[5][6] Interviewed after the nominations were announced, Puente expressed particular appreciation as the album coincided with the Latin music resurgence of the late 1990s.

[11] The Los Angeles Times called the album "simply exhilarating"; The Dallas Morning News labeled it "sizzling.

"[11][15] Hispanic wrote that it "radiates the kind of frenzied, nostalgic, mambospiced energy that has been a Puente trademark since the debut of his popular Dancemania series.

"[17] The Boston Herald concluded that Mambo Birdland is "studded with excellent playing from such Latin-jazz veterans as Bobby Porcelli, Sonny Bravo and Mario Rivera, but it never forgets the dancers' feet, either.

"[18] AllMusic wrote that "Puente has put out more than 100 recordings over his long career, but in little over an hour, this skillfully edited live session manages to capture the essence of that huge repertoire and get to the pure root of Latin jazz.