Food, service, and vibes were all great! I met a girlfriend for HH and sat at the bar. We got a to try a little of everything. The bartender was very friendly and the food came out quickly. We got the chicken and lamb skewers, chicken empanadas, 3 of the 5 ceviche shooters (tuna, salmon, and snapper), and the smashed plantains side. Definitely would recommend! read more

Bolo - One chicken skewer and one lamb skewer - Latin American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Im gonna start by saying I would absolutely give this place a second try. Yesterday must have been an off day. So pull up a chair, lemme tell ya a story. While on my short hop over to Philly I was in the mood for a restaurant with character /flavor and ran across Bolo on Google. I read the article about how it came to be & I was sold immediately. I made the reservation within an hour and the check in was seamless. I love that you are transported into a cafe you would fall into on the island. Staff was all wecoming and friendly which is a great 1st impression. Yaay Bolo. I scan over the menu & realize they have a prefix menu which I wanted to opt for. However I also see that the skewers that I had my eye set on was not a part of the snack portion. However I ask the waitress can she ask the manager if I can have one of the $9 skewers instead of one of the $20 starters to accommodate that portion of the meal. Unfortunately she came bk with news that broke my heart. The answer was no. I respect that. Confused but respect. Now I opt to just do a la carte. I decided to order 2 skewers & the Imperial Chicken rice & my friend ordered the Vica Frita. The moment of truth arrived and the shrimp & chicken skewers were everything I hoped for! I was equally excited about my chicken & rice because I just know im gonna be blown away by a flavorful marinated chicken breast. Mmmmm. The food arrives & it looks phenomenal. Im going in fast for my 1st bite and womp womp womp, it was simply eye candy. The chicken portion was a bit dry & flavorless unfortunately. However the dish redeemed itself with the saffron rice. That was delicious although I only had a few bites. My friend's steak was EVERYTHING! Presentation, spice, juicy and simply gives you a foodgasm. Bunuelos dessert was on point and the puuuurfect size for sharing. Now that the meal is about over this is where confusion comes into play. The waitress comes over & asks "How is everything?". I look at her & say the chicken dish is very underwhelming, just wrap it up I will figure out what to do with it at home. She didn't even attempt to offer the manager to come over to smooth things over or ask would I like something else instead especially seeing that the entire chicken is still sitting pretty on my plate. Lol. She then asked did we like anything else, I said just the check. She then confirmed she is going to go wrap this dish to go & handed us the check. Lol I do not complain much & never do so to get anything free. I do however love feeling like my opinion matters & you will attempt to make my experience the best. So in closing I will come back for the live Thursday music & happy hour. read more

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Delicious Puerto Rican food in a lively atmosphere. My husband and I came for dinner and shared two entrees and a side of tostones. We went with the two traditional entree options: half chicken chicharrones and the suckling pig dinner. There was a ton of food. We definitely would have been fine with just one entree and the tostones as each entree came with sides. Everything was fantastic, really fresh and well made. We took half of our meal to go and actually ate the leftovers (they held up well!) They also had a decent wine/cocktail selection. Definitely make a reservation for a weekend dinner- the place is fairly large but certainly packed with many people waiting to be seated. read more

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Came here when we couldn't decide where to go for dinner on a Friday night, we were able to snag a last-minute reservation. However, we hadn't realized it was Restaurant Week so unfortunately the menu was a bit limited and they were out of a couple items - but that is on us. We still were able to try the Yuca Brava (cassava root tots), Fufu (mashed sweet plantain and citrus pepper mojo served with plantain chips), and Pan con Queso (whipped goat cheese, bacon removed). There were also two specific entrees for RW - I tried the Sweet Plantain Canoas (maduros filled with mushroom picadillo, spinach, and cheese). The starters were fantastic! We enjoyed all of them - I thought the goat cheese dish would be my favorite but I actually loved the fufu and kept going back for more bites. The cassava root tots were also tasty - crispy on the outside and soft on the inside and tossed in a delicious sauce. Unfortunately the canoas was just okay, I got a little tired of eating it around half way through, really interesting mix of textures and sweet / savory flavors but it didn't hit perfectly for me. We would likely come again and try these same small plates + the Sorullitos (cornmeal fritters) which they ran out of when we were there. read more

