Tropical Bites

3.8 (190 reviews)

Caribbean, Soup, Buffets

Open • 11:00 am - 6:00 pm

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Tropical Bites - Ox tail, rice and peas, cabbage and beef Patty. - Caribbean Near Me - Manassas, Virginia

Tropical Bites - a buffet with a variety of food items - Caribbean Near Me - Manassas, Virginia

Tropical Bites - Jerk Chicken Jamaican Patties rice and peas - Caribbean Near Me - Manassas, Virginia

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Tropical Bites - Caribbean Stew Oxtail - Caribbean Near Me - Manassas, Virginia

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Casual

Moderate noise

Good for kids

Happy hour specials

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Bert L.

Attitude, attention to your food and some sort of customer experience would be great. Besides just being curt to the point of rude, your food is suffering from the lack of joy usually found in the tropics. Not even water for customers? Good thing the bland curry chicken had no heat. $50 dollars for no joy or good food. It was better over the summer but your attitude really made it bitter. Your prices are inflated $5.25 for a slice of cake? But really you really should not deal with the public. Literally told me to order from Uber eats. PASS all the way around. I would give one but the fatty ox tails were my craving tonight. Drove all the way from Fredericksburg to be treated like some bum asking for freebies. Nothing cheap in here but the lighting.

Mike R.

"Caribbean food" in Northern Virginia? *side eye* "Buffet style"? *Double side eye* Needless to say neither of these terms really resonate with any degree of relevance with most Carribean food enthusiasts, including self. But for the fact that I had another networking meeting with a group I recently joined, I would certainly never have found myself here. At this random strip mall - in Manassas, no less? No way, no how. They picked it so I showed up. Like others have mentioned here I was a little put off by the fact that it's "per pound" after I read the $10.99 and got excited. Too late, box loaded. The reality of what you've done hits as the cashier rests your gluttonous box atop the scale right next to the register. $26 comes up on the register. I got a Jamaican Kola Champagne soda pop, so now I'm up to $30 and change. The weighing of food harkens back to a couple of Chinese restaurants I used to go to back in day in DC during college. If nothing else it's a great reminder how greedy you're being. I had a nice sampling of rice 'n peas, stew chicken, jerk chicken, oxtails, curry goat. I even had a healthy portion of chicken pelau - which I'd never tasted before. A VERY tasty dish. Almost taste like chicken fried rice only more flavorful. The owners are Trinnie, so their take is a slight variation from the traditional Jamaican spin I'm used to. Another place I typically go to is owned by Guyanese, so theirs is another variation. Anyway, the food here is excellent. Oxtails are succulent and soft and all the food was well seasoned. Everything was fall off the bone tender. Owner said she slow cooked, not pressure cooked them. I expected a slight toughness like most people give you, so I was wrong. Apparently the owner's mother is in the kitchen cooking a lot of these dishes on the daily. Yup, granny is back there throwing down. I'm super impressed and delighted that the food here is as good as it is. I even had some sorrel to go. Since I cook all this stuff at home myself I'm very critical of it and I can say that this food deserves five stars. The sorrel here had (much) more ginger than the one I make and the oxtails are more brown gravy than curry (like mine) but I'd gladly come back here to dine - and I plan to soon. They even have gluten-free, paleo, and assorted vegetarian options. Update: Today; 6:14p I just consumed the other half of my meal so the 2 lbs that I felt guilty about ordering earlier really was only one because you end up taking leftovers home. Oh, and the jerk wings got some some nice goat pepper/habanero on them - if you're into spice. I am, so it was a nice surprise.

Dana H.

$30 for 1 tough oxtail 1 under cooked plantain, rice for a toddler and a stolen appetite! Thieves and liars. There's no way that there is gold in this food to be worth that much money and to be so bad. In NY I spend close to that amount and can feed up to 4 people and then some. This is ridiculous and the worst experience I've ever had with food. Don't order from here. Period.

Spicy spare rib, jerk chicken leg, curry chicken thigh, ox tail, spicy coconut shrimp, plantains , and white rice with beans.

Jeff E.

You don't see a lot of Caribbean restaurants around this area so I had to give it a try. The restaurant is small and somewhat dark, with the majority of the light coming in from the windows at the front and has limited seating if you decide to dine in vs. carryout. You are greeted by a staff member who will guide you though the buffet of different meats and sides and they will explain what is in the buffet. The buffet is charged by the pound at $11.99 per pound so with a lot of the meats having bones in them you will blow past a pound quickly. I built my meal with the spicy spare rib, jerk chicken, curry chicken, ox tails, and a spicy coconut shrimp, I also added on plantains and rice with beans as you run out of room quickly with the tray. The meats had great flavor and heat to them and the ox tail was awesome. The spicy shrimp was my favorite thing though in the meal. I washed it all down with a mango juice and peach Arizona tea.

I usually come here every few months when I don't feel to cook on a Sunday! today I got a chicken roti with extra potato. Really had chicken feathers in my food. the taste is very bland. i asked for a refund but Sean the manager didn't understand why I was upset. stating he is not there but would not allow the cashier to refund my money. I will not go back. the cashier was also very rude.

