i am going to miss this place i only went once and i was so impressed loved the ambiance , live band and food was delicious! i wonder where will be the new location read more

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I really enjoyed my visit to this restaurant. The open bar area right on the floor gave it such a fun, lively vibe, and the décor was absolutely spectacular. The music was great too, and a live band was just getting started as I was leaving, which made me want to stay longer. The food was very good with some creative and interesting dishes that I'd definitely come back to try, and I got a kick out of the funny names on the menu. I did miss some of the classic Cuban plates though; especially my favorite, La Vaca Frita, which wasn't offered. Parking could be tricky at busier times, so valet might be the way to go, but since I went early it wasn't a problem. Overall, I'd happily return if I'm in the area. ( almost forgot - The three leches pastry was amazing ) read more

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Zona de Cuba is a restaurant that is difficult to review, owing to the ups and downs of the place and how situational it can be. I have been here before and this time I ate here before a concert next door at the Hostos Center for the Arts. They open at 5PM precisely and you will wait outside until that precise time. Several of us had the same idea to eat here before the concert and we were made to wait. It's run like a tight ship and the people they have downstairs upon entry are tightly coordinated with the front desk of the restaurant upstairs on the roof via computer and two way radio for those with reservations and those who were walk-ins like me and coordinating elevator traffic. Yes, it's like that here. Arriving rooftop, the front desk seated those with reservations first and then the walk-ins like me. It's a beautiful restaurant and offers a great view, especially if you are here during the warmer months, when you can opt to dine or just drink on the roof deck, which has varied seating at the bar, high top tables and cushioned lounge seating, where you could even smoke a cigar. I don't know if that is still the case, but you can check. So Zona presents such a varied situational experience, the weather outdoor versus indoos, coming solo or as a couple or as a large party, all of which will affect how you experience Zona. The staff are attentive and Raquel gave great service. This is a well oiled machine. She took my order, a mojito and the skirt steak jumbo shrimp combo, and another person brought water to my table immediately; however, nothing appetizing comes with that, no bread and butter, nothing. The classic mojito was a sour concoction that Raquel graciously replaced with another cocktail, second from the bottom of their drink menu called a Zona Fifty or similar made with cognac. It was much better and to my liking, but served in the absolute smallest glass shaped like a champagne flute with the top cut off. For $16, this cocktail needs to be triple the volume or more. In short order, my entree arrives. It is the start of the evening service, so nothing is stacked up and in the weeds. The skirt steak is thin as usual wrapped in a pinwheel shape fixed by a long toothpick, and set vertically to show the spiral. It's a nice presentation with a spring of rosemary inserted and another toothpick sign with the chef's name and the temperature the steak was ordered, medium rare for me. It was actually medium, but not too dried out or tough. The five jumbo shrimp are not prawns, so don't get your hopes up. They are in the same garlicky sauce that is the iron plate. There are some finely julienned carrots and mesclun greens on the plate with a small pepper that are so small that they do not qualify as an offering of vegetables, rather more accurately described as a garnish. The steak and shrimp comes with a side, which I chose the papas frites, which were good. The shrimp were not overcooked and the garlic and butter sauce were good accompaniment, but nothing remarkable. The skirt steak was good overall and it seemed to be 12 oz as advertised. However at $52, this was not at the steakhouse level as the pricepoint would suggest. I could imagine one might experience this steak and shrimp without objection, and there was nothing "wrong" with it, and conclude this was really good... unless you have had the same at a steakhouse. So this preparation will depend on what any person might expect, but for this price point, it should be better. Zona is a good restaurant and very well run. The bathrooms are clean as is the restaurant kept neat and well appointed. The staff and the atmosphere are great and it is a star offering in the Bronx. However, the offerings are so carefully meted out that, in conjunction with such a well oiled machine and the price points, leave an impression you are paying more than you should for what is offered at Zona. It's situational and your mileage may vary, but I give it three and a half stars. read more

