KEANSBURG: Since 2021, Mambo Nando's has been serving up Puerto Rican flavors and laid-back…read moretropical vibes just steps from the Keansburg Amusement Park. This hidden gem is dog-friendly, with outdoor seating at the counter, sidewalk tables, and a patio, perfect for dining with your pup. Owners Jamie and Nando are as welcoming as their food is delicious. Highlights from our tasting included slow-roasted pork, yellow rice with pigeon peas, vegan alcapurria, and both classic and Beyond Beef empanadas. The flavors were rich, authentic, with a growing vegan menu. Portions are generous, prices are reasonable, and the menu is packed with must-try dishes. Open March-December, Wednesday-Sunday, 12-7 PM. Order online for pickup or delivery via their website.

While visiting Jersey I passed the amusement park several times but never noticed this restaurant…read more Can you say delicious? I sure can especially when I took the first bite of my perfectly spiced and cooked fried pork chop it was to die for. I ordered a side order of tostones, that were right out of the frying pan (I have to be honest I could have eaten 16 of them lol). Other parties in group ordered mofongo with shrimp and as a starter an Alcapurria from the appetizer menu and I am sorry I can't recall what the other item was she enjoyed them (she doesn't know how to share so I can't chime in on how it tasted. The shrimp in the mofongo was outstanding but the mofongo seemed to be lacking enough garlic to kick up the flavor that I know mofongo normally has. Pollo Guisado was also served, it was hearty, savory and the meat was very tender (surely enough food to make this two meals). There aren't many seats (two tables outside) and a small area to eat by the counter so be aware especially during warmer months that the availability to accommodate you for a sit down meal might be a challenge but I would eat in my car knowing that the meal is as good as it was. The staff were beyond friendly and efficient....everything was bought out to us in a very timely manner. If you like Spanish please give Mambo Nando's a try.

Dorm my usual driving expeditions in search of something different, something better than what's in…read moremy usual route, I stumbled upon lighthouse. What an impression is left! Although located in a food court, which might usually give me Paws and color how I order or whether I would even eat there at all, this place is out of the ordinary, I was torn between oxtails and goat that day and decided to ask for some guidance. Very thankful for the suggestion I got to order the goat. It was so good that I demolished my food in the food court and had to go up and let them know at the end. What a great job they did not sure when I'll be back since it's quite out of the area for me, but if you're in the area, give them a go, two thumbs up!

Second time here. Staff was terrible not even a smile looked miserable and treated customers like…read moregarbage. For $23 you get four oxtails underwhelming, flavorless, cabbage, and rice and peas were OK. Definitely will not be returning. Between the staff and underwhelming food; I will go elsewhere.

We have been getting take out from Norah's for about a decade and loved every meal…read more Unfortunately I cannot write that about the takeout my husband picked up last night. I ordered beef ox tails which were always in a flavorful brown gravy over white rice with sweet plantains and sautéed cabbage with some mixed vegetables. Last night they were in a sauce that is best described as a sticky, gluey bbq sauce that I have never experienced there in the past. There was just a tiny amount of sautéed cabbage though I was grateful for it as a palate cleanser. One piece of sweet plantain, in all fairness, I did order the small versus a large order. The rice was unpleasant with that dark, sticky sauce already stirred into it so there was no escaping it. (Today I took an entire pint of leftover white rice from a previous oriental meal and stirred it into Norah's rice to make it at least edible though still not delicious like it used to be.) I am extremely disappointed Norah seems to have changed her beef oxtails brown gravy recipe. For me ... it completely changed my opinion about her beef oxtails. I miss how it used to taste.

There is street parking…read more The owner was friendly and knowledgeable. There was plenty of seating. I ordered 4 items: Oxtail dinner Curry goat roti Oxtail empanada Oxtail& Mac& cheese egg roll The oxtail was the star of the show. The goat was a close second. In my opinion, the oxtail is best savored in dinner rather than in appetizer form. Next time I'm trying jerk chicken some kind of seafood.

Best jerk in Staten Island. Lemme tell you the minute you take a bite -- the kick that you get in…read moreyour mouth ... would've thought there was a midget with thimbs on in there.

Remarkably good! This place ranks among my top dining experiences. The employees create comfortable…read moreinteractions. This spot is truly noteworthy!!! This concludes my review.

Will definitely be returning I'm going to start there! Definitely a nice spot for date night or…read morecatching up with friends. I didn't see much space for huge parties but be mindful and make the reservation in advance. Went for an early dinner at around 6:00ish and was seated immediately. Service was on point. Now for the food. The seasoning was immaculate. We did try the griot app (not pictured) and it was very flavorful. The Rasta pasta dish was seasoned appropriately and provided a comfortable heat. If you are used to typical heat of pikliz then you may find the spice level was at a mild level which paired nicely with the passion 75. The drink tasted more like a spin on a mimosa but I was wish the passionfruit was from the fruit to bring in the tartness - still good. The cheesecake was pretty standard. The glaze on top balanced out the creaminess well.