Bolo - Latin American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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One of my fav restaurants! This time around I had the ceviche sampler, the snapper was my fav and next I would say the tuna - the salmon was so so, probably should've been better chopped up more instead of thick slices. The mussels are fantastic, the bacalaitos with the crab salad is great. My friend had the chicken chicharrones with a side of black beans (which I tried, they were good) and rice - would've been good if they gave more rice - the rice and bean ratio was off (looking at other tables who ordered rice they had a lot more in their pot then we did) . My friend also thought they should have that as a dish instead of separate items - but overall they were good. My cousin had the green empanadas which she said was good. We also ordered the tostones - which are always good. I will definitely be back. read more

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I love this place and recommended it to my friends while visiting from NY. It appears the prices went up since the last time I went, but the food was just as delicious and the portions were also a great size. We probably ordered more food that we needed to, but we were able to share and try a little bit of everything. For the service, the servers were great, we did come a little on the later end and pretty much closed the place. No one kicked us out, but we tried to leave a soon as we finished our meal. The restaurant itself is nice, moody, and we'll decorated. It's not casual, but also not super fancy. Will continue to come back for special occasions and happy hours!, read more

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Such a great experience! From the ambiance, the good food, the amazing service and the music was a vibe!! The tostones are hugeee and delicious. The chicken skewers were charred nicely and paired well with the bread that comes with it. The Vaca Frida was so tender and the black beans were sooo tasty. The dessert, the Buñelos were like mini beignets with a dulce de leche sauce that was so good! Light and airy and the sauce was also light and not thick. Great way to end the meal. 10/10 overall read more

Bolo was an amazing place to stop in for dining during Restaurant Week. For $45 per person there was the option of a snack, an entrée, as well as dessert. I tried the bacalaito and then the seafood apoyado before the temple Que and it was all delicious. Our server was friendly and adorable, conversational and accommodating. I want to come back and experience the live music again and the casal and not overly loud ambiance. read more

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The food was fine, the service was all over the place. 1) Took over 20 mins to get seated despite having reservation 2) Food took a long time to come, 10-15 mins between courses after it was finished 3) and finally, the complimentary chips was served after all courses were over, clearly an after thought read more

I enjoyed my visit to this establishment! It has a good vibe..staff are friendly and attentive! The drinks and appetizers were top tier! I will definitely come back to enjoy the entrees! read more

Bolo - Drinks on Tap - Latin American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Vibes: casual, upbeat with lively background music; bring a friend or the whole crew to sit on either floor Tasting notes: - Ceviche Trio: unique sauces for the tuna, salmon, snapper; one portion can lightly feed 2 people - Half-chicken chicharrones: extremely crispy and slightly addicting - Yuca brava: great ratio of crispy exterior to soft interior - Lamb Pastelillos: very flaky, buttery pastry with flavorful filling - Vaca Frita: while beef itself is slightly crispy and very buttery, contrasted by bright, refreshing, fresh tomato and avocado - Short Rib: tender meat in a rich gravy - Snapper: flaky fish that picked up the light, slightly creamy sauce well - Maduros: large pieces with excellent caramelization Other thoughts: - Big plus that the prix fixe is not required for the entire table but rather on an individual basis - Flan and panna cotta were rich and more shareable between two people - Above meal was satisfying for six moderately hungry adults Impression: very solid option when craving Puerto Rican cuisine! read more

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Wow, what an incredible experience. Lovely space, excellent waitstaff, I really felt welcomed and valued as a customer. I opted to do the prix fixe menu which gave you a snack, an entree and a dessert for an excellent price. So I started off with the LAMB EMPANADILLA (lamb shoulder picadillo, smoked green olive aioli) which was absolutely crazy good. My entree was the SHORT RIB CARNE GUISADA (adobo cured shortribs, braised in red wine guisada, served with marble potatoes, baby carrots, topped with manzanilla olive tappannade). WOW I have had short rib before but this was next level - 10/10 For dessert I went with the TEMBLEQUE (cinnamon spiced coconut panna cotta, pineapple coulis). I mean, how can you go wrong with panna cotta, it is so creamy and dreamy and a perfect ending to a meal. I cant wait to return to Philly to come here again. Trust it is that good! read more

