Bodega on Central — Restaurant in Saint Petersburg

Yearning for the Old Days

This was our first visit to their new location and we ate inside at the counter. In the past we’ve always had sandwiches. Now, at dinner, we went for a bigger meal. We started with a couple of cocktails. The Paloma was fine, but a little heavy on the club soda. The Gimlet was not so good. Gimlets are typically served straight up and don’t have club soda in them. This was served over ice and had a bunch of club soda which watered down the drink. I should have complained, but the server seemed to be a bit out of it and had trouble remembering anything that we said. Service was pretty spotty throughout our meal.

We had a chopped Romaine salad with chicken. It was quite large and pretty good. But only the lettuce was chopped. Everything else was very large and hard to eat. We got a second plate so that we could put half of the salad on it and manage to cut the salad without it pouring over the edge.

We also got the Lechon Plato. Again, the serving was large and it was all pretty good. I had to cut off a fair bit of fat. The rice was good and the Jicama slaw was OK, but a little bland.

We had a couple of café con leche after the meal. I felt like they were very overpriced at $6.00 for a small cup.

Speaking of prices, the menu posted on their own website is significantly out of date. The price for the café con leche on the website is only $2.75. I can understand if the price is 10-20% off. But the actual price was over 100% higher. Most other menu items were about 40% higher than on the website.

I get the general sense that owner/managers are on coast here. My next visit will be for a Cuban sandwich, and I’ll eat it outside. ...

I have eaten at Bodega a few times before and have loved it! The food is very good! I have made a few special trips here just for their vegetable sandwich. Last night I brought guests with me. My daughter and 3 granddaughters age 4,5,10. I ordered the vegetable sandwich I’ve been craving as well as several other items for my family. One of the kids wanted only rice & beans, so in ordering my sandwich I was asked if I wanted a platter. I asked did that come with rice & beans? Answer yes. So I our food arrives and it’s a platter is with rice & beans and plantain but no sandwich. Just two pieces of tofu. I ask a server to please swap it out, and soon after I receive the sandwich only, no beans, no rice. I eventually get the attention of another server and ask for a “small portion” of rice and beans for my grand daughter. And was rudely told you have to go pay for it! Honestly if the line was shorter I would have just paid for an additional side of rice & beans but the child was hungry and crying at this point because the rest of the kids were almost done eating. So, once again I attempt to get the side items I had already paid for. One woman was very understanding and helpful and trying to get a small portion of rice and beans for my grand daughter. She came out of the kitchen slightly flustered with no rice and beans. Another young man came out and told me the Chef & manager REFUSED to provide my side of rice and beans, without ordering again. . Remember, I had already paid the platter price, yet only received the sandwich. And we’re talking RICE & BEANS for a child! Unbelievable! Food is great, customer service and management needs help. We...

I gave three stars because I know the Cuban sandwich has total potential to be better”” not that it wasn’t filling because it certainly was! It was packed with real roast pork, a slice of ham with the usual! However plentiful it lacked any flavor whatsoever! Yes’ completely bland without the slightest hint of any real bodega seasonings NOTHING! I was recommended to come here and must say the sandwich was just ok! The bread was very fresh as well as all of the ingredients but just lacked any flavor to the point where it disappointed me! I did also order fries which were delicious and fresh cut with sea salt’ a pinch of that salt used on the fries could’ve helped that pork along with some other spices! I’m so mad because I wanted that authentic flavor found especially at a bodega called bodega! I paid around $25 with tip for the pair! Just wasn’t pleased, nothing to write home to mama about! The guy at the counter was nice and a people person! I took the food to go or else I would’ve shared my displeasure in hopes for change when I return so I’m hoping management reads this! That sandwich could be so much better if you’d just season that pork, I cannot stress it enough! The cost of the sandwich is understood for the area but $6 fries is a bit much or sell the sandwich with side and make the same amount of money without it looking like robbery! Needless to say I’ll be back and hope for a change! If I find said change I will come back and update my review!...