It's a no for me. I got the oxtails with rice and cabbage. Cabbage was decent. I got 4 oxtails 2 were tender the other 2 not so much. The spicy beef patty was just regular nothing special. I wouldn't go back read more

First and last time going to this place. Travel 30 minutes to try this place out. It opens at 11:30 a.m. so I wait outside because I got there a little early. 11:30 rolls around and it's still closed. 11:40 still closed, the people who work at the surrounding restaurants are laughing like this is a regular thing and one of them says knock on the door. I do that and a woman comes from the bottom basically signaling with her hands that they are closed. This is a place of business, these are regular working hours. Have the common courtesy to come and tell a customer, why you're closed, say sorry or something. Just pathetic for a any business to operate like this. Will never go again, or recommend it to anyone. On top of the fact the parking in this area is atrocious so I walked a good ways to even find the place. read more

I've always passed by this place, and finally my friend and I decided to try it out. The restaurant has such a tropical and relaxing atmosphere, I felt like I was in Jamaica. I ordered the small wings with rice and peas and plantains. This is a must try!!!! The honey glaze they use for the wings is to die for and they fall straight off the bone. They definitely take the crown for my favorite wings. The plantains were also very delicious and had great flavor. Also, try the ting! Overall I had a great experience. The service was fantastic and they really helped you with choosing a good meal. I would definitely come back to try more on the menu! read more

Caribbean Corner - Small wings with rice and peas and plantains - Caribbean Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

I can't believe I've never been to this place before! It was SOOOOOO good. My husband and I tied it for lunch. Between the two of us we had the ox tails, the curry goat, the beef patty, and the fried plantains. The curry goat was good, the ox tails were GREAT, the beef patties were spicy and flaky and the plantains were sweet and yummy. We got the small sized entrees and they were plenty for both me and my husband. One more thing you should know: I wouldn't order and eat at the restaurant, especially during the summer. Call in a to-go order and pick it up then eat at home. It was a pretty sparse dining room without AC. read more

The place it's self is drab and unclean. In fact I believe it only has two tables(don't quote me on that). The prices are ok, but they are a bit conservative on the amount of meat they give. The food it's self is a miss as well. The curry shrimp was way, way, way too salty. Like can't eat more than a quarter of it because it's too salty. The jerk pork was decent, the sauce was good but had a bit of a strange after taste, the pork being well done and tender. I also had the ox tail which melted in your mouth, it was well done, however the sauce it's self was plain and tasted like store bought gravy. As for the sides such as the rice, the cabbage, and the plantains, those were well, in one word bad in two words not good. The rice was mushy, the plantains were tasteless, and the cabbage tasted almost rotten. The only reason I don't put my review at 1 star is because the pork and the ox tail were tender and nice.(the sauces on them however weren't good!) read more

I can't say enough about the food here! It's so so good. My favorite is the brown stewed chicken with rice and peas ( which means beans & rice). Also comes with plantains and cooked cabbage. The beef patties are perfect too. Nice and crispy on the edges not too doughy with just the right amount of kick! Definitely more of a carry out vs. sit down but they do have a few tables if your really need to eat right there. Call before you come... the hours aren't always the same. Very relaxed (in Caribbean style) but worth the call and trip! read more

The curry goat. That's all you need. My favorite hole in the wall in the entire world. To the owners: We've had a strong relationship for 6 years. I don't think I could leave you for another Carribean restaurant. Its not the same! read more

This place is unprofessional. I've been trying to eat here for months. They change their schedule and close whenever they want. The day changes from week to week so it's impossible to know what day. To make it even more annoying they refuse to answer their phone... even when they are open. So if you want to eat here you can't simply call to see if they are open you have to physically go to the restaurant. Save yourself the hassle and go to a professional establishment. read more

Maybe I was spoiled living in Miami, but I've had my fair share of Caribbean-inspired food that was made by people who are from the islands. And that shit was good. This was meh. Just meh. You would never take a date to this place (unless she was awesome, and doesn't mind eating in the car after you get the food to go, because the "restaurant" is a basement hole which shares a bathroom with the adjoining restaurant). You will not be wowed by the food. Ox-tail was okay, jerk chicken was not good. It was just missing something. You will not like the prices, for the portions served. Their small dinner plates are 75% rice (which is delicious, but if I wanted rice, I'd just go to my grandma's house). You're better served flying down to South Florida (or better yet, Jamaica) and getting the real deal. read more

I used to love this place, but I've been here 3 times during the hours they should be open. Each time they were closed. I'll get my Caribbean food elsewhere. read more

This place is hard to spot. However, once found you will have no regrets. Their Curry goat is the best I've had in Northern VA. I've had the oxtail, callaloo, chicken soup, curry chicken... It's all really great food for the soul. Now, if you're looking for a nice place to sit down to eat - you will not be too satisfied. It's pretty small and I think I saw only one table overlooking the kitchen area - Don't let the appearance throw you off, because as I mentioned above the food is superior. The staff behind the counter are really friendly - however, I was unable to get the chef to tell me where he buys the fresh callaloo from =D read more

Finding Caribbean Corner after a trip to Jamaica was one of the greatest moments of my life. This place is hidden in the back of an alley in Old Town Fairfax, parking can be a predicament, but sooo worth it! I've never had a bad experience here. The staff is friendly and helpful. The food is authentic (as much as a non-Jamaican can attest to) and extremely delicious! I always order the Curry Goat, but have tasted the Jerk Chicken, Brown Stew Chicken and Ox Tail; all top notch! Most of the food comes with rice & peace, slaw and a couple of plantains. They also have patties, which I can never say no to when I go to the counter to pay. There's a cooler with a large selection of Jamaican drinks including Ting as well. The restaurant is small and can seem intimidating, especially the first time you walk in, but I've always felt welcome whenever I visit. I can't recommend this place enough!! I'm sooo happy to have this place in the area. I live in Alexandria and would gladly drive out there any time I'm craving Jamaican food. Seriously, try the Curry Goat. Don't be scared. read more

Im all for the suspect looking places- i believe they always have the best food, but hole in the wall is an understatement. This place is tiny and the inside is practically the whole kitchen with 2 small tables and some chairs. Don't come here with a group expecting to sit down, don't come here with one person because the space is too small to be comfortable. Parking was bad- this is a place you walk to and get to-go. My mom and i ordered the goat curry plate, which came with plantains and rice and peas. The plantains were a joke not thick fried, moist, and brown but yellow, flat, hard and dry. The curry was just ok taste wise and It had a lot of bony pieces. More bone than meat and the bones were small and easy to swallow. The beef patties were good- nothing special i suspect they are ordered from some place else and not homemade. The prices were ok i suppose for the portions. This area doesn't have much Jamaican food but honestly i would not come here again. NOVA Jamaican cant touch MD and DC restaurants unfortunately so if your craving Jamaican or Caribbean id go venture there. read more

So, its been said that the spot is a hole in the wall. That it truly is. However, it just keeps up the authenticity to me. As a Trinidadian woman, I know that the best roti shops and curry houses look a lot like this or offer even less ambiance. The importance is in the flavor of the food. However, before I get to food, let me talk about the staff. They have some first generation American guys at the register. They are very warm and sweet. As a Trini woman, I requested some Peppah Sauce. They brought me some sliced peppers floating in some sort of solution. I refused it and began teasing them about bringing some real peppah for them to use. The chef came out from the back for some conversation and lighthearted banter. It reminded me so much of home. Now for the important part: I ordered the Curried Goat dinner. The Goat was succulent but contained too many small bones for unbridled chewing but the flavor was delicious. The rice and peas was very mushy. I would suggest to the cook that he invest in parboiled rice in the future although this would drive up the cost. The steamed cabbage and carrots was perfection. I will definitely take the ride back out to this establishment when I am longing for a taste of home. Besides, I need to take them a bottle of REAL peppah sauce! read more

