This is the best Jamaican food I have found North of Orlando . I had their oxtail and it was tender and flavorful. They are very polite and helpful and it made the entire experience very pleasant. They also use high quality Meat without antibiotics and hormones. Great taste of Jamaica!!. read more

By far the worst try at Caribbean food ever. The curry was soupy...no gravy at all. Cabbage/rice and peas were spicy from black pepper and inedible. I was given such a small amount of chicken, it could have all fit into a two ounce cup. I would never recommend anyone eat here, especially if you want authentic curry. read more

Caribbean Spice - Caribbean Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Great tasting food and fantastic service! Super nice people and a very friendly environment as well. Also, the portions served are very generous and very much worth the price paid. Would definitely recommend! Thanks! read more

I have been looking for some good Jamaican food in the area and stumbled upon this place! The oxtail was absolutely amazing. It was tender, flavorful, and gelatinous from the cooked down collagen. The jerk chicken was very flavorful but too salty. We also tried the spicy beef patties but It did not look like the pictures above. It may have been an off day as the filling was extremely liquidy! Still yummy though! I also recommend the bread pudding, the banana bread was just okay. The service was kind but I noticed the prices we were charged did not match what was on the menu. It was about a 5% difference... I didn't say anything as it is a small business but just so others are aware. read more

Caribbean Spice - Jerk Chicken - Caribbean Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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

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

I stopped by Caribbean Spice for the first time the other day for a late lunch to go. The girl at the counter was very friendly and explained the menu to me and how the 'lunch' and 'dinner' prices denote the size of the portions. I ordered the ox tail dinner, spicy beef patty, and beef and cheese patty (which was made with sweet coco bread). Everything was delicious! The oxtail was so tender and came with ample seasoned rice and bean and cabbage. I split the meal with my wife and we still had leftovers. The patties were fantastic as well. I'll definitely be back to try the jerk chicken and curried goat. read more

Serving size was good, but if you can cook oxtail, cook it yourself. Left the meat, as I did not like the herbal taste. Place is clean. Service wasn't great. read more

Caribbean Spice - Oxtail Dinner - Caribbean Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Ordered delivery. I know it's because of the lack of people outside right now. But I got my food about 15 minutes after i ordered it. Super fast. The oxtail was melt in your mouth tender, super flavorful. The rice and beans were perfect amount of spicy, delicious. The cabbage was well.. cabbage. The spicy meat patty was absolutely delicious. I'm from south florida where you can throw a pebble out your car window and hit at least 6 delicious Jamaican restaurants... been having a hard time finding one up here till now. This place is GOOD! read more

Caribbean Spice - Oxtail meal - Caribbean Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

I only come here for their patties and coco bread! I could get 2-3 of these and that will be enough to fill me up for a whole meal. I've tried almost all of their renditions of veggie, veggie + cheese, meat, meat + cheese, spinach, etc. They're ALL delicious. The coco bread has more of that doughy feel and the patties are flakier. I usually get one patty and one coco bread because I can't choose which one I like more. I've also tried their carrot cake which is not as sweet as what you would normally expect. It has that subtle, mild sweetness like banana or zucchini bread. It has a nice hint of nutmeg and cinnamon and I don't feel like I had a decadent dessert. I really enjoy all of their bread/pastry items. You can't go wrong with any of them! read more

Caribbean Spice - carrot cake bread - Caribbean Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Good service & portions. We tried the jerk chicken & curry chicken. The preference is definitely the jerk chicken. The rice & peas and the cabbage was tasty as well. read more

I've been a long-standing albeit occasional customer of Caribbean spice since 1985. However, today might be my last visit. I went by to order a couple of beef patties. The young lady at the desk took my order and was about to cash me out when the owner abruptly told her to stop and give a waiting customer the order he had just prepared. The young lady did as she was told; after which, she got my patties, put them in a bag, and proceeded to checked me out. Once my transaction was completed, the owner verbally assaulted the young woman--telling her not to wait on a customer who was just ordering Pattie's. Now, that would have made sense if the counter server was responsible for fulfilling the food orders, but they aren't because the owner plates each order himself. So, it only stands to reason that the young woman decided to cash me out rather than stand there twiddling her thumbs, waiting for him to finish plating an order. I was disgusted to see the disdain with which he treated her and doubt I will be returning to Caribbean Spice again. The food is okay and the patties are fairly good, but not good enough for me to go back to see this curmudgeon treat people so badly. And this is not the first time I've observed him speak to his employees harshly. So, unless you're a fan of the soup Nazi, I suggest you think twice before visiting Caribbean Spice. read more