Zona De Cuba - Skirt steak and shrimp with fries and a very small cocktail that is smaller than it appears in this photo. - Cuban Near Me - Bronx, New York

@zonadecuba pretty delicious food, great vibes, live music and the drinks top tier! * They do have a dress code, so dress to impress, men take off your baseball caps * Amazing massive rooftop, definitely worth the hype, and we will be back read more

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Wow, they've done their thing, when you step off the elevator it's like you left the Bronx into a Caribbean oasis. The decor and ambience is beautiful, I went on a Thursday and a live salsa band was playing some hits & they had some talent. I enjoyed the calamari (well seasoned) and the stuffed red snapper in a creole sauce its was definitely tasty. The waitress was knowledgeable, friendly, attentive and suggested the snapper because I was indecisive the menu has a decent amount of options for everyone. Looks like a great place to celebrate your birthday and in the summer they open the terrace which I'm sure is a vibe, oh and so many mirrors to take pictures. I'll be back zona de Cuba. read more

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I attended a birthday celebration here, and I have to say, Zona de Cuba is a hidden, (maybe not so hidden,) gem in the Bronx! Situated on a rooftop, the lovely outdoor space offers stunning views of the breathtaking sunset. We started off with a couple of cocktails by the bar, as we waited for more people in our group to arrive. My Passionfruit Mezcalina was STRONG, and exactly what I needed to get the evening started off right. Once we were seated, our servers were attentive and kind, and they kept checking-in with us throughout the evening. Everyone seemed pretty pleased with their food, with the exception of someone who said their Chuleta dish lacked flavor, and my Ropa Vieja, which was just a little too heavily salted for my liking. As we dined, a DJ, followed by a band, kept the atmosphere festive, and lively! If I lived closer to Zona de Cuba, I'd stop in for their Happy Hour specials, and visit again! Definitely give it a try if you're close by, or in search of a fun place to celebrate:) read more

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The ambiance is better than the food. I like the food but there isn't enough and of course ala carte food is more expensive. The service was okay as the place was extremely crowded with many groups and I was with a group of of 14. Our server was attentive but very busy. I was looking for a bigger variety. I'd probably visit again. read more

Greta food and service. Also very good vibes and ambiance. Decor is pretty and everything was clean. It's a nice place to celebrate events like birthdays and anniversaries but def expensive. I have been twice and recommend, just not for everyday meals. More for special occasions read more

I planned a family get-together at Zona de Cuba with about 15 of us, and it was such a great experience from start to finish. While waiting for our table, we ordered drinks at the bar--the bartender was friendly, the service was quick, and the drinks were amazing! When we were finally seated, we were placed right by the live music, and the ambiance was just beautiful. It truly felt like a family gathering--the kind where everyone ends up dancing in the living room, except here, there was a live band and an actual dance floor. The highlight of the night for me was the oxtail--it was so juicy and delicious. I even came back another time just to order it again! If you're looking for great food, amazing vibes, and a place that feels like home with a touch of elegance, this is it. read more

Zona De Cuba - Spicy margarita - Cuban Near Me - Bronx, New York

Zona De Cuba has joined my list of top NYC restaurants for celebrating . I chose Zona De Cuba for my birthday dinner and it was all that I hoped for and more! Beautiful decor, NY chic mixed with tropical vibe and Cuban warmth and dressed up for Easter! Fantastic service! Not one, not two but three different servers stopped by to bring our cocktails, fill our water glasses, deliver our food and bag our leftovers. What! Now for the food. For starters I had the chicken empanadas and my husband had the Fried pork belly chunks with garlic mojito. My cocktail was a mango margarita and hubby had a coconut mojito all were excellent. My main course was the Cassava mofongo with jumbo shrimp and lobster tail, husband had the whole fried red snapper stuffed chicken seafood rice. All were prepared to perfection. We ended with the Key lime cake topped off with a candle and the happy birthday song. read more

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I came here for a birthday and they have no issue taking large groups. It's so pretty and the service it very nice. It was cold but they have inside and outside space. First impression is great, I don't come to the Bronx but otherwise I would come again. The food was really good. We came for brunch so I'm not sure if the options had been shortened. My cousin made his own meal so they are flexible read more

