RHUM restaurant in Patchogue revamps to RUMBA
The rooftop deck at RUMBA in Patchogue has dining and lounge areas. Credit: Rooted Hospitality Group
Patchogue's tropical vibes are evolving — the village's landmark Caribbean eatery RHUM has been renovated and renamed RUMBA, another location of the Hampton Bays restaurant that opened in 2010.
"We just want it all to be the same as we grow," said Rooted Hospitality Group co-founder David Hersh. The group's other restaurants include Cowfish in Hampton Bays, Flora and Fauna in Westhampton Beach as well as Avo Taco in New Hyde Park. The company also opened a RUMBA outpost in Louisiana earlier this year.
The three-floor eatery in Patchogue retains its island vibes with renovations including thatched ceilings, chandeliers made from seashells and abundant plants that create a tropical oasis. A private "portside room" transports guests onto a boat thanks to its windows and private leather bar. Regulars will be glad to know the eatery's roof deck remains, including the iconic swing seating in the bar-lounge area.
The menu also remains the same, including Caribbean wings ($16) drenched in sriracha coconut sauce and Danish blue cheese as well as Grenada chicken ($28), which is jerk chicken over coconut risotto with a sweet chili glaze and spicy tomato confit.
While the RUMBA opening in Louisiana was Rooted Hospitality Group's first venture down south, Hersh said the company is looking to expand in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Texas and parts of Florida, like Jupiter, Palm Beach and Naples.
"We definitely have had a lot of our regulars [Long Island customers] that go travel different places," Hersh said. "They always share different advice and places to go. "We’re just kind of branching out a little bit and exploring."
RUMBA Island Inspired Cuisine and Rum Bar, 13 E. Main St., Patchogue, 631-569-5944. tasterumba.com, Open 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 11:30 to 11 p.m. (1 a.m. at the bar) Friday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday (bar closes at midnight) and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.
Melissa Azofeifa is a restaurants reporter with Newsday's FeedMe team. Having grown up on Long Island, she loves talking about food and its impact on culture. A graduate of Stony Brook University, she joined Newsday in the fall of 2024.
