A great foray into Haitian cuisine. The Haitian Griyo dish was delicious and quite massive for the…read moreprice. It contained griyo (fried pork shoulder), rice and beans, bannann peze (fried plantains), pikliz (pickled veggies), side salad, and Sos Ti-Malice (warm hot sauce). The fried items in the dish were both flavorful and quite tender. The pikliz (pickled veggies) were a necessary, very tasty complement to the dish. The hot sauce was nice and quite balanced spice-wise. I also got the Soursop with Ginger and Lime drink (ask for their fresh juices). It was refreshing, with an intense ginger burn after each sip. However, it was pretty expensive at ~$9. Note that certain pictured menu items may not be available and other available items may not be on the menu. Definitely ask them for the current day's items. +1 for the solid service!

Pretty pricey for the quality, it's a mom and pop shop. Only one person who serves and cook for…read moreyou. Street parking. Most people order Togo because the restaurant is quite small and limited seating. If you want quick oxtail Jamaican food, you can find it here for the price of $26

The food is good in general, but $42 for the lamb shank and $15 for the key lime pie is a little…read moreover priced consider the location it is at. The cocktail is $18, and $20 if double shot. This price range is more close to the city price range. The lamb shank is flavorful, the salad that comes with it is fresh and the dressing is on the sour side, which is appetizing. The conch fritter came out hot and the batter is nice and not greasy. The ambiance is ok, with some jazz music playing in the background. The service is also ok, not extra friendly nor attentive; everyone was just doing their job.

I was drawn to this place by the unique blend of Mediterranean and Caribbean menu, and I was not…read moredisappointed. I appreciated how much this place leans into both cultures from decor showcases both cultures to their balanced menu featuring dishes from both. There is ample seating at this place and dont let the construction outside deter you because they are open. We ordered the cheese manakish to start, and this might have been my favorite dish. Balanced with two types of cheese with a light airy texture to it kept it from feeling too dense. The pita its on is crunchy and thin, and theres a drizzle of sauce, likely some form of pesto, that cuts the flavor making it a truly enjoyable dish. We also ordered the chicken kebabs and roasted jerk chicken. The kebabs were a great portion with tender chicken, some greens, and grains. I personally could have used more tzakai, but thats a personal preference. Overall though, the meal did not feel heavy and I left feeling full but not overtly stuffed which I was happy with. My husband's jerk chicken was a sizable dish. The chicken was tender and fell right off the bone, and the pilaf had a nice flavor to it. Overall we really enjoyed our meals. The service can take some time, but its a super small staff so just be patient.

Everything went well. The Dominican Food was delicious . I recommend the pork. The chicken was…read morealso very tasty.

YES! This is what I meant when I said "I just want some really good Dominican food right now" - &…read morereally good Dominican food it was! Tasty grilled chicken, delectable maduros, perfectly seasoned rice & beans... My mouth is watering just thinking about the food. I can't speak to the ambience of the restaurant or the location or even really the service (except for the fact that they wrote a very cute note on my bag of food - thanks!) because I ordered delivery. But the food? Spectacular. I was also able to stretch it to two meals. Great bang for buck, here. I'll definitely keep this spot in mind if I'm ever in the area again.

You could say I drove up from South Western Virginia, just for this restaurant. I was not…read moredisappointed. We arrived a little less than an hour before closing time but we were still happily served. Let me be clear, this is a Ugandan restaurant. Okay, moving on. Our food came out, steaming hot and fresh- nothing seemed like it was reheated (try eating reheated posho y'all). We stayed long after the restaurant was closed to finish our food which really gave me the real homey Ugandan vibes. There were also a bunch of Ugandan uncles in the corner just chatting it up the entire time which was fun. Also, there's a store with Ugandan products, raw frozen cassava/matooke, bitenge, and some other Ugandan staples like Royco, Blueband, Majaani, etc!