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A beautiful place with great decor and great food. I went for happy hour ($7 drinks) from 4- 7:00pm, with a coworker, on a Wednesday evening. For happy hour you have to sit at the bar, and only a few selection of drinks were included; we went with the apple martini's and classic lime margaritas- both great drinks and strong! Some appetizers were also available for happy hour and we got the chicharron, yucca fries and delicious patacones that were being advertised as plantain tacos. I definitely recommend the patacones- so tasty and delicious! There was a wonderful live band playing Salsa music and we had to get up and dance. The restaurant has such a beautiful decor; with plant vines hanging from the ceiling, showcases of champagne on the walls, old fashioned Cuban cars you can take pictures on and in the Summer, they have a lovely rooftop decorated with tons of national flags, you can sit and eat. It's definitely a great spot to take pictures in, if you're into that. Wait staff, bartenders and the live band were all friendly and accommodating and took the time to chat and make sure we were having a good time. They recommended we return on a Saturday, when all members of the band would be present and is a packed house. We had a great time and I would definitely return. read more

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Just all around Beautiful My husband and I went there for our 27th wedding anniversary Just lovely from the moment you step on the curb, respectful, considerate humility. read more

The three stars are strictly for the vibes. I love the outside area and it's a great place to meet up after work or for large group outings. Unfortunately, the food is really disappointing and it does seem to have gone downhill. You can't go wrong with the empanada trio but a few coworkers and I literally ordered almost all the appetizers/small plates and nothing was great. The drinks were just okay. The happy hour has good deals but our margaritas tasted off and I'm a margarita connoisseur! I had to switch to just tequila and seltzer. I can't say I won't go back because there aren't many places with that great outdoor space in the area but I just wish they would step up the food and drinks. Our waiter and the bartender were very friendly though. When I went last year, I remember having a better experience so I'm not sure what happened. read more

CLOSED! 1 star so that I could leave the review. Heard that their last day was September 4th. Just rode past and they are removing furniture.. The sign outside has also been removed. read more

Had a fantastic night their. The food, the live music, the atmosphere were all great. It's unfortunate they had to close. I keep looking for updates on where they will end up reopening.... read more

I came here last weekend. It's a beautiful venue with amazing rooftop views. I had a few cocktails and a glass of wine. We ordered a few plates. I will say I need to redo it and would come again, but my first experience wasn't the best because maybe my server was new. We ordered chicken empanadas and one beef, and two times, the server brought out cheese empanadas, so we just gave up because how do you ring in the order wrong twice? I don't believe the second time was a kitchen mistake. They purposely brought us three cheese empanadas again, but there was no apology, discount, or acknowledgment. By the time our entree came, we didn't care to have empanadas anymore. As someone who's worked in the service industry, please train your servers on customer service. read more

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I came here with my cousins for a gift exchange and really enjoyed the vibe and energy. The food was okay I can't complain but good vibes all night not sure if it was because it was the countdown to Christmas but it was a whole vibe. The decor was beautiful and I have a great photo to share. The service was outstanding for it to be so busy and they handled it well. The drinks took a little while but the food came rather quickly. Restrooms clean and bar is really nice and stocked. I have to say not cheap but worth it. Check them out I'm looking forward to checking out HH soon. If you're free and in town check them out! read more

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WHAT HAPPENED?! This restaurant used to be such a nice place with lots of choices on the menu, but when my family and I went this past weekend to celebrate a birthday, we realized it changed for the worse! We should've known because it wasn't as busy as it was the last time we went about 4 years ago. Now, the menu is very limited for brunch on the weekends and you are required to pick an appetizer and a main course item for $45 no matter what you choose. Also, there are no options for drinks except for Mimosas which I don't like unless you order it from the bar. If that's not enough, each person in your party is charged an additional $5 each for the live entertainment that wasn't playing for the entire almost 2 hours that we were there! The service was friendly and that's the only reason why I didn't change my rating to just 1 star. read more

