Mama Roomba

Finally was able to stop and explore this beauty. It’s always caught my eye just never had time to dedicate to stopping by. The food was delicious I had the boneless pork chop, I found it to be very tasteful. I did not know it was a GF approved restaurant. Saw his signature stamp of approval on the wall. I would recommend for anyone who plans on enjoying some night time fun and would like to have a good meal prior to it.

Came in for drinks. They do not have a full bar only beer and wine. They had a few vegetarian options I will try in the future. Cheese empanadas. Some mushroom sautéed thing. Tapas share style plates. Bar tender/ server was so nice

Really good quality food. Flavors were excellent, meat was tinder. Bread was a little dry and they charge for more bread. They only give you a small amount of bread and butter. My complaint about that is the sauces are so great, you need more bread to scoop it up with. 😁

Small and unique restaurant, tucked in small, but nice downtown neighborhood. Food was quite unique, the Jerk chicken was food, needed more sides with it though, the mussels were great and salmon with mango salsa was quite unique. Small menu for a small place, but does the trick for a small bite, though the menu could use a little more flavour.

I came here with my husband because friends recommended it. We loved the ambiance and were seated immediately. The menu had a few items we weren’t familiar with, and the waitress helped us out. We ordered cassava fries with mojo ketchup as a starter, which wasn’t seasoned very well on its own but paired nicely with the sauce. I ordered a mojito to go with lunch. It was flavorful but there was such an overabundance of mint that I felt like I had to sip carefully, or I’d end up with a mouth full of mint. For lunch, we ordered Mama’s Latin Fried Chicken with Mango Chile Sauce. It was a nice level of spice, that was both flavorful and just on the cusp of being too spicy for my tastes. Husband loved it! We also got the Venezuelan Arepas with Cheese. I loved it, my husband found it a little bland. It came with a green chile sauce that wasn’t really spicy, but was flavorful. On their own, the arepas were just okay. With the sauce, they were very tasty! Overall, we give Mama Rooma’s a 4/5. Great 80s classics playing on the radio, nice ambiance with abstract art by Dixie Miguez, an attentive but not overbearing staff, and good food.

Located in the heart of downtown, this little gem had made a name for itself! Guy Fieri was right to come here and put it on traveler's radar. Location: The vibe is what I would expect from a chic Bakersfield eatery to be. It's clean, bright, relaxed, and full of color. Service: Full 5 star for the only waitress in the entire facility! She was very attentive to everyone's needs right from entering the building. She brought a high chair immediately and the open seating helped us feel at home. Kind, positive, quick, and not overly chatty. Food: we had multiple people in our group so that we got to try a carries of dishes. If you are looking for your run of the meal good then you'll want to go somewhere else. They did a fantastic job incorporating culture and flavor into every bite. The fried chicken is real fried chicken and the sauce sends it into space with flavor. For my weak tounge, everything was on the edge of too much spice. Sweet potatoes fries were crispy and sent my taste buds on a wild ride that smoked with the habanero ketchup sauce. The pasta just wasn't hitting the spot with our party. Grilled chicken pesto on the other hand was filling and delightful! Will go again. Great place to bring out of towners due to it's claim to Fame and it will not disappoint!

This food was delicious! It's a Caribbean cuisine restaurant with very down to Earth and knowledgeable staff. The flavor combinations are original and the ambience is warm and welcoming. The restaurant quarters itself is small and cozy (that's a part of it's charm). If you haven't been here to eat, I say at least try it once. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!

I came in on New Years Eve for some lunch and it was a good experience for the most part. Just wish the waitress wouldve slowed down a bit she seemed rushed. It wasnt busy at all and almosf felt like she wanted me to hurry and get out. Aside from that the food was delicious. I ordered the empanadas chilean style , frijoles negros con platano. Very delicious and the restaurant had a nice vibrant calm setting. Will return for more food lol

Okay, okay! 10 years after my original visits to Mama Roomba, I had the *privilege* of revisiting. So, this time I walked in on a Tuesday evening. It was practically empty. The waitress recommended the Tuesday special of Lamb Pops and a Peruvian beer. Daaaaaamn! ... The food lived up to recollection of 10 years past! Lamb was tender and flavorful and on top a bed of delicious salad. The bread served ahead was, somehow, amazing ! Especially in soaking up all the flavors of my main. The tunes in the background were the perfect vibe. Come eat here or be square.