Jerk Chicken Jamaican Patties rice and peas

Don't go to this place. Seriously. I paid $44 for 1 serving of jerk chicken, rice and peas, cabbage, a drink, and a beef patty. I could tell it wasn't gonna be good by the look of it. But I decided to still give it a chance since the worker was Caribbean. I barely put a dent in it. I should've told her never mind when she told me the price. And I still tipped 20% even though it was self serve. I just felt bad because there was nobody else in the restaurant. I came here after class, and was starving. I should've went to the Caribbean place by my house that would've charged me $20 or less for more/better tasting than what I got here. Or the Teriyaki restaurant right beside it. I was gonna grab a donut from Texas donuts next door, but after that $44 I couldn't spend another dollar on food. When I saw that rice that's when I knew. The rice tasted like 5 minute rice. The plantains were hard. The cabbage was not good. The jerk chicken wasn't very good just extremely spicy so you can't taste anything else but that. The best thing that I got from here was the beef patty that they probably didn't make there and ginger beer that I know they didn't make because they sell the same one all over. Trust me when I say to go somewhere else. Unless you don't mind flavorless non authentic Caribbean food that's overpriced. I got this food to have for lunch and dinner. But instead I'll be throwing my $44 in the trash

This is the smallest plate of oxtails I have received from any Jamaican restaurant ever. $35 for this and Mac and cheese is insane.

Shawn M.

Wow! The food here is amazing! Try the oxtail and the shrimp are also incredible!! I'm trying to stay away from carbohydrates are for me this was exactly what the doctor ordered! Highly recommend!!

Oxtails, Jerk Wings, Jerk Chicken, "Rice and Beans," Cabbage, Curry Shrimp, and Macaroni and Cheese

Xandra A.

Yes they allow you to self serve and choose your own variety of different sides, meats, and deserts. BUT.. for $10.99/lb and ZERO flavor in anything, y'all have completely lost your minds. This is the hospital version of Jamaican food. If you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, on a strict diet that require you to have no salt whatsoever, this is the "seasonless" place for you. How is even possible to take the Jerk outta Jerk and the Curry out of Curry And another thing.. WHO THE HELL OUTS CELERY IN RICE AND BEANS?? I tell you who!!! The same people who don't use mawfuck'n seasoning Oxtails, Jerk Wings, Jerk Chicken, "Rice and Beans," Cabbage, Curry Shrimp, and Macaroni and Cheese $23 that I should dispute on my card

David P.

The food wasn't bad. Then I got to dessert and I was surprised there were pistachios on it. Wait...That's MOLD! Then of course you start wondering about the food you just ate and was it really fresh or just masked by spices? I don't think I want to know. Obviously won't be returning here. Really disgusting.

Yurie H.

This is a hidden gem in manassas. The first time I had it, I ordered through ubereats and I got the jerk chicken w/ rice and plantains. The jerk chicken is so flavorful with a nice spicy kick to it and the plantains are sweet and delicious. I've been to the actual restaurant several times since then and it's a very casual place, but the food is so comforting and delicious. I like how it's pay by weight so you can choose how many/ which foods you want. The price is not bad at $10 per pound. My favorite is the ox tail because the meat is so tender and seasoned slightly. The chickpea/potato side is also delicious, reminding me slightly of Indian food with the spices. I would definitely recommend trying this place out for yummy food!

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Tim S.

7 years ago

Amazing food! I travel often to the Caribbean and this is better then many of the Caribbean restaurants I have eaten at The jerk chicken and ribs were incredible!!! read more

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Amy D.

7 years ago

Tropical Bites has such a good variety of items day to day. don't pass up the greens or the oxtail!

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K B.

3 years ago

If I could give negative stars, I would. The food is mediocre at best. The customer service is even worse. I prepaid for a catered order that was not ready at the agreed time of pick-up. This order was for a party within an hour of pick-up. Not only was the food not ready or even cooked, but the staff had no regard with how to remedy the issue. At first, the staff member told me to cancel the order, but then chose to give food from the buffet line. Didn't offer any type of monetary compensation or discount for their error. Completely unacceptable. Also, to add insult to injury, the owner as a compensatory measure, offered me a beef pattie and a cupcake from COSTCO. Totally unacceptable. Not worth your money or time. Go elsewhere. Definitely not a returning customer. Think twice before you do business with Tropical Bites, you will probably regret it. Lack of leadership, training, and most of all, customer service. Other reviews speak to these same issues. read more

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Tiah T.

125

111

7 years ago

The food was good, the staff was accommodating and very knowledgeable about their menu options. Their coco bread is amazing ! I will definitely be back ! read more

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Peter B.

127

7 years ago

I've been here a few times the last month or so. I would say the jerk chicken is my favorite here. Ox tail isn't too shabby but the jerk... mmmm.. pretty darn tasty. It's a buffet style pick up what you want and then they weigh it. You pay, sit down and eat. No frills but decent food. Can't beat that. read more

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Katrina W.

7 years ago

Delicious! My husband and I loved the jerk ribs and oxtails! It was so tender and the flavor was amazing! The curry goat was good too, but our favorites were the oxtails and jerk ribs! This is our new go-to spot!!! The owner was very hospitable too! read more

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April C.

