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    Caribbean Spice

    4.2 (145 reviews)
    ModerateCaribbean
    Closed 11:00 am - 7:00 pm

    Caribbean Spice Photos

    Business Info

    CARIBBEAN SPICE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Quiet
    Good for kids
    Dogs allowed

    Recommended Reviews - Caribbean Spice

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    Mona B.

    Overall: This is another Gainesville staple. If you like Jamaican cuisine, come here. Ambiance: Lots of parking. Lots of seating inside. Good for groups. This place is definitely bigger than their old location YEARS ago on University Ave. I do miss that place though bc when I was in school it was just easy to walk to. Service: You walk up and order. It is quick and they are friendly and you can ask questions about portions and differences between menu items. Food: If you are craving good old fashioned Jamaican patties, they run out bc that's how much ppl love it. They have a variety of options from spicy beef to vegetarian. Their jerk chicken does have heat so be fair warned! The only reason I am giving 4 instead of 5 stars is because of price. I know the economy has changed and Gainesville is different but the Jamaican parties in Miami are cheaper. I think this place should actually be updated to $$ instead $ Overall, seriously come here!

    Oxtail and white rice with cabbage.

    Great Jamaican food! The oxtail and cabbage are excellent! I highly recommend this restaurant!

    Mmmmmm
    Shereen S.

    What a perfect twist on traditional beef patties . The Coco Bread loaves are super popular and sell out! Get there early or order ahead. Overall service was friendly and fast. The space was clean and well designed. Definitely worth a visit when in Gainesville

    a woman with dreadlocks on a wall
    Gregg P.

    First this place came recommended from both a friend and yelp so i had to try!! Walked in and was greeted by super friendly staff and took my order right away as i already knew what we wanted. Walking in the smell of the food is SOOO good, and the music playing in the background was very reminiscent of an island atmosphere. I have traveled to numerous Caribbean Island and felt like i was back on the islands!! The order was ready in about 5 minutes and i couldn't wait to get home, My wife could not stop saying WOW as she ate the oxtail dinner!! She said hands down it the best she has eaten!! Also my Curry chicken dinner looked and smelled and tasted amazing, best curry chicken i have had to include the islands!! The servings are more than ample. Definite won't leave you hungry!! I can see why it was recommended for me to try!! And i am already planning on going back later this week.

    Jasmine J.

    Caribbean Spice will always be at the top of the list for me! I have memories of my dad taking me there when I was younger and have been in love with their patties and coco bread ever since. I finally made it back to Gainesville, and was able to pay them a visit. I made sure to get there as soon as they opened because I know the Pattie's go quickly! I ordered spinach patties, spinach and cheese loaf, beef and cheese, and coco bread. I was hoping to get a turkey and cheese, but they were out that day. Everything was just like I remember it. The coco loaves are my fave. I could seriously eat one every day. I will definitely be back the next time I'm in town. Caribbean Spice is guaranteed to provide good quality patties. My only regret is not ordering more!

    The restaurant is brand new and clean and inviting.
    kimberly c.

    The oxtails gravy was so salty this time and the server forgot my beef patty! I paid $49 for a lunch platter and a dinner platter, very disappointed this time! Please check the salt content for flavor I could barely eat the food.

    Oxtail
    Nick N.

    I would say the food is almost a four. The Goat curry had too much curry and the oxtail was a bit too fatty. However, I think my biggest issue with this place was the service. I called to try to place an order and was talking to the gentleman for about 30 seconds where he then told me can he please put me on hold and then had me wait almost 5 to 10 minutes where I eventually just hung up the phone. And then called again maybe 15 minutes later as I was driving over, and I placed my order. When I got there, my order was not ready to go, and they weren't even sure if they were able to fill the order because they ran out of the goat curry.

    Jerk chicken

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    1 year ago

    Nice people good Jerk chicken at counter, clean tables, had a Ginger beer to ,easy parking

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Food is not the best. The service is only good to certain demographics. Stereotypical design and unwelcoming ambiance.

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    3 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Expedient service and actually had the items that I wanted none of tha .... "Mi nuh hav dat" business

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    2 years ago

    Their mild & spicy beef patties were sooo good . Can't wait to try the vegan patty next time

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    3 years ago

    Jerk chicken is still great. Rice and beans were hard to eat. steamed cabbage was missing in my plate. Not as good as I remember.

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    Ask the Community - Caribbean Spice

    Esperanza - Churrasco

    Esperanza

    (22 reviews)

    We made a reservation in advance to celebrate my mom's birthday here, especially since she had…read moreheard great things about their crispy pork--one of her favorites. Unfortunately, our experience didn't live up to expectations. While the staff was friendly, there were several issues that really stood out. We arrived early for our reservation, but after the rest of our party showed up and we ordered, it took ONE HOUR for our food to arrive. I understand that it can take longer for larger parties, but once the food came, some of the dishes were cold. The portions were smaller than expected and didn't seem worth the price. After such a long wait, we were too hungry to send the food back, so we ate it anyway, but it definitely wasn't satisfying. The appetizers and entrees were just okay. We had several things missing from our order and had to ask our server for basic items like plates and glasses. There was a drag show going on inside, and the music was extremely loud. We were seated outside right under a speaker, and the sound was spotty and staticky. A staff member mentioned that the music would be turned off because it was too loud, but it took 20-30 minutes for that to actually happen. Overall, the whole experience felt overstimulating, and the long wait just wasn't worth it. I was hoping for a better celebration, but unfortunately, I can't recommend this place based on our visit.

    Had seen several reviews on this place in the past. And I know there was a Yelp event there as…read morewell. So we decided to try it today. Got there shortly after they opened, got sat down right away. They had a really cool brunch menu, but chose to stick to the.Regular menu. Our appetizer was okay. Our main courses came out.My salmon was very tasty, came with cilantro rice and was supposed to be mixed vegetables, but it looked more like cabbage and onion.It still tasted good, but. Wife got paella., it was okay as well The atmosphere of the restaurant towards the end of our meal. Became very interesting, i'm not sure what was planned, but yeah.. Our waiter was very friendly and helpful.. They have indoor and a large outdoor seating area. It is definitely a unique dining experience. Situated in thornebrooke shopping area.

    Caribbean Spice - caribbean - Updated May 2026

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