Went to Rumba for the first time last Friday with the hubs. We were in the area, and had a hankering for some Caribbean. It has a very nice vibe, and as soon as we walked in we felt comfortable. Sat at the bar, and ordered a beverage to start. I got the Barbados Punch, which sounded delish. I was quite disappointed though, as it was a $9 cocktail that came in an oversized shotglass, mostly ice. The glass was hardly larger than the tealight holder in front of us. I am an adult, and would appreciate an adult sized beverage, please. We did seem some daquiris being made, and if we come again, I'll be trying those. They are quite sizeable and actually cheaper than the other cocktails. We decided to order the tacos - 3 for $10. The spiced pork and tilapia were both amazing and they came with these wonderful fresh sauces. One seemed to be a jalapeno jelly and other a cilantro-lime crema (but don't quote me on that). These wonderful tacos ALMOST made up for my disappointing drink. Overall, it was pretty good and we'd definitely keep it in mind if we're in the area again. read more

I very much enjoyed my visit to Rumbar to meet a group of friends. The ambiance and service were excellent. I really loved the menu and was sad that I had already eaten dinner before arriving. Luckily, I had room for dessert; their bananas foster had interesting texture but needed a little more ice cream. I would come back next time I'm in the area for a casual bite. Parking can be a pain. There is mostly 2-hr pay street parking until 8:00pm in the area... So if you're out for more than 2 hours, be prepared to trek back to your car in the cold, dark, and wet to buy more time! read more

Amazing drinks, great vibe, but 4/5 stars due to the service. They've seemed to be low staffed the times I've been to Rumba, with the waiter only stopping by every 30 minutes or so. Rumba is great for medium sized groups, and expanding your tiki-drink horizons :) read more

The fried plantain chips and guacamole are sooooooo good!!! Definitely worth checking out.

Is there a way to leave a lower score?? Just left there after waiting for a food 10-15 minutes for our server to remember we existed. Disappointing and aggravating. Not to mention she said it was a "slow" night. Guess our money wasn't important enough. read more

Rumba - Caribbean Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I almost don't want to write a review about how much I love this place so that no one else discovers my hidden gem! I am obsessed with Rumba. I come here almost every Wednesday for Tiki Wednesday to the point to where some of the staff recognize me. Come here on a Wednesday night to be blown out of your mind. My personal favorite is the "Sharks with Frickin' Lasers" drink, and you must order it "extra fancy" which is about $1 more. Ordering your drink extra fancy guarantees dry ice and fire (I did not stutter! YES FIRE!) Your shark will come out flashing (a frickin' laser!) with Tiki flowers, plants and fake blood and treasure. So much fun - the drinks are strong too so you definitely get your money's worth. The bigger they get, the funner they are, so if you have a group of at least 2-4, be sure to order the sharable sizes. You really you need to appreciate the fact that the woman that is in charge of the rum library here is like a rum celebrity in the world. She travels all over the world going to rum conventions. One of the hostesses and I started chatting, who was a young gal just working there temporarily and heading to Dominican Republic (I think) on vacation. The woman who runs the rum part of the bar connected her to a ton of people in the rum community. To me, that makes me really appreciate the detail and care this place prides themselves on. Also - the plaintain chips and guac....you won't be disappointed. read more

Burger was great I'm giving two stars because they made a change to my order without telling me and did not apologize about it. The cocktails and burger was good but service was lacking. They could blame it on training a new server but the server or manager shadowing her did not say a word either. read more

A short uphill walk from the Hilton Garden Inn in Seattle. Went here with the lady and ended up with the Chicharrones, skirt steak and chicken. All were really well done, especially the chicharrones that were still making their crispy noise. Ambiance was also nice. Service was great as well. Would come back again. read more

This a vaguely ridiculous review because I'm not a drinker, but I can report that their plaintains, salsa, guacamole, tacos, and empanadas are sensational. Went here in the middle of a business conference and it was a shocking surprise. The food is as good as it gets. Salsa was fresh in both concept and execution, with a smoky bite that worked with everything. Empanadas are exquisite, with a light crust that rivals something out of a Parisian restaurant. The portobello tacos weren't my favorite, but I'd happily have them again. Highly recommended. read more