8 years ago

This was my first time trying Tropical Bites, but it won't be my last!!! It's a fairly new place on Ashton Avenue, and I'm glad I found it. I love the concept of cafeteria style, and I prefer it over a buffet any day. The food is sold by the pound, and you have the option to dine in or carry out to go. I tried the spinach rice, jerk chicken, and macaroni and cheese. Everything was delicious. The jerk chicken wings were full of flavor, and had just a hint of spice. It was probably my favorite dish, and my husband said it was his favorite as well. My daughter couldn't get enough of the macaroni and cheese. We took some to go, so she can enjoy it at home later. Customer service is very important to me, and everyone here was warm and helpful. Five stars all around... The Caribbean soul food fusion I found here works for me! I can't wait to come back for more. :) read more

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C G.

7 years ago

A bit pricey but the location is what keeps us coming back and of course they make their own Beet patties and coco bread. Military friendly establishment that also delivers via Grubhub read more

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David P.

115

8 years ago

The food here is very ethnic and deserving of high praise! The oxtail is superb as well as their jerk chicken and goat curry. Every meat here is tender and falls off the bone. The restaurant is clean and has a nice ambience with some Bob Marley in the background. read more

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Chelsi H.

7 years ago

The good was delicious! I liked being able to pay by the pound because I was able to get a little bit of everything. The oxtails, curry chicken, and rice were seasoned to perfection. The macaroni was light and cheesy but not salty. The veggies were crisp and fresh. The plantains were sweet and delicious. The fresh mango juice was divine. Being able to quickly serve myself buffet-style and carry the food out was really nice after a long day of work. The staff gave great customer service and were super-friendly. She freely gave suggestions about choice menu items. I told my friends and family about it and I'll definitely be back. read more

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Bruce R.

203

7 years ago

Hands down the best Caribbean food I've had in the U.S. The Ox tail is to die for and the owner is super cool.

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l c.

7 years ago

I love this place the food is phenomenal and the customer service is stellar. I've had the oxtails, jerk chicken, coconut bread, beef patty, and macaroni pie. You need to try it!!! read more

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Chelsea S.

8 years ago

This place is amazing! While the restaurant is beautiful and modern, the food steals the show. I popped in just to check it out and wish I had gone with a bigger appetite because everything just looked so good. The fried plantains are the best I've had in a long time . The sorrel drink is the nectar of the gods. Seriously, just go try it. You'll be won over in a heartbeat. Sean, the owner, has such a vibrant personality and is so clearly passionate about sharing his love for Caribbean food with everyone that walks through the doors. It's hard not to be excited about all food in front of you. I'll be bringing everyone I can through their doors and I'd highly recommend it to everyone. read more

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Cyril P.

8 years ago

The food is so good and reasonably priced. The staff is friendly and helpful. It reminds me of home. I will come back for sure.

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Melanie P.

8 years ago

My Number one spot for lunch! THE BEST beef patties, everything is fresh and the plus side to this new Caribbean restaurant is that you can give yourself as little and as much as you like from the open buffet area. Its never easy choosing from oxtails to curry chicken to stewed chicken! I mean you can have all that in one sitting!! TOUCHE! read more

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Tiffany H.

7 years ago

I am West Indian and this is the worst Caribbean food ever!! This one star review is generous. There was no flavor AT ALL. I've never had brown stew chicken with no sauce and vegetables, crunchy cabbage, and rice without flavor. My husband and I were visiting, and ordered using Uber Eats, so we didn't go into the restaurant. In addition to the food lacking of any basic flavor our order was also messed up. I wish I saw the other one star review before we ordered. I will NEVER eat from this place again. Don't believe the positive reviews! read more

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Danni J.

8 years ago

Finally a TRUE Caribbean restaurant! The oxtails and rice and peas are AMAZING! If you're there and you want a drink don't pass up the Sorrel. It's a little burgundy drink and it is so refreshingly sweet and delicious! Comfort food at its best! read more

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Lauren D.

126

6 years ago

Everything is amazing, delicious and authentic! Love supporting local businesses, eat here! My favorite is the curry goat.

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Elliott F.

6 years ago

Stopped thru while we were waiting for my sons Baseball practice to end and what a wonderful surprise me and my wife had. We had been delaying going due to some of the bad reviews in the past month, but I'm glad we went with our gut and went. We stopped thru 11:15am on a Saturday shortly after they opened and upon entry were pleasantly surprised that it was a food bar which you you pick what you want for $9.99 a pound. I love this since I get to sample different items. We were greeted by an employee and I believe the owner/chef who gave us a warm welcome and explained some of the dishes to us. I got Pelau Rice, Curry Chicken, Mac and Cheese, Curried Shrimp and Plantains. Everything was amazing!!!!!! Hot, Fresh and seasoned well. Everything had good flavor but not to hot. Me and my wife will be visiting this spot whenever we are out in the area. read more

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Jasmine S.

311

8 years ago

Great food, great staff! We've visited this place so many times since it's opening. The oxtails are so delicious they just fall off the bones. The coco bread everything! The owner is very nice as well. read more

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D F.

6 years ago

I've tried to give this place 4 chances and it's just going to be a solid NO from me. I've tried their stew chicken, oxtail stew, curry chicken, and jerk chicken sandwich (hard to enjoy when you're constantly having to spit bones out) and the meat is always either super dry or it just lacks any good flavor, or seasoning. Definitely not authentic Jamaican food. I don't usually give bad reviews unless it's really bad and this is really bad. I tried to eat there 4 different times! I'm sorry but I've spent way too much money here for unflavored food and unfortunately I will not any more. read more

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Tezza R.

