My friend and I lunched at Mama Roomba's. I haven't been here in many years. I will certainly be back soon. Julia was our server. She was helpful, prompt and polite. My friend had the warm Salmon Salad with the carrot vinaigrette. It was on a bed of spring mix with avocado, cucumber and cherry tomatoes. The salmon was grilled to perfection. The vegetables were fresh and tasty. The vinaigrette was excellent! I had the Shrimp Salad with avocado vinaigrette. It was on a bed of spring mix with cucumbers , cherry tomatoes and roasted corn & peppers. The shrimp was moist and succulent. The vegetables again were fresh and flavorful. The avocado vinaigrette was delicious. The presentation of their dishes is beautiful. I love to start a meal with a beautifully designed food presentation. It makes a meal all the more special. The interior is so colorful and attractive. Quite music in the background. The menu is unique to Bakersfield. Next time I'm coming in to dine from their creative Tapas menu. I highly recommend Mama Roomba! read more

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Great Caribbean food in Bakersfield! There's not a lot of options when it comes to Caribbean food here in town, but if you're craving some jerk chicken or other Latin American dishes, here is your spot! It's located in a cozy downtown spot but packed full of life! The service was okay, when my mother and I came on a different occasion, we were the only ones in the restaurant and they still took a long while to get to us, we even considered leaving! The inside is a bit small but don't let that stop you from bringing the family. They have larger tables as well for everyone! Also, the food was delicious. My fiancé had the Caribbean Beef in a Pineapple Adobe Sauce and it was so delicious! It was a bit spicier than I thought it would be since the "pineapple" in the name but it was packed full of flavor! I was picking off his plate more than mine! I definitely recommend it if you don't mind spicy. I ordered the Jalapeño Cream Pasta and it was pretty good, I would say it's a little bit lacking in flavor comparing it to the Beef dish, but still good nonetheless! I recommend this spot if you like to try different cuisines and love flavor! read more

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we were just passing through on a trip from Baja to Washington, and found a place with inspired and inventive food, a comfortable and unique setting, and informed and helpful service. The corn and cheese empanadas were beyond amazing. The fried chicken and tri-tip were delicious, the platanos were among the best I've ever had, and the mixed vegetables and sweet potato fries were merely excellent. Yes, we ordered too much, but in our defense everything was too good to pass up! We're now considering how to re-route our coastal route return to dine here again. read more

Food, service and quaint ambiance is on point. I really do love tapas style eating! Run, don't walk to Mama's!

Was in town for work and always looking for somewhere local rather than a chain. Ambiance is on point. Service was a little slow but otherwise sufficient and polite. I ordered a pineapple Cuban Bellini which was not too sweet or tart and strong enough. Cheese and corn empanadas were crispy on the outside, hot and cheesy inside. Definitely recommend. I also ordered the fried chicken which was also hot and crispy. Dipping sauce had a light kick of spice to it. Good portion for sharing as well. I'd say I liked but didn't love it. I look forward to stopping by and trying something else next time I'm in town read more

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I was looking forward to visiting this restaurant but unfortunately I was truly disappointed. Maybe if we Had ordered what Guy Fieri had ordered we would have been better off... we ordered Calamari Frito w/ Chipotle Aioli, Chicharrones de Pescado w/ tequila jalapeño sauce and skillet shrimp "soul style" in a spicy cream sauce. Let me start by saying both sauces for the first 2 dishes were the Exact Same sauce( just a run of the mill dipping sauce!) Nothing special. Then o make matters worse!! The calamari wasn't even calamari! It was intestines! Way overcooked and rubbery tough. Ughh. We ended up leaving them after removing all the breading. The only saving grace was the sangria and the shrimp ( which i had to add about half the bottle of their specialty hot sauce to give them Some flavor. I will never go back and I Do Not Recommend this place AT all!! read more

I am happy to give this place 5 stars! Especially on my most recent trip when we had the most amazing service from a doll named Dominique. This review is mostly for her! She was genuine, kind and made some great suggestions. I've been here many times, but this time was different. She brought back the good old hospitality and provided that service that seems to have gone out of style. We got there pretty late-around 8:30 for BAKERSFIELD time. But she treated us as if we were the firsts to arrive for dinner. But of course the food was delicious as always! We ordered the tri-tip, black beans w plátanos, sweet potato fries, sautéed mushrooms and of course, a red vino. I'm also a huge fan of the calamari, pollo w mango sauce and the empanadas. Either way, you can't go wrong! Everything is delicious! read more