I lived in the Caribbean and I like to eat, so I would say my palette is better than most. This place is okay. Not great and not bad, just okay. I ordered the oxtail (I'm obsessed with oxtail) and that was pretty good. Usually, when I eat at a place that I really like, I tend to talk about it ALOT and manage to find a way to eat there with different people everyday for the next week or so. With this place I didn't feel that urge. I hope Fairfax gets hip to the fact that Caribbean food is amazing and more Caribbean places open up around here. read more

amazing food, worth the drive around the block to find it. don't let the appearance deter you from amazing oxtails.

A hole in the wall. Literally. Located near Mason, on University Drive and Main Street. There's a small parking lot across the street with limited parking, a block down on Main Street there's a bigger parking lot, 2 hr free public parking. I was in between work meetings so decided to stop here to grab lunch. I came in and and there was no one behind the counter. So I was confused for a bit, do I just wait? Do I make some noise to get attention? Was I supposed to call ahead for a pick up and go? As I was just twiddling my thumb contemplating my next move, someone came to the counter. Phew! There are a couple of tables for you to sit and eat, but this is mostly and pick up and go kinda place. I got my box and sat down to eat, it was during lunch time so it was starting to get busy with people grabbing and going. I decided to get the Jamaican chicken curry with rice. They only have size small and large, a medium option would be nice. I ordered large, it was a lot and couldn't finish! The chicken curry was good, like a home cooked meal. And it was a lot of it! I want to try to jerk chicken from the menu. Again, a hole in the wall, that might just surprise you. read more

Wow!! This place was exactly what I have been looking for, for the past almost 3 years. It's authentic! Legit! I am from NYC and have had good carribean food and this is it. It's def a hole in the wall kind of place (don't those have the best food). Feels like you were invited over for dinner and got a home cooked meal. The flavor and spices are perfect. Nothing watered down or unseasoned well. I had the Jamaican curry chicken with beans and rice, and came with 3 fried plantains and cabbage. I ate too much. The portions are generous and the prices are very reasonable. The seating is limited and so is parking. I suggest not coming with a large party to dine in. Order to go and enjoy it at home. I will most definitely be back to try the curry goat, jerk chicken and ox tails!! :) read more

Caribbean Corner - Jamaican curry chicken with beans and rice, cabbage, and plantains. This is a large size meal. :) - Caribbean Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

I came here for lunch and I wouldn't come back . 1. I called 7 mins from the location . It went straight too the automatic message. I arrived and asked if they did orders by phone nice man said yes. I explained I called (didn't say how long ago) he said the might have been busy . I looked around NOBODY WAS THERE or walking out as I arrived . They obviously were not busy 2. He said the jerk was spicy .... for people that like spicy food it doesn't even have a kick . Not even Mild spicy too say 3. I'm eating my chicken and I notice a red vein like in the chicken . I stop eating check the chicken too see if that was normal it was 3 different red vein likes in different areas... basically that's not a vein *YUCK* and also the food went right through my body 10mims after I was at work on the toilet (TMI) . Long story short I will NEVER eat there again they've scar me on eating chicken now. I've never in my life seen a chicken with a red vein like (it was not blood !!!) the worst experience I've ever had read more

Wonderful little joint. My wife is Jamaican, and from New York City. She said this is some of the best Jamaican food she has had since leaving New York. I have had Jamaican/West Indian cooking for years, and this place is awesome. I would say my only criticism is that it is hard to find. If you don't know the neighborhood, and don't really slow down to look...you will drive right past the place. Who knows...maybe that's a blessing, so the place won't be crowded. read more

Caribbean Corner - My oxtails were excellent. The rice and peas were quite good. This place is awesome. - Caribbean Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

Food was tasty- ordered oxtails and jerk chicken. The dishes were more salty than anything else,( and trust me I LOVE salt) but I think it overshadowed some of the more complex flavors in the food. I really wanted cabbage but they were out when I went. The portion sizes are great, and you could eat two or more meals out of one dish. I docked an extra star because they closed early (without notice!) the day I went due to the heat. I felt bad for the people they kept turning away who had driven from far away to eat there. They just pretended to not be inside the restaurant lol. That being said, they were gracious enough to serve me, and I'm glad they did. I'd need to go again to really leave a more detailed review, as I feel that day was a bit abnormal. Either way if you're craving Jamaican food and in the area, definitely check out this place! read more

Good oxtails!! Definitely a place I would recommend for take-out! Only con is they don't answer the phone and they're randomly closed

Went today. Tried the oxtails and brown stew chicken. AMAZING!!! I'm from Florida and grew up eating Jamaican food. This is the real deal. Air conditioner doesn't work, but that adds to the authenticity. That being said, if you go in July and are sensitive to heat, to-go may be a better option for you. read more

Love their food. This is the real deal, authentic Jamaican cuisine. Alot of food for your money.

There's not much Caribbean food to be found in Fairfax County, but this place seems to disregard the laws of economics by providing (extremely) large portions of tasty Jamaican food at rock-bottom prices. $5 will get you a solid lunch, while $10 will provide enough to stuff two ordinary mortals. This particular reviewer is rather gluttonous, and constantly generates losses for this poor restaurant by ordering and consuming the $10-option in its entirety. The escoveitch, jerk chicken, curried goat, curried oxtail, and patty appetizer are all uniformly delicious. Here are descriptions for the uninitiated: Escoveitch: An entire red snapper in all its flaky glory. Like many Jamaican dishes, it's seasoned with a scotch bonnet-pepper based sauce and served, like all entrees here, with sides of pickled cabbage (in contrast to the more famous kimchi, garlic and chili is not involved) and rice and beans. Curried Goat/Oxtail: Self-explanatory. The curry sauce is delicious, ranking 6/10 on the spiciness scale, while the goat is savory and tender, despite its gamy texture. Oxtail is extremely tender (also fatty) and similar in texture and appearance to spare ribs. Jerk Chicken: Butchered by American bars and restaurants everywhere, this is Jamaica's most internationally famous dish. Fortunately, Caribbean Corner does it great justice. The meat is succulent, and the seasoning strikes the delicate balance between spicy and savory that is emblematic of Jamaican food at its best. If you get this here, you'll never order it at Whitlow's nor Seacrets again :). Patty: Like everything else here, this uniquely Jamaican take on the empanada is spicy and savory in equal parts. The deep-fried shell is perfectly flaky, and the seasoned ground beef inside is perfectly seasoned. The owner and cashier are extremely friendly, and your order never fails to come out within five minutes. Despite the fast food speed at which your food comes out, it somehow never fails to taste fresh. There are three tables for those who, like me, prefer to eat their food while it's hot and fresh, but you will have to settle for eating out of your take-out container with plastic silverware. For those enlightened ones who like their food nice and spicy, this pays rich dividends- When the owner saw me applying gratuitous amounts of hot sauce to my jerk chicken, he promptly gave me a bottle of homemade scotch bonnet pepper sauce to take home. If you couldn't already tell, I highly recommend this place. SWPL-types will be delighted to stand in line almost exclusively with AUTHENTIC Jamaican immigrants. Drinkers should not forget to bring a couple bottles of ginger beer home to mix with their rum. read more

This place is a hole in the wall. I love it! You come in and there's reggae playing on the radio and authentic Jamaican food cooking in the back. I ordered the small jerk chicken which was around $5. It came with jerk chicken, salad, plantains, and rice and was plenty of food for lunch. I'll be baaack, mon! read more

