The food at the Kingston Kafe is authentic and excellent, but that is not what makes them special. The care they take with each customer sets them apart and above the rest. I had a special order of ackee and salt fish that had to be handled differently, and they did everything in their power to make sure it all went well. They even called me twice. They are an excellent restaurant and I could not recommend them higher. read more

I had my food to go. I ordered a medium jerk chicken, rice & peas, & instead of cabbage I got the fried sweet plantains. Inside is a little too busy & small for my liking. It also isn't nothing to brag about. I find to go is better b/c it's a little hectic for me. Order a head of time so you're not there waiting long for your food. A lot of times their popular dishes are sold out.Their food used to be the best in town now it's mediocre. They fell off. Staff is always friendly! read more

Kingston Kafe - Caribbean Near Me - Stratford, Connecticut

Great food and service. Always greeted with a smile, and haven't had a meal I didn't like. Hoo Rah! read more

Amazing ,clean, fresh n and delicious the staff were so friendly it's a true gem I had the jerk chicken over rice and cabbage and a jerk paddy while I waited I had to the smell drove me crazy ! I will be back over and over and I suggest you treat yourself to some great authentic Jamaican read more

Kingston Kafe - Jerk chicken with rice and cabbage - Caribbean Near Me - Stratford, Connecticut

Food was absolutely delicious. Everything tasted so fresh and just delish. The Goat head soup was tasty. Definitely hit the spot. The jerk pork was just right. Spicy but not to spicy. The spicy one can enjoy the just right spicy. Great atmosphere. Friendly staff. 1000/10. Highly recommended. read more

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Needed some plantains real quick on my way from Norwalk so I popped in here to get some. Of course during the times we're in, restaurant life is very different. It was only three of us waiting in line, to ensure we were practicing social distancing, we stood 6 feet apart. The place isn't that big but we made it work. I got my plantains but they weren't soft like I like but the server let me know that though. I did get the spinach patties which were hot and yummy. Only pro is the establishment didn't seem that clean and one the servers had such an attitude. read more

Kingston Kafe - the interior of a restaurant - Caribbean Near Me - Stratford, Connecticut

I like the jerk chicken with rice and peas, cabbage and plantains however every time I get this dish, the plantains are hard. Upon going today 12/23/21, the 2 ladies with box braids, one skinny and the other that is thicker both had attitudes when I said I no longer wanted the plantains because they looked old and hard. The skinny one stated they were cooked that morning (I went at 1pm) which doesn't help the fact that what was displayed was old and hard. Plantains take about 5 minutes to make so making them fresh shouldn't be an issue nonetheless the skinny one checked me out with an attitude and proceeded to walk away without giving me a receipt to where the thicker one finished checking me out when the customer in front of me said something. As a business owner myself, I would like to say your establishment has poor customer service. This isn't my first time in there and I've could've written a review before regarding these same 2 ladies having bad attitudes but I'm reasonable and potentially they had bad days prior. However, as a paying customer who does enjoy your food and would like to see black businesses thrive, at this point, they need to be evaluated on their job performance. The older lady with the pixie cut is always courteous and respectful and will actually complete a customer's order entirely before going to the next customer. If you would like to discuss further Hilary, my email is istmllc@gmail.com. read more

Food is great and the ladies are always friendly! Cowfoot and stew peas always great!!

I had zero issues with customer service and food! Oxtails was amazing! Rice was just a tad bit on the dry side but still decent to eat. I Love the decor, really felt like I was in a restaurant shack in Jamaica! Very cute design. Easy parking. Location not too hard to find. Overall, I had a great experience and wonderful kind staff. I will honestly come back! read more

Service with a smile, they just care and are helpful!! Food was awesome, great selection! Love the way the dining room is set up, so comfortable and inviting. read more

Now this is one of my go to Jamaican restaurants and it Truely does not disappoint every time I order. Mind you I order from here maybe once a week and the food is always consistently awesome. First time I tried this restaurant was a couple years back and was not so great but I dont know if they changed the chef or it was just a bad day but those days are far behind me!! I mostly just order oxtails and jerk chicken but today I decided on jerk pork. They are on Groupon and I always get the maximum amount of certificates I can get that's how much I know I will be going back, but I'll happily pay full price cause this place is well worth it!! The oxtail is super flavorful like it has been simmering for hours!! They can put whatever price on it, it wouldn't even matter I'd pay whatever $ to have these oxtails again. I love when I order extra extra extra gravy and they comply with my wishes!! Omg everything always comes out right just the way I like it. Huge portions also a large oxtail can feed easily 2 people. Jerk pork was a first try for me here but I had no worries cause I always have jerk chicken and the pork did not disappoint as well. This pork was juicy and tender and packed with goodness. Not too spicy just the right amount to taste all the spices and not burn your mouth. I'm Asian so I can go super spicy but this is perfect for even my 8 year old daughter to have. Make sure to get oxtail gravy over the rice and this will elevate the dish 10x more. Overall yes and yes absolutely try this restaurant. Try everything on the menu if you wish but do not skip the oxtail!! I suggest ordering ahead over the phone cause they can get busy and you can wait 15 mins in line just to order. The workers are polite and friendly and they are always pleased to give me more gravy with everything I ask for. I go so much they know my order and don't even have to ask me what I want they already know and these little things makes me feel a little more special on top of the already great food I know I'm about to consume. Love this place easily one of my top 10 favorite restaurants!!! read more

