Bongos?!? I've known about it for YEARS but last week was my first visit. It was an especially horrific, smoky quarantine day (2020 is FINE, right?!?), so BF & I called ahead and got our order to go. The West Indies Chicken plate was THE BOMB. I am an absolute spice fiend and I didn't expect this to deliver a kick, but it seriously impressed me! I honestly thought the chicken would have been even better if they went a bit lighter handed with the sauce, but overall it was an amazing dish regardless. The BF had the bucco chicken sandwich which I didn't have enough of to judge, but he enjoyed it. We split the tostones and the yucca fries--wasn't a huge fan of the tostones (same with the sauce both of these came with) but the yucca fries were enjoyable, and I'd order these again! read more

Holy crap this was SO GOOD. I went for the shrimp poboy and plantains and was in HEAVEN.

I wish I've discovered this place earlier, driving past many times before. Now it's a must go to after walking Greenlake. Has a great patio outdoor seating during summer and has fire pit on cold evenings. The dishes are fantastic, so much flavor in each dish. My favorite is the Ropa Vieja. Great portion size. It's a great place read more

Bongos - Cuban Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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This place lives up to the hype- food was absolutely delicious. Shrimp po boy and Desi plate were incredible and a side of fried plantains. So good I forgot to take a picture of the food. Service was quick and staff so friendly. Can't wait to return! Outdoor seating is cute with a fire pit that was nice in the chillier fall weather - very dog friendly. read more

Bongos - Dog friendly outdoor seating - Cuban Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I authorized a $28 charge to my card for two drinks and a tip on 6/24. Today my charge was updated to $56.44. This restaurant is running fraudulent charges, as such, I demand a refund for my extra charges immediately. My contact and visit details were left via voicemail with the restaurant this morning. If this is resolved in a courteous manner by the staff, I will update my review. read more

Bongos - Cuban Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Thoroughly enjoyed di Vibes!! Bongos hits every checkmark you'd want from a Caribbean food spot. The guy taking our order was cool, helpful and made us feel welcome. We didn't get a drink (Sunday lunch) but the bar menu looked like you would have no problem finding a delicious beverage. All around I'd recommend this spot to anyone looking for good food and good vibes! read more

Bongos - Vibes - Cuban Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I usually go with the jerk chicken sandwich, sometimes the bread can be a tiny burnt but the flavors in the sandwich are great, I wish they had more side sauces, right now consisting of a pineapple based sauce, and a habanero based salsa (not as hot as it may sound) still good food for decent pricing, 10-15 minute prep time, not a bad spot for dine in or on the go... service was typically quick for ordering, self serve to sauce and utensils/ napkins, interior is cool including a small sand outdoor area for the summertime! read more

This place is so freaking delicious. I came to this place because​ being latina I was craving some Carribean​​n food. The food is so flavorful in its own way. It takes Carribean favorites like rice and beans and adds a twist to them. ​I ordered the Indies Chicken and it was so sweet and spicy in the right balance. The yuca fries were so crispy and tender and the cilantro sauce​ was heaven. I even put it on my rice. I highly recommend this place. The establishment is super beachy. You can sit inside or outside​. The outside area even has sand and tables where you can eat Carribean food with your​​u toes dipped in sand. They even have​ a private FREE parking lot. read more

Bongos - Cuban Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Finally after saying I need to go here made it dad and I lunch today found street parking without any problem around 11:45. I had the spicy shrimp platter and dad went with the Desi sandwich and we shared a side of the yummy yucca fries Service was friendly and the food came out pretty fast. The offer coconut and guava Seattle Pops had to get a guava sooo yummy. Had a bite of dad's sandwich very tasty with caramelized moist pork and peppers. Shrimp was cooked just right nice kick without being overly spicy enjoyed the moist rice beans and mango slaw as well. Really liked the yucca fries the coating was nice and crisp. There is indoor and outdoor seating l. The outdoor seating is very fire pit and parts of it has sand. Cute out door bar outside. read more

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This place is good, but I'm not sure if it's 5 stars good. I ordered the Jamaican jerk chicken sandwich and I thought there was just too much sauce - it was dripping everywhere and although the meat was tender and flavorful, I wasn't able to save it for later because of how much of a mess the sandwich was. The pollo Havana plate my partner had was good but he said he liked sandwich better. I think what was missing was a good side - we asked for potatoes, and we got like 5-6 pieces of a plantain, which had very little flavor and wasn't that great, but still expensive for what we got. This is a solid place, but I'm not sure it's 5-stars solid. read more