The absolute worst place I have ever been too. Bartenders are assholes. I ordered a high noon only to be told cash only. Then when the girl I was with offered to pay cash bc all I had was card and the bartender wouldn't give me enough time to go to the atm, and was still denied. Then the bartender (bald headed brown guy) declared he wasn't a "dick." And I still couldn't get service. I have worked hospitality myself and bartended for over a decade. This dude pissed me off enough to leave a review. Take it how you want it. IF I COULD LEAVE 0 stars I would fire that guy immediately. read more

Chicken wings are amazing. The live band outside in a nice Florida evening adds to the experience!

Buffet was great; the curry goat was the best meat by far! Right in downtown with lots of street parking. Really rich, authentic food. Great seasoning and we filled up because it was all you can eat! read more

See all

The jerk chicken as good. They had a band that was really good. We sat outside in a both made with white Lester sofas. Drinks was very strong. The DJ is as very good as well. Parking was in the street so you have to get there early to find parking. They have where you can sit inside or outside. I love that they set up tents to keep the sun off your face. We had a really good time. read more

The Stewed fish is so delicious. It was bursting with flavor. Went on a Friday night with a group of friends. Really enjoyed the food and had a wonderful dining experience. The service was great, very friendly and pleasant staff. read more

Great food lot's of can't wait to go again great food nice atmosphere. Excited about going back read more

De Real Ting Cafe - Caribbean Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Stumbled here after a Salsa event I went to at Underbelly. We wanted something open after hours. It's a reggae/hip hop club. Music was great but man you pay $10 to get in and on top of the a drink is $25 and beer is $10!! They lost their mind. Then we went to eat at their cafe. The food was ok. I had the beef Patties but they were out of potato bread. I guess I can't complain since it was like 3 am. Lol so I guess I shouldn't complain. All in all. You're paying for the fact that it's an after-hours spot. I recommend to not get crazy with those expensive drinks. read more

De Real Ting Cafe - This was for 1 beer! - Caribbean Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

I love the plantains, cabbage, wings, fried shrimp and beef Pattie's at De Real Ting. Their Caribbean food isn't the best in Jacksonville and I hate that you have to ask for sauce because every time I've ordered the Jerk Chicken it's dry, and then I have to order 4-6 sauces which is beyond me. They have live bands sometimes depending on the season and usually on Friday. Oh, you can also enjoy karaoke on Fridays inside of the cafe and I enjoy it every time. Friday downstairs is hip hop night and Saturday's is reggae night. But they honestly play reggae mixed in every single time. Downstairs in the club and a whole other world. It gets really hot, you won't have much service on your phone and you can smoke downstairs as well. read more

Had a great time getting some late night grub. Meat Pattie's are the wings were tasty and the ox tail was bumpin. After your done grubbin make your way down stairs and get your dance on read more

Came in the other night after a concert. They looked in my purse and used a personal metal detector on my husband and I as soon as we walked in. This was Immediately uncomfortable. We sat down in a mostly empty restaurant only to be stared at by wait staff. We sat... and sat.. until we got tired of being hungry and just sitting there. (15 minutes and nobody had even taken our drink orders). We definitely won't return. In fact, I will tell everyone I know NOT to eat here just based on how we were treated. This was one of the most uncomfortable dining experiences I've ever had. read more

I went with some friends around midnight on Saturday night/Sunday morning for our first visit. The cover charge was $15, but unfortunately, the staff at the entrance and the bar were not very welcoming. The place itself was okay--it's downstairs, but felt run-down and not particularly special. There were just two small pool tables and a dance floor. The drinks were extremely overpriced for a spot like this. There are definitely other places in town that offer a nicer, cleaner atmosphere with more reasonable prices. Haven't tried the food though but probably won't come back read more

Nice little Caribbean place with lunch time buffet. Have driven by here a lot but happy to finally try this place today. The lunch buffet is $10.99 and drinks are separate. Had delicious jerk chicken, yellow curry with chicken and potato, mixed vegetables with cabbage and carrots (so good!) fried chicken, yellow rice, and salad. The mixed vegetables with cabbage and garlic were so good, they were pan seared in garlic and oil, addictive really. I had a couple of servings. Finished up with a nice small scoop of homemade peach cobbler from the buffet. It is as good as it sounds, warm and sweet, with a touch of tartness. My coworkers got some goat meat pies and really enjoyed them too. Will definitely come back and the jerk chicken is off the chain! read more

