Bayamo by Ocean Blue

The Logbook — Real Guest Soundings

Depth Sounding: This is a composite account from multiple guest experiences, edited to our venue standards for clarity. Individual sailings vary by ship, itinerary, and crew.

Bayamo Review: NCL's Latin Kitchen Hits More Than It Misses

Introduction. Bayamo is NCL's Latin American specialty restaurant, found on Norwegian Escape and select ships. It draws from Cuban, Mexican, and broader Caribbean flavors with a specialty dining surcharge ($25-35 or a dining credit from Free at Sea). The menu leans heavily on bold spices, grilled meats, and seafood with tropical fruit accents. Reservations are recommended.

Food & Drinks

The Empanadas de Carne are the best starter — flaky pastry, well-seasoned beef, chimichurri that actually has bite. The Ceviche is fresh and bright, with proper acid balance and a nice kick of habanero. For mains, the Churrasco Steak is the star: a beautifully charred skirt steak with plantain chips and a cilantro-lime sauce that brings everything together. The Ropa Vieja is tender and flavorful — slow-braised beef in a tomato sofrito that tastes authentically Cuban. Where it falls short: the Arroz con Pollo is surprisingly bland for a Latin kitchen — it needs more seasoning and the rice can be overcooked. The fish tacos feel like they belong at a pool bar, not a specialty restaurant. Dessert-wise, the Tres Leches cake is a must — moist, not too sweet, with a caramel drizzle that elevates it. The Churros are crispy but come with a generic chocolate sauce that doesn't match the kitchen's ambition elsewhere.

Service

Service is warm and well-paced. Waitstaff know the menu and can guide you toward the stronger dishes. They're also honest about portion sizes, which helps avoid over-ordering. The sommelier pairing (Latin wines, a few solid Malbecs) is worth exploring. Expect 90 minutes for a full dinner. The only issue is inconsistency across sailings — one cruise might have a kitchen firing on all cylinders, the next might feel slightly rushed.

Atmosphere

The dining room has a lively, colorful aesthetic — warm oranges, exposed brick touches, Latin music at a level that adds energy without drowning conversation. It feels festive without being theme-park. On Escape, the location is in the restaurant row on Deck 8, which concentrates the specialty dining crowd and gives the whole area a buzzy, going-out-to-dinner feel.

Conclusion

Rating: 3.9/5. Bayamo delivers bold Latin flavors with genuine highlights — the Churrasco and Empanadas are specialty-dining worthy, and the Tres Leches is one of the best desserts in the NCL fleet. It loses points for the bland Arroz con Pollo and inconsistent execution across sailings. Tip: Use your Free at Sea dining credit here — it's a better value than many other specialty options, and order the Churrasco medium-rare.

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