It's jury duty season, and my go-to lunch spot is Caribbean Café. Conveniently located right on the corner near the courthouse, it's the perfect place for jurors who, like me, don't want to venture too far and risk being late returning. The café gets busy during lunchtime, but the staff is always warm, friendly, and welcoming. They offer both prepared meals and à la carte options. I chose black beans, white rice, pork, and yucca with onions, and everything was absolutely delicious. The portions are generous, the food is flavorful and authentic, and the prices are very reasonable. If you're serving jury duty or are in the area, I highly recommend stopping by! read more

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One of my favorite food spots in New Brunswick. The food is reasonably priced and has great flavor. I like their tres leche cake too. I am not out that way that much but when I am I look forward to coming here. read more

After our day of beauty at a nearby salon, we yelp for food nearby. It was a rainy day and finding parking in this area is not easy. This was a three minute walk away. The reviews are ok. Welp... all I can say is that it was a trip for exercise. We ordered 2 steak sandwiches, beef empanadas, chicharones de Pollo with rice and beans. Stomachs on high growl. We were the only ones dining in before one more seated patron came. The food was made to order, so there was a bit of a wait. They had ready to go options at the front counter, too. Steak came with onions and mayo. There was lots of grissel and needed another sauce. It was very dry. Empanadas needed a salsa they were flavorless, just greasy. The chicharrones are slightly overcooked. Beans and chicken are all missing a taste. We all looked at each other and asked if we had covid lol cause we couldn't taste any flavors of Latin or Caribbean. They forgot the seasonings on everything. This place was sadly overrated at a 3.6. At the time of our visit. My goya coconut water was great. My daughters enjoyed their Goya pineapple sodas. The ladies who worked there were wearing masks and all very pleasant. I feel bad for them that this place was not good at all. Keep walking in the rain cause their flavors were washed away. read more

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Service was great and the pernil was delicious! Lunch price was $11. They give more than enough food to fill you up! read more

Caribbean Cafe - Lunch special: pernil/rice and beans - Caribbean Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Let's see .... $7 for basically a full course meal!? CAN YOU BEAT THAT. Eh, I don't think so. Crazy, I've been working in the area for going on three years now and this was the first time I've actually stopped in to try this place and boy am I glad I did. First of all, it's very inexpensive. For a seven dollar lunch special you're getting rice, beans, your choice of meat, salad and sweet plantains. I mean if you can beat that then please allow me to treat you out to dinner by all means. This place is great and I would recommend it to anyone in the area. The staff was friendly and the place was very clean as well. read more

Caribbean Cafe - Not even half of what they give you for $7 - Caribbean Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

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The beef empanada was good, but no sauce. The cuban sandwich was not good at all. Something in there tasted really off. 4 for the empanada, 1 for the sandwich. Stay away from that. read more

If you like your food with seasoning THIS IS THR PLCE FOR YOU ! Honestly coming here to this place is very welcoming and they speak Spanish and English. One bite from their fried chicken (with a slice of lime) makes you feel like your on an Island!! Very comforting food indeed. read more

This place is old faithful. The food is freshly homemade and delicious!! I ordered two empanadas: chicken and beef. My favorite was the beef. It had so much flavor tasted very authentic. Chicken was made with fresh chicken and plenty of it. I ate them on the way home sorry for no picture. But it was nice and crunchy. I also ordered my dinner for the evening which was yellow rice with red beans and extra bean sauce. Small salad and a hefty portion of pernil , this was the special for $6.50. Can't beat this price!! The satisfaction alone is priceless!! I knew of this location back in my jury duty days. I was glad to be selected only to be able to eat here every day!! It's that good. Very big menu and depending what your in the mood for some food is already prepped and cooked while other specialties are made to order. Definitely worth the wait. Can't wait to dig in ... read more

Caribbean Cafe - Yellow rice with red beans side of salad and pernil!!! - Caribbean Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

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This will probably be my shortest review ever. Straight and to the point...."The food was just alright." A home cooked taste, yet nothing spectacular. Would I come here again you ask? Yes, only if I were extremely hungry, in the area and in a rush. The rice and beans were fine once a dash ok f salt was added, but not impressed by the scantly filled Chicken Empanada (I definitely have had better). Wasn't mad about the experience, Was not overwhelmed, nor underwhelmed, this was truly just an okay experience from the food to the service. read more

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We are trying to support local businesses in our area. Carribean Cafe serves large portions. Food had good flavor. They are following COVID 19 protocol. read more

The salad that I ordered was described as being full of vegetables and other ingredients, and it looked great in the picture online. However I received an undressed box of wilted leaves. They should have been embarrassed to serve it to their customers. read more

Caribbean Cafe - Salad is just undressed leaves. - Caribbean Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Their lunch specials are very good and at a good price. The specials are already prepared which is great for those in a hurry. There are also several other dishes to choose from their full menu. read more

Caribbean Cafe - Oxtails and rice lunch special - Caribbean Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Need more sofrito in the beef empanadas. They are very bland with no spices. Please fix because I love your food!

Wonderful place for lunch. Comfort food, quick, cheap and always crowded during weekdays. Their chicken soups are probably the cheapest meal at $4 and comes with white rice. It's a mild blend of home cooked stew with a little blend of Indian spices that brought me back straight to home. But not for the spicy longing but for the non spicy food you crave. The lunch entrees are humongous and you can choose between 4-6 types of meat, fish and then beans and rice. I loved both their beef and chicken stews. Probably chicken would be my favourite. Baked or BBQ chicken looked and smelled delicious but didn't try it with rice and beans so not sure how that pairing would go. Overall, one of the better places for lunch at NB. read more

Caribbean Cafe - Lunch special entree with beef stew, pinto beans, and yellow rice.... - Caribbean Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

I usually dont do reviews unless its warrant. I Wanted chicken soup as you can see, where's the chicken one piece is a neck bone, but mostly potato and carrots. Too cold to walk back and return. Once about 5 yrs ago I ordered chicken soup and it was delicious lot of meat and flavorful, so I thought I would try it again. this time just pieces of left over pieces of scraps with lots of potatoes and carrots without the original caribbean taste. This restaurant use to be good when they first arrived, lately I've been so disappointed read more

Caribbean Cafe - Caribbean Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

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When I first saw this place I got really excited. Every morning I would walk past them and the smell was amazing. But, now that Im actually here I was a little disappointed. First, their location is key. Right next to a busy municipal building where most of their business comes from. I tried a dine in plater which was made of salad, rice, beans, plantain, and your choice of meat. Portion sizes are big. You will def get your moneys worth. I added a empanada extra to my meal. (my girlfriend would kill me) $9.97 with a snapple. The rice was perfectly cooked and so were the beans. The plantains on the other hand were disgusting and I was so upset because thats what I was craving the most Chicken was seasoned well and semi moist. It wasn't the driest piece of chicken I had but it was the best either. Overall, I left pretty full and Im deciding if I'll be back or not. Maybe, I have to try another selection. read more

Popped in while on our break from jury duty. I'm trying hard to maintain a low carb diet, so ordered the garlic shrimp without any rice. It was absolutely delicious, a generous portion and I could have drank the broth it came in. No clue what was in it, but Wasn't just oil and garlic...I'll definitely be back as I work in the area. read more

Caribbean Cafe - Garlic shrimp - Caribbean Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Good portions for the price and close the County Court. Quick services, clean restaurant and friendly services. read more

Caribbean Cafe - Grill chicken, black beans over white rice with fried plantains! Yummy! - Caribbean Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Never dissapoint! This place is a jewel! I usually get the lunch specials which is a GREAT value! For around $7.00 you will get rice, a choice of meat (beef or chicken stew, fish, baked chicken, or oxtail are some of the choices). Sides of bean and salad are included on the specials. I usually come here on Wednesdays when they have their oxtail stew! O gosh ... It's dope! The oxtail is soft and tender and savory. But all other specials are great. The flavor, the seasoning is always well marinated through the meat. The portion is generous! And the ladies who serve behind the counter are always friendly doesn't matter when the line is long. Try it ... You won't be dissappinted. read more

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Truly outstanding! Little "hole in the wall" type place catering to college crowd... but don't be fooled by modest appearance... the food is excellent! We sampled most of the menu and were NOT disappointed! The Ox Tail and other traditional were spot on! Highly recommend this place! read more

I really hoped i would love this place. It wasn't bad - I just could do without returning there anytime soon. The service is excellent - friendly people work here. Although i was ticked off by the fact that they were out of 2 things on the appetizer menu: maduros and yuca frita. Everything else on the menu seemed to be a God-awful generic mix of Mexican and Caribbean food. They get mucho mucho points for the chicken soup i got with my main meal, which was bloody extraordinary! Delicious! Unfortunately, my main meal was not, I ordered the chicken stew and it was undercooked and far too sweet. read more

