I first learned about B&L Caribbean Restaurant through social media and immediately added it to my "must try soon" list. So when I found myself in Carlisle for Ice Fest 2026, it felt like the perfect opportunity to stop in for an early dinner and finally see what all the buzz was about. Quick logistics note before we dive into the food: parking can be a bit tricky. Metered street parking is available but the area stays busy, so be prepared. The Pomfret Street Parking Garage and nearby lot are great backup options -- especially when you're walking in sub-zero temperatures and just want to get inside somewhere warm as quickly as possible. We walked in around 3pm and were the only guests at the time -- not surprising given the weather outside, but stepping into the warm, cozy interior felt like instant relief. The man behind the counter greeted us right away and was friendly and ready to help. After surveying the menu (and trying not to order one of everything), we decided to sample both the traditional Caribbean offerings and a nod to their hot dog roots. We ordered the Jerk Rib Platter ($16) with macaroni and cheese and cabbage as sides, plus a lemonade ($5). We also added a Hot Dog Combo with fries ($8) topped with chili, mustard, and onions, along with a Diet Pepsi. Total came to about $35 with tip, which felt reasonable. While our food was being prepared, the screen behind the counter kept lighting up with new online orders, so clearly we weren't the only ones with this place on our radar. Our food came out quickly and looked fantastic -- generous portions without being overwhelming, which was honestly refreshing. Jerk Ribs: Absolutely incredible. Moist, tender, fall-apart-in-your-mouth goodness. The jerk sauce added afterward brought a delicious balance of sweet heat that built gradually without crossing into "regret" territory. Perfectly done. Macaroni & Cheese: I do not say this lightly -- this might be the best macaroni and cheese I've ever had. Big, tender noodles. Creamy, rich cheese sauce. Perfect seasoning with whatever magical spice blend they're using. I would return solely for this mac and cheese and feel zero shame about it. Cabbage: Another unexpected standout. Perfectly cooked -- not mushy, not bland -- just tender, lightly sweet, and finished with a subtle tang that kept it interesting. I wasn't sure about ordering cabbage at first, but now I'm wondering why I don't order cabbage more often. Hot Dog: A solid addition. Grilled (not boiled -- thank you!), topped with chili, mustard, and sautéed onions that elevated the whole thing. Fries: Standard seasoned frozen fries. Perfectly fine, but clearly not the star of the show with everything else shining so brightly. Overall, B&L Caribbean Restaurant absolutely delivered. Warm hospitality, incredible flavors, and a menu that already has me planning my next visit -- because I need more mac and cheese and cabbage in my life, and that fried catfish is already calling my name. No plane ticket to St. Lucia required -- just bring your appetite. read more

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The service was A1, and the place looked clean. I've never had jerked chicken before, so I don't know what to compare it to, but the food was great. I give the chicken a 4/5. I wish there was more of it; I'm a big boy, and the thighs were tiny in my opinion, but they tasted great. The mac and cheese was 4/5, and the white rice was a 5/5. read more

B&L Carribean Restaurant - Caribbean Near Me - Carlisle, Pennsylvania

This review is for their B&L Dogz food truck! They came to our apartment complex yesterday for a resident appreciation event and were so good! We were very pleasantly surprised. I usually don't love hot dogs that much but they were so good my husband & I felt like we had to write a review as they are a small business. Their hot dog was unusually good (100% beef) and I really liked their slow pulled pork sandwich. It was so tasty! Very flavorful without being too salty and the meat wasn't rubbery or tough. You can pick toppings like ketchup, mustard, onions, or relish. I'd be excited to go and try their actual restaurant some time in Carlisle. read more

Mac and Cheese Cabbage Rice and beans Really good food home cooked good service All Quick service read more

B&L Carribean Restaurant - Jerk Chicken (Large) Jerk Chicken (Large) Bakes - Caribbean Near Me - Carlisle, Pennsylvania

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We stopped in later in the evening and were excited to find it open later than posted. I am really picky about Jamaican cuisine because so many people try to make it and fail because they cheat on the spices or don't cook it long enough. B&L nailed everything we tried that night. As I'm sitting here writing this review, I'm actually wishing I had a plate of their food in front of me. I'm craving it now that I'm thinking about it . . . Any way. I opted for the jerk chicken. Amazing when made well, annoying when made poorly. This was made well. Perfectly cooked. I asked for the spicy sauce. Not a ton of heat, but enough to make it a very enjoyable entree. I would 100% order it again. My sides were the sweet plantains and the cabbage. The sweet plantains were perfect. Dark, sweet, caramelized, with those little crisp bits that are so so so so tasty. Seriously, I'd stop there just to be the sweet plantains as a snack. And the cabbage . . . I couldn't stop eating it. It was so good. The seasoning was spot on, the cabbage had been cooked enough to be soft but not fall apart into mush. The cabbage was what I actually finished first. Because we thought they were closing minutes after we arrived, we ordered our food to go. The servings were good despite being in to-go containers. I hate places that skimp on orders when you put them in a container with a lid. Hubby wasn't hungry so he ordered one of the patties. Despite being late, it was still good. I'm not sure when they had been made, but it was the last one, tasted fantastic, and the crispy outside was flavorful. The woman helping us from behind the counter was incredibly nice and answered all of our questions. She gave great recommendations. We loved our food. My hubby tried my items and regretted not being hungry because he also loved the food I can't wait to return. Definitely two thumbs way up. read more