8 years ago

omg. new gem in manassas. across from costco on ashton. the best. from the yucca n cod to curry chicken n ox tails. delicious. cant wait to come back. read more

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Ilene M.

8 years ago

Really good, fresh food! The curry shrimp and coconut rice are delicious and so is the salmon. I'm usually a 'plain eater' but wanted to try something different. I was not disappointed. Very good; will definitely be back to sample other items. Nice, casual atmosphere with a tropical vibe in decor and in the background music. read more

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Jason M.

7 years ago

Went back, I was excited and again food wasn't hot. Also, chicken was undercooked . I have high hopes but just seems like not improving. The service is always good. The Mavi drink was good as well. read more

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An L.

8 years ago

I finally found a place that makes home made beef patties gosh! If I could explain how good, fresh and tasty they were! Although I do wish that they had a spicy version of the beef patties but nothing a little hot sauce can change! As I waited to be given my patties I looked at the food and it all looks and smelled sooo good! Will be going back to try more things!! Best Jamaican spot in manassas! read more

Tropical Bites - Caribbean Near Me - Manassas, Virginia

Tropical Bites - Soft and tasty and buttery patties! - Caribbean Near Me - Manassas, Virginia

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Meneka C.

8 years ago

The food is pretty good...only missing plantains and coco bread!! I hear coco bread is coming soon but I'm glad I don't have to go to DC when I want oxtail! read more

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Lisa L.

7 years ago

Our family of four made our first visit to Tropical Bites tonight. From the rice and peas, oxtails, perfectly spiced jerk chicken, and tasty plantains, to the flavorful and flaky beef patties, pineapple ginger beer and freshly made sorrel, everything was hot and delicious. The staff are very personable. A definite thumbs up! We will be back! read more

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Shields C.

135

378

7 years ago

I own a business and I'm out of town my guys have worked hard all day moving, so I decided that I would order them lunch. I don't know who's at fault the store or GrubHub , grubhub was the service that I used the guy I bought the food the sauce was spilled everywhere inside the bag the food was on the side of the tray, because I was super hungry I was the only one who ate the food my other two workers we're not going to shovel their food off of a tray to eat it for all we know the guy could have stuck his finger in his ass if he's that nasty to deliver your food like that. grub hub had the nerve to tell me they going to give me a $10 coupon I said you must be crazy that doesn't suffice my guys not being able to eat, I said you need to send that moron back around here so he can pick the food up and shove it up his ass. Now we got to drive moving trucks around town to figure out where we're going to eat food at. When I get Justice and treated right then I'll take my post down. $50 dollars down the drain, along with the fact that I have to rebuy my guys food to eat again. After being contacted by the management at Tropical Bites and finding out that it was GrubHub mishandling of the food delivery I am recanting my initial review! read more

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Aaron J.

178

8 years ago

I was excited to try this place but ended up very disappointed. The curry and stew chicken was very under cooked and very bland. On top of that they gave me a beef patty for free for it being my first time and it was hard as a brick. I won't be coming back to this place. read more

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Ivan M.

8 years ago

Very good concept concept with very good food. I have tried the jerk chicken the ox tails curry goat curry chicken and I recommend them all they also have Coco bread and the side dishes are delicious read more

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Ian C.

7 years ago

Seriously amazing food. It's in a buffet style but don't let that fool or avert you away from the quality It's seriously good. The people running it are also some of the sweetest I've met in a restaurant. Very obvious they genuinely care about their patrons Try their home-made sori(apologies for the spelling if it's wrong.) I'm just smitten by this place read more

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Lisa A.

8 years ago

Delicious food and mac and cheese as fresh as the finest restaurant. Loved the ox tails which were balanced in a smooth gravy. The jerk chicken was a nice balance of heat and spices leaving you wanting more. Try it and you won't regret it! read more

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Susan G.

7 years ago

We just had our first meal at Tropical Bites and it was delicious! I can't wait to go back. I love that you can fill your own plate, the food was amazing, and the staff is so gracious and kind. I chose this restaurant based on Yelp reviews and they were correct. We had stew chicken, jerk chicken, coconut rice, peas and rice, spinach, cabbage, plantains, and mango juice. It was all amazing and exactly what and the amount I wanted since I built my own plate. Everything was made from scratch and wonderful! The mango juice was SO GOOD! You have to try this restaurant if you're feeling like you need your Caribbean family! read more

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Tayara H.

7 years ago

The food is awesome! The service is awesome! The staff is warm and welcoming! I can't say enough. A much needed addition to the neighborhood. I can't get enough! read more

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Kim D.

8 years ago

My husband and I love Caribbean food and saw there was one next to us. We have everything but the shrimp. It was all pretty good.

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David C.

6 years ago

I stumbled upon this place while leaving the Skating Rink. Now I come here every week. Food is amazing and customer service is outstanding. Even though its self serve buffet style the food is always fresh. read more

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Karen R.

8 years ago

My first visit here and the food is FANTASTIC!!!! THE REAL THING. Maria is a beautiful spirit and she made sure I understood how to buy. Food is sold by the weight. I bought for two and spent less than $30.00. The curried chicken, the coco bread, the curry goat, oxtail stew. Coconut rice. Steamed spinach, YES I ATE THEM ALL!!! VERY MOST DELICIOUS! I give them 5 stars for food and friendly service. read more

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KasahYah TshuvaYah Y.