My family and I love dining out and were excited to try this restaurant for my husband's surprise…read morebirthday dinner. We had a party of 13, and for all of us it was our first time there. A few of my guests are very familiar with Haitian cuisine, so we were really looking forward to the experience. Unfortunately, I was immediately disappointed when we arrived because there was no customized/pre-booked menu prepared for our party as discussed beforehand. When I asked about it, I was told they were unsure what happened and no menus had been printed. Because of that, I had to ask the server to verbally explain the dinner selections and sides to everyone. Now for the food: The Ou La wings were delicious, and the crab cakes were excellent so flavorful and moist. We are familiar with soup bouillon, but unfortunately this version was not enjoyable to us. It had a very tangy taste that seemed off. For entrées, the griot was served with diri djon djon, fried plantains, and broccolini. The griot itself was good, but the plantains were fried extremely hard. This entrée was also supposed to come with salad russe, but that was missing. The salmon was delicious overall, although a few guests felt it was very dry. The mashed potatoes and broccolini were good. I also asked for pikliz, which was excellent and had the perfect kick to it. The drinks were definitely delicious and strong. Dessert was another disappointment because the crème brûlée I had pre-booked was unavailable. I ended up trying the carrot cake and almond toasted cake, which were okay. I will say our server was very sweet and attentive throughout the night. The restaurant itself was also nice and clean. However, the food took quite a while to come out, especially for a dinner that had been pre-planned in advance. Overall, there were just too many hiccups for an event that was booked ahead of time. While there were some enjoyable dishes and good service, I personally would not recommend this place for a large party or special pre-planned event.

I came here for takeout a few times recently. There are buffet style trays arranged and you choose…read morethe protein and rice that you want, so it's very quick. There are also some sides available. I always got oxtail. It's good, but a bit pricey for the amount of meat you get. Others have ordered the pepper steak before and the portions for that are great. The rice is definitely on the salty side, but is good overall. I do appreciate that the lady working there is always generous with pouring extra sauce on our rice as well. We also tried the tres leches during our last visit and would get it again. It had the perfect texture and sweetness.

Delicious! True Dominican flavor. Took my parents on a whim. Small place, with six small tables…read more Service was wonderful and the tres leches was super

Update: 9/13/2024: Did this place change hands of management again? Because on Wednesday I ordered…read moreoxtail, curry chicken and a plate of curry goat and it was widely different from the last time I visited a month ago. The food had NO flavor whatsoever - it's as though there was a different cook, it was quite bland. The woman at the front was not friendly, even as I greeted her with a smile and said goodbye with a smile. Still the same unfriendly stance. This is not the same woman I came across a month ago that was friendly. Note to the owner: How you greet your customers makes a huge difference! I have to say how disappointed I am, the food was delicious the last time I was there and now just inedible. Also the curry chicken had chopped small bones, so be wary if you're going to order this dish. I hate to say that I doubt I will be returning and will make the drive down to Asbury when craving Caribbean food. It's unfortunate, but I have to change the rating to 1 star based off of my recent experience. This was a take-out order.

My family was in town and attempted to order a few days ago and I surely warned them about the…read moreunprofessionalism. It was close to closing however the order platform was still taking orders. They canceled their order after waiting 30 minutes and didn't even have the decency to give them a call. SMH I'm not surprised based on their ethics. Welp Yelp, my family won't be ordering from here ever again as well! Tip to the owner, customers will come to an establishment with GREAT customer service. Maybe you should try to implement that in your Mission Statement, just FOOD for thought.

The real deal Jamaican food! We wanted to bring some Caribbean flavor to our daughter's One Love…read more1st birthday party with traditional Jamaican patties. They did not disappoint! We did a mix of beef, chicken, & veggie for our guests and every patty was devoured. They were even kind enough to deliver the patties to our venue. BIGGUP to the owner Marlon - Thank you so much for bringing the flavor & culture to help honor our babygirl's Jamaican roots! Now I need to come get a snapper plate lol. Respect!

Ah... service took a minute. No menus visible so I just ordered my usual taste bud items lol. so I…read moreordered 2 oxtail comes with cabbage and rice and peas, and plantains, not the sweet soft ones. Cabbage was good. You just don't get alot for a large order. I find a menu on the way out $26.00 for a large, not so large, oxtail and it was ok. More gravy needed. Curry chicken patty was good. It's an I tried it kind of place. . Oh had to get the pineapple soda and a ginger pineapple soda yessss, never go wrong with those. But the $67.00 bill was absurd for a semi take out spot, and the portions, but ppl were coming in. I'm still searching for a good spot where everything hits!

Repeat customer here yesterday. Delicious meal. Real Jamaican cuisine. Good service.read more

Ok so I've been enjoying meals from the Food Truck days so when the location opened I was super…read morehappy and excited. It took me awhile but I finally made my way to the restaurant and what a beauty it is. The decor is amazing and I'm looking forward to dining inside when it warms up a bit. The owner remembered me from the food truck so that's a plus. Everything that I ordered down to the chicken soup was delicious. When I need my fix of Caribbean food Island Kitchen definitely hits the spot. Oxtails are tender and flavorful. Rasta Pasta was creamy and delicious. The soup was so good I should have gotten a large. Oh and yes the drinks are good as well. Definitely check them out!!!!

OMGGGGG! I've visited many Jamaican restaurants but this one is on top of the list. This place is…read morenear my job and they are literally taking all of my money the food is delicious, heavenly and authentic. My favorite is the jerk chicken and the beef patties. Unfortunately they only take cash but it's worth the visit. The vibe and service is always . And they always pack your tray with a good amount of food like a good amount! Highly suggestion!

I just had one of the best oxtail dinner at this restaurant. The quantity of food on the plate was…read morealso gratifying. (Big Up to The Chef)