I looooove me some Jamaican food!!!! It's nothing fancy and great carry out spot. Just make sure to call in your order beforehand so you don't have to wait. The prices are good. Jerk chicken and pretty much everything else had the perrrrrrfect amount of spice. The oxtail stew was superb. Try it... Just do it.... You won't be disappointed. read more

Tip to the wise- park on the other side of University Drive in the public lot. Much easier than pulling into their driveway. Talk about something new! It's about time we got some Caribbean goodness in Fairfax! Zach- I think that must have been a fluke. They should be open M-F 11:00 - 7:00 and Saturday 11:00 - 9:00. You gotta try again! =) read more

Great beef patty, I wish that they do chicken curry patty as well. Chicken curry over rice is salty and great flavor, since they put it on top of the rice, you have to eat it right away. I would recommend to put the chicken on the small box instead of put it on top of rice. I would come back for the curry goat next time. read more

Being from NY/NJ and growing up with a Jamaican friend, I love me some curry goat, oxtail, jerk chicken, beef patty with champagne cola. I use to go to Negril years ago when it was good and Tropicana near 930 club when convenient. Now that I work in FFX, I figured I it was a lost cause for Jamaican food. I was wrong... The eatery itself is non existent as it is basically a carry out joint. Parking is zero but I park at the office building next door checking my car every minute or waiting outside after I order my food to make sure it doesn't get towed. All of this is worth it as the food is delicious. Do not expect a restaurant as none of the tasty Jamaican places are. I suggest the curry goat, oxtail and jerk chicken. I hear the wings are good but haven't tried them. The pieces of meat could be bigger, but the authentic flavors are there and it definitely satisfies my hunger for good Jamaican food. Give it a try! read more

When most people think of a corner shop, they usually think of a street intersection where there's a lot of foot traffic and high visibility. No, this is back corner, as in you wouldn't even know it was there if you drove on university drive a million times. This is the back corner, where the wafting aroma of the trash is never too far away. Forget hole in the wall, this downstairs eatery is hole in the ground. Bob Marley's greatest hits are always crooning and the savory smells of jerk spices are superior to any incense. They have the classics from curry chicken to jerk chicken to beef stew (special on Tuesdays!) to ox-tail. My personal favorite is the jerk chicken served on a nuclear hot bed of rice. I dunno where they keep it but it always comes out at least 300 degrees. The owner/cook is always super nice and loves to hook it up with free samples, but what can I say I love to jerk the chicken. read more

My daughter and I enjoyed a dinner here and will be going back soon. I'd never had oxtail before...deliciously messy and leaves you wanting the rest of the cow. I'm not sure how you're supposed to eat oxtail, so I just picked them up and went to town. Seems like it would be easier to eat if the butcher left it whole. The seasoning/sauce was very good, not too hot or overpowering. +1 My daughter had the jerk chicken, which she completely devoured. It was a little spicier and she eventually gave in and drank a little water. I think I may get that next time. +1 The Marley tunes, the words to which immediately came back to me after 20 years out of college, made for a nice bonding moment with my 14 year-old. +1 The staff was friendly and helpful and seemed happy we were there. +1 This is not the kind of place that makes for special nights to remember... dining in means sitting in one of the three booths overlooking the kitchen and a large delivery map of Fairfax. And the plastic knife didn't really keep up. read more

First & foremost: Calling this place a hole in the wall would be QUITE generous. In my haste to get my first bite from CC, I nearly blew past the small alleyway on the right leading into the restaurant off University Dr. so... location is tricky to say the least. (Sidenote: Unless you're able to back out onto the main road, you WILL pull an Austin Powers trying to turn around and exit their 4-car parking lot.) That said, this was a tremendous meal. Managed to sneak in with the wife on President's Day - in fact, only one other diner in there at the time so we were able to put in our carryout order w/o a hitch. Not sure how busy they get during a regular weekday. Full disclosure: The plan called for us to try the Jerk Chicken but long story short... we ended up with an order of Curry Chicken instead (slow cooked chicken in a yellow curry sauce, on a bed of white rice). Definitely our fault for the mixup. In any event, we grabbed a large order of the oxtail for good measure (also slow cooked, in a brown sauce over rice and beans). Both entrees were fantastic. Meat was off-the-bone tender in both dishes, most especially the oxtail. I'm a bit of a salt hound so if they were heavy with the salt, I didn't notice. Others might but there is a side of fried plantains included to help balance all the flavors out. Now that we got the ordering snafus out of the way, we'll surely be back. Definitely for the jerk chicken, maybe even the curry goat. But trust we'll take a smaller car. read more

