Location is closed but, Calabash is a shared facility of under same management. Location not far from Kingston. Awesome vibe@
MS2018
Highly recommend for eating in a group, or date or by yourself. It has a cozy atmosphere and comfy food. We tried all the small plates, the plantains and beans were highlights at our table and hands down the ribs.
nikki
Excellent Jamaican cuisine! We loved the flavors, and found all of our dishes to be very tasty and well prepared. The jerk chicken was amazing! Fantastic set and beautiful setting.
JinruL
Booked the jazz brunch experience on Sunday. No Jazz. In fact the restaurant was empty. The brunch menu was very limited too. Kinda disappointed but the food was ok portions were big.
PatriciaB
We were the first in the restaurant so it was very quiet then they added some great ambiance music! Being the first we had all the attention and the host was also our server. He was sweet and personable. The food. We ordered the monte Christo sandwich, corn and blueberry pancakes, and the vegetable potato hash. - The Monte Christo sandwich was delicious. Not over bearing, the challah French toast was deliciously light and slightly sweet and the slices of ham were juicy and thick. - The corn and blueberry pancakes were good with the spicy chicken sausage it came with but was slightly disappointed as the caramelized bananas were missing. - The vegetable potatoes were crispy and flavorful. I would return for another meal here.
ReneeS
We had lunch on a Friday afternoon. The restaurant was understaffed (only one person on duty) and she gave the best service she was able. The food came out quickly but did not seem to be made that day, probably reheated and/or microwaved. We realize these are challenging times for restaurants, but when the overall service is not good the restaurant really suffers. We hope that things will improve in the future and are willing to try again at a later date.
Annabelle
We were a party of 6 for lunch and we ordered family style so we could sample various dishes; 2 salads, 3 small eats, and 1 entree. The meal was plenty for us and each dish was delicious. We want to go again.
GregM
Dining at Calabash was a remarkable experience. This restaurant not only offers an outstanding culinary journey into Jamaican cuisine but also provides a warm and welcoming ambiance that makes you feel like you've taken a trip to the Caribbean. I left with a satisfied belly and a big smile on my face, eagerly looking forward to my next visit. If you're in search of authentic Jamaican flavors and a memorable dining experience, I highly recommend Calabash - it's a true gem!
Chiana Doll
This place is amazing! Best oxtails in the bay! I do hate they opened another location, it seems less authentic. I do understand both locations are owned by the same people but the newer location doesn’t have the same atmosphere as the original. I’ll still be supporting.
Staff was responsive, but food was disappointing: We couldn't eat both vegetable dishes -- the brussel sprout balsamic was too sweet and vinegary (we returned it) and the carrot / squash was too sweet (lots of unexpected sugar) -- and the oxtail had lots of tiny sharp bones in it. My wife and I ate slowly but both hurt ourselves at least once.
Food was solid, got some patties, plantains, and some curried veggies. The service wasn't that great, maybe just an off day? The person at the bar could care less about making recommendations or asking how our meal was but it is what it is. I would recommend if you needed something small, quick and to go but overall, not recommended if you are having a dinner out and about.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Fried Plantains
MomaBetty
Everything was great. I wanted to order the duck and grits to go but they had ran out of that item. We really enjoyed ourselves. Was worried about the car break ins around Oakland but we survived with having any windows broken. It would be nice to have a monitored parking lot close to the area. Both my friend and I were born and raised in Oakland. It was nice to see something coming up on Valdez Street. Looking forward to returning.
Anonymous
Delicious food, very quiet - I don't remember hearing any music, which would've helped a lot. We went there for a mimosa brunch special on Instagram, but when we got there they said there was no special
Dan O
I don't like leaving such low reviews but this place was really disappointing, unfortunately. The chicken was dry and seemed to have been left out for a while. It was pretty much flavorless. The plantain was also flavorless and not at all sweet. The rice was okay. I had high hopes for this place based on the other reviews but it did not live up to expectations at all. Someone I know went there and also said the food was kind of bad. Service-wise, it took about 15 minutes for the server to take my order. I felt sorry for her - the place was packed and it was just her on the floor. I won't be returning. I have a feeling this place might appeal to people who are unfamiliar with Jamaican food and come in with no expectations. You'll find far better Jamaican cuisine elsewhere
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 3
Marge
The food was good but not particularly outstanding. The presentation of the food was a bit careless. The pairing of cuisines is interesting but not necessarily combined in a way that was cohesive. The service while friendly was slow and no suggestions offered as to how the two parts of the menu might go best together. The space is lovely and a good place to gather. We ordered the fish, the Neshtaa platter, and the curry goat. The fish was a bit dry and the curry was plated a bit messy.
