Bayside Marketplace

Bayside Marketplace on Biscayne Blvd is a colorful, bustling, fun place to go in Miami, FL.  It is a great place for tourists and locals to get a feel for Miami and enjoy the natural beauty of the bay.  Bayside is an outdoor mall with many restaurants and tourist attractions.  The mall houses popular shops such as Gap, Bebe, Cache,  Bath and Body Works, Brookstone, Champs, Claire's, Express, Disney Store, Foot Locker, GNC, Guess, Sunglass Hut, Skechers, Perfumania, and more.  There are many local specialty shops as well.  Some of the restaurants at Bayside are: Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, Cajun Grill, Fat Tuesday, Hard Rock Cafe, Hooters, Largo Seafood & Grill, Latin American Cafe,  Los Ranchos, Starbucks, The Knife and Tradewinds Bar & Grill.  (For a complete directory of shops, services and restaurants please visit the Bayside Marketplace link above.)
We spent the day in the area because my children had a fundraiser at the American Airlines Arena.  Later we had tickets to attend the Heat basketball game.  We were able to leisurely enjoy Bayside, which we hadn't done in a long time.  Miami is a great place to visit as a tourist.  We have many beautiful sights to enjoy and a huge variety of things to do.
There are several charter boats that leave from Bayside as well as party boats and tours of the celebrity homes in the area.
I recommend any of those activities.  It's always fun to go out on a boat on Biscayne Bay and as a bonus you get a gorgeous view of Miami from the bay.
We dined at the Tradewinds Bar and Grill overlooking the marina.  Although the temperature in Miami is rising and the days are no longer cool, we had a nice breeze in the restaurant terrace.  They can accommodate small or large groups and they have several lounging areas with large, comfy shairs and TVs.  Our meal was okay.  I tasted a friend's tuna appetizer and had a few conch fritters and a bit of my husband's Shrimp Scampi.  The best tasting dish was the Shrimp Scampi.  The ambiance was delightful.  All in all, a very enjoyable experience.  I recommend several visits to Bayside while in Miami.

Bongos Cuban Cafe



Bongos, a large vibrant restaurant in downtown Miami is located steps from Bayside Marketplace at the American Airlines Arena. Owned by Cuban-American singer, Gloria Estefan and her husband Emilio, they serve authentic Cuban cuisine.

There’s always a party going on in this exciting, colorful restaurant/lounge. Bongos is decorated with a tropical flair and has multiple areas to dine, lounge and even dance. It’s a restaurant by day and dance club at night.

Although I love Cuban cuisine, nice, upscale Cuban restaurants are not common. Bongos breaks that mold. The restaurant is tastefully decorated and energetic. The large terrace outside is inviting and fantastic with views of the city and Biscayne Bay.

This place is huge with over 16,000 sq. ft. to enjoy. They can accommodate large groups, and host many international and special events.

The food’s good too! But a word of warning, avoid going on a day when there is an event at the American Airlines Arena, such as a Miami Heat basketball game (unless you are attending the event). They offer a special, extremely limited, overpriced menu on these days. They seem to have these “specials” prepared ahead of time so they can rush them out quickly. They also offer a buffet with more choices for $25.00 per person. 

We opted for meals from the menu. We ordered an appetizer of tostones rellenos (plantains stuffed with ground beef or shrimp) for our entrees we shared chicharrones de pollo (fried chicken) with rice and beans and maduros. I thought the chicharrones were delicious. My daughter had a different opinion. She is a very finicky eater and was not amused by the mojito they used to season it. For non-finicky eaters, it’s a wonderful choice.

                                                                                                                  

Try this fabulous restaurant/club you will love it!!!

http://www.bongoscubancafe.com/




 
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