BONAO RESTAURANT

Bonao review TLDR: 45+ minute wait time on dishes, poor service, 18% gratuity already added. Food is good but not great nor “fine dining”. Panna cotta served was coconut jelly. A shame. I came here on Valentine’s Day, a busy night, but I was expecting excellent service and reasonable wait times, in which, I did not receive either that night. The interior is beautiful and aesthetic with some music, a bit loud, but good enough to still talk over. We had a reservation and were sat about Qo minutes after checking in, despite multiple empty tables but it was fine. We were sat next to a family with a young child despite numerous other tables, which did not help with the romantic mood for the occasion. Once we sat down, we were given our menus. There was no water offered, and we had to ask for it, only to be given the option of bottled or sparkling. We put in our drink orders and all other food at the same time. We got our drinks about 10 minutes later. The drinks were delicious, well balanced, and had just enough liquor. The problem was we received our appetizers 45 minutes after ordering them. The oxtail croquettes were so small, they were the size of my thumb and came with 3. 3 measly balls, while delicious, was a ridiculous size and wait time of over 45 minutes, which the cook time was less than two minutes on this item. Absolutely ridiculous. Additionally, the servers barely came around. They would come around every 45 minutes or you would have to wave them down for some attention, which I don’t like to do. I understand a busy night, but at least have good service to justify an included 18% gratuity. Our entrees came 35 minutes after the appetizers, which is poor timing and coordination. I ordered the short rib with risotto which was flavorful and well balanced. My partner ordered the pasta, which had a strange earthy aftertaste, making it an unbalanced dish. We suspected it was truffle, but this was not listed in the ingredients. Overall, the entrees were good but not great for the wait times and social media hype this place has. We wanted some tostones because we were still hungry, and when we asked the waitress she noted that she didn’t know if they would come out in 5 or 20 minutes after ordering. This reflects poor communication and coordination in the kitchen, because what do you mean you have no idea when tostones will come out? They came out in 15 minutes after ordering but they were AWFUL. They were fried but not even crispy. A tostone should be crispy and crunchy, and these were soggy and limp. They were a big disappointment, like the entire experience. Lastly, the greatest offense of them all was the “panna cotta”. When we received the dessert, 20 minutes later, it wasn’t panna cotta. We were served coconut jelly. Coconut. Jelly. I can understand why this place calls coconut jelly “panna cotta” because this is the same place sells mediocre food with under the guise of “fine dining”. They would not know the difference between panna cotta and coconut jelly if an Italian slapped them upside the head with a quart of heavy cream. Overall, the meal and experience was disappointing. I would not come back here nor give them a cent ever again. I want to support my Dominican culture, but once again, I am disappointed. This restaurant reflects the issue with “high-class Dominicans”. They think flashy photos and beauty can cover the lack of talent, knowledge, and wisdom needed to execute a fine-dining and elegant experience. This place is just that: a beautiful place, a beautiful place, but a poor experience, and poor quality restaurant.

I've come to this place twice and it did not disappoint both times. The vibe the ambiance and the food is great. Nice and small for a date night. A little pricey but totally worth the money!

I loved the atmosphere. The food is exquisite and giving luxury I dances and had amazing time I would totally recommend and for the quality the prices are excellent for the quality

Sofia and everyone there was awesome. They accommodated us (a group of 11) to feel comfortable, happy and pleased. The food was delicious and the drinks spectacular. Had my bday dinner here. Would definitely recommend if you like a nice small, cozy and warm atmosphere.

This restaurant absolutely blew me away! It’s gourmet Dominican cuisine with a modern twist unlike any other. Our group got different drinks and they were all delicious. A beautifully decorated establishment. Very chill and indulging vibes accompanied with good music. This is a definite must try for any foodie or just a great time out with loved ones.

Junior and Sofia were amazing ! I came here to celebrate my 25th birthday and boy was it memorable! From initially reserving the event, customizing the pre fix menu, and coming in to celebrate with my family was absolutely spectacular!!! Hospitality, food and cleanliness was 10/10 !!! I would recommend to everyone. Also the food is authentic to Dominican cuisine. ❤️

You have to enjoy this experience! God, the taste of the food is exquisite, the place is beautiful and the service is very professional! 100/10

Very friendly, sophisticated, ambient lighting, perfect for any event. The menu is very different to what is in the area. Would 100% come back and recommend friends.

Food and drinks were delicious, the waitress was excellent, sweet and accommodating. We were a group of 7 people and had a blast. Not too big, but cozy enough to have a great time.

