Everything was gooood juicy, flavorful & filling. Definatly coming back. I got the oxtail plate & that was the best idea!! They even brought the food out to me on the patio before the buzzer went off great service!!! read more

The Smoking Kettle - 2 oxtail plates & 2 POG drinks (Pineapple, Orange, & Guava) fresh fruit - Caribbean Near Me - Upland, California

listen up Everybody!!!! If you haven't tried Smoking Kettle, you are definitely missing out on some deliciousness!!! The oxtails, cabbage, rice & peas, empanadas, etc. on down to the drinks are scrumptious. DON'T SLEEP ON SMOKING KETTLE. Run like Forest Gump and don't forget cure that sweet tooth I will continue to hype you up on TIK TOK this is JustbeingBlessed........ the food speak for itself read more

I'm always happy to see a place sprout out of a small vending situation. I first tried The Smoking Kettle at a farmers market years ago, so it was cool to see them make the jump to a brick-and-mortar. The food feels authentic, and there are a lot of good things going on. Their empanadas are great, especially with the sauces they come with. I do wish they offered a baked option, though, since they're currently only fried. The jerk beef patty was also really good. We were excited to see jerk chicken had recently been added to the menu. It was good, but I wanted a stronger jerk flavor, a little more spice, and definitely more sauce. The sides were a highlight: steamed vegetables, rice with red beans, and fried plantains. The garlic lemon pepper wings were also nice and crispy. The fried cheese with hot honey was a nice touch, too. They also have specialty lemonades, but they were a little too sweet for me--almost more of a theme park/night market-style lemonade. Service was pretty straightforward. The dining area is very small, and even though we planned to eat inside, everything came out in bulky to-go boxes, which made the already tight space feel even smaller. Overall, I'm glad to have a place like this in the area. There are a few things I'd like to see tweaked, but the food is good, the flavors feel authentic, and I'll definitely be back to pick up some stuff to go. read more

I feel like I've been here nearly once a week since it opened & I don't see myself stopping anytime soon! So freaking good. The $18 oxtail lunch special is an absolute steal, & it's melt-in-your mouth delicious. I've tried both the chicken & beef empanadas & they're both yummy. The fried cheese is a sleeper hit, & the mac & cheese is delightfully cheesy. The sauces they give for dipping are also great, I love that they give you both, it's a lovely touch. The in-house lemonades are a little expensive but they're also GIGANTIC so that feels worth it. On top of it all, the team is so wonderfully friendly & kind! I definitely recommend this spot, & am so glad they're here. read more

The Smoking Kettle - Friend cheese, empanada, lunch oxtail bowl with plantain. - Caribbean Near Me - Upland, California

I was so happy to have discovered The Smoking Kettle after seeing a TikTok of some local food spots. I decided to give it a try because the food just looked so good and it was highly recommended. I got there an hour before closing and loved the vibes and décor inside. I let the lady helping me know it was my first time there and she went over the whole menu and their drinks and let me know everything was made fresh. I ended up ordering the Garlic Citrus Chicken which comes with garlic rice, beans and sweet plantations. Was also given sauces that are house made (cilantro, garlic and a spicy sauce) The garlic was soooooo good! Also ordered one of each empanada, beef and chicken, and an order of the fried cheese. The spicy sweet sauce on the fried cheese was delicious. The garlic chicken plate was the best chicken I've ever had! The taste, freshness, and cooked to literal perfection! The portion is also really good too, I had half and had the rest the following day for lunch. Their drinks look so tropical and pretty. They make their lemonade fresh in front of you. I got the Coconut Pineapple and it was so refreshing. This is going to be a problem for me now because the food at Smoking Kettle is one of the best and freshest I've ever had. Along with amazing customer service and fresh food and drinks, I will be going often and am so happy they're local! read more

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Had the coconut shrimp curry bowl, chicken and beef empanadas and got 48 hour marinated wings because they were out of the Jamaican jerk chicken. Everything was so flavorful and delicious! The biscoff cheesecake was dangerously good! Will be back again to try all the other menu items very soon! read more

Great food. Friendly staff. Dine in and take out options. Nice relaxing vibe. I would definitely return and bring a friend or two.