Every time I eat at Mama Roomba's the food is excellent!! I always get the same thing, the tri tip , mamas fried chicken, Peruvian ceviche, warm spinach salad, black beans with plantains and rice Never have I been disappointed!! My Go ~2~ spot in Bako!!!

Food was good are first time there. The service was amazing. Ambiance was lay back and friendly will be back

Quite possibly the best fried chicken I've ever had! Had my first experience at Mama Roomba recently for our annual team lunch together. Started out with some bread which was delicious and the house made house sauce is so so good and really goes well with the bread. The fried chicken was fresh, juicy and just packed with flavor. Just the right amount of heat and perfectly crispy. I ate every bite and even though I was full I was wishing for more. I'll definitely be a repeat customer here and can't recommend the chicken enough.

Mama Roomba is a cute little restaurant nestled into a corner building downtown. There's a tiny bar, and festive, colorful decor in the small dining room. We've tried several dishes here over the years, and most were really good. We recently chose the Peruvian style Ceviche, which was so-so. It needed a touch of spice, and more seafood to avocado ratio, but it was refreshing. I was surprised it wasn't served with chips or anything to scoop it with. Next up was the Skillet Shrimp 'Soul Style' in Spicy Cream Sauce. This dish was very tasty, but not spicy. I would definitely recommend getting a side of rice for this one. The highlight of the lunch was Mama's Latin Fried Chicken with Mango Chile sauce. YUM! The boneless chicken breast was crispy and juicy, and that sauce was so good I would buy it bottled. There are several other items I'll go back again to try. (The flat iron pork salad looks promising, and the empanadas are always a draw.)

I'm a big fan of Caribbean food! Amazing Tapas & great service! People rave about the fried chicken (which is really good), but there's other great items on the menu. A must try while in Bakersfield!

My husband and I came in for an early dinner on a Monday. We were seated immediately. Ordering a mango Bellini, Jerk Chicken and Caribbean beef after being told they were out of salmon. I feel like the menu has changed but I have not been here in a long time. They did not take long but I guess I got the last jerk chicken for the night as they started telling all the tables that cam in they were now out of salmon and jerk chicken. I was surprised by this sine it was only 5:30. The inside is cute but cramped. Another patron kept hitting his elbow on the door molding and the waitress just laughed. The food was decent and the beef was a little spicy, my husband said it was dry.

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

So I'm here in Bakersfield for a couple weeks and I'm working downtown and have a hankering for some Caribbean fare. I see that Mama Roomba has Jerk Chicken so I make a dash there. I was seated and served right away. They do give you bread and butter while you wait. The ambiance was of a rustic diner in the old southwest. They also have a cocktail bar at this place. This is a tapas restaurant. I ordered the Jerk Chicken (which was not on the lunch menu) & black beans. So... I would have given this a much lower rating, but I did ask for something that was not on the menu. The chicken was rubbery, the "jerk" was a sauce they doused on top. The black beans didn't have much taste to them and they didn't provide me with any sweetener for my tea (I guess it's a "ask not, want not" establishment). I don't think I'll try this place again. Not my style. Price: ($34.25 w/ 18% tip)

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.

Love Mama Roomba! Arrived early (5:30pm)?Enjoying dinner for three, starting with delicious French bread slices with butter, and shared tapas w/ delicious plates of beef empanadas (3), fried chicken (5), french fries (yucca), and a large absolutely amazing cooked to perfection serving of sea bass. Each bite of the fresh fish ($22.50?) tasted delicious and literally melted in your mouth. Five star dinner at 3 star prices w/ $15 corkage, well worth the price.

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!

Beef empanadas came with three meaty filled with out a bunch of peas and a sweetness form the raisins. The empanadas are accompanied with tamarind sauce that made this appetizer a great start. Roasted jerked chicken is moist. Comes with five strips and has a kick to it. All in all, a great meal. Wish I would've saved some of my slices of white bread from the beginning to soak up some of this amazing sauce. I'm stuffed. There's a beef with mango sauce that I'd come back to try on an another day. Service- just one lady to take care of the in and out locations of the restaurant. Jamie, she's wonderful.