Bolo - Interior, 2nd floor - Latin American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I had a great meal at the bar with a friend. The bartender was great and made me want to become a regular. Good food, excellent drinks, and delightful hospitality. The bar is stylish and cozy. Their happy hour specials are good. read more

The dishes were okay the only real standout this go-round was the Yuca dish. Both The SEAFOOD ASOPAO which was Mahi Mahi over a saffron and pigeon pea porridge with shrimp, scallops and calamari and the vaca frita-steak with white rice, black beans, tomato and avocado needed done oomph and the pickled red onion on the vaca was too acidic. As some others have mentioned, restaurant week dining seemed a bit rushed, with entrees coming out before we were even a quarter of the way through our starters, and the bill being plonked down as we were starting on dessert. Most of the cocktails were in the $17 range-excessive in our opinion. With all of the good restaurants in Philly, we won't be rushing back. read more

Bolo - Vaca Frits - Latin American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Husband and I went for happy hour before a show. We were pleasantly surprised to know their happy hour ended at 7pm. We were served right away and the staff were attentive and kind. Our drinks were good and everything we ate was amazing. The happy hour menu had ceviche shooters and for me, they were the star of the show. Fresh, acidic, rich bites of seafood (drool). My husband loved the pernil Cubano sandwich. The pork belly pincho was great as well. Will definitely be coming back to try more of their menu. read more

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Love the food here! Walked in after work and ordered a few dishes during their happy hour at the bar. Fufu and Cuban sandwich are the highlight! read more

Bolo - Latin American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Had a wonderful experience at SIPS here! They have great deals for food and we made sure to try every item on their sips menu. My favorites were the sweet plantains, the ceviche shooters, and the fufu. I thought the tostones were a tad too salty but everything else was solid. Great service too! read more

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Do you want the best of the happy hours? Come here. This is a lively place with great atmosphere and delicious food and drinks! We ordered pretty much everything off of the menu and the bartender, as she was making room for all of our food said, "it's a fiesta!". Because it was. Tostones, Pastelillos, ceviche, plantain, yucca, mojitos, sangria, rum drinks galore, great music, lovely bartender and a night that feels just so right. Their dinner menu is next for me. I saw the pre-fixe option which looks just right. Come to Bolo. Believe me. read more

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*******WARNING******* Before I even get into my actual experience, let me tell you someone took the liberty of changing my tip and I am in the process of disputing that with my bank right now. How unscrupulous and dishonest. I found the restaurants decor very charming especially the outside seating at the window. The hostess was very sweet and gave me my choice of upstairs or downstairs. I opted for a high top opposite the bar. Very dark back there but my table had a candle. Of the options presented to me on the classic menu, RW menu and the bar bites menu, I chose the RW Salmon, the Bacalaitos and the flan. The Bacalaitos, a dish unfamiliar to me, was interesting. The fritter was a little salty but crispy. The crab salad tangy from the horseradish but this isn't something I was over the moon for. The salmon on the other hand was a winner. Not only did I enjoy the quinoa mix beneath it but this salmon finally made me understand the appeal of crispy skin. It was cooked to perfection. Of the drinks I had a glass of rose and a cocktail in the smallest coup glass possible and while both were tasty, the amount of alcohol given is not worth the price. And that brings me back to the nasty business of someone changing the 3 to a 5 on my tip and the fact that I sent the business an email when I discovered it and they didn't even acknowledge it. Can't recommend on the strength of that alone. read more

$40 3 course meal for restaurant week. interior has skylights and sophisticated decor. I can see this place hosting a wedding rehearsal easily. service was attentive and professional. quality of food was excellent for me (pincho pollo + salmon entree). I would like to come back here to try the suckling pig as i've never seen a whole pig on a menu before read more

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So, I found Bolo through a "best of" article in Philadelphia Magazine. Worth the price of the subscription. WOW! Every aspect of my meal was perfect. I opted for the fixed price option, thanks to the kind recommendation of my bartender/waitress. In fact her recommendations carried the evening. Bacalaitos, beef short rib, and bunuelos. A wonderful experience! read more