The food is amazing, very flavorful and filling. I got the La Cubana bowl and it was delicious, especially with the garlic sauce and extra pita chips. For my drink I got the Cupecoy Crush energy drink, I like the ombré going on, plus its delicious. Better than the dutch bros rebel. My experience was 10/10, everyone was so kind, great customer service. And the overall vibe is immaculate! Highly recommend read more

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Great food and Service, small place few tables but Great Atmosphere. Ox Tails and wings where awesome. read more

I have been wanting to try the smoking kettle for a while now, and I think they used to only be open on Saturday's somewhere in Rancho and was never able to make it. Thankfully they now have a permanent spot in Upland! So far, we've tried the oxtails, chicken wings, empanadas (that just have the perfect crust, light and crunchy without being oily) and beef patties and everything is absolutely tasty. The star for us has to be the garlic lemon pepper wings!!! Even the gristle is seasoned! it's just the perfect amount of everything, my husband starts to dance after taking the first bite of the wing and through some magic, it tastes even better the next day. Please keep doing whatever it is you do to the wings. I'm excited to keep going back and exploring more of the menu, and the wings will always be on the list! read more

Excellent food and service. The lunch specials come with a drink or a sides. Lemonade is handmade. Inside seating is limited. Definitely try it. I read more

If i could give 10 i would! We stumbled upon this gem on accident. The oxtail plate was a big portion. But the flavor was even bigger! The oxtail empanada makes me want to cryyyy. It's perfectly crisp and the meat inside is absolutely delicious. All i know is they didn't skimp out on their portions and their flavors and we will definitely be regulars! read more

The Smoking Kettle - Oxtail Plate - Caribbean Near Me - Upland, California

I popped into this location for a quick bite on my drive through Upland, and man do I wish I lived closer because it was delicious! The mango passionfruit lemonade was great with fresh fruit chunks, and it was fun to watch it be squeezed right in front of me. My only complaint, if it can even be called that, is making sure the lemon seeds are taken out because I did accidentally chew them after they came up the straw but meh that's also how you know it's fresh fruit. I got a beef empanada and a beef Jamaican pattie (I like beef!) and both were uniquely different in texture and flavor profiles. The real star of my meal shockingly was the mild sauce, which I forgot to snag a picture. I don't even know what's in it but it's like a creamy almost sweet barely spicy sauce and it's so yummy! The empanada and pattie were great to begin with but they were made even more incredible with the sauce poured on top. read more

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Followed them from the farmers market to now their own restaurant. It was nice and clean good music was playing. We walked in and walked right up to order. We got both of the lunch specials and since we saw people outside we figured it would take a while, it didn't at all. Wait time was less than 10 minutes. The oxtail plate was tender and had plantains just the way I like them. The curry shrimp dish was great in flavor. I love the fact that you can get an empanada with the meal, I got beef, and got a bite of the chicken they were both so good. Please DO NOT bypass the lemonade. I got the colada my guest got what the person behind the counter recommended it was mango pineapple. Both drinks were refreshing. Not too sweet just right and they had several flavors to choose from and you can have more than 1 flavor. Would definitely come back here. read more

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We discovered this gem at the Terra Vista farmers market this weekend and wow. Just wow. The food here is fire! We noticed there was a huge line for The Smoking Kettle, but it was worth the wait. We ordered the chicken empanadas and oxtail empanadas and could not get over the flavor! Both were delicious, but the chicken was outstanding. They were also freshly fried, the outer part of the empanadas were super crispy. 10/10, will definitely drop by again! read more

The Smoking Kettle - Oxtail Empanada with mild sauce - Caribbean Near Me - Upland, California

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We tried the oxtail and jerk chicken plate. The flavor and seasoning were perfect, the hot sauce amazing. I highly recommend their food and the customer service was excellent. read more

Outstanding service! The food was delicious. Went twice last week and having dinner there tonight!

First and foremost, the customer service is OUTSTANDING!!! I felt like I was at my aunts house having dinner. This is a mother/daughter owned business and they were both so sweet and you can tell they're very passionate about their food. The food was absolutely AMAZING!! I left stuffed and ready for a nap. Everything came out hot and full of flavor. I will 1000% be coming back and I highly recommend to give them a try. It will be worth it. Thank you so much for such a great experience! I can't wait to return! read more

The Smoking Kettle - Oxtail plate, beef patty and passion fruit watermelon lemonade - Caribbean Near Me - Upland, California

Food, service, and the whole vibe was just amazing the food is so good every was so so flavorful tender and juicy and the customer service everyone is so nice here honestly my new go to spot for getting faded and eating read more

I have visited the restaurant several times since they opened. All the menu items taste great, and the drinks are the best. They are always so sweet, and welcoming! I will be a forever customer. read more

Do yourself a favor and come here! Omg the food is so good this is my 2nd visit and the food was just as good as the 1st. The jerk chicken, ox tails, fresh juice, and all the empanadas are truly exceptional! read more

First off, I was welcomed in so kindly upon waiting for them to open. They have such a sweet staff that makes the visit seem homey. I got the Oxtail plate and it did not disappoint at all. I was able to split it amongst 3 people so l'd say the price of $30 for this plate is extremely fair for the quality of food they bring to the table. It was so delicious, all the flavors of the plantain, rice & peas, oxtail, and cabbage mesh together so well. Upon getting my order it immediately smelt amazing. Also, the restaurant is very cute inside and clean. read more