4 of us had dinner on a rainy Wednesday night. We had a reso but didn't need it. Nice to have the place all to ourselves--quiet, roomy. As others have mentioned it can get a bit tight and noisy when crowded but not for us this night. Perfect service, great sense of humor. We had drinks, nice sangria (not too sweet), corn/cheese empanadas and took the waitresses suggestions and got the special--lamb lollipops. They were scrumptious--nice and meaty, perfectly cooked and the marinate/glaze was to die for--to call it teriyaki based is an understatement; a tasty salad came with the lamb. They were so good we got a second order for our main course complimented by the always delicious tri tip. Black beans and plantains excellent as always. Sorry it took so long to return--see you on another weekday for specials!!!!

Great place! Nice view, clean, great customer service by our waitress, and the chicken is really good!

The hubby and I decided to come and try this place. We knew it had been on DDD and they was a big draw for us. It did not disappoint. We got the beef empanadas, shrimp ceviche, the pasta in creamy jalapeño sauce with shrimp, and the banana and ice cream dessert. All of it was amazing and we loved all the different flavors that pop in your mouth with just the right amount of kick. One small let down, their soda machine was Brooke. And they didn't have iced tea. I'm on a medication that can't mix with alcohol so my only option was water. Other than that, it was great. Service was great and highly recommend.

I don't really like spicy foods but the food was flavorful with just a little kick. I especially loved the arepas! My partner does like spicy food and loved the habanero ketchup with the sweet potato fries. I loved the fries on their own! I also usually don't like vinaigrettes, but their toasted cumin was very tasty. We hope to go back and try their other specials!

The Yuka Fries + Prawns are my fav w the mango soda Cute lil place to eat / have dinner.

A chance to experience Latin America without leaving Bakersfield. We had the corn and cheese empanadas filled with ricotta cheese and corn as well as the Venezuelan cheese arepas were filling and tasty. Combined with a red sangria and cassava fries, we left full and content. Located near 18th and Eye St near the Convention Center, it wasn't hard to find and worth the search. We sat at the bar and the bartender was very helpful explaining all of the dishes on the menu we had questions for. Will be back next time we're in Bakersfield.

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.

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.

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!!

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.

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!

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.

Welcome to downtown Bakersfield meets The Carribbean. Finally was able to try this place for lunch and wasn't let down. My favorite was the corn and cheese empanadas. Sooo freaking good. Two orders next time please??! Lunchtime was perfect only a few other tables occupied. Service was fast and food was hot and delicious. Devoured the empanadas and forgot to take a picture... oops

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.

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.

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.

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!

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...

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.

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.

Mama Roomba's is always a fav. Go with friends because the tapas style serving makes for a great opportunity to share more of delicious dishes they offer. The jalapeño chicken pasta is one of my faves. The empanadas are all good. Everything here is a win. There ambience is intimate because it's a smaller seating area and the servers are so nice. The mojitos are pretty good, just sayin!

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

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

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.

Food was tasty but overpriced. Main dishes are served a la carte meaning, typical compliments like rice and beans are served at an additional cost, imo these should be included. For example, I love that the restaurant serves ropa vieja, traditionally it's served with white rice and black bean, to get those you need to add an additional cost making this dish more expensive than when eaten in the bay area. It's worth visiting this venue, but, I wouldn't go out of my way for the experience.

With the number of good reviews I was disappointed. The place itself is an older, quaint restaurant. It was on the loud side while we were there. We had the fried calamari, carribean beef in a sauce, and the vegetable dish. No complaints about the fried calamari or the carribean beef, although they advertise a pineapple sauce with the beef and I could not tell that it was a pineapple sauce. The vegetables were bad. It looked and tasted like they got a frozen bag of vegetables at a store, put them in some boiling water and served them. Very bland. For the price we paid, we will definitely not return.

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.

Hands down, favorite Bakersfield restaurant! Best food, service and wine. Never had a bad experience.

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

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.

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!

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.

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!!

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.

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!

Small hole in the wall restaurant vibe. It's cozy and the menu is not like anything else I've seen in Bakersfield. Small tapas served family style and enough to share with another. I had grilled lamb pops which I learned is an off the menu special served only on Tuesdays. These were amazing and I'll definitely be back again just for the lamb. Try the fried chicken which is moist and the seafood soup. Both are fire too. Will be back again.