the food was amazing, the staff and owner was super friendly too they even gave us samples as it was our first time there. it's a cute little spot to sit and eat too, they have bird calls in the background which is super relaxing. this is a MUST go to spot. read more

Tropical Bites - ox tail, jerk chicken, mac pie and spinach all for about $20?? - Trinidadian Near Me - Manassas, Virginia

Wanted to be surprise so I tried Tropical Bites and it was awesome. I got a little bit of everything on my plate aimed for sampling experiences. The curry shrimps were different, delicious, flavorful and yeah my taste buds wanted more ;-) Oxtail was tender with texture like beef stew meat but different, fantastic flavor. I was thinking oxtail would pair well with fresh baguette. The rest on my plate was wonder and very satisfying. Inside was clean, beautiful decor close to true cultural experience tropical flares. Enough reading this review, marching order go get some hope foods will transport you to some remote tropical places ;-) PS: Read interesting info on native culture used curry in many cuisine dishes, done right just yummy!!! read more

Tropical Bites - Trinidadian Near Me - Manassas, Virginia

Great decor...used to go here a lot, but the food is not as great as it was. I noticed it's better when the male owner tends to be around than the female co-owner. She got a little snippy with me one time too, I'm a firm believer the food tastes like your attitude. I was right because the jerk chicken tasted burnt that day despite sitting in the pan with liquid. They've been hit or miss with items available too...I don't live close enough to not be disappointed when they're out of what I really wanted. I'm going to put them on pause and try months later to see if they're on track again. read more

Buffet style Carribbean food!!! You choose your own portions!!!! Friendly service and good food!! read more

Tropical Bites - Trinidadian Near Me - Manassas, Virginia

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The buffet style threw me off, but overall I liked the food. Jerk chicken didn't have the feel or flavor of a charcoal grill, but still had good flavor. Rice and peas threw me off because the picture made it look like dirty rice (which is what I commonly see), but the rice being served was very white. Nevertheless, the flavor was good. All in all, I would frequent if I lived closer. read more

Love this place , and love the food! And the service is also good just wish it was a bigger restaurant!!!

Considering I hate trying new places , the food was TOP TIER! The lady at the front was so nice and definitely made my experience worth wanting to come back ! read more

Ordered a small curry chicken dinner and a side of cabbage. The cabbage was cold and OLD! The chicken dinner had 1 piece of chicken (thigh). Highly disappointed with only 1 piece of chicken. read more

BEWARE. This restaurant should *NOT* be listed as a BUFFET, as it is not technically all you can eat (without having the food weighed for a per-pound cost). It is simply cafeteria style where you are served what you choose from buffet-style containers, like what you get at hot food bars. For the area, it is pricey for the quality of food that you get. I'm not going to pay for pounds of bones if I want an all-I-can-eat carnivore meal. There are other true "buffet" restaurants with better quality food that will give you better value for your money. read more

I miss you already! I used to work in the building next to Tropical Bites and come here at least once a week to order the Veggie Roti. If that order ever came up, the owner, Sean, knew it was me. :-) I moved out of the area now, but I really, really loved the veggie roti with pepper sauce. (Actually, for a short time they were selling bottles of the pepper sauce and I bought one of those, too!) I can't speak to whether the food is "authentic" Caribbean or not as some people on here debate, but it's tasty and unique in its own right. I love that they had a good selection of vegan items (some vegan desserts would have been nice, tho) and I love how welcoming rhe atmosphere always was whenever I came--especially after stressful days at work. read more

Great staff!. Lots of different Caribbean flavors. Will go back for sure. Buffet style self service.

