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    Branches Grill and Cafe

    4.8 (173 reviews)
    ModerateCaribbean, American
    Closed Closed
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Branches Grill and Cafe Photos

    BRANCHES GRILL AND CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Outdoor seating

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    Chardonnay - 8/9/2025
    Cam E.

    We found a Real Deal Jamaican in Chatham, it's the place to go when when you are craving good authentic Jamaican cuisine. So happy we made the effort to try Branches during our day trip to Chatham. We ordered : - Escovitch Red Snapper with rice and peas, plantains, cole slaw (prepared w/o mayo thank you very much). - Jerk Chicken with Salad, croûtons. The chef was kind to start us off with a delicious delicate ginger laced broth. We perused the Rum Punch menu, but we'll try next time we venture out. Great waitstaff. We'll definitely be back. Ya, mon!

    David K.

    Pretty good food but I wasn't crazy about the ambience. It was very noisy and there were many TVs, which I find distracting even with the sound turned off as they were. And when the music started it was too loud even for conversation with my dining partner across the too-small two-seat table. But aside from those issues it was a pretty room, richly colored hardwood floors and the walls festively painted and adorned with touches from Jamaica and other sunny locations. Being a Jamaican restaurant, albeit with many standard American items too, we both wanted to try Jamaican. We started with an appetizer plate of Conch Fritters, then I got the Oxtail and he got the Curried Goat. The fritters were disappointing: fried too dark and not much seafood flavor if any, and the sauce was pretty much standard Thousand Island-style aioli. Surprisingly expensive for the smallish portion of 5 fritters. My Oxtail entree consisted of the beef, stewed in a dark flavorful sauce. Tender and easy to eat but you really need to use your fingers to get the meat off these tiny bones. There wasn't really enough meat though. The beans and rice side was good as were the mixed vegetables: mostly cabbage and onions, sauteed in oil with lots of garlic. His Curried Goat was in a very dark sauce intensely flavored with cinnamon, allspice, and more. It was a more generous portion than my oxtail. He thought it was good but salty. I tried a small piece. It was good meat, tender, and the sauce was intriguing and complex but I agreed: far too salty. I'm ok with salt but I know some people that would send it back and I wouldn't blame them. Still, if I were returning I'd get that instead of the oxtail, though I might try something entirely different next time. There was a complimentary course delivered after the appetizer before the entrees: small portions of some sort of soup: A thin chicken-y broth enhanced with island flavors. Nothing really special but I very much appreciate "amuse bouches" and other unexpected additions to a meal. The drinks menu included many beers which I don't tend to drink. Several specialty cocktails and Rum Punch, which I tried. I enjoyed it but don't believe it was from fresh-squeezed juice; probably a mix. The alcohol quantity seemed adequate. The music? At a Jamaican restaurant maybe you're hoping for Reggae or something Caribbean-oriented? Sorry, just three middle-aged men performing old rock-and-roll hits popular in their youth, singing and playing guitars and banjos. Nothing special but I do appreciate live music, and their efforts. But as I said, once the music started, conversation became almost impossible in this small room. Worth another visit? Sure. Several other Caribbean dishes to try. I don't see the point of coming here for American food; plenty of other places around for that. But good to have the option if not everybody in the party wands Jamaican.

    Branches Grill & Cafe
    Lisa F.

    Branches Grill & Cafe in Chatham, MA serves up Caribbean-inspired dishes made with locally-sourced ingredients along with exotic drinks for a delightful culinary change of pace from the usual Cape Cod fare. https://lisaefreedman.com/branches-grill-cafe-chatham-ma/

    Mac cheese, rice & beans, salad, fried plantain
    Joshua B.

    I told our server, Ian, "This is an all-time favorite meal." He said, "It's what I do." I said, "It's what you should be doing." The Mac & Cheese was amazingly flavorful. I wonder if the secret was the butter in the bottom of the glass plate. The rice & beans tasted great with Ian's spicy jerk sauce and chopped pineapple/vegetables mixed in. The salad was perfect and tasted slightly smokey. The festivals, served three on a plate, tasted like less sweet fried dough. Pineapple upside down cake was served warm and was delicious. Chocolate fudge cake was delicate and light. Great food and awesome guy, Ian. Don't skip it.

