3.5 Stars is A-OK. I really enjoy coming here. The service is pretty good, the staff has been really friendly. Son that is always a huge plus. The food is different from other local spots. It has been really tasty. The portions always seem small when it arrives, but still end up very full. The drinks, alcoholic and non are always very well made and tasty. My recommendation is the Jerk Chicken. It is really good.
(4)
Wafa I.
I am not a big fan of chain restaurants but I've never been here so I thought, why not? Why not? Because the food is average at most, nothing special. I ordered four or five small plates to try out and none of them were impressive in my opinion and my friends also thought the same. They do have some good drink mixes that are quite refreshing though, so that I did enjoy. Service is five stars, our server was SO pleasant and helped us decide on what to order, he also checked with us a few times to make sure everything was still okay. Overall, I don't think I would come back for the food.
(3)
Gretchen B.
Happy hour appetizers and drinks until 6pm Pork street taco appetizers were delicious. Just enough food to be filling as an early dinner. With happy hour pricing tacos were just $4.
(4)
Michael G.
Great mojito. Very authentic and a nice size. Service was very attentive in the bar on a very busy night with sports all over.
(4)
Chocolate L.
I love this place! The atmosphere the bar the bartenders everyone is really friendly and nice. Their food is so good! I always have to get their lump crab stack and also their lobster and shrimp quesadilla ! They have late night half appetizers off sun-thursday for food! All their or most of their appetizers are half off and they are really good! I love their ribs and their fries also!
(5)
Taylor P.
I love Bahama breeze! It's such a fun atmosphere, you almost forget you are in Ohio. I love to order the fish tacos and the crusted almond tilapia along with their mashed sweet potatoes! My boyfriend typically orders the ribs and they are once of my favorites to try!
(5)
Rae S.
This place thinks it's straight out of Florida. In the summer its probably amazing to sit on one of the decks with the windows open and drink your favorite fruity drink. The day we went it wasn't busy, the room was cold, the food was eh and the live band- well they were so loud we couldn't hear each other talk. I think it's worth a second visit, when it's warm outside. Seems like a good social place for groups, not for "romantic dates or a nice dinner for a couple".
(3)
Precious R.
Bahamas Breeze used to be one of my favorite restaurant a few years ago...not anymore. The food to me has gone downhill. Before, I never had a bad meal here. Now, it's been a hit or a miss...more misses than hits. My favorite used to be the jerk chicken bow tie pasta but it's subpar to me now. The service is very slow & some of the waiters are just down right rude. The last time I was there the waiter was so nasty, our party just decided to leave instead of getting a new waiter. Worst service I've ever encountered & don't think I'll ever go back because of that experience.
(2)
Sean S.
The atmosphere is nice and the food was good. My wife and I had the center cut steak Medium well) with mashed potatoes and green beans. My steak was cooked great but my wife's steak was cooked medium. The staff was great and re-cooked it just right and quickly, though both could of used more flavor. We had jerk chicken for an appetizer that was pretty good and filling. Overall a good dinner out.
(3)
Nadia G.
Good service... I went on a Sunday lunch date, the waitress greeted me by asking me if I would like to start with a pain killer (speciality drink)... my kind of greeting. I opted for a zombie.. it was good, Wasabi' zombie is still the best I've tasted. Delicious lobster and shrimp linguine.
(3)
Peg B.
This was my first visit here. Had dinner with my boyfriend who has been here before. We had the lemon breeze to drink and they were tasty. We order appetizers from the happy hour half price menu and decided on the beef empanadas. They came out fast and were really good. My boyfriend ordered the carnitas rice bowl. The presentation was good and it was warm, starchy and tasted good I ordered the fish tacos and was a little disappointed. They weren't even luke warm. Our friendly server, Lisa, offered to take them back and warm them, but I declined. I usually don't complain and never send food back because I'm afraid of what will be done to it. She left our table and returned shortly and said they were taking the fish tacos off the bill. Wow, that was really nice. I really wanted to like this place, but I don't think I'll be back.
(3)
Tammy Jo F.
We met 2 couples at Bahama Breeze for Sunday afternoon dinner to plan an upcoming vacation. This was our first time there and we were looking forward to it. My boyfriend and I sat separately at the bar - he sat with the boys and I with the girls. I ordered a glass of wine and found the service to be SLOOWWW (even though the barmaid was not busy). The gentlemen were served their beers before the women received their drinks. We were seated at a booth for 6 in the bar area. One of our party needed to sit on a stiff-backed chair due to a recent surgery. When we attempted to pull a chair to the head of the booth we were told that because of the "fire code" we couldn't put someone in the bar aisle. We were subsequently moved to a tropically steamy area of the restaurant that resembled a bad time-share at Disney World. If I wanted to eat in the glaring light of day under plastic palm trees I would have booked a meal at the local tanning salon. We ordered lovely appetizers (edamame - a little dry, firecracker shrimp - yummy, conch fritters - amazing!) We ordered from the dinner menu (the lunch menu looks as if they couldn't decide what type of food was being served and we were craving something different). We ordered the Lobster Paella for Two! The waitress returned sometime later to tell us that it was not available that day. So we ordered the Seafood Paella which was delicious! They mis-timed the orders and ended up re-cooking all of our friends' entrees so that we could all eat together. As a result they comped our appetizers which was completely unnecessary. Overall the restaurant seems like a fun carribean-themed bar that seems to cater to out-of-towners and young crowds. The food is ok and overpriced for what you get. If you want ambience, candlelight, and quiet conversation go elsewhere.
(2)
Todd G.
I wish we could break out food vs everything else. We arrived around 8 on a Saturday night and waited at the bar for 10 minutes. We had fruity frozen drinks that were yummy. I could only do one but my drink came with this little cup clipped to the glass that had an extra shot of tequila in it! Win! Removing the little cup? Spilled half. Fail. And the bar was stickier than a daycares floors on ice cream day. Place was clean. A little worn...but again, sticky...there were carpets there too that were...anyone? Sticky. Server was nice...spoke English and knew she was there to serve and had valid recommendations. I had the beef and rice bowl which had some other veggies in it...some mango too...pretty good. Weak on the meat though. Wife had the fish special...she gave it four stars. Drinks were very slow...but my real feedback is clean and repair. Clean. And repair. Food was large portions, had a island/carribean feel...solid four stars.
(3)
Gordon B.
Ate here for the first time....place was pretty busy but not a long wait, drinks were good, food was overall good with a reasonable wait time and staff was nice and responsive. Looking forward to trying out their happy hour!
(4)
Al B.
Stopped in for an early dinner with my girlfriend. Plenty of parking, it wasn't busy, we were seated right away I couldn't help but notice how sticky the floors were as we walked through the restaurant. So sticky I could hear our shoes peeling off the floor. We ordered the lemon breeze drinks and they were good. Beef empanadas for an appetizer and they were good I ordered the carnita rice bowl and it was heAvy but really good. My girlfriend ordered the fish tacos and they were barely warm. The manager was nice and took them off the bill It's very unlikely we will go here again.
(3)
Heather H.
Ordered the curry chicken, drinks were stiff, food was great, and the waiter drew on my to go box with a date. I liked that, in case you have your food in the fridge, you know the date you put it there. The downfall, I asked for more water and she forgot. Always busy. I guess that's a plus, unless you want more water.
(4)
Bob L.
What the hell were we thinking? Did we actually used to like this place? Well, never again. There are just far too many wonderful, independently-owned eateries in Cleveland that serve natural, whole foods for us to ever waste our money again on such mass-marketed, lowest common denominator, processed food again. The truth? We came here because we were headed to the Winking Lizard down the road but there wasn't a single parking spot in the joint, our judgement clearly clouded by hunger, lead us here. I don't understand why places like Bahama Breeze are always crowded. Can someone explain to me why people think this is a "destination"? I can imagine all of the hotels surrounding this particular location, stuffed with overweight, middle-aged middle managers helps the bottom line (what the hell else should they do, eat at Red Robin or Red Lobster or Long Horn?). From the cheesy pseudo Caribbean decor to the sticky tables and menus (ick) it's a B-movie of a restaurant. Piped in ethic music, blasting over the outdoor speakers, some goofball playing steel drums in the atrium, a constant smell of stale beer and spilled sugary boat drinks, a staff devoid of passion and personality (our server looked through us the entire time and never cracked a smile), tables so close together that you can't get in and out of them without asking another diner to move, and the food, where do I begin. For starters, the drinks menu is a diabetics nightmare. If you like syrupy, cloyingly sweet, novelty drinks with barely a hint of alcohol to warrant the prices you're in the right place. Here it's all about the fruit juice. The drinks get their own booklet on the table and just about every cocktail is some combination of rum and fruit juice. And the beer list? Boring. They have three draft beers, all macro swill, and a bottles list that reads like a fraternity refrigerator. Don't be fooled by the Aruba Red, it's an AB-InBev product. It's essentially Bud Light with red #40 dye. Luckily they managed to sneak in a few Great Lakes bottles without anyone noticing (thank this for one of the stars). If I had to pick a few words to describe the food I'd go with sweet and salty. Just about everything has fruit on it, is served with some kind of sugary dipping sauce and comes pre-loaded with enough salt to put down a rhino (a bowl of their black bean soup has a whopping 1200 mg of sodium). I certainly can't say that Bahama Breeze is alone in this culinary assault on the American public, but they are definitely adding fuel to the fire. Our meal consisted of the following: Conch Fritters: I was actually excited to see these on the menu. After all, unless you live in Key West, FL you probably have never even had them before. My excitement didn't last. Five miniature little dough balls, fried and served with a side of, you guessed it, fruity sugar sauce. They reminded me up hush puppies and I couldn't really detect any conch in them. Don't bother. Bimini Pretzel Twist: I know it's a nutritional wasteland but soft pretzels (and donuts) are like crack to me. I swear them off only to find myself back in their arms time and time again. More a braided pretzel bread than a traditional version, it was great. Sourdough added a nice touch and the Aruba Red beer cheese sauce was guilty good (not nearly enough in the two tablespoon serving, though). For me, the highlight of my meal. House Salad: Not much to be said about this one. As far as salads go it was actually pretty good. I'm not a fan of the cucumber ribbons because they're a pain the ass to deal with, but I did like the pumpkin seeds and the vinaigrette was quite tasty. West Indies Chicken Curry Rice Bowl: I was carb-craving and I'm always down for some curry. First, let me say that I don't like hot fruit. It has no place outside of an apple pie or strudel. This dish was packed with it - raisins, pineapple, mango - and it was very sweet. The chicken, what few pieces there was of it, was dried out and chewy. The rice wasn't bad and who doesn't like Naan bread? Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad: If you're looking for a healthy option on the menu you really can't go wrong with this one, just get it without the blue cheese dressing fat bomb. Sliced chicken breast, bacon, egg, tomato, cheese, pumpkin seeds and avocado. The veggies were fresh and crispy but, once again, they barely serve a half a chicken breast. I don't know what else to say that hasn't already been said. It's overpriced, it's a chain, the food is processed, loaded with sugar and salt, and the service is anemic. I'm happy to have chains like Bahama Breeze. They are great for helping me to realize how much I've grown to appreciate small, local eateries staffed with talented chefs that turn out inventive, dishes. We won't be back..ever.