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The first time we went we ended up leaving after waiting 60 minutes beyond our reservation time since we still hadn't gotten a table, so I was ready to write this place off. Shortly after, though, they messaged us through Resy apologizing and gracefully offering to have us back, which I actually was very impressed by. I was ready to hate my experience here the second time but could have not been more pleasantly surprised. The menu has a ton of different options and we had a tough time ultimately choosing what to get and definitely got too much: - Salmon ceviche: I'll never be a ceviche fan but I liked this more than most. It wasn't as sour as most are and had a nice mango-esque-ness to it. - 2 skewers: the octopus and the scallops. I could've had 100 of the scallop skewers, maybe a highlight of the night. Each came with 2 different sauces, all of which did service to the meat. - Cuban bean dumplings: We eat a lot of dumplings so I thought nothing of this but it was recommended. It was such an interesting texture and the sauce was divine. I wish I could've done more with the sauce and hated to give the extra back. - Calamari: If we got rid of one dish it would've been this. The calamari was so light and fluffy so don't get me wrong it was delicious. The sauce wasn't my favorite but it didn't need it. - Seafood asopao: An interesting combination of textures which works. Healthy portion of various seafood. Not a ton of rice but I didn't mind that. - Vaca frita: The texture of the meat was perfect. This with the beans really was a hit. I don't think I needed the other side of the dish (the tomatoes and avocado), but that's fine. - Flan with candied papaya: Not personally a huge flan guy but I think this was done nicely. Maybe it was because we were invited back but the service was super attentive and everyone was so pleasant. There was a bit of a gap between two of the courses and we did spend a full 2 hours, so it's not a short meal but it didn't feel like it necessarily dragged on. The space itself is nice-we sat upstairs and the roof is a bit of a skylight. Their window seating looks really cool because you can sit half of your table on one side and the other half on the other side (outside), which is a great use of this little counter. Overall, really made up for itself and we thoroughly enjoyed our meal here. read more

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It is restaurant week in center city so decided to try Bolo for the 1st time! Upon entry noticed that there was live music downstairs in the bar area. The restaurant is two levels and I was seated upstairs for dinner. I ordered the CHICKEN PASTELILLOS (10/10), Vaca Frita ( 8/10) and FLAN CON Queso (10/10). The service was executed flawlessly but I did feel a little rushed. My entree came out and I barely finished the starter. But it is restaurant week and it was very busy so maybe they wanted to make sure everyone could be seated on time! Not sure but I will give Bolo another try because the food and ambiance is great ! read more

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Ambience is so nice for a date night or even a chill drink and snacks - esp during winter when you want some semblance of a tropical environment haha food is *so good*. A little on the pricey end, but worth it for a nice occasion. Staff are all super nice and funny. Will def go back. read more

Very cute place and decent service, 2nd floor with floor to ceiling window is pretty nice. Tried their restaurant week menu, 1st course very small portion, 2nd course sizes are descent, 3rd is dessert (only 2 options). They have a good selections of cocktails, rum is their specialty. Not much wine options. 8 options for apps, pretty nice flavors, only bite size (ex. 1 skewer per plate, 2 empanadas, etc.). If you have more than 3-4 ppl and want to share, may need to order repeat items to get a taste. Main courses are pretty good portion and options, ranges from vegetarian, chicken, fish to beef. 3rd course dessert lacking variety- both are pretty much flan-like and overly sweet. read more

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I desperately want to gatekeep Bolo but alas I must spread the good word with you all. Bolo is amazing. I spend a lot of time on this block of Sansom in rehearsals and shows, so having Bolo here for a speedy drink is a gamechanger. I went in and sat at the bar for a drink and a snack and left with much more than I bargained for. The atmosphere in here is SO fun and the staff clearly loves what they do. From the music to the vibes to the decor, you feel totally transported. I went with a Pina Colada (duh) and two snackies. The pinchos are a great place to start as every little bite was perfect. I originally ordered the pork belly but they were out, so the bartender steered my towards the chicken thighs instead. Fabulous! The Yuca Brava is a must-have as well and would feed two hungry people. The charismatic Yun Fuentes brough dishes out to the bar where I was sitting directly which is just such a special and hospitable touch. I am going back for the prix fixe sooner rather than later and bringing all of my friends to go listen to live music. Thanks for existing, Bolo! read more

I've been here three times and have never been wowed. The food is pretty hit or miss--especially given the price--and a little lacking in flavor. The drinks have been ok but, like the food, not very memorable. It's a great spot ambience and decor wise. Definitely worth checking out for that! read more

Good happy hr. $9 drinks. Coconut blue martini. Good appetizers from $3-10. The plaintain dip with chips was good. So was lamp dumpling.