Prohibition style bar with a twist, they love rum! Great drinks at this place and I highly recommend the plantain chips with guacamole. I've tried several cocktails and haven't been disappointed. The place is a bit pricey, but worth it when you want a nice drink and good ambiance. read more

Rumba - This place has rum! - Caribbean Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Good for HH...$3.50 empandadas which are deeeeeeeelish and $6 daiquiris. I like how they have such a wide variety of rum and the decor is really nice, but I probably wouldn't come here any other time other than for happy hour... So 3 stars it is! read more

Rumba - Bomb empanadas! - Caribbean Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We came in for food after an event at the convention center down the street. The jerk pork felt boiled and was sour, tough and just all over disgusting. The smoked chicken, was burnt and they just masked it with sauce that was just spicy but no flavor. Save your money, go anywhere else. read more

Rumba - Caribbean Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I'm so disappointed because Rumbas yelp had 4 stars so we ordered a lot off the menu and was highly unsatisfied. The shrimp tacos was the best out of everything we order but it needs a 2nd tortillas because it was falling apart. The empanadas tasted like it needed to cook longer. The chicken sliders have cinnamon in it. I wasn't expecting that and it did not taste well. The Cuban was not like a normal Cuban and the meat was really tough. The papaya salad was basically coleslaw. read more

On a friend's recommendation we went to Rumba for Tiki night (Wednesday). I was immediately excited by the idea of the night and the crazy drinks my friend described. Though somewhat busy, they were still able to seat us right away which is always a plus. The energy was vibrant and robust creating a non-traditional level of privacy. Coupled with the dim lighting I expect it would be a good place for an intimate date. The Tiki night drink menu is filled with playful drinks that are mostly meant to be shared, though a few can be ordered for only 1 person. We went for one of their shared drinks that came equipped with a flame to roast marshmallows on, an excellent choice. The novelty of roasting the marshmallows was quite fun and a good way to energize the night. The drink however was much stronger than I anticipated. Each sip caused my mouth to to pull back just a bit, but only because I'm not a frequent drinker any more. It was much appreciated by my friend. The food choices were enticing as well, so we got the guacamole to start and I got the Smoked Chicken Wings. The guacamole was served with plantain chips instead of tortilla chips, a very welcome change up. I was surprised at just how much I liked their plantain chips and it's certainly part of what made this 4 stars instead of 3 for me. I was also quite happy with the wings, though the hibiscus was lost for me in the sauce. Such a subtle flavor to begin with, it's easy for it disappear amongst other ingredients. The chimichurri aioli, that came to dip the wings in, is really what made the wing dish so wonderful. I actually ate all of the sauce, even though I typical use very little for wings. It came served traditionally with carrot sticks and surprisingly with jicama sticks instead of celery. As someone who has never appreciated celery, this was a great substitute. All in all, I wish I had ended with the food instead of the drink but don't let that stop you from enjoying one of their many libations. read more

Rumba - Caribbean Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Found this gem down the street from our airb&b which is about just a mile away from pike place market and I'd have to say "THANK GOD!" far enough away that it's not congested with tourist like myself but close enough we caught it on our way into downtown. The atmosphere is nice, dimmed lighting, GREAT tunes, and nice people. I seen they had coquito which is one of my FAVES so i started talking with one of the employees there named Toshi who was VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE and gave me the tea on how they make it in the back [ ; Me and my boyfriend each only had 1 shot of Flor De Cana to celebrate my 25th birthday and then left a little tipsy. (Light weights, i know) We returned two days later and each had the coquito with fish tacos and WOW i regret not trying the fish tacos sooner. Again Toshi was there to provide some good customer service, thank you Toshi! Easy to say we left happy....Again. (Haha) Thanks Rumba, see ya during baseball season. read more

Rumba - Coquito & fish taco. Yum! - Caribbean Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Love this little gem. Came here with a group from work as a going away party. Love the rum drinks and all the small appetizers are great~!

A nice, thorough rum list and excellent service-- this place has everything you want in a place. The food menu is fairly small, but the empanadas were soft and flavorful. The rice and beans small dish was amazing! And the ropa vieja was tasty although it had a touch too many olives. The happy hour is good, and should be taken advantage of. From 5-6 daily and 11-1 am Sun-Thurs (kitchen closes at 12). The waitresses were extremely friendly and attentive, for a pleasurable dining experience. If I lived in Seattle, this would probably be a place I frequented for happy hour. Once happy hour ends, drink prices skyrocket but that seems like a symptom of Seattle restaurants. The drinks are good and strong. Two already had me feeling a little slow on the uptake. read more

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This is Heaven for a run drinker! They offer 420 and different runs to choose from. Found this place with the help of @YelpSeattle on Twitter. We popped in for some late night eats and cocktails. Kate the bartender extraordinaire was friendly, knowledgeable and a lot of fun. Let's talk munchies:The plantains and guacamole were delicious. The empanadas (especially the kale and mushroom) were my favorite! We also enjoyed some wings with a nice lil kick. And then finished it off with a tasty fried banana, coconut and rum dessert. My stomach and my mouth satisfied and happy. And my mind a lil foggy from sampling the tasty cocktails. Cheers! read more

A very small but very impressive cocktail shop in Seattle. The quality of service and attention to detail to drinks are impressive. The drinks are priced similar to what you would find elsewhere in the area but are hands down a better value when you consider the quality of liquor being used, unique recipes and a comfortable and welcoming place to enjoy the drink. Perhaps a slightly different food menu would be a plus but all in all this is one stellar place. read more

Rhum bar paradise right in the heart of downtown Seattle. If you're looking for delicious Rhum, dairquiri, tiki style drinks, look no further. This spot is cool, it has excellent vibes. The drinks are phenomenal and the food is yummy! read more

Rumba - Caribbean Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Stopped by Rumba for a late night bite after going to a club. I was surprised they were open until 1am on a Sunday night. It was not just open but hard a large lively crowd too. I had chicken sliders and their plantain chips with fresh guacamole... both were tasty and just right for a late night snack. They have empanadas on the menu so I will be back for those! read more

Loved this place! The vegetarian empanadas are killer, the plantain chips with guac is delicious and the mushroom tacos are good too. The drinks are a huge portion for the price and are pretty strong too. They gave a complimentary portion of pineapple salsa and chips which was good too. The interior is nice and has a lot of interesting artifacts to gaze at. I will go again when cravig some nice food and drinks during their happy hour! read more

I was very skeptical at first about how good a $10 "punch" could be, but now I know exactly what a really delicious punch tastes like! My husband and I had the pineapple punch and Arrack punch and they were both incredibly tasty. They were very busy when we came in at 6:45 on a Wednesday, and they squeezed us in to a pretty tight table (like if I were still pregnant I would not have fit), and it was super loud but then the drinks came out and I took a sip and immediately understood why they are so popular. Dang delicious! read more

Ok u have "great rating" Rumba..I get it...not really. They obviously let that get to their heads or maybe Yelp needs to investigate the validity of those so-called 5 star reviews. I called to make dinner reservations for 8pm Sat night. The lady who answered asked how many people I told her 9 including 2 infants and 1 small child. She says "ok, what time?" I asked her to hold very briefly, I come back to phone after 3 seconds, & say "Thanks so much for holding....8:00," BUT some guy comes on & says very irritability "You're talking too fast...what?" Me: "I said 8:00" Him: "What about 8:00?" like hella catty. Me: Well I wasn't actually talking to you initially but I was telling her 8:00 reservations for 9 people including 2 infants & a small child" He says rudely and unapologetically, "Well we can't accommodate that amount of people in 15 mins" like ready to end the call. Me: "When can you?" Him: In an hour but we don't allow minors after that. (minors mmkay our infants & small child are gonna try to order drinks lol smh) I just say ok thanks, & he says "Yeeeah" with a whatever dumba** tone of voice. We figure ok let's just go now to see if we can get in as walk-ins since we're 2 doors down at Starbucks, like many restaurants do vs. reserving + I knew I was fed BS. Got there restaurant was small 1/2 empty, but had plenty of seating that could've been rearranged like any & every other restaurant does when not booked if a large party shows up. The hostess blonde girl just has that "Ughh babies...double ughh family/uncool people" because it's obviously a hipster joint. I say yeah we just called but we were hoping you could take us as walk-ins" She actually seemed willing but turned to ask another employee brunette girl but before she could open her mouth the brunette girl shakes her head. Like the least she could've done was whisper to her or come tell us herself & apologize...kinda unprofessional. Before the hostess could even come & "break the news" to us, a guy comes out like a bat outta hell eyes blazing, saying "Yeah so it was YOU I spoke with, like I was telling you we cant accommodate 9. My sis n law asks if we can split tables like 4 at 1 table 5 at other,."We don't split tables & no minors'" motioning his head towards the babies. Umm it's technically a restaurant not a bar, but whatevs. Then he mentions some restaurant around the corner saying they're larger, & walks off. We live in SF Bay area. Rumba is like Costco compare to a lot of restaurants in SF that manage to accommodate more than 9 so long as it's not breaking any fire codes, & don't turn people away. I wish I saw ALL the reviews before we attempted to go there as others mentioned, rude staff & dismissed or "shooed away like dogs" for having 9+ ppl. So maybe they really couldn't accommodate because we had "minors" with us at 8pm for dinner, but why be so rude, catty, & pretentious about it? I work in customer service and there's always a professional & nice way of letting someone know u can't help or service them even if a customer is being super pushy or rude which we weren't at all. Especially​ the guy who I assume was the mgnr or perhaps owner felt the need to scurry out of the back to unecessairly confront us. Because we were still craving Caribbean food and rum drinks, we ended up going to Pam's Kitchen on 45th St. read more

We visited this place for a late dinner at 10pm. They are open till 1am which is awesome. The dishes were kind of hit and miss, I ordered portobello mushroom tacos and they were amazing that we re ordered it. My friends ordered chicken wings and they had to send it back as it was too bad. Restaurant was cool about sending food back, just asked us what was wrong with it, once my friends told chicken is very hard to eat and it tastes bad, they took it off the bill. read more

I so loved this place! I'm definitely coming here again. Their empanadas were some of the best I've ever eaten! I tried the beef and chicken ones and they were delicious! I also tried their fish tacos which were amazing but couldn't beat the empanadas. Their drinks will get you tipsy on one! They're strong. So I suggest the bartender should soften up on the heavy pours. But very tasty and the glasses they put their drinks in are very Latin or something you'd see on a Caribbean or Cuban movie. It's a very cool place and if you love rum, this is the place to be because they have an extensive rum list! The decor is also something to be talked about here. This restaurant looks like it should be in the middle of Manhattan! It's very chic and Latin inspired. The Tiffany blue seats and the dark woods are just ritzy! read more

This is a solid place that I'd highly recommend! Great atmosphere and decor, delicious (and strong) rum cocktails, great food, and excellent service! The only thing that prevents me from giving 5 stars is the portion vs price size. Granted, it's on par with the other places in this area, so I cant doing them too much. But I still prefer getting full when I'm paying that much for a "large" dish. read more

Good bar with rum and tropical vibe that made a competent libations. While not the best I have had, at the top of the pack of this summers evening cocktail excursions. All the drinks had a very uplifting refreshing effervescent feel. Crafted liquors that impress quality over quantity. Empanadas were a bit of a disappointment being flat and limp. Crust was tasty, but maybe cooked at wrong temperature or time. Filling lacked much interest for me. read more