Came here on a private event and had an amazing time. The appetizers they were bringing around were all delicious, the bartenders who were working were extremely nice and professional. While it was a work event the ambiance was nice and I can't wait to come back and check them out during open hours! read more

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Excellent Food and Great Service. Live Band on Friday Night. Family Friendly. Excellent Drinks. read more

Horrible food, they are only good for the music and drinks. Don't waste your time and money if you want to enjoy your meal. Ordered the whole fish with coconut rice, first of all they gave me white rice not coconut and then they drown it with this sefood sauce that it over powers the entire dish, so even if I had had the coconut rice it wouldn't have made a diference. The Grouper in coconut sauce tatsed like the sea, no salt, no pepper, really bad. Some of it wasn't completely cooked and it was horrible. The Ropa Vieja was bad. If you had -stars, I would give them NO STARS. Went there yesterday for Father's Day. read more

Pros Beautiful location Great picture prop The manager is responsive Parking was easy Table setting looked presentable Cons Food is not all that They charge you an entertainment fee $15 per person They charge you a cake cutting fee $3 per person They charge you a paper plate fee Did I say the food was not impressive? The waitress are not enthusiastic The drinks are over priced and Weak $15 full of ice Their system of flow for large parties is inefficient Balloons are not allowed The tables are small and jammed packed They act like they're a lounge but they're simply an overpriced restaurant I will not be returning! read more

Great overall experience/ Fresh drinks and amazing food; Valet parking available! Must make reservations read more

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I hate it when I have to go against popular opinions. However on this one it was blaah for me. I found it to be overpriced and over hyped. The food was ok. I expected more original varieties nevertheless the food was good. Simply not the for the price when you are in the Bronx and have Latin food on every corner. I will say it is very nice inside....waitstaff is on point...and I did enjoy the live music. Will I recommend.....uhm not sure. I would say go if you want a fine dining experience in The Bronx....if you are celebrating a special occasion....want to impress a date....sure why not. Will I go back...yes but only for the reasons listed above. read more

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Stopped by for Valentine's Day last year (late post). This spot is definitely lively. They had tv screens playing the super-bowl and a live band performing. It's a large space that gives of Cuba vibes. The kitchen is visible to the rest of the restaurant so you can see the staff hard at work and the aromas filling the air was everything. This is a perfect spot for a date or a large celebration. The food was delicious! We had: A pitcher of henny colada (I think) An empanada sampler Salmon Chuletas And chocolate cake The setup up gives it an exclusive vibe from the moment you enter. The entrance was a bit difficult to find, as it is around the back. There's security that checks your reservation and let's you up in a private elevator. Don't forget to dress up for dinner. I'll would definitely recommend. read more

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Food: 10/10 Drinks: 10/10 Ambiance: 10/10 Service: 10/10 Can't believe I haven't been here before. Walking in I felt like I was transported to Cuba. The decor is amazing. The food had so much flavor and the portions were huge. Left so satisfied. read more

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I've visited this establishment many times and the food never disappoints. The aesthetics makes you feel like you are in Cuba, the staff are friendly, the cocktails are strong, and the music is fun to listen to. They had a live band on Friday, which made the night fun. If you want to eat outside, I don't recommend going on a hot day/evening. The inside is extremely loud, so having conversations is impossible during the evening hours. The churrascos, rice, beans, and plátano maduro were so delicious and would order this dish again. read more

Zona De Cuba - Churrasco, White Rice, Beans, and Sweet Plantains - Cuban Near Me - Bronx, New York

On Thursday 17th was my 2nd time attending the venue and I invited my brother to go spend some good quality time since we don't see each other that much. I picked this same place since the first time I went I was impressed with the ambiance and the service. One of the issues that happened the first and second time is the reservation attendant. Both times they acted like I wasn't on the reservation list. Seems like they're not trained properly how to do their job. We get upstairs and the service was great and everything until the bill came and my brother noticed that the bill was way more than what we had consumed. There was more liquor added than what we had. Brought it up to their attention. Had to go over the bill with the manager and after some arguments and being dissatisfied the bill was fixed. Have to pay close attention to what you're consuming or they will overcharged you if not paying attention. The place is nice and everything they just have to tighten up on opening on time, reservation attendant and not over charging customers. read more