The service and food were outstanding. Everyone enjoyed their meal. The food was fresh and well Seasoned plus the drinks were great too. The decor is Latin American/ Caribbean which only added to the experience and ambience. read more

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We had a reservation at Bolo and were seated upstairs immediately. I was surprised by how large the restaurant is given the additional upstairs seating. The decor was really cool and eclectic. Our waiter was really knowledgeable of the menu and offered many suggestions, which was helpful as this was our first time there. We ordered the skewers for the table (pork belly and mahi mahi), which were tasty, well-seasoned, and cooked well, but pretty small for the price. I got the short rib. It had okay flavor (though not super memorable), and it was so dry. The accompaniments were not memorable either, so it made the dish fall flat for me. The maduros were good and the yuca were surprisingly good and flavorful with the paprika aioli. We kept eating those. My coworkers got the salmon and the imperial chicken rice, which they said they enjoyed. ***Honestly, I would not come back because nothing (except the yuca) stood out to me and my only other memory is dry short rib. read more

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Slowest service I have ever experienced. A real shame as the food wasn't that bad and the vibe inside was nice. Had a 530 reservation (on a Tuesday night mind you). Seated on time and got water quickly. Gave us a menu and took our drink orders at 545. Drinks weren't there by 6pm but we asked to at least put in our food order (group of 4). Drinks got there at 610. 630 no food had yet to arrive. Went to inquire with the hostess who had someone else look into it. Someone came out and said our food was on the way and if it was ok if our apps and entrees came out at the same time. We said that would be great. Apps came out on their own at 645. Waiter came and said entrees were "on their way." Entrees didn't come until 655. We told them we had to leave by 715 and to please have our dessert boxed and brought out which they said sure to. He even asked when we needed to leave and we said 715, please bring the dessert by 710. We were walking out the door at 720 and I had to go and ask someone to go find our desert in the kitchen. Absolutely ridiculous. Waiter was apologetic and they took our one round of cocktails that took 20min to make off the bill, but didn't make up for our frustration that ruined the meal. Couldn't even really enjoy the food because we were rushing to eat everything at the end before we had to leave. Won't be back unfortunately. read more

This restaurant has the best ambience I've seen in a very long time. I felt as if I could slip away into the Caribbean this Thursday night with the music playing the trees swing, and the fragrant Cuban and Latin dishes. We were seated immediately, however it was at least 15 minutes before my server or anyone greeted us. The restaurant was not extremely busy or crowded so I was at a loss. Once a server arrived, he was pleasant and very efficient. We ordered a few skewers, the scallop and the most delicious pork belly. I tasted my entire life. For our entrée, we ordered the suckling pig for two. It was absolutely delicious. Each course the beans, the rice, the plantain however it was the worst Mofongo I've ever tasted. I don't know if it's because I've only had about six times in my life and each time it was in Puerto Rico. But I think not as my husband never tasted it and I just bragged upon it. He thought it was horrible. I took leftovers home that person thought it was horrible. I enjoyed the bolo dark beer on draft and my meal over. What I return? Absolutely I just won't order the Mofongo read more

From the moment you step off the busy street into this cozy Puerto Rican corner until you take your last bite of delicious dessert, this place was an entire experience. The music is authentic and the food not only accurately represents the incredible island cuisine but it adds interesting layers. The Pinche and Pan con queso were incredible starters and we finished off with the Spanish style beignets. You cannot miss with this place. Also love the stucco interior with hard wood throughout, it really makes you feel like you're back on the island. From another puertorican, this was delightful. read more