(2)
Amy H.
Our friend, Richard Maurer, is one of the rotating house bands at this location. He is a very talented musician who lives, eats, and breathes music. His percussionist stylings on the steel drum are worth a listen! We went to Bahama Breeze last Sunday to watch Richard play, and enjoy the company of friends and a tropical meal. The menu had an interesting variety of offerings that all looked so pretty in the pictures! My favorite bites were the fried yuca, tostones with chicken, my husband's empanadas, our dulce de leche cheesecake (big enough to share!), and their pineapple salsa. Flavor-wise, the food wasn't anything to write home about, but it was novel. The service and music were excellent.
(3)
Adrianne S.
This is my favorite place to get a mojito if it is made by Lauren or Nicole!!! They are perfectly made to my taste. I definitely love their menu but o do come for happy hour regularly!!
(4)
Gerri S.
Great first impressions---welcoming cantaloupe-orange and vanilla exterior surrounded by many colorful, healthy-looking, well-maintained outdoor plants and flowers. (If neglected, would have been a bad sign.) Inside, an inviting, up-beat, spacious, expected tropical-theme, with dimly lit and bright areas, and a variety of green plants clumped into groupings throughout. Other servers may be fine, but we lucked out with ASHLEY. Friendly, smiling, knowledgeable, and very likeable. Ask for her section, and see for yourself. (When we were ready to leave, she said she hoped we'd be back. "But only if YOU'LL be here." I answered. She giggled, then said to please ask for her.) If not famliar with Caribbean dishes, I'd suggest viewing their menu online before stopping in---unless you'll have time to take time. Many photos, too. We aren't familiar with "authentic"---except for the couple of times my husband brought wonderful Cuban sandwiches home from Puerto Rican business trips---so that's what we did. Their site also has a very helpful "All about Caribbean Cuisine" tab. Being new to this style---and looking forward to trying---unfortunately, we weren't transported to Nassau or Montego Bay. We were still in Beachwood, sitting in a booth. ... UNTIL tasting their luscious portobello sandwich. We were still here, but I think Bob Marley's ghost walked past our table. And the disappointments could have been our choices---some dishes might not be our "thing". You just might love it here---as many reviewers attest. ~~~~ JAMAICAN CHICKEN WINGS 1 star First time trying jerk. Whatever Jerk seasonings were used---apparently there are several variations per their website---the results didn't taste good. Very large, too. More like turkey wings. These are older, big chickens, which I feel are best used for slower stewing/braising along with other ingredients, which helps flavor elderly birds. Smaller, buffalo style, remain our preference. CONCH FRITTERS 1 star First time trying conch. Nice mild flavor, but if conch pieces were mixed into the batter, they weren't visible. Still don't know what conch tastes like---or maybe they taste like dough. Looked just like dough. Good dipping sauce. FISH TACOS 2.5 stars First time trying ANY fish taco. The flavor of the delicate mahi-mahi and other ingredients, were lost to the aggressive cilantro. The flour tortillas may have been just warmed up in preparation for filling, but had then cooled and firmed up. This method---inevitably---and anywhere, not just this restaurant---can end up chewing like cardboard, and tasting like it, too. When I prepare any dish using tortillas I either bake them along with the other ingredients, or fry them separately. Even though I'd expect these tacos to be much better with less cilantro and quickly deep-fried tortillas---for that crunchy/tender/blistered combination---we'll never become fans of fish tacos. We love fish and tortillas---just not together. SUN-DRENCHED PORTOBELLO & VEGETABLE SANDWICH, grilled 8 stars Excellent. Caramelized onions and slices of portobello, soft pickles, tomatoes, and lettuce, with a wonderful sauciness and flavor---probably the melted Manchego cheese. Heard of it, but never tasted Manchego until now---WOW. (I'm going to buy this cheese. Wish I knew the brand they use.) It also had asparagus spears, which weren't listed as an ingredient online. Cooked---but woody---so I removed them. The bread---hoagie-shaped and generously-sized---was perfectly pressed, having a crispy, toasted exterior. I definitely recommend it. And If meat or chicken is your preference, I'd ask for it on this sandwich, it was THAT good. If we ever return, I'd order it again. Until then, I plan to try making it myself, since I'm a lot closer to my kitchen than Beachwood. BEAN AND RICE BOWL SIDE 2.5 stars One of the choices offered with sandwiches. Basic beans and rice---which I like and have prepared myself, but with other ingredients added. Theirs had no discernible seasoning. BANANA NUT BREAD SUPREME 2.5 stars Nicely-flavored dessert. With a banana sliced in half lengthwise, vanilla ice cream, warm banana-nut bread, whipped cream, and hot butterscotch-brandy sauce. Bananas were too firm---hard to cut into with a spoon. Ask for a knife and fork---or it might land in your lap. Better yet, ask if they could saute the bananas to soften them. That would make it 3.5 stars.
(3)
Ebony J.
Great service!! Food was good! Unclear pricing so minus one star. The orders came quick and the waiter was nice and handled our big party nicely.
(4)
Alvin J.
I'm a huge fan of their happy hours special! Of course, their food is not as fresh as you think, but if you're craving a better option than Wendys or McDonalds, then this place isn't as bad. You have to be careful as well, I got my entree plate half-way done. How could you cook chicken half-way done? The manager on-site apologized for the mistake and comped the meal, however I wish they didn't make that mistake, so I could've enjoyed my meal. Will try my better luck next time.
(3)
Ray F.
Well its popular! I mean I have gone twice both off day, weird hour, it was crowded both times. The mixed drinks are great!, the food is typical, nothing special, atmosphere is good. Staff was very nice, but spread too thin.
(3)
Liz E.
Today was my first time ever eating here. Thw food was great! I always wondered and have heard of bahama breeze but where I live there isn't one close. I wish there was.. firdt of all our waitress was so sweet. She was telling us how they cook everything and how everything is fresh. And you can tell everything is! Everything is unique and different. I will be back and planned it already.
(5)
Carolyn C.
I love the Beautiful Decor!!...The inside of this beautiful restaurant looks like you are actually in an establishment, on a Bahama Island...The Bar is gorgeous, as well. And they offer great Happy Hour portions and prices! I loved their Fish Tacos, seasoned rice, and Jerk Wings. I was surprised that they didn't offer more crab and lobster dishes, since a variety of seafood dishes are popular in the Bahamas. I have only been here once, but I will definitely come back! The staff was very friendly, attentive, and professional.
(4)
Chrishana B.
Another food chain that tries way to hard and misses the point of the food by over doing it! I had to dumb down the food I ordered because everything was just overboard, for example they had to much stuff in one dish that took away from the flavor of the food and my server was slow and kept doing a disappearing act. I'm going back for happy hr so I'll update again. I've been to several location in GA but you just never know what your going to get. Not my favorite restaurant at all!
(3)
Sharon K.
I was here with my friends about a month ago, and the atmosphere is very nice. I had a shrimp pasta with a pina colada and my friends enjoyed their entrees and appetizers. The pina colada was very dark rummy and alchoholish so if you like to taste the alcohol in your drink, this place is for you. That is not my preference. My shrimp pasta was very good. :) And this place has minute maid limeade :) and the server was very nice.
(3)
Anand M.
Ambience is okay. Dim lighting. Big space. Big parking. Wooden tables with a slimy touch. Cocktails were unimpressive. Mojito was sweet and not refreshing. Pomegranate Cosmopolitan was ok. Chicken empadas were average. Hardly any chicken. The fire.. shrimp was good. West indies chicken curry was not good. Crab stack was good. It's cold cocktail dish. Service was mediocre.
(3)
Charles C.
The butter fried chicken is excellent!
(4)
Mark G.
Had the half price appetizers, sliders, chicken, carnitas, korean beef tacos, empanadas, and one more I cannot recall, kinda of a shrimp mango thing.....Anyways they were all really good, def got out money worth pretty big portions that we had enough to take home. I gave them to my brother and he really liked them as well. Didn't get to try any signature entrees, but based off of our appetizer sampling this place is pretty good.
(4)
Tom D.
Now this place got everything right! From the outside and again on the inside - the entire place is quite interesting to look at - plenty of really cool spots to grab something to eat or just have a cold beer or an incredible specialty drink! The sitting areas are numerous and the menu is extensive, but no overwhelming. The prices are reasonable until you taste the food and then you realize the prices are incredible - well within our company policy. They also except credit cards! I'm not sure how "kid friendly" they are, but Renee - our server was on top of her game. She explained everything to us - made an outstanding recommendation and was right there with refills! There were two things I must comment on that prevented them from a 5 star - they were out of two different beers my colleague asked for and the head radiating from above cooked our head while my feet remained cold. Otherwise - this place was awesome! BTW - I had the steak, which was cooked perfectly - side of amazing mashed potatoes and stemmed broccoli that was cooked just right as well. Renee added some freshly ground Romano cheese to the broccoli that just added the right touch. ALSO - the house salad is a must try - best tasting salad I've had in a long time and remember - TOM HATES SALAD so when I like it - it's not just different - it's GREAT!
(4)
Eugene T.
Went there with my wife and my 8 year-old. Menu is pretty big and have something for everyone, including a good size kids menu. Server was very accommodating as well with couple special requests and last minute change by my wife and I. Cilantro chicken was very good, so was their chowder (very filling), my son liked their burger and fries, nice touch with some fruit on the side. He also got a kick out of individual playing carriers drums. Good experience but does feel like chain restaurant.
(4)
Steven T.
I've been here a couple times now. There isn't really anything terrible at the place. It's just a little pricey for what you get. Each time I walk out I think to myself, " Self, you could have done just as well somewhere else for half the price." Overall, I would say skip it and find something else to satiate your hunger.
(2)
Shelly P.
This is our favorite restaurant!!! You can choose so many wonderful foods: Salmon prepared a selection of ways( other fish too) Coconut shrimp, wonderful: The best ribs in town: Sweet mashed potatos... Yummy Onion Rings to die for. All delicious veggies! Could go on and on !!! Try it... It's irresistible ! Drinks are great too! Go there!
(5)
Tom L.
Overall, alright. I went here with two of my teammates and their families. We had an order of firecracker shrimp which was pretty good, big portion which was good. I had the pork rice bowl. Again, big portion. I was underwhelmed with the pork, it was pretty fatty and not very good, everything else in it was good though. Both of my teammates got the ribs and they both really liked theirs. My dad got the jerk chicken which was pretty good too. Our server was nice, a little on the slow side but it seemed like a lot of the staff weren't doing much. Good atmosphere, live steel drum guy and lots of seating so waits can't be that long. If you're into better quality food, head up to wasabi, but if not looking for family friendly or not very pricy, come on down
(3)
Brian V.
Went for Happy hour. Good menu and prices. 1/2 off for apps. Beer selection was a little weak. Had the Buttermilk Chicken Sliders which were good. Flavorful chicken and a complimentary sauce. Pickles adding a nice zing to the overall taste. Also had Firecracker Shrimp. WOW!!!! This was what did it for me. Awesome flavor, great burst of peppery taste with the sauce. Nothing too hot but had just enough heat to enhance the shrimp. This is a must order when you go!!!!!!
