La Bodeguita del Medio Playa del Carmen

We came for the food and the show and both did not disappoint. The place is designed like a Cuban restaurant with interesting decor. The service was great and their famous Cuban chicken was amazing and so much that we took some home with us… the band was great, playing Cuban music, Mexican songs and some covers. It was a great evening.

The food here is the worst I’ve ever had in Playa. You cannot be a CUBAN restaurant AND SERVE THOSE MEATLESS EMPANADAS. When we picked them up, it was just falling apart. At least the prices were fair. The best tasting thing there was the sparkling water and the natural water. The waitress was nice and definitely tried to help make suggestions, but they were out of everything. No fish none of their staple dishes were available. But everything we tasted was awful. The shrimp in the tacos were so chewy, I’m still chewing while riding in this review…. The cheesy tacos oh no please get rid of it. The cheese does not match the fishy taste. The rice of beans had the longest piece of hair I’ve ever seen in my food. I didn’t even care about that. what’s crazy is, I pulled out right in front of the manager and he ran away. 🤣 either way the beans and rice are tasteless. On a positive note, it is a great vibe if you want to grab a few drinks and dance to some Cuban Latin music bar scene type of vibe. But the food, they should just cancel that ASAP I told the server, Manager, the food runner, all of them just looked like “yeah it sucks so what?” I ordered a few things just to make sure and they all were bad. I was really rooting for this place. I’ve been walking past it for years now I’ve been saying I can’t wait to go. This was a huge disappointment. It’s definitely for the tourist who want to feel a little Cuban vibe. But NOT the food. Just imagine if this place had good food it would be so 🔥 in a prime location.

Great place! Great ambience and food! The Cuban Band is amazing… La Bodeguita del Medio is my place for a little of salsa dancing.

Come here for the amazing live music not the food. The food was chewy and bland, wouldn’t come back to eat here again. The Mojitos were good though.

Cuban restaurant and bar with an authentic feel and a great atmosphere. Tried the ceviche and cuban sandwich and they were both very good. They have live cuban music at night with customers often dancing to it. They stay open late which makes it a great option for a late bite on the way back to the hotel.

Went here on a whim. Was in the area. Just checking out the place. I thought what the heck hey let’s go have some Cuban food. Can I say delicious flavor for everything from the black beans on. My favorite part and I’m not kidding the chicken wings. If you go try these wings I’m telling you fall off the bone flavor. I don’t know what it is about Mexico but they make better chicken wings then the US does. Everywhere we went we had chicken wings I feel guilty for saying it but yes, we also had tacos, etc. but these wings are the best. Service was wonderful as well. Great smiles very attentive. Love the live music..

Every time I go to PDC with my partner we always stop by at Bodeguita. Food is delicious, the waiters and waitresses are so warm and welcoming, live music is wonderful and dancing is encouraged!! Coffee and desserts?! Yes please! They have two different groups that play, one in the early afternoon and another band at night, overall the ambience is wonderful and hospitable. It’s always a pleasure going to Bodeguita in Playa!

Worst experience ever during my trip. During our last night’s stay in Playa, my partner and I decided to go for live music and was recommended by a local waiter to come to this place. While asking for recommendations for cocktails, the waitress didn’t appear to be knowledgeable but I appreciated her patience and ordered a sunrise with añejo cristalino because it was not a commonly seen option. The taste, to be fair, was far below my expectation and can be easily duplicated in a dive bar. I would not bother to write my first review on Google Maps for this disappointment, though. Soon after the performance began, my partner and I had to run because we found a nearby tattoo shop that was about to close, and it took about ten minutes for the same waitress to bring my bill. What happened later might speak to the delay - she asked me if I thought the drinks were good, to which I replied yes out of courtesy. Then she took my card and inserted it in the POS machine without asking me to sign anything or press the confirm button. There was only a receipt coming out after she swiped the card with an 20% “gratification.” I pointed to the extra amount and asked her why did you automatically add this, and she only said “the service fee, not included” - as if she couldn’t understand and say English properly. I was apparently upset, but the music was loud, the waitress pretended to be uncommunicable, and I was on a tight schedule. So I left the bar with that 20% tip. We talked about this situation in the tattoo shop later, and all the staff there were shocked and shook their heads saying this is too much. They even offered to fight for me and told me to write reviews for this. So here I am. If local people, your neighbors, think this is not cool, then apparently what you did - Ms waitress- put shame on your people. I believe there are plenty of people who would love to donate 80 pesos to you if you are in some kind of emergency and need that money so badly. But maybe you will never see this comment and were just happy with robbing another group of visitors who would have come back for lunch the next day. I hope the manager, if not a conspirator, can investigate this situation since I found myself being not the only one leaving a review on tip robbery. It’s not just about money, but respect and honesty. Otherwise, my fellow visitors, please just avoid this place since you will never run out of authentic, tasty restaurants in PDC.