My boyfriend and I came to Bonao for a dinner date. We should've stuck with our regular spot. I wasn't happy with the food. The service was good. I had the Rosito with skirt steak and he had the salmon. The steak was cooked well. I asked for it to be cooked medium well. The salmon had the skin on the back and wasn't seasoned for taste. We also ordered a side on sweet plantains but got it on the platter and had to ask for the mash that goes with his meal. Also it was kinda cold inside, but was told hoods and hats are not allowed. 10 mins later two guys walked in with baseball hats but weren't told the same policy. We decided when we left that we won't be returning. Needs improvement!

Bonao is a great place to eat and have a few drinks with your family and friends. I highly recommend for you to come here. Great atmosphere good service too.

This place a has a nice dark ambiance. They have ample TVs. They provide hookah which is why we came here. It did last a pretty long time. The empanadas were flavorful. The bacon burger I'll give it a 7/10. It was slightly over cooked than what I wanted it to be. The Henny colada was strong but it needed some stirring, all the liquor was at the bottom. The music was mostly Latin music but a little rap and Dancehall was played. What we weren't told was after 8 it's cash only even we came little after that time. On the receipt they charged us a 3 percent card fee but how can you if we can't use a card. Our waitress said it's something new and that it was ok the door. I forgot to double check. I feel like it should be written ok their website and on their menu as well. Now imagine 6 people getting up to withdraw to pay. Eventually we were able to pay cash but we had to remind her to take out that fee. I also came here because the night before my cousin came and said their sushi was good and guess what that was only for weekends. So disappointed. I would come back to try the sushi and for hookah!!!

I have seen this restaurant so many times over the years but never went in but decided to try it out. The restaurant is pretty small and they sometimes have performances. The food was delicious! We had empanadas (beef, chicken, and guava cheese), skirt steak with chimichurri and yuca mash, salmon with passion fruit sauce and yuca mash, passion fruit tres leche, and flam. The cocktails were beautifully crafted.

We absolutely love Bonao Bar & Grill with great food, great service, and great music. We would go late at night to enjoy a night out together. We love the fact that's it's open until 4 am on Friday and Saturday nights, Sunday's at 3am, and 2 am on the other days. They have great Spanish food and other dishes, Hookah, and tasty cocktails. Anytime you are looking for a place that opens late and you want to have fun at the same time, fantastic food, then Bonao Bar & Grill is the place to go!

We were a group of 6 that came here on a Saturday night. When we arrived it was not crowded at all but got more packed while being there. I was not drinking but my group stated that the drinks were strong. The music was so loud that it was vibrating off the walls. That is usually my vibe but we were talking and it was hard to hear. The hookah was okay but it was nothing special with limited selection of flavors available. Be careful when you are eating here. While in the place, they stated they do not take credit cards after 8pm. We found this interesting because is not posted anywhere in the restaurant. The table next to us paid with a credit card with no problem and we felt that we were being singled out since we did not speak Spanish. Also, on the check there was a 3% credit card fee but if you do not take credit cards and I have to pay cash, why is there a fee. We talked to the manager and he stated that he would make this exception and allow us to pay with credit card. I felt that the waitress unprofessional and had an attitude. It is not worth the hassle to visit this location and they will never get my business.

I am a visitor in town. I was brought her by a local resident. It is small and cozy. It looks clean even under club lighting. It doesn't seat a large crowd, so it may be good to reserve, especially if it's a special occasion. The staff for nice and prompt to greet us. The service was pretty good. We all had drinks and there were no complaints of weak drinks. The food was good but average in taste. My only negative is how loud the music is. It seems unusually loud for the size of the place. You can hear the person next to you. They had a steady flow f customers for pickup orders. I hope this helps and you enjoy your visit.

Open late Hookah TVs show the games, but you might not always b sitting in a position to watch them TVs are small for games pleasant service They give you a time limit on seating, but we stayed for twice that time (on a Monday night) My friends loved the shrimp I was not the biggest fan I liked the whit mofongo sauce I was not to keen on mofongo Friends said steak was room temp The hookah was flowing Empanadas were just alright I liked mojitos We came for the henny colada I enjoyed henny colada, friends state that it's been better on other days festive Spanish music in background festive environment Friends enjoyed the fried pork, I thought it was kind of fatty It ended up being a great friend hang out

Excellent food, excellent drinks, excellent atmosphere. The food was really good. We ordered fried calamari, guava and cheese empanadas and guacamole. The empanadas were the best. MUST try. All the appetizers were tasty. Main courses were excellent as well. The shrimp mofongo was tasty. The sauce was delicious and the shrimps were perfectly cooked. The salmon was really good. Highly recommended. The steak mofongo wasn't our favorite but it was still good. The chicken tenders were so good. They tasted just like the ones from DR. The chicken wings and sweet plantains were delicious too. The skirt steak with mashed yuca was tasty. Food presentation was nice. The atmosphere was GREAT! The DJ was on point. Music was loud but it was enjoyable. The only cons: I didn't like people smoking hooka but I do understand this is part of the establishment. Our waitress was very nice and attentive. Drinks were strong! Very strong to our taste. But that's good because you get what you pay for. Looking forward to go back! Such a good and recommended place.

