I initially dined at The Barnyard Restaurant in Farmingdale about a month ago and had a pleasant experience. The staff was friendly and the food was good. Because of that experience, my husband and I decided to place a catering order for a tray of fried plantains for an event I was hosting.
Despite already having my catering order placed with another restaurant, I still wanted to support this establishment by ordering something small and potentially using them in the future, because my initial dining experience was positive.
We placed the order and paid in full in advance. Unfortunately, the day of the original event we were having a snow blizzard, so I called two days beforehand to postpone the order. This is where the problems began. It was extremely difficult to get through to the restaurant by phone, and when I finally did, the person who answered seemed confused and told me someone would call me back. No one ever did. This happened 3 times after. A few days prior to the rescheduled event, and the night before the event.
On the day of the event, I sent a friend to pick up the order. When she arrived, the tray was not ready. She was told it would be ready in 20 minutes. 20 minutes passed and she was still waiting. She called me, and when I spoke with the owner, she said she would add something extra to the order due to the inconvenience. At that point I was already frustrated because this was a time-sensitive event and the delay was unnecessary.
Despite being told it wouldn’t take much longer, the wait continued. The food was eventually rushed to the event space, but the biggest disappointment came when we opened the tray. The fried plantains were stale, hard, and many pieces were burnt. The “extra food” that was added appeared to be about 20 small round pieces of something we couldn’t even identify.
This entire experience showed a serious lack of organization, communication, and quality control. Thankfully I did not rely on this restaurant for the rest of my event catering. If a single tray of fried plantains couldn’t be prepared correctly after multiple confirmations and delays, I can only imagine what would have happened if I had ordered the rest of my food from them.
iGotaed vSnxgs
Was definitely a vibe today......we had a great time at their Biggie Brunch today. Drinks was great, Food was amazing, and the atmosphere amazing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Brittany Smith
Food was terrible. Went in for pick up and waited over an hour for the jerk chicken and white rice combo.Then to tell me they don't have anymore white rice for my second order. after an hour is when they realized? Payed over $70 for hard rice at that and the portion wasn't worth it. I will be going back to Angie soul house for all that drama. Ambiance is small and not really made for dine in for real. First and last time cause the food didn't even make all that nonsense worth it. *update* spoke with bar manager “tez” and he said they had a busy morning, so that’s probably why I was served hard rice. That was his excuse.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Cornbread
Solomon Gbadebo
I came in Sunday evening, looking at their menu before i entered their establishment and ready to order for takeout. I waited a bit, around 5 mins before i placed my order with the waitress. Another 10 mins into me waiting i was told the order i placed would take 15-20 mins. I was fine with that and told her I’ll wait that time. Time passed and before you know it I’ve been there for almost 50 mins. The waitress kept telling me it’ll be out in 5 mins every 15 mins. to find out that the side I ordered is no longer available. At this point I waited more than an hour. But i then chose another side and felt decent. After getting my order, I got home and opened my platter. To my surprise, I received small pieces of oxtail in my platter that I paid more than $40 for. Between the wait time and the food that was given, I was completely annoyed from my experience. This was my first time and definitely my last time attending this establishment.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 3
Nadia T
I really wanted to like this place, and I’ll give credit where it’s due when we brought concerns to the staff, they did address them. That said, the overall experience needs work.
The space is very small, which makes efficient service even more important. Unfortunately, service was slow throughout the visit. Our drinks arrived watered down and appeared to have been sitting at the bar for some time. After sending one back, the replacement had the same issue.
The mac and cheese lacked texture and depth it would benefit from being baked to develop more flavor. It taste like noodles mixed with roux .. ??? Without being baked …???? Our entrées were also served cold and had to be sent back. This wasn’t just one person that had this issue, it was the TABLE that had these issues.
Additionally, the restroom needs more attention in terms of upkeep. There needs to be staff doing rounding.
Opening a restaurant requires more than good recipes it requires systems, timing, and hospitality training. There is potential here, but the operational flow needs refinement for the experience to match the vision.
I hope the team takes this feedback constructively, because with stronger execution, this could be a much better spot. It wouldn’t hurt to bring in a hospitality consultant and have a few workshops to restructure the business. And the music does not to be blasting for a Sunday dinner crowd, it’s too small in there for that level of noise.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 2
Belle
The space is beautifully designed, with colorful painted artwork that adds character and warmth; chic and vibrant Caribbean blend highlighting Haitian and Guyanese flavors. Our waitress, Rejeanne, was amazing, welcoming, attentive, and full of great recommendations. Every dish we ordered was on point flavor-wise, and the drinks were just as good.
The only downside was NO DESSERT MENU🥲, which was surprising given Haiti’s rich tradition of sweet treats like Pain Patate or Tablet Pistach. Overall, it was a great experience, and I’d definitely return; hopefully to dessert options next time.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sheona Golden
Every SINGLE item we had was DELICIOUS!! Jerk Tacos, Oxtail Empanadas, Fried Chicken w/Mac & cheese, Curry Chicken, and Jerk Chicken!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Barbara W
We were very excited to have a local Caribbean dining spot and have been here multiple times. We have had great experiences with the staff and the owners are lovely! The place is small but furnished and decorated great, nice vibes overall. They just lack consistency in the food. The jerk chicken is flavored perfectly but has sometimes come under cooked. The fried chicken has the perfect crispness and flavor but has sometimes come out under cooked and too salty. The mac and cheese has been excellent. The fish has also been delicious but sometimes over cooked. We overall love the addition of this place to the town and hope they will get even better over time!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Harman Kaur
The food and mocktails were delicious. I had the Barnyard Jerk Chicken and would get it again. The staff was attentive, friendly, and efficient. Highly recommend to try!
When here for the first time , was looking to support black owned businesses & I wasn’t disappointed, I had the jerk chicken tacos, wings & jerk chicken Philly cheese steak sandwich , everything was great . The drinks were great also , even met the owner & had great conversation with her , definitely will be back to try their brunch menu 👍👍
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
T Sha
Love the fooooood! Vibe and atmosphere unmatched. Good music, drinks, and food. No reason to complain! I’ll be back! ❤️💛💚
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Mac, Rasta Pasta, Empanadas, Fried Chicken
Lisa Razzo
Stumbled upon this gem! The food, service and atmosphere were all 5 stars. We were making plans to go back while still eating.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alicia Flinn
This place was awesome. The ambiance was cozy and welcoming, the staff was so kind and friendly, and even the owner conversed with us. The food was flavorful, and between my whole family (and my dad is a picky eater) and all the dishes we ordered, there was nothing left to take home for left overs. 10/10 would recommend.
Konrad Zieba
Still on the fence about trying this place again. The host was very friendly and nice but she was also our waitress and bartender. It would be nice to have someone help her. Oxtail empanadas were very well cooked and seasoned. The barnyard jerk chicken is more like BBQ chicken but still tasted pretty good. Disappointed that there wasn't any curry goat on the menu.
Not worth the money
I initially dined at The Barnyard Restaurant in Farmingdale about a month ago and had a pleasant experience. The staff was friendly and the food was good. Because of that experience, my husband and I decided to place a catering order for a tray of fried plantains for an event I was hosting.
Despite already having my catering order placed with another restaurant, I still wanted to support this establishment by ordering something small and potentially using them in the future, because my initial dining experience was positive.
We placed the order and paid in full in advance. Unfortunately, the day of the original event we were having a snow blizzard, so I called two days beforehand to postpone the order. This is where the problems began. It was extremely difficult to get through to the restaurant by phone, and when I finally did, the person who answered seemed confused and told me someone would call me back. No one ever did. This happened 3 times after. A few days prior to the rescheduled event, and the night before the event.
On the day of the event, I sent a friend to pick up the order. When she arrived, the tray was not ready. She was told it would be ready in 20 minutes. 20 minutes passed and she was still waiting. She called me, and when I spoke with the owner, she said she would add something extra to the order due to the inconvenience. At that point I was already frustrated because this was a time-sensitive event and the delay was unnecessary.
Despite being told it wouldn’t take much longer, the wait continued. The food was eventually rushed to the event space, but the biggest disappointment came when we opened the tray. The fried plantains were stale, hard, and many pieces were burnt. The “extra food” that was added appeared to be about 20 small round pieces of something we couldn’t even identify.
This entire experience showed a serious lack of organization, communication, and quality control. Thankfully I did not rely on this restaurant for the rest of my event catering. If a single tray of fried plantains couldn’t be prepared correctly after multiple confirmations and delays, I can only imagine what would have happened if I had ordered the rest of my food from them.