We had a great time at this restaurant. Service was attentive and the atmosphere great. Live music was fun. Delicious whole fried fish. Shrimp in pineapple was great. Our youngest really enjoyed the empanadas.

They were able to take care of a large group of us and handle it with no issues. Opt for the anejo over the regular mojito if you go. The extra Carmel and vanilla notes from the Havana 7 take the drinks to a higher level.

The environment and vibe was cool, the service was fantastic and had air conditioning!!! It was unseasonably hot and humid and they offered quite the respite that was much needed. We ordered the overpriced underwhelming paella which had only a paltry amount of shrimp and protein, I am from the Caribbean and been to most of Latin America and this was quite pathetic, you can see in my pictures how much is was lacking. I ordered 5 rum and cokes during my visit (75 minutes) we thought it didn't taste right because it wasn't right!! They water down their liquor BIG TIME, usually takes me only 3 to affect my gait and speech and walked out still quite sober. The Cuba Libres were definitely not 80 proof or even 60 proof as they should be. The server was very friendly and attentive to our needs however the food and overall experience was sub-optimal. Please avoid this tourist trap as there are many better and affordable options on 5th Avenue, never going back again..

La Bodeguita del Medio is a fantastic dance club with great Mojitos and food. The atmosphere is so inviting and unique. The writing on the walls and shades is fun. There is usually a line if you arrive after 9:00pm. Come ready to dance and drink mojitos! The waiters bring drinks super fast once ordered. The drinks are truly amazing. The food is also delicious. We enjoyed the sample platter a few times this trip. Please go. Please dance. Please enjoy!!!

Went here for drinks & dancing during our vacation to PDC. We wanted a place with Salsa/Bachata and we found this little place. They played only Salsa with a live band which was pretty good. The servers were nice and came by often to make sure we had a full glass. Ambiance was nice & relaxed. No wild & drunk tourists, more of a locals place. We didn't try any food unfortunately because we had dinner down the street right before.

Went here late night on a Friday for the live music which was awesome. I thought I would see a lot of dancing but that didn't happen. The restaurant is nice inside and outside you can see all the bats and people watch. The staff is friendly and the food was okay. We had the shrimp dish which was good and it had a sweetness to it. I had the fajitas which was good and I enjoyed the rice. We rarely did restaurants on 5th but we wanted to go for the music. The mojitos were okay. I'm not a big time drinker and they weren't strong for me. Still worth going to.

This is a late post, I was in Playa from 10/30-11/14 and frequented this place twice. Of course I had to come here, and it was nice to be able to eat something different than Mexican food. I don't eat meat and although Cuban is one of my favs, I couldn't eat chicken ...so I had shrimp instead with black beans, rice and plaintains. I was in heaven. My friend at the chicken...and said it was amazing. I was tempted!!!! The second time I came just the black beans, rice and plaintains...AND the caramel flan...which is amazing! The staff here was great and they have live salsa....it was a bit loud but it was fine...love this place!

This was my first Cuban experience and the food did not disappoint. We did ask our waitress what she recommended but she let us know that she wasn't well versed in Cuban food. She did show us what the majority of people got, and that is what we ordered. We were not really too impressed with the starter sampler (I would skip it), however, Ropa Vieja and Moros y Cristianos were excellent! The dinner was also paired up with wonderful live music and a not too busy 5th Avenue.