First of all, DRINKS. I went to Tropical Bites for the first time for pick-up and walked past their drinks fridge and left with 4 different juices/punches. I would go back simply to get some more of their house-made drinks! Oh, and the beef patties. Ugh. Bring me back. HIGHLIGHTS + Carrot punch. Haven't had a carrot smoothie like this before! Rich and dessert-like. + Peanut punch. I think if I ate this with a piece of chocolate cake I would die. + Sorrel and ginger. Next time I'd love to try the straight ginger beer! + Soursop drink. We're a tropical family, so this was a fave of 2 out of 4 of us diners. + Beef patties. Do they have vegetarian ones too? I was so bummed my vegetarian sister couldn't eat these. I could tell she was almost willing to just break off the edge of the pastry to try, she was eyeing it so hard. + Riiiiice. Coco rice and rice and beans. Both could be eaten even without a main/side, they're solid stuff. + Any of the rotis! I'm a sucker for value for money and these roti were flaky, chewy, sinfully carbalicious, and humongous to boot! + The flavor of the goat roti. Well seasoned, fragrantly goat-y, just how I like it. + The size of that ox tail. 2 honkin pieces for $15 with sides makes me a happy camper. + Chickpea/potato side. Hot, stewy, seasoned just right. + Cabbage side. A surprisingly bright bite to complement the heavier dishes. Note I may also be biased by my overall love of cabbage. + Plantains. I always try to convince myself not to get these, since we have them all the time at home, but dang, I never regret folding. These guys were smoky, caramelized, and just sweet gooeyness inside. So good. SOLID, BUT COULD USE IMPROVEMENT ~ The quality of the oxtail meat itself was great, but I wanted it to be more seasoned and falling-of-the-bone tender. It could use juuuust a little more cook time. ~ I wanted more goat in the platter! Maybe because it's smaller and stewier, but the serving size paled against the 3 pieces of chicken and 2 huge pieces of oxtail. ~ Spinach side was just okay. Good if you're trying to feel healthy? ~ Macaroni pie hit the cheesy spot but was nothing special. ~ Jerk chicken. I'm just not a fan of chicken overall, so take that with a grain of salt. Also, I haven't had a ton of jerk chicken but this one did strike me as a slightly spicier take on the spice mix. ~ Cassava cake. Had a floral note to it, like Indian kheer. It was too rosy for me. In summary, we will be back! I'd like to try more of their desserts, their entire shelf of drinks, and their oxtail stew. read more

Tropical Bites - Pictured: Carrot punch, guava juice, ginger beer, sorrel and ginger. Not pictured: soursop drink and peanut punch that I snagged. - Trinidadian Near Me - Manassas, Virginia

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Food is way too expensive. Everything is weighed at $9.99 per pound. So for a cup and a half of rice and 2 pieces of dark chicken I paid $16.00. Just not worth it. They should offer meals at a specific price. Price gauging at its best. Fool me once... never again. read more

Tropical Bites - Jerk & Curry Chicken rice with beans and 2 plantains - Trinidadian Near Me - Manassas, Virginia

Nice find in the Manassas area. Baby girl had the curry chicken and she thought it was good (she is picky and very opinionated). I had the ox tail and thought it was tasty. Meat was cooked nice and tender. Owner was real nice and introduced himself. Overall, good spot for some Caribbean classics. read more

I was super excited to try the Jamaican food here in Manassas. But was disappointed to say the least. Jamaican patties were old and did NOT taste good at all, like they were 10 days old!!! I got the ox tails that were good but I could tell they were not freshly cooked. Save your money and drive to Woodbridge to the Jamaican restaurant out there. read more

I've been two times. Just finished eating as I'm writing this review and I am disappointed. The curry chicken the first go around was okay..had enough flavor. This time I got the jerk chicken and should've went with my gut when I saw the watery gravy it was sitting in. Jerk chicken is supposed to be GRILLED, This jerk chicken was not..also it had no flavor at all. Then I noticed they don't calibrate their scale to accommodate for the tray therefore they weight of the tray is added into the total price. I know for a fact I did not have over one pound of food and my total this time was more than last time, I had way more food last time. If you are not Jamaican please don't make an attempt at Jamaican food. Food less than mediocre and ridiculously overpriced. Won't be back, ever. read more

The owner of Tropical Bites, Sean is very nice and personable. My first order was via Uber Eats and I was so happy that they deliver. My first order was Ox tail, rice and peas with plantains and cabbage. And I ordered a beef Patty. The Ox tail was very big and meaty, but the flavor and color of the gravy was off. Not enough spice. The plantains and cabbage were not good. The cabbage was undercooked and the plantain was burnt and soggy. My second trip, I went in person and got the buffet. I got a mix of things, but ate the Ox tail first. Again, the quality of the meat is very good, but the flavor is off. I grew up on Jamaican food, so I am very, very familiar with what the flavor profile should be. I have to keep searching for Ox tails with better flavor. The Patty was not home made and tasted frozen. The Mac and cheese was ok, but I thought the serving was small given the price paid. read more

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The food was good. It's a cafeteria style restaurant. Some of the food was a little cold. I did enjoy my food.

