El Bumangues

A Must-Try Colombian Spot in South San Jose! If you haven't been to this Colombian restaurant yet, make it a priority! The glowing Yelp reviews are spot on, and I highly recommend checking it out.My family and I visited for the first time on Friday night for Valentine's Day. We arrived around 6:45 PM and had no trouble getting a table, but by the time we left at 8 PM, the place was packed--so plan accordingly! The menu offers a variety of Colombian-style hamburgers, hot dogs, plates, and appetizers. As others have mentioned, not all staff members may speak English fluently, but they are incredibly friendly. A little patience--or even some basic Spanish--goes a long way!We started with the chicharrones and elotes as appetizers, followed by three different burgers. To drink, we had a Colombian Michelada and a Poker Colombian beer--both excellent choices. The food was flavorful and well-prepared, and the restaurant had a lively atmosphere, with reggaeton music videos playing on the TVs. A thoughtful touch: before we left, they surprised us with complimentary mini cupcakes for Valentine's Day!Let's continue supporting local restaurants that bring diverse flavors to South San Jose. I can't wait to visit again!

For appetizers I recommend the corn on the cob, for an entree anything with Tartare and Pineapple sauce! If you are colombian you will have a flashback reconnecting with your hometown! If you are not, give them a chance! Amazing food, great service, and the ambience is cool, Latin music and perfect reguetón.Thank you so much El Bumangués! Nunca cambien!

I can't help BUT give this restaurant 5 stars. They are tucked away in a large but quiet shopping center which yields LOTS of parking. They are right off HWY 85 which is convenient. They open for dinner. We walked in right as they opened. It's an intimate spot with lots of booths for you booth lovers. It is dimly lit and the walls are adorned with a dark hue but one wall is nothing BUT mirrored. Ambiance is romantic. Upon entering we were greeted by a gentleman that had menu's and a bowl of plantains in hand. What a greeting! Husband and I looked over the menu. I knew what I wanted when I walked in. We ordered their onion rings for starters. I ordered the Chicharron hamburger which comes with a side of crinkle fries and a pineapple drink (bottled). Husband ordered El Pinche which was served as if it were suspended in air over a bed of rice and a colombian chorizo. My burger....let me say this it did NOT disappoint. The burger patty is substantial on it's own and topped with a large melty cheese patty (yes patty because in order to get the cheese pull it did that is exactly what was required). Then there were slices of well marinated sweet pork belly. Topped with raw onion. Fried plantains we were welcomed with were served on top a sweet chili and a cream dip. Delish!The onion rings were crispy and served with a garlic aioli type dipping sauce that was perfect.My husband ordered the El Pinche and the meat was marinated well and cooked to perfection. Chicken was also flavorful. This meat duo hangs suspended above a bed of crinkle fries and on top of the fries they lay a chorizo sausage. I was telling my husband that I think the Colombian chorizo wins my vote over mexican chorizo. Colombian chorizo is more like a sausage and is there anything better than that exterior that pops when you bite into it? Very flavorful!I'm sure we will be back. I took half of my burger to my son whom seemed to yawn and it disappeared. Yes, the burger and the El Pinche can be shared.

I won't lie, I had higher expectations for the food here. I wanted a good cheese pull and juicy burger but the cheese was a little rubbery and the meat at in n out taste better. It could have been on our part perhaps and the food could have gotten cold while I went to the restroom but I dunno. Also the papa locas with shredded chickens and corn was interesting, like a chicken salad type of thing. Probably wouldn't order that again. Overall staff was kind and attentive and they serve one of the best fully loaded hotdogs

Wow! Who knew a spot like this existed?? I chanced upon this spot while I was in the neighborhood and was lured in by the Colombian and burger sign and the picture of the giant burger in the window. I had the mushroom burger and fries which were great. Think about this as a great burger spot with super unique toppings.

Don't boo this, man.El Bumangues is a San Jose restaurant that proclaims itself the "best fast food in town." The name appears to be a demonym for people from Bucaramanga, the 9th largest city by population of Colombia. Despite their odd tucked-away location near Pet Club, they got pretty busy at weekday dinner.You may be wondering why Colombian burgers and hot dogs are being offered only at dinner hours, and the answer is that the portions are pretty big. On top of that, the food can get pretty heavy, so if at any point they provide lime wedges, squeeze them onto the food.For my entrée, I went with the Santander ($17.00), which is the department of Colombia whose capital is the aforementioned namesake city. All of the burgers appear to have a 1/2 lb patty, which unfortunately wound up pretty gray in my case. The various toppings did add enough character though, especially the sweet corn kernels and the filling arepa. They also provided an onion jam, which was likely overly sweet due to heavy sugarcane presence, and an aioli. The crinkle-cut fries were alright, but aren't nearly as good as proper twice-fried variety or even a curly or otherwise corn-starched tater.I was more impressed overall with other dishes on the table. We shared a Chicharrones ($13.00) appetizer, which was actually crispy fried pork belly and airy fried yellow potatoes. The belly is cooked well enough - think Chinese pork but without the spices or skin - and the potato texture is stunning and not quite like any I've had before. Both the aioli and the rather sweet take on thousand island were delicious condiments here.The Pincho ($18.00) was also a strong dish, especially from a visual standpoint. It's a skewer of chicken and steak suspended vertically from a hook, along with soft potatoes at the bottom. I sampled both meats and enjoyed them, and I did think that the potatoes were fine, but they were not as magically impressive as in the aforementioned app.The other tastes which I had were the complimentary fried plantain chips and some Pure Sugar Cane Lemonade ($5). The chips were crispy and came with aioli and onion jam, which also tasted oddly sweet in this application, and the sugar cane really felt like a theme with the lemonade which was a little light on lemon/acidity and high on the earthy sugarcane tones. Expect more sugarcane than lemonade.The TVs were generally loud except for a brief respite between programs. They had World Cup qualifiers on until the scheduled match ended, then they switched over to Colombian music. Service can get a little spotty when they're busier, but at least there are plenty of napkins at the table.If you're feeling up for greasy, Colombian fast food, then you may be thrilled with El Bumangues. I think they're a solid option in their niche, although I would question the claim of best fast food in town.

My visit to this place transported me to the city where I lived for six years, my entire university career (UNAB). The service was professional and super attentive. The atmosphere at Bumangues is on another level. The food on another level; Lulo's juice is delicious but the heat made at home is like being in Santander, qué hamburguesa tan buena, mano!!!!

The food is absolutely delicious and stays true to authentic Colombian flavors. The portions are generous and perfect for sharing among friends. Our server was incredibly friendly and provided excellent recommendations. The ambiance of the location truly transports you to Colombia, especially with Colombian music playing in the background throughout your dinner.

The burgers and fries are one of the best in San Jose. They are open late, the food came out fast and the dining inside was lively. Service was also excellent, the workers let us try some new sauces while waiting.

First time here and impressed. The best gourmet burger in the area. Great patty and great ingredients. They start you out with a complimentary ramekin of fried plantains with a pineapple mayo sauce on the bottom that compliments them very well. Service good and the place is clean. We were both very pleased with our burgers. I had the leopard and my wife had the chicharron burger. Only deducted a point for using frozen fries but they were not bad. Will definitely be back.