Jerk chicken wasn't marinated - just covered in sauce. Rice was old. Lamb was tough. Service was lackluster - difficult communicating with the service staff. Disappointed with the overall experience. read more

Excellent food Would definitely return to try more things on menu Friendly service Nice ambiance read more

Food was delicious with ample portions. Price reasonable/moderate. The service was prompt, done well and not rushed. I had the lamb kebob which came with humus & salad. The waiter treated th 3 of us to a free sample of a delicious pumpkin soup. A wonderful experience at a restaurant a little off the beaten path outside of Watertown Sq. (MA). Added benefit: The public parking lot had free EV charging stations. read more

We really enjoyed our Saturday night dinner on 1/20/24. We had a reservation and were seated promptly. Parking was free (it's Watertown, after all). I love the concept, which is a fusion of Caribbean and Mediterranean, all prepared with very fresh ingredients (including almost everything made from scratch) with an a focus on health, which is important to the congenial owner and chef, Laurette. Meat is sourced from area farms. The spices are all fresh ground in the restaurant. Nothing is from cans or bags. While some things are fried, fried foods do not predominate. Everything tastes fresh and uses a wonderful blend of flavors. Most things have spice but are not spicy. The food left a wonderful tingling of different tastes in my mouth. We had the hummus trio, Caribbean mezze board, jerk chicken, and lamb shank. Every dish was fantastic. The menu is fairly prices and the wine did not have usurious corkage fees. This was such a great find. We can't wait to return to try more dishes! read more

Delicious food, prepared with care & love. I had a jerk chicken and plantain wrap -- highly recommend. For dessert, key lime pie -- out of this world. Excellent service and atmosphere. read more

First time trying nzuko, amazing food , really nice atmosphere cute decor , but the vibe left me wondering if the restaurant itself is having a marketing issue , so i went for a lunch around 1 on a Saturday , and it was dead the entire time I was there there was 2 tables filled , one guy making the drinks and serving the food , he didn't speak much English and was very timid and shy and had little knowledge of the menu items when asked , all in all food was excellent and would be the main reason for a return ... ps the branzino is to die for best fish I have found in any restaurant I been to .. read more

Nzuko Restaurant - Caribbean Near Me - Watertown, Massachusetts

Delicious food and the place has simple, fresh, elegant decor and a lovely ambiance. So excited about this new place and such a thoughtful and interesting menu! read more

Fantastic food, so very flavorful!! Such an interesting and fun mix.... Caribbean and Greek. We had the garden mezze platter, and chicken and lamb kebabs. All were great. Good serving size. The owner came and checked on us after our meal and was so genuine and caring about her guests' enjoyment. Nice atmosphere too. Highly recommended!! read more

Wanted to love it more and expected more given the rave reviews but it was just good to very good, not great. The hummus trio was delicious but there are many places in a 3 mile radius that do great hummus so it's hard to stand out on hummus alone. I had my hopes up for the jerk chicken, one of my favorite dishes, but this version was surprisingly bland. The chicken itself was on the bone and tender, it just lacked that intense jerk flavor I expected. The place was clean and quiet for a Saturday night in July. The staff were quiet as well but nice. read more

Place seems closed, the number is out of service, looks like there's construction around and the door was locked, it's unclear if they're just out of business or if their hours are wrong, but I was here at noon on a Tuesday and the place was completely dead read more

From my daughter...and I agree with all! "Simply put, Nzuko is awesome. I'm a 13 year old, who has a lot of food restrictions due to allergies, and am relatively picky, but wow, the food here was incredible. They have very unique dishes, and everything we got (mac and cheese, grape leaves, poached salmon, orzo salad, and jerk chicken) were all delicious. I was very pleasantly surprised by the amazing flavors and textures. Also really great staff. Super friendly and welcoming. All around awesome restaurant. Highly recommend it." Beautiful, bright and open interior. We will be back! read more