    Carl W.

    This place is awesome! The atmosphere is great and the food is outstanding. I had the escovitch snapper, and my wife had the oxtails both came with rice and peas, vegetables, and plantains. The flavors are unique and go together very well. Also, try the rum punch Give this place a try you won't be disappointed.

    Family Suppah (& no one haaahmed)
    C H.

    Best and most authentic kitchen at the elBow of esCape. Ian & Kevin run a tight ship in the kitchen (tho' we know the ladies keep the place runnin' mon). Colleen & Babs up front are actly what you'd want for a Caribbean dining experience:: attentyve, selectively surly, and liberal with their ears and opinions. Love anything Jerk here‼ This message brought to you by a guy who has been to the Caribbean ( ) more than a dozen times in the last 30 years. My tastebuds are as informed and seasoned as, dare iSay, Ernesto Hemingway. #laverdad One suggestion: play more King Tubby, Don Drummond, & JACKIE MITT00 , please. And Wednesday Karoake

    Curried goat, rice and beans. Absolute yum!

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    7 years ago

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    Ian B.

    Thank-You!!

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    7 years ago

    Loved my meal.. Really authentic Jamaican food and a beautiful interior. A must go !!

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    7 years ago

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    Ian B.

    Thank you for stopping in and am so glad you enjoyed!

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    8 years ago

    Great meal and nice staff!! The jerk combo was very authentic and new favorite pulled pork panini. Glad this place came to Chatham!

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

    LOVE this place, breakfast is incredible and so are the lunches! Would and definitely have recommended to many people!

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    Mom & Pops Burgers

    Mom & Pops Burgers

    4.3
    (355 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$

    We had such a busy day and wanted and easy dinner for takeout so decided to get burgers! We both…read moregot cheeseburgers and the Nashville hot chicken tenders. The burgers were delicious. They're more of a thinner smash burger than a steakhouse burger. It hit the spot. The French fries were crispy and well seasoned. I was very excited for the Nashville hot chicken tenders but they were wayyyy too hot for me. They were very crispy but way too spicy for me to eat more than a bite or two. Overall we would return!

    Wanted to visit Aplaya in downtown Chatham but they weren't open for the season yet, what a nice…read moresurprise for us to find out they had a parent restaurant that was open! That's how we landed here at Mom & Pops and they were open for lunch! Checked out the menu beforehand and saw they had a pork burger, whenever I can try a burger that isn't beef based, I'm down for it! We ordered the lumpia (bc why not), the Pinoy (pork) burger, naked fries (don't worry folks, it's PG) along with the fish sandwich. We enjoyed everything but I didn't love the pork burger - there was something in the flavor that I didn't care for but it was juicy and came with a fresh papaya slaw. If I could've done it over again, I would've gotten the fish sandwich - wow that fish was cooked to perfection, super tasty and flaky. The mister ordered it so I was only able to snag a bite or two. Ordering was super quick and easy - walk up to the counter, place your order, you're handed a buzzer and go find a seat. Wait the buzzing and food is ready! Fountain drinks are self serve. The food came out pretty quickly and was piping hot! Decent amount of seating with colorful art adorning the walls. While there, they had a revolving door of takeout orders, good for them! Great little spot for a quick bite!

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    Good night vibes
    Good night vibes
    Ice cream sandwich - tiny but mighty delicious!
    Ice cream sandwich - tiny but mighty delicious!
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    Pates Restaurant

    Pates Restaurant

    3.7
    (240 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $$$

    This was our 2nd visit in 2 weeks. We have been to Pates several times in the past…read more The menu shared many items with what had been on the Ocean House menu before Anthony Silvestri left to join Pates. Pates has a nice ambiance- dining is in 3 rooms plus there is a separate bar area. The food is consistently good and well prepared. My scallops were amazing. And the fish and chips is also quite good. Service is also consistently good. In short a well run operation.