Oh come on!!! We get some papas para llevar- 70 pesos gets you this teeny tiny handful in a giant styrofoam box. We asked the absentee server to add 10% tip and she added 20. Portions way too tiny and not that tasty to warrant the high price tag. AVOID!!!!

Come here if you want your Cuban meal accompanied by loud music and mediocre service. I love staying on 5a Ave, and browsing the cafes, and stores, but this place is probably typical of most restaurants there on a Friday night: Loud music, and at best, mediocre service (if not down right terrible). If you want better dining experience, spend the $$$ on a taxi/Uber/other transport service and get away from 5a Avenida!

If you are looking for some live salsa and bachata look no further. They have a great live band that performs here alot of nights. The location is a great size with their own private outdoor area that is fenced in. Wish i had discovered this place earlier on during my travels to playa del Carmen but next time I'm there I'll definitely going here again

This is the main Cuban joint on la Quinta, so if you're jonesing for some Cuban faire after a week of eating tacos this is going to be your next spot. The mojitos are Ok, not great, not terrible. Authentic mojitos tend to be less sweet than the tourist kind, but these almost tasted like there was no sugar at all. The variation mojitos aren't the most well thought out. I tried the Mezcal mojito, and the smoky mezcal really overpowered the other flavors of mint and lime. They didn't compliment each other at all.It's a good thing I didn't try the Jack Daniels mojitos! I would recommend to just stick with the original, and maybe ask for it extra sweet. I did try the fruit mojitos, but even these weren't very sweet, the mango almost tasted like a medicine. The Masitas de Cerdo was pretty good I liked the spicy sauce it came with. The pork wasn't perfect, not very tender and a little bit dry. The Mar y Tierra was just OK. I liked it, but the steak was a bit bland. It's hard to mess up a Mar Y Tierra. This almost tried, but it was a good dish none the less. Overall it's a pretty good authentic Cuban restaurant just like one on the Island, ie: nothing too perfect, but not bad either. Perfectly average, just like a good communist.

Delicious Cuban food! Delicious mojitos and amazing atmosphere with live music and dancing! This has been my favorite place we've eaten in Playa so far. Don't miss this one!

To the lady manager Juárez I believe was her name but I could be wrong, our waiter Daryam was lovely and attentive sadly there is no value for maintaining a lifetime customer franchise here just a quick grip and squeeze what you can of those who come in to dine and drink. Not a happy customer a local couple who lives here is not treated with value for the support they give to restaurants in their neighbourhoods, instead they are charged tourists rates and taxes with the alleged excuse that it is high season... why wouldn't a restaurant want to keep their local guests happy who will and do come during low season and spend large amounts of money with generous tips, happy even with a free coffee or tequila or 1% off would have just been thoughtful for their local guests who frequent. But they didn't even want to offer anything as a gratitude for local support. Stay away from this tourist trap they care not for the locals

Service was great the dish I got was just full of fat and they try to sell you other stuff while your eating also ask you to tip the live band . So don't come here if you want to eat in peace. Also don't sit by a window if you don't want a homeless guy coming up to you and asking you for money.

Best cuban live music I've heard (better than what I heard in Miami), , good food , friendly waiters . I bought an appetizer, one chicken plate , 2 deserts , 3 mojitos for $75 with a 15% tip included . So I think the prices are good . I must WARN you gullible Americans...please check your check . unfortunately they are tricking consumers to pay twice the tip. I decided to add my entres up to see if the total was accurate. (Especially when traveling abroad) And unfortunately it was off. So I ask the waiter why is it off ..."oh it's included in the total". Mind you the total was handwritten! . And there's a huge stamp stating "service isn't included" When in fact, IT IS. that's distasteful and definitely false pricing .