Being from south Florida you get the pleasure of tasting some of the best Caribbean foods. Coming to Gainesville made me miss that so much until I found Caribbean Spice. Not every one can make oxtails but they surpassed my expectations 10/10. The meat just falls off the bone and if your an island girl like myself you will appreciate how flavor filled and tender the bones are. read more

I have been coming back to Caribbean spice since it was a hole in the wall joint off university. When he sold out that was it, there was no more. So glad he is in this bigger building with more product and also new meal offerings. One of these days I'll try something new but until then it's spicy till I die! read more

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A Gainesville staple with a new location and seating! I'm happy to see the patties are still beyond delicious. The patties always have a softer unique crust that makes them addictive but the filling is always hot and seasoned to perfect. When those Turkey patties are in stock you best get'em while they last. Vegetarian and beef options all good all the time. read more

Caribbean Spice - Veggie pattie with cheese - Caribbean Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

My goto meal when I'm craving Caribbean Spice, is the Spicy Meat Patty combo with carrot cake! Today, I was extra hungry and tried his Jerk Chicken, cabbage and rice! At first, I thought it was too burnt. But the flavor from skin to meat was tasty, delectable and not overwhelmingly spicy. This place will have you singing "Jamaica me happy!" read more

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Gotta love a place that knows what they do best, and sticks to it. Although they sell more than jamaican patties at this almost 30 year old Gainesville classic, be certain not to walk out without 3 or 4 tucked away in their little brown bags. Chris (the owner/sole employee so far as Ive ever seen) is a great guy, who is always very accommodating. And at $1.75 for their basic patties, they are on their own level of affordable that nowhere in town can challenge. They're out of regular (read: vegan) spinach patties? Just wait 10 minutes, and he will bake a fresh batch for you, if you ask. If youre getting them fresh out of the oven like that, make sure you order at least a few extras to share. Patties fresh from his oven have bought me many favors amongst friends and roommates. Consider the fact that this place isnt looking for more customers. Although Chris is friendly and welcoming, after nearly 30 years there, you can tell he's content with what he's chiseled out of University and Downtown's lunch crowd. The small but constant trickle of office workers, professionals, employees/owners of neighboring businesses, and the occasional adventurous student is proof that Caribbean Spice has earned its humble place as one of the most affordable and consistent lunch options in town. read more

Caribbean Spice - Flakey hot patties, ooh lawd - Caribbean Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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After a long and draining hot day if activities, this was a great spot. Not too many Caribbean places found in Gainesville. First time visiting and and it was great! I got the cutesy chicken with oxtail gravy and rice. would recommend to my yardies. Staff was attentive and welcoming. read more

Caribbean Spice - Curry chicken. Rice & peas with oxtail gravy! - Caribbean Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

I can't believe I'm just now reviewing this awesome establishment. I've been coming to this hole-in-the-wall, no-frills, no nonsense Hogtown institution since my ritual Sunday hangover days at UF. Yes, the early'90s to be exact. Simply: consistently good. Recently came back into town for a short jaunt. Still cheap; forever one of the most satisfying handheld foods on Earth. No, seriously. It's a must if you must. I've always ordered one each of the beef (meat) pie, a veggie & cheese pie plus a drink . Man, the pies are so fresh, hot & delicious. Love the spiciness of the fillings and the sweetness of the dough. Yummo. And in 20 years, the only things that have really changed are the other businesses surrounding this joint and my level of tolerance for heat. Staff here still has the same personality as I remember. Never in any particular rush and laidback. Something very charming about this place regardless of how unkempt the location may seem. I say get over all of your inhibitions because it's meant to be taken to-go so check it out before some random chain takes over. This place is rules. read more