B&L Carribean Restaurant - Caribbean Near Me - Carlisle, Pennsylvania

This is my third time trying the food at B&L. The food is delicious but taste different each time. Twice it was good but once it was great. Either way the food is good but I wish it was consistent to give it 5 stars. The service is quick and the place is homie. Definitely casual. The servings are large. The image attached is jerk chicken plate with plantains and mac & cheese. The image is of the food after being shared with someone else. Mac & cheese is alright. Plantains are cooked well. Chicken is delicious and fall off the bone. Cabbage taste great once and it was okay the other times. Also highly recommend the beef patty and coco bread. read more

What a good surprise for randomly stopping in Carlisle! The service was great, the food came out pretty fast, and the food was seasoned so well. I recommend trying the oxtails (they are a bit on the small side, but you get a good amount), cabbage, plantains, and macaroni. We were able to seat our party of three inside and it was warm and toasty. read more

Traveling through Pennsylvania and wanted to see what kind of Jamaican cuisine they offer in the area. We seen this on doordash and decided to give it a try. 10/10!!!!!! We got the Jerk Chicken with cabbage and rice&peas. I got mines with mac and cheese as well. The jerk chicken was flavorful and juicy. the rice and peas were good and the cabbage was delicious!! the cabbage had a lot of flavor and a lil hint of spice. the mac and cheese was delicious as well, wasn't dry at all. OVERALL 10/10 I would definitely recommend if you're looking for authentic Jamaican food in the area! read more

B&L Carribean Restaurant - Large Jerk Chicken Rice & Peas Best Mac & Cheese - Caribbean Near Me - Carlisle, Pennsylvania

My brother and I, along with our wives, were meeting at a halfway point between our houses. We found this cozy Carribean Restaurant and what a find it was! The food was delicious! Just enough spice on the Jerk Chicken to tingle my lips. I would definitely return if I find myself in Carlisle again. read more

B&L Carribean Restaurant - Jerk Chicken (Small) with cabbage and rice & beans. - Caribbean Near Me - Carlisle, Pennsylvania

I never leave reviews, but for B/L carribean restaurant, it was a must. This is some of the best carribean food I ever had. And this is comming from someone who's grandfather is Jamaican and dad is Belizean. Infact its my favorite cuisine, so I eat it frequently. The flavors in these dishes are top tier. Im from Los Angeles and was passing through for work. I highly recommend. Beautiful town aswell. read more

We decided to try this restaurant on a cold, rainy night and we were well rewarded. Service was friendly and fast, food was delicious! Owner was helpful (and patient) to describe what the offerings were. We got oxtail, jerk chicken, curry chicken, and a variety of sides, including mac & cheese, peas and rice, fried plantains, and coco bread. So glad we stopped by and will definitely come again. read more

Their fried chicken was amazing it was juicy crispy and crunchy to perfection. The rice was also seasoned perfectly and tasted amazing. Next the Mac and cheese was so good also seasoned perfectly 5/5 stars would rate in even higher if I could read more

OMG the food was amazing , the flavors were on every level , I DoorDashed it and by the time it arrived to me, it was still hot . Definitely recommend read more

I was very much looking forward to eating here. I was anticipating the goat quite a bit. However, when I got there, they were totally out of both the goat and the oxtails...the 2 things I was looking forward to the most. I was incredibly disappointed. So, I ordered the curry chicken. It was good...but it was chicken and rice. Been there done that. I had the plantains as a side. They were delicious. Service was excellent. The young girl behind the counter was very nice and was apologetic for being out of the food. It wasn't her fault, but nevertheless it was a sad moment. There wasn't much in the way of ambiance. No music. Nothing much to look at. Overall, just not the experience I was hoping for...but I definitely want to go back and try the goat and oxtails...as long as they have them. read more

First time customer and my family and I came less than 2 hour before closing, despite that the food was all still fresh and delicious! Personally i ordered the curry goat and the meat was soo tender, with a side of plantains the dish was perfect! The employee was nice and accommodating, helped us understand their menu. We dined in, while we ate out of styrofoam boxes it was still a nice little spot to have a meal, not to mention the prices are more than fair! Will definitely be back for more of that goat. read more