I'm honestly confused by reviews. If you have ever had Jamaican food or are Jamaican, there is no way you would like this. Besides it being not actually Jamaican in terms of preparation and spice, the food is not good. Cabbage - CRUNCHY. I have never experienced crunchy cabbage. It was like I was eating a salad. Plantain - I don't even understand. I can't even bother to explain how bad it is. Rice & peas - It taste like it came out of box. No Jamaican would ever approve or eat this. Mac & cheese - Has no FLAVOR. None. Not cheesy. No flavor. Lately, the chicken is dry. Then they have the nerve to charge by the pound. I have never. Will never be back. read more

My go-to spot when I'm in the mood for some Jamaican. The chicken curry, patties, and at Louis jerk ribs are what I recommend!

WOOOOOOW!!!! Stop reading this review and just go!!! Soooooo GOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!! The BEST Jamaican food I've had in a really long time read more

Only thing good is the chicken and ribs the lady with the glasses was so rude and the rest of my food was nasty rice noodles cabbage over cooked never eating here again going to McDonald's read more

Tropical Bites - Trinidadian Near Me - Manassas, Virginia

When this place first arrived, it was great. Now its just nasty. The food sits in nasty grease all day from who knows how many days earlier. The macaroni pie was raw, the rice and beans container was empty, and the guy who owns the place didn't even bother to look up at me as I stood there, asking about the rice and beans. Some other person came over and said, it'll be four minutes. Waited for them; the lady said he's coming right out with them....he walks out with covers for the other food and just went on about his business. Never saw the rice and beans. That was my clue to leave all of that nastiness right there. The nasty food + the lackluster attitude towards the only customer there, was enough for me. DO NOT GO TO THIS PLACE!!!! read more

I visit the Caribbean once a year. This is legit!!! Holy shiznit... this is the best Ox tail and Jerk Chicken your ever gonna get in the U.S. & they deliver too. I recommend delivery cuz u will b in a food coma/heaven directly after digestion. Yesssssss! This place is what is making America Great Again, not Trump, Tropical Bites. This is the answer to World Peace. read more

So I decided to try them since they were closest to my job than my USUAL GO TO in Fairfax. The rice tasted like Uncle Bens boxed parboiled rice. Curry Goat - Delicious Oxtails - Not authentic, but decent Plaintains - juicy The Chicken legs (curry, jerk and brown stew) were dry Macaroni & Cheese - meh Would I go back... Yes in a pinch, but not my MUST HAVE. read more

Solid Caribbean food. First time here today - had the goat curry with rice and beans, plantains, and sauteed cabbage. The goat curry was very good, i wanted a little more sauce though. Rice and beans were solid and the cabbage was tastey. The boyfriend got oxtail. We wish it was a little more tender but it was very flavorful. Very impressed and can't wait to try the rest. read more

Lady did guide the choices very well, taste was good and authentic. When you are craving for curry, this will satisfy.

Oh my heavens to Betsy. If you like carribean food, jerk, curry, ox tail, goat, or shrimp hit this place. It is absolutely my wife's favorite restaurant in PW County and she's been asking to eat there once or twice a week since they opened! They have great drinks as well, but NO DESSERT! No matter, there are options for sweets near by. Please try this place. Service is awesome and food is just spectacular. read more

Tropical Bites - Trinidadian Near Me - Manassas, Virginia

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I give the food a solid 3. The oxtails had so much fat on it like they didn't trim the excess fat off. The food was no where near close to being authentic. The food was bland. No flavor. The plantain was burnt. Only thing was decent was the beef patties. read more

Good Food but Pricey Jamaican food is not so easy to come by around here unless you know where to look which is a shame because they have some very good recipes. So when we saw this place we made a mental note to check it out. We were coming back from getting our Real ID compliant drivers' licenses at DMV and decided to stop in here. It was lunch time. I don't know if they have a menu, but they have a buffet type arrangement where you pick what you like and they weigh it. The price was something like $9 per pound which is ungodly. We were very happy with the food we had. I like the Jamaican spicy chicken, and I love goat meat. Fun Fact: goal meat is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, but it's not featured on many menus in the U.S. All in all, we loved the food. read more

If a restaurant serves plantains, I often judge how good they are based on those. Those amazing plantains confirmed everything I needed to know about this spot! Everything we tried was AMAZING! From super tender meats, to flavorful dishes, I wasn't surprised how much we were able to eat. My personal faves were the ox tail, jerk chicken, shrimp curry, and ESPECIALLY the beef patties. Will be going back for more! read more