5 years ago

OMG! I flew in to VA to visit my daughter recently and of course the airlines didn't feed us so after at least 5 hours of not eating I was starving! Looked up local restaurants and found Tropical Bites and my daughter and I swung around to pick up something, and let me tell you I wasn't disappointed! I ordered a veggie roti and a chicken roti and I added a side of Pelau, cabbage and plantains. The employees were really nice and helpful and the restaurant was very clean. When I got my roti's the bag was HEAVY! and when we got home I opened them up to find two gigantic roti's and the taste??? DELICIOUS!!! The roti skin was nice and soft, flaky and fluff almost like "Buss up shot" in some parts and the fillings were on point. I had enough to eat for three days so that tells you how much food you get for your money, not like in L.A. where I'm from where they give you tiny portions and charge a lot. Overall, I recommend this place for good Caribbean food in the Northern VA area. This will be my go to spot when I'm out here. Thanks Tropical Bites. read more

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Lamont S.

377

6 years ago

Wow! Five stars for sure. The food is so good and delicious. This is definitely my new spot for authentic Jamaican food. The owner is also very friendly with excellent customer service skills. He let me sample whatever I wanted. You have to stop by, you will not be disappointed!!! read more

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Keiana P.

7 years ago

Just left and man! It was amazing. I didn't get a chance to take a pick of my platters. But I got 2 of the the Tuesday Happy Hour dinner platters (available 5pm-9pm) where you get one meat of choice, rice of choice and 2 sides for $9.99. I got the curry chicken, rice and beans, plantains and chick peas and potatoes. My husband got the stewed ox tails, rice and beans, cabbage and chick peas and potatoes. We also got a side of coco bread (which is huge enough for 2 people to share) and 2 beef patties. The service was great and friendly. The food was spiced perfectly. The restaurant has such authenticity. I swear i have a new fav in Manassas. The coco bread is also like biting into a slice of heaven. I've been putting off going and so glad we finally went. Normal prices are $8.99lb which is partially the reason I was hesitant on going, but depending on how selective you are, you can get a lot of good food for that price. Well worth a visit for authentic food. read more

Business owner information

Andrew B.

Keiana, thank you so much for your positive feedback. We hope to see…

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Page 4 of 5

8130 Ashton Ave
Manassas, VA 20109
Directions
(703) 656-1144
Call Now
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Visit Website
http://tropicalbites.menu

Hours

What time does Tropical Bites open?

Tropical Bites opens at 11:00 AM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

What time does Tropical Bites close?

Tropical Bites closes at 9:00 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.Tropical Bites closes at 6:00 PM on Sunday.

Mon-Sat 11:00 AM - 9:00 PMSun 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Payment methods

Does Tropical Bites take credit cards?

Yes, Tropical Bites takes credit cards.

Food & Alcohol

Does Tropical Bites have catering options?

Yes, Tropical Bites does have catering options.

Does Tropical Bites have a drive thru?

No, Tropical Bites does not have a drive thru.

Does Tropical Bites have a happy hour?

Yes, Tropical Bites has a happy hour.

Does Tropical Bites serve alcohol?

No, Tropical Bites does not serve alcohol.

Indoor Amenities

Does Tropical Bites allow dogs?

No, Tropical Bites does not allow dogs.

Does Tropical Bites have TVs?

Yes, Tropical Bites has TVs.

Outdoor Amenities

Does Tropical Bites have bike parking?

Yes, Tropical Bites has bike parking.

Does Tropical Bites have outdoor seating?

No, Tropical Bites does not have outdoor seating options.

Does Tropical Bites have parking?

Yes, Tropical Bites has parking options. Private Lot Parking

Other Amenities

Is Tropical Bites wheelchair accessible?

Yes, Tropical Bites is wheelchair accessible.

Does Tropical Bites have free WiFi?

Yes, Tropical Bites has free WiFi.

From the Business

Specialties

Tropical Bites is an upscale Cafeteria style Bistro specializing in authentic Caribbean style dishes that keeps true to that real West Indian cuisine and flavor. We offer you a taste of the islands in buffet style for you to choose from.

History

Established in 2018.

Tropical Bites is a Caribbean food restaurant chain, focused on delivering authentic, healthy, and nutritious cuisines from each and every island in the Caribbean.

Meet the Business Owner: Prudence G.

Prudence attended the Albert Einstien College of New York, and dreamed of opening a Caribbean restaurant that would allow customers to "island hop" by offering the most popular dishes found on each island of the Caribbean. With good food, island music and atmosphere, coupled with Caribbean art, and history information posted about; The concept quickly gained traction and has began to gain a cult following.

More Info

Health Score

Ask the Community - Tropical Bites

Is this place halal?

Hi Farzana B. - Sorry it took so long to get back to you. Yes the meats are Halal and there are Halal certificates on the wall of the restaurant from the suppliers.

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Jamaican Breeze

3.9(68 reviews)

14.2 mi

•$$

Some of the best Caribbean food I've had in a minute. The ox tail was stellar. The Mac and cheese…read morehell yea! I'm going for the greens next time. But the unassuming place hits the spot for island food. My days in Miami were flashing before me. As I sit full and happy the young lady who took my order did me right. The place even has the broke island look of a tropical shack. The kitchen is an assembly line of talented people whipping up food. 4.5 one of the better restaurants around IMO.