Great happy hour from 5-6pm! My friends and I came here before grabbing dinner at another local restaurant. We sat at the bar and the bartender was very friendly. I got the pineapple punch and shared a beef empanada. Everything was on point! read more

Great selection of rum options in a cool setting. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Little taste of the tropics. I'll be back for sure! read more

Rumba - So many great drinks. Love ability to sit outside. Interior decorated cool. Server was super nice and very knowledgeable. Will be back! - Caribbean Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Wednesday night = tiki night, and it's so much fun to be here. A pile of cocktail specials are available in addition to the regular cocktail menu, and it's a blast. Sharks with Frickin' Lasers is a crowd favorite, but plenty of other drinks will also get you a fun show in your glass. A Zombie may be a classic tiki cocktail, but Rumba's rendition of it is especially excellent. The bartender's punch (I forget the exact name) is also one of my go-to choices: it's very reasonably priced, and is a different concoction every time. But wait, there's more. Happy hour! It runs until 6 PM everyday, and scores you some pretty sweet deals. Punches and daiquiris are discounted by a few bucks, and those drinks are real steals at $7-8 apiece. Tacos are also on sale! I've never eaten them here, but my friends are huge fans--the portobello taco comes highly recommended. If cocktails are not your scene, grab a seat at the bar and start chatting with the bartender. The rum library here is very extensive and extremely well-curated, and you're bound to wind up with a glass of something delectable. read more

This place is awesome, and definitely worth a stop if you are visiting seattle in general, or are anywhere downtown or near the Market. I went last Saturday amd was blown away there is a huge selection of rums, organized perfectly for easy selection. We were helped by Jason . He is very knowledgeable, polite and is willing to have a conversation about rum with you instead of talking down to you about what they have. I enjoyed the Agricole rum flight, which included a light, medium and dark tasting. They have small eats if you're hungry. It is walking distance from the Starbucks roastery, so you can get rum and coffee education on a short walk. read more

Rumba - Caribbean Near Me - Seattle, Washington

What a fun find! I'm not a big rum drinker, but the few rum cocktails I've tried here were impressive. Clean with a nuance of flavors, no sugary hangovers here. The ambiance is ideal if you are looking to change it up from the typical bar scene but still want an elevated Caribbean experience. Pops of colors artfully accent the library wall of Rum while attentive bartenders ensure your glass is never wanting. For the amount of rum they have, would've liked a bit more options for cocktails but what they do, they do well. Perfect place to start your night! read more

FIRST OF ALL - CAN WE TALK ABOUT CUSTOMER SERVICE!!! That's why we read a Yelp reviews because we don't care how much it costs we care about how they made us FEEL!!!!! This is a Caribbean bar and I stumbled into it purely by chance after having a terrible experience somewhere else. I'm Jamaican and I was impressed by the menu and how they interpreted Jamaican/Caribbean dishes to be more understood by the their target audience but also keeping its authenticity. It's not a 100% but if you want that you have to go to the islands hon. Wonderful atmosphere and they treated me and my friend like Queens, our waiter Alex was amazing, the guy who seated us was amazing. I will be coming back every single time I'm in Seattle. They have all the authentic rums, can I just keep talking about how amazing the customer service is. Please try the Malibu who drink, the empanadas (whih we call patties) are amazing and the cod fish fritters are a great interpretation of our salt fish fritters. 10/10. Cute little spot. The music is good too it's a mix and it's not too loud. read more

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I didn't know that I liked rum so much? I didn't know I liked rum so much! Go ahead, find something wrong with this joint. The decor, the crowd, the staff and of course, the rum - all fantastic. Speaking of that rum, trust the bartenders... served straight up and with a basket of chicharrones, Rumba's expert crew provides a blissful and welcoming experience for both the experts and the amateurs like myself. Never was I made to feel like my lack of boozy-knowledge was a nuisance but rather an opportunity for these guys to educate me on some shiz I've never tried before - damn I'm glad I asked! Oh yeah, while you enjoy your food and drinks, ask for a cup of dice. Take some time to clear a spot on the table, invent a quick game and convince the "loser" to buy the next round of drinks. Real talk though, is there really a "loser" when it involves consuming another drink from, Rumba? I think not. read more