De Real Ting Cafe - Lunch buffet with jerk and fried chicken. This is legit! - Caribbean Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

This place was so busy and there were like 2 servers available. After waiting 30 mins at the bar and no one tending me I just packed up my stuff and left. The service was so bad. The music is played on a sidewalk which is incredibly cool. There is also a DJ inside. They were having karaoke night which I love. The vibe is amazing. The crowd that was there seemed like so much fun. read more

I hate to derail these reviews, but my experience at De Real wasn't as good as everyone else's. The crazy thing about this Jamaican place is that it doubles as a nightclub, and you can get some pretty good Jamaican food here in the middle of the night, except that you probably have to wait for anywhere from 10 minutes to 40 minutes in line which makes the whole thing kind of crazy. Also, if you're male, and not African American, waiting in line will probably get you some (possibly comical, possibly serious) death threats. Also, if you're female, of any race, waiting in line will possibly get you a lot of crude remarks. So just be ready for all of that. Definitely the life of the party in Downtown Jacksonville at 1 a.m. on a Saturday night though that's for sure. But there's not too much partying anyway, so that's not saying toooooo much. read more

I've been here a few times when I have a craving for curry chicken but unfortunately this time my craving wasn't satisfied. My meal didn't have much chicken, more bones which was disappointing. I swapped out vegetables and plantain for extra rice not realizing I'd be charged $2.00 for the swap. Wish they would have told me. Prices are reasonable and they have a buffet at lunch time. read more

De Real Ting Cafe - Caribbean Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Service: This is a self service buffet. They ask that you put on gloves before handling the spoons. The tables are pretty clean. The plates are clean too. The buffet itself is best when the restaurant opens. That is when the food is the most fresh. They replenish the food actively at the start of the service. If you arrive near the end of the lunch hour they don't replenish the food all that much. So the freshness can start to tapper off near the end. This is a big reason for the three stars. Its understandable not to replenish food if you ran out or at the final moment of a lunch service. However with respect to consumer's payment it should also be understandable not to give five stars if the quality is not sustained throughout the advertised hours. Something to keep in mind before deciding to come for lunch. Food The food is delicious. They offer cooked vegetables, a mixture of cabbage, and other greens. Awesome taste. They have lots of protein options from jerk seasoned pork, chicken, goat and as well curry options. They have beef wraps, fish wraps and different selections of rice. Overall this was tasty food and seasoned great. I am not an expert on Jamaican cuisine so I won't go into depth on the flavor profile or style of delivery but it was equal balance between spice level and flavor. Cost The lunch buffet is a reasonable cost. Considering the food quality, taste, and friendly service it makes a great experience. However near halfway through the lunch buffet service they do stop replenishing the food and what is left is left. read more

De Real Ting Cafe - Beef wrap, curry chicken, jerk seasoned pork, steamed vegetables over a bed of yellow rice. - Caribbean Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

They are now located on the upper level now for the weekday lunch hours. The buffet is wonderful. It is :$10.99 now. They are in the former Zodiac Grill location on the corner of Hogan and Forsythe Streets. The underground one is still open on the weekends. They have bands on the weekends performing. There might be a cover charge to get in. You also might have to screen through with the Security Guard/Bouncer on the weekends to get in as well. Have your ID's ready. You have to see this buffet with your own eyes. Jamaican food. read more

See all

De Real Ting Cafe has converted me. I may never attend a "club" night but I'm in love with the Poetry Nights. Spice up 1st, 3rd, and 5th Thursdays with open mic nights with talent, laughter, poetry, rhythm, song, good food, a few drinks and friends. Come share your new, developing, or old works of poetry with fellow poetry enthusiasts. Or just sit back and enjoy the entertainment. Jacksonville is filled with talent, but there are poets and performers coming from all over the country. (There was a guy from Minnesota or Montana? and United Kingdom to name a brief few). Show starts about 9pm. That gives you plenty of time to order some food ($5 Delicious wings) and.grab a few drinks. The 3-4-1 special on wells and $3 wine can't be beat. I think it might be open to 18+ since I was banded. But that might have just been to allow free reentry. Only down side - club is located downstairs and cellphone signals is nonexistent if you're with AT&T or Sprint. Sing loud, rap proud, speak easy, be free! read more