This spot is nice they have strong drinks and good hookah. I also had the Asian Chilli Thai wings it was amazing. The crab cakes was good but really small. I gave them 4 stars because they only had 1 server and only played salsa. Like come on y'all could at least play some updated reggaetón.

Love this place nice and cozy went on a Friday night with my husband Hookah that's perfect drinks were perfect food was perfect nine out of 10 I take away appoint because it could be a little bit bigger space wise but I'll definitely be back

Great $8 happy hour. Service is really nice. It's like a se rest lounge/ restaurant in the middle of nowhere or really a commercial block. Parking isn't bad. Stick to chicken or steak don't try anything fish related here. They also have hookah.

This place is in my neighborhood and I never stopped by but heard good things. I only stopped by for drinks since I was at a brunch prior. Great vibes, I wish they played other music besides spanish music to mix it up. The bartender was great. No issues with the drinks. Next time I'll try food and hookah!

Ok so Food was good not the best but happy hour is sooo good!!! The coconut mojitos were on point and would definitely go back for happy hour! 5$ mojitos and margaritas!! Originally i wanted to check out Caoba which is across the street in the corner but got turned away because they were not kid friendly. So I decided to check this place out and glad we did! FYI happy hour ends at 9 pm Also wanted to add this restaurant is kid friendly. The ambiance was good, good music and it was only about 4 pm. Good place to enjoy dinner with the family but im sure this is a good spot to check out at night. Hope to return to try the dominican sushi

This place is very small with EXTREMELY very loud music and hookah smoking at almost every table. The place is so full of smoke while people are trying to eat. The waitress screwed up the order and was very nasty and rude blaming me and said the "kitchen is closed" so no food for me. The rest of my family got their food and I was sitting there like a stepchild on punishment. Our table wasn't even feeling the vibe anymore and they really didn't enjoy the food. My nieces steak was tougher than leather. I will never return to this place again because there's so many better Spanish restaurants with better food & better hospitality. I'll take my money somewhere else. BYE FELICIA

I love trying local restaurants and I have no complaints about the food or drinks they were both absolutely delicious but the service forces me to give 3 stars. Small location yet under staffed. Two big parties and only two waitresses. I arrived with a party of 5 and waiting almost half hour for a mojito is unacceptable. Appetizers almost an hour wait. Appetizers and main course arrived minutes within each other. Once the bill arrived they informed they charged a 3% charge on all debit/credit charges. I still do recommend for the delicious food but definitely needs to improve on service.

SUPER EXPENSIVE. Don't go for food it's super cheap on portions then a super expensive price.

I was expecting traditional Dominica cusin smh but I will say the plating is/was gorgeously done!!!

The food is 5 star+ quality, fresh food, the display is appealing. The service is professional in that the waiter and the waitress are always courteous and knowledgeable of the menu. The environment is very clean! The staff all wear mask. This rating is a few weeks late. I ordered the Surf and Turf, Mojitos. Another time I order shrimp tacos, crab cakes and mango Mojitos. All dishes are served fresh, hot and displayed to perfection.

The food is very tasty for domician cuisine is really very cozy and great security. It is accessible as well.

Omg my fav spot right now..Appetizers, drinks ,music everything is like a party in my mouth and body..I loveeee this spot..The staff is friendly and always smiling, very attentive and super cute too..I'll be back soon..10

This is my favorite go to Spanish Bar and Grill in East New York. Whenever I order from here I'm treated like family, And you know how family treats especially if you come from a Caribbean family. All the food is always offered to you in large amounts. So moving forward yes I got the Royal Treatment I ordered my regular MOFONGO DE QUESO and baby my mouth was singing. It was so good I just felt like crawling up into a fetus position with my thumb in my mouth and falling right to sleep after it was all eaten. This is how you can tell your food is great. No I have not tried many of the other items on the list other than the calamari and the Yola rellana and both Was so good it made me want to just go in there and kiss the chef. You guys got to try this place it's right on the corner and it is a gem in East New BROOKLYN. I can't give it a five-star because the one thing it's missing is coffee how do you run a Spanish restaurant without the Pilon or the Bustelo and the steam milk? You got to get the coffee. with all respect, Hola chicos, el café es necesario para un restaurante españo. I love this place and I hope you guys get a chance to visit. It's not a big place so don't expect a large restaurant but it is clean, professionally ran, very nice staff and always ready to prepare a hot meal. Oh did I tell you they make deliveries yes even a delivery guy is friendly.