The food and drink served here deserve Michelin Star attention. I have eaten at star rated restaurants that don't come close to what I tasted at Nzuko. The space is very well designed. Hip, without feeling pretentious. Fun, without seeming tacky. Neon letters and banana peel ceiling fans shouldn't work, but here they do. That are not perfect though. We got our appetizer, the conch fritters, long before we saw our cocktails, finished it before our drinks ever arrived. And those fritters were the worst part of the whole meal. It was as if there was no conch in them at all. Just spicy breading. No flavor or texture. On a bed of some kind of jalapeño aoli which clashed with the spices of the fritters. I could have attributed dichotomy of that let down, followed by everything else, that made everything that followed seem even better, but it really was just an anomaly. The cocktails were excellent in formulation and execution. The entrées were masterful. You look at my other reviews and you will see I am quite picky, to an almost hater degree. This place blew me away. I had the lamb shank in a sauce I can't even explain the flavor of. Just...red wine and spice mined from Dune. With smashed, perfectly crispy potatoes mixed with the sauce from the lamb, given body by couscous. The Jerk chicken is so tender and flavorful I cursed loudly and rudely out of surprise. The fish led a journey of flavors that never went to expected places, but delivered you to a land of "very nice". The cocktails were exquisite. One tasted like a fluffy sweet mint cloud, and the other like a spiced liquefied plum. Plus the tempranillo red wine was perfect with the lamb. This place has possibly the best food and drinks I've had since I moved to the area. There is one thing that knocks this place down a peg though. The Front of House does not stack up to the Back. The service feels lazy. Totally lacking any energy or charm. I thought at first our server might have been autistic. Then the rest of the staff had the same attitude, and it was almost unwelcoming. Logistically, the timing for things was off. We finished out app before we ever got out cocktail. I had to stop eating my lamb, or I would have not recieved my wine in time to pair it. I didn't even have a chance to order it before my friends finished their meals because no one came to check on us. They wouldn't even look us in the eye and barely spoke to us. There isn't a host station when you walk in the place. You just stand awkwardly until someone notices you. Don't take my bashing of the service and fritters too far. The food and drink quality so heavily outweigh it, I didn't even ding them a star. This place is worth an hour drive to try. read more

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This place did not disappoint. I went here after a recommendation and I will say that I was thoroughly impressed. The food here is a fusion between Caribbean and Mediterranean which I couldn't ask for a better mix. I ordered the $10,000 bet for my drink, wings as my app and for my entree the mussels. All items were tasty, my only slight dislike what that the mussels seemed to be a bit over cooked. But overall everything was great. The owner made it a point to come out and ask how everything was which is always a nice gesture. Service was prompt and efficient. Overall I would recommend this place and come again if I am in the area. read more

Nzuko Restaurant - Caribbean Near Me - Watertown, Massachusetts

This is a *great* restaurant tucked away outside of Watertown Square. We had the fattoush salad, cheese manakish, humous platter, grape leaves, and jerk chicken. Everything was fresh, extremely flavorful, and visually appealing. Service was casual, warm, and attentive. The space is lovely, with thought put into every detail of décor and table settings. We had two very good cocktails, the Wild Hibiscus, and a classic gin martini -- next time I'll try the Bees' Knees. Definitely worth the trip!!! read more

Food was good, not great, and very expensive for the portions. Lamb kebabs were tender, but honestly $30 for one small skewer and a bunch of very good smashed and roasted red bliss potatoes. Conch fritters were excellent -- and a real novelty in New England. Soft, savory inside with a thin crisp outside -- not at all oily. Falafel was very lemony. But the most off-putting was the waiter. We arrived for a 5:30 Sunday reservation and the doors were locked. Had to knock to get in and then no apology. Just opened the door and said sit anywhere. Also, two appetizers came out together, then 3 entrees, and then much later the falafel arrived. Only two tables of people, so it should not be that hard to bring the entrees out together. read more

Every. Single. Thing. Was amazing. The cocktails are as tasty as they are beautiful. We tried several appetizers, as well as the Caribbean Mezze board. All delicious. There is a pork curry that goes with the plantains that's outstanding. The rice has incredible flavor too. The wings were beautifully spiced and cooked to perfection, and served over a delicious yogurt sauce. The salad on the mezze board was dressed in the most delicious vinaigrette. Finally, the rum cake is served with an amazing combination of ice cream, sesame seeds, and popcorn. It's totally unexpected and you must have it! The service could not have been more gracious. Go. Soon. read more

Nzuko Restaurant - Caribbean Near Me - Watertown, Massachusetts

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This is a special find! Wings were tangy and delicious Falafel.. well rounded flavor with a light hummus dressing Chicken kebab spicy with an orzo salad was a very delicious flavor prolife Meze Caribbean platter with Conch fritters , lamb in curry sauce, plantains (done right!) is not to be missed Decent wine and beer selection .... I found this to pair well with a double IPA Lamboukes was a hands down sort of your favorite donut holes with ice cream followed by the rice pudding ( similar to Pakistani "Kheer") was delicious and filling! All in all are too much because the food was good! A diverse crowd for mother's day from mature to young families. But it was not noisy... Bright and air due to the glass windows. Park in the lot or pull into the building where there are some Nzuko designated spots. Gets my 5 star rating! Which means don't miss it! read more

The food was absolutely delicious and the staff attentive. It is my new favorite restaurant.

