Rumba Island Bar & Grill

First time at Rumba and it was such a nice evening I sat outside, where you can smoke (yay for those of us who still choose to).
Started off with a mug of beer, it was nice and chilled and cheap. I got the fire roasted jalapeños. These came out hot and very delicious, I thought I wanted some ranch, but the menu is correct you don’t need any sauce. The flavor was just slightly spicy, but not overwhelming and the cheese and meats complimented it.
My entrée was the rum chicken fiesta, with veggies and cabbage as the sides, it comes with a small salad, not a lot to it, but was good. The cornbread muffins are awesome, could have eaten a ton of them. The chicken was very good, tender and juicy with the pineapple chutney adding good flavor. The veggies were firm, not mushy like you sometimes get from sautéed dishes. The braised cabbage was excellent!
The atmosphere is great, they allow dogs outside, wish I had my puppy with me.
Overall a great meal and experience.

We eat here several times a week… food is always hot and excellently prepared. All day happy hour is a plus and the servers are very good.
Outside bartenders are the best around, know everybody by name and are very personable. Early menu has plenty of choices. Outside seating area is also larger than average with segregated smoking area which we appreciate.

My wife and I went here with a group of 8. The food was fantastic, we got the seafood latiffe and early menu coconut shrimp. For the price you can’t beat the quality of food!
Small downside was the pace of service, not the quickest bunch.

There is honestly nothing I’ve tried here that I haven’t liked. Love their food and love sitting outside when the weather is good. Love the entertainment as well. You won’t be disappointed here. Try the greens and the cabbage… YUM!!!

… Pratos autênticos e atendimento querido de Âmbar, uma linda americana! Porém o melhor é o ambiente acolhedor de luz baixa, balcão, bar… Vinho e aperitivos especiais… Quero voltar p/​experimentar o café… Parece especial!!!

Service started off solid. Friendly waiter. Our appetizer and drinks and kids meals arrived on time but the adult entrees took an extraordinarily long time. Our waiter later said there had been a mix up and our food had been served to the wrong table. So we continued to wait. Our children had finished their food and finished their desserts when our food finally arrived. I expected perhaps a visit from the manager or perhaps a comped round of drinks. Food finally arrived. My shrimp bowl was extremely sweet. I would not reorder. My husband had their Reuben which he was very happy with. The restaurant has potential but didn’t really deliver this time.

This place has an awesome outdoor eating layout with bar as well as indoor seating. Fresh seafood and a wide variety menu that offers burgers and chicken as well. I ordered shrimp bisque for appetizer that came with cornbread, it was absolutely delicious. The cornbread was made with little peppers that added some spice to every bite. For my entrée i ordered jerk salmon that came with a pico de gallio salsa on top and garlic red skin mashed potatoes on the side and jerk greens. The greens tasted okay but almost like they came out of the can. I did not eat them. The garlic mashed potatoes came with fried onions on top and a plantain chip that tasted horrible. I just took off the onions and plantain chip and ate the potatoes by themselves, and they were great.
The salmon was excellent. salmon is shipped from up north but has never been frozen. It was so delicious and fresh tasting. The jerk seasoning was not too spicy either and was not over powering either.
Very clean setting and waiter was very attentive and provided excellent service. This definitely hit the spot for my want of fresh seafood. next time i am in Clearwater i will definitely be back!

The Coconut Shrimp was delicious, my husband had the BBQ Salmon. Mike and Lynn had Jerk Chicken and Coconut Shrimp, Alan and Nancy both had Grouper Cakes all food was fabulous. We wish we had found this place the last time we visited.
Our server was Leslie and she was awesome, very attentive without smothering us. If you want good service ask for her.

First time here my family and I are from California and my daughter pointed this place out because of the pirate on the logo while driving by and decided to have dinner here. Awesome place ! Great food and the customer service is excellent !

Man, was this food good. I loved the outdoor atmosphere. Live music and great drinks. I’ll be back for sure.

Tom Terrific here with another honest restaurant review.
I went to Rumba Island on Gulf To Bay Blvd today Monday December 28^th at noon.
I was not able to experience the food. WHY?
My server LESLEY took my order of a draft beer, water and a Mojito Cuban sandwich and disappeared somewhere into the Twilight Zone. maybe the Phantom Zone. I was 10 feet from the outside bar. where did Lesley go?
To pass the time I chatted with a lady at the next table for 10 minutes or so and no beer. no water. no LESLEY.
so I told the lady I was leaving. I walked the few feet to the parking lot and waited a bit in my car with a view of my table. LESLEY never came. that was my experience so take it for what it’s worth.
as The Shadow would say, «who knows what lurks in the hearts of men?»
even Tom doesn’t know.
but I bet LESLEY does.