Was definitely a vibe today......we had a great time at their Biggie Brunch today. Drinks was great, Food was amazing, and the atmosphere amazing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food was terrible. Went in for pick up and waited over an hour for the jerk chicken and white rice combo.Then to tell me they don't have anymore white rice for my second order. after an hour is when they realized? Payed over $70 for hard rice at that and the portion wasn't worth it. I will be going back to Angie soul house for all that drama. Ambiance is small and not really made for dine in for real. First and last time cause the food didn't even make all that nonsense worth it. *update* spoke with bar manager “tez” and he said they had a busy morning, so that’s probably why I was served hard rice. That was his excuse.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Cornbread
I came in Sunday evening, looking at their menu before i entered their establishment and ready to order for takeout. I waited a bit, around 5 mins before i placed my order with the waitress. Another 10 mins into me waiting i was told the order i placed would take 15-20 mins. I was fine with that and told her I’ll wait that time. Time passed and before you know it I’ve been there for almost 50 mins. The waitress kept telling me it’ll be out in 5 mins every 15 mins. to find out that the side I ordered is no longer available. At this point I waited more than an hour. But i then chose another side and felt decent. After getting my order, I got home and opened my platter. To my surprise, I received small pieces of oxtail in my platter that I paid more than $40 for. Between the wait time and the food that was given, I was completely annoyed from my experience. This was my first time and definitely my last time attending this establishment.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 3
I really wanted to like this place, and I’ll give credit where it’s due when we brought concerns to the staff, they did address them. That said, the overall experience needs work.
The space is very small, which makes efficient service even more important. Unfortunately, service was slow throughout the visit. Our drinks arrived watered down and appeared to have been sitting at the bar for some time. After sending one back, the replacement had the same issue.
The mac and cheese lacked texture and depth it would benefit from being baked to develop more flavor. It taste like noodles mixed with roux .. ??? Without being baked …????
Our entrées were also served cold and had to be sent back. This wasn’t just one person that had this issue, it was the TABLE that had these issues.
Additionally, the restroom needs more attention in terms of upkeep. There needs to be staff doing rounding.
Opening a restaurant requires more than good recipes it requires systems, timing, and hospitality training. There is potential here, but the operational flow needs refinement for the experience to match the vision.
I hope the team takes this feedback constructively, because with stronger execution, this could be a much better spot. It wouldn’t hurt to bring in a hospitality consultant and have a few workshops to restructure the business. And the music does not to be blasting for a Sunday dinner crowd, it’s too small in there for that level of noise.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 2
The space is beautifully designed, with colorful painted artwork that adds character and warmth; chic and vibrant Caribbean blend highlighting Haitian and Guyanese flavors. Our waitress, Rejeanne, was amazing, welcoming, attentive, and full of great recommendations. Every dish we ordered was on point flavor-wise, and the drinks were just as good.
The only downside was NO DESSERT MENU🥲, which was surprising given Haiti’s rich tradition of sweet treats like Pain Patate or Tablet Pistach. Overall, it was a great experience, and I’d definitely return; hopefully to dessert options next time.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Every SINGLE item we had was DELICIOUS!!
Jerk Tacos, Oxtail Empanadas, Fried Chicken w/Mac & cheese, Curry Chicken, and Jerk Chicken!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We were very excited to have a local Caribbean dining spot and have been here multiple times. We have had great experiences with the staff and the owners are lovely! The place is small but furnished and decorated great, nice vibes overall. They just lack consistency in the food. The jerk chicken is flavored perfectly but has sometimes come under cooked. The fried chicken has the perfect crispness and flavor but has sometimes come out under cooked and too salty. The mac and cheese has been excellent. The fish has also been delicious but sometimes over cooked. We overall love the addition of this place to the town and hope they will get even better over time!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
The food and mocktails were delicious. I had the Barnyard Jerk Chicken and would get it again. The staff was attentive, friendly, and efficient. Highly recommend to try!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
When here for the first time , was looking to support black owned businesses & I wasn’t disappointed, I had the jerk chicken tacos, wings & jerk chicken Philly cheese steak sandwich , everything was great . The drinks were great also , even met the owner & had great conversation with her , definitely will be back to try their brunch menu 👍👍
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Love the fooooood! Vibe and atmosphere unmatched. Good music, drinks, and food. No reason to complain! I’ll be back! ❤️💛💚
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Mac, Rasta Pasta, Empanadas, Fried Chicken
Stumbled upon this gem! The food, service and atmosphere were all 5 stars. We were making plans to go back while still eating.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This place was awesome. The ambiance was cozy and welcoming, the staff was so kind and friendly, and even the owner conversed with us. The food was flavorful, and between my whole family (and my dad is a picky eater) and all the dishes we ordered, there was nothing left to take home for left overs. 10/10 would recommend.
Still on the fence about trying this place again. The host was very friendly and nice but she was also our waitress and bartender. It would be nice to have someone help her. Oxtail empanadas were very well cooked and seasoned. The barnyard jerk chicken is more like BBQ chicken but still tasted pretty good. Disappointed that there wasn't any curry goat on the menu.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 2
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