Location is closed but, Calabash is a shared facility of under same management. Location not far from Kingston. Awesome vibe@
Highly recommend for eating in a group, or date or by yourself. It has a cozy atmosphere and comfy food. We tried all the small plates, the plantains and beans were highlights at our table and hands down the ribs.
Excellent Jamaican cuisine! We loved the flavors, and found all of our dishes to be very tasty and well prepared. The jerk chicken was amazing! Fantastic set and beautiful setting.
Booked the jazz brunch experience on Sunday. No Jazz. In fact the restaurant was empty. The brunch menu was very limited too. Kinda disappointed but the food was ok portions were big.
We were the first in the restaurant so it was very quiet then they added some great ambiance music! Being the first we had all the attention and the host was also our server. He was sweet and personable. The food. We ordered the monte Christo sandwich, corn and blueberry pancakes, and the vegetable potato hash. - The Monte Christo sandwich was delicious. Not over bearing, the challah French toast was deliciously light and slightly sweet and the slices of ham were juicy and thick. - The corn and blueberry pancakes were good with the spicy chicken sausage it came with but was slightly disappointed as the caramelized bananas were missing. - The vegetable potatoes were crispy and flavorful. I would return for another meal here.
We had lunch on a Friday afternoon. The restaurant was understaffed (only one person on duty) and she gave the best service she was able. The food came out quickly but did not seem to be made that day, probably reheated and/or microwaved. We realize these are challenging times for restaurants, but when the overall service is not good the restaurant really suffers. We hope that things will improve in the future and are willing to try again at a later date.
We were a party of 6 for lunch and we ordered family style so we could sample various dishes; 2 salads, 3 small eats, and 1 entree. The meal was plenty for us and each dish was delicious. We want to go again.
Dining at Calabash was a remarkable experience. This restaurant not only offers an outstanding culinary journey into Jamaican cuisine but also provides a warm and welcoming ambiance that makes you feel like you've taken a trip to the Caribbean. I left with a satisfied belly and a big smile on my face, eagerly looking forward to my next visit. If you're in search of authentic Jamaican flavors and a memorable dining experience, I highly recommend Calabash - it's a true gem!
This place is amazing! Best oxtails in the bay! I do hate they opened another location, it seems less authentic. I do understand both locations are owned by the same people but the newer location doesn’t have the same atmosphere as the original. I’ll still be supporting.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Oxtail Stew, Fried Plantains, Curry Chicken
Staff was responsive, but food was disappointing: We couldn't eat both vegetable dishes -- the brussel sprout balsamic was too sweet and vinegary (we returned it) and the carrot / squash was too sweet (lots of unexpected sugar) -- and the oxtail had lots of tiny sharp bones in it. My wife and I ate slowly but both hurt ourselves at least once.
Restaurantji Recommends
Food was solid, got some patties, plantains, and some curried veggies. The service wasn't that great, maybe just an off day? The person at the bar could care less about making recommendations or asking how our meal was but it is what it is. I would recommend if you needed something small, quick and to go but overall, not recommended if you are having a dinner out and about.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Fried Plantains
Everything was great. I wanted to order the duck and grits to go but they had ran out of that item. We really enjoyed ourselves. Was worried about the car break ins around Oakland but we survived with having any windows broken. It would be nice to have a monitored parking lot close to the area. Both my friend and I were born and raised in Oakland. It was nice to see something coming up on Valdez Street. Looking forward to returning.
Delicious food, very quiet - I don't remember hearing any music, which would've helped a lot. We went there for a mimosa brunch special on Instagram, but when we got there they said there was no special
I don't like leaving such low reviews but this place was really disappointing, unfortunately. The chicken was dry and seemed to have been left out for a while. It was pretty much flavorless. The plantain was also flavorless and not at all sweet. The rice was okay. I had high hopes for this place based on the other reviews but it did not live up to expectations at all. Someone I know went there and also said the food was kind of bad. Service-wise, it took about 15 minutes for the server to take my order. I felt sorry for her - the place was packed and it was just her on the floor. I won't be returning. I have a feeling this place might appeal to people who are unfamiliar with Jamaican food and come in with no expectations. You'll find far better Jamaican cuisine elsewhere
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 3
The food was good but not particularly outstanding. The presentation of the food was a bit careless. The pairing of cuisines is interesting but not necessarily combined in a way that was cohesive. The service while friendly was slow and no suggestions offered as to how the two parts of the menu might go best together. The space is lovely and a good place to gather. We ordered the fish, the Neshtaa platter, and the curry goat. The fish was a bit dry and the curry was plated a bit messy.