I am so embarrassed that I have not posted a review of La B del M in prior visits. We have been coming here, even at it's old location at the south end of the town. I am told that this is "my happy place" and while I will not argue it's a "happy place" I might push back that it is "the" happy place. The food, the staff, the decor, and especially the music takes this place to the quintessential "next level" .....cannot stand the cliche I just used....oh well. This IS a NOT to be missed place while here in Playa Del Carmen.....came here opening week of post COVID 19 vs 2020 and very glad to see it survived.

Great atmosphere, great food, great drinks! live music , dancing.. it has everything. i've been in mexico city and in havana. it was good at all three locations.. i would absolutely go back. there was all you can eat on the chicken entree.. i thought that was funny but we went for that. enjoyed everything. i recommend this place for its great service, low prices, and its location right in downtown playa del carmen.

The food and ambiance was great! Can't wait to return. The staff is friendly and attentive

I hate to do this because of my Cuban heritage, but this place was awful. I understand it's more of a bar and nightclub than a restaurant, but it was the worst Cuban food I've ever had. I did go early because I was hungry after my flight and bus ride. And, I was only one of two patrons at the time. The bartender, who was also my waitress, was nice if not a little bit slow. She seemed like she was busy setting up mojitos for the evening service. The rest of the staff mostly just ignored you, and acted like you were bothering them if you asked for anything. Either way I wouldn't recommend this place for dinner. There are much better options close by!

La Bodeguita Del Medio changed dramatically since our last visit there. I made a dinner reservation, but upon arrival at 6:30 PM, noticed that it was not needed, as the restaurant was nearly empty. This was not a good sign. I decided to go the safe route and order some appetizers to test the quality and food presentation. I also order their signature "Mojito" cocktail. I ordered some "tostones with camarones". A type of plantain filled with shrimp. The dish was cold and the tostones were not fresh. We decided to take a risk and order main dishes. My wife ordered, a signature Cuban dish, "Ropa Vieja" a type of shredded beef in red souce. I ordered some pork chops in tamarind sauce. Both dishes had poor presentation and tasted terrible. The ropa vieja was atleast edible. I left my pork chops on the table. The only good thing about dinner was the flexibility of our server. The restaurant had a live band that started playing after the lead singer decided to show up late. This was not the place we had previously experience. The restaurant does not stand up to the high standards of original Cuban food and music. I would not recommend this place, in fact I would discourage the experience.

Went there for dinner after reading the great reviews and because we love Cuban food. They advertised the best Mojitos in the world so we ordered this first. It was very overrated. Lime juice with mint and maybe a splash of Rum. I don't eat ted meat but every restaurant has Chicken. The waitress had no idea what Pollo Al Ajillo was so she came back and said they didn't have it. I then ordered Pollo a la Plancha she said they didn't have that and I would have to order sn entire chicken. I then asked for Cuban bread and she came back 10 minutes later with hard, dry bread. I asked if they had butter for the bread , she wasn't sure but she would check. I had one piece pf the hard bread. I ended up ordering Tostones and was very disappointed to see the miniature tostones with some sauce with onions. I ate a few because I was very hungry. My daughter ordered carne frita and white rice neither of which she cared for. My son-in-law ordered Escabeche which he said was very good. The only good thing was the music. I left there just as hungry as when I had arrived.

Great spot with solid food and great Cuban music. Even during non peak season in playa, this place is buzzing with energy. If it's a hot day, grab a seat outside with a side view to the stage. The Cuban band is great, like what one hears on Buena Vista Social Club. But bring mosquito repellant if you are prone to getting bitten by these little creatures in Playa. In terms of food, the salad is fresh, the ceviche main course (200g) is excellent. Portions are huge so don't hesitate to share. Unless you are an expert crab eater, I would recommend against the crab with white wine and onion even though it looks very tempting. The crab meat is quite difficult to get out (maybe frozen crabs) and it's quite saucy and a bit messy than usual to eat. Wines in playa in general is disappointing. Tried a taste of a white wine by the glass and passed on it.