You guys got rid of the Dark and Stormy!!! WHAT!!! That was my favorite drink at Rumba. :-(How the heck are going to get rid of the most Island like drink on the Menu!!! Damn Damn Shame! Very disappointed about that one. I did find another drink that I liked to replace it, the gin punch or whatever it’s called. Can’t remember because it’s not as good as the Dark and Stormy which was memorable ;-) Hopefully, you guys come to your senses, and bring the drink back along with my Crabcakes! The Grouper Cakes were also very tasty so I can’t really complain too much about that change, but the drink I do not appreciate. Still giving 4 stars. If you guys get rid of the Coconut Crusted Mahi I’m completely dumping you! This relationship will be over for good, until I have a craving for rum cake and ice cream, then I’ll be back for just second, but don’t get use to it!

We have had very good meals here in the past, but gave up a while ago since things just weren’t hitting on target. I met my son there last week for a few appetizers, a Guinness or two and to solve some world problems together.
We had a basket of Mama Maria’s Muffins, which are minis flavored with peppers and cheese. Not bad at all, but could use a kick in both flavors. We also had the Seared Tuna Nachos, and they are still a hit. Just a simple dish, but fresh and flavorful, and could easily be habit-​forming.
The service was very good, and our Server kept us content. The place could use a bit of sprucing up, since it’s pretty dark inside.

Since we moved to Tampa Bay, I’d been wanting to check this place out. I was actually in the mood for mexican food but couldn’t make up my mind, so when he suggested we go to one of my bookmarked places… i thought ‘Meh, why not?’. Although the parking looked pretty full, we found a spot pretty fast. We decided to go to the outside bar because we liked the live music and temperature outside (which i now admit was MY mistake because it is not appetizing eating next to a chain smoker). Next time we can choose outside seating but in one of the private tables. Also, if you came to the outside bar to see a game, heed the warning that their TVs are small.
Our bartender was amazing and she gave great suggestions. I gotta admit i was pretty skeptical as to how good the two-​for-​one drinks would be, but the margarita was better than i expected. Before the entrée arrived, we got a bowl of about 4 yummy mini muffins to share and a Fiesta salad each that had pieces of mango and was refreshingly delicious. Although the menu had lots of interesting options, i got the coconut crusted Mahi Mahi with Coconut rice and jamaican greens ($ 15.99). To all those vegetarians, pescatarians or vegans, the jamaican greens has bacon. We had ended up trading my jamaican greens for his braised cabbage, and that braised cabbage was better than i expected. By the way, He got the Jerk Salmon with Mashed Potatoes and braised cabbage ($ 13.99), (which i of course tasted) and the Jerk Salmon was good but the Mashed potatoes were cold and just ok. At first, we thought it wouldn’t be enough to satisfy the hungry girl in me… but when i saw the entrée come out, my eyes lit up and it was on. It was a hearty portion of coconut crusted Mahi Mahi that satisfied my need for crunchy. It comes with a pineapple sauce and a (not spicy for my taste) aioli sauce on the side. The coconut rice was so good that i declared it part of my future wedding banquet (now if i could only get my hands on that recipe!).
Overall, i would definitely come back, especially for the early menu 11:30am– 5:30pm daily where there are more economic prices.

I gotta be honest that my boyfriend wanted to come here and I was not really in the mood for it based on the menu selection but I decided to give it a try. I have the say the food was really good. I got the seafood pasta and the wings to share as an appetizer and all was really tasty and full of flavor which I love. Usually this place is busy with a small parking lot so either get there early or on an off day. However, if you have to deal with the craziness the food is worth the wait the drinks are great too while you wait. I will definitely return here in the future.

We hadn’t been by for a while and decided to stop in for some seafood. Being at the northeast corner of Gulf to Bay and Keene, it’s easy enough to find. The outdoor bar was packed and there was live music. We sat inside for the air conditioning. It has a wonderful island/​tiki feel to the dining room.
For an appetizer, we ordered the Our Famous Smoked Fish Spread ($ 4.29). (see pic) It was a nice presentation but was utterly flat on flavor. You are given only a tablespoon of relish to spice up the spread but it wasn’t enough. For the price, I suppose it was worth it. We also received their complementary Mama Maria’s Muffins which were flavorful but very dry. I would have loved some butter or anything to moisten the muffin. Go slowly on finishing the muffins because only the first ‘two per person’ are free. So, you may want to wait until the salad arrives to finish them.
For entrées, we ordered the Island Seafood Platter ($ 18.99) and the Hogfish Special grilled ($ 17.99). (see pics) Both entrées came with their delicious Fiesta Salad. The seafood platter was beautifully presented. Over all, the standout on the platter was the fried shrimp and I would definitely order a big plate of them the next time we’re in. All else was meh. The grilled Hogfish was way overcooked and horribly dry. All the tartar sauce in the world could not resurrect any flavor or sense of succulence from this dish. I would NOT recommend the Hogfish grilled!
A problem that I have with this restaurant is the incredibly small portions of their sides with the entrées. You only get a ¼ of cup of cole slaw, black beans or anything that comes in one of their small cups. Considering the price point of this restaurant, side orders of veggies are not a huge cost overrun. As far as flavor goes, the Red-​Skinned Garlic Mashed potatoes and the Caribbean Black Beans were delicious. I would avoid getting the Island Cole Slaw.
Our waitress, Taylor, was friendly and very helpful. She actually steered us away from their soft-​shelled crabs because she felt that they were too small. I genuinely appreciated that. If you get an appetizer, do not order the rest of your meal until you finish it! The food comes out fast and furious. We will return but we will be more aware of what to order and when to order it.