Works like a buffet line. I Grabbed lunch - curry chicken, jerk chicken, red beans and rice and a beef patty and coco bread. All for 10.00. I like that I could try a little of every thing. Coco bread was hot and fantastic. I thought the curry lacked a little flavor but it was still good. Overall, a great place to grab a bite. And the people there are great and provide excellent customer service read more

I stopped in here for lunch, and boy am I glad I did. First of all, the woman helping everyone was super personable, friendly and just flat out super nice. Secondly, as my first time inside the restaurant, I was surprised to see that it had been setup hot-bar style, where you can grab a plate or container and serve yourself as much of whatever you want (of course you pay by pound). This was a great way to try a bit of the main dishes there, and fill up on things you've had an enjoyed. For sides, I took a little of each rice dish they offered, some of the Chinese noodles (that I'd liked before), and some of the cabbage read more

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. 8.99/lb is more than fair especially when there's not another place like this in Manassas. I got all this food and a drink for $14 and some change. It's simple, if you're gonna take huge scoops of food then you're gonna have a fat bill. You are in control of the price you pay. Easy 5 stars Oh, and the owner was the only one working at 8pm on a rainy night and he was all smiles. Support this business. We need more restaurants like this. read more

Yum, extremely tasty. I have tried the oxtail, and let me tell you it tastes great. The jerk chicken isn't spicy as I would like it to be but overall this place and their variety of food and customer service is great. My go to favorite for quick bites. read more

I thought I'd try this place out instead of my usual spot, I saw that it had 4 stars on yelp. I didn't realize it was a buffet and after reading the other reviews they have gone up in price ($12.09/lb.) The owner/staff were very helpful. I got the rice and peas, 1 piece of oxtail, 1 piece of curry chicken, spinach and plantains. The oxtail and curry chicken were well seasoned. I was disappointed that I couldn't get some extra sauce because of the layer of grease at the top of each container. The rice and peas were dry and the beans weren't cooked all the way through. The spinach wasn't good at all I took one bite. And the plantains were meh. The amount of food that I got was not worth over $20 I paid, not when I can go to the other spot that has so much I can't eat it all in one sitting for less and better sides. read more

Must try this place for delicious authentic Caribbean cuisine! Their buffet style allows you to try all the various dishes they offer...oxtail, curry goat, curry/jerk/stew chicken, salmon, pelau, rice and beans, cabbage, and the list goes on! You just pay by the pound. I ordered roti on the side and a beef patty. The owner and staff were so nice, he gave us all complimentary beef patties! The roti was fresh and hot! It had a layer of chickpeas in between and tasted wonderful. The beef patty tasted authentic and fresh. I've been to other places where they tried to pass off a store bought patty as their own but this place is for real! The taste of the food was very authentic, fresh and flavorful. Oxtail and curry goat was my favorite. I wish I could eat more but I guess there's always next time. And they also have coco bread but I forgot to order some. I tried the ginger beer which had a nice spice to it. The smell of it was weird and it tasted great! I would definitely come back when we are back in that area. read more

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Pretty good Caribbean food. Came by around 1pm on Friday and a lot of the food was gone, but there was still some rice and beans, curry chicken, jerk chicken, goat, curry potatoes and chick peas, mac n cheese, and beef patties. I was expecting a little bit more flavor and was sad that there was no ox tail left when we got there. The food was still very good. read more

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I am Caribbean. I cook Caribbean food. Tropical Bites is Caribbean food AND drinks-- yes they have homemade sorrel, and ginger beer too! This is the place to support-- they are a family owned local business. It appears that there are 3 generations within their family that work in the back, run the kitchen, and front of house. Everything is clean and sterile. The food tastes GREAT! For those who love to go to Wegmans and purchase hot food by the pound, this is as good as it gets. 8.99/lb is phenomenal. Especially when it comes to the pricier items on the menu. For instance-- purchasing fresh oxtail at the store will run you 12.99/lb!!!!! Might as well stop by here and pick yourself up a whole dinner, freshly prepared with love. read more

This place is fantastic!! Its basically a buffet style by lbs. It's a good decent price for 8.99lb. In my opinion it's better to go there and choose your own portion with multiple verities than ordering what's pre ordered on the menu. Perfect seasoning not too salty. My favorite the beef patties. The ox tail was soft and tender, the jerky chicken was also soft and just falls off the bone. Very friendly place. Would recommend this place to every one to try out read more

Tropical Bites - Trinidadian Near Me - Manassas, Virginia