The Caribbean place is a favorite at my workplace. I have been the beneficiary of several treats by the generous director. Thus, I've had everything-- stewed chicken, fish, beef. Sometimes I don't even know- just delicious stewed meats. With a bunch of rice and salad. If I'm on my own, I'll get the stewed chicken or whatever looks like it's been recently stocked/ has some good meaty pieces. Compared to the alternatives in the area, for what you get, it's ok priced at 7.50 (7+ tax). I used to get this in Spanish Harlem for 5.50, however. Also, the rice is too salty. read more

Jury Duty today. Got the lunch special, $6.50. Massive quantity of baked chicken (good), black beans and yellow rice (very good), plantains (good) and a little salad (mostly iceberg with cucumber and a peek of tomato). Outstanding portion size and quality for the price. I'll go back. A cafeteria style dining room filled with Hispanic folks, jurors, lawyers, and students. Cool stuff. Big menu. read more

Been coming to this place for years now and it's been consistently delicious. They serve all of the classic spanish foods and they do a great job. One of the great things about this restaurant is its very cheap and the food actually taste like its good quality. During the day as well as the evening, they have a buffet hot food display type of set up where you choose which meat you want and you get a side of rice, beans and salad all for around 7 bucks. The meat options are usually baked chicken, stew chicken, pork and possible a spanish oxtail. Every last one of these are delicious. The only issue with this place is as you come in the evening, they tend to run out of food and your options become extremely limited. It would seem they should perhaps make a bit more food or plan better so there will always be options regardless of the time of the day. Otherwise, this place is great. It's a perfect option for lunch if you're in New Brunswick, you can eat in there back room which has a few tables and chairs or you can take it to go and eat outside. SOlid option, great place. read more

Caribbean Cafe is the best, especially for lunch. They have a $7.00 + tax lunch special which runs from Monday to Friday (not sure what the hours are, sorry!). They give you a choice of white or yellow rice, topped with black or pinto beans, your choice of meat (ox tail, chicken, pork, etc.) and salad. If you choose to have two different meats, they will charge you $10. Portion sizes are very generous - I usually end up splitting it between two meals. Their food is very well seasoned and flavored. Only problem I have is with parking - but that's generally how New Brunswick is. They do have a couple limited spots behind their building. read more

Stuck with a jury duty in New Brunswick NJ and to quote the great Chris Rock....if this is the New Brunswick, I dont want to see the old Brunswick Where do you go for lunch with an hour and cannot involve alcohol? I was hitting yelp all morning and came up with the Caribbean place On the positive, very efficient and quick service. The potato relleno were very good, crispy and deep fried. I ordered a cuban. Very disappointing, the portion was fine but the roast pork was beyond bone dry, hardly and cheese, mustard or pickle to be found. Shame on me I took it to go and didnt ask for extra mayo to go...mind you I asked for mayo on the samdwich, again nothing to be found. If I couldn't make a better Cuban I would jump off the 5th floor of the parking deck. Let Jonny Coleslaw behind the counter and I will show you how it's done. First and last time. I might go back to try the empanadas and another potato relleno. read more

I ended up at this place because the soul food place i was looking for went out of business. We went around 7pm on Saturday night. Right off the bat, i was suspicious because i didnt smell any food and the place was completely empty. It was clean, though, and there was a guy mopping the floor. What a pleasant surprise! I ordered the mofongo with pernil, and my family ordered rice, beans, pernil and red snapper. Now typically my experience at other places has been, if you go late in the day, you get leftover remnant food. Not here!! Everything was tasty, super fresh, and the pernil had the perfect level of crispiness that i love. They had lots of different drink options and the lady was very attentive and checked up on us several times. I really, really liked this place a lot! The portions are huge, too, we had enough leftovers for a full meal for all of us the next day. read more