See all

This place is one of our favorites for lunch during the work week for their delicious Jamaican lunch buffet. Such a variety of tasty food, & plenty to choose from even if you don't eat meat. I love their jerk chicken, oxtails, stewed chicken, sweet plantain, but I'm especially fond of their fried fish & special sauce. The price is easy on the pockets which is always a plus! read more

I hear this club is one of the only ones open til 4am. They have a nice Caribbean vibe which I was excited for as Jacksonville doesn't have much island clubs. But the way I was treated by the guards and owner who I respectfully tried to explain what was going on, was ridiculous. They laughed in my face and made us wait the line again for some reason. Very weird situation but I've never been treated that way before. Very uncalled for and I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone after the way I was treated. The idea of it was nice but if that's how they act to paying customers when there's an issue I would not go back. I don't support businesses who think they are better than anyone else or even give the respect to acknowledge the way they were mistreated. read more

Good and service were amazing. Had the Curries chicken and it was a huge amount and tasted amazing. Highly recommend.

Came into town for business and happened upon this little bit of heaven. With the Caribbean flare for cooking the buffet was a nice blend of original delicacies- curried goat, fish cupcakes, jerk chicken, baked fish, salads, Mac n cheese, cobbler and ice cream, bread pudding. All were sampled and delicious. Service was met with a smile and welcoming. Would recommend this for a great lunch. Only was open from 11a-2p so be there early! read more

De Real Ting Cafe - First plate off the buffet... - Caribbean Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

See all

Unfortunately, my trip to De Real Ting lasted all of 5 to 7 minutes. The girls and I were looking for good food at 2AM. Praise the Lord, DRTC was open late and the kitchen was also! Sweet! ... Or so I thought. We immediately realized that were visiting during club hours and were quite underdressed. (However, the people watching was stupendous!) We showed ID's the bouncers and ID checker were professional, friendly, and told us we'd love the food! The cop out front was great also! We felt safe and we're ready to take on our meal! We headed down stairs and got wristbands from a gentleman only to be immediately halted by a not-so nice woman sitting at a desk behind him asking for $10. -- Wait. What? Being that our sole purpose was to have a meal, I just knew she wasn't serious about us paying $10 ($30 for my mini girl gang) to go sit and eat, and then pay for our meal as well. (Probably another $10-15 per person I'd assume, right?! That's some serious taxation right there!) But she was serious, dead serious. When I tried to explain, she looked at me like I was crazy. (Mind you, I was looking at her the same way!) One thing about me: I loathe a cover charge. (Personal pet peeve) If I show up at your place of business, I'm there to show patronage, and usually lots of it! But dude. I just couldn't deal. It would have been different if they offered to take the $10 of our bill. But nope, we left and ate elsewhere. Your rules, our money. I'm somewhat interested in tasting the food so I'm willing to try again someday (with no cover)-- for lunch maybe. read more

I discovered this place years ago when I was stationed in Jacksonville Mayport as a young Marine 25 or 26 years old. It was in a small little place where you go in the back room they had live music late at night great place. Great to see you guys still doing it, can't wait to come back through to the new spot! read more

