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    Cafe Connection

    4.4 (246 reviews)
    ModerateCafes, Caribbean
    Closed Closed
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    CAFE CONNECTION ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Cafe Connection

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    Ben T.

    Place has great food, smells amazing, and the people here are great. This all led to an experience that I'd like to repeat time after time. The couple working were awesome, and the portions were very generous. During lunch hour, they get busy, especially with their location, but it makes complete sense with how the food tasted. I got a jersey chicken salad, and the chicken and rice were the stars. When I'm back, and not looking after calories, I'm absolutely stuffing my face with a non salad. The food was delicious, and my mouth is watering thinking about it. I'll definitely be back for the food they cook in house.

    Mint Lemonade and Plate with half jerk chicken and half Curry Chicken
    Catherine B.

    If you are on your lunch break, I highly recommend this place! The food was delicious and the owner Debbie is a sweetheart. Please support this business because the food is truly amazing. Definitely get their homemade peanut dressing on the salad and their refreshing mint lemonade. Will definitely come back again!

    Curry Chicken with Coconut Rice with  Black Eyed Peas
    Sammi T.

    The service here is great and very personable. And the food is superb. I can tell they put much care into everything they do.

    Rachel K.

    I've been meaning to stop by Cafe Connection for a long time, but I kept missing them as they're open M-F 11am-3:30pm. It's perfect for the Downtown crowd, but I tend to do more exploring on the weekends. I was walking back to my car after some meetings and saw they were open and took my chance! As I entered, I was greeted with the delicious smell of Caribbean food. When I made it to the counter I asked for their recommendation and ended up getting the chicken curry plate. I also ordered a chicken and a beef patty to take home and got a half sorrel half mint lemonade for my drink. The staff was so friendly and was telling me about all their favorite dishes. I need to come back to try more soon. As I left, I took a sip of my drink and that completely won me over. The Sorrel (hibiscus) and mint lemonade mixed is so flavorful and refreshing. The portion sizes were generous and everything came out to $35.84 after tip and will easily be at least two meals, maybe three. I'm excited for my next visit already!

    Tracy L.

    Cafe Connection impressed me being my first time! To start, service was wonderful! The staff was very nice and welcoming. I ordered the curry chicken which came with coconut rice and a salad which I got peanut dressing. I thought the salad was good, although I wish it was a cold salad versus warm and mixing into my chicken. The chicken was delicious and tender. The rice was good although it didn't taste like coconut. If you're in the downtown Sac area and looking to try something new, highly recommend this spot! I'll be back!

    Curry Chicken Roti Wrap
    Ian S.

    You've read about the prompt service at the counter - check. You've read about the cleanliness of the shop and the convenient location across from the capitol - check. You've read about the delicious food and ample portions - check. I got a curry chicken roti, which was conveniently wrapped (although it would also be great as a plate). The roti is filled with white and dark meat boneless chicken and potatoes, so it's easy to eat without having to navigate through weird pieces of bone or anything - definitely a plus - and if Keith Lee were to ever drop by, this place would blow up like crazy because the seasoning on everything is excellent. What you haven't read *enough* about is the amazing couple who run Cafe Connection. The fact that this little place has stood the test of time, in and out of Covid, and for 18 years, is simply a testament to Ken and Debbie - some of the most down to earth, warm, and genuine people in the game. They have events and are truly involved in the community. All in all, this is a great spot to get your fix of fast, easy, and very tasty Caribbean cuisine.

    Half curry half jerk chicken plate.
    Radora L.

    Absolutely will be returning! The Jerk chicken was Smokey and flavorful and the Chicken curry was rich and savory! Definitely can tell it was slow cooked to perfection. Shared a plate with my husband for lunch and it was plenty to leave us both satisfied.

    Vanessa S.

    I've gone here a few times now and always like to stop by after going to the Cathedral. I haven't tried the other food except for the patty; they have 3 (chicken w\potatoes, ground beef and veggie (which is like the samosa ingredients). All $4.85 each. My favorite is the veggie and chicken. It reminds me so much of an empanada but super-sized. They call it "Patty" in the Caribbean from what I take it. I like the dough, the filling and just how it is the right size for a quick lunch. They provide 1 container of the tamarind sauce however I think the sauce is a little too watery. Also, they will not give you extra if you buy more than 1 patty and will put in the container (see pic) which I think is good for 1 patty. The service can be slow at times when they still have to bake the patties and they run out during the lunch hour. Parking can be tough in this area and if the sauce can be less watery I think it would help. I give this place a 3.5 which rounds to 4.

    Jerk Chicken
    Mike R.

