Great customer service! Loved the music too! 10/10 review Carey was very kind. Will be coming back!read more

Taste of the Caribbean is a black- and woman- owned Jamaican restaurant in the Central District…read more (The Central District rocks as a source for minority owned ethnic foods.) Walking in, the layout suggests they are also a party/mini-concert/event space. Service is casual; we were told to sit anywhere. I should have boogied my way to the table. We happily browsed through the menu looking at the many choices, some very unfamiliar. Everything looks so good, and prices are reasonable. We need to return and be more adventurous next time. Our server was helpful, guiding portion size and optional sides. The Food: Jerk Chicken plate, add steamed veggie, $20 + $2 - 5 Stars True to the jerk seasoning, theirs is spicy, as it should be. I find it annoying when jerk seasoning isn't spicy enough. The seasoning tastes even spicier when I drink water, and the heat spreads. So good! I was also happy they use boned chicken, which is more flavorful. I asked about veggies, that is $2 extra. Oxtails plate, add rice & peas, $24 + $1 - 5 Stars With beefy stock, these oxtail pieces are well-seasoned and paired well with root vegetables. A small salad and the rice & peas are a good match to the oxtail. I enjoy seeing oxtails used in different recipes. Jamaican patty, $5 - 5 Stars These beef meat pies are freshly baked and arrived at our table smoking hot. We were happy that we ordered two, so we wouldn't have to share. Haha. Very delicious. Plantains, $8 - 5 Stars From the appetizers portion of the menu, these are perfectly fried, caramelized, with minimal blackened carcinogens. This plate was a particularly good batch.

this sandwich was highly impressive as the main part of the…read moresandwich, it was pretty necessary that the pork be cooked to near-perfection, and i have to say it was here it gave off a deep, brown-ish color, which showed the extent of it's cooking and marination. It wasn't quite incredibly tender, but the marinade added an absolute ton of flavor. more importantly, it was present plentifully throughout the sandwich, so practically every bite came filled with pork I also have to mention how packed together the ingredients are between the buns. when you start eating, it's inevitable that a quarter of the ingredients will fall onto the wrap below, leaving a nice secondary meal to finish off after the sandwich is done. the sandwich is packed incredibly tight during the wrapping process, but it unravels a bit while eating. for me, the major highlights of this meal was the onions and the aioli Starting with the onions, these may be the best I've ever had on a sandwich. They're caramelized amazingly, placed onto the sandwich in astoundingly large pieces, are crunchy, and there's just a lot of them. They're just wonderful both texturally and taste-wise. This sandwich is absolutely lathered with aioli - practically dripping with it. This boosted the overall flavor so much, especially because this aioli was addictingly good. In my experience, the amount of sauce has been directly proportional to how much I enjoyed a sandwich, and when the sauce is this good - it's even on the top of the bun! - i absolutely loved it Somehow the lettuce stayed crunchy despite all the otherwise wetness going on in the sandwich. Props for that The jalapenos were great as well for that extra bit of spicy - I would've loved to have more of them while the bread was toasted well, the one downside was i thought it was pretty hard and tough, which made chewing kind of difficult. I found my jaw to be pretty tired at the end after eating this. I would've much preferred a softer roll that's easier to bite into I've had similar sandwiches from Paseo and Bongos, and in my opinion this does edge out both of those Comparing to Paseo, the sandwich there has way more oil, making it more sloppy and I do like the bread there a lot better, but the pork feels richer and better marinated here (although less fatty), and the onions are definitely caramelized better here as well. Bongos has a pretty similar level of pork with more, but onions are definitely a step down What moves this place above those two for me is the amount of aioli used here far exceeds those other places, which just makes the overall eating experience better For the price (about 14 dollars) this is a really filling meal

Roast park sandwich here was awesome! I had gone to Paseo way back in the day, maybe 2007 or 2008,…read moreand the sandwich tasted very similar to what I remember. The rice and beans are also amazing. I think you could probably go with any sandwich that has your preferred protein source and it would be great. The guy working the register taking the orders was super friendly as well. Lots of street parking in the area. They have one bathroom and a good amount of seating. Definitely worth a visit for a great sandwich.