Definitely my favorite discovery in Seattle . I was looking for a cute bar to drink at and i yelped tiki bars and rumba came up. I'm a big ambiance person so i was impressed on entry. This is a great date spot btw. I love the dim lighting and the servers were kind. They have so many cute cocktails and the beef empanadas are AMAZING i had two orders. A must try in the PNW read more

I haven't been this impressed with a new restaurant in a long time! I've been a big fan of Tango next door for years. Rumba delivers a limited but well thought-out menu of Caribbean food, an extensive rum list, and an island setting without a hint of tackiness. If I didn't look out the window I would think I was in Florida or the Caribbean. We had the chorizo and potato empanada ($5 each or 3 for $12), the Jamaican Jerk Pork with rice ($12), and I had a bite of the tacos. I indulged in ahem two daquiris straight up (going to a concert afterward at The Paramount) and both were excellent. ($8.50 each). They have Tiki Tuesday with many tropical drinks. I'm not sure if these are always available or just offered on Tuesdays. Our server was excellent. He was intuitive and efficient. We liked him a lot. Prices aren't bad. Our bill was a little high because of the pre-concert boozing but if you kept that under control you could have a few small plates and get out of there for less. The food was really very good. I can't wait to go back! I'd recommend Rumba to anyone. read more

HAPPY HOUR! COME COME COME! Plenty of room, fun interior design, simple menu. What more can you ask for? The alcohol selection is vast, so take a moment or two to decide (or ask the servers; they have great recommendations!). For food, get the beef empanadas for sure! The pork rinds are great, but you definitely need a few people to share them with. read more

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We've been to Rumba before and had a good time, but this time was just horrible. Went for my 30th birthday with some friends. The service was so slow (waiting 20-30 minutes to get each drink, when some of them were just simple pours). At the end, several drinks had taken so long we had to cancel them, because we were leaving and they still hadn't arrived. One of the waiters working there was also quite rude - we asked if we could move an empty table next to us over since we had more people coming, and he was completely snappy with us. There was never any mention of an apology for such poor and slow service. Won't be back. EDIT: Changed from 1 star to 3 because the owner reached out and apologized for the service we received. I really appreciate that. Not all businesses will reach out when you have a bad experience (ie: one time I spent a lot of money on massages/manicures and had a horrible experience, never heard back from the business). So I do appreciate that. I'm not above giving a place a second chance and will probably try again, but I hope that the employees there use this as constructive feedback - we're just there trying to have fun and don't want to feel like an annoyance. :) read more

Rum rum rum... I like rum. Get in my belly. Yum yum yum. Sounds silly but it's true. I love good rum. Of all the spirits, it continues to grow into one of my favorites. Good rum is like liquid boozecandy. The flavors that make a good bourbon special melded with that from-sugar-cane taste of spirits made from... um... sugar cane (as any good rum is) make a perfect combination. A deep, nuanced sweetness with hints of tropical soils, fruits and funk. I fucking love it. And so it makes perfect sense that a bar specializing in rum, rhum, cachaça and all things cane-tastic is totally my jam. Rumba has a deep selection of good cane juice, and a bar staff with knowledge to back it up. The location on the edge of Cap Hill, 1st Hill and downtown is pretty ideal. And there's an interesting Caribbean menu to pair up with the spirits. While my current diet doesn't allow for all the sugar and fruit and juice that normally goes in rum and tiki cocktails, that's fine with me. I like my rums straight. and the menu has chicharrones, which can substitute for chips with things like guac and ceviche and the like. They also have fried plantain chips, which are paleo-friendly. So you may have to do some menu-hacks, but it's do-able (if you have a crazy diet like mine). Anyway, if you are anywhere from novice to expert on rums, this joint is a great place to kick back and get schooled while you get housed on the good stuff. read more