    The Curry Chicken & Jerk Chicken are amazing. Great assortment of drinks. Solid amount of indoor seating available. The hot sauce is phenomenal, but Hot! Recommend giving it a try for lunch!

    Chicken sandwich with bacon and avocado on rye

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    3 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    2 years ago

    This place is delicious, hits the spot for some solid Caribbean food and good service.

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    2 years ago

    Generous portions, good flavor. Very nice service, very clean. Reasonable price. I will be back.

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    6 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Amazing food!!!! The Oxtails on Friday are off the charts. Must try if you like the carribean food:)

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    7 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

    The jerk chicken burrito was a flavor bomb, 100% worth ordering. But it desperately needed a sauce of some kind to help make it less dry.

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    10 years ago

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    4 years ago

    10/10 homemade and delicious. Flavors are rich and unique. Island music jamming. Would always recommend

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    4 years ago

    Must must must you must order the ox tail stew outstanding. Delicious took me back to the Caribbean. God bless the Chef

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    13 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Great food, better people, and if you can catch the tails on a Friday, you're winning! Lol

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    6 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Some of the best Caribbean food ever and the staff was so nice. Definitely recommend this place and the prices are great

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    Page 2 of 7

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    Dubplate Kitchen & Jamaican Cuisine - Omg this is absolutely the best Jamaican food in Sacramento  Salmon. Rice and peas

    Dubplate Kitchen & Jamaican Cuisine

    4.3(570 reviews)
    6.3 mi
    $$

    When I want comfort food and island vibes, Dubplate Kitchen has me coming back again and again for…read moretheir delicious vegan Jamaican plates. Yelp has me clocking trips here going back to when they first opened in 2018 and I must say they just keep getting better! I'm always warmly greeted when I stop in and enjoy the relaxed vibes while I wait for my takeout order- chatting with the friendly staff and listening to the great music they play while my food is prepared fresh to order. The vegan oxtail, which they make in-house, is my absolute favorite. The plate comes with rice and peas, salad, and plantains. If they have vegan Jamaican Patties available I always get some of those as well (pro tip: they reheat well). Sadly, those veggie-stuffed pastries are frequently sold out, so if you see them get them! When cold weather comes around, I'm all about the Ital soup. It's so simple and flavorful. If I feel a cold coming on this soup is one of my favorite remedies. It's also worth noting that the vegan options have really expanded over the years, and made from scratch, which I definitely appreciate. Dubplate is in my regular rotation for a reason. Check them out!

    my main reference to caribbean food is back a yard…read more oxtail - excellent. might be better than backayard jerk chicken - not as good as backayard brown stew chicken - it was ok. a bit of a sweet and savory type of dish. curry chicken - just tasted like a basic yellow thai curry rice portions were good. expensive for the portions, but seems par for caribbean food. staff, especially the cashier lady, was very friendly.

    Photos
    Dubplate Kitchen & Jamaican Cuisine - Island Slaw, Jerk Chicken, Plantains, Rice & Peas

    Island Slaw, Jerk Chicken, Plantains, Rice & Peas

    Dubplate Kitchen & Jamaican Cuisine - Vegan Combo Plate: Ital Stew, Rice & Peas, Salad, and Plantains. So good!

    Vegan Combo Plate: Ital Stew, Rice & Peas, Salad, and Plantains. So good!

    Dubplate Kitchen & Jamaican Cuisine - Ackee fish, Jerk Chicken, Curry Chicken and a side of mac and cheese

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    Ackee fish, Jerk Chicken, Curry Chicken and a side of mac and cheese

    Bodega Kitchen & Cocktails

    Bodega Kitchen & Cocktails

    4.3(268 reviews)
    5.4 miThe Pocket-Greenhaven
    $$

    Bodega Kitchen and Cocktails is located in the corner of a plaza and could easily be missed. Don't…read morelet that happen to you as this hidden gem serves up very flavorful cuisine. With authentic flavors and food items, there's not many like it around town. Bodega serves up food from the Caribbean Islands. One of their most popular dishes is their jerk chicken. They have this both as a chicken wing appetizer and as a plated dinner. I personally really enjoy white meat when it comes to chicken and the dinner plate was leg and thigh so I opted to go with the wing appetizer. My only complaint about it was its size. I thought it could have had more wings as I thoroughly enjoyed each one with the jerk sauce I added to it. The wings were very crisp on the outside and full of flavor. Adding the jerk sauce or their house made hot sauces enhanced the flavor even more. I could really see myself coming just for these wings! I also had the Cubano sandwich. This hot, pressed sandwich has ham, cheese, pickles, and mustard. It's a popular item that also is bursting with flavor. The combination of all the ingredients was mouthwatering. It comes with a side of fries to round out the meal. Service at Bodega was very nice. We found the servers to be very patient with us and the food came out reasonably. I was specifically there for a birthday party where we had cake being served from outside the restaurant. Bodega has a cake cutting charge, but seeing our tiny cake they waived it for us! It's a cute restaurant and definitely different than many you will find around Sacramento. If you're in the pocket area, Bodega is well worth a visit!

