This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Bahama Breeze. All opinions are 100% mine.

Last month I told you about Bahama Breeze Viva La Rita celebration, which kicked off on National Margarita Day. Huge congrats to Amanda S, who won the $100 giftcard giveaway in that post! Enjoy using it for your own trip to Bahama Breeze for the Viva La ‘Rita celebration!

This past Friday night, Sal and I had a chance to visit Bahama Breeze and check out all the excitement ourselves! Our local Bahama Breeze is about an hour away, so I’ve never been there before. I’ve seen reviews on other blogs and always wanted to go. The Viva La ‘Rita celebration seemed like the perfect time to check it out!

Since half the excitement happens on a Friday night, we decided that would be the best time to go as newbies. During the Viva La ‘Rita celebration, Bahama Breeze features live music on Friday nights. We actually made good time because everyone all the weekenders were coming out of New Jersey and INTO the Poconos as we were going in!

A Taste of the Islands at Bahama Breeze

While we were waiting to be seated (Bahama Breeze was hopping on Friday night!), we checked out the menus and enjoyed the festive atmosphere. Sal saw this sign and knew what he wanted to drink right away:

We caught a glimpse of this cool human lime strolling around, so I insisted Sal pose for a shot. I think it’s a lime, anyway. Sal said he might be a pepper. Whatever fruit or veggie he is, he was really fun! Plus it makes a great memento from the visit. We sat down and ordered drinks first. Our awesome waitress, Melanie, explained everything on the menu and told us about the different margaritas, including their special Viva la ‘Rita creations.

Sal stuck with his decision for The Ultimate Margarita he saw on the sign. You really can’t go wrong with anything that has “ultimate” in the name! Check out the cool ice shot glass in the middle! I had a Virgin Bahamarita. I’ve been battling a cold, so I was trying to avoid too much alcohol. I did taste Sal’s though! I’m usually a fruity beverage type of girl, but I have to say, I was super impressed with how smooth the Ultimate Margarita tasted! As for the rest of the night, the Virgin Bahamarita was so delicious, I didn’t feel deprived at all! Plus it’s just beautiful! For appetizers, I absolutely insist that EVERYONE try the Breeze Cheese Bites. Get them while you can, they’re a limited item! I’ve never had a bite of cheesy goodness that was so delicious! The cilantro cream dipping sauce- oh my goodness. What is this sorcery? I NEED gallons of this stuff! They HAVE to open up a shop and sell it! I’ve NEVER had cilantro before because I’m so picky, but since they put it next to cheese bites, I tried it. Bahama Breeze did the impossible- they got me to eat green food AND fall passionately in love with it. I could write an entire post just on that dipping sauce. I’m going to be honest, I usually eat the most boring thing on the menu. I’m so picky and like very few foods combined together. I almost always ask the chef to remove at least one thing from the dish as its written on the menu. One combo I do like: corn, mashed potatoes and cheese. Bahama Breeze has this AMAZING dish: Grilled Chicken with Cilantro-Crema. They take hand-mashed potatoes and roasted corn, then top it with three melted cheeses and drizzle it with cilantro-crema sauce. The chicken is grilled and braised with I don’t know what, but it was SPECTACULAR. I got it exactly as is and just couldn’t stop eating it! Sal got the Coconut Shrimp, which he said he was thinking about all week and was so happy to see on the menu. We really enjoyed eating to the sound of live island-themed music and a festive, fun atmosphere.

I so wanted to try the Chocolate Island for dessert, but honestly, I couldn’t eat another bite after all that deliciousness! I will definitely make the trip back to Bahama Breeze in the future! Both Sal and I loved their food and atmosphere. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful. Our waitress was among the best I’ve ever encountered. The entire experience was just fantastic. Definitely worth the drive!

Ready to join the celebration? Head out to Bahama Breeze between now and Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) and #VivaLaRita! While the food and service is amazing anytime, remember that Friday nights feature live music! Consider making reservations ahead of time. As I said, the place was hopping!

Have you ever been to Bahama Breeze? What would you order?