I finally got around to trying the patties here because they were open on Christmas eve. Don't expect much but a cooler full of drinks, Ting is missing. And a counter with a handwritten sign of all of the patties available. I do wish that they had more spicy options. The patties with cheese are the only ones available with a cocoa bread exterior. I am not a fan of the golden crust exterior here because it is hard and dry, so I opt for the cocoa bread exterior. Basically- beef, veggies, or spinach are offered with or without cheese. The beef being the filling with the most flavor. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the veggie patty; filled with onion, cabbage, bell pepper and seasoning. The spinach had too much vinegar flavor in it for my taste. They all run about $2.80 each and everything tastes homemade. The cocoa bread, about $0.80, is the perfect size and has four ply buttered layers for stuffing. read more

This place has really good food. I have not been to Jamaica yet so I can't speak to the authenticity of the good. Since I can't speak to the authenticity of the food I gave it 4 stars. Good things: the place is clean, people are friendly, the food is kicking in spice and flavor, well done food not over or undercook specially when it comes to the rice, and bites service them. Bad thing: the Menu is kind of genetic meaning rice, beans, and meat; repeat. Being native Caribbean, I know we have more than just rice beans and meat. They close at 7pm leaving people like me in a town of major hospitals and late night personnel without the opportunity to get a hardy meal. Can we keep it open till 10p please. read more

Caribbean Spice - Pork jerk dinner. - Caribbean Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Ordered the oxtail dinner ( $19.00 ) plate, it comes with peas and rice and cabbage. I was the only customer there, I placed my ordered and noticed it took sometime for the guy to fix the to go order....eventually I looked at the guy preparing my plate and noticed he was very intentional on his plating of a to go meal. My dinner came with a bait and switch... 4 small oxtails enough peas and rice for a family of 10, spread across the large part of the styrofoam dinner plate on top of the that was an extremely small portion of cabbage, disguised on a mound of pease and rice, so at initial glance it appears to be a decent portion of veggies .. not! It was a teaspoon of cabbage on 2 pounds of peas and rice. TIP TO ALL - Check your order with a fork while there!! Oxtails are already expensive but dang! Cheating people on the veggies!!! Caribbean Spice - shame one you!!! I won't be back and spreading the news!! read more

A good option to grab a quick meal, I've mainly had good experiences here. My personal favorite is the jerk pork meal. The only problem I've repeatedly had here is that they seem to run out of menu items very regularly. On multiple occasions, I've been told that they're out of some combination of the jerk pork, rice and beans, cabbage, or desserts at lunch time on a weekday. I also enjoy their oxtails with extra oxtail gravy, but I've also had instances where I was really disappointed in the serving size of the oxtails. Overall, the food is good but just inconsistent. read more

Great patties on the cheap, fresh and hot. Grab a couple to go (you do not want to hang about) and sastify your comfort food craving. They stay really hot in the bag so you can count on them to still taste great even if you have a bit of travel ahead of you. I haven't tried the rest of the items on the menu yet, they are a bit more expensive than Reggae Shack - my first thought when I think of Caribbean food in Gainesville - but I love the low-budget hand lettered signage that hasn't been updated in at least 3 years. read more

Caribbean Spice - Caribbean Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

First time ordering. Portion sizes are over the top, probably more than another meal left. Spices are good and not hot at all. We had chicken and pork, both good. LOTS of rice and beans. Was surprised at big kidney beans, thought Jamaican style was black beans. Hardest part is being sure I was connecting with them rather than the food delivery services, they seem to have hijacked the web site. I live close by and prefer to pick up rather than have the delivery folks cut into the restaurant profits. read more

This is the real reason we moved back to Gainesville! Get the lunch special for the cheapest, tastiest meal in town - veggie patty, coco bread, banana bread dessert & a drink all for under $4. Just don't ask to buy a T-Shirt! read more

Caribbean Spice - veggie & cheese, bread pudding, coco bread - Caribbean Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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One of our family's favorite places for lunch or dinner. The entrees are all amazing and the sides are great. Oxtails and the curried chicken or goat are especially delicious. This is the go to place for soul food at an affordable price. read more

New location, same great food warmer. Chris, the guy from the other location is still running it and now theybdont run out of food at noon. American dream. read more

Caribbean Spice - Food warmer of life. - Caribbean Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Best Jamaican restaurant I've been to! Ate here for the first time and had the Jerk Chicken, it's not too spicy and it's full of flavor!