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We had the jerk chicken and the black bean plantain dishes - best I have ever had. Wishing I had reasons to move to Bakersfield! Service was on point and amazing attitudes that suit the flavors just perfect. read more

Lamb was delicious, empanadas and salsa was delicious! Jamie was a perfect waitress/bartender, she was on point with everything we wanted. Not many restaurants with a professionally-home feel. I will enjoy eating and drinking here again very soon. read more

Delicious! I always enjoy eating at Mama Roomba's! My mother, daughter and I always look forward to catching up on what we are up to in our own lives while dinning here. The atmosphere and service never lets us down. read more

Wasn't sure what to expect, but was surprisingly good! The corn and cheese empanadas were nice and crispy with a good flavor, small amount of sweet and paired just right with the dipping sauce. The fried chicken was tender and crispy, also with a perfect mango dipping sauce. And what stole the show for me was the black beans with plantains. Chose it just as a side to eat with the chicken but ended up being the best dish for me. Why have I never had black beans like that before? Good stuff, will def be back! read more

This is one of my favorite tapas style restaurants in town! Can't go wrong with the tri tip with that delicious chimichurri sauce. The corn and cheese empanadas and black beans and platanos Fritos are so good as well. read more

So much to say about M R. First, great service by a fine waitress! She gave us some fine suggestions. The place is precisely what Bako needs: downtown, small, thoughtful food and decor. There are some bright spots on the menu--the best is the chicken paillard in a Dijon sauce. We fought over who got to sop up the remnants of that with the free bread. The fried chicken is dense and large and should be more like the size and price of the rest of the menu! The beans are divine but the addition of plantains only reminds you that you cannot taste the delectable plantain. The warm salad is so 1994, but man, it is a delicious reminder of salad days gone by! The beef empanada is crusty good but the corn empanada is superior, unique! Please, my beloved Bako, keep going to Mama Roomba...this town needs such culture and places that celebrate such yumminess! read more

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Definitely recommend arriving before 5 pm as parking can be a problem once it gets busy! We did the classic move of ordering all appetizers plus a side and dessert. First we had the corn and cheese empanadas which were delicious! Then we had the black beans and plantains. The dish was good, but i wish they were more plantains so they weren't overpowered by the black beans. Still worth trying! Next was the Chicken Paillard. The sauce is good! Just wish the chicken was a bit more seasoned for my taste. We then had the venezuelan arepas that has cheese on the inside. Very similar to papusas! Delicious with a bit of crispiness on the outside. We finished the meal with fried banana. A must have for every time you go! Not overly sweet, a simple yet yummy dessert. read more

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i is excellent, food is good and i like ambiance well. worthwhile i am ready to go back and meet my friends there

Best scampi, calamari & sangria in the world! Thanks Victor for everything you gave us, sadly Linda died in 2019, and I've haven't been able to come back in because of grief.... I'll try again soon! read more

Mama Roomba - Amber & Linda - Caribbean Near Me - Bakersfield, California

DELICIOUS! Service was a little slow, but the food is delicious. We ordered the corn and cheese empanadas, sweet potato fries with habanero ketchup, skillet shrimp, fried chicken, and jerk chicken. They were all very delicious and would order again. My favorite by far was the skillet shrimp, that buttery savory goodness that you can soak up with the complimentary bread that they serve. I couldn't have enough of it! The shrimps were on the smaller size, but the sauce was really good. I also really enjoyed the fried chicken - it was also a little spicy but very tender and moist. Would come back again to try the other dishes I was eying at the other tables. read more

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I always like to try Tapas. This one is actually very close to my hotel, So here I am. Most the Tapas selection are actually in large portion. So one order will enough for fill your stomach. The seafood was overwhelmed with green mussels which is not really to my liking. The shrimp, squid and scallop tasted pretty good with proper flavoring from the soup. The bread was kind of stale, but it is good for dipping in the seafood soup. read more

Mama Roomba - Caribbean Near Me - Bakersfield, California

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Mama Roomba has always been consistently delicious. My husband and I enjoyed dinner there on our anniversary. We had the calamari frite, the tri tip chimchurri and the arepas. All delicious! The mojitos were good but a little weaker than I remembered. read more

Second time here after a few years. Menu is kind of a pan-Latin American inspired collection of small plates. 3 of us ordered 3 apps and 3 main courses. Nothing was bad but nothing was outstanding. The plates were served in a really random order. We had a salad sized plate, I thought about half way through dinner, why did they not bring a larger dinner plate to accommodate the variety? Our plates barely fit on the table at the end....I'd guess this business caters more to apps and drinks than dinner. read more

