I have eaten here several times, have also introduced friends and family to this restaurant. The food has been relatively good and portions arw large, although the service is quite poor. The women all have nasty attitudes and cannot be bothered to render decent customer service. The restaurants lacks basic containers to allow customers to take condiments with to go items. Although the food is decent, I would not recommend or return based on this experience. read more

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During my undergrad days this was my favorite place to grab food in the Bringham Circle area. Everything is authentic and fresh. Never once had a bad experience there. The jerk chicken is not for the weak at heart, gets spicy. I prefer the stewed beef with cabbage and cream soda. I recommend giving this place a try. They offer dining in but not delivery, yet I hope. read more

Had lunch here today and the jerk chicken was freaking awesome. I can't believe I never tried it before. From the outside the place looks unimpressive, but inside is a different story. The layout is very efficient with a line for take out and a seating area off to the side. The seating is all small tables with some against a the wall with a pillow lined bench that is very comfortable. They also have some TVs which were playing FSC which was cool. The service was fast, friendly and quick to refill your water which I appreciated. It also was extremely clean which is a change from most of the other Mission Hill restaurants. I had the jerk chicken with rice & beans and mixed vegetables. The jerk chicken was amazing. Super juicy as well as nice & spicy! The rice & beans were also very tasty. The mixed vegetables were a corn, pea, green bean mix that tasted like it was from a can, but did the trick. One of my coworkers had the BBQ chicken and said it was very good as well. I will definitely be returning to try some of the other selections. read more

When I visited HMS, I was limited in my meal choices due to a lack of time and transportation. Therefore, I tried nearly every place at Brigham circle. Flames was my favorite. The girl behind the counter (the younger one) was very sweet and practically told me her life story of how she ended up in Boston from Jamaica. As for the food, I ordered the Curried Goat which came with yellow rice, mixed veggies and fried plantains. I was amazed at the flavor and spice of the goat So savory and satisfying! The only complaint was the bones. Yes there were a lot, but I feel that just made me eat slower and actually take the time to enjoy the meal. It tasted very fresh and there was no grissle in my portion. The fried plantains were a nice touch, adding just a hint of sweetness to the meal. Value: WOW! I expected everything to be ridiculously priced out there but I got about 5lbs of food for $10. Enough to fill me up (a bit too much) and still had enough for breakfast in the morning. Amazing value. Finally, the fact that its cafeteria style (pre-made and kept hot) was perfect since I work 12 hr days and the last thing I want is to sit around a place for 1/2 hr waiting for the dinner I plan on taking home anyway. This is perfect for people in a hurry who want an amazingly flavored meal for a great price and a great value! I will definately return on my next visit! read more

I rarely ever review, but this place was a disappointment. My friend and I came here on a Friday night for dinner, when you'd expect people to hit the town, eat some good food, etc. When we got to this place, we were the only other party in the room aside from this couple who was finishing their dinner. I guess at 6:45pm on a relatively warm night in Boston, surrounded by a bunch of college campuses, that should be my first alarm. When we took a seat, the only waiter/server, who was an older man, took a few minutes to give us water or ask us if we wanted to drink. After another few minutes, he came back to give us our menus. By that time, two other parties came in, and the older man knew them/was friendlier to them. My friend and I waited at least 20 minutes for two dishes of oxtail (really? they already had unheated, pre-cooked buffet there). The two parties that came AFTER us had already gotten their plates by then. When we finally got our food, it came warm, rather than hot. The yellow rice and beans I ordered had some burnt rice to it (hard and crunchy), the oxtail was okay, and the plantains that came with it were barely warm. After we were done, we had to wait some time before the server came and took our plates away. We waited for our check. Told him about it, to which he responded that he was on it. And we waited. The two parties that came after us had already left. After he gave the check to us, we paid with card, and waited some more. The only time we got speedy service was when we had to sign our checks, when the older man STOOD and WATCHED and WAITED till we were done. Before we even got ready to leave, he turned around with the signed checks and looked at what we had tipped him. All in all, next time, I'd rather spend two hours of my time eating someplace else with better (and actually, hot) Jamaican food. Or someplace else with quicker service in a dine-in restaurant with only 2 other seated parties. read more

Im from FL where Jamaican food is plentiful, tasty and abundant. Since moving to Providence, RI...Ive been DEPRIVED of authentic Jamaican cuisine (I guffaw at Tina's in Fed Hill)... Then I tasted FLAMES. And I had a mouthgasm. The oxtail melted in my mouth, the mac and cheese was sooo creamy, the rice was beautiful. I died and went to Jamaican heaven...mm mm mm. I would give them 5 stars but the service was awful. The server behind the counter was rude and short with me. The cashier was also short. The price is comparable and the portion sizes are large. read more

There is a genetic predisposition in my family to love rice and beans. Rice is always good. The addition of beans, however, is pretty much heaven to me. But, to be honest, I was kind of disappointed with the rice and beans here. Had the sauce from my BBQ chicken not infiltrated the rice's spot in my Styrofoam takeout container, I'm not sure I'd remember it at all. The BBQ chicken itself, was really good. It was tender, and the sauce was sweet. The meat just fell off the bone. Even eating with the plastic fork we received with our takeout - a knife was not necessary. Although my boyfriend originally thought the spicy goodness of his jerk chicken had prevented him from tasting the veggie rice that accompanied his entree. The reality was, the rice just didn't have a flavor and, to me, seemed a bit under-cooked. So, for us anyway, the chicken dishes we chose were good - sides, not so much. The staff, however, was immediately attentive when we wandered in off the street unaware that this would be our first foray into Jamaican food. So, 3.5 stars overall. The portions were giant. Price decent: $17.50 for two dinners that'll double as lunch the next day. We'll definitely dine-in next time. Maybe even try the Oxtail. read more

Another great lunch spot that we will have to go back to! The dishes that we ordered: jerk chicken, oxtail, and goat curry. Let's start with the good - jerk chicken and goat curry. Both were really flavorful and falling off the bone. The jerk chicken wasn't overly spicy but had a good kick. I was really surprised to see that the goat curry wasn't filled with bones like most of the others that I have seen. My only gripe is that I wish the oxtail would have been less gelatinous and more meaty. Each dish came with a choice of rice, vegetable, and plantains. I had red beans and rice steamed in coconut milk (so good!), plantains, and mixed vegetable. I would suggest getting the cabbage over the mixed vegetables because the vegetables seemed to be canned. read more

I love Jamaican food and really wanted to love this place, but... Experience: I didn't like the set up. The food is pre-made buffet style and if you sit down to eat you can't simply order the food at the counter then find a table. The staff has to take your order, get the food from the pre-made counter then serve it to you. If you're going to have wait staff and I have to tip I expect the food to be made fresh. It's all about expectations and presentation. This would work best for take outs or self seating with no wait staff. Food: I had the ox tail which was ok. I think we went a bit late so you can tell it was sitting out for awhile. I also tried the goat, which was better. The sides tasted old and disappointing. The portions are huge, that would be very good if the food was better. Overall: If you ignore the set up and pre-made food I think this place has potential. Make sure to go a little before lunch/dinner time to ensure the food is a little more fresh. I do plan on going back to try the jerk chicken. I will update my post once I do so. read more

I've been a big fan of the food at the Grove Hall and Mattapan locations. Just recently visited this Mission Hill location and it's consistent with the other two. Now if I get down to Providence, I've hit all IV! read more

I come here about 3x a month for lunch for work. I grew up in a Jamaican household and spent a lot of my vacations on the island with family, so for me this place is a nice reminder of good memories when i can't convince my mom to cook or do it myself. A good amount of food for the price which is rare in the neighborhood. Ox tail is my go to, the curry chicken is better someday than others, depends on the cook. The women i see consistently behind the counter is always pleasant enough to me as is the rest of the staff. Its my favorite of all the Flames locations so far, cept i wish they carried ackee, but that's what Morton St. is for read more

I like Jamaican food. The spiciness of it all. I've been to Flames a couple of times. Once way back last year and then again a few months ago. The first time I thought it was pretty decent and came back again with the boy in tow. Seeing as how they changed the place around, I thought it would be better. It wasn't. First off, we sat down and instead of just taking our food from the counter like I did the first time, we had a woman that waited on us. So I'm thinking, oh this will be a nicer, classier experience. Nope. This woman was so nice but I've seen snails and turtles move faster than her. I don't understand why it took so long to get our food and drinks. I mean, the drinks were right behind the counter and half the food was already prepped (buffet style). Do not come here if you are in a rush or are super hungry and want to eat in the next hour or two. The food here is definitely hit or miss. Some items are delicious. Some aren't that great. It's hit or miss what will be good. Also, both times I've been there, they didn't have my first choice of items. It seemed like they were out of half the menu items and I'm thinking this isn't a one-time deal. So don't go there with your heart set on anything because it's likely they'll be out of it. It's pretty much 2.5 stars but another star because it's so easy to get to via public transit. read more

I love this place. It was introduced to me by a coworker. They've got plenty of choices- stew beef,steak and chicken, curried chicken and goat, oxtail, ackee, king fish, salmon and shrimp. My favorite is the excellent jerk chicken. I ask for the dark meat with extra sauce on my rice. (DROOL). I love the rice and peas. Has coconut milk in it. So yummy! Outstanding cabbage. (Cabbage outstanding? I know I didn't think possible either but it is). It so good and works so well with the spicy jerk chicken. The place is clean and welcoming. No real menu but the family that owns and runs it is more than happy to explain every dish. LOVE LOVE LOVE Flames. So sad I didn't know about it sooner I live up the street. Three sizes. I always get the large so I can eat the leftovers for 2-3 days (no joke I'm a big eater too). read more

Last week I stopped by here and ordered their curry goat. It was flavorful and spicy, so good. If I ever crave Jamaican food, I would visit this location again. read more

Decent place. A bit dirty on several visits and seating is very tight. Great food though. Oxtail, jerk, and rice are amazing. Don't forget dessert. They also serve a unique hibiscus drink, worth ordering. Service is great, with a smile, and they're always willing to walk you through those that aren't familiar with Caribbean food. read more

I like Flames, While living in Boston, good Jamaican food was hard to come by. But Flames was just it, it wasn't very expensive and their food was always great. I even catered from them for a few events. However now living in NY its hard to compare Flames to some of the authentic Jamaican/West Indian restaurants I have tried now. However for the price, and the area it is pretty good. read more

Flames is bomb.com.. Whenever craving Jamaican food this is my spot to hit. The one in Mission is the best one. It is very cozy and comfortable and a cool spot to eat in. My fav go to dish is jerk chicken, rice n peas, with cabbage! read more

Flames Restaurant II - Jerk chicken, rice n peas, with cabbage. - Caribbean Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Got a beef patty, fish and rice and peas. Food was good, but the patty had only a little meat in it. . I had my food packed to go, but I attempted to eat a little in the restaurant before taking my long walk back to my hotel. The lady in the dining room got an attitude with me and told me I had to eat off a plate in the restaurant . Besides that ever thing was good! The guy preparing the food was very pleasant and friendly! Go support them! read more

Flames Restaurant II - Beef patty and fish with rice and peas. - Caribbean Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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No menus??? Out of jerk chicken??? Kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it? So if one is looking for a professional restaurant experience, one should keep looking. But if one wants decently priced good food in the Boston area, this is a good place to start. read more

Flames Restaurant II - Flames Restaurant - Caribbean Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

The place is very well put together and the preparation of the food looked excellent. I had a hard time choosing what to eat. So i ordered stew chicken, rice n peas, fried plantains, and a side of Macaroni pie. Oh my lord. Talk about heaven in my mouth. And the price was very reasonable. Definitely my new spot to eat. And since I'm currently working in the area i will definitely be coming back more often. Very respectful service as well. Everyone was polite so that made the experience sweeter. I recommend if your in the Brigham circle area to go and eat at Flames restaurant asap! You are missing out if you haven't tried it. read more

Flames Restaurant II - Rice and peas, stew chicken, cabbage, fried plantains with a side of macaroni pie - Caribbean Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This place has very good Jamaican food but the menu is limited. I just moved to Boston from Miami and I am used to a place with more choices-goat, red peas and so on. (No Peg bread?) With that said, I did eat at noon and as others pointed out the choices are out on a buffet. I ordered the basic Jerk Chicken dish and requested white meat but only the leg/thigh was available. However they substituted wings which was pleasing. The rice and peas were cooked properly. The rice was not soggy and the beans were not wrinkled or broken. The cabbage was fresh and tasty. The regular jerk chicken temperature was higher than expected. My hair pores were sweating. The service is a bit funky. The servers and cooks kind of reappear and the server can be a bit abrupt and standoffish. Still I will be back. The food was tasty and in the end that is what matters most to me. read more

I am not sure if I got them on a bad day but the food seriously lacked Flavor and the seasoning that is associated with good Jamaican food. The people are really nice and friendly but sorry guys your food was not good. The chicken curry was bland and loaded with yellow curry powder, the red beans and rice had no salt, the cabbage was well cooked and the nice lady behind the counter did give me a slice of really nice red velvet cake. read more

They are good but not consistent with there pricing. The one on Morton st charges you whatever they want. I got a large rice one day and the guy charged me $5. I went again and another guy charged me $9 for the same thing read more

Is Flames considered "hidden?" If not, it certainly could be. Stuck within an unassuming (and unappealing-looking) row of liquor stores and takeout places is a rare Boston treat: a quality Caribbean/Jamaican-style eatery. Have you been? Probably not. Should you go? Absolutely. As Flames will be wont to remind you, one shouldn't judge a book by its cover nor a restaurant by it's facade. The name is cheesy. The sign is cheesy. The storefront is less than dazzling, and even if you take a gander inside, you might not be appetized by the buffet line which houses the food. But listen: it's really good. You can get it to go, or you can sit down along what's actually a very cute row of tables, benches, and chairs, draped with colorful fabrics and throw pillows. They've got plenty of staples: stewed beef and steak, curried chicken and goat, rich oxtail, and surprisingly tender spicy shrimp. All dishes can be ordered in small, medium, or large, and come with solid sides (various types of rice, cabbage, or mixed vegetables). I suspect that far too many people who live and work in the Mission Hill/Brigham Circle area glance over Flames. Don't be one of them. Try something new. It just might become familiar. read more

Ordered food from here on a Saturday night at 7pm and was told they were out or 75% of things I wanted to order. There was maybe 15 things on the whole menu and they were out of 11 of them. They were super rude as well and would not help us out. read more

I love this location. I always get the oxtail plate with white rice. They are generous with portions and staff is friendly! I cannot say the same for the Grove Hall location!!!!!!!' read more

My fiancé and I stopped by recently and ordered the jerk chicken and curry chicken. Our plates came out with generous servings of delicious meat, with a side of rice + mixed cabbage and veggies. It was all very tasty, though I would've loved a little less olive oil on the cabbage. Our server was really sweet and accommodating-- she made sure my veggie-phobe fiancé's cabbage came out separately just so I could eat it. Very laid back atmosphere. Don't come here expecting everything to be rushed ;) read more

I think this place is best to go for lunch or takeout (can choose different sizes). We went for dinner on Saturday night, and they didn't have too much food left by then which is weird because they are open fairly late. Also, all plates come in the same size. Regardless, the food was very flavorful and not overly spicy. I would have liked if the food came out hotter; the food was warm. The jerk chicken and oxtail stew were delicious. You have a choice of rice and sides. Definitely try this place if you are looking for some good Jamaican food! read more

Flames Restaurant II - Jerk chicken - Caribbean Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I love Carribbean food and was so excited to visit this place! I have heard great things about this restaurant and finally had the chance to try it out! I ordered the oxtail w/ rice & veggies, amazing dish! I have always been a fan of oxtails! I was satisfied with the taste of this entire meal and so was my stomache! I had to try the beef pattie! Which was also great and what I expected. Ful of flavor and spice, the outside nice an crunchy. The only negative comment I have about the food was that it did not arrive to my table as hot as I would have expected so on a scale of 1-10 I give the food an 8. The service on a scale of 1-10 would be a 6. The server completely forgot that I had ordered the pattie and I had to remind him. The television was ridiculously loud and I had to ask them to turn it down twice. I'm not even sure how it became so loud the 2nd time around. I definitely recommend Flames to anyone looking for a tasty Carribbean meal just do NOT sit close to the huge flatscreen. read more

Hands down very delicious, authentic Caribbean food. I've only been there 3x but if I could eat there every day I could. All times I got the stewed oxtails over rice & beans w/ plantains and cabbage..sooo good omg i'm drooling just thinking about it lol. But, I definitely want to try their other dishes--heard their jerk chicken is bomb..actually I've heard pretty much everything they make is bomb. Oh and the prices I think are reasonable. For $10 you get a lot of food, IMO. The first two times I got a $10 to-go order it gave me 2 meals for lunch & dinner. The last time the only reason it didn't last was because I literally hadn't eaten all day so when I ate there for dinner I demolished it lol. The staff is also friendly and I like the decor inside. When I go back to Boston for fall semester that is the first restaurant I'm getting food from. I need my fix! And you will too after having it for the first time. read more

This Jamaican restaurant was recommended by the receptionist at a local hotel. I was looking for a place with interesting food that I could not ordinarily get that would appeal to my adventurous palate. Meals come with a choice of meat/fish, rice and veggie in 3 sizes. I got a small order of the goat curry with yellow rice and steamed cabbage and carrots. Food was plentiful and goat curry had the right amount of heat and flavor for my palate. I am not an expert on Jamaican food, but this seemed to be authentic. No frills, but hearty and tasty. Because of Covid, restaurant limited number of customers at one time, requiring people to distance and mask. Food was largely takeout. Felt like it was a safe space in the age of Covid. read more

The first time I went to Flames it was delicious. After raving to a friend we went in for dinner the other night. I ordered a side of Plantains and the waitress replied by biting my head off " we do not have Plantains - they have to be ripe in order to have them" I was taken back by her abruptness. The Jerk Wings are delicious some of the best wings I have eaten. The Beef Patty is just ok. I had the Curry Chicken dinner which is only thighs I wish I was told this upon ordering. My friend had the Chicken Stew also thighs only. I will go back but call ahead to see if they have Plantains as I love them and worth the drive from the suburbs. read more

I work in the area and i used to live in the area and I went to flames for the first time a couple weeks ago. I was really surprised by how good the food was. I have been back once since and everything I've tried has been good. My favorite so far has been the stewed steak. Oh, and definitely try a beef patty! The one downside is it is a little pricey for what it is. read more

A coworker let me try one of the jerk chicken drumsticks here last week, and I have been fixated on them ever since. Went today for lunch around 2. I enjoy abusing myself with spicy foods, and while my tolerance isn't as amazing as it used to be, it's up there. I expect disappointment when I order something that is supposed to be spicy. I chronically order food at Indian restaurants as "extra spicy," and it's never hot enough to give me that spice body high. However, the jerk chicken at Flames walks the fine line between flavor and spice. YUM. I had the requisite rice and beans on the side, and cabbage. Was hoping for collards, but they didn't have em. Great bang for the buck. I reserve a fifth star until I try some curries and a beef patty. Should've brought a beer back to the office with me. Can't wait to try more. read more

Man talk about a grumpy bunch! The food here is good most days. Don't try to order to go then change your mind you will not be allowed to do so. You will likely be rushed to a decision as patience is at an all time minimum. read more

I love flames. I've never dined here, and have only gotten takeout, but every time I eat here it's great. If I order a large size meal it'll literally last me for 3 meals worth of food. When I can't swing by a family members place for food, this is the next best thing. Food highlights include: Curry Goat Oxtail Jerk Chicken Beans and Rice Kingfish (cooked escovitch style) Cabbage ( I don't know, I just like their cabbage) The one thing I wish they did is jerk pork. Can't find a place that does a good jerk pork anywhere. Definitely recommend if you're looking for a quick west Indian food craving. read more

Yep. This place is great. I must admit the food isn't amazing....but it is pretty good. And the staff are friendly and the place is always clean and has a warm atmosphere. read more

My sister and i was craving flames so we drove all the way here just to find out they're closed.. we live in taunton.. it is 10:10pm. make sure you call and check before you decide to get flames, their hours are not precise, this happen more than once. Other than that their food are usually delicious- we left hangry which concludes this review. read more

The quality of food was better than I remembered when I first ate there years ago. I may have to go back and do take out because parking is a pain in the behind. The oxtail dinner was good and so was the peas and rice and the plantains were very good. Overall a solid dining experience. read more

The food is usually good but the customer service actually does not exist. Rude on most days!