    Mixed bag. We were…read moreseated in the back room with the bar as the main dining room was closed. I found the room too brightly lit, tables spaced very close, and the decor cold (IMHO). The wedge salad and Thai chicken dumplings were a great start. And the pan seared salmon and pan seared swordfish were also very tasty with interesting sides. But, the baked stuffed shrimp was only okay, as the orange-citrus sweet sauce was overpowering and off-putting and the forbidden rice was inedible. My friend's pork chop was way overcooked and dry. The service was a big detractor. Our waitress barely engaged with our table of four. She arrived with our main course and noticed all the appetizer plates hadn't been cleared and set our hot dinners on a tray stand while she removed empty plates. Awkward! She never checked on our dinners, and when we were almost finished, she returned to ask if we wanted more wine or another cocktail. Too late! It's unfortunate as some of the food was really good, but at $100/person (with tip), I'd expect better.

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    Great bar seating
    Great bar seating
    Wasabi tuna cones
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    Chatham Squire Restaurant & Tavern

    Chatham Squire Restaurant & Tavern

    3.2
    (735 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $$

    This place was a bit confusing at first because it has two different entrances--one for the bar and…read moreone for the restaurant. We started on the bar side, which was extremely busy and we couldn't find a seat for about 30 minutes. The only downside is that seating is first come, first serve, so you end up hovering around tables waiting for people to leave, which wasn't ideal. We eventually got frustrated and went next door. Even though they're separate, the bar and restaurant are connected, so you can easily walk between the two. We ended up having an amazing meal at the restaurant side, so it was definitely worth switching over. I highly recommend the lobster roll. I'm giving 4 stars mainly because of the experience on the bar side.

    I was super excited to try this place, but was honestly a bit disappointed with how it turned out…read more For starters, it was extremely loud, and it was pretty hard to hear the people I was sitting with. Additionally, the bathroom was dirty and tiny. And finally, the my food wasn't great. I ordered a chicken Caesar wrap, and was super disappointed. The wrap was too wet, the chicken had no seasoning and was ice cold, and the lettuce was extremely moist and slimy. It just didn't taste fresh. Also very little Caesar dressing. The only good thing in my meal were the fries and the pickle. I will say, however, the service was pretty good. Our waitress was super nice and got our food out quickly despite it being packed. They also had a bingo game going which was cool. I would come here for fries and drinks, but not really for the food.

    Photos
    Chatham Squire Restaurant & Tavern
    Calamari plate or should I say fry plate $30
    Calamari plate or should I say fry plate $30
    Cisco pale ale with the Costello chowder 50/50 bisque and chowder. Delish!

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    Cisco pale ale with the Costello chowder 50/50 bisque and chowder. Delish!
    Cape Cod Caribbean Cafe

    Cape Cod Caribbean Cafe

    4.5
    (10 reviews)
    16.4 mi

    Just got some takeout from this local joint. Back where I'm from, there's a Jamaican restaurant in…read moretown as well, so I loved coming in here and seeing and smelling the different dishes. Quite a variety on hand that we don't have back home. Note: The accents are thick. If you have questions about what some of the foods are, good luck. But it's worth it. I was torn between jerk pork and stewed peas. With pig tails! and beef, that was the winner. I love how the server started to ladle in the rice and beans, and then stopped herself because they are so used to serving locals / Carribean natives, they are used to a certain homestyle way of serving things. No no, I made sure they served exactly the way they would make it for their own people. And grabbed some rum cake and sweet potato pudding (with raisins!) on the way out. How good are those? Well shut my mouth (if you get the reference). Brought it home, unpacked, demolished. What a delicious meal. I just got a medium and that was enough for my large appetite. A large would be for two people or to have leftovers for another day. The pig tails had bones so I had to pick those with my hands (whee!), and there were a couple of stewed white yams lurking in there as well. I also note that a majority of the building is a grocery store with all sorts of ethnic goods, if you want to try cooking for yourself or for a taste of the islands all the way up here on the Cape. I call this "cafe" a hidden local gem that deserves more attention from y'all.

    Hit or miss .. def a little pricy for why you get sometimes $$$…read more I've had some great jerk chicken here ..tonight was dry /sitting out for a long time

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    Jerk chicken with Rice and Peas
    Jerk chicken with Rice and Peas
    King Fish w/Rice & Peas
    King Fish w/Rice & Peas
    King Fish w rice n peas

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    King Fish w rice n peas

    Branches Grill and Cafe - caribbean - Updated July 2026

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