Mango Mike's, Alexandria

Like other customers, we were looking for a restaurant near our hotel and with some good menu items to offer. We looked through the local papers and magazines for the restaurant guides in Alexandria. Mango Mikes was one of the top picks. Problem: Atmosphere and fish tanks and decorations does not make a restaurant good. $17 a menu item average does not make a good restaurant. Entrée items that are under seasoned (your are a Caribbean theme restaurant) and seafood that is not fresh (shrimp kabobs on sugar cane sticks, check the smell of the shrimp) does not make a good restaurant. Goodies: Drink selection and appetizers. The BBQ nachos were very well done and huge, and the fried plantains were good. Wait staff was good. Finally: When choosing a restaurant, look at the customers inside. Like finding an apartment, the crowd will let you know about the food. Younger suburbanites, drink spot, ands specials. Families, once a month attempt to try something different but safe. 26-40 something couples, safe date spot where you will not be distracted by eye candy. Lastly, locals of all kinds, good spot period. Mango Mike’s is a safe spot for people how are trying something different but do not want the true flavor of the theme the restaurant is trying to portray. My bill was $70 and change for drinks, apps, and entrées with extra plantains. Only finished the drinks and Apps. Do not be scared of flavor. Stop giving restaurants “WITH FLARE” high ratings when the food is truly sub par. Stop the madness. Insult to injury: Had to go to McD’s afterwords to try to fill up.

We are from MD and just happened to stumble on this. Wish we had stumbled elsewhere. The atmosphere was nice and the service as far as the host seating us and the waitress taking our order was fine (all within 10-15 minutes), but we waited for over 35 minutes for our food. I finally asked the waitress to check on it. Don't know if the cook was slow or if the waitress just forgot about it. Whatever the case, it didn't matter; the food was awful. The ribs and chicken had no flavor and the beans were watered down and bland. We boxed up the food for the dog and left. We won't be back. By the way, we haven't been able to find the dog since .

I’ve been to Mango’s the past two Saturdays and had a much better time. There’s no more smoking in the building and they changed the music format… there are bands instead of a DJ’s… HUGE IMPROVEMENT! This past Saturday six of us met for a quick dinner in the dining room (the service was good, the food was great), then stayed a few more hours at the bar. My friends and I have always liked Mango’s for dinner, brunch and happy hours, but rarely stayed past 10… I guess we will now. It’s also easier to meet up with a group of people since there’s a bunch of parking. Regarding food, it’s some of the best seafood in the area. The sauces in their dishes have a great homemade flavor... much better than the area’s chains. This place works well because some of my friends are seafood haters, but there’s still a bunch of other stuff they always seem happy with. Regarding the drinks… I’m more of a beer and shot person, but I’ve tasted some of the specialty drinks and they were pretty good. Bottom line… I like going to Mango’s now and would bring anyone there.

I don't want to get too wordy here, but Mango's has undergone a face-lift and is even better then before! Friday and Saturday nights its all live music (rock). There's even plans to bring karaoke on Sundays! Of course, there's still the same awesome food menu. Recommendations: The Cheeseburger in Mango-Land is probably the best burger I've ever had. Keep your Five-Guys, I'll take a Mango's burger any day! Also, the Chucho's Fish Tacos, and the Coco-Loco-Nut Shrimp are awesome! If you haven't been here, or have been gone for a while, you really need to come in and enjoy this great establishment!

My involvment with Mango Mike's Alexandria is that of a regular customer. If you haven't been by Mango Mike's recently, and think you know it, you owe it to yourself for another visit or visits, as when you go will determine which face of Mango Mike's you see. First, you've got a literally different atmosphere. Mango's is the first large West End Alexandria restaurant to go smoke free (starting Feb 14, 2009). They've combined this with a power wash and minor face lift. Sunday brunch still consists of an all-you-can east buffet with made to order omelets, waffles and pasta, accompanied by live steel drum music. The dinner menu has been updated and includes island and Louisiana themed dishes. They also now have live music three nights per week (trop rock on Wednesday, acoustic rock on Friday and full bands on Saturday), as well as the steel drums for Sunday Brunch. For the Parrot Heads in the crowd, and for those wondering what all those people wearing tropical/Hawaiian shirts are doing in the bar, Mango's is a normal social phlocking location for the Washington Area Parrot Head Club (first Wednesday of each month, accompanied by live trop rock) (Disclaimer: I am a member of the WAPHC). While no place is completely free of problems, I find the management and staff of Mango Mike's Alexandria to be constantly trying to deliver a quality dining experience for the price and always looking to improve. Overall, a very pleasant family-friendly experience.

This place is woeful. The food and service are so bad I felt I had to warn people. I've never written a review online and hate having to criticize and independent but the food was abysmal! I had a jambalaya which consisted of three shrimps! My colleague had pork which was obviously from the evening before and another had the mixed grill which consisted of half a plate of uncooked green beans. When we questioned the awful standard of food the waitress shrugged her shoulder's and walked away. I give this place six months

Love the atmosphere and the server was best I seen in this area & price point for a long, long time. Well, I got the seafood and lobster special last night and so did someone else in my group - the dish would have been great; EXCEPT for the lobster - over-cooked,tough, tasteless (if it had been cooked right I would still not be thrilled with the portion of lobster in the dish... maybe it was overcooked because it was so small). Anyway it really brought the dish down to disappointing. A smart person in the kitchen would have removed lobster from the special and reduced the price.

I ate here with a friend a few weeks ago. The food and service was good. Can't think of any complaints.

Mango mikes is a great alexandria addition-love the prok chops--the drinks area little weak and the app. selections needs a little work, but all and all its nice.