(4)
Joe F.
Been here a few times. Eating in is okay, the menu has some good stuff but its the food doesn't really merit the price point. On top of that, I feel like everyrime I go there there's a loud family nearby. The half priced appetizers during happy hour were a much more worthwhile visit, so 3 stars.
(3)
Denise K.
Not bad for family dinner out. Tilapia was good, sides were decent. Drinks were ok. Will go back again.
(4)
DevAna J.
Ended up here on a Saturday (2/21) night because everything else had a long wait list. We waited for about 10 minutes before getting a table. Which isn't bad for a weekend. It took the waiter about 15 minutes to get to our table then 15 more minutes to come back with waters. We ordered the spinach and artichoke dip. It was pretty decent. For our entrees we both ordered steaks. My boyfriend ordered the Steak Frittes and I ordered the Steak Churrasco. Our horrible HORRIBLE waiter completely forgot about our food so by the time it got to us it was completely cold. My rice was overcooked and the other sides were missing from the plate. My boyfriend's fries were completely rock hard and under seasoned. The worse part was the meat. They serve the lowest grade beef possible. Tasted like re-hydrated beef jerky. Our waiter once again disappeared for 30 minutes. I couldnt even finish my meal it was so disgusting. This may have been a direct result of having a bad service. The food may have been good if it were fresh from the kitchen. Maybe I will try again on a different and shift.
(1)
Derek W.
Out of town for work & went with co-workers on the recommendation of someone from the local office. Wise choice! Solid atmosphere w/the island music & decor. We each did an appetizer - Conch Fritters, Empanadas, Ahi Tuna Stack & Yuca fries...each quite tasty. Dinner - one had the Buttermilk Fried Chicken, which was delicious w/nice crunch to the just about right coating of breading. One had the wood grilled chicken & seemed genuinely pleased. Another in the group had the Shrimp Creole which had a nice spice to it. I had the Carnitas bowl, which w/the combination of chorizo, sweet plantains, garbanzo beams & the cumin/citrus salsa was top notch. Not to mention that the depth of the bowl just seemed to keep going. Filling and delicious! Will definitely go again.
(4)
Soly Z.
First of all, this place just couldn't seem to pick a type of food and stick with it. Is it a burger joint? An Italian eatery ? A Caribbean restaurant ? The menu is all over the place and the quality of the food is barely edible. There isn't much else that I can add that hasn't already been said about this place, but I certainly won't be back.
(2)
Yvone R.
I always have great service when I come here, although my attendance is more like once a year! On this jaunt, we had fast and friendly service for a party of 7! We arrived just as they opened for lunch and was seated quickly with all of the day's specials explained. Drinks were quick to come and complete. Appetizers awesome and the meal can't be beat! The waiter was the best I've ever had and interacted with the boy better than anyone. I will be requesting him again!
(4)
Kimberly C.
I always love any chance to go here. I love the coconut shrimp. Usually the staff is really nice and never really had any issues. The only down fall is that they handle big parties well. We were having a going away dinner for a friend and we call about a week before hand to make sure that they could handle a party of 28. We were told no problem, but when we got there, they were not ready for us. We had a total of 3 servers to waited on us. They were very nice and friendly. Which made up for the delay in getting our tables ready.
(4)
Samantha S.
I wish i could give this a better review. Went here while in town, and because my boss was staying at the hotel next to it and was curious to what it was. There was an NBA playoff game that night, so we went in with the hopes of sitting at the bar and watching the game. Not that every restaurant needs to have tv's, but hey, if you have them.... great. We sat at the bar, and the game was on, the smallest TV i have ever seen at a bar. It was about the size of the security monitors some place off on their park ling lots. So, needless to say, we could see little, tiny guys running around but never could see the score. The server was super friendly, but they were super inattentive. Our food was just ok, nothing to write home about. I guess we were pushing closing time, because they started mopping behind the bar with that smelly mop water while we were still eating. Then we had to wait -- the longest wait-- was trying to get our check and pay to be able to leave. Not sure if I'd come here again. Unremarkable. Not what I remember from my youth..
(2)
Allison L.
Waited over 30 minutes for meal, waiter was always within five feet of us (seemed creepy) and they don't even have tarter sauce! How do you serve fish and not have tarter sauce?!
(3)
Leslie H.
Service was great. Our waitress was Courtney. She showed us her favorites and told us all about the menu. First time eating here. Portions were great took half home so that I could enjoy it the next day.
(5)
Roger P.
Nice menu variety. Reasonably priced.
(3)
dale v.
It was not bad but not great...shame ...I was hoping for better food ...stay away from the house salad...the dressing used was barely on it...bland taste too
(2)
Marlene W.
My family and I love this place! We have always had wonderful meals and the atmosphere is so inviting! We especially love the coconut shrimp, rice and green beans - yum!
(5)
robert b.
Delicious food at fair prices. The coconut shrimp is the best anywhere. It is offered as a combo with a side salad or soup, or as entire meal. The service is friendly and efficient. Good service is a real plus and the hostess and servers remember their past customers. This is a chain restaurant, but operates with independence, except for its chain menu.
(4)
Ryan D.
At first the environment was good. They put us in the back of the bus where it was less lively and no one came to serve us till like 10 minutes after we seated. Waitress come up to ask if we were good as she was walking away at the same time." Bi***. No we ain't good no ones serving us or even brought us drinks " SHe says " oh im sorry what can I get you" apparently she don't know what table she serves. Got the food and the drinks were ok. Environment kinda sucked. Food was good. Service sucked. As we were walking out we see our waitress in the damn patio on the damn phone while her tables are waiting. Please fire her a$$.
(2)
Mark C.
Great value here. Seated quickly, great and friendly service and good, casual food.
(4)
Kyle K.
The service was pretty good, and the ambiance was nice, but what I didn't care for was the food itself. We ordered coconut shrimp as an appetizer, and thought it was very mediocre. The coconut shrimp at Outback blows these away. I ordered baby back ribs, and the wife ordered shrimp linguine. The ribs had a ton of fat, but my wife did like her dish. Would I go back? Maybe, but I've had so much better, and I hate spending money on something that doesn't wow me.
(2)
Manoa H.
Friends of friends have dragged me here twice and twice too many times. Do yourself a favor and opt for something, ANYTHING else in Cleveland's diverse and lovely foodscape for your dining needs. Overpriced, mediocre to sub-par dorm-foodesque dishes, very slow service (despite hordes of wait staff milling about), garish decor and vibe, mostly classless clientele. In short, a fun-filled destination guaranteed to make you lose your boner. If Sizzler's were your penny-pinching old-school grandpa and Chili's your party-loving, alcoholic cousin, Bahama Breeze would be your cheesy, loud, annoying uncle who constantly cracks painfully unfunny jokes and wears cheap purple Hawaiian shirts that can't button over his gut so he leaves the last three buttons open. This would have been a 1.5 star review--all 1.5 stars for our very friendly and courteous server second time around who unfortunately, could not redeem all the negatives that made up the rest of the experience, including his much-to-be-asked-for follow-up time on drinks, food, etc. And the guy even drew crude little bahama seascapes on our to-go containers, for chrissakes. The only items I've had that could have been categorized as fairly good are the fresh-squeezed lemonade and some of the appetizers (quesadilla and butterfly shrimp). But then again, if you mess up quesadillas and butterfly shrimp, that basically means you don't know how to operate a toaster oven. Everyone loves to rave about their signature Jerk Chicken Pasta dish--a palatable but unexceptional mixture of pasta, chicken, a miserly pinch of asparagus bits (more stalk than tips) in a white cream sauce. I suppose if you were to pick something every time, that'd be a safe bet. The second time around, I got the Calypso Shrimp Linguine--what a mistake. Don't be fooled by the menu descriptor's alluring promises of scallions and garlic. In fact, don't be fooled by their alluring promises of shrimp. Instead, be prepared for a one-dimensional, salt-flavored pile of pasta swimming in balls of bland, fishy-textured meat molded in the shape of shrimp. It was as if their shrimp--and there was a huge portion of it--were frozen, defrosted, frozen, and defrosted again to the point that it had almost no shrimp flavor left and only a strange, slightly crunchy texture. Unless you're a huge fan of consistently subpar-to-mediocre faintly starchy cuisine reminiscent of dorm food and waiting at least 20 minutes to get your drink refilled, the Breeze ain't for you. However, if you're ever stranded at Bahama Breeze, you'll probably be safe with appetizers and maybe drinks (which run on the strong side; mojitos will disappoint).
(1)
Matthew M.
If I never have to step foot in another Darden Restaurant ever again, my culinary life would be so much more diverse. My palate would be much happier too. But shamefully, I have been sucked into the Breeze a few times too many, but not without protest I must add! [Chain Restaurant Rant] For some odd reason, way too many people find these places appealing. Typical Darden Restaurants and most other big fancy-schmancy chains are propped up in mass trafficked, comfortable, suburban safe zones. The buildings that these restaurants are housed in are often made to project an elaborate architectural structure meant to impress. (I'm talking to you too Cheesecake Factory). It's almost as if to trick those who don't know any better into thinking what they are about to enter into is the pinnacle of a all dinning destinations. What many fail to realize though is that these chains lack soul, character, authenticity and a sense of local community. Atlas, I struggle to find the appeal that so many others seem to be drawn to. [/Chain Restaurant Rant] Whether it's the convenient locale or the familiarity of a chain, I've been invited to Bahama Breeze to meet with friends and family of mine on a few occasions. The wait on the weekend is usually unbearable. The sounds of the faux steel drum island beats in the background is corny as hell. To help temper the pain, my first order of business upon entering this torture chamber is to get nice and liqueured up and as fast as possible. Unfortunately for me, there's not much variety on the beer & wine list, which consists mostly of boring domestics and a nifty house beer called "Aruba Red" (I bet whoever thought of that name thought they were a freakin' genius!). I hate to burst their bubble though, but Aruba Red tastes like any other boring domestic lager, but with red food coloring. Blach! On a more positive note, I've been told the Mojito's were good, but I can't vouch for those either. As for the menu, it consists of uninspiring interpretations of Americanized Caribbean food. A starch with pineapple or corn salsa dumped on top seems to fit their idea of "Caribbean", while other dishes consist mostly of salt, lots and lots of iodized salt! I typically play it safe and choke down the Cuban Sandwich. Why the two stars? The majority of my friends and family seem perfectly happy after a night out here and when they're happy, so am I. The second because without boring chains, I wouldn't have nearly the appreciation I do for the local joints.
(2)
Kristin R.
I went for mother's day dinner..it was crowded which was expected so that wasn't an issue. But I believed the cooks we're overwhelmed withe the crowd and serving not so tasty food. I ordered the buttermilk chicken and mash dinner disappointed it was salty and cold. Thought I would have better luck with the banana supreme...the presentation was so unappealing and thrown together...overrun was soup like it was sitting for awhile... I'm never going back
(1)
Tina C.
Sometime the food is good and sometime not so. Very inconsistent. Same for the lemonade. Although the Jamaican wing is always good, that's what we usually go there for. Pricing is very reasonable. Funny looking Jamaican decor.