The New Brunswick Carribean Cafe reminds me of the cafes I visited down in Havana back when i couldn't travel directly to Cuba because of the Yankee embargo. Anytime i get a craving for Cuban i can just go down and get me some maduros and black coffee just like I use to in Havana. Plantains just an elevator ride away, how sweet is that! The Carribean Cafe also spelt Caribbean Cafe in New Brunswick is a gritty urban corner cafe. This flantastic little place  is literally in the shadow of my apartment building.  They call themselves the Best Cafe in New Brunswick. I think they also describe themselves as  a Cuban restaurant, but you'll find food from a number of Latin American countries here. In that respect the Caribbean Cafe  mirrors the population of New Brunswick which has been majority Hispanic for a number of years. It appears that a significant portion of their clientele are local Spanish speaking folks from the immediate area in and around downtown. Much of the nonlocal clients are jurors looking for affordable food n the immediate area - US$7 lunch specials. The Middlesex County Courthouse is across the street. Sometimes the CC is closed for private parties, but usually they stick to their posted hours. Like a lot of local New Brunswick places they are closed on Sundays because people don't actually eat on Sundays in New Brunswick. Much of their business is takeout simply because the place is tiny, so there ain't many places to sit and many people especially many of the regulars tend to linger over an espresso and Pierna y Muslo de Pollo. Oh, and they don't have a liquor license, so no cervesa and no Cuba Libres. Caribbean Cafe 85 Bayard St. New Brunswick, NJ 08901 732 846-2620 Caribbeancafenj.com read more

Caribbean Cafe - Coffee Caribbean Cafe New Brunswick - Caribbean Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Good place to go if you're hungry and don't want to break the bank. Cuban sandwiches and oxtail lunch special were good and reasonably priced. Staff friendly and helpful and there is an eating area but the AC isn't cranked enough to cool it to a comfortable level as it's still humid no matter where you sit. Still, I would definitely go back and try more options. Lunch specials are $8. I paid $9.10 for the oxtail which came with rice, beans and salad. It's not Jamaican oxtail, but still it's good. Don't forget to add salad dressing to the salad if you're taking out. Hot sauce if you want it, too. read more

Caribbean Cafe - Oxtail lunch special - Caribbean Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Party of 3... "Food was okay..." "Nothin blew me away..." "Decent meal..." Overall they need to use more sazon and adobo. read more

Had jury duty in New Brunswick and was looking for a local place to eat. This place was right next door and was a hidden gem. I got the lunch special with a drink and it was only $9. Had rice with beans, chicken & salad. It was very good and was a large amount of food for such a low price. It was also very tasty and the food was ready fast. read more

I found this gem when I had to serve jury duty. Their baked chicken with black beans and white rice is so scrumptious. Perfect seasoning, even with their stewed chicken. Other jury members had the chicken soup, with large pieces of chicken on the bone, and said how good it was. Since jury duty, I try to get back there every few weeks for that staple. Be sure to call first as they don't carry black beans or white rice every day. read more

Very bad service. We were not attended too for 1 hour, only one server for the front and back dining area. We fetched for our own drinks and utensils. We will not be returning. read more

I ordered the shredded beef with rice and beans lunch special for 7.50. The rice and beans were good but the beef was VERY tough, some pieces inedible. This was my first time here and more than likely the last unless I tried another meat option.......I value my teeth too much. read more

Caribbean Cafe - The shredded beef with rice and beans lunch special for 7.50. Beef was VERY tough, some pieces inedible. - Caribbean Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Worse Spanish food I've ever had in my whole entire life.. the chicken was dried out the service was ridiculous the woman up front is rude and obnoxious and not to sound ignorant but whoever's in the kitchen can't cook Spanish food worth of anything... read more

Food smells better than it tastes. My meat and rice dish tastes liked it was cooked days ago. And had troubling getting an extra napkin, cant really explain why. read more

Stopped here for lunch and wow! For about $10 I got a chicken empanada, white rice, black beans, chicken leg/thigh, and a little salad. The food was so delicious and prepared and seasoned perfectly. The staff was friendly and welcoming. Couldn't ask for more! read more

Great portions. At first we were caught off guard because we thought it would be a diner. Just think of it like a no nonsense soul kitchen. Pernil, habichuelas, plantains and rice. Commence the itis. read more

I'm not too familiar with Cuban/Caribbean food, but it's a good enough place I guess. The Cuban sandwich was pretty good, but it got cold by the time I got back to the office. In all, it's a good lunch spot. read more

PLEASE NOTE - my rating system relates to what the place is. If it's supposed to be a restaurant with a fine dining experience, then there had better be excellent food and good service. This place, for example, has buffet-style food (but you can also order from a menu), and you get enough food to feed you for three meals for $6.50. Hence, four stars. I would even give it five, but they run out of stuff, and the meats can be fatty. I tried here once during the lunch hour, and the line went a bit slow, and of course it is hard to park because of the area. Other than this, I just wonder how they stay in business with how much food they give out for the price. AND, they say free delivery! I'm not from the area, so I never tried this, but it baffles me. Good luck to them! Ladies working the lunch counter, snap it up please, people are in a hurry. If you like orange rice, this is your heaven. read more