Went in with high expectations given the reviews, and they delivered on all counts. Service was friendly and efficient. Room is comfortable, although the tables are a bit close. All the food we had was really good. Everything on the Mediterranean meze board was delicious. The portions of the spreads that came with it were tiny, but the kebabs and mushroom rice were excellent. Jerk chicken, salmon, and prawn dinners were all excellent. Jerk was served with a heaping portion of tasty rice. Salmon was cooked to perfection. Will definitely come back. read more

My wife and I have been here twice now, for dinner. We live in central Maine, which has a limited number of good restaurant options. So, when we come down to the Boston area, about once a month, we always try to find good restaurants. The food was so good last time that, instead of trying one of many other options we cam back to Nzuko. We don't drink, so I can't comment on the bar, but the food has been delightful. The chef has a deft touch with spices - not relying on just salt as too many other places do. The appetizer portions are quite generous - definitely try the conch fritters and the falafel. You will want to pause your dinner conversation to enjoy them while they're hot. We've tried the lamb shank, jerk chicken, and poached salmon. Each was delicious in it's own way. Lot's of sharing bites and Mmmmmms, Aaaaaahs, and "this is so good". So many times the protein or main focus of the entree will be good, but the sides are just filling up the plate. Everything the Nzuko chef puts on the plate compliments the other items and is stunningly delightful . Last time the chef shared a complimentary amuse-bouche of sweet potato soup that we both loved - and I don't really care for sweet potatoes. The service is a little uneven, but the manager is professional and gracious. We may try a different place next month, but we will definitely be back to Nzuko. read more

Delicious! Amazing service too. Great music playing as well. The potato soup, the orzo salad, and the veggie Mezze platter were all great. Nice balance of flavors and textures. Sometimes I find grape leaf wraps offputting but these were great. Loukemades also delicious. Also woman owned read more

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Just had our mother's day celebration here today. What an amazing food, professional staff, clean and lovely restaurant. So much flavor in every bite. I loved my jerk chicken dish and the hummus appetizer. My mother loved the lamb shank. My mother in law had the salmon and it was so moist and flavorful. Mac and cheese was good too. read more

WOW!!! What a great new place and in a brand new building. They call it a fusion of Mediterranean and Jamaican food. We got a little bit of both. We started out with some appetizers of a Garden Board which was excellent and I highly recommend. Grape leaves, hummus, falafels, and plantains. I loved all of it. It was a big appetizer but we had a small group. In fact a number of the apps have a lot of food with them. The village salad was fantastic. We had some chicken kabobs and a jerk chicken entrees. Everything was delicious. It is not a cheap eats place but the food and decor are very nice. Service was excellent but we went when there was not too many customers. Drinks look great but we were having lunch so no alcohol. Cannot not wait to go again. read more

Wow this place wasn't what I expected. I took some people from work here and they all loved it. The staff was very friendly, great atmosphere and interesting drinks both alcoholic and non. The food was full of flavor and very unique mix of both Mediterranean and Caribbean. The food was so good I couldn't stop eating it. My fAvorite was probably the kabob dish but the falafel was perfect not dry especially with the Tzatziki sauce and cashew peppercorn sauce. If you live in the area definitely check this place out. #hiddengem read more

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Amazing food, atmosphere and service. They selected a great niche of being a Mediterranean & Caribbean restaurant- and excel in it!