A friend of mine invited me out to the new Wine-Down Wednesdays at De Real Ting Cafe located in the Urbancore district of downtown Jax. I had never dined in at De Real Ting so I was eager to make my way downtown for a new experience! Wine Down Wednesdays at De Real Ting began in February and every Wednesday from 5pm-close you get 1/2 off select glasses and bottles of wine, complimentary hors d'oeuvres, all while listening to the smooth sounds from local bands. This particular night there was a representative from Myx Moscato, doing free wine tastings. This is the new drink released by Nicki Minaj and there are several different flavors including peach, mango, and coconut. I liked the mango moscato the best but overall, I'd have to say these were on the same level as wine coolers. Nothing too special. De Real Ting specializes in authentic Caribbean cuisine and they did not disappoint. They had all of your Jamaican favorites. There were so many enticing menu items to choose from. Here's What We All Had to Eat: Conch Fritters: I'm not a fan of conch but my friend who got these said they were amazing and just by looking at them, I would agree. They looked almost good enough for me to try but I exercised restraint. Coconut Shrimp: These are part of the complimentary hors d' oeuvres. They were nice and crispy with the hint of sweetness from the coconut. It was just a taste and had me wanting more. They definitely prepared your palette. Jerk Chicken Wings: These were nicely seasoned with just the right amount of heat and a slight crunch. They weren't too spicy and they weren't too mild. They were just right and had you licking all of your fingers. Oxtails: This was my dish. Though it was good and tender, it definitely was not the best oxtails I've had in town. I thought the dish could have used more seasoning which was a disappointment because that's what you most look forward to with oxtails. For the price I was also expecting there to be more meat but I only had a few pieces hidden underneath the gravy and veggies. Other than that, it was O.K.. The plantains it came with were nice and sweet and the beans, rice, and cabbage went well together as they traditionally do with this dish. Curried Goat: My friend who got this couldn't say enough great things about the dish. She said it was seasoned to perfection and had the perfect amount of heat. I love curry so the next time I visit, this is on my list of things to try. Peanut Butter Cheesecake: The chef was kind enough to treat our table to this peanut-buttery dessert! For any peanut butter lover, this would've been the treat for you! It was packed with sweet peanut butter cheesecake filling on an oreo crust, garnished with cream, an oreo, and peanut butter chips. Overall, the evening was awesome! The live music was phenomenal, the food was good, and the service was accommodating. I look forward to returning as they have so many other items on their menu I would love to try. If you are in the area for lunch. they have a buffet from what I hear would be worth your while and a nice change from your average lunch options. read more

See all

i'm hooked like real bad!! lol their house chicken is amazing. the servers are amazing and really nice And you don't have to wait Long for your food. read more

Being looking at coming to this place for a while... Brought my Lady here for her surprise BDay dinner and to listen to some reggae music. Some friends and family came out to make her day special. The staff was wonderful our table was reserved and they walked us through the menu and the drinks were great! I had the Brown Stewed Shrimp and rice it was Awesome !! We also received Jerk Chicken rolls for an appetizer. We'll be back! read more

See all

Awesome atmosphere, great food, better drinks...live band outside on Friday nights. Superb.

Just went there for lunch after hearing lots of good things from coworkers. I really liked the food (I had the buffet, but you can order off the menu). My favorite was the ox tail and jerk chicken but everything I tried was tasty, e.g. different types of cornbread/cakes/biscuits, curry chicken, fried chicken and fish, bbq and jerk chicken, etc. Will definitely go back! Not the freshest and/or fanciest decor, but it's a nice locally owned small business. read more

This is one of the best Jamaican restaurant in the area, as there is a scarcity to this type of genre this is one of the first places I came to in search of finding Caribbean cuisine-- and did I find it! I had placed a order for the jerk style wings and I could not have been more pleased from the texture to the taste. I met Hannah, the owner, and she was one of the most polite and helpful person I've met and gave us a little history on the restaurant itself. Keep it up!! read more

Worst club ever of the year and I be out. Purposely held the line for 45 mins to force people to pay an extra $10 to get in through vip. DONT DO IT!! read more

Good music. Crazy club. Love the reggae and Jamaican food. Always a party on the dance floor. I love to come here after everywhere else is closed! read more

Stopped here for lunch and had not been here in a while. We went around 12:30 and it seemed the food was at a bear minimum but before you knew it more fresh hot food came out. I was in the mood for something light so I avoided the Curry chicken, brown stew chicken, stew pork and if they had oxtail, I would have avoided that also. I had the Escoveitch Fish, ( light breaded catfish) in a very nice vinegary based onions and carrots over it (had 2 1/2 servings) . It was good and light. I had few sweet plantains and some collard greens which were very tasty (had 2 servings). I enjoyed De Real Ting Café again and as always go in thinking of eating light and end up leaving with a full belly. read more

See all

I've heard a lot this place before just finally trying it. I went to celebrate a friend's birthday. The company and band were better than the food IMO. I had the fried chicken plate. Honestly, I've made better fried chicken. It was just ok. I didn't really drink, so I can't speak to how good the drinks are. read more

This is the best downtown lunch buffet by far. The restaurant is located right near Chew and Zodiac Grill downtown. The entrance takes you downstairs from street level which may throw some people off because the restaurant feels a bit out of place. The restaurant space is used for a reggae club on the weekends. But, the nice table linens, glassware, and friendly service should show you they take their food seriously here. If you skip over your first impression and try their food you won't be disappointed. They have varied selection of great Jamaican food served at the lunch buffet with many items changing daily to keep you coming back for more. The buffet typically includes Jamaican favorites such as jerk chicken, curried chicken, curried goat, oxtail, chicken in brown sauce, fish escabeche, sweet plantains, steamed vegetables, and beans and rice. The jerk chicken is great with a delicious blend of sweet and spice. For a little more heat add some scotch bonnet pepper hot sauce. Their curry dishes have a really lively blend of spices that is a great change of pace from typical lunch fare. The goat and oxtail aren't something you will find anywhere else in town but they are slow cooked to make them fall of the bone tender and packed with flavor. Those dishes might cover just over half of the available items. They have other dishes that seem to be changed up daily that you will want to try. Some items I have seen include tasty jerk pork, beef stew, pork chops, and chicken and vegetables. They always have fish prepared two different ways which is a very nice treat for lunch. The buffet also features a small fresh salad bar to get in some of your greens. The only thing missing from their buffet might be some more vegetable dishes. But, I guess that might not be how they do it in Jamaica. You probably won't have room for dessert but they usually have one or two choices for dessert on the menu such as cobbler or bread pudding. If you like flavorful food you should definitely stop here for lunch. The lunch buffet costs about the same as getting a sandwich somewhere else in town but you will get much more value and satisfaction from their great selection of delicious food. The only drawback may be that you will want to try everything. read more

De Real Ting Cafe - Lunch buffet menu - Caribbean Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

do not come here. food is service is overall my experience was bathrooms were dirty. it is not clean. i hope eventually this place gets shut down read more

My husband and I stopped in around 7pm after leaving a restaurant because there were some guys playing dominos outside and mentioned happy hour going on. Went down a flight of stairs into what felt like could end up being a Dexter kill room. I'm not going to lie, I was a little nervous... We were the only ones there for the duration of our time, which we were toally fine with. We stayed for an hour or so, had a few drinks and chatted with the bartender. He talked to us about the food samplings and the night life. Overall, it was a nice change from the normal and we may have to come back to try the food! read more

Went during lunch what surprised the food was very good and very affordable 8. 75 for brunch and they had fried chicken , oxtail, Mac and chesse and many more but get there early because when they're out there out read more

De Real Ting Cafe - Tried the brunch very good...fish was awesome - Caribbean Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

See all

Very unprofessional! The bartenders were very nasty and not welcoming. I will never be back to this nasty environment.

Everyone was telling me Da Real Ting is the spot to get Jamaican food. So I called in December 2019 to get the prices for my favorite dish rice and peas/ oxtails they said two prices $14 and $17 . I'm skeptical of trying new restaurants and when I finally found the courage to go. It was lunch time. I walked there from my job and explained to the cashier I only have a limited time frame. I paid $17 and some change and it took them 15minutes to prepare something that was already cooked. And it wasn't busy they just decided to take extra long. Then I was surprised with curly hair under my oxtails. When I went back to get my refund I express to them that when I asked for a small they said there is one size now and it's 17$. So I said ok I don't want any food, I would rather get a refund. Then the manager was salty about giving me back $17 she told me it was $14.25. So I verified with the cashiers that rang me up and the woman refunded me the proper amount and didn't say anything further not even a sorry. read more

De Real Ting Cafe - Hair was found in my oxtails and rice and peas - Caribbean Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

See all