Amazing jerk chicken and deserts! Love that you can add spice cup to increase the heat.

Stopped by this beautiful place for a quick bite on our drive from Dallas to Austin, and we are so glad we did! This place is clean, spacious, well maintained and serves up some delicious, authentic Jamaican food. We ordered the Curried chicken and Curried beef patties along with some fried plantains and then some Black cake for dessert. Absolutely loved the patties - they were straight out of the oven, hot and fresh and bursting with flavor. The owner recommended the black cake - a holiday style cake with fruits and rum, and a rich flavor. Friendly owner, great food and clean, pleasant ambiance. Definitely visit this little gem and enjoy the food! read more

My hubby is Jamaican and we travel back often. He also cooks so, this review is VERY bias. If you've had authentic Jam rock cuisine even at a restaurant you maybe disappointed. I am giving a 4 for the entire experience. The building is very vibrant and IG photo appeal for sure. The story of the family is also very heart warming (check their IG page) so we wanted to support. Inside the restaurant is all vibes. The creativity and simplicity of the designs with the aesthetic and salut to Jamaican pride, bravo. Service was fine. Your order is taken at the register and your food is brought to you. Presentation is 5/5. The young ladies at the front were kind. We had beef patties and coco breads. Coco bread 5/5. Beef patties 3/5. We've had better. The contents were okay, wished the crust was a bit flakier. Hubby had jerk chicken 2.7/5. I had Escovitch fish and it was edible. Both dishes came with rice and peas, cabbage and plantains. Seasoning all around was very modest. I wasn't looking for spice but flavor would have been nice. It's a beautiful space, kind people, just not for us. Best wishes with your business and blessings. read more

This place is a 20 out of 10! The food is amazing. Definitely a must try. Once you try it you will definitely be back. Do yourself a favor a breakaway from the fast food, and help yourself to some poppin flavors! read more

Tru Jamaica Restaurant - Carrot cake - Caribbean Near Me - Waco, Texas

As a fellow Jamaican, born and raised, I had a difficult time thinking of what to write about this spot. I have been there before a couple years ago and wasn't impressed with the food but this most recent visit was disappointing. Upon entering you notice how clean this place is and it's rather impressive. The server greeted me and I asked what was available as it was about 6:30pm. From her list I ordered large goat to-go which is one of my favorite Jamaican dishes. The food took some time but figured they could be busy as about 8 other customers were there. I eventually got my order and went to my vehicle excited to head back to work and show off my meal. I opened my bag and was hit with an unfamiliar odor. The food had a very sour smell and I could not figure what it was. Tasted the goat meat and it was rancid but thought to myself maybe it's their ingredients. I was starving and had some of the veggies which very good and some plantains which only some were cooked properly. I was forced to leave work 5hours early because I was nauseated and that night my stomach hurt so bad along with cold sweats. Needless to say I will not be returning for a 3rd time. read more

Good Jamaican food's hard to find in Texas, period. This was really good, I'd say it's a 8/10 for me. I've had home cooked Jamaican meals, and this was mostly reminiscent of it. The service was great. We were attended to by the owner and he was very friendly and welcoming. I was initially skeptic going in, mostly because the Restaurant stands alone in a pretty quiet residential area, but going in, I was transported to Jamaica. Great vibes, plenty seating options and a nice view of the kitchen. Everywhere was extremely clean, including the bathrooms. On the food. The curry chicken patty and Jerk chicken were definitely the best of our picks. The rice and peas side was really good that you could eat it all by itself, but the serving with the oxtail plate was really small I'd say. The jerk chicken sauce was phenomenal, it was sweet, bold and had a nice kick to it. The pork chop was good, if you like a subtle, slight kick taste you'd love it.the oxtail itself tasted traditional, so might taste a little different from what you're mostly used to. It was good too. We missed out on the snapper and the curries-- next time! Definitely, check it out! read more

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The food is incredible! If you don't like spice I wouldn't recommend lol but they do have a mild option you can ask about! They are currently working out of a food truck and were so incredibly kind with their service! The restaurant inside has AC and is still a comfortable eating space! Definitely give them a try if you're in the area you don't regret it! read more

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We are not very well versed in Jamaican food, we've had it before but definitely not experts in it. When we told the owner about this while ordering, he let us sample the oxtail as we've never had it. The food is fresh and filling. But I would say the best thing by far is the service. Granted we came at slower time but the owner really catered to us and made us feel welcomed. They recently had a fire so they're kind of in a reconstruction period but they still serve great food out of their temporary food truck kitchen. read more

Tru Jamaica Restaurant - Oxtails - Caribbean Near Me - Waco, Texas

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Stopped by during a road trip, just a few blocks off I35, easy on and easy off. The food was OUTSTANDING. Made to order, piping hot, and fresh ingredients. Everything was delicious --we shared jerk chicken, Rasta pasta with jerk chicken, and curry shrimp, but the meat pies were beyond outstanding. Do not miss this local gem. read more

The server/cashier is the nicest guy. I had never had Jamaican food before so I told him. He walked me through the menu in detail and recommended the jerk chicken. Holy cow was it good! Spicy and sweet with a sense of bitterness that makes you come back for me. The restaurant itself is clean, and brightly colored. TVs on the walls and great music playing. If you're in the area you gotta go read more

I don't find myself in Waco that often but I do enjoy coming by to Tru Jamaica when I drive by. Always very friendly and amazing food! read more

Tru Jamaica Restaurant - Curry Shrimp Entree - Caribbean Near Me - Waco, Texas

I had the curry goat (no spice) with double rice and peas(no veggies). It was delicious. Meat was tender and the rice and peas wasn't dry. Very flavorful. I really enjoyed it. read more

Great food. Great service. They saw we were watching the aggie game on our phone and turned it on the tv for us. Some of the best food Ive had in a while. Highly recommend read more

Loved this place! I happen to be I Waco for 1 day and was hungry and didn't know what I wanted, but my wife said let's try this Tru Jamaican place it looks good! So we took a chance and I had the jerk chicken it was amazing, the spice was just right for me and had an incredible taste, the rice was very flavorful and Plantains were the bomb. Just try it, it's amazing! I wish I took a picture but I was too hungry and didn't have time for that! read more

Everything went well!!! Steamed veggies stole the show. Jerk chicken and oxtails, plantains and rice amd peas. YumYum!!! Service was excellent and we were the first ones there for the lunch service. I loved the simplicity of the tables and seating areas. read more

Tru Jamaica Restaurant - Oxtails Plantains Rice & Peas Steamed Veggies - Caribbean Near Me - Waco, Texas

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Great food, great owner, if you ever come to waco surf, must try this jamaican spot. Yew!

Brought my aunt and family here around Thanksgiving time. They are a testimony of resilience. The original location caught fire now they've rebuilt and the ambience is great. Food tastes like true Jamaican cuisine, no pun intended. If you're ever craving good Jamaican food please go check them out. read more

The food was fantastic. Ordered oxtails, Jamaican jerk chicken, and a curry chicken patty. Everything was amazing. The best was the Jamaican jerk chicken. Also loved the coconut rice and sides. Everyone was super helpful and kind. Come out and support this local restaurant. They deserve it! read more

Tru Jamaica Restaurant - Jamaican Jerk chicken (top) Oxtail (bottom) - Caribbean Near Me - Waco, Texas

The food is excellent! We had Chicken Curry, Jerk Chicken and Ox Tail. The rice, steamed veggies and plantain compliment the meal perfectly. The service staff is attentive and caring but not intrusive. We are happy they have finally been able to open the restaurant again and found the atmoshere very pleasant. A big plus for us is the absence of distracting screens showing violence or sports. I'd give them 10 stars if I could! read more

So excited they have a brick and mortar place again. Had their jerk chicken with coco bread. Delicious and will return.

When I say I cleaned my plate I mean I CLEANED it. My man knew I wasn't a local and that I may never be back in Waco but still hooked me up with the best service of my life. Jerk chicken, goat curry, oxtail, rice and beans, plantains, patties, all perfect. Even the greens it comes with were amazing and genuinely crave-worthy. The interior feels like you're in a comfy home and that's exactly how the food and service makes you feel. This is the definition of comfort food. 100% recommend. read more

Great food and customer service. The patties are the very best. I'll be returning. Thank You....