Absolutely amazing local food!!! My Fiancé and I stumbled across this place as our original dinner restaurant was closed. The live Cuban music as well as people dancing was amazing. The food was fresh and truly authentic. Totally recommend this place

Racists! The worse service ever received in my life! Many table open and they didn't let us sit.

Oh nelly what a hot spot or a chill spot. There is so much to say I may not get to it all. 1. This is a late night hot spot offering live music and insanely good food until 3:00 AM 2. You can buy wine, whiskey, tequila or more by the bottle 3. Mojitos are a cocktailers paradise. Go with the mango 4 Cuban rice and Cubano sandwich will knock you off your feet. The chicken is prepared and marinated for 12 hours and the tomato and avocado add a perfect refreshing combination. 5. There is an open indoor/outdoor setting with music on the inside if you want to have a festive night and quiet tables outside for the romantic side of you. 6. You can buy cigars and yes even Cubans. 7. The staff is incredibly attentive maybe even too. I went through 5 napkins because he kept taking mine away. Overall, this is a must stop when in Playa del Carmen. Go Go late Make a night of dining and music and maybe a cocktail or cigar.

Amazing authentic cuban food!! I ordered the Del Mar y Tierra and every part of it was absurdly good. I cannot emphasize this enough- you MUST order the fried plantains (maduros)- they are mouth watering. Currently looking up the recipe to make them at home!! The waiter was a bit slow with our table but I'm never in a rush when I'm in Mexico and neither should you! Sit back and enjoy the salsa music!

Delicious Cuban food. Everything we ordered had great flavor! The Ropa Vieja with the black beans and rice was amazing. As good as what we had in Cuba. The service was excellent. Friendly staff and the food came out quickly. The atmosphere was full of energy. Live music and dancing was very entertaining. The restaurant setting is open and bright. This was my favorite dinner in Playa!

If, you're looking for a lively or late night dinner option on 5th Ave, La Bodeguita is your place. Mixture of tourists and locals, live band playing nightly. The place was packed every night, and people were salsa dancing. The menu is Cuban with a Mexican twist. Their prices are higher than average, but you're on 5th Ave. The food was average, could have been more flavorful. The tostones were dry, hard and bland, disappointing. Avoid anything with plantains, and you should be safe. They also brought all the food out at once, appetizers with entrees. It would have been far better to get the apps first, let those digest a little, then get the rest of the dishes. Maybe be specific about this when you order. I'd say the food and drinks are good overall, but really, what you come here for is the lively atmosphere and to people watch.

Great live music but the drinks were terrible even by PDC standards. Worth stopping by for the music and dancing but stick to beer.

Great little place feels like the real deal. Great music Come for the music and drinks. Off to the next place.

Came based on the yelp reviews and we we loved it! Had amazing pollo cubano and fajitas camarones. Service was attentive; food was amazing, stellar live music and the atmosphere was great! Highly recommend it!

Not good. The hostess at the door had a major attitude and seated us in a terrible location. Luckily, our waitress was much more cordial and happily offered to relocate us to a different seat. There was a live band playing that did a fabulous job but other than that, our experience was pretty tragic. My husband and I ordered the vaca frita that looked NOTHING like traditional vaca frita we had in Cuba. It sort of looked like they slapped two old pieces of steak on our plates. Drinks were watered down and service (although incredibly sweet) was slow. There are so many other great establishments on the strip that are worth the money. This unfortunately, is not one of them.

Went here for dinner last night and it was awesome! Awesome The service was fast and friendly and the food tasted great! There was live music and some folks doing salsa . They have an outside area where we sat and enjoyed the evening cooling off and enjoying our mojitos.

03/16/2019. Dropped in for a cocktail after visiting a resort we're looking at staying next year. We were only there for a half an hour. The music was just a bit loud for no one being in there but maybe they were trying to gather a crowd. Drinks were OK. This appears to be a franchise. Many signs with their different locations.

Great place for dancing and meeting locals. Here in Playa on vacation and when asking the locals for a salsa place they all recommended this one, went to check it out and loved the crowd. There was a live salsa band and Dancers are mainly on 1, and timba/rueda, some bachata was played and people danced woohooo... Didn't eat sorry. We ordered mojitos and frozen pina coladas, they are both very sweet and as if no alcohol present (juicy).