I recently ordered the brown stew chicken from Jamaican Breeze with a side of mac and cheese and…read morerice and peas. The chicken was tender and flavorful, and the mac and cheese was decent--especially since I wasn't sure what to expect. The most disappointing part was the rice and peas; I was hoping for a bit more flavor. Overall, given the lack of Jamaican restaurants in NoVA, this spot was decent, and I'd return to try some of the other sides. Customer service was great. Initially I chose mixed veggies as a side but changed it to mac and cheese with no issues at all; the staff was more than willing. The restaurant itself is spacious compared to most Jamaican spots and is located right next to BJ's. Lunch prices are reasonable, though the regular entrées are on the pricier side in my opinion. That said, the lunch portion was more than enough.

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Island Soul Food Truck

4.9(9 reviews)

2.3 mi

Delicious food and friendly staff…read more Be prepared to wait for things like wings/fries. They got a little backed up since venue was busy. (Think waiting for food at a restaurant times) BUT food was delicious when we got it. Great flavor on wings that had a generous coating of sauce. Wings were meaty as well. hot and crispy fries were nicely seasoned. Tasty fried plantains (we like them with a small sprinkle of salt)

Can't believe this food truck doesn't have any reviews yet!!!…read more Wow, the food was just incredible from this place. I knew that it would be--our building swamped Island Soul with orders and they seemed really busy. I ordered the jerk chicken and received a huge chicken leg with fall off the bone, juicy meat perfectly coated in a sweet, sticky, spicy jerk seasoning. The collard greens didn't disappoint either: soft, lightly sour, and delicious. The fries were flavorful and crisp. I thought that the sides would be upstaged by the delicious chicken but not at all; they held their own. I also managed to sneak a few bites of some jumbalaya that my boyfriend had, which was just as delicious as the others. It was savory and meaty and completely delicious. Our building does a new food truck every week and this one was, hands down, my favorite, despite the fact that all the food trucks have been great. I just wish they served dessert! I'm sure it would epic.

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Caribbean Corner

3.9(308 reviews)

12.2 mi•Old Town Fairfax

•$

Was craving Caribbean food and decided to give Caribbean corner a try!…read more This is located in the downtown area of Fairfax, there's no seating indoors so this is definitely a grab and go place. The menu has some varieties of options to pick from! I ordered the Jerk pulled pork and curry chicken. I was really hoping to try to jerk chicken but it wasn't ready when I came so I opted for the pulled pork! Current chicken was very flavorful and had definitely the curry taste to it (not like Indian or Asian curry though). The jerk pulled pork surprisingly had a Smokey taste and the sauce was flavorful! The only con for me was that I found the rice that came with the dishes a little too over cooked for my taste. The veggies that was paired was great!

Urgh normally I never give a place 1 star but I give up on this place even know I use to love they…read morefood. Been here couple of times and they were close with out any notice. Finally got the chance to get there since it been a while and I was truly disappointed. The worst parking it suck already and to be disappointed I want to cry . I walk in some and some guy yelling will be right out , i am like ok he was out smelling like MJ which I don't mind I smoke too here and there but the place just look ran down even more. Oxtail 1/5 $21.99- The oxtail texture was cook perfectly but omg it was salty like eating pure salt even the rice was extra salty maybe from the gravy. Mind you I love salty food but this tasted like eat sea salt . This was not edible not sure if he was too high and mess it up. Trying call but no one pick up. End up throwing away. Also the cabbage was over cook to mush and no plantain. I normally give business couple of chance but this place just ran down hill Never coming back eve again

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Island Flavourites Food Truck

4.2(6 reviews)

8.6 mi

This food truck came to our neighborhood pool as part of our swim team and community bonding…read more My daughter devoured their fries after her time at the pool. I ordered the curry crab legs with the side of mac and cheese, and the oxtail with the side of rice and lentils. Both dishes were amazing. The curry sauce for the crab was tasty and flavorful. The crab legs were steamed well and perfect when dipped in that luxurious sauce. The oxtail was fall off the bone tender and paired perfectly with that flavorful rice and lentils. We would definitely order from this food truck again. Service was kind and hospitable. Food came out at a reasonable time, especially with so many orders at the same time!

This food truck came to our building today. Since we never have had food from Trinidad and Tobago,…read morewe decided to give them a try. We knew that food from that region can be spicy and we knew that we would like to start with something tame. After looking at their menu board, I decided to go with fried chicken wings with a side of potato salad. My husband ordered pineapple chicken with a side of rice and peas. The people who work the truck are friendly and gladly answered any questions we had. It didn't take long to get our food. When we got the food upstairs, instead of getting fried chicken wings, I ended up with fried chicken tenders. Also, we were both surprised to see that each dinner comes with a small, undressed salad which consists of iceberg lettuce, red onions and a slice of tomato. They give out some sauces/dressings and I chose the one that wasn't spicy. As it was described to us, it was supposed to be "tingly". Okay...well...it was a thin sauce with a little bit of kick to it. I put it on my salad and it worked well with it. I found the chicken tenders to be on the dry side but certainly edible. My husband's pineapple chicken consisted of fried chicken tenders with a pineapple sauce that was simultaneously sweet and spicy. He enjoyed the sauce, and, thus the chicken. The potato salad had sweet undertones to it and had some peas and corn in it. I enjoyed this unconventional version. My husband liked the rice and peas, even though it was on the dry side. The peas were actually pigeon peas, which we both liked. My husband was pleasantly surprised by the food and said if this truck comes by again, he would gladly order from them. I, too, agree but now know to add the pineapple sauce to my chicken.