I had the pleasure of finding that I can make it all the way to the CD and back to my office by…read morecoming here and I'm glad that I did. This place is tucked away behind Arte Noir. You can smell it before you see it. Walking in the kitchen is bustling I was surprised to see the boss man in so early. They had my to go order plates and packed up within 10 minutes of me arriving and they'd just opened. The freaking soft shell crab sandwich! Please do not miss out on the flavor bomb! So delicious and the jerk fries are the best nice and crunchy. I've since been back another time to get that meal and a Mac and cheese as well as some greens and my goodness my tummy couldn't have thanked me more. Thank you for sharing your culinary gift with the world!

I was really excited to try Jerk Shack after hearing great things. On a previous visit to the area,…read morewe could smell the food and it smelled amazing, which made us even more excited to come back and try it. Unfortunately, we weren't able to eat here this time. We arrived around 10:55am and waited until about 11:25- 11:30, but the restaurant still hadn't opened. I understand things can happen, but I do hope the posted hours are accurate on a daily basis since we planned our visit around them. That said, based on how great everything smelled, I'd definitely be willing to give it another try next time we're in the area.

Greeted by a lovely woman before walking in the door. I love a good home grown locally owned small…read morebusiness. I felt like I was walking into my favorite store I went to as a kid, a very home feeling very welcoming with music playing. I loved that there were Jamaican/Caribbean groceries inside. This place was Located in the back of the store. The wait was long but well worth it and I would do it again. Bought a beef Pattie, 2 pineapple ginger drinks, jerk chicken and curry chicken. Portions were great for the price. You could tell these meals were made with love. I would definitely come back anytime. Thanks ladies

It's a grocery story w a deli in the back. It's great if you miss items from the Caribbeanread more

My husband and I absolutely love our visit to Bahama Breeze! From the moment we walked in, it…read morereally feels like you're on a tropical island the atmosphere is vibrant and fun. The drinks are amazing, and their happy hour is fantastic. The food selection is excellent, and everything we tried from appetizers to entrees was bursting with flavor. The service was top notch, making the experience even better. Everything about this place is just great delicious food, refreshing drinks, and an unbeatable island vibe. Highly recommend! But super sad to hear they are closing soon?!

The coconut shrimp were delicious. But the dipping sauces offered were strange. No cocktail sauce…read moreor tartar sauce offered. The seafood soup was not full of seafood. There wa barely any and the spices were not very good. Ambiance was nice. Service was good.

Paseo is ICONIC and if you've never tried them, I'm gonna need you to get in your car and drive to…read morethem immediately so that you can stop missing out. This is THE spot to come before Mariners games or nearby concerts and nobody can convince me otherwise. I've tried them several times in the past and now have my dad hooked as well. Their signature Caribbean Roast sandwich is absolutely phenomenal and I have the hardest time ordering anything else when I'm here. I have tried the nachos version of it before as well, and that's equally delicious. The key is definitely that succulent roasted pork. I will say that the sandwich version is MESSY so don't wear white, and also just be mindful if you have plans after. This year, my dad decided to order a pre-seasoned and smoked turkey from Paseo and my GODDD it was good! We made a gravy from the drippings as well which turned out so good too. We also get their street corn that was said to serve 4-6 but it was generous and we had leftovers. Absolutely a MUST try, 10/10 no notes. There's a reason they have received so much love over the years - no questions, no notes, JUST GO TRY THEM PLEASE.

I'd give this place 4 stars, but I had an upset stomach after my meal. I was actually craving Un…read moreBien after my boxing class at Nomad, but they were sold out of roast and chicken thighs, so I headed to Paseo to get my fix. The indoor space is really cute, but I was confused as to why everything was blocked off and restricted to takeout only. I ordered the famous Caribbean Roast sandwich and a side of rice and beans, which came to a little less than $30. While it's a good sandwich, it felt a bit heavy; I really found myself looking for more acid to cut through the fat and grease. I'm glad I was sharing with Jenny because it's quite a lot for one person. I also noticed toward the end that the bread was burnt. Overall, it's a solid sandwich, but between the stomach issues and the char, I'm not sure I'd go back.

Customer service is always so wonderful and friendly here. I…read moreordered tolu chicken tacos. They kindly gave us some daal to try with them too. It was all so tasty and everything we were looking for in lunch today.

Randomly stopped by the food truck in Westlake Park and how lucky that random stop was. Had the…read moreFijian fry bread tacos and they are very seriously my new favorite bite in Seattle. I will definitely be going out of my way to hit them up Urban Family brewing or wherever I can. Talked to the owner for a bit too and he couldn't have been kinder!