People who have traveled in the 3rd world will immediately "get" Karibu. Think of it as being a bit…read morelike having dinner with a family from another country. I can see from the reviews that some people are expecting a smooth assembly line operation like you might expect if you were eating at a cafeteria in Den Bosch in the Netherlands--which I've done. This ain't that. But bring your patience and adaptability and a smile and you'll be rewarded with a hearty country meal East African style. If you want anything spicy ask for it. In the 3rd world in my experience my Anglo looks meant they leave out the spiciness unless you ask otherwise. The vibe is like a Ugandan version of a British village pub full of locals socializing. If you want to meet every Ugandan expat in the Boston area, come on by. But while most of the people were Ugandan we obvious non-Ugandans were greeted with open arms. We asked them to just bring us dinner, and so they did. One interesting thing was the Indian influence--Uganda had had a large Indian community there until Idi Amin appropriated everything they had and kicked them out of the country. I guess some? many? have returned since Idi Amin was kicked out himself. So among the more obviously indigenous chicken stew and cooked plantains as a major starch was samosas and chapatis, much as you'd expect to find in an Indian restaurant. Portions were so big I got two and a half additional meals out of it. I've tried a lot of cuisines--I live in the SF Bay Area which is one of the most multicultural places on Earth--so for me this wasn't all that exotic. Ethiopian food is a lot moreso and a lot hotter, for example. So someone who's only mildly adventurous should do fine here. Actually Cajun cooking from Louisiana is more exotic, frankly. And hotter. And there's nothing on Karubu's menu like that Gulf Cajun fave "Bucket of Mud Bugs" (crawfish). Both my wife and our local friend who dined with us enjoyed our meal, and I look forward to returning on our next trip to Greater Boston. Interestingly both one of our Uber drivers and the night clerk at our hotel were Ugandan and familiar with Karibu and very pleased that we planned to dine there. A lot of the infrastructure people we deal with as we travel are really very interesting people if you talk with them and don't just treat them like they're invisible. And it can make your travels more interesting than just going somewhere and doing the standard tourist things.

EVERYTHING was flavorful, hearty, healthy and fresh!!! This is going to be one of my go-to spots…read moreand I hope you guys don't go anywhere for a long time! I honestly felt so good after eating the food here and that's how you know the ingredients in your dishes are of good QUALITY. Our bodies can tell after we eat unhealthy American fast food, we feel sluggish and like sh*t but HERE at Kiwaz Caribbean Spice, I closed my eyes with every bite and I felt so good after I ate my food!!! They have a cool little set-up with a service window so you can order when you get there. I also saw they have seafood boil so I'm definitely going to try that my next time. God bless and thank you to the owners and chefs of this amazing cuisine! I am a Cambodian local of Lowell, born and raised, and your food reminds me of the love and herbs we pour into our own dishes.

Bought the fried fish which was bland and oily. The rice and beans had no taste. Waste of $50read more

Nice vibes, good portion, and welcoming! Had the griot with rice and pikliz, very soulful and would…read morecome back again.

I've hired the Island to cater two events for me. Each order was great! Large quantities for 50+…read morepeople. The food options are great, you receive great value for your money and of course the authentic Haitian food is amazing. Will continue to order from them.

Full disclaimer: I'm Filipino, so there's definitely some bias here -- but Bright Light is such a…read morespecial spot. It's a small, family-owned restaurant that's half Filipino and half Jamaican, run by a Filipino Tita and her Jamaican husband. She learned how to cook Jamaican food to remind him of home, which honestly makes the whole place feel even more meaningful. The Filipino dishes I tried were authentic and tasted homemade -- the kind of food that feels like it came straight out of your auntie's kitchen. The Jamaican food was also delicious (I can't personally vouch for authenticity there), but everything we had was flavorful and satisfying. It's a great, casual, order at the counter spot -- and it's right next to a Filipino market, which makes the experience even better. I love supporting small businesses, especially ones that represent my culture. Bright Light is the kind of place that deserves the love.

I had heard about this spot for a while, and last week I finally had the chance to visit with a…read morefriend who's Filipino--and I'm glad I did. The restaurant is located right on the corner, with limited street parking and a small lot in the back. It's a cozy, casual place offering Filipino cuisine with a touch of Jamaican flavor. There's a comfortable dine-in area with several tables, and takeout is also available. The food was clearly fresh and homemade, and everything we tried was excellent. I had the jerk chicken, which was flavorful and well-prepared, but I was especially excited to try the Filipino dishes. I sampled a few different options, and each one was delicious and authentic. If you're in the area and looking for a unique mix of Filipino and Jamaican food, this spot is definitely worth checking out. Highly recommended. .