(3)
Amy T.
Bahama Breeze is an overpriced chain food restaurant with a tiny dining area. Their wrap around porch is pretty sweet, except they totally built a tiny dining area to force you to wait for over an hour on the porch buying expensive syrupy cocktails. The best part: the porch overlooks the parking lot that is I-271.
(2)
Sara C.
"The menu here is very different from BB's around the country. Less of a Caribbean food selection on the menu. However, their new wood fired chicken sandwich on naan was delicious!"
(3)
Pati R.
Good drinks, good food, extremely slow service. It took 20 minutes to get a glass of water and we were seated by a group with a screaming child, very annoying
(3)
Mike N.
Menu has changed. Less Caribbean flavors, more mainstream. Food well prepared, generous portions. Good experience, but not as great as it once was
(3)
Aaron C.
Recently in the area for an ultimate frisbee tournament, a teammate got this recommendation from their hotel. We came in with a group of 14 and were surprisingly sat within 10 minutes in this great private room. The service was friendly and fast, despite the large group we were with. The atmosphere was fun and friendly - typical of bigger family restaurants. The food was good; no one at our table seemed to have any complaints about their choices. Overall, a decent restaurant. If you're at one of the hotels in the area and want a good spot for a large group, Bahama Breeze is a decent bet.
(3)
Ben H.
I can't think of a reason to back to this place. I wouldn't go back on my own, wouldn't recommend it to anyone & would suggest an alternative if it was suggested. The only reason it's not a 1 is that the waitress was great. All the entrees were overpriced & my jalapeno grits tasted like a bland bowl of cream-of-wheat. The food wasn't rancid & the environment was standard chain issue, but I can't recommend this place - go to a steakhouse if you're going to spend $20-25 a plate.
(2)
Bryan S.
The worst... Just because you have the recipe does not mean you can make it right. The paella was a joke it was more like mushy rice soup, could not tell diff. between any of the seafood, not to mention what they called sausage is more like pepperoni slices.
(1)
Scott G.
Eh, I've had a lot better food at other chain restaurants in the area. See, the problem here is that all of the food is simply reheated rather than cooked on location. I asked that they hold the zucchini on my veggie sandwich at lunch- the server said they couldn't because it is what comes in the bag. Now, I know that a lot of chain restaurants get their food delivered in bags, but don't tell me about it. Just say that it is premixed or something. Keep me in my ignorant bliss for just a few minutes. But, that does speak volumes about the wait staff. They are never very good at this location. When you sit at the bar during lunch, you can hear them all complaining about everything from customers to the manager. For the price, you can do much better in the area- there's about 100 restaurants within 5 miles of this joint.
(2)
Shane C.
Can't go wrong with the Calypso Shrimp and Mojito Cubano! Huge portions seasoned to perfection. Service was great and food served extremely quick!
(4)
Tim M.
Good food and good service
(4)
Megan T.
This past weekend we tried to attend a birthday party down the street at Paladar but due to poor management there, we found ourselves not receiving service or locating an empty seat so we headed down the street to Bahama Breeze. The manager quickly welcomed our group of nearly 20 with open arms and fast service for drinks, appetizers and desserts. He was a big part of the reason that our night was salvaged. Thanks so much, guys!
(4)
Jeff K.
After a long day at work, what could be better than a stop at a cool carribean-themed restaurant where the food is yummy and the tropical drinks flow like water. Sounds great huh? Well, you will not find that wonderful theme played out at this location. I sat down at the bar and asked if there were any happy hour specials. There were no happy hour specials. Actually, no happy hour at all. OK, No big deal. Let's just get some food and a drink and move onto the good part! Wait, what is that smell all around the bar area? It smells like the first wash sink behind the bar minus the hourly water replacement to make it not smell like Donkey Ass. I am not trying to be funny, it was that bad. OK, No big deal. Let's move onto the good part? I ordered the Seafood chowder and an Oak Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Bacon and some pepper-jack cheese. Throw some fries on the side and get me a Pop because the Tropical Beverages are so overpriced. I can't wait! The Soup arrived in a bowl on a plate that was so overheated in the microwave that I couldn't eat it without a healthy cooling. There were small bubbles along the edge of the bowl. Never seen that before but anyways, who cares...the good part is coming, right? The "Oak" grilled sandwich lacked any actual oak flavor and looking back in the kitchen, there was no actual oak fires, unless blue natural gas flame counts. The Chicken Breast, minus Oak flavor or any Grill Lines whatsoever, was placed on one of those thin square buns that fell apart within the first 4-5 bites. No problem, I grabbed my fork and dug back into that grease soaked piece of bun. Certainly the service is the good part, right? Well, if being called "honey" every time you are addressed by an interesting mid 20's blond haired girl, who looks like a mix of Olivia Newton-John/ Bewitched/ Roseanne Barr, then this is the place for you. Oh, the dumb elitist business guys calling their wives idiots and using the F Word every other word was a nice touch. Way to go "Bahama Breeze", you thoroughly creeped me out!
(1)
D I.
Been here twice now, and had two decent meals. Everything tasted good both times. Just recently had the fish tacos. They weren't the best I've ever had, but the tilapia was cooked well and they had fresh toppings on them. So, uh yeah, it's good.
(3)
Akhilesh R.
We planned to go to PF Chang but did not want to wait an hour to be seated. Stopped by Bahama breeze and were seated immediately. The reason being the size and seating capacity is easily twice as big as the former. I had been to Bahamas breeze in Memphis in 2006 and had the artery clogging humongous onion rings. The chicken kabobs were bland. Never went back. Now it looks like some of the menu is new. more chicken options. They have a great drinks menu. This time we ordered the buttermilk chicken and the chicken Santiago. Both dishes were delicious. Santiago chicken comes in a calorie conscious size. The red pepper sauce tastes so good. For drinks the parrot punch was on the sweeter side, the blue carcau margarita on the rocks was slightly salty... Both drinks tasted good. Service was little rushed. Ambiance is as usual. I would definitely revisit.
(4)
Brittaney S.
My favorite restaurant! They closed the one in Cincinnati so anytime I have a chance to go to Cleveland I jump on it.
(5)
Daniel Z.
My school group and I found this place after asking the desk clerk at our hotel. Man was it good. The atmosphere is great, it's Carribean themed. For dinner I ordered the blackened chicken pasta which was very tasty and a slice of key lime pie for dessert. Yes, it's a chain but it is one of the better ones out there. Check it out if you are in the Cleveland area.
(4)
Kerri M.
First time ever to Bahama Breeze. I had the snapper shrimp saute and my husband had the sirloin with cheese and poblano peppers. We all loved our food. We also had the dynamite shrimp and empanadas for appetizers, again very good. We went on a Saturday night and we had to wait over an hour. So be prepared to wait if you go on the weekend. The server was attentive and friendly. Overall a good experience.
(4)
Sean C.
I stayed next door at the Hampton Inn & Suites for three nights during the week. I ended up at Bahama Breeze on two occasions. Once was for lunch. The restaurant is HUGE but not overly noisy when busy, and the design of the restaurant is very appealing, giving you a hint of the islands. The staff was really friendly especially my waiter, Cory. He was extremely outgoing and went out of his way to make sure everything was to my satisfaction even though I was only having a salad and a lemonade. By the way, their lemonade is excellent! However, I couldn't give them more than two stars as I took an associate there for the late night happy hour a day later and the place seemed to have done a complete 180. The staff looked like they had been put through the wringer! Not a single one of them looked happy to be there, no smiles, no pleasantries, nothing, except for Cory, or course, who was still wisking around with a smile on his face! The food and drinks were OK, nothing special. The worst was the BATHROOM! It looked like nobody had come in to clean all day. Paper towels were overflowing the trash and scattered all over the floor. A fowl odor emanated, stains on the floor and walls, and the sink hardware looked like it had seen much better days. Oh boy, this place gave me high hopes at first but it let me down. I let the hotel staff know as well so they think twice about sending guest over there, especially during happy hours!
(2)
Rick A.
Buttermilk chicken is outstanding. I mean comfort food at its finest. The crab, shrimp, mango avocado stack is great. The chicken kabobs are really nice but kind of plain. Something about their yellow rice is quite tasty. The lobster and shrimp linguine is a huge portion and the brandy cream sauce is sweet and finishes well. Their tomato salad is great. I always get the Lemon Breeze lemonade drink here too. Chocolate Island makes a great ending.
(4)
Mike M.
For a chain, it was fine. I was here for business and staying up the street. We were seated right away, and the service was quick. Our waitress was a little strange and over-friendly. I had the chicken with cilantro crema. It was better than I was expecting, but not spectacular. If you need something cheap and fast, this place is fine.
(3)
Wilkin S.
Good food, lot of space and parking. Good servers.
(4)
Kerensa B.
Okay food. Nice drinks. I was rather underwhelmed by the bland food, considering it is a caribbean restaurant, and should have had at least some spice, it almost feels like they watered it down for the midwestern palate, because it didn't really taste like anything different. The servers are friendly but don't show up too often, and the presentation (or whatever you call it when the dressing only coats half your salad and food is sloshed around on the plate) is somewhat lacking. I may go back, to give it a second chance, and also because it's the closest thing to Kaya (a super excellent caribbean restaurnant in the strip in pittsburgh that i miss and would almost drive 2.5 hours just to visit).
(3)
Luis T.
This place is like a high end Applebees and trust me your wallet will feel it the day after, food was really good service was fast and I feel good there. One complain was the waiting time to be seated probably half an hour another will be that our appetizers arrived at the same time everything else but good thing was we did not have to pay for it which is the right thing to do for management when they screw up nice touch there and probably the reason for the four star rating.
(4)
Gen P.
This was my second time around and I ordered the same appetizer as I did the first time because it was so good. The crab, shrimp, avocado and mango salsa stack. This is a wonderful glorified shrimp cocktail. Fairly fresh seafood (It means alot for me to say that because I'm from Van where fresh seafood is in abundance and anything but uber fresh is yeck) piled into a lovely cylinder with a generous drizzle of spicy red cocktail sauce on the plate. Perfect combination and balance of flavours in my book. As for my main, I ordered the lobster and shrimp linguine. This was alright. Nothing spectacular in terms of flavour, however, the portion was generous. I ended up picking off hubby's plate who got salmon with a side of cinnamon mashed sweet potatoes and fried plantains. I ate at least half of his sides! I like this place mostly b/c they use alot of fruit flavours such as mango's and bananas in their dishes and well, anything with fruit in it I pretty much love. So needless to say my review on this might be a bit biased based on that fact alone. =) Don't know how Caribbean this place really is as I've only been to the Caribbean itself twice and that was on a cruise ship, so I'll let other more experienced Caribbean food eaters give you a rundown of its authenticity.
(4)
Kevin N.
I know this place is a chain, but since this is the only one I've ever been to, it's new to me. The waiters were good, and the menu very interesting. What sticks out is the goat cheese appetizer that is served in the roasted red pepper terrines. Now, don't be like a lot of people and not eat the pepper terrine, they are fantastic. Seriously, the best thing on the menu that I have tried. I think this would be a great place for a happy hour, assuming your work lies anywhere near this remote location on I-271.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Wed, Fri, Sun Coat Check : No Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Robert M.