Came here with my husband on a Friday night 7pm and walked out by 8:40 starving! The place was empty we were literally the only ones in the dining area and the waitress put in the wrong dinner order. I would have forgiven that if the service was up to par prior to that but it took 30 min and a different waitress for us to get water!! Manager asked me why we were leaving and I explained and he said our food was ready because the stuffing for the stuffed fished we ordered gets microwaved . He also did nothing to compensate our grievance and this is exactly why they are empty on a Friday night. I guess if you want to smoke hookah and drink at the bar fun times but if you are actually looking for dinner this is not it!!

Celebrated my cousins 16th birthday here with 8 or so of her friends. We were a bit late for our reservation but the manager was very kind and attentive to our needs. Our waitress couldn't really understand us due to the language barrier and felt that she's never handled a large group as ours, I gave her a hard pass but to be reminded about our dinks (both alcohol and non alcoholic), adding an item we never ordered and not following up on how everything else is going with the party.

This is definitely a cool lottery date spot. Food and drinks strong. Also have a nice variety of hookah flavors.

Cool spot good food nice drinks you can't go wrong here a must check out.friendly staff .delivery is fast.

My boyfriend and I both ordered churrasco con tostones and let me tell you, each bite was just out of this world DELICIOUS, the combination of flavors was just everything. Hats off to the Chef - 5 STARS For the drinks, our waitress recommended the Sexy Berry Mojito, it was so refreshing and not to mention the berries and mint inside was just everything. -5 STARS I really liked this place for relaxed, chill date night type of vibe OR a cool hangout spot with friends. The music was great. - 5 STARS PRICING - Obviously money is not an issue, but clearly.. something went wrong. When I looked at our bill I noticed we were OVERCHARGED around $52 or $55 dollars. When I showed my boyfriend the menú and the receipt we compared and noticed we were charged for a beer he didn't drink (which could have been an honest mistake) and the pricing to our food was extremely higher than what was on the menu price. When I told our waitress she looked at us like "okay". Don't get me wrong she was a sweet gal, but when she showed us on her end the prices were in fact like $8 more than the listed price- instead of getting a manager all she said was "the price on the menu is wrong, let me get you a new receipt to take off one beer". Did it make a difference not really. I do feel "robbed & cheated out of money". Because I feel as a company you can not promote food or drinks at a certain price and then come back and overcharge a client. My best advice for the owner is update your pricing on your website and clarify to the client that the prices do differ from what is on the menu. -2 STARS I wish I could give an all around 5 star on this place because it truly does deserve it. However, the bill is was caught me off guard.

Service was great, I ordered the salmon and mash, I got the passion fruit sauce on the side. Good thing I did. I also ordered a coconut mojito and it was amazing. Hookah was great and the vibe was great. Was just concerned that they didn't ask for a covid vaccine card.

I absolutely loved this spot! I went with my boyfriend on a Saturday night and we didn't know what to expect because it was our first time. The service was great, our waiter was friendly and attentive. Let's start with the drinks, amazing especially frozen ones. We had the calamari, perfectly fried not too much batter and not too little. For entrees we both got different choices and both were amazing. And we topped it off with passion fruit tres leches! Usually places that sell hookah are annoying trying to sell it but I didn't experience this at Bonao. Great music, great party feel while eating and still being able to hear the person next to you. We will definitely be going back on a regular basis since we are locals! Try this place you won't be disappointed!

Best crabs in east new york. The margaritas are strong as hell. The empanadas are to die for.

Don't ever order take out they will forget you and take forever just to get your order. I have eaten dine in and never again I will not go if you are hungry

Food is excellent. Service is very slow. An automatic tip is added to the bill. They also charge $1.50 to pay with a card.

If your coming to eat don't bother. If you want to drink and do hookah then this is the spot for you. The service is EXTREMELY SLOW... A simple order of crab cake (which I'm not convinced was actually crab more like salmon) and yuca fries took about 45 minutes. Forget how long it took for the main course to come out....I had the surf and turf. The lobster was pretty big but the food needed more seasoning. The Pina colada was good. Overall it just wasn't a great experience.