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Island Flavourites Food Truck - Curried snow crab legs! Never heard of this dish before and never heard a food truck selling snow crabs before, amazing 5 out of 5!

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Curried snow crab legs! Never heard of this dish before and never heard a food truck selling snow crabs before, amazing 5 out of 5!

Jas & Fam Caribbean Flavor

3.8(41 reviews)

10.2 mi

More than happy to have a closer place for beef patties and curried goat! The service was great, I…read morewas curious on how spicy their jerk chicken was and was able to try a sample (tastes great btw, a little sweet, tangy, and some heat). Everything I ordered had a great little kick and was enjoyable (I like spice, so take that to account). The Coco Bread was made to order, fluffy and delicious. Very happy this here. Gonna buy as much beef patties as I can!

This place is tucked away by the other restaurants near Macy's. My coworker heard great reviews…read moreabout this place and wanted to try during lunch. Upon arrival, the restaurant was completely empty. I guess it was too early (around 1pm). There was 1 staff member and he was super friendly! The menu is a little chaotic due to the fact that there were multiple menus and kind of shattered across the counter. We didn't realize there was a lunch menu since it was in the other end of the counter and the staff had to tell us rather than it being in one place. As we were ordering, we were told most of the side dishes were not available. That's really annoying because those are probably the most popular sides and not a single one was available other than some plantains... steamed cabbage.. etc. Very disappointing! When we were done ordering, the staff told us it'll take around 10-15 mins, which is perfectly normal as we ordered 2 rice dishes and 2 beef patties. We decided to take a walk in the mall to grab drinks and come back. Even after a long 20 mins of walking around the mall and getting drinks, our food was still not ready. We ended up sitting there and waiting another 15 mins. Apparently that 1 staff was the ONLY staff on-site and he's just doing it all by himself. As for the food: - Jerk chicken was tender but overly sauced. It seems like straight up BBQ sauce on top. - Callaloo Rice - Very underwhelming. Not much flavor. Typically made with coconut milk but there were any of that flavor at all. More on the bland side. - Beef Patty - I would come back for this! It's very nostalgic as I grew up in an area that sells this often! Even in the schools I attended. I do wish there was more filling. It was very thin layer of beef and mainly liquid (possibly the fat from the meat) Overall, highly recommend the patties and make sure to order ahead of time before arriving so you wouldn't have to wait 30+ mins for your food.

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Tantie's Jamaican Jerk Recipe

1.0(3 reviews)

0.0 mi

I ordered my meal through Uber Eats. I had two brown stews chicken, and one curry chicken with a…read moreside order of chickpeas. The chickpeas was added to one of the meals and it was 1 tablespoon. The brown stew chicken had no gravy and no taste. The meat was very dry and had no flavor, and it was also overcooked. The curry chicken had very little taste to it. and portion size is inside of a 4-ounce container. And would you pay $15 for?

Don't waste your money on this place. I ordered an Oxtail, which was $22 & they gave me 2 small…read morepieces & a whole bunch of rice. Essentially I paid $22 for rice & peas! Also, order Jerk Chicken & this place had the audacity to put 1 huge chicken leg over a bed of rice. Absolutely ridiculous! DONT WASTE YOUR MOENY.

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Irie Carribean

3.5(241 reviews)

16.8 mi

•$$

This place is a hit or miss. First, I tried to call in my order, but my call went to voice mail…read more When I got there, a young guy was on the phone, on what appeared to be personal. Next, this place have quality chicken, but you never know what they have left for the day. As far as I know, this is the only real authentic Caribbean restaurant in Woodbridge VA. However, they are not consistent with their menu items. For example, I ordered a chicken roti. It usually has chicken, chickpeas, potatoes, and loads of spices. On 01/10/25 the waiter ask if I wanted chickpeas, I said yes, this was unusual. Normally, it's a given. When I got home, all I had was a plain roti with chicken. When I call to complain, the same person said they perhaps ran out of chickpeas and potatoes as if it was not a issue. Why wouldn't the chef disclose this upfront? This is not the first time they were out of menu items, but normally they let you know. The fact that I experienced this more than once, I cannot continue to support this establishment.

5 Stars for Irie Caribbean Restaurant! Told the guy at the counter the only Jamaican food I knew…read morewas jerk chicken and beef patties and he brought me out a free sample of their jerk chicken, curry chicken and ox tail! Very friendly and welcoming! The chicken melts in your mouth and the flavor is top notch. Will definitely be back to this amazing little hole in the wall!

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Bar + order counter // Irie Carribean * WDBR, VA

$26.39 Lg to-go dinner entrée: oxtail w/peas and rice, fried plantains and ((ABSENT)) steamed vegetables.

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Puerto Rico Cafe

4.8(28 reviews)

2.4 mi

Amazing Puerto Rican food! There are not many Puerto Rican spots here and coming from Florida,…read morethat's a huge bummer. So that basically means I'll drive pretty far to try something if it's authentic. This place definitely fits the bill! They have a rotating menu and are only open on the weekends, so you have to check in advance to see what they're serving that day. My husband and I came on a Sunday and they were already sold out of the pernil which I really wanted to try. We got the carne guisada and the bbq chicken and both were amazing! We also loved the juices and the food had tons of flavor, and also loved their alcapurrias and empanadas too.