I ordered delivery and, while I didn't exactly receive what I had ordered, the meal I got was so filling and delicious that I can't complain. The plantain and hummus were simply incredible, texture and flavor on point. The spicy cabbage that came with the plantains was punchy and unapologetically spicy. Falafel was tasty but a bit dry; next time I would order an extra side of tzatziki for it. Kudos to the restaurant for using sustainable packaging! My meal came in aluminum containers that are both recyclable and easy to reheat in the oven. read more

Nzuko Restaurant - Ordered the "From the Garden" entree, and this is what I got. - Caribbean Near Me - Watertown, Massachusetts

Everything about this hidden gem is FIVE STARS. The food is interesting and delicious. The ambience and design of the space is warm and fun. The staff is warm, knowledgeable and friendly. Wonderful meal and experience. Can't wait for my next visit to try some new dishes! read more

Such a beautiful vibrant restaurant that has delicious Caribbean food. I had the jerk chicken entrée with black rice and it's too die for. The rice was seasoned well and the sauce on the chicken was savory. The waitress was friendly and attentive to my needs. I recommend this restaurant if your in the area. Plenty of parking available within the garage. Reservations are recommended but you can also sit at the bar. Enjoy! read more

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I just came from here and I'm sooo excited about this awesome experience I just had. We chose to come to the Watertown location on a whim and the owner was there. She was soooo nice. We spoke to her about the cool concept of the restaurant. The ambiance was sleek and cute... The food was excellent. We had everything: plantain, griyo, mushroom rice, rice and beans lamb shank, Fattoush, rhum cake, loukoumades, etc... everything was excellent! Thank you Lorette! read more

We had a reservation for 6:30. Wasn't necessary at that hour. There was one person who's a hostess and a waitress. We got the table and waited. Waited and waited. Finally we ordered our drinks then waited, waited and waited. By now tables are 80% filled and still only one person doing everything. Our dinner finally arrived it was 40min since we sat down. My salmon was so salty I could not eat it. Mango salsa was so spice I had to drink two glasses of water. And my husband's chicken was lukewarm. Probably had been sitting in the kitchen for half an hour. My unwise decision to order a dessert. We waited, waited, and waited. Finally I gave up and try to get the one person staff's attention. Not easy. She is extremely busy sitting people, taking orders, dealing with online orders and Uber drivers. By the time she made to our table it has been 1 hr and 45 minutes since we came in. So Food was bad. Very overpriced. Service was very slow. No ambience. Oh. Yea. The lighting above our table was flickering for the whole time. We could not see our food well. So ambience ? None. Why is this place get high reviews ? I don't know. Surely we won't be returning. read more

Honestly a must-try. Definitely tucked away and easily missed. Nzuko is in the first level of a complex. The flavors and options were wonderful - a blend of Mediterranean and Caribbean. We came with our 2 toddlers early on a Friday and it was quiet. The staff was friendly and patient. Ordered the conch fritters and plantains to start then got the Mediterranean platter to split. Lots of vegetarian options and full drink menu. Next time we will probably do Mediterranean apps and Caribbean main. Definitely recommend anyone check it out. read more

Absolutely incredible. I am vegan. I get emotional eating here. I have been twice. The rum cake is incredible. Come support this business!!

Everything was fantastic! The service, fabulous and decor is clean and inviting. Our waiter was lovely, engaging, helpful and attentive. He helped us with the menu. Who knew this gem is hidden here in Watertown?! Clearly, not me. The wings were delicious, a lovely array of spices- sitting on a bed of a sauce that I have no idea what was in it, except that it was Divine. (Maybe a sour cream? Idk The jerk chicken was the best my husband has ever had-that is saying a lot. The plantains with the pork (another word that I am yet to be familiar) was scrumptious and I can't wait to go back and try more of the dishes as soon as I can. The turmeric rice was also a must try. Coconut and spiced perfectly. I do not eat gluten and was able to eat almost everything on the menu. I had no idea that we lived near such a treasure. It's in an apartment building or so it appears - a street but I don't think I've ever driven on-except to closely have gone to russo's, which is sadly no longer here. So I no longer need to be heart broken to be going towards that area! I am very excited to have found a hidden jewel. Thank you! I will be back again and again. Thank you for deciding to have a business in Watertown! We need you. Thank you. read more

I'm a foodie, and this is some of the best food in the area, period. Try it. I can't stop going back.