We arrived around 5pm on a weekday and was maybe the only other party in the restaurant. There's an…read moreunderground garage below the restaurant. There's a sign that says parking for Island Soul. We mistakenly went to the adjacent underground parking garage. You tell the waiter your license plate to validate parking. The chickpea curry was a bit bland. The tostones were good garlicky and crispy. The coconut cake could have been moister and less sweet.

Island Soul is AWESOME! Island Soul bought/replaced Arleana's in downtown Kirkland. I have always…read morewanted to dine at the Island Soul in Columbia City, but it was always crowded requiring some planning. We made a reservation the day before easily. The interior is superb. This place would be great for date-night or get a drink or have a family meal. Our server was attentive and helpful, making a change for us last minute with a 'I gotcha ya' attitude - LOVE! Thank you! The food is so, so good! The Seattle area doesn't have enough 'soul', southern, creole, 'island' type of foods. This place fills the perfect niche. I have the urge to say 'hmmm, hmmm' dining here! Yum! Parking is free under the building, and nearby street parking tends to be available, too. The Food: Blackened Salmon, $33 - 5 Stars Menu: Salmon, corn soubise, fried plantains, fried okra We both wanted this as our main dish, so this is a 2X. The salmon is perfectly seasoned and grilled. You can SEE the seasoning on the fish. So glad they included pieces of okra. The frying/searing gives it the perfect chew. Fried Green Tomatoes, $15 - 5 Stars Menu: Green tomatoes, panko, egg, onion, Buddha's belly seasoning This dish is known as their must order. I have no clue what Buddha's belly seasoning is, but I can tell you it is tasty. Fried green tomatoes is a perfect southern dish (and I will always think about the movie). Wings, Jerk seasoning, $18 - 5 Stars Like many, we're suckers for wings. Even better if the seasoning is different. Jerk wings is rightfully popular, here. The sauce is generously applied, and every bit is delicious. The flavorful foods will have me returning for sure!

My first time at Island Soul and I was blown away. The food is rich and flavorful without being…read moreheavy. The servers were attentive without being overbearing - thanks Natalie and Hector! The atmosphere is a little noisy just because people were having a good time. I look forward to going back.

This place is one of a kind and so delicious for Carribean and Jamaican cuisine! If you have not…read moretried -- you must! We were celebrating my colleagues birthday the day before and were going to see a show at the Royal Room! We got drinks and I had the caprihlana and the Carribean Star! The Carribean Star is a MUST- TRY, the flavors of that drink were amazing! Both the tostones and shrimp ceviche for appetizers was out of this world! The fried catfish was breaded and crisped perfectly and their sides, especially the collard greens are tasty, a bit tangy and phenomenal! I was able to sample my coworkers dishes (they offered of course and I did too) and the goat curry -- try this too if you like curry! Such amazing flavor and tender goat! They do not take reservations but it's peak around dinner time and weekends! We got lucky with the last big table! The menu is creative and colorful. Staff is amazing! They actually had a location in Kirkland but had to close it and this location remains and is a HIT!

I really enjoyed the Desi Plate from Bongos. The pork was flavorful and tender, the plantain was…read moresweat and soft, the coleslaw was fresh and not too creamy and the pickled veg was great sourness to combat the rounded beans flavor. 10/10 would order again. Good spot for the summer since it's an order and pickup at the counter spot (with ringers) and a good post-Greenlake hearty meal. The service was quick and standard, no complaints and limited conversations so not too fussy

cant believe i havent had bongos yet! but wow it really lived up to the hype!…read more i got the bart sandwich which has both the fixins on the desi and the 1am. boy was it JUICY. it was packed with meat and all the toppings blended together in a symphony of wonderful flavors. the bread was fluffy, but definitely doesnt sit well. i reheated the other half for dinner and it disintegrated. i also tried the ropa vieja bowl. again, packed with a generous helping of meat, over rice, some slaw, and a maduro. very tender. i loved the beans. the slaw was ok, not the most flavorful but it was a nice crunchy addition. my friend ordered the tostones which i loved! fried to perfection and dusted with salt. it came with a dip/aioli which was wonderful! definitely want to come back and try their drinks and get that sandwich again!!!