Food and quality are second to none! Love the portion sizes and authentic flavors! Fees like im…read moreeating at a vacation! Love the new patio addition being built by a sexy shirtless puerto rican wolverine! Dinner and a show

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Red Bone

3.5(19 reviews)

6.9 mi

•$$

It's hard to find Jamaican food in NoVa, so when Red Bone was in my area during lunch, I figured…read moreI'd satisfy a craving. It's a really brightly colored truck and plays reggae, plus has friendly staff. I ordered the jerk platter, which comes with collards and rice and peas, plus a beef patty. The menu should've been clear--it was BBQ jerk chicken, not jerk chicken, which you can see from my photo. It didn't look appetizing, but I was hungry. The chicken was dry and the whole meal had no flavor. The beef patty was good though--flaky crust and a bit spicy. I guess I'll keep looking for Jamaican food in my area.

I really don't want to post a snobby review, so I will keep it short and simple. 1. It wasn't worth…read moreme waiting for my order in this hot weather. 2. The rice and peas were flavorless and too mushy. But...on more positive note, the jerk chicken taco was good. Just had some inedible parts in one of my tacos though. So in my opinion, it isn't really worth the 12 dollars you pay. I was left feeling disappointed. In conclusion-if you eat here, don't set your expectations too high. ‍

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Curried chicken wrap

Mahi Mahi wrap with fried sweet plantains, red beans and rice.

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Arepas Capitol Venezuelan Restaurant

4.5(579 reviews)

14.2 mi

•$$

This is such a cozy family owned Venezuelan place I love to…read morecome here specifically for the cachapas adding the chicken adds an amazing combination of sweet and salty dish. They have indoor seating with a very nice ambiance and usually you won't need a reservation, the service is always great!

Brightly lit dining area with soft jazz that was at just the right volume. The restaurant is…read morebrightly lit and I felt like I was in a Venezuelan cafe. The food was delicious. We got a sampling of Arepas and I liked all of them except the cheese-filled one. The paella was yummy. The owners stopped by our table and we chatted with them for awhile. Our service was great.

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Why does Yelp recommend reviews?

Hundreds of millions of reviews are posted on Yelp, and our automated recommendation software works in the background to showcase the reviews that it …

16 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Aldrin M.

Elite 23

113

351

3 years ago

I recently visited Tropical Bites, a Caribbean restaurant and had a mixed experience. The food was generally good, particularly the oxtail which was well seasoned and tender, and the oxtail sandwiches, especially the cabbage version, were delicious with nice caramelized cabbage and carrots on top of big chunks of meat and soft thick bread. The wings were also good. However, I found the self-serve buffet to be quite expensive, with prices almost $11/pound, which made the dinner time prices not worth it, and the quantity of food for the price was not great. The lunch combos, however, looked more reasonable. The dessert and drink options were lacking, and the drink prices were very expensive. Service was good. Overall, I might come back for lunch, but I would suggest avoiding dinner time. If you're looking for a good Caribbean food this place has good food but it's not worth the price. read more

Eddie S.

4 years ago

Legit came up here on a Sunday at 2pm. What's wrong with people? How are you not packing this place? The food here is amazing!!! I know you don't have many Caribbean options around. And the food is by weight. Which, for a guy like me who is on a strict protein diet, is perfect!! Super salivating at the thought of the jerk chicken, ox tail, lamb, pork chops... all of it was FIRE!!! Support a local business! The place was clean, well maintained. Only thing is it wasn't nobody in here. Y'all don't know what you're missing out on. read more

M S.

7 years ago

I give the gift of five stars to this local business. Great local business....and they well deserve five stars. I hope that the YELP algorithm leaves my five star review up. This business well deserves it. Hey YELP, it sure would be great if this business could rate me as an individual. Other applications are doing that now. Who knows, I might night have been professional in my interactions with them. This process seems a little one sided. Either way, I'm very happy to give this business five stars! read more

Joseph H.

7 years ago

Had the curry chicken, curry goat, ox tail, jerk chicken, plantains, Mac n cheese, chick peas, rice, and a meat pattie. All of it was amazing. Really can't decide on what was my favorite but the things that I'll get the most of next time is definitely the ox tail, jerk chicken and another meat pattie. read more

Amalie H.

7 years ago

Food was good. This place is def the better Jamaican restaurant in the Manassas area. I appreciate the service of the food prep staff, they were nice and also made sure I knew how the process worked--kitchen buffet style per pound. read more

Samantha T.

7 years ago

I ate here the other night and was pretty satisfied. At first, my food was warm, not hot, but it was sent back and fixed! Everyone that works here is really nice and this place is really clean and inexpensive! Give it a try!! read more

James R.

7 years ago

"Blue Zucchini catered my engagement party and it was wonderful. It was very affordable and the food came perfectly on time. Yvonne is easily accessible and catered a Shawarma bar for about 45 people. read more

Kendell S.

106

8 years ago

This place has a lot of potential to be the island spot in Manassas...we will be back!! Hopefully next time they will have doubles and fry bake and salt fish!! read more

Breann B.