Attended a friends 40th birthday celebration here. It's a rooftop restaurant with good music food,, dancing, and great atmosphere. I must give props to our waitress who alone manage the table of 20+ personalities without a hiccup. I will be returning. I had the pork chop dinner, these were the 2 biggest chops I've even seen. Seriously I ate for 3 days LOL. I don't usually eat beans and rice (I don't like anything mixed in my rice) but this rice was also really good. Another friend had the steak which she said was delicious, two large pieces she ate for two days. read more

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Ambiance is nice, food is good but drinks can use some help. Ordered a margarita and tasted like the pre-mixed, then opted for a sangria. Worse sangria ever had!! read more

Food was great, The bartender was great The server was wonderful Had a great bday party Nice environment read more

The only reason I'm not giving this place five stars is because they need to update their menu. I didn't know that there was a five dollar entertainment charge and some of the menu items were not updated. The food was delicious and the portions were enormous. I got grilled chicken, loved it. I don't remember the name of the appetizer, but it was good, I just wish I had three instead of two like it said on the menu. My sister got a salad and it was huge. It came with the tomato dressing that was tasty. I ordered the passionfruit cheesecake, which was rich. The restaurant is beautiful and the entertainment came on rather late, but they were good. read more

Zona De Cuba - Chocolate lava cake - Cuban Near Me - Bronx, New York

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Good food.My wife and I had the Flat iron steak that was very good.The fried plantains were excellent.My brother had the ropa vieja(shredded steak)with rice and pigeons peas.No complaints from him.The service was on the spot and the ambience was nice we got there early. Overall the dinner was pretty good .Would definitely go back. read more

We celebrated my sister in law birthday with a party of 33. The food was amazing very tasty, the service was great our host Kevin was great, he was very attentive made sure the guest was okay and got what they requested. The drinks are really great. The ambiance is great to take pictures and selfie. Hubby and I will definitely return. read more

Zona De Cuba - Celebrating my sister in law birthday - Cuban Near Me - Bronx, New York

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Food was ok waiting not too long for a table the restaurant decoration beautiful good music but I do have to say the server took forever to come to ours table when finally came he was all confused about which menu to give us my boyfriend order a beer and I a cocktail I got my drink he never got his until he ask what happened with his beer the server check and told him we out of beer I got my appetizer he got his after I was done with mine. I was very disappointed the food was not what I was expecting at all. read more

For my friends birthday she chose this place and after checking online we were excited to try it. Well first off it wasn't the easiest to locate when following gps however the set up is cute. When you arrive you have to go up an elevator and from there you are to be seated. The ambiance is very cute plenty of plants, flowers, champagne fridge and plenty of places to take pics. Since our entire party was not there yet we thought we would get some drinks at the bar only for the bartender to never show and I mean never I literally waited for over 15 minutes. No one ever came. When everyone arrived we sat in the back and it looked like the outside is usually open however this day it was raining so I am unsure. Since there were many people in our party we decided to do pitchers we thought it would make most sense we basically gathered together and ordered the drinks we would all want but this way. So we got 1 pitcher of white sangria which no one liked, 1 pitcher or red sangria which they didn't like much either and I chose Bebetela con passion which was very good we enjoyed it a lot. They put lots and lots of ice in each pitcher so this changes the taste if you drink slowly. Our server was very hard to get a hold of if we needed anything the staff were not accommodating and it took a while for things to come out. For entree many people ordered different things off of the brunch menu there was really only 1 fish option so I got "Tu salmon rosadito y fresquesito" the salmon and vegetable which was average nothing special I ordered a side of rice along w this. I also asked for hot sauce of some kind and didn't get it right away I asked over and over again I stopped eating for a while waiting for it but my food started to get cold and it was brought basically when I was almost done w my food. I heard that the "Le puse el huevo a la vieja con ropa" was good my friend enjoyed it Everyone seemed to enjoy their meal. Check photos... We brought a cake along w us and asked for some plates and forks our server informed us that they would charge us a cutting fee if they cut the cake or not because they had to provide the plates and forks. I have never experienced this before and we were all shocked we decided to sing happy birthday but not fully cut the cake. read more

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This is one of the gems in the Bronx you would never know because it's on 149th St right across the bridge in a building that is so far off on the corner block. I had a birthday celebration for my mother a few days before Mother's Day with a party of six people who came late thank God for them holding it down because there was so much traffic as you know the Bronx is traffic lol. Everyone was so friendly the waitress was on point food was amazing. Oh my gosh, we had so much food I'm trying to rememberit. I know everything was well-seasoned and the view is amazing. They have a rooftop open outdoor seating where you can see the beautiful essence of New York City. The whole ambiance was so adorable it made you feel like you were in Manhattan, but you were in the Bronx. From the grilled chicken entree I had to the appetizers with the chicken and shrimp monfungito everything was amazing! Just go please if you don't go anywhere in the Bronx stop by here you will not regret it Cuban food is so filling it makes you feel like you are in someone's home the way that they put these little cast iron pots on your plate with beans. It's so cute read more

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Ok! So! Here goes my unfiltered review (as always)! I came here with my wife to celebrate her birthday! It helped to have read all of the reviews, from knowing how to find this place, to what the seating arrangements are. Upon arrival we were greeted by a host who confirmed our reservation (saturday, 8 pm dinner reservation for 2) We were then escorted to an elevator and the suspense began! The look on my wife's face was priceless, as that of someone going up on a roller coaster, before it takes its first dip lol! I was on the edge myself (even though i knew what to expect) The elevator stops and its doors open and boom! We were in awe! It felt as if though we were in another country! Me personally! I felt as if i was on vacation! We were greeted right away by another host who directed us to a seating area, where shortly thereafter, another host came and directed us to our table, but not before asking us what our preference was (indoor or outdoor dining) we chose the latter and off we were to our table! Amazing vibe! Loved the live music! HOWEVER this place looses TWO stars in my review! One for service and one for food! It took about 35 minutes after we were seated (yes i always pay close attention to this and time it) before a waitress offered us the menu and drink(s)! And it looked as if though she was casually just asking us whether someone had taken our order or not! I don't care how busy an establishment is! This is unacceptable! I have been to bigger and busier establishments where the service has been outstanding. My wife ordered a second drink and it did not arrive at our table until after we were done with our dinner! Again! Unacceptable! I ordered the garlic chicken breasts and the beans were cold! For the third time! Unacceptable! Our dinner arrived to our table after about 45 minutes from when we placed our order too! Again! The ambiance was amazing! Loved the live music, i think that is what saved me from walking out of this place! "At Zona de Cuba, we encourage casual elegant attire." sure! I saw people totally dressed down and with sneakers! A few youngsters were also wearing their pants low enough to show their "behinds"! Irrelevant to me as i dress elegant on special ocassions so all good there but it felt weird! From my own personal experience and this is just me being observant, as i always am, it looked as if though this place caters to the larger groups, as i did notice the bigger groups got more attention, food / drinks arriving rather quickly, the table across from us (party of 6) arrived after us and got served before we did. I will give this place another shot and will return once more, hopefully it will be a better experience! And lastly! As a tip! You can find parking for $8 right around the corner from the restaurant! At 225 E 149th St.! This indoor parking facility will be located on your right hand-side of Park Ave. between E 149th St. and E 151st St.! Look for an overhead sign that reads "public parking" read more

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Delicious food, good service. A little too loud for date night but if you wanna dance after your meal this is the right spot. It came out to $270 for 2 entrees, 2 appetizers and 2 drinks. read more