    Recently visited this location! Trendy bodega vibe bar/restaurant, definitely felt it walking in…read more We were able to seat ourselves, and our server was quick to see us. We ordered the plantain nachos, jerk chicken, guava shrimp, and pineapple upside down cake. Our party ordered margaritas, which they said was on the stronger side. Our food was good, we also ordered yucca fries but our server forgot. Our favorite was their plantains. Their dessert was a bit dry, but flavor was good. All in all, good experience.

    Photos
    Bodega Kitchen & Cocktails
    Bodega Kitchen & Cocktails - Menu

    Menu

    Bodega Kitchen & Cocktails - Housemade hot sauce

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    Housemade hot sauce

    Rockyaad Jamaican Restaurant - Stew Chicken with Rice & Peas

    Rockyaad Jamaican Restaurant

    4.6(139 reviews)
    10.0 mi
    $$

    We visited the restaurant on Sunday noon and were seated immediately. The space was big with lots…read moreof tables and booths. It wasn't busy when we came so our food came out quickly. - Jerk chicken: our favorite! The chicken was tender and super flavorful. The marinade and sauce seeped into the meat. - Oxtail: good. The meat was tender and the sauce was delicious. - Pressed fried plantain: good. The plantain complemented the jerk chicken beautifully. It was slightly crispy and the plantain inside was tender. - Sweet steamed plantain: good. It tasted more like dessert to me as to entree. The sweet plantain was tender and sweet! - BBQ chicken wings: good. The chicken wings were big pieces. What I like was the sauce sticked to the wings and it was flavorful. - Sorrel drink: interesting flavor but it grew on me. It was sour and sweet with a hint of flower.

    Wow! If you haven't tried this hidden gem, get here! Hubs and I tried this place after stopping to…read moretry some hushpuppies at Tugboat. I am so glad I saw the sign! The restaurant has a ton of seating and the walls are nicely decorated. I would say maybe add another mural on the other side because the one wall that has it, is beautiful! They have all these great hot sauces at the counter, make sure you try them all! My fave was the scotch bonnet pepper sauce. Spicy and a tiny sweet. We ordered two beers on draft, the jerk chicken, curry goat with a side of mac and dumplings. The dumplings are almost donut hole type bites with a hint of sweetness. It goes so well with the curry! The goat curry was interestingly delicious. I didn't think I would like goat - but here I am. It was very VERY good, just look out for all the little bones. The jerk chicken was flavorful and tasty and the side of mac n cheese was the perfect blend of noodles, cheese and spices with the meats. I also want to thank them for the delicious Jamaican patty filled with beef that was given to us. It was very good and the puff pastry was baked to perfection! Our server was great and the cook/I think the owner was wonderful. This was our first time having Jamaican food and I will say, we will definitely be back and I've already recommended this place to a few people. YUM!!!!

    Photos
    Rockyaad Jamaican Restaurant - Hot sauce galore!!!!

    Hot sauce galore!!!!

    Rockyaad Jamaican Restaurant - My husband dug in and took all the green plantains before I could take a nice photo

    My husband dug in and took all the green plantains before I could take a nice photo

    Rockyaad Jamaican Restaurant - Beers on tap with the beautiful mural in the back.

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    Beers on tap with the beautiful mural in the back.

    Lola's Lounge - Pastelon

    Lola's Lounge

    4.0(821 reviews)
    1.1 miDowntown
    $$

    Lola's caught my eye when I was visiting Willie's, a different Sacramento favorite, and their menu…read moredrew me in. You don't see a lot of Puerto Rican centric restaurants in California much less Sacramento so I was excited to try something different. We sampled a smorgasbord of different menu items but the two that really stuck with me and the ones that I will be back for were the Cubano sandwich and the chopped cheese. The beef in the chopped cheese was well seasoned and it felt light but filling at the same time. The tanginess of the pickle in the Cubano really balances out the heavier pork ingredients. The bread was so crunchy I could have made an ASMR video just based on the crunch. Both dishes were common if you are familiar with or spending time in New York, but it's really awesome that there's a place in Sacramento to go when you are craving a chopped cheese or Cubano. The restaurant was clean and the service was top notch. I wish other restaurants would leave a small carafe of soda at the desk so we don't have to ask for refills. There's a lot more of the menu to explore so I think another visit is in my future. I just hope I won't panic and just order the chopped cheese, but that wouldn't be the end of the world.