3.5 Stars is A-OK. I really enjoy coming here. The service is pretty good, the staff has been really friendly. Son that is always a huge plus. The food is different from other local spots. It has been really tasty. The portions always seem small when it arrives, but still end up very full. The drinks, alcoholic and non are always very well made and tasty. My recommendation is the Jerk Chicken. It is really good.
(4)Wafa I.
I am not a big fan of chain restaurants but I've never been here so I thought, why not? Why not? Because the food is average at most, nothing special. I ordered four or five small plates to try out and none of them were impressive in my opinion and my friends also thought the same. They do have some good drink mixes that are quite refreshing though, so that I did enjoy. Service is five stars, our server was SO pleasant and helped us decide on what to order, he also checked with us a few times to make sure everything was still okay. Overall, I don't think I would come back for the food.
(3)Gretchen B.
Happy hour appetizers and drinks until 6pm Pork street taco appetizers were delicious. Just enough food to be filling as an early dinner. With happy hour pricing tacos were just $4.
(4)Michael G.
Great mojito. Very authentic and a nice size. Service was very attentive in the bar on a very busy night with sports all over.
(4)Chocolate L.
I love this place! The atmosphere the bar the bartenders everyone is really friendly and nice. Their food is so good! I always have to get their lump crab stack and also their lobster and shrimp quesadilla ! They have late night half appetizers off sun-thursday for food! All their or most of their appetizers are half off and they are really good! I love their ribs and their fries also!
(5)Taylor P.
I love Bahama breeze! It's such a fun atmosphere, you almost forget you are in Ohio. I love to order the fish tacos and the crusted almond tilapia along with their mashed sweet potatoes! My boyfriend typically orders the ribs and they are once of my favorites to try!
(5)Rae S.
This place thinks it's straight out of Florida. In the summer its probably amazing to sit on one of the decks with the windows open and drink your favorite fruity drink. The day we went it wasn't busy, the room was cold, the food was eh and the live band- well they were so loud we couldn't hear each other talk. I think it's worth a second visit, when it's warm outside. Seems like a good social place for groups, not for "romantic dates or a nice dinner for a couple".
(3)Precious R.
Bahamas Breeze used to be one of my favorite restaurant a few years ago...not anymore. The food to me has gone downhill. Before, I never had a bad meal here. Now, it's been a hit or a miss...more misses than hits. My favorite used to be the jerk chicken bow tie pasta but it's subpar to me now. The service is very slow & some of the waiters are just down right rude. The last time I was there the waiter was so nasty, our party just decided to leave instead of getting a new waiter. Worst service I've ever encountered & don't think I'll ever go back because of that experience.
(2)Sean S.
The atmosphere is nice and the food was good. My wife and I had the center cut steak Medium well) with mashed potatoes and green beans. My steak was cooked great but my wife's steak was cooked medium. The staff was great and re-cooked it just right and quickly, though both could of used more flavor. We had jerk chicken for an appetizer that was pretty good and filling. Overall a good dinner out.
(3)Nadia G.
Good service... I went on a Sunday lunch date, the waitress greeted me by asking me if I would like to start with a pain killer (speciality drink)... my kind of greeting. I opted for a zombie.. it was good, Wasabi' zombie is still the best I've tasted. Delicious lobster and shrimp linguine.
(3)Peg B.
This was my first visit here. Had dinner with my boyfriend who has been here before. We had the lemon breeze to drink and they were tasty. We order appetizers from the happy hour half price menu and decided on the beef empanadas. They came out fast and were really good. My boyfriend ordered the carnitas rice bowl. The presentation was good and it was warm, starchy and tasted good I ordered the fish tacos and was a little disappointed. They weren't even luke warm. Our friendly server, Lisa, offered to take them back and warm them, but I declined. I usually don't complain and never send food back because I'm afraid of what will be done to it. She left our table and returned shortly and said they were taking the fish tacos off the bill. Wow, that was really nice. I really wanted to like this place, but I don't think I'll be back.
(3)Tammy Jo F.
We met 2 couples at Bahama Breeze for Sunday afternoon dinner to plan an upcoming vacation. This was our first time there and we were looking forward to it. My boyfriend and I sat separately at the bar - he sat with the boys and I with the girls. I ordered a glass of wine and found the service to be SLOOWWW (even though the barmaid was not busy). The gentlemen were served their beers before the women received their drinks. We were seated at a booth for 6 in the bar area. One of our party needed to sit on a stiff-backed chair due to a recent surgery. When we attempted to pull a chair to the head of the booth we were told that because of the "fire code" we couldn't put someone in the bar aisle. We were subsequently moved to a tropically steamy area of the restaurant that resembled a bad time-share at Disney World. If I wanted to eat in the glaring light of day under plastic palm trees I would have booked a meal at the local tanning salon. We ordered lovely appetizers (edamame - a little dry, firecracker shrimp - yummy, conch fritters - amazing!) We ordered from the dinner menu (the lunch menu looks as if they couldn't decide what type of food was being served and we were craving something different). We ordered the Lobster Paella for Two! The waitress returned sometime later to tell us that it was not available that day. So we ordered the Seafood Paella which was delicious! They mis-timed the orders and ended up re-cooking all of our friends' entrees so that we could all eat together. As a result they comped our appetizers which was completely unnecessary. Overall the restaurant seems like a fun carribean-themed bar that seems to cater to out-of-towners and young crowds. The food is ok and overpriced for what you get. If you want ambience, candlelight, and quiet conversation go elsewhere.
(2)Todd G.
I wish we could break out food vs everything else. We arrived around 8 on a Saturday night and waited at the bar for 10 minutes. We had fruity frozen drinks that were yummy. I could only do one but my drink came with this little cup clipped to the glass that had an extra shot of tequila in it! Win! Removing the little cup? Spilled half. Fail. And the bar was stickier than a daycares floors on ice cream day. Place was clean. A little worn...but again, sticky...there were carpets there too that were...anyone? Sticky. Server was nice...spoke English and knew she was there to serve and had valid recommendations. I had the beef and rice bowl which had some other veggies in it...some mango too...pretty good. Weak on the meat though. Wife had the fish special...she gave it four stars. Drinks were very slow...but my real feedback is clean and repair. Clean. And repair. Food was large portions, had a island/carribean feel...solid four stars.
(3)Gordon B.
Ate here for the first time....place was pretty busy but not a long wait, drinks were good, food was overall good with a reasonable wait time and staff was nice and responsive. Looking forward to trying out their happy hour!
(4)Al B.
Stopped in for an early dinner with my girlfriend. Plenty of parking, it wasn't busy, we were seated right away I couldn't help but notice how sticky the floors were as we walked through the restaurant. So sticky I could hear our shoes peeling off the floor. We ordered the lemon breeze drinks and they were good. Beef empanadas for an appetizer and they were good I ordered the carnita rice bowl and it was heAvy but really good. My girlfriend ordered the fish tacos and they were barely warm. The manager was nice and took them off the bill It's very unlikely we will go here again.
(3)Heather H.
Ordered the curry chicken, drinks were stiff, food was great, and the waiter drew on my to go box with a date. I liked that, in case you have your food in the fridge, you know the date you put it there. The downfall, I asked for more water and she forgot. Always busy. I guess that's a plus, unless you want more water.
(4)Bob L.
What the hell were we thinking? Did we actually used to like this place? Well, never again. There are just far too many wonderful, independently-owned eateries in Cleveland that serve natural, whole foods for us to ever waste our money again on such mass-marketed, lowest common denominator, processed food again. The truth? We came here because we were headed to the Winking Lizard down the road but there wasn't a single parking spot in the joint, our judgement clearly clouded by hunger, lead us here. I don't understand why places like Bahama Breeze are always crowded. Can someone explain to me why people think this is a "destination"? I can imagine all of the hotels surrounding this particular location, stuffed with overweight, middle-aged middle managers helps the bottom line (what the hell else should they do, eat at Red Robin or Red Lobster or Long Horn?). From the cheesy pseudo Caribbean decor to the sticky tables and menus (ick) it's a B-movie of a restaurant. Piped in ethic music, blasting over the outdoor speakers, some goofball playing steel drums in the atrium, a constant smell of stale beer and spilled sugary boat drinks, a staff devoid of passion and personality (our server looked through us the entire time and never cracked a smile), tables so close together that you can't get in and out of them without asking another diner to move, and the food, where do I begin. For starters, the drinks menu is a diabetics nightmare. If you like syrupy, cloyingly sweet, novelty drinks with barely a hint of alcohol to warrant the prices you're in the right place. Here it's all about the fruit juice. The drinks get their own booklet on the table and just about every cocktail is some combination of rum and fruit juice. And the beer list? Boring. They have three draft beers, all macro swill, and a bottles list that reads like a fraternity refrigerator. Don't be fooled by the Aruba Red, it's an AB-InBev product. It's essentially Bud Light with red #40 dye. Luckily they managed to sneak in a few Great Lakes bottles without anyone noticing (thank this for one of the stars). If I had to pick a few words to describe the food I'd go with sweet and salty. Just about everything has fruit on it, is served with some kind of sugary dipping sauce and comes pre-loaded with enough salt to put down a rhino (a bowl of their black bean soup has a whopping 1200 mg of sodium). I certainly can't say that Bahama Breeze is alone in this culinary assault on the American public, but they are definitely adding fuel to the fire. Our meal consisted of the following: Conch Fritters: I was actually excited to see these on the menu. After all, unless you live in Key West, FL you probably have never even had them before. My excitement didn't last. Five miniature little dough balls, fried and served with a side of, you guessed it, fruity sugar sauce. They reminded me up hush puppies and I couldn't really detect any conch in them. Don't bother. Bimini Pretzel Twist: I know it's a nutritional wasteland but soft pretzels (and donuts) are like crack to me. I swear them off only to find myself back in their arms time and time again. More a braided pretzel bread than a traditional version, it was great. Sourdough added a nice touch and the Aruba Red beer cheese sauce was guilty good (not nearly enough in the two tablespoon serving, though). For me, the highlight of my meal. House Salad: Not much to be said about this one. As far as salads go it was actually pretty good. I'm not a fan of the cucumber ribbons because they're a pain the ass to deal with, but I did like the pumpkin seeds and the vinaigrette was quite tasty. West Indies Chicken Curry Rice Bowl: I was carb-craving and I'm always down for some curry. First, let me say that I don't like hot fruit. It has no place outside of an apple pie or strudel. This dish was packed with it - raisins, pineapple, mango - and it was very sweet. The chicken, what few pieces there was of it, was dried out and chewy. The rice wasn't bad and who doesn't like Naan bread? Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad: If you're looking for a healthy option on the menu you really can't go wrong with this one, just get it without the blue cheese dressing fat bomb. Sliced chicken breast, bacon, egg, tomato, cheese, pumpkin seeds and avocado. The veggies were fresh and crispy but, once again, they barely serve a half a chicken breast. I don't know what else to say that hasn't already been said. It's overpriced, it's a chain, the food is processed, loaded with sugar and salt, and the service is anemic. I'm happy to have chains like Bahama Breeze. They are great for helping me to realize how much I've grown to appreciate small, local eateries staffed with talented chefs that turn out inventive, dishes. We won't be back..ever.