Was really excited to try this place. "Seafood soup" was very over cooked- shrimp, mussels and squid were all very rubbery. Quality isn't great or fresh. Disappointed as I was excited to try this place out since we moved here. Price point is too high for lack of quality. I now see why it wasn't busy for lunch. I always try a place a second time before writing it off. Hope repeat visit is better. read more

Well I should be ashamed of my self for not coming back sooner. We haven't been to Mama Roomba's in a very long time and that is going to change. First off the place has not changed one bit since the day it opened including the server. Cute and cozy with that Caribbean flare all over the walls, tables and decor. The only thing is I wished we had come with more people so we could try everything on the menu. This is a tapas or small plate eatery where you can order multiple plates and try a little of everything. We started off with the Corn and Cheese Empanadas. OMG these were sooooo good. It came with 3 medium size perfect cooked empanadas. The crust was crunchy but not so much as to fall apart. The inside was jammed packed with awesome filling of corn, cheese and spices. It came with a dipping sauce that was perfect. I went with the White Sea Bass which was cooked perfectly and for a small plate it was a pretty big portion. It was grilled and had a killer sauce that went with it. We had to get more of the best bread in Bakersfield to sop up the killer juices. The service is spot on as is the food. The Tri-Tip and chimichurri you could put on a flip-flop and you would love it!!!! Our next visit will include friends so we can order more dishes. Like the grilled octopus..... Cant wait and sorry we haven't been in a long time. On on a side note make reservations as they have a small seating area. read more

I'm surprised I haven't reviewed this sooner!! Their food is BOMB. Little hole in the wall with all the good food! My favorite is the salt and pepper prawns, with a side or spicy cream sauce I can't get enough. I also like the chicken paillard (get rice to eat with it). I will mention that there are a few caveats to me coming here..... the place is pretty small and there is one fan in the center of the room that creaks incessantly and the ac is non existent. Bakersfield gets stupid hot. So, I have to make sure it isn't a hot day and I'm mentally prepared to deal with that noise the whole time before I go. That being said, I go for the bomb food! Also note: there is no changing station in the bathroom. This last trip, my friend and I brought our 4 month olds and luckily we were sitting in the corner because we changed our babies on a chair. read more

Stopped in for lunch with my love. Had the Cuban sandwich and she had the shrimp with rice, very delicious and flavorful!! Both dishes, the staff was awesome and helpful. We got there before the lunch rush, so our wait time was short for food. If you in the downtown area, this place is a must try. Support local!! read more

Mama Roomba - Yum!! - Caribbean Near Me - Bakersfield, California

Very good. It's nice to have something different and good in Bakersfield besides Mexican and American diner food. Great date night place for delicious food and great service. read more

Excellent food, drink, atmosphere! In town for work and I was craving lamb....Walked to this lil gem and had salt & pepper prawns for an appetizer, followed by lamb pops. Absolutely on point! I'll definitely be back the next time I'm in town. The ambiance is perfect too, good service but a chill atmosphere and good conversation. read more

The place is iconic is town, everyone knows about it, but I don't love it. The fried chicken didn't have a lot of flavor, the drinks so so... read more

This place is small and very colorful! The tables need a little upgrade something more comfortable that Whispers in my ear , "baby stay a while it's cold outside." Anywho, moving on I did get the friendliest bartender and waitress they were both super attentive. My date and I arrived on a Tuesday mid afternoon so there was no one there it was a beautiful experience. We were offered a bottle of wine and I wasn't sure which one I wanted so they gave us a mini wine tasting. Then they walked us through the menu and made fabulous suggestions of their popular entrees and informed us that they serve family style., which was super helpful because I'm that person that orders with their eyes instead of their stomach. As we sipped on the wine we received our order of fried calamari and sweet potato fries which were filled with flavor, color and were also plated beautifully. For the main dish we ordered the very sexy prime rib with chimichurri cooked medium rare and it was exquisite. read more

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Mama Roomba's is Hands down amazing the cheese corn empanadas are so good. I wish the salsa was spicier the jalapeño chicken pasta was so creamy and good read more

50 minutes to get my order. Waitress walking around with a pitcher of water filling up some people glasses but not mine even with eye contact. Ordered the beef emenadas. There were 3, and they were small enough to eat in two bites each. I tried to spread them out by drinking some water in-between, but after 2 glasses of water, the waitress gave up on my glass. A wrong item came out, then waited another 26 minutes to get them. Overall, I got 3 small empanadas and 10 fries (that's right 10) for over 20 bucks. The fries alone were 8 bucks before tax. Almost a buck each fry is pretty wild to me those are like expensive wing prices. The door kept getting stuck on the carpet and wouldn't close. The customers by the door were then out in charge of closing the door when people would come and go. I suggest getting rid of the carpet so the door can shut on its own instead of deputizing the customer to be the door monitor. read more