** Updating previous review with more tapas rankings **…read more Yuca Frita (9.5/10): These are so freaking delicious, wow. The cilantro aioli was an amazing dipping sauce. They really are fried to perfection. Frituras de Maiz: (10/10): Wow, these fritters are also amazing. They come with such a rich sauce. The fritters are exploding with flavor. Cazuela de Coliflor Asada (9/10): Insanely good dish. The cauliflower has perfect texture, complemented by the pistachios. The sauce is SO good. The cauliflower soaks it up so well. Chicharrones (9/10): Melt in your mouth pork belly. The pork skin crust was perfect. The sauces really make most of the dishes here. This dish is no different - I loved the sauce. Ropa Vieja (9/10): Perfectly slow cooked meat. One thing that really stood out to me was actually the white rice. The rice was VERY high quality, and I appreciated it so much. It's rare to come by rice this good. It had the perfect texture, chew, and fragrance. Ropa Vieja de Hongos (9/10): Pretty much the same as Ropa Vieja above. The mushrooms are delicious, and the dish is just as good whether your order the mushroom or steak version. Empanada del Carne (9/10): Oh man, the crusts are so good. This is pretty on par with the ones I just had in Puerto Rico. Chuletas de Cordero (8/10): The seasoning is heavenly. I was licking the lamb chops clean. Croquetas (8/10): Very solid croquetas. Wouldn't say it's a must-order, but you can't go wrong with them. Costillas a la Guayaba (6/10): The first time I had this it was really nicely marinated, and the rib meat is so tender that it almost falls off the bone. The second time, the meat was dry. Maduros con Tocino (6.5/10): This dish was pretty good, but got overshadowed by the other ones. Pulpo (6.5/10): Octopus was tender and savory. The potatoes were too salty. Camarones a la Plancha (6.5/10): Solid dish, but I enjoyed some other ones even more. Ensalada de Aguacate y Pina (6/10): The salad was a bit too sour, and that sourness overpowered the dish. It was a great blend of ingredients, though. *** and one dessert *** Churros con Chocolate (8.5/10): Big crunchy fluffy churros!! The chocolate sauce is amazing (not really spicy at all). You have to get this for dessert!!

My party of four shared croquetas de jamón, maduras con tocino, ceviche, pulpo, ropa vieja, pescado…read moredel día, churros con chocolate, and pie de limón - TASTE: 4/5 - highlights included the savory ham croquettes, satisfying sweet plantains, and classic ceviche. The fish of the day included an amazing coconut curry(?) sauce, my favorite part of the meal! TEXTURE: 5/5 - perfectly fried croquetas and churros, tender octopus and shredded flank steak, and a refreshing key lime pie PRICE: 4/5 - total came to $300 SERVING SIZE: 4/5 - appreciated the mix of small and large plates. Filled us up and had leftovers to take home! SERVICE: 4/5 - made a Resy a couple days prior and arrived on time at 5pm. They had our high chair set up for us, and our waiter was friendly ATMOSPHERE: 4/5 - large space w a dark & moody vibe for dinner. Always appreciate the chance to eat Cuban food! PARKING: 4/5 - got a street spot right on Pine St

Small but very nice ambiance and the food is great! Good…read moreportions and the menu is diverse. The owners are super nice and the staff very friendly. Presentation of dishes are excellent. The flavors are really unique, with the definite Puerto Rico touch. Prices are reasonable for the amount of food you get.

We dined here as a party of two and were disappointed overall. The restaurant was very cold, with…read moreonly one space heater, which made it uncomfortable to sit and eat. The menu clearly listed margaritas at $15, but we were charged $32 for two. When we questioned it, we were told the menu had changed -- even though the menu we were given still showed the $15 price. This should have been communicated before ordering. An automatic 18% service charge was also added, making the final bill extremely high for just two people. Between the lack of pricing transparency and the uncomfortable dining temperature, it did not feel like good value. Additionally, $9 for small empanadas and $5 extra for avocado which usually comes with meals..felt excessive. Unfortunately, we would not return.

My favorite place to grab Haitian food. I always get the baked chicken which comes with rice and…read morebeans. I also love the fried plantains as an appetizer. This place is many grab and go and the staff are very friendly and will help you with the menu. The portions are also big and very filling.

Ordered the chicken for takeout today and it did not disappoint! Came with rice and beans, Mac and…read morecheese, and plantains. The chicken was well cooked and had great flavor. The Mac and cheese was my favorite as it was some of the best I've ever had. The woman working/cooking was extremely nice and I would recommend trying this place!