    Yelp Elite Review: A Taste of Home…read more I'm Puerto Rican and Italian, and I grew up with a Puerto Rican grandmother who owned three Puerto Rican restaurants called the Latin Barn back in the day. So when I tell you I know and LOVE Puerto Rican food, I'm not just talking--I've got childhood credentials! I came here with my oldest son and his wife for her birthday, and then something unexpected happened: I started crying. The flavors, aromas, and atmosphere brought a flood of childhood memories rushing back. Food can do that--and this place absolutely nailed it. I ordered the Puerto Rican Special with shredded pork, arroz con gandules, sweet plantains, and beans. AWESOME! I also tried the empanadas with both chicken and beef, and they were incredible. And portions? Let's just say they apparently believed we were feeding the entire extended family. We were given so much food that I had leftovers for the next day--which meant I got to have an encore performance! The Caribbean atmosphere combined with Ashland's unique vibe creates a warm, welcoming place where people actually seem to enjoy being there. The staff was friendly, helpful, and loved to laugh--which is definitely a Puerto Rican thing to do...right after making sure you have nice shoes. The dessert selection was fantastic, too. From the beef stew to the pork, the rice, the plantains, and everything in between, you are going to fall in love with this food. This is officially my new favorite place. And in the immortal words of General MacArthur: "I SHALL RETURN!" Do yourself a favor and put this place on your must-visit list. Come hungry, bring your appetite, and prepare to leave saying, "I'm Puerto Rican!" Yelp Elite approved! #YelpElite #PuertoRicanFood #PuertoRicanCuisine #AshlandEats #CaribbeanFood #ArrozConGandules #SweetPlantains #Empanadas #Foodie #FamilyDinner #FoodBringsUsTogether #LatinFood #AshlandOregon

    Photos
    Lola's Lounge - Nice vibes

    Nice vibes

    Lola's Lounge - Paella

    Paella

    Lola's Lounge - Inside

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    Inside

    Jerk Shack - I've arrived at Jerk Shack, which was today's last stop on my "rib tour" at the 2nd Annual Placer County Fair Rib Cookoff.

    Jerk Shack

    5.0(2 reviews)
    20.7 mi

    Jerk Shack is a local food truck and catering pop-up restaurant vendor, operated by a husband and…read morewife team, and headquartered in Rocklin, CA. Jerk Shack specializes in the cuisine of Jamaica, as the husband is a native of Kingston, Jamaica, and has been cooking since he was a young man. Kansas City met Kingtson at the 2nd Annual Placer County Fair Rib Cookoff! Jerk Shack is a food truck that provides catering service and sets up shop at special events, such as farmers markets, corporate and private parties, local breweries, and county fairs. The truck has a presence at the weekly "Farmers Market," held every Tuesday at Fountains of Roseville. I certainly need to pay the event a visit! The restaurant had a large pan of ribs, ready to serve to hungry rib-loving customers. Like all the restaurants in the rib cookoff, after each rack of ribs is removed from the grill, the rack is cut into individual servings. Tickets for the event were sold in lots of 5 tickets for $10.00, and can be used in any combination at all of the 25 teams participating in the event. Since the tasting time was limited to only two hours - I wish it was a couple hours longer - I chose to only visit three vendors, and enjoy five ribs from each vendor, to allow me to chit-chat with the staff, take photos, and enjoy the delicious ribs. The amazingly friendly owners of Jerk Shack, Shaun and Myisha Parker, treated me, and all of their customers like members of their family. These folks know how to grill/smoke amazing "Kansas City style" pork ribs, with a Jamaican twist. My order of five amazingly-delicious pork ribs, from the kitchen of Jerk Shack. This fine restaurant was my last rib stop for the day, as I only had the opportunity to visit three restaurants in the short two-hour period the rib tasting part of the event lasted. The rib cookoff rules required all ribs to be cooked "Kansas City style," as there was a certified Kansas City rib judge on hand, to ensure ribs were cooked in that genre of barbecue. Jerk Shack is a Jamaican restaurant, and it must have taken a "little doin'" for them to alter their Jamaican recipes to Kansas City standards, but the accomplished the feat with class and style! My five ribs were large, tender, juicy and seared on the outside to a nice "crust," yet moist and tender inside. The ribