I recently made the trip out to Jamaica House, and let me just say--it was absolutely worth the…read more50-minute drive. If you're craving authentic Jamaican cuisine, this is a spot you'll want to keep on your radar. It's a small place but it's very cute. The staff was very friendly as well. From the first bite, everything tasted fresh, flavorful, and true to traditional Jamaican cooking. The oxtails were incredibly tender and packed with rich, savory flavor. The cabbage was perfectly cooked and seasoned just right, and the rice was a standout on its own--you could really taste the coconut milk, which added such a smooth, delicious touch. The curry chicken was another highlight. The meat was so tender it practically fell off the bone, and the flavor was bold without being overwhelming. But the real star of the meal for me was the salmon dish. It completely stole the show. The fish was cooked to perfection--tender, flaky, and full of flavor--and the cream sauce tied everything together beautifully. It was hands down my favorite dish of the night. OH!! I forgot about the coconut cloud cake... OMG!! I should have gotten two or three of them to take home. Even though it's a bit of a drive for me, it's one I'll gladly make again whenever I'm in the mood for amazing Jamaican food. We'll definitely be back sooner rather than later!

10/2 I ordered a large oxtail dinner with cabbage with rice…read moreand beans. I was greatly disappointed. I got 5 small pieces of oxtail that was burnt this was the end of the tail. I received about 1/2 lb. rice with little e Deans had to come home to make beans to go with the rice as for the cabbage I got about 2 large table spoons. One and done lost a customer with a business please do better I like to support my people

Hungry Eyes feels like boutique resteraunt nestled amongst the typical suburban environment that…read moreShort Pump offers. Here, I was transported to an easy going, genuinely welcoming space. I'm no Jamaican delicacy expert and can be quite picky. I really enjoyed the Beef Patty. I tried the chicken patty with coco bread, the extra bread was too much - definitely on me. I also tried the small Jerk Chicken which was enough to feed a small village- so plentiful! I had a bite of the Chicken Curry which was also pretty great. Both were served with a side of cabbage and were hearty tasty meals. I forgot to order the Mac n Cheese! I'll definitely be back. They host karaoke on Friday from 6 - 8pm when the DJ arrives. The Rum Punch was strong and tried to take me out! Overall, the service was superb. Resteraunts like this pump the blood that feeds the soul of a community

Stop by here! The food is a 10! The food is packed with flavor love the spice, not unbearably hot…read more The portions are huge. Definite bang for your buck. The team here was very inviting and patient. They were very attentive. Also the service here was considerably fast. This is a very cozy environment spacious seats and good background music playing. I have to bring the whole family by. This was a hit for sure!

Tried Carenas Jamaican Grille for the first time and overall had a pretty good experience!…read more For appetizers, I got the Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wings and it was honestly really good. The chicken had a lot of flavor and was really juicy. Also, it came with a mango chutney which was interesting on its own, but it went really well with the wings. The wings were amazing and definitely wort trying! I recommend getting it. For my main, I got the combo platter with oxtail and jerk chicken, which came with rice and beans and cabbage. The oxtail was really juicy and tasty, and the sauce on it was probably my favorite part. The jerk chicken was okay, but personally I didn't get as much jerk flavor from it compared to the Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wings. The rice and beans were pretty simple but it tasted good with the oxtail and jerk chicken Our server was super sweet and attentive!! She accommodated us by making sure we got some oxtail. She went out of her way to check if there was anymore oxtail left. Thankfully there happened to be one more platter of oxtail and she made sure we got it. The inside was a really chill environment and I loved how colorful it was. Overall, it was a good meal and I'd definitely come back and try more things from the menu!

I am extremely disappointed by the treatment I have received from Carena's…read more I understand the importance of customer service and treating customers with respect. I work hard for my money, and because this restaurant is conveniently located, I have been a loyal customer who has supported this establishment regularly. Several months ago, I experienced unprofessional behavior from staff at the drive-thru window. As a customer, I felt it was appropriate to leave an honest review regarding my experience. Since then, when I recently called to place an order, I was informed that I would not be allowed to do so and was refused service altogether. When I respectfully asked the manager for an explanation, my questions went unanswered, and the phone was repeatedly hung up on. I then attempted to speak with the owner, only to be told that no one knew when the owner would be available or how I could reach them. The level of disrespect and lack of professionalism I have experienced is unacceptable. At no point have I been disrespectful; I simply spoke up about my experience and exercised my right to leave an honest review. It appears that this may be the reason I am being denied service. What makes this situation even more disappointing is that businesses should value and respect the customers who consistently support them. I genuinely enjoy the food and have patronized this establishment frequently, which makes being denied service without a valid explanation even more concerning. I believe customers deserve to be treated fairly and with respect. Based on my experience, I can no longer recommend supporting this business. I intend to pursue the matter further and explore the appropriate channels to address these concerns. Customers should spend their hard-earned money where they are appreciated, respected, and valued. I would love to speak to the owner I heard she's in and out so who knows

Best food truck in the game. You know if you see the boys cooking in the heat on the street it's…read moreup. Straight up do not miss that Jerk chicken and if you get that chicken that you gotta get that cabbage with it. Used to rip this spot all the time but I had to spin the block and come back for it. Fuck everyone else. Protect this truck at all costs man!

I had to go to Richmond for business saw this truck thought I would stop and check it out.. His…read morefood is probably better than most jamican restaurants.. tastes of food chicken nice a tender 4.9.. spice 4.9 the sides are great too but to each is own..great job owner.. big up your self ...

First visit, and I loved this place! I got the chicken curry with beans and cabbage. Everything was…read moreon point! Nice portions and full of flavor. Reasonable pricing. Friendly staff as well. I'll definitely be back.

First time here. You place your order at the front and there's a few dining tables inside if you…read morechoose to dine in. Our cashier/ server was nice. We ordered the Oxtail, Island Fried Chicken & Jerk Chicken Wings. I wouldn't order the wings again as it was dry & the flavor didn't hit for me, the entrées were delicious though! The oxtail was tender, chicken was juicy with the perfect crunch to it. Overall, good meal, I'd come back.

I had to learn through social media that Chef Mamusu will be retiring and the restaurant will…read moreclose. Today is the last day and I made a bee line to come get plate. She will participate in some upcoming festivals to finish out the year before she goes back home to Liberia. Chill vibes, good food, legacy of providing authentic flavors that sparks a person's soul!

I might be a little biased because I love Liberian food, but this little spot near the VCU campus…read morehits. Excellent food. The buffet options are sold by the pound and traditional Liberian dishes like cassava leaf (excellent, sorry I forgot to take a pic), palm butter, etc are priced separately. For the buffet, everything is tasty but I highly recommend the spinach. There is plenty of seating, the place is very clean, the music is great and the staff (might have been the owner?) is so kind. Can't wait to go back next time I'm in Richmond.

Delicious! The Jah Love platter was beautiful, creamy with coconut, and so fragrant. The food…read morearrived pretty fast even at 4pm, 15 min or so.

We had catering from Irie Ting for lunch at work today in recognition of Black History Month. I…read moreusually work remote, but I drove half an hour to work for this one! The spread was generous, with a full range of items to select from, including beef patties, mac and cheese, plantains, rice and beans, jerk chicken, oxtails, and curried shrimp. My favorites were the beef patties and mac and cheese. The mac had a crisp crust of cheese on top - yum! I also tried oxtail for the first time - pretty good! I don't eat chicken or shrimp personally but heard good things about both from my coworkers. All in all - I was a big fan, and I'm hyped for the plate of leftovers I prepared for dinner tonight!

New to the area and picked this restaurant, I made a great choice. The atmosphere was warming. I…read moreordered the roti and a stew chicken meal. Roti was soft and full with peas. The stew chicken and rice was tasty. It came with side of cabbage and plantains. The food portions are large, I needed a carry-out container. The owner was nice and friendly. Will definitely be back. Nicole

Service was nice, Food was about $45 for the both of us. We got the beef stew with white rice &…read morebean large lunch with sweet plantains it was delicious! Although you can tell they use cheaper quality meat for the beef stew. It was still delicious

7 out of 5 stars. Yes, I said 7…read more So I went to Mama J's after scoping it out on Yelp, and let me tell you something: Richmond, we may have a problem. I have found the food. I initially walked into the market next door, which is actually great because there aren't a lot of grocery stores nearby. Then I headed over to Mama J's on a Monday afternoon. The place was teeming with associates doing all kinds of things, which I actually loved. I was seated quickly and started looking around. It was comfortable and familiar, even though it was my first time there. Then my server greeted me, called me "baby," and suddenly I felt like I had walked into my auntie's house. Okay. We were off to a good start. I ordered an Arnold Palmer and some catfish nuggets. Now, I knew I was in the right place when my server brought me TWO glasses of the most perfectly made Arnold Palmer. Two. Glasses. Start the happy dance. While I waited for my food, I looked around at the old photographs and magazine covers featuring Mama J's. It all made sense. The restaurant felt familiar because it felt like somebody's dining room. A place that has history. A place where people have been eating, talking, laughing and coming back for years. Then my catfish nuggets arrived. HOT. Golden. Crispy. When I tell you I did a happy dance... I ate those catfish nuggets with a knife and fork, humming to myself and saying, "This is the best catfish I have eaten in my life." And mind you, I eat out at least twice a week. So I ordered the crab cake sandwich with a side of macaroni and cheese. We were not particularly focused on vegetables because my server could not promise me the collards and cabbage weren't cooked with chicken broth. It's fine. I didn't really want my vegetables anyway. Then my plate arrived. HOT. I ate that macaroni and cheese and literally had to rock, hum and say to myself, "Woo. This food is good." The crab cake sandwich and fries were so good that I immediately knew some of them were coming home with me for lunch tomorrow. Because I may love food, but I also believe in planning ahead. Now let's talk about this crab cake. First, the brioche bun was EXACTLY the right bread. I am not a sliced-white-bread kind of woman. I need a brioche bun sturdy enough for the remoulade to hold onto. And then there was the crab cake. Enunciate that K. Fresh crabmeat. Maryland could NEVER. I know, I know. Maryland swears they have the best crab cakes. No ma'am. No sir. The best crab cake is sitting on Clay Street, about a mile from the James River, in Jackson Ward, the Harlem of the South. And the fries? HOT. You know that perfect fry: crispy on the outside, soft in the center? Yeah. Those. At this point, I was full and getting sleepy at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. But apparently that wasn't enough because I ordered some potato salad to go so I could top off tomorrow's lunch. Because priorities. I left Mama J's full as a tick. Came home. And promptly took a several-hour nap. That is how good this meal was. Mama J's, you have officially set the bar. 7 out of 5 stars. I am going back. And, quite frankly, they are going to get sick of seeing me. Richmond, if you haven't been to Mama J's, what are you waiting for?

As a DMV Native, Mama J's is one of Richmond's best most premiere restaurant spots in a city where…read moreI had some underwhelming experiences. Mama J is the Carolina Kitchen from the DMV meets Richmond. I remember the manager and staff being accommodating, welcoming and it remains the highlight of my trip to Richmond earlier this year. The side dishes are great, however the baked chicken breasts was undercooked and should had been cooked more. I won't hold it against them to that level, as the rest of the food and beverages were excellent. The customer service and down home vibe from management really stood out in a great way to me. The portion sizes were great; however it can be pricey for a mid-size city. Carolina Kitchen has just as good food up North in the DMV and is actually cheaper and mor affordable. Fortunately, I am a great cook like a homemade chef, however when it comes to treating yourself, I think this spot in the historic Jackson Ward neighborhood is a highlight here. This is way better than Lillie Pearl which is pretentious and does not have the soul, grounded, and kindred spirt of MJs. I loved the atmosphere, interior design/decorum, and vibe of the joint cool bar section and tables with seats. It would be nice if they had booths that were more comfortable, but again I won't hold it against them.

It was so good! My friend visited me from out of town and we chose this spot to come and eat!…read more The service was good! Please forgive me I forgot her name, but the lady at the counter was patient and happy answer whatever questions I had about Trini Food! I had the oxtails with peas and rice and I liked it! I also tried doubles for the first time! It was a different texture for me, but I honestly enjoyed it (I do wish it was warmed up a little more, I definitely should've asked lol) The ambience is so cute! In my time of coming into that area I never knew it was there. Definitely a gem! Hope to be back soon!

I am here from Miami searching everywhere for good Trini food specifically bake and doubles. I…read morefound this place on yelp and google. This place is 50 minutes from my house. The first time I went was last week Wednesday in the afternoon. A very nice young man took my order. When I asked for bake and shark the woman who I assume is the owner came up to the front and told me bake and shark is only available every other Saturday. I asked her if it would be available that coming Saturday and she said no, next week, that coming Saturday would be meat pies. She was nice enough this day. My first visit I ordered doubles, curry chicken and stew beans and buss up shut. The doubles were pretty good, the curry was 2 chicken legs swimming in what was more like a ton of watery broth in which my beans got completely lost. The curry flavors were not very developed. There was no aloo. The roti was the best thing I ordered that day. I did not come that Saturday as instructed but I returned yesterday. Yelp and Google states the business opens at 11:30. I walked up to the door at 12:12 and it was locked. The sign on the door states they open at 12:30 on Saturdays. I sat in my car until 12:40 and went back in. There were already people in line being helped by the same lady from last week. When it was my turn I asked for bake and shark and she told me "next Saturday". WOW. I drove all this way specifically for that. At this point I'm already disappointed so I ask her what she does have. She tells me to "read the board". Then she says she will help someone else and come back to me. When I don't respond she says "HELLO" as if speaking to a child. Thankfully, the lady with the purple hair is nice and professional. When it's my turn to order I order sorrel, pholourie, doubles, curry chicken and spinach and roti. Curry chicken is my favorite so I want to give it another try. With these 2 visits alone I've spent about $70 so far. I get in my car and open the bag with the pholourie to eat on the ride home. They're ice cold greasy and soggy. How? The place just opened and I just walked out! I get home and try the curry chicken. Watery flavorless broth again. No aloo again. This time the chicken is not done. My spinach is drowning in this broth just like the beans because for some reason it's all put into one container with no separation. The doubles are a sloppy mess but edible. Once again the buss up shut is the best part of the whole meal. This was a waste of time, money, and gas. This is not a good representation of Trini food. I don't think I will return here. **UPDATE** I updated my review to one star after this wicked lady replied. This idiotic fool is messaging me over and over about my review! I haven't messaged her back not even one time. She's clearly nuts. Notice she never said anything I wrote was untrue. There's a huge difference between pink chicken (ie: smoked meat) and bloody slimy chicken that's clear in some spots. You are selling food to the public and you think chicken is always pink no matter how long you cook it? WTH?! Sounds like food poisoning and salmonella to me. And please tell me where is the big chicken?? You're serving drumsticks! Secondly, pholourie literally takes 1-2 minutes to fry- why would anyone fry it then let it just sit in a COOLER???? Who's expecting fried dough to be hot for hours?? I expect it to be freshly made when I order it duh! So she's cooking the entire menu all at once and just serving it, cold and raw. Disgusting. The standards and attitude on this woman are both gross. Eat this crap at your own risk.