Kingston Kafe - Jerk pork!! So tender and juicy - Caribbean Near Me - Stratford, Connecticut

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The place is clean and the staff are friendly. The food...amazing!!! Best jerked chicken patty ever!!! I want more!!! read more

On a recent road trip/vacation to Boston we Yelped a restaurant around the halfway point from Philadelphia to Boston and up came Kingston Kafe. The restaurant is about 10 minutes off the Merritt Parkway. The Kingston Kafe was very nice inside and decorated tastefully with the colors and of Jamaica. I had the Jerk Chicken and that was excellent. It had a good amount of heat too and my nose was running fairly quickly. Definitively a good dish when your allergies are acting up. My daughter had the curried chicken and my wife had a hearty and tasty chicken soup. We added an order of plantains also. Everything was excellent. Our server was also friendly, attentive and helpful. Kingston Kafe serves up some very good Jamaican fare at a very reasonable price. 4.5 Yelp stars. Tip: Yelp 1st time check ins get 15% off!!! read more

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Food was delicious!! Big up Angie! Her warm smile and pleasant demeanor was genuine. She's the main reason why I have 5 stars. The drinks were refreshing and freshly made. read more

Tiny place that looks like a takeout place from the outside but actually has nice indoor seating if you wanted to eat your meal there. There was only a few people there but it took a while to order. We didn't really know what everything was so we had some questions, they weren't too eager to answer them but they were friendly enough. I got the medium brown stew chicken with rice and peas (beans) which I've gotten before (skip the small size because it's very tiny) it had nice flavor, lots of bones but that's normal. My bf got jerk chicken which he thought was perfectly spicy. He also got and enjoyed a spicy beef Jamaican patty. I tried to use a yelp coupon but it took them a long time to figure how to put it in their system and the people in line behind me were getting annoyed, so I wish that went smoother. I'd probably return anyways! read more

Kingston Kafe - Jamaican jerk chicken - Caribbean Near Me - Stratford, Connecticut

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Kingston Kafe was a great experience in Stratford. Parking was a bit challenging but not much you can do about that. Food was reasonably priced and portions were very large. We ordered the jerk chicken and cherry chicken. Meals were accompanied by cabbage salad and excellent plantains. Service was very slow but this was because the take out line was very long. Made me feel like I was in Jamaica again. read more

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Was in the area stopped for some quick lunch I was shocked when I walked in ...natural drinks (soursop,sorrel,fruit punch ) I ordered oxtail rice and peas , beef patties ,fried chicken I could definitely recommended food was delicious I will stop by everytime I'm in the area Keep up the good job read more

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Food is horrible and overpriced . Mushy ass rice, hard like a rock plantain no flavor oxtail. The worst Jamaican food I have ever gotten plus I paid $19 for this crap! Ewwww read more

Kingston Kafe - Caribbean Near Me - Stratford, Connecticut

Very small Mom/Pop business that keeps all of their pre-cooked food in those chafing dishes (major bummer when we saw that). Turned a bit off that nothing cooked fresh to order. Ho hum. They do give you loads of food, and the rice alone will easily feed 2-3 folks. I tried the oxtail and he tried some chicken. Neither was great, as the proteins were sorely overcooked and lost flavor. Texture of meat was undesirable. Loved the homemade juices, and tried interesting ones, like sorrel. Little shop off busy street.... Tried for 2 nights to try their escabiche fish. Not to be had... not enough business the week that we came, I can only suppose. read more

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By far THE best Jamaican food I've ever had! My boyfriend has been raving about this spot for YEARS and I finally got to experience it for myself while visiting his family. It definitely did not disappoint! I got the large jerk chicken [with ox tail sauce] with rice and cabbage, a spicy beef patty, and dumplings. EVERYTHING, and I mean EVERYTHING was amazing! The dumplings were the sweetest and most delicious rolls I've ever had in my life. The jerk chicken was incredibly tender and had amazing flavor. The ox tail sauce gave it an extra spice, but it was not overbearing. I also tried one of the dessert tarts, which was good, but not as sweet as I was expecting it to be. I will forever look forward to the next time I get to eat at The Kingston Kafe! **This Restaurant landed a spot in my "Favorite Foods Found While Traveling" collection! Be sure to check out my collections for more of my favorite finds!** read more

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I haven't tried much oxtail, but this was not special. The oxtail was not very flavorful compared to the other spot i had feel like it needed more. The cabbage would have been better off of it imo. I like vegetables but it did not taste fresh. I also don't feel the best after eating it. Service was fine and I liked the ambiance but would not be back read more