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My first time ordering from B&LCaribbean. Many delicious sounding foods on their menu. I chose the "large" Fried Chicken that comes with three sides. I chose rice & peas, cabbage, and "best mac&cheese". Also ordered the Coco bread. I ordered at 7pm to be delivered. The food arrived at 8pm (I live literally 1.5 miles away.) It was at a great hot temperature, though! Happy about that. Smelled terrific! The cabbage was WAY too salty for my taste, and overcooked. Barely ate any, as all I could really taste was salt. That was disappointing. For what they call a large order, I got only two small pieces of chicken (one leg with barely any meat on it & one small thigh, which was almost burned.) The "best mac & cheese" was fine. The rice & peas were yummy & had flavor. The Coco bread was fine. I had also ordered the pulled pork, but they apparently didn't have any. All in all it was a disappointing meal. Overpriced for the amount of protein provided & for me still being hungry after the meal. Not sure if I'll try them again. read more

B&L Carribean Restaurant - Coco Bread - Caribbean Near Me - Carlisle, Pennsylvania

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We ventured all the way up to Carlisle from Lebanon county to check this place out, and right off the bat we knew we would be in for a treat, as soon as we walked in the door we were warmly greeted by the owners of this amazing place, and he vibe was very warm and welcoming just you would get when visiting the Caribbean islands, the food was simply put "out of this world", my wife and I both had the jerk chicken, it was full of flavor, tender and juicy, the red beans and rice were delicious, as was the Mac n cheese, also the coco bread is amazing and a must try, all in all we will be making this trek again for this beautiful gem in Carlisle, if you're ever in Carlisle you must stop in and enjoy this place. -The family from Lebanon read more

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Just visited this restaurant and was pleasantly impressed. Had the large Jerk chicken which came with 3 sides, chose Mac and cheese, coleslaw and seasoned fries, more than enough for my wife and I to share. Excellent!!!!!!! read more

The food was awesome. Tender fall off the bone curried goat, amazing mac and cheese, cole slaw, rice and peas, plantains, fried chicken. All very very good. read more

This is a new restaurant in town and, based on my first visit, a welcome addition to the culinary scene! Having seen businesses close recently due to Covid, it is nice seeing commerce return and with a flare. For this visit I tried the jerk chicken. It was seasoned magnificently and made me wish I had more pieces when it was done. Simply excellent! The plantains were good as well and had a good mix of sweet but not overly ripe. The only disappointment was the beans and rice. It was quite dry and not seasoned well and thus not very flavorful. If they step up this dish, it's 5-star quality for sure! read more

Best jerk chicken in PA. The meat here literally fell off the bone and into my mouth, yum. Got a side of plantains and the coleslaw - wow! Authentic and fresh!! The coleslaw is creamy and spicey and stands alone as a remarkable side. We got a box with 6 pieces plus 2 main meals. It was plenty for 2. They owner was really nice too he gave us a try of the green plantain. Great service read more

When I don't want to make my dad's recipes for our Jamaican cuisine I will ALWAYS come to B&L! I can eat it all curry, jerk, brown stewed, plantains, red snapper, cabbage and red beans and rice and right here in Carlisle! We haven't been here in awhile because I was cooking but now, It's too hot so I'm back... read more

Delicious Jerk Chicken with coleslaw and rice & beans. Real food! Not out of a box or prepared off the restaurant truck. Run don't walk to B&L! Seriously excellent taste and value. In town for the antique show and so happy I decided to try something different. Yum yum yum! read more

Family own business with a great flavor or carribean flavor and ambient. I really enjoy food and customer service and is. Simple but great location to enjoy a awesome meal. read more

B&L Carribean Restaurant - a plate of food on a table - Caribbean Near Me - Carlisle, Pennsylvania

literally loved them when I first ordered from them. however the last 3 times it's been beyond salty and yesterday I got jerk chicken platter to give them one more chance and I got a bunch of chopped up bones and a spine. I get you get bones but I had max four bites of salty disgusting pieces. I'm done trying. I freaking love all this food and it's just been awful read more

Stopped by on a whim, and had a wonderful experience! The proprietor was so friendly, explained the food and spice levels, and even treated us to fried plantains on the house. "The Best mac 'n cheese" truly was the best I've ever eaten -- crispy on the top, yet noodles were soft and very tasty. Everything was awesome, and I'd definitely go back (even tho I was skeptical at first not knowing what "Caribbean" food was)!! read more