Nice place and people but food wasn't very good. Jerk chicken was disappointing, bland like sauce was poured on from a jar. Several things tasted oily or reheated, not freshly cooked. Plantains were dry. Was not terrible but wouldn't go back either. read more

This place was AMAZING. We found it practically accidentally, just looking for a restaurant we could walk to from our Airbnb. When you walk in, the first thing you notice is how amazing the place smells. My wife immediately asked them what we were smelling, because whatever it was, we wanted to eat it. The owner and head chef came out to talk to us and made some great suggestions. Everything we ate was great, but my favorite item was the spicy falafel - without exaggeration the best falafel I've ever had in my life. The plantain was also amazing. The lamb kebab was very good, but I think if I get a chance to go back I would try the lamb shank because that also looked amazing, but I can only eat so much at once. It's been days since we ate there, and we're still talking about it. The next time we're in town, we'll make sure to stop here again. read more

Really just wonderful! The Carribean appetizer platter was beautifully plated, gorgeous to look at -- so many tastes, so many textures! Really, I just wish my wife and I had ordered two of these instead of the whole meal, no offense to the other dishes. The lamb shank was tender, had a nice sauce, big as a battleship on the plate. There were some potatoes on the plate with the shank, all smashed and crispy and sauced -- some kind of a lemony sauce -- I'm not kidding when I say the best potatoes I've had in my life. The village salad was a generous portion. The donuts (I forget the technical term for them) for dessert were just perfect. The service was friendly and helpful. Small bit of criticism: I wish the village salad went a little lighter on the raw onion. That's it -- that's all the criticism I have. I got a chance to chit-chat with the chef/owner. I own a food business of my own (organic grocery, take-out kitchen), so it was especially fun to hear what she does, and how she does it. In particular, some of the choices she makes around ingredient quality are highly unusual. Like using actual organic chicken, frying in avocado oil, using cashews instead of some generic dairy or starch as the base for this one dipping sauce. That stuff ain't cheap, and it probably doesn't make the food taste that much different. You do it because you care, and because you believe in it. Much respect. read more

It would be easy to miss Nzuko if you were just driving by, but you shouldn't. We stopped in on a whim on a random Sunday and are very glad we did. First thing to know, Yelp might take you to a close, but wrong address. So unless you want to make some random friends with people at an apartment complex you may want to just look it up in Google maps. Second thing to know, you can park in the lot and the parking garage next to the restaurant. The spaces are numbered which made us think they are reserved, but they are not. The list of times I'm wrong seems to never end which I was reminded of on the long, unnecessary, walk back to the car. When you walk through the door you are greeted by a cool, chic vibe. Looking for a good place for a date night, this is it. We looked at the drink menu and trepidatiously ordered a cucumber and Hibiscus cocktail. I was afraid they would be over sweet and taste fake. The list of times I am wrong grew again. The drinks were fabulous. Refreshing and not overly sweet. A perfect sipper on a hot summer day. Many of the dishes are sharable. We got the vegetarian delight platter which came with 4 large falafels, pita bread, an assortment of hummus, or whatever the correct pluralization is (hummuses, humussi?), Grape leaves, olives, and plantains. It easily served 2 people. The falafel was moist, a nice departure from many others we've had, and packed with flavor. The grape leaves had a bright lemon zest to them and the hummus/hummuses we're delicious. The icing on top was the plantain. The owner came out to talk to us and is an incredibly interesting, sweet, and kind person. I would eat there again just for the chance to talk to her. We left Nzuko happy and full. I'd highly recommend it. read more

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I saw a few reviews referring to this place as an absolute gem - and I couldn't agree more! Everything on the menu was absolutely delicious. We started with the plantains and pork. The little kick in the spicy coleslaw that was on top initially caught me by surprise, but I was in love after one bite! I also had the jerk chicken as my entree, and was just in awe at the way the meat just melted off the bone. As far as service goes, it was fantastic. It was a freezing cold, gross, snowy day when I went. After seeing us walk in, our waitress brought us some complimentary lentil soups to help us warm up while we looked through the menu. It was so, so kind. As you can see from the photos, the decor was stunning. The pink neon lights and portraits are gorgeous. Overall, Nzuko is more than deserving of its five stars! read more

Nzuko Restaurant - Caribbean Near Me - Watertown, Massachusetts

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A significant new flavor in Watertown. Very good vegan platter followed by excellent flake off the bone lamb shank. Mighty Squirrel beer rounded it out. Lovely atmosphere. Enjoyable music. Spotlessly clean. Definitely try it. They are just getting going and need the business to get some momentum. read more

Nzuko Restaurant - Caribbean Near Me - Watertown, Massachusetts

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