The Kingston Kafe is definitely worth finding if you love Jamaican food or if you simply want to try Jamaican cuisine for the first time. I ordered Callaloo and Saltfish, which came with fried plantains, cabbage and rice with peas. Callaloo is indigenous to Jamaica and tastes like spinach. My friend ordered Ackee, which is a Jamaican fruit that to me has an egg-like taste and texture; my friend says it reminds him of tofu. Kingston Kafe's food is amazingly good and their portions are generous. The restaurant has a charmingly cozy dining room and a shop in the back where you can buy all sorts of Jamaican crafts; I did. Our server was one of the nicest people I've encountered in a restaurant; exceedingly polite and especially helpful. In addition to table service you can order food to take out. They also sell a variety of Jamaican foods and coffees. I can't wait to go back. read more

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Had oxtail for the first time it was great guys . During Covid they operate very good . Meat was fresh . They serve generous portion . Came for lunch end up paying for dinner portions .The girl was a little rude and they didn't have lunch special options except 1 stew chicken . I had to pay $15 on lunch which was a bummer being that I could have weighed my options out .and just ordered something worth my money .it was well worth I enjoyed it . read more

Kingston Kafe - Caribbean Near Me - Stratford, Connecticut

the owner is so very sweet and nice the food is beyond delicious i absolutly love this place !! give it 5 stars all day !!

Very pleasant owners/staff with good food at good prices! Love the homemade juices and the food portion sizes are enormous! Found this place just about a month ago and have already been back a few times. Always nice to have a good option in the area and definitely worth a visit. read more

I had tasted Jamaican food but Kingston takes the crown. The Oxtails xtra gravy, rice and peas, cabbage.

My go to for so many things. Even have fresh made ginger beer, like Mom-in- law used to make. Lovely area in rear of store to sit, relax and eat eat eat! Don't know how they keep being so pleasant; it's so crowded' read more

I did not eat here, so the food portion of the review is based solely on my boyfriends words. Walking in, I must say, the employees made us feel very welcome. It almost felt like we had walked into someone's kitchen, not a restaurant. Definitely a different kind of atmosphere. Onto the food, the oxtail itself was a little disappointing, as it had too much fat on it. It was good, just not as good as expected. The rice & peas and cabbage were in his words, "blazing" They also sell specialty Jamaican sodas. He got the Cream Soda which was "out of this world" (I tried a swig too and it was probably the best Cream Soda I ever tasted) read more

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My favorite is the ox tails. Always get it with the cabbage rice and peas, and plantains.

Great food always cleanness, but service bit of slow motions at the orders otherwise I rate 5 starts . Please speed up

Fantastic food and friendly people what more can you ask? Easily the best Jamaican food I've had from the spicy beef patties to my personal favorite jerk-pork. I always leave happy with a full belly and a big smile on my face! Great job guys see you soon! read more

This place is right down the street from my house, and I wish I would have gone sooner! Decided to give it a try today and the food is amazing, very flavorful and delicious. The person who took my order was very nice, they have a great menu selection and great prices. They also give you a packed amount of food, will be coming back and ordering from them again! read more

I had the oxtail with rice, banana, boiled dumpling, fried dumplings AND plantains! It was excellent! I am very picky and I have been to many Jamaican restaurants in NY and CT and this one is my favorite! You can eat in and there is convenient parking. read more

Kingston Kafe - Caribbean Near Me - Stratford, Connecticut

Worst jerk chicken I've ever had! No flavor! It taste like regular baked chicken. The rice was soggy and cabbage was bland. Great customer service. Mediocre food. I'm very disappointed! read more

Much Blessings! Oxtails and Jerk Pork with their Plantains are so good! I've had their Jerk Ribs want them again please. Carnival is great as well! read more

This restaurant is a hit or miss sometimes I come here and the food is bomb then their are days like today and it's a miss . I bought a spicy beef patty and coco bread and it was horrible . My beef patty was so hard I almost broke a tooth like wtf ‍. The worst part is I craved this after a long day of work and I wasn't satisfied I won't be back . read more

Kingston Kafe - Not soft and moist at all unbelievably tough - Caribbean Near Me - Stratford, Connecticut

Bleh. The patties aren't flaky or savory. I got medium oxtail with white rice and cabbage. Everything was so bland. No salt, no pepper, garlic? Won't be spending my money here again. read more

Excellent food and service with a smile.. Whatever is posted on menu for that day, is what they have.. Great spot.. Ian

I drive a long way to come to Kingston Kafe. The food is amazing and the women running the shop are friendly. The jerked chicken is the best around. The woman that sits by the window is great as well! You always leave happy from this place. read more

Kingston Kafe - Caribbean Near Me - Stratford, Connecticut

This was an amazing experience, Great customer service better food! I tried their beef patty and oxtail and you can taste the difference this was definitely a home done recipe done fully right. not just some short cut taste most restaurants throw over food. read more