My daughter and I tried it out and had a great meal! She got the Curry Chicken w Beans & rice, and Mac & Cheese; I got the Jerk Chicken w Beans & Rice, and plantains. The restaurant gives the vibe of a roadside Caribbean Grill not a fancy US restaurant. Anxious to go back during warmer weather to sit outside and eat while enjoying Caribbean music. Definitely going back. Love all our privately owned Carlisle restaurants! read more

B&L Carribean Restaurant - Curry Chicken - Caribbean Near Me - Carlisle, Pennsylvania

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I love ethnic food and love to support minority businesses however B&L needs to up their game. Despite being open a week. No website with menu and no Facebook page with menu. There is a mention of B&L Caribbean on a Facebook page B&L Dogz which is a food cart business selling hot dogs. Staff are not masked but there is hand sanitizer on the counter. The menu is on a board but they have no take away menus. I had jerk chicken and a patty. On the menu board a patty was listed at $5 but on my receipt it was $3. No hot sauce was offered. The patty was a bit dry and not very spicy. I don't think the patties are made in house. The $7 jerk chicken was a leg and thigh attached. It tasted like it was sprinkled with jerk seasoning and grilled on a BBQ. There was not very much meat on it, I would have preferred a breast and wing. From what I remember lemonade was $5 which seems high unless it was real squeezed lemons and not powder and water. Rice and Beans were $5 and platters were $10 and up. I remember there was oxtail and goat on the menu which is something you don't normally see on any local menu. There were about 4 tables for dining in. I hope they make it but I don't think I will be going back based on this experience. read more

We tried this Caribbean hole in the wall restaurant on a college visit to Carlisle. It's terrific. We had curry chicken, plantains and the meat pies. They were all fantastic. The jerk chicken also looked great although we didn't try it. The proprietor was very friendly and the service was great. We will definitely return on our next visit to Carlisle. read more

This place is AWESOME! My favorite is the oxtails....so flavorful and tender. My teenage son LOVES the curried goat and the Mac n cheese is delicious. read more

Excellent food. Quick service. I was able to get smaller plates so i could try several different items. I loved the oxtail! Even in the smaller meals they were good size portions! Thanks! read more

Okay I don't think these people reviews are honest .the food in this place is not good it's actually disgusting. They curry smell and look like boil chicken it's watery and don't have a smell of curry or flavor just chicken .. the Mac and cheese is nasty no flavor.. the rice&beans nasty .. only thing good in this place is they're patties .. i would never waste it money again . I don't think the owner Jamaican at all ..fuck y'all remove them and putting something better there only thing good in Carlisle is wings read more

Great food and ambience, food was fast and great service. Food was not too spicy and just right!

When I got an email from Yelp suggesting B&L Caribbean restaurant in Carlise, PA, I had to try it. My family is from Puerto Rico, so I was exposed to many different Caribbean dishes & I was excited to try them out. When I walked through the door, I was greeted with warm smiles. I got the rice & beans, Ox tails, mac&cheese, sweet plantain, and a tall homemadeTamarind juice. The spices in the food were incredibly balanced. It was ALL sooo amazingly DELICIOUS! I will definitely be back. Cheers! read more

If you like delicious food bursting with bold flavors, this is something you've got to try. I had the jerk chicken and it was perfect in portion, flavor and moistness. The black beans and rice have some nice heat and are tasty. My dinner companion had the oxtails and mentioned how tender and flavorful they were. We had the coco bread with the goat curry dipping sauce. Next I am going to try plantains (they were out), meat pie and goat curry. This restaurant is on Pomfret Street in Carlisle, PA. All you locals, please give it a try! read more

I went in around dinner time during Ice Fest and it kind of seemed like they were wrapping up with old fried chicken in the case with no lights on, half the lights off in the restaurant, etc. Neither the girl at the register nor the guy who came out really seemed interested in me being there. The uninterested vibe I got was disappointing because I know the owner of this business has a pretty popular hotdog cart and catering business. Every other business I visited during Ice Fest had employees that were interested in talking to me about what they had to offer. I walked out without ordering anything and they didn't even offer me a menu or ask me if I wanted anything before I left. Whatever. Good luck in a competitive market. read more

I had the rice and beans with sweet plantains and curry chicken.. also baked mac . The baked mac was delicious. I kinda wish i would of waited for the ox tails but that will be for next time! The person who served me whom i believe was the owner was super nice and welcoming! If your looking for good Caribbean food in the area , i say give it a try! I'll be back for more. read more

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The food here is amazing! Wonderful service. Large portions. Wonderful hidden gem.

I loved this place when I ordered takeout. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was that I think part of the order was not as fresh as the rest. But, we got a whole ton of fried chicken, plantains, it was all delicious. Will definitely be going back! read more

The food was amazing! Authentic Carribean meals! The Curry Chicken and Jerk Chicken were the best we have had since Jamaica!