My first review, so I'll keep it simple. Caribbean Corner is one of my favorite places to eat. As the other reviewers have stated, it is more of a takeout location. The jerk chicken is is tender, and borders on the spicier side. It is served with a jerk reduction, peas and rice (think beans and rice), plantains, cooked cabbage, and fresh sliced tomatoes. I've had the curry goat, ox tails, and beef patties. The oxtails are awesome, but you don't get much oxtails. They were sliced thin as opposed to getting what you think of as an ox tail bone. It comes with the standard complement of peas and rice,cabbage, and plantains. My only frustration with this place are the hours. I've driven by twice only for the place to be closed without explanation during their normal published hours. I would definitely recommend Caribbean Corner, just call ahead to make sure they are open. read more

To die for I completely recommend this place it's a little hole in the wall in Fairfax A friend of mine recommended it and I am so thankful she did on this occasion we ordered the ox tail and the curry chicken I'm still licking my fingers of how good it was read more

Having grown up in Haiti, I have been wanting to come here for a long time. I was blown away by how great the food was here, especially considering the price. I had the curry goat and jerk chicken with fried plantains, rice and peas, and a beef patty. It was all incredible, and definitely hit close to home even though it's all Jamaican food. I plan on coming here a lot more in the future. It's a nice little place you could just hang out at too, just listen to music and eat good food! read more

Caribbean Corner - Curry goat, jerk chicken, rice and peas, plantains, and a beef patty. - Caribbean Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

There used to be a time where you'd have to drive all the way out to MD. for good Jamaican food. I am sooo happy that my good friends at Yelp steered me into this direction. I simply placed my order over the phone and went in to pick it up. Now I will say that the parking is a hot mess but if you're lucky, you can park in the lot behind the restaurant (they're are towing signs). I ended up getting a large and a small jerk chicken dinner. The food was amazing although I wish I had more peas in my rice n peas lol. I would definitely go back since the price is right and the service was fast and friendly. read more

I finally ventured out to this place to try my first carribean experience. I ordered the roti chicken curry. The place is tucked away in old town fairfax. the interior itself is minimal. They have a kitchen, a register, and one table. The people there were nice and friendly. The portions of the food were big and the chicken was really tender. However, there was just something I wasnt crazy about. It wasnt bad, but it didnt blow my mind. I ordered food for another person in my office, my order, and 2 drinks. I find that this place isnt crazy expensive, but for lunch its not cheap. Total, i think i paid a little over $20. I might come back and try other things. But for me this is like a once in a long time type place to go to. read more

I've been here several times and my whole family have loved the oxtail stew but I was disappointed with the food my last visit a few days ago. The oxtail was way too salty. I had to reboil it in water to remove some salt. Not sure if I will be returning. read more

This place invented "hole in the wall." It's in a tiny little out of the way basement in Fairfax city. I'm pretty sure that the only way this place hasn't been closed due to health code violations is because the health department doesn't know it exists! That being said, they probably have the best Jamaican food outside of Jamaica. Get the jerk chicken with rice and plantain and you cannot go wrong. The chicken was fantastically spicy and flavorful and the plantain was perfect. Get your food to go and enjoy it elsewhere. Don't come if you're in a rush, this place definitely runs on island time. You might wait 20 minutes even if you're the only person there. read more