(2)Amy H.
Our friend, Richard Maurer, is one of the rotating house bands at this location. He is a very talented musician who lives, eats, and breathes music. His percussionist stylings on the steel drum are worth a listen! We went to Bahama Breeze last Sunday to watch Richard play, and enjoy the company of friends and a tropical meal. The menu had an interesting variety of offerings that all looked so pretty in the pictures! My favorite bites were the fried yuca, tostones with chicken, my husband's empanadas, our dulce de leche cheesecake (big enough to share!), and their pineapple salsa. Flavor-wise, the food wasn't anything to write home about, but it was novel. The service and music were excellent.
(3)Adrianne S.
This is my favorite place to get a mojito if it is made by Lauren or Nicole!!! They are perfectly made to my taste. I definitely love their menu but o do come for happy hour regularly!!
(4)Gerri S.
Great first impressions---welcoming cantaloupe-orange and vanilla exterior surrounded by many colorful, healthy-looking, well-maintained outdoor plants and flowers. (If neglected, would have been a bad sign.) Inside, an inviting, up-beat, spacious, expected tropical-theme, with dimly lit and bright areas, and a variety of green plants clumped into groupings throughout. Other servers may be fine, but we lucked out with ASHLEY. Friendly, smiling, knowledgeable, and very likeable. Ask for her section, and see for yourself. (When we were ready to leave, she said she hoped we'd be back. "But only if YOU'LL be here." I answered. She giggled, then said to please ask for her.) If not famliar with Caribbean dishes, I'd suggest viewing their menu online before stopping in---unless you'll have time to take time. Many photos, too. We aren't familiar with "authentic"---except for the couple of times my husband brought wonderful Cuban sandwiches home from Puerto Rican business trips---so that's what we did. Their site also has a very helpful "All about Caribbean Cuisine" tab. Being new to this style---and looking forward to trying---unfortunately, we weren't transported to Nassau or Montego Bay. We were still in Beachwood, sitting in a booth. ... UNTIL tasting their luscious portobello sandwich. We were still here, but I think Bob Marley's ghost walked past our table. And the disappointments could have been our choices---some dishes might not be our "thing". You just might love it here---as many reviewers attest. ~~~~ JAMAICAN CHICKEN WINGS 1 star First time trying jerk. Whatever Jerk seasonings were used---apparently there are several variations per their website---the results didn't taste good. Very large, too. More like turkey wings. These are older, big chickens, which I feel are best used for slower stewing/braising along with other ingredients, which helps flavor elderly birds. Smaller, buffalo style, remain our preference. CONCH FRITTERS 1 star First time trying conch. Nice mild flavor, but if conch pieces were mixed into the batter, they weren't visible. Still don't know what conch tastes like---or maybe they taste like dough. Looked just like dough. Good dipping sauce. FISH TACOS 2.5 stars First time trying ANY fish taco. The flavor of the delicate mahi-mahi and other ingredients, were lost to the aggressive cilantro. The flour tortillas may have been just warmed up in preparation for filling, but had then cooled and firmed up. This method---inevitably---and anywhere, not just this restaurant---can end up chewing like cardboard, and tasting like it, too. When I prepare any dish using tortillas I either bake them along with the other ingredients, or fry them separately. Even though I'd expect these tacos to be much better with less cilantro and quickly deep-fried tortillas---for that crunchy/tender/blistered combination---we'll never become fans of fish tacos. We love fish and tortillas---just not together. SUN-DRENCHED PORTOBELLO & VEGETABLE SANDWICH, grilled 8 stars Excellent. Caramelized onions and slices of portobello, soft pickles, tomatoes, and lettuce, with a wonderful sauciness and flavor---probably the melted Manchego cheese. Heard of it, but never tasted Manchego until now---WOW. (I'm going to buy this cheese. Wish I knew the brand they use.) It also had asparagus spears, which weren't listed as an ingredient online. Cooked---but woody---so I removed them. The bread---hoagie-shaped and generously-sized---was perfectly pressed, having a crispy, toasted exterior. I definitely recommend it. And If meat or chicken is your preference, I'd ask for it on this sandwich, it was THAT good. If we ever return, I'd order it again. Until then, I plan to try making it myself, since I'm a lot closer to my kitchen than Beachwood. BEAN AND RICE BOWL SIDE 2.5 stars One of the choices offered with sandwiches. Basic beans and rice---which I like and have prepared myself, but with other ingredients added. Theirs had no discernible seasoning. BANANA NUT BREAD SUPREME 2.5 stars Nicely-flavored dessert. With a banana sliced in half lengthwise, vanilla ice cream, warm banana-nut bread, whipped cream, and hot butterscotch-brandy sauce. Bananas were too firm---hard to cut into with a spoon. Ask for a knife and fork---or it might land in your lap. Better yet, ask if they could saute the bananas to soften them. That would make it 3.5 stars.
(3)Ebony J.
Great service!! Food was good! Unclear pricing so minus one star. The orders came quick and the waiter was nice and handled our big party nicely.
(4)Alvin J.
I'm a huge fan of their happy hours special! Of course, their food is not as fresh as you think, but if you're craving a better option than Wendys or McDonalds, then this place isn't as bad. You have to be careful as well, I got my entree plate half-way done. How could you cook chicken half-way done? The manager on-site apologized for the mistake and comped the meal, however I wish they didn't make that mistake, so I could've enjoyed my meal. Will try my better luck next time.
(3)Ray F.
Well its popular! I mean I have gone twice both off day, weird hour, it was crowded both times. The mixed drinks are great!, the food is typical, nothing special, atmosphere is good. Staff was very nice, but spread too thin.
(3)Liz E.
Today was my first time ever eating here. Thw food was great! I always wondered and have heard of bahama breeze but where I live there isn't one close. I wish there was.. firdt of all our waitress was so sweet. She was telling us how they cook everything and how everything is fresh. And you can tell everything is! Everything is unique and different. I will be back and planned it already.
(5)Carolyn C.
I love the Beautiful Decor!!...The inside of this beautiful restaurant looks like you are actually in an establishment, on a Bahama Island...The Bar is gorgeous, as well. And they offer great Happy Hour portions and prices! I loved their Fish Tacos, seasoned rice, and Jerk Wings. I was surprised that they didn't offer more crab and lobster dishes, since a variety of seafood dishes are popular in the Bahamas. I have only been here once, but I will definitely come back! The staff was very friendly, attentive, and professional.
(4)Chrishana B.
Another food chain that tries way to hard and misses the point of the food by over doing it! I had to dumb down the food I ordered because everything was just overboard, for example they had to much stuff in one dish that took away from the flavor of the food and my server was slow and kept doing a disappearing act. I'm going back for happy hr so I'll update again. I've been to several location in GA but you just never know what your going to get. Not my favorite restaurant at all!
(3)Sharon K.
I was here with my friends about a month ago, and the atmosphere is very nice. I had a shrimp pasta with a pina colada and my friends enjoyed their entrees and appetizers. The pina colada was very dark rummy and alchoholish so if you like to taste the alcohol in your drink, this place is for you. That is not my preference. My shrimp pasta was very good. :) And this place has minute maid limeade :) and the server was very nice.
(3)Anand M.
Ambience is okay. Dim lighting. Big space. Big parking. Wooden tables with a slimy touch. Cocktails were unimpressive. Mojito was sweet and not refreshing. Pomegranate Cosmopolitan was ok. Chicken empadas were average. Hardly any chicken. The fire.. shrimp was good. West indies chicken curry was not good. Crab stack was good. It's cold cocktail dish. Service was mediocre.
(3)Charles C.
The butter fried chicken is excellent!
(4)Mark G.
Had the half price appetizers, sliders, chicken, carnitas, korean beef tacos, empanadas, and one more I cannot recall, kinda of a shrimp mango thing.....Anyways they were all really good, def got out money worth pretty big portions that we had enough to take home. I gave them to my brother and he really liked them as well. Didn't get to try any signature entrees, but based off of our appetizer sampling this place is pretty good.
(4)Tom D.
Now this place got everything right! From the outside and again on the inside - the entire place is quite interesting to look at - plenty of really cool spots to grab something to eat or just have a cold beer or an incredible specialty drink! The sitting areas are numerous and the menu is extensive, but no overwhelming. The prices are reasonable until you taste the food and then you realize the prices are incredible - well within our company policy. They also except credit cards! I'm not sure how "kid friendly" they are, but Renee - our server was on top of her game. She explained everything to us - made an outstanding recommendation and was right there with refills! There were two things I must comment on that prevented them from a 5 star - they were out of two different beers my colleague asked for and the head radiating from above cooked our head while my feet remained cold. Otherwise - this place was awesome! BTW - I had the steak, which was cooked perfectly - side of amazing mashed potatoes and stemmed broccoli that was cooked just right as well. Renee added some freshly ground Romano cheese to the broccoli that just added the right touch. ALSO - the house salad is a must try - best tasting salad I've had in a long time and remember - TOM HATES SALAD so when I like it - it's not just different - it's GREAT!
(4)Eugene T.
Went there with my wife and my 8 year-old. Menu is pretty big and have something for everyone, including a good size kids menu. Server was very accommodating as well with couple special requests and last minute change by my wife and I. Cilantro chicken was very good, so was their chowder (very filling), my son liked their burger and fries, nice touch with some fruit on the side. He also got a kick out of individual playing carriers drums. Good experience but does feel like chain restaurant.
(4)Steven T.
I've been here a couple times now. There isn't really anything terrible at the place. It's just a little pricey for what you get. Each time I walk out I think to myself, " Self, you could have done just as well somewhere else for half the price." Overall, I would say skip it and find something else to satiate your hunger.
(2)Shelly P.
This is our favorite restaurant!!! You can choose so many wonderful foods: Salmon prepared a selection of ways( other fish too) Coconut shrimp, wonderful: The best ribs in town: Sweet mashed potatos... Yummy Onion Rings to die for. All delicious veggies! Could go on and on !!! Try it... It's irresistible ! Drinks are great too! Go there!
(5)Tom L.
Overall, alright. I went here with two of my teammates and their families. We had an order of firecracker shrimp which was pretty good, big portion which was good. I had the pork rice bowl. Again, big portion. I was underwhelmed with the pork, it was pretty fatty and not very good, everything else in it was good though. Both of my teammates got the ribs and they both really liked theirs. My dad got the jerk chicken which was pretty good too. Our server was nice, a little on the slow side but it seemed like a lot of the staff weren't doing much. Good atmosphere, live steel drum guy and lots of seating so waits can't be that long. If you're into better quality food, head up to wasabi, but if not looking for family friendly or not very pricy, come on down
(3)Brian V.
Went for Happy hour. Good menu and prices. 1/2 off for apps. Beer selection was a little weak. Had the Buttermilk Chicken Sliders which were good. Flavorful chicken and a complimentary sauce. Pickles adding a nice zing to the overall taste. Also had Firecracker Shrimp. WOW!!!! This was what did it for me. Awesome flavor, great burst of peppery taste with the sauce. Nothing too hot but had just enough heat to enhance the shrimp. This is a must order when you go!!!!!!
