Mambo Bar & Restaurant

I got chicken and rice which had Grissel in every bite and beans as a side but that was tomato soup with some kidney beans thrown in there. A waste of time and money

The food at Mambo is delicious! It’s Cuban/​Dominican. Walked into the restaurant by chance looking for lunch. My foodie daughter and I went in looking for a food adventure while my skeptic food boring husband tagged along. Not only was the service top notch, my husbands face lit up on his first bite. He said he never expected a taste explosion like the one he experienced. The Caribbean food experience was awesome. Try it, you won’t be disappointed!

The food is consistently great, and being Cuban I will not pay expensive prices for Spanish food, this place prices are right on point!!!
Quality is superb too

A very nice restaurant and a good place to take a date. The ambiance is modern Hispanic and they place some good reaggaeton. Service was very friendly and the pricing was fair. I highly recommend the plantains and the Mofongo!!!

1 I don’t know why this place is not busier! Best roast pork ever (pernil).

Such a warm, welcoming, convivial ambiance! Owners (family run) are charming and informative. Food is authentic, yummy, and fresh. And totally reasonable! Moreover, Dominican dancing on the weekend! Will definitely be back…

Delicious authentic food, great ambiance — we like to sit in the back deck in warmer weather, which is right on the water.

.. The tostones were excellent. The chimi was on point. The arroz blanco y habichuelas con pollo empanisado, was cooked perfectly.
We went around 2pm on a Saturday, and there was ample seating, overlooking the water. The staff was professional, knowledgable and attentive.
In other words, it was a five star experience.
A definite gem in New London.
Five Stars.

Awesome family owned establishment with great food at good prices. If you’re lucky to visit on a Sunday, do not leave without trying the Sancocho. Hands down my favorite meal on the menu!

Home cooking from the Caribbean! Have been coming here a few times a year when I am missing the Puerto Rican food I grew up with in Hartford. Everything is exactly like my friends moms’s cooking. They have recently doubled in size and moved next door but the prices are still unbelievably low. You can eat inside or out overlooking the Thames River. It may be DR cooking but it brings me back to PR every time. Parking is free and easy on the street. Go, go, go!

Awesome «caribbean» food. I’m Colombian, so to me this is the best representation as possible to what you’d find in Cartagena perhaps. Their pernil is to dieeeeee for!!! Ok and for the record, you simply cannot go to a Caribbean restaurant hoping for good paella (this directed to someone here who expected good paella). You fool. Everyone who is Hispanic knows you go to a SPANISH restaurant for that (as in Spain). *smh*

Great service. Great authentic food. We had the pernil with yellow rice and beans. It was delicious.

I’m not Carribean, but be forewarned: the paella is not authentic. For starters, it had practically NO seafood or other authentic ingredients. It is not worth the price. I’m sad that this restaurant is a major disappointment.

Mofongo was bangin. Steak and onions and fried egg — deliciouso! Good authentic Caribbean food! Coming back here lots. Atmosphere could use some help, but otherwise perfectly fun and yummy dinner night out.

FINALLY
Caribbean food that reminds me of my mother’s cooking. Authentic Dominican food which takes 20−30minutes to prepare (trust me when I say it’s worth the wait).
Last night, my boyfriend friend and I got hungry during the Agalloch show so we ventured into the cool fall breeze to seek out this place. It appears to be a bar at first, with a few tables in the back, but the bartender told us to sit wherever we wanted if we came to eat.
DO NOT COME HERE FOR AMBIANCE: It’s a divy-​bar styled place. Sandals decorate the walls.
The atmosphere is nice though. In spite of it’s looks, families come here, and the service is friendly. The sounds of bachata and salsa fill the air, as does the smell of the delicious food I’m about to describe:
Tostones are the biggest I’ve ever seen. I know if your eyes scanned that, it looks like a perverted joke, but it’s not. Tostones are fried green (not ripened) plantains.
I ordered beef stew (Carne de rés guisada) with a side of yellow rice. The rice comes with a helping of beans flavored with onions and possibly cilantro. I was able to symmetrically part the meal in two and have enough for a second dinner. I hope that gives you an idea of the portion size. Like I said, this is the real deal as far as caribbean dishes go. DELICIOUS, and highly recommended.

Great Mofongo with shrimp

Pretty good Dominican food!

Family run. Delicious food. Friendly service. I’m a fan of their mofongo & pernil. At the bar I love their mambo berry cocktail :). indoor and outdoor seating. Music is always playing and your apt to take up dancing if you stay long. Dance hall upstairs.

I first heard about «Mofongo» on an episode of «Diners, Drive-​ins, and Dives». It looked and sounded interesting. Well, they have it at Mambo (See pics) and as much as it pains me to say this, I have to– I wasn’t impressed. It wasn’t bad but it really seems like a whole lot of work and ingredients for something that didn’t have all that much flavor. I mean, I’ve never had it before so I have no idea if it was the preparation or the idea. Luckily the garlic shrimp that accompanied it was delicious! Also, the fried sweet plantains were amazing as well. Oh, and the waitress was a sweetheart… and the gentleman who greeted me when I walked in was very helpful so… damn the mofongo, 4 stars!