You can definitely taste the passion put into this food! The oxtail empanada was so flavorful and the chicken was also superb. The fried plantains were also very good, and they have great sauces to go with their food. And everyone I talked to was super friendly! I will be returning soon! read more

Oxtails fireee Empanadas fireee!! I loooove this place. And the customer service is amazing. Such sweet people read more

Whenever my schedule permits, i'm here on Saturday morning getting my ox tail and empanada fix. Ox Tail Plate - slow cooked super tender ox tail, rice and beans, spinach, and plantains. Nothing is overpowering and everything just goes so well with each other. Empanadas - my favorite is the beef one but, the chicken and shrimp are also so good. Don't forget to get both sauces! And get plenty because they reheat well in the microwave. *chefs kiss! read more

The Smoking Kettle - Ox Tail Plate - Caribbean Near Me - Upland, California

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Was at the Terra Vista farmers market and decided to get some food before I left. I was not disappointed! The first time I went I tried the Jamaican beef patties, the oxtail empanada and the chicken empanadas with both their ranch and their hot sauce. The staff was very friendly and I love that this is a woman owned business. The oxtail empanada is to DIE for. The chicken one has a curry like flavor and was also delicious. The beef patty was unlike anything I've had before. The texture of the filling caught me by surprise because it's softer than I expected but once I figured that out I really liked it. Both the hot sauce and the ranch are also delicious, but if you like heat I would definitely recommend the hot sauce the most. In fact I liked this place so much that I went back the next week to get more and at that point also tried the beef empanada. Beef was also delicious! Altogether my favorite was the oxtail hands down, then the Jamaican patty, then chicken, the regular beef. You won't be disappointed with any! I also found that they reheat really well in the air fryer. I microwaved them out of the fridge for about 30 seconds to a minute, just until they were slightly warm to the touch. And then put them in the air fryer at about 350 flipping once for around 6-8 minutes. Amazing! read more

To those who are lost looking for this wonderful delightful food place, let me start by saying do not use the address & your app for directions as you will not find them. In addition it's not a restaurant style, or in a building or even find a sign "The Smoking Kettle" if you are lost call the number & they'll direct you. It's how I found it ! This place is part of the Rancho Cucamonga FARMERS MARKET FOOD VENDOR, open on Saturday only from 9-2 This weekend they were located in front of the "Starlight TERRA vista theater" IDK if this is a permanent assignment spot for them, but regardless they will be in the circle/circular part of the food vendor section. It's a tent with white top, & the bottom portion of the tent, it says LATIN...CARIBBEAN & they have pictures of their famous empanada & oxtails plate. The Food was so flavorful and delicious in my opinion. I ordered the oxtails plate and received a good portion. I like that they didn't drown my plate with gravy, & just put enough just to season the rice. I also like the fact that it's not soaked in grease and that the fat from the oxtails were trimmed off. I tried the beef empanada as well and they were delicious, thank you Toni ! I am grateful !!! They have excellent customer service, friendly and kind & fast service as well! Thank you for a great food and experience! Kudos to Shannon and the chef Ashlee !!! Love the food ! I highly recommend. Until next time .... read more

First found this place at a pop up in the 626 food market in the summer of last year. WOW was that the best empanadas i've ever had. I went back multiple times just because of the empanadas. Combine with one (or both) of the sauces they have and it's impossible to leave with just one empanada. Staff is very friendly and very welcoming. Have brought food for friends and family and they all love it. Have been here multiple times and will continue to be back ! read more

The food and customer service are absolutely amazing ! Having traveled to many Caribbean countries this food brought back so many memories. Thank you again for the great experience read more

I only go to the Terra Vista farmer's market in Rancho for these empanadas. I wish I could take a gallon of the cilantro sauce home with me. The beef and shrimp is to die for. read more

I have had this place multiple times on different visits to the farmers market and everything is very good but for me the empanadas and the banana pudding are just so so amazing. My favorites by far. The banana pudding easily the best i've ever had. The empanadas are so packed with meat you really get your moneys worth. I will never not stop when Smoking Kettle is setting up shop. read more

The Smoking Kettle is ALWAYS an amazing experience! The food is beyond delicious everything is fresh, flavorful, and cooked to absolute perfection. Service is always top-notch; the staff are not just staff but REAL FAMILY. Always friendly, attentive, and make sure we have everything we need. I look forward to the Heritage Farmers Market on Saturdays in Rancho Cucamonga to try new menu items or grab my usual oxtail plate. I highly recommend to anyone looking for mouth watering innovative food check out The Smoking Kettle read more

In town visiting and heard this place was THE place. It was poppin but service was fast. I had the oxtail plate and beef empanadas. OMG it was divine! Hot, Flavorful and fresh,wonderful, kind customer service, 100% recommend checking out The Smoking Kettle! Can't wait to visit again!! read more

The food is incredible. The people are super nice and good looking! Can't wait to go back.