Caribbean Spice always holds a special place in my heart. The patties are exceptional and inexpensive. While the owner and staff are all very pleasant, the service leaves much to be desired. The owner has a terrible time managing inventory, so all but one or two types of patties will be gone before the lunch rush is over. They also told me they no longer take orders ahead of time on the phone, which was previously the only way to bypass their inventory idea. If they fix their inventory problems I'll gladly rate them 5 stars. read more

This is my go to Jamaican food spot, it is soooo good. Whenever I am in the area I cannot resist a nice plate of jerk chicken .

As a Jamaican American, it is truly hard to make momma's authentic Caribbean dishes on my own. This is the closest Momma's that I've had in Gainesville. The owner is straight out of Jamaica and has a very kind heart. His heart is truly in all his dishes from the mouth watering patties to the savory curry goat with rice and cabbage. I have been satisfied every visit and the hospitality is above exceptional. I'd recommend this place to anyone who truly wants to incorporate a taste of Jamaica into their day read more

So I visited the place today and had the jerk chicken lunch special. There was not enough cabbage on the plate and it had a vinegar taste. The rice and kidney beans was very bland. The chicken was very salty and burnt. The only things that was good was coco bread. I will not be returning. read more

Amazing authentic delicious. Definitely go but go fairly early...they will run out of the good stuff :)

Update: the jerk is much improved! Much more authentic flavors and ingredients in the jerk marinade. I little heavy on the jerk paste under the chicken skin but still flavorful. read more

The time is now 4:45 pm on a Saturday. I waited in line to order goat. While in line, someone in front of me orders goat, and now no nore goat. They tell us only jerk chicken and ox tail left. I'm the last in line and pay for my ox tail dinner. After I pay, I hear a cook from the back yell at the waitress in front "no more!" And she comes back to refund me. I ask for the chicken instead and they say we're all out of food. Sorry. 0 respect for your staff let alone customers. read more

Description: Caribbean Spice has never been considered a priority of mine to check out but after reading up on some yelp reviews, it made it seem worth trying. Let me get right to the point; the interior design of the place is pretty awful, even for a "hole in the wall." Besides a few pictures here and there, the restaurant aka shack was dirty and dull. There was no menu except for handwritten notes on the wall that informed customers what was being offered. Food & Service: Nonetheless, a bad first impression turned into a decent experience. The food here is not amazing but it's pretty good. The filling in the spicy beef patty was, however, too watery but the patty itself was well made. It was flaky and firm but also soft inside. Moreover, I ordered the veggie patty with cheese. This one was a win and I would definitely come back to have it again. Well seasoned and well cooked, the only thing I would complain is that I prefer the regular patty over the one with cheese. The banana bread that came with my meal was also enjoyable and the cocoa bread that came with my friend's meal was delicious! Prices were reasonable if you're looking for a snack or small meal. Final Thoughts: If I was only concerned with the banana bread, cocoa bread, and veggie patty with cheese, I'd give this place four stars. Unfortunately, the environment wasn't very welcoming and we could barely tell if it was open from the outside. Overall, I'd come here again for the food but I also hope they would tidy up the place and make it more pleasant! read more

Once upon a time, when I was just a poor little boy, I lived off of Taco Bell and Caribbean Spice. The most fresh, delicious patties, hot and ready to eat for just a few bucks. Amazing. I have yet, in my worldly travels, found any other place that does food like this. Now, many moons later, and far far away....I still think about those Veggie patties. read more

Like most awesome hole-in-the-wall types, Caribbean Spice doesn't give you any warning that you are about to consume awesomeness. I think the drab walls, circa-1982 posters and surly owner are all there to lower expectations. But one bite into that delicious softy patty and you will definitely NOT be thinking Arby's. If you're anything like me, your first bite very rapidly turned into eight and now you're staring dejectedly at your empty hand. I'm not sure I'd eat their cooked dishes, but they can throw patties at my head any day of the week they wanna. Unbelievably, this place takes credit cards ... and there isn't a minimum charge required. (Yet.) Shocking! read more

Very rude and disrespectful service. The kid at the counter always has a bad attitude food is sloppy. I eat oxtail every place I travel and this is by far the worst oxtail I have ever had very unauthentic. read more