Bolo - Tostones - Latin American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Found street parking within a walkable distance. They have window seating that looks out to the street. Made reservations prior. Was greeted by the hostess who escorted us upstairs. While waiting downstairs you see the bar with various rums waiting for you to drink. We were greeted not too long after being seated and told who our server would be. After ordering drinks I couldn't help but just look at the walls full of beautiful artwork. (P.S. despite sitting upstairs, you are still offered the Rum book) While waiting for our goods we were provided plantain and yuca chips with pico de gallo sauce. We didn't order an entrée, we shared appetizers. 1st the Sorillios, the masa was good but I didn't care for the cheese inside, it tasted like sharp cheese. The tostones were amazing with the garlic and garlic sauce. It was the perfect amount, a lot. The pincho (chorizo y camarón) was good but I didn't care for the sauces. The red one for me tasted like oil, even when mixed, with no real flavor; and the bacalaitos were good, nice, and crunchy. I can't remember what came with it but it wasn't for me but the bacalaitos were fine without it. The owner was out serving food and checking in with each table. Felt comfy, welcoming, and relaxed. read more

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Great meal. Great service. We can't wait to go back! Atmosphere was cool too! Our server, Talia, was great. So nice for my husband to have a taste of home! We loved their Wepa shirts too. read more

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This is an amazing Latin American fusion spot. The interior and music make you feel like you've been transported to a tropical island. This place has a wonderful interior and vibe. The food options are unique and creative as well. The bean dumplings were flavorful and quite spicy in a peanut soy sauce. There could have been more dumpling though since there was a large excess of sauce. The sweet plantains as the main dish with beans paired well. read more

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Bolo for restaurant week was a great deal. First, the ambiance was so homey and cute with paintings and dim lighting. Cocktails were tasty and the menu did not disappoint at all. My only issue was the service. The waitress may have been overwhelmed with the day not too sure but it showed in her service. read more

Bolo - Latin American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Finally got to try this place and I thought the food was amazing! The chef himself served me and my friend and we had a blast. He made a bunch of recommendations and they were great. The vibes of the first floor was great as well, and it really felt like a place to hang and have a good time. I'd have to try the upstairs next time! read more

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Would recommend to try it once because the food is good but the overall experience was subpar given the amount you spend. I would not return. Booked for a birthday party of 13, where at least 5 people wanted to order the suckling pig. We were told there was only 1 left at 6:30PM. I had in fact called a week before to inquire on whether we should pre-order due to the large number. They said don't worry about it. Well we were only able to order 1. Then 3 other items on the menu were already sold out. I was told that it was due to restaurant week but with a birthday party this big, would've been considerate of them to inform me, especially since I checked in with Bolo at least 3 times before. We were never told about restaurant week either, otherwise I would've booked another day. Just as an FYI: cocktails are $17-18, mocktails are $12, one cup of Americano is $12, everything felt higher than they should be. It's also a $5 per SLICE cake cutting fee, but you have the option to cut it yourself. The fact that they set these prices leaves a bad taste in your mouth. They don't inform you of the 3% credit card surcharge either. Service was also very, very slow. Half our table didn't receive their drink orders until 20 minutes later. Entrees came in at a slow crawl, which we still noticed despite everyone enjoying the company of our friends. Tl;dr only go once for some of the appetizers and entrees (hopefully they are available) but be aware that the prices are unnecessarily high and they don't disclose the 3% credit card surcharge. read more

Great ambiance and drinks but only decent food. We visited Bolo during restaurant week on a Saturday night, and it was packed. The restaurant is divided into two floors and both have fun decorations. Music from Latin America played throughout our visit, and the walls were decorated with plants, portraiture, and pottery. I ordered the playa rosada to drink, the cauliflower cuchifrito as a starter, the sweet plantain canoas as a main, and the templeque for dessert. The playa rosada was tasty with a good mix of fruity flavors. The cauliflower cuchifrito had a flavorful breading and was paired with a tasty dipping sauce. The canoas were fine but a bit on the bland side. The templeque was not overly sweet and had a mild flavor. Overall, I would recommend Bolo for the ambiance, but I think the quality of the their menu items is a bit inconsistent. read more