Rumba Kitchen

Wow what a great experience! The moment we walked in, we were greeted with a welcoming smile. We were told from a friend to order the red snapper and the shrimp mofongo. They were not kidding, the food was extremely flavorful and the presentation was top notch. This was our 1st time trying Puerto Rican food but definitely won’t be the last. Thank you to the owner for welcoming us and expanding the different dishes to us. We Will be back again.

We celebrated my wife at Rumba Kitchen. Thankfully we were able to READ the MANY posts on their social media regarding their Covid safety practices during a pandemic. Super grateful for the MANY VIDEOS the owner has posted explaining her policy and position on it. Its good to be informed as much as possible. It made for a more comfortable dining experience. The menu is very creative and the food was next level! This menu is definitely unique in the LA food landscape. Straight boricua vibes in there. Mofongo is new to me but has quickly become one of my favorite dishes PERIOD. Rumba is representing well with their fresh take. You NEED to try Rumba Kitchen IF you're into great vibes and even greater food! Wepa, homies!

Food was Ok. Honestly, I did not like it, but my wife thought it was okay. The presentation was great! But the taste is a disappointment. Maybe I like to eat "salao". The best piece of my meal was the beans they gave us up front with some bread. Best Beans hands down. They had live music but way too loud to enjoy and have a conversation with others. I was more relaxed when they took a break and played the radio. On Covid. They did ask for vaccine cards. That's great! I love they are doing their part. All staff kept their masks on as well. I would love to see better signs to locate the restaurant. It's on the 2nd floor, btw. Not likely we would repeat. Our plate was $25 with a Malta India at $3. I think that was reasonable. Just load it with seasonings until you hear your abuela yelling to Stop.

Looking for a Puerto Rican style twist on brunch? This is the spot! We had the Buenos Dias “Bor”rito loaded with scrambled eggs, croquetas, hash browns, and cheese! Pro tip- try the homemade passion fruit hot sauce and tomatillo salsa to really elevate the dish! The team was also super accommodating for people who don’t eat meat, so if you’re in DTLA, check them out!

First time eating at Rumba and my husband & I were very disappointed. We both ordered the churrasco dish. My arroz con Gandules was dry & tasteless, the skirt steak was paper thin, overcooked & cold. I ordered the jugo de parcha and had trouble tasting the parcha. It was so watered down. The only thing that tasted good were the sweet maduros & the bacalaitos were salty, but tasty. The sauce, I thought would be mayoketchup, but wasn’t. Don’t know what that sauce was. I have to say, there was nothing about this meal that reminded me of Puerto Rico. Definitely, overpriced for the quality of food we were servedThere was not one Puerto Rican staff member in the kitchen or in the restaurant, for that matter. The hostess/waitress was from Guatemala. I was the only Puerto Rican there, smh

Restaurant is on the second floor of the plaza. It seems very low staffed; there were only 2 employees that I saw working. It took 5 minutes for someone to come out to help me after I entered the restaurant. I ordered the shrimp mofongo and it was okay. I've tried mofongo in Puerto Rico so I had high expectations. I've never seen mofongo with a mushroom sauce so I'm not sure if that's original. It was just dry and heavy. The mushroom sauce honestly tasted like mushroom gravy that would be served with mashed potatoes. My mango blended drink didn't seem to have much alcohol. Lastly, when I had to pay, the only tip options on the monitor was 18% and up, there wasn't even an "other" option. That's just dishonest and outrageous. Service was slow and definitely not worth 18% but they force customers with no cash to pay that much if they're willing to tip. Not coming again.

Living with a Boricua, you end up hearing a lot of stories of La Isla de Encanto (Puerto Rico). Every so often for family gatherings, I get a taste of Puerto Rican food, but it's never enough. Rumba Kitchen is family owned by lovely Chef Omaya who grew up with the flavors of Puerto Rico. She moved to LA and is now serving up traditional and modern takes on Puerto Rican dishes. I also love that fact that when you enter the restaurant, you are immediately transported to Puerto Rico! The interior is fun and super tropical. I came in for brunch and was excited to try everything on their menu. It was nice to see a new spin on brunch, because brunch menus can often get tired and boring, since everyone serves similar items. I ordered the "Bor"rito and the Tripleta with Eggs. When the food arrived at our table, I was very happy with the portions. We shared our meal so that we could try everything. The "Bor"rito was really good, I loved the cheese, and sweetness of the plantains. Their Tripleta was also amazing. The bread was perfectly toasted, the amount of pork and eggs on the sandwich was wonderful! I couldn't even close the sandwich! Will be coming back to try their guava pancakes or i'll pop in for dinner to see  what else they have to offer!

We have dined at Rumba Kitchen a few times, and we will be back many more. The food is fantastic! Every protein we’ve had has been extremely well season and well cooked. In particular, their beef and pork are phenomenal. The chimichurri is well-balanced. The golden mojo broth is concentrated liquid porky gold. I wish I could take a swim in the creamy garlic truffle sauce. Next time, I may ask if I can buy an extra pint of that to take home! 🤣 If come hungry, try out the loaded tostones to share with your table (fried plantains with cheesy, meaty goodness on top). Portions are as hearty as your parents would serve you when visiting, so come hungry!