I always enjoy myself when I go here. Only thing I would recommend is a wider music play list. Outside seating available. Drinks are tasty. Lots of flavors for margaritas.

Food was delicious and great vibe, drinks were strong also. Kid friendly I will be returning. Cool restaurant right in the neighborhood.

Very nice manager and bouncer. Chatted with us while we waited only about 10 min on a Saturday night. Waitress was nice and attentive. Good music, good drinks and amazing hookah. Would def go back

Very nice place in East New York. Nice and attentive service The drinks could be better they need to be more balanced in flavors. A bit pricey for East New York 2 people for drinks, food and hookah was $151. Good music and hookah Tv screens to watch the games The food was decent! The best feature of this place is their ambiance and service. I also felt safe and comfortable for the area.

Atmosphere: Ambience is great;nice and clean. Have several tv's for sports and a dj playing. Food: Delicious! The empanadas and seafood paella waa great; seasoned very well Drinks: good, decently priced Time: They are SLOOOOOOOOOOOW. If the food wasnt good, I would rate 1*star. So i guess it is worth the wait...but not really. It was only 2 occupied tables and we waited 30 min+.

Relleno de plantanos was delicious, and coconut shrimp was really great. Wonderful ambiance and decor with upbeat music. For traditional Puerto Rican and Dominican food, they're really great. We had mofongo with pernil, pollo guisao, all exce

My friend and I went early Saturday, around brunch time and it was not busy which I liked. The music was playing loud enough that we could hear our conversation and not have to scream our lungs out. The place is small but cozy where you dont feel like your piled up against one another. The small mofongitos were absolutely delicious. The sauces were in point and the size was also perfect for it to be an appetizer plate. Each mofongito came with shrimp, red meat and chicken. We then ordered a sea food platter that came with that plumped lobster tale that I posted a pic of and that mashed potato looking thing is NOT mashed potato But mashed YUCA (are you drooling yet?). The mashed yuca was garnished with some type of res meat. We ordered one drink each and that was suffice because that drink had us both very tipsy. The food was so damn good and the drinks and the service. No complaints here! Definitely returning.

A brooklyn gem , thank god not another pretentious hipster joint in the gentrified 'hood If it wasn't 20 minutes from me I would probably b there everyday for happy hour ! Bonao completed my main three important Bullet points ; food , drinks , hookah! All good Granted I only tried the penne al vodka The bulldog will have u barking by the time u finish so my advice is to share with a friend !

Service was a little "eh" .. bartender was nice though she helped our waitress!! Food was DELICIOUS!!! Go here!!

2/10. food tasted unseasoned and under cooked (chicken alfredo) had to wave down waitresses and have to continue to wait. this is more of a place to drink and vibe not to have a good meal.

THE SERVICE TAKES FOREVER HERE WHEN YOU ORDER SUSHI. Over all the decor is nice, the waitress are nice. It is also a comfortable place to eat and do hookah. I saw a parent there with their kid in a stroller, there are no limits to this place..HAHA. Also they do not have any desert, so they lie on the menu, stating they have deserts, I have been here twice, and nothing! The sushi is great, who does'nt like some cooked meats wrapped in seaweed... Will i be back again, probably. This place is local to my parents/friends house so we will see.....

Its great to have a local classy Dominican restaurant in my neighborhood. Its good to go there especially on the weekends where they have live singers and a DJ. People got up and started dancing like we weren't in a restaurant it was great. Plus they're open late.

4 dollar cocktails Nice and strong not bad at all.. they also play live music. Went for Memorial Day so my tostones where a little cold therefor they got 4 stars.. since am half Dominican by injection I like my Tostones nice and hot. But def worth the visit during happy hour

I'm a start by saying this place is not welcoming at all. Came here with my sister for some food and drinks, We had to give the drinks back because we order a coconut Mojito and It didn't have liquor on it. When our waitress set us down she said to us that if a party of four comes in she's going to have to move us to A table right next to the bar, which the bar was a very packed but the table right next to us was for four people also and there was two people sitting there and she didn't say the same comment to them and I kind of feel like that was was very rude. I never been to a restaurant that they charged you for water even though the water was three dollars but still you could've at least told us that before we asked for it I'm giving this place two stars because the food was actually really good but other than that the service drinks and the environment wasn't good at all

Food was tasty. Service was fast. Arra is really really sketchy and it's hard to find parking. Overall good experience