(4)Joe F.
Been here a few times. Eating in is okay, the menu has some good stuff but its the food doesn't really merit the price point. On top of that, I feel like everyrime I go there there's a loud family nearby. The half priced appetizers during happy hour were a much more worthwhile visit, so 3 stars.
(3)Denise K.
Not bad for family dinner out. Tilapia was good, sides were decent. Drinks were ok. Will go back again.
(4)DevAna J.
Ended up here on a Saturday (2/21) night because everything else had a long wait list. We waited for about 10 minutes before getting a table. Which isn't bad for a weekend. It took the waiter about 15 minutes to get to our table then 15 more minutes to come back with waters. We ordered the spinach and artichoke dip. It was pretty decent. For our entrees we both ordered steaks. My boyfriend ordered the Steak Frittes and I ordered the Steak Churrasco. Our horrible HORRIBLE waiter completely forgot about our food so by the time it got to us it was completely cold. My rice was overcooked and the other sides were missing from the plate. My boyfriend's fries were completely rock hard and under seasoned. The worse part was the meat. They serve the lowest grade beef possible. Tasted like re-hydrated beef jerky. Our waiter once again disappeared for 30 minutes. I couldnt even finish my meal it was so disgusting. This may have been a direct result of having a bad service. The food may have been good if it were fresh from the kitchen. Maybe I will try again on a different and shift.
(1)Derek W.
Out of town for work & went with co-workers on the recommendation of someone from the local office. Wise choice! Solid atmosphere w/the island music & decor. We each did an appetizer - Conch Fritters, Empanadas, Ahi Tuna Stack & Yuca fries...each quite tasty. Dinner - one had the Buttermilk Fried Chicken, which was delicious w/nice crunch to the just about right coating of breading. One had the wood grilled chicken & seemed genuinely pleased. Another in the group had the Shrimp Creole which had a nice spice to it. I had the Carnitas bowl, which w/the combination of chorizo, sweet plantains, garbanzo beams & the cumin/citrus salsa was top notch. Not to mention that the depth of the bowl just seemed to keep going. Filling and delicious! Will definitely go again.
(4)Soly Z.
First of all, this place just couldn't seem to pick a type of food and stick with it. Is it a burger joint? An Italian eatery ? A Caribbean restaurant ? The menu is all over the place and the quality of the food is barely edible. There isn't much else that I can add that hasn't already been said about this place, but I certainly won't be back.
(2)Yvone R.
I always have great service when I come here, although my attendance is more like once a year! On this jaunt, we had fast and friendly service for a party of 7! We arrived just as they opened for lunch and was seated quickly with all of the day's specials explained. Drinks were quick to come and complete. Appetizers awesome and the meal can't be beat! The waiter was the best I've ever had and interacted with the boy better than anyone. I will be requesting him again!
(4)Kimberly C.
I always love any chance to go here. I love the coconut shrimp. Usually the staff is really nice and never really had any issues. The only down fall is that they handle big parties well. We were having a going away dinner for a friend and we call about a week before hand to make sure that they could handle a party of 28. We were told no problem, but when we got there, they were not ready for us. We had a total of 3 servers to waited on us. They were very nice and friendly. Which made up for the delay in getting our tables ready.
(4)Samantha S.
I wish i could give this a better review. Went here while in town, and because my boss was staying at the hotel next to it and was curious to what it was. There was an NBA playoff game that night, so we went in with the hopes of sitting at the bar and watching the game. Not that every restaurant needs to have tv's, but hey, if you have them.... great. We sat at the bar, and the game was on, the smallest TV i have ever seen at a bar. It was about the size of the security monitors some place off on their park ling lots. So, needless to say, we could see little, tiny guys running around but never could see the score. The server was super friendly, but they were super inattentive. Our food was just ok, nothing to write home about. I guess we were pushing closing time, because they started mopping behind the bar with that smelly mop water while we were still eating. Then we had to wait -- the longest wait-- was trying to get our check and pay to be able to leave. Not sure if I'd come here again. Unremarkable. Not what I remember from my youth..
(2)Allison L.
Waited over 30 minutes for meal, waiter was always within five feet of us (seemed creepy) and they don't even have tarter sauce! How do you serve fish and not have tarter sauce?!
(3)Leslie H.
Service was great. Our waitress was Courtney. She showed us her favorites and told us all about the menu. First time eating here. Portions were great took half home so that I could enjoy it the next day.
(5)Roger P.
Nice menu variety. Reasonably priced.
(3)dale v.
It was not bad but not great...shame ...I was hoping for better food ...stay away from the house salad...the dressing used was barely on it...bland taste too
(2)Marlene W.
My family and I love this place! We have always had wonderful meals and the atmosphere is so inviting! We especially love the coconut shrimp, rice and green beans - yum!
(5)robert b.
Delicious food at fair prices. The coconut shrimp is the best anywhere. It is offered as a combo with a side salad or soup, or as entire meal. The service is friendly and efficient. Good service is a real plus and the hostess and servers remember their past customers. This is a chain restaurant, but operates with independence, except for its chain menu.
(4)Ryan D.
At first the environment was good. They put us in the back of the bus where it was less lively and no one came to serve us till like 10 minutes after we seated. Waitress come up to ask if we were good as she was walking away at the same time." Bi***. No we ain't good no ones serving us or even brought us drinks " SHe says " oh im sorry what can I get you" apparently she don't know what table she serves. Got the food and the drinks were ok. Environment kinda sucked. Food was good. Service sucked. As we were walking out we see our waitress in the damn patio on the damn phone while her tables are waiting. Please fire her a$$.
(2)Mark C.
Great value here. Seated quickly, great and friendly service and good, casual food.
(4)Kyle K.
The service was pretty good, and the ambiance was nice, but what I didn't care for was the food itself. We ordered coconut shrimp as an appetizer, and thought it was very mediocre. The coconut shrimp at Outback blows these away. I ordered baby back ribs, and the wife ordered shrimp linguine. The ribs had a ton of fat, but my wife did like her dish. Would I go back? Maybe, but I've had so much better, and I hate spending money on something that doesn't wow me.
(2)Manoa H.
Friends of friends have dragged me here twice and twice too many times. Do yourself a favor and opt for something, ANYTHING else in Cleveland's diverse and lovely foodscape for your dining needs. Overpriced, mediocre to sub-par dorm-foodesque dishes, very slow service (despite hordes of wait staff milling about), garish decor and vibe, mostly classless clientele. In short, a fun-filled destination guaranteed to make you lose your boner. If Sizzler's were your penny-pinching old-school grandpa and Chili's your party-loving, alcoholic cousin, Bahama Breeze would be your cheesy, loud, annoying uncle who constantly cracks painfully unfunny jokes and wears cheap purple Hawaiian shirts that can't button over his gut so he leaves the last three buttons open. This would have been a 1.5 star review--all 1.5 stars for our very friendly and courteous server second time around who unfortunately, could not redeem all the negatives that made up the rest of the experience, including his much-to-be-asked-for follow-up time on drinks, food, etc. And the guy even drew crude little bahama seascapes on our to-go containers, for chrissakes. The only items I've had that could have been categorized as fairly good are the fresh-squeezed lemonade and some of the appetizers (quesadilla and butterfly shrimp). But then again, if you mess up quesadillas and butterfly shrimp, that basically means you don't know how to operate a toaster oven. Everyone loves to rave about their signature Jerk Chicken Pasta dish--a palatable but unexceptional mixture of pasta, chicken, a miserly pinch of asparagus bits (more stalk than tips) in a white cream sauce. I suppose if you were to pick something every time, that'd be a safe bet. The second time around, I got the Calypso Shrimp Linguine--what a mistake. Don't be fooled by the menu descriptor's alluring promises of scallions and garlic. In fact, don't be fooled by their alluring promises of shrimp. Instead, be prepared for a one-dimensional, salt-flavored pile of pasta swimming in balls of bland, fishy-textured meat molded in the shape of shrimp. It was as if their shrimp--and there was a huge portion of it--were frozen, defrosted, frozen, and defrosted again to the point that it had almost no shrimp flavor left and only a strange, slightly crunchy texture. Unless you're a huge fan of consistently subpar-to-mediocre faintly starchy cuisine reminiscent of dorm food and waiting at least 20 minutes to get your drink refilled, the Breeze ain't for you. However, if you're ever stranded at Bahama Breeze, you'll probably be safe with appetizers and maybe drinks (which run on the strong side; mojitos will disappoint).
(1)Matthew M.
If I never have to step foot in another Darden Restaurant ever again, my culinary life would be so much more diverse. My palate would be much happier too. But shamefully, I have been sucked into the Breeze a few times too many, but not without protest I must add! [Chain Restaurant Rant] For some odd reason, way too many people find these places appealing. Typical Darden Restaurants and most other big fancy-schmancy chains are propped up in mass trafficked, comfortable, suburban safe zones. The buildings that these restaurants are housed in are often made to project an elaborate architectural structure meant to impress. (I'm talking to you too Cheesecake Factory). It's almost as if to trick those who don't know any better into thinking what they are about to enter into is the pinnacle of a all dinning destinations. What many fail to realize though is that these chains lack soul, character, authenticity and a sense of local community. Atlas, I struggle to find the appeal that so many others seem to be drawn to. [/Chain Restaurant Rant] Whether it's the convenient locale or the familiarity of a chain, I've been invited to Bahama Breeze to meet with friends and family of mine on a few occasions. The wait on the weekend is usually unbearable. The sounds of the faux steel drum island beats in the background is corny as hell. To help temper the pain, my first order of business upon entering this torture chamber is to get nice and liqueured up and as fast as possible. Unfortunately for me, there's not much variety on the beer & wine list, which consists mostly of boring domestics and a nifty house beer called "Aruba Red" (I bet whoever thought of that name thought they were a freakin' genius!). I hate to burst their bubble though, but Aruba Red tastes like any other boring domestic lager, but with red food coloring. Blach! On a more positive note, I've been told the Mojito's were good, but I can't vouch for those either. As for the menu, it consists of uninspiring interpretations of Americanized Caribbean food. A starch with pineapple or corn salsa dumped on top seems to fit their idea of "Caribbean", while other dishes consist mostly of salt, lots and lots of iodized salt! I typically play it safe and choke down the Cuban Sandwich. Why the two stars? The majority of my friends and family seem perfectly happy after a night out here and when they're happy, so am I. The second because without boring chains, I wouldn't have nearly the appreciation I do for the local joints.
(2)Kristin R.
I went for mother's day dinner..it was crowded which was expected so that wasn't an issue. But I believed the cooks we're overwhelmed withe the crowd and serving not so tasty food. I ordered the buttermilk chicken and mash dinner disappointed it was salty and cold. Thought I would have better luck with the banana supreme...the presentation was so unappealing and thrown together...overrun was soup like it was sitting for awhile... I'm never going back
(1)Tina C.
Sometime the food is good and sometime not so. Very inconsistent. Same for the lemonade. Although the Jamaican wing is always good, that's what we usually go there for. Pricing is very reasonable. Funny looking Jamaican decor.