Delicioso, Delicioso, Delicioso! This place is delicious and tastes great. Fresh and delicious, did I say delicious!

My favorite place to eat and hang out in Playa del Carmen. Good food, drinks and atmosphere. Love it!

Came here for dancing, beers, and tequila and was not disappointed. At 10pm, this place was already packed. There was a tiny area for a dance floor, but the band hadn't started playing when we arrived. Despite the crowd, we were able to get drinks pretty quickly (and cheaply). When the band started, the place turned into one giant dance party. Everyone dance with each other and had a good time. My husband even laughed as a toothless old man whisked me away and proceeded to twirl me around the dance floor. If you're looking for a fun night in Playa, I highly recommend.

I had the chicken and it was dry; the beans were not even Cuban and tasteless; the service was lousy. I've lived in Playa for a few years; previously it was good, but now it seems to have gone down hill. The music, however is still good, as they have real Cuban bands.

This is the worst experience ever on a 'Cuban' restaurant. If the owner is Cuban he should be ashamed. The service is below average, but the biggest flaw is the food, is not near authentic whatsoever, is like they didn't even tried to mimic Cuban cuisine. I ordered 'Vaca Frita' which is my go to at every Cuban restaurant I go. What a disappointment, I don't know how they dare to serve that crap as 'Vaca frita', it was just some 'slices' of the lowest and driest meat I ever had in my life , no flavor or seasoning whatsoever, the Moro rice was as bland also. Oh and their 'mojito'? Don't get me started, just below what you can order at any restaurant regardless of the specialty.

Love the vibe of this place. The food is excellent. They have live music almost every night. The bar is pretty nice and well stocked too.

Atmosphere was great, with some open outdoor & indoor seating. Prime spot in middle of 5th Ave. Our server Guillermo was great, spoke some English, and double checked everything for us, along w confirming no peanuts for our friends allergies. Drinks were okay. I really enjoyed my Michelada Ojo Rojo, but the guys got mojitos that weren't that strong. So they ordered Cuba Libres after and liked those better. I had Crab in Garlic Lemon butter for 119, it looked really good, but the flavor was way too limey. And it didn't come with any sides. The Pollo Especial was 149 for all you can eat sides of white rice, fried plantains, and beans. My friend enjoyed his shredded beef 129, and the Torta de Cubano for 99 was good with avocado in it.

As you walk down the avenue, you hear the sound of live salsa music floating on the breeze. Follow the sound to La Bodeguita del Medio. Every surface is plastered with pictures and clippings and people have signed most any available area. The dance floor is tiny, but packed with dancers and the band was so talented. We enjoyed our drinks and absorbing the local flavor. I'm so happy we followed our ears to this gem.

My wife and I randomly walk in honestly you will love this spot Mature entertainment cuban

Way overhyped on yelp. Food was bland and nothing like real Cuban food. Service was slow and rude. Compared to everything else's on the strip not worth the price or the time

Best salsa dancing in Playa Del Carmen! During our honeymoon we were regulars here. They have a live band every night. Mostly Cuban bands all with great play lists! The dance floor is small but people are super cool about sharing the floor. For the cigar aficionados they have a humidor with an okay selection of cigars. They also have a great patio area where you can smoke and grab some fresh air in between music sets. We didn't have a chance to eat here but we definitely enjoyed the Mojitos. Always get dark Havana Club rum. It makes for a better mojito.

Great music, fun atmosphere. However the food left much to desire. The drinks were average at best. Food was bland and lack authenticity,. On the Cuban platter they feature chicken wings. The mojitos were not fresh, . Again the band was great, the food and drinks not so much.

The restaurant experience begins with air conditioning and a mini store. There is also a place to buy Cuban cigars in there. Then the bar area with both indoor and outdoor seating for those eating. There was also a nice live band playing. The workers are friendly. Food is very good and the drinks too. Ambient is great and fun.