The Owner is an amazing man who's built a restaurant that's one of the best in Waco. The food is authentic and incredibly delicious and offers something unique. read more

My husband so excited to try this place so we stopped on our way to Austin. I wish we didn't. The customer service was good, but they need to hire more front staff. The guy taking orders was also the host, waiter, bartender, and whatever else. He did keep his cool though. Nice guy. I had the beef patty and curry goat plate. The beef patty was ok. The curry goat was meh. DESPERATELY NEEDED SALT! SALT! SALT!!!! SALT!! I was like wth is this?! How can the goat be seasoned but no salt?! It was terrible!!! I don't even remember how the cabbage tasted because I was so mad that we actually paid for that awful meal! My husband had the jerk chicken and that needed.......SALT!! Please salt your food. Please taste your food before serving it! Jamaican food should not be bland! Tru Jamaica is false! read more

Tru Jamaica Restaurant - Beef patty w/coco bread and curry goat w/cabbage, plantain - Caribbean Near Me - Waco, Texas

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I am not even sure where to begin! The food was absolutely amazing, atmosphere great and service was out of this world!! Curry Chicken, Curry Goat and Beef and Veggie patties are all a must! If you are in Waco be sure to stop in here- you will not regret it and feel like you made new friends in the process. We can't wait to come back for the grand opening in the new spot! "Canarsie folks" read more

This was a nice experience. I will say, this is a nice place to come to if you'd like to try Jamaican flavors. I do recommend visiting. Aniceto was very informative, kind, and you can tell he really cares about the product they are producing. The jerk chicken was tasty, I also liked the jerk sauce that came with it. I wasn't the biggest fan of the rice and peas, but that is my own personal preference (I like more of a coconut taste.) I also feel like the beef patty was not homemade-- the crust was not flaky and looked a little commercial. Would I come here again? Absolutely! If you're in the area, try it out! read more

Tru Jamaica Restaurant - JERK CHICKEN - Caribbean Near Me - Waco, Texas

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The atmosphere of this place is super cool. Nice Carribean colors, music, and painted murals. I got my food super quick. In regards to the food, I wasn't a fan of the vegetables. I prefer cabbage with my Jamaican and not the mixed veggies. Plantains were alright. But the jerk chicken, while a bit on the spicy side, is some of the best jerk chicken I've ever had. If you like jerk flavor this place has some of the best that I've found in this region (not just Waco). I came here from out of town based off of good reviews and am not disappointed. Excellent jerk chicken! Just what I was looking for. They also offer a military discount which was a nice addition to the visit. read more

Tru Jamaica Restaurant - Caribbean Near Me - Waco, Texas

I loved this place, our first time and we will be back again when they open up their new place. We ordered the curried goat and the pork chop plate. The curry goat spice level was outstanding and the jerk seasoning and spice level on the pork chop was awesome. I love the fact that the food is delicious without a lot of salt thrown in....they know what they are doing with the spices. We will be coming back for sure. Loved it!!! read more

Fantastic food and friendly service! I love the jerk chicken and fried fish with plantains and rice and peas. Try a meat patty too, you won't be disappointed. read more

Wow! Definitely my favorite restaurant in Waco! The food was homemade tasting, fresh, and inexpensive. The portions are large and the service was friendly and very hospitable. When you walk in, you walk to the front counter to order. I ordered the jerk chicken dinner, coleslaw salad, and coco bread. My friend ordered the red snapper. The food was on our table 5 to 10 minutes later! The spicing was just right. I love this part of Waco; it has some economic challenges, yet the culture is super, and the people are kind and wonderful - and they have some great food! read more

Tru Jamaica Restaurant - Jerk Chicken Dinner - Caribbean Near Me - Waco, Texas

We had a party of 3 and ordered the rock fish, ox tails, jerk chicken and side of Rasta pasta & fried plantain. Everything was delicious! The service was excellent! The new location in the Hippodrome is amazing! We will definitely go here again! read more

Really nice vibe cute decor. Ordered oxtails, rice and beans, cabbage, beef pasties, bread pudding and sweet potatoe cake. Oxtails were kinda bland. Was expecting more savory, spicy flavor. Meat pasties were spicy, but the crust didn't enhance them much. The rice and beans,cabbage was quite good, as was the bread pudding. The sweet potato cake lack much character. Mean was ok. I expected so much more. read more

Tru Jamaica Restaurant - Caribbean Near Me - Waco, Texas

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I was visiting from Arkansas and had a craving for Jamaican food. I ordered the jerk chicken entree and coco bread. All entrees are served with rice n' peas, plantain and steamed vegetables. They also offered samples of the sorrel ginger and pineapple ginger fresh drinks, which were both delicious. The food was absolutely amazing and I will be eating here again next time I'm in Waco. read more

Tru Jamaica Restaurant - Jerk Chicken with rice n' peas, plantains, steamed vegetables and coco bread - Caribbean Near Me - Waco, Texas

I'm new to Waco but had heard of TruJamaica shortly after we arrived. On a recommendation I ordered the Oxtails. Floored. I ate it too fast to take a pic. They were tender. The spice was there subtly. The flavor was on point! The sides were traditional Jamaican and complemented the main dish and let it shine! Unfortunately I didn't have room for desserts or more food, but I'll be back to try everything else! read more

Came down to Waco for the day and was starving. I love Jamaican food but it's hard to find good places around Texas. Tru Jamaica is not one of those places. The food is delicious, the service was outstanding and I ate until the plate was empty. The owner came over and we had a great conversation. The jerk chicken was on point and the plantains were sweet and perfectly cooked. I am definitely coming back here on my next trip down to Waco. I suggest you do too if Jamaican cuisine is your thing. read more

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Good food experience made great by the wonderful staff! I've been wanting to try Tru Jamaica for a while now. We were finally able to stop by today. I ordered the Jerk Chicken. My wife had the Rasta Pasta with chicken. Overall the food was good. The chicken had good flavor but I was wanting more spice. Scotch Bonnet peppers are so delicious and I was missing some of their heat. The Rasta Pasta was good not great. The beef patties were very good and reminded me of what we ate in Jamaica. I will eat here again but I will order other things to try more of the menu. We also had the zucchini bread. It was a little dry but had good flavor. read more

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I'm so glad to find this nice Jamaican restaurant in Waco. The staff is friendly and seems like everyone is greeted as they enter the door. I've been wanting to eat oxtails so I'm so happy that they have it on the menu. We had a great experience and will come each time we are back in Waco. Oh BTW, yes, the food is spool good! read more

Tru Jamaica Restaurant - OXTAILS - Caribbean Near Me - Waco, Texas

Tru Jamaica - y'all better come THRUUU with the Jamaican food! I am so so delighted to see this restaurant open up and thriving in waco! I'm Mexican so I know nothing about authentic Jamaican food BUT I think this place is the spot. We ordered the jerk chicken plate with a meat patty on the side. The jerk chicken plate comes with 3 pieces of chicken, rice, plantains, and some coleslaw looking stuff. The chicken was tender, juicy, and marinated to perfection! I don't know what kind of sauce they used, but that mug was HITTIN! The rice had some red kidney beans in it and tied together so well with the chicken, the flavors were amazing! The meat patty reminded me of an empanada or vaquita from Mexico. It was so good and flavorful. I recommend this spot if you are in waco or driving thru, it's that good! Let's support our small businesses!! read more

Tru Jamaica Restaurant - Curbside pickup - Caribbean Near Me - Waco, Texas

Hey, it's not in the best part of town, but it's the only Jamaican restaurant in town. It's also tasty and fast. Friendly staff and casual atmosphere (big surprise). The Curry Goat was great - watch out for the bones and stained shirt. Plenty of locals and out of towners. read more

Second visit to Tru Jamaica was awesome! I had oxtails and my hubby had whole red snapper. The spices are so unique and delicious. The owner and staff are so friendly and helpful. Everything about this place is worth making it a regular stop. We love Waco, and now we have a go to spot when we are here! read more

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