(3)Amy T.
Bahama Breeze is an overpriced chain food restaurant with a tiny dining area. Their wrap around porch is pretty sweet, except they totally built a tiny dining area to force you to wait for over an hour on the porch buying expensive syrupy cocktails. The best part: the porch overlooks the parking lot that is I-271.
(2)Sara C.
"The menu here is very different from BB's around the country. Less of a Caribbean food selection on the menu. However, their new wood fired chicken sandwich on naan was delicious!"
(3)Pati R.
Good drinks, good food, extremely slow service. It took 20 minutes to get a glass of water and we were seated by a group with a screaming child, very annoying
(3)Mike N.
Menu has changed. Less Caribbean flavors, more mainstream. Food well prepared, generous portions. Good experience, but not as great as it once was
(3)Aaron C.
Recently in the area for an ultimate frisbee tournament, a teammate got this recommendation from their hotel. We came in with a group of 14 and were surprisingly sat within 10 minutes in this great private room. The service was friendly and fast, despite the large group we were with. The atmosphere was fun and friendly - typical of bigger family restaurants. The food was good; no one at our table seemed to have any complaints about their choices. Overall, a decent restaurant. If you're at one of the hotels in the area and want a good spot for a large group, Bahama Breeze is a decent bet.
(3)Ben H.
I can't think of a reason to back to this place. I wouldn't go back on my own, wouldn't recommend it to anyone & would suggest an alternative if it was suggested. The only reason it's not a 1 is that the waitress was great. All the entrees were overpriced & my jalapeno grits tasted like a bland bowl of cream-of-wheat. The food wasn't rancid & the environment was standard chain issue, but I can't recommend this place - go to a steakhouse if you're going to spend $20-25 a plate.
(2)Bryan S.
The worst... Just because you have the recipe does not mean you can make it right. The paella was a joke it was more like mushy rice soup, could not tell diff. between any of the seafood, not to mention what they called sausage is more like pepperoni slices.
(1)Scott G.
Eh, I've had a lot better food at other chain restaurants in the area. See, the problem here is that all of the food is simply reheated rather than cooked on location. I asked that they hold the zucchini on my veggie sandwich at lunch- the server said they couldn't because it is what comes in the bag. Now, I know that a lot of chain restaurants get their food delivered in bags, but don't tell me about it. Just say that it is premixed or something. Keep me in my ignorant bliss for just a few minutes. But, that does speak volumes about the wait staff. They are never very good at this location. When you sit at the bar during lunch, you can hear them all complaining about everything from customers to the manager. For the price, you can do much better in the area- there's about 100 restaurants within 5 miles of this joint.
(2)Shane C.
Can't go wrong with the Calypso Shrimp and Mojito Cubano! Huge portions seasoned to perfection. Service was great and food served extremely quick!
(4)Tim M.
Good food and good service
(4)Megan T.
This past weekend we tried to attend a birthday party down the street at Paladar but due to poor management there, we found ourselves not receiving service or locating an empty seat so we headed down the street to Bahama Breeze. The manager quickly welcomed our group of nearly 20 with open arms and fast service for drinks, appetizers and desserts. He was a big part of the reason that our night was salvaged. Thanks so much, guys!
(4)Jeff K.
After a long day at work, what could be better than a stop at a cool carribean-themed restaurant where the food is yummy and the tropical drinks flow like water. Sounds great huh? Well, you will not find that wonderful theme played out at this location. I sat down at the bar and asked if there were any happy hour specials. There were no happy hour specials. Actually, no happy hour at all. OK, No big deal. Let's just get some food and a drink and move onto the good part! Wait, what is that smell all around the bar area? It smells like the first wash sink behind the bar minus the hourly water replacement to make it not smell like Donkey Ass. I am not trying to be funny, it was that bad. OK, No big deal. Let's move onto the good part? I ordered the Seafood chowder and an Oak Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Bacon and some pepper-jack cheese. Throw some fries on the side and get me a Pop because the Tropical Beverages are so overpriced. I can't wait! The Soup arrived in a bowl on a plate that was so overheated in the microwave that I couldn't eat it without a healthy cooling. There were small bubbles along the edge of the bowl. Never seen that before but anyways, who cares...the good part is coming, right? The "Oak" grilled sandwich lacked any actual oak flavor and looking back in the kitchen, there was no actual oak fires, unless blue natural gas flame counts. The Chicken Breast, minus Oak flavor or any Grill Lines whatsoever, was placed on one of those thin square buns that fell apart within the first 4-5 bites. No problem, I grabbed my fork and dug back into that grease soaked piece of bun. Certainly the service is the good part, right? Well, if being called "honey" every time you are addressed by an interesting mid 20's blond haired girl, who looks like a mix of Olivia Newton-John/ Bewitched/ Roseanne Barr, then this is the place for you. Oh, the dumb elitist business guys calling their wives idiots and using the F Word every other word was a nice touch. Way to go "Bahama Breeze", you thoroughly creeped me out!
(1)D I.
Been here twice now, and had two decent meals. Everything tasted good both times. Just recently had the fish tacos. They weren't the best I've ever had, but the tilapia was cooked well and they had fresh toppings on them. So, uh yeah, it's good.
(3)Akhilesh R.
We planned to go to PF Chang but did not want to wait an hour to be seated. Stopped by Bahama breeze and were seated immediately. The reason being the size and seating capacity is easily twice as big as the former. I had been to Bahamas breeze in Memphis in 2006 and had the artery clogging humongous onion rings. The chicken kabobs were bland. Never went back. Now it looks like some of the menu is new. more chicken options. They have a great drinks menu. This time we ordered the buttermilk chicken and the chicken Santiago. Both dishes were delicious. Santiago chicken comes in a calorie conscious size. The red pepper sauce tastes so good. For drinks the parrot punch was on the sweeter side, the blue carcau margarita on the rocks was slightly salty... Both drinks tasted good. Service was little rushed. Ambiance is as usual. I would definitely revisit.
(4)Brittaney S.
My favorite restaurant! They closed the one in Cincinnati so anytime I have a chance to go to Cleveland I jump on it.
(5)Daniel Z.
My school group and I found this place after asking the desk clerk at our hotel. Man was it good. The atmosphere is great, it's Carribean themed. For dinner I ordered the blackened chicken pasta which was very tasty and a slice of key lime pie for dessert. Yes, it's a chain but it is one of the better ones out there. Check it out if you are in the Cleveland area.
(4)Kerri M.
First time ever to Bahama Breeze. I had the snapper shrimp saute and my husband had the sirloin with cheese and poblano peppers. We all loved our food. We also had the dynamite shrimp and empanadas for appetizers, again very good. We went on a Saturday night and we had to wait over an hour. So be prepared to wait if you go on the weekend. The server was attentive and friendly. Overall a good experience.
(4)Sean C.
I stayed next door at the Hampton Inn & Suites for three nights during the week. I ended up at Bahama Breeze on two occasions. Once was for lunch. The restaurant is HUGE but not overly noisy when busy, and the design of the restaurant is very appealing, giving you a hint of the islands. The staff was really friendly especially my waiter, Cory. He was extremely outgoing and went out of his way to make sure everything was to my satisfaction even though I was only having a salad and a lemonade. By the way, their lemonade is excellent! However, I couldn't give them more than two stars as I took an associate there for the late night happy hour a day later and the place seemed to have done a complete 180. The staff looked like they had been put through the wringer! Not a single one of them looked happy to be there, no smiles, no pleasantries, nothing, except for Cory, or course, who was still wisking around with a smile on his face! The food and drinks were OK, nothing special. The worst was the BATHROOM! It looked like nobody had come in to clean all day. Paper towels were overflowing the trash and scattered all over the floor. A fowl odor emanated, stains on the floor and walls, and the sink hardware looked like it had seen much better days. Oh boy, this place gave me high hopes at first but it let me down. I let the hotel staff know as well so they think twice about sending guest over there, especially during happy hours!
(2)Rick A.
Buttermilk chicken is outstanding. I mean comfort food at its finest. The crab, shrimp, mango avocado stack is great. The chicken kabobs are really nice but kind of plain. Something about their yellow rice is quite tasty. The lobster and shrimp linguine is a huge portion and the brandy cream sauce is sweet and finishes well. Their tomato salad is great. I always get the Lemon Breeze lemonade drink here too. Chocolate Island makes a great ending.
(4)Mike M.
For a chain, it was fine. I was here for business and staying up the street. We were seated right away, and the service was quick. Our waitress was a little strange and over-friendly. I had the chicken with cilantro crema. It was better than I was expecting, but not spectacular. If you need something cheap and fast, this place is fine.
(3)Wilkin S.
Good food, lot of space and parking. Good servers.
(4)Kerensa B.
Okay food. Nice drinks. I was rather underwhelmed by the bland food, considering it is a caribbean restaurant, and should have had at least some spice, it almost feels like they watered it down for the midwestern palate, because it didn't really taste like anything different. The servers are friendly but don't show up too often, and the presentation (or whatever you call it when the dressing only coats half your salad and food is sloshed around on the plate) is somewhat lacking. I may go back, to give it a second chance, and also because it's the closest thing to Kaya (a super excellent caribbean restaurnant in the strip in pittsburgh that i miss and would almost drive 2.5 hours just to visit).
(3)Luis T.
This place is like a high end Applebees and trust me your wallet will feel it the day after, food was really good service was fast and I feel good there. One complain was the waiting time to be seated probably half an hour another will be that our appetizers arrived at the same time everything else but good thing was we did not have to pay for it which is the right thing to do for management when they screw up nice touch there and probably the reason for the four star rating.
(4)Gen P.
This was my second time around and I ordered the same appetizer as I did the first time because it was so good. The crab, shrimp, avocado and mango salsa stack. This is a wonderful glorified shrimp cocktail. Fairly fresh seafood (It means alot for me to say that because I'm from Van where fresh seafood is in abundance and anything but uber fresh is yeck) piled into a lovely cylinder with a generous drizzle of spicy red cocktail sauce on the plate. Perfect combination and balance of flavours in my book. As for my main, I ordered the lobster and shrimp linguine. This was alright. Nothing spectacular in terms of flavour, however, the portion was generous. I ended up picking off hubby's plate who got salmon with a side of cinnamon mashed sweet potatoes and fried plantains. I ate at least half of his sides! I like this place mostly b/c they use alot of fruit flavours such as mango's and bananas in their dishes and well, anything with fruit in it I pretty much love. So needless to say my review on this might be a bit biased based on that fact alone. =) Don't know how Caribbean this place really is as I've only been to the Caribbean itself twice and that was on a cruise ship, so I'll let other more experienced Caribbean food eaters give you a rundown of its authenticity.
(4)Kevin N.
I know this place is a chain, but since this is the only one I've ever been to, it's new to me. The waiters were good, and the menu very interesting. What sticks out is the goat cheese appetizer that is served in the roasted red pepper terrines. Now, don't be like a lot of people and not eat the pepper terrine, they are fantastic. Seriously, the best thing on the menu that I have tried. I think this would be a great place for a happy hour, assuming your work lies anywhere near this remote location on I-271.
(4)