Mama Roomba - 10 fries for 8 bucks. - Caribbean Near Me - Bakersfield, California

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Loved the vibe and fun decor inside. Had my favorites - salt&pepper shrimp and tri tip + the daily special - fish tacos. Salt&pepper shrimp was good as always. Fish tacos were good but nothing special. I guess I was expecting a twist to the taco since i was in a carreabean restaurant, but it was very plain. read more

Fun and unique place ... is very small get there early hard to get in ... food is yummy and very different

This place was quiet and practically empty. The foods were delicious and their staff were friendly and courteous. I would recommend this place to my friends and family. read more

Mama Roomba! One of the top spots in Bakersfield! The place is small but never a reason to not go! The tortilla soup is a must try! The chef is an artist, I haven't tried too much from the menu but I'm sure you can't go wrong with anything on it. read more

Came in before evening rush. Giving 4 stars just because of the worker sitting at a table playing videos on his phone. Had the Cuban Bellini which is mango juice and champagne yummy! Then had the salt and pepper shrimp which were loaded with garlic, beware if you have to go back to work. Came with 2 small pieces of bread. read more

Mama Roomba - Cuban Bellini - Caribbean Near Me - Bakersfield, California

Good news first. The lamb chops were excellent. Bad news. No more butter with the bread. Two tiny plastic cups of Country Crock margarine. Unheard of! The sweet potato fries were mushy and terrible. They were the worst we have ever had. The water is hideous downtown Bakersfield tap water. After eating here for 16 years, it was a terrible disappointment. read more

A solid effort! My friends and I were hungry for some late night nommies after a photoshoot, but most places around us were already closed by 8:30 PM. We decided to settle on Mama Roomba, and were really satisfied with our pick! Upon entering the green door, you are greeted by a tropically festive decor. From the bright fruity table covers to the fantastic pineapple chandelier near the entrance way, Mama Roomba knows how to create a mood. We were seated promptly and given a few suggestions before we sat down to create our order. As a group, we decided to get a few apps and just split it among ourselves. Though the cocktails had quite a siren call to them, we instead just ordered the Skillet Shrimp in Cream Sauce, Garlic Mojo Wings, Ceviche, and the Sweet Potato Fries with Habanero Ketchup. While we waited, we were given some regular table bread, and before we knew it, all our food arrived to our table and we had to dig in! Everything smelled delicious- especially the hot Garlic Mojo Wings. The flavors were all pretty solid, but I was slightly disappointed by how the shrimp used in the Skillet Shrimp were not particularly flavored specially. The reason I say this is because the shrimp in the Skillet Shrimp tasted the same as the shrimp in the Ceviche, besides the different sauces used in each dish. Though the shrimp dishes needed a bit more of a kick, the wings and the fries were NAILED to perfection! The real MVP of the night had to be the Sweet Potato Fries with spicy ketchup. Now, sweet potato fries are just sweet potato fries, but I was a huge fan of the Habenero ketchup that came with the fries! It was perfectly spiced and paired really well with the subtle-y sweet fries, and even the wings! All in all, I enjoyed my time at Mama Roomba. I would be happy to come again for a second tasting, and maybe just a few drinks the next time. ;) A helpful note: If you are thinking about some late night noms, you probably want to go BEFORE 9! Thats when the kitchen closes. read more

Mama Roomba - Sweet Potato Fries with Habenero Ketchup- YUM - Caribbean Near Me - Bakersfield, California

You will be so happy if you decide to eat here! In town visiting my friend and he told me about this place. We sat at the bar and Tony was exceptional the way he explained the menu and flavors was fantastic! Tony was a true pro and the chefs nailed it I had the fillet Mingon and tried my buddy's salmon absolutely perfect. Tony makes one hell of a ole fashion! Thanks for the great food and drinks Mama R read more

The food was great like always, but noticed the tritip was smaller than normal. The service was good l, but she needed to be a little friendlier. read more

Last week I went there for lunch and this week I went for dinner. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu- fried chicken, ceviche and beans and plantains are some of my faves. I always like to go with a group so we can share. The red sangria is yummy. The place is small, cute and comfy. Service is good especially the waitress that is there at lunch. read more