Awesome food, good music. First time here, the parking lot is always packed and now we know why. We had the stuffed jalapenos appetizer and for dinner had the trio, meatloaf and kids shrimp. We found a new favorite place.
The 2 man band was good and at a good volume for us to enjoy their music and carry a conversation.

What a great atmosphere! I highly recommend sitting outside at the bar. Jessica, the bartender, is awesome. I go fairly regularly and have always had consistently great food and great service. The blackened grouper is amazing and has a nice hit of spice. The killer hogfish sandwich is out of this world. The spicy tuna appetizer is amazing. I can’t say enough about this place.
Pro tip — try the early bird stuff — good prices GREAT food. The rasta pasta is out of control!

Stumbled upon this place on the way home across the bridge. (Through a GPS Unilocal search actually) This is truly a gem.
At the time that we went, it was lunchtime. They had a two for one cocktail deal. I chose the rum punch which was tasty, but both served at the same time. I would have preferred to have this served one at a time to prevent ice melt in the second one.
Aside from that, the food was great. That blue crab Mac n cheese was the best with chunks of meat galore! The Rasta Pasta with seafood was awesome. There was plenty of covered outdoor seating.
As expected, this restaurant had a very casual/​tropical ambience. This place gives you a high level of environmental comfort. The wait staff was very friendly and informative. I highly recommend this place if you happen to be in this area.

Came on a Saturday for lunch. Place had a great atmosphere and we decided to sit outside.
We were greeted within a minute of sitting down by Josh. Very polite waiter who told us about specials and took our drink order. He said they have their own boats and catch their own fish daily. That’s impressive. He was very attentive throughout our meal, but not too much which can be annoying.
First they brought us scotch bonnet corn bread muffins. WOW, those were good.
Wife started with Fiesta Salad. Fresh mango with amazing dressing. Very good.
I had the hogfish sandwich which was grilled on Cuban bread. It was simply awesome. Fish was definitely fresh, never frozen and cooked perfectly. Really good. Had a side of coconut rice which was also cooked perfectly and tasted amazing. Not too sweet, just enough to make it right.
Wife had hogfish as well panko breaded with coconut rice. Again, fish was perfectly cooked and it was only lightly breaded to add to the taste but not distract from the fish.
Then, there was the crab Mac and cheese. When they brought it, at first glance, it looked horrible. Seemed covered with hard burned cheese crust. But to my surprise, crust was actually light and crispy and the taste… HOLY CRAP THAT IS GOOD ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU WANT TO SLAP EVERYONE AROUND YOU!!! So much cheese and crab. Not cheep cheese either. If I was to guess, I would say it tasted like aged cheddar.
New favorite place to eat. Will definitely be back.

Essen war wirklich lecker und die Bedienung sehr zuvorkommend und aufmerksam!
Mit hat irgendwie bei Essen der letzte «Pfiff» gefehlt, aber es war alles gut!
Getränke (zumindest Wasser und cola) wurden gratis nachgefüllt.
Es ist ein enormer Ansturm auf das Restaurant. Man muss also entweder reservieren, Glück haben oder auf einen freien Platz an der Bar warten.

One of my fave places to go when in Clearwater for non-​expensive tasty food, and drinks. From 11:30 — 5:30 they have a lunch menu, and they also have all day — buy 1 get 1 free drinks. There is a variety of different options including meat, fish, chicken, and veggie options.
I have been here a handful of times. This was even one of the first places I had gone to on my first visit to the area. Since then, they expanded their outside area, and it is just a nice spot to sit, relax, enjoy some good food, drinks, and company. They are also dog friendly, so I am always all about that. Outside, they also have a nearby Tiki Bar that you can sit at also.
My last visit I had a Mahi Mahi Kabob, and my hubby had the BBQ ribs with mango BBQ sauce. They have great side options including their sweet potatoes, seasoned veggies, crab mac and cheese, and rice. They also have the best corn bread.
This time around I also had their Buy 1, Get 1 Free Rum Punch. It tastes just perfect, and I can’t not love it love it. Their service is super-​efficient. We were sitting at another table outside, but I asked to move because outside people can smoke, and I could not be around cigarette smoke. They moved me, and from being there to where they moved me, we were greeted three times from employees there. Thus, their service is awesome.
I have brought friends from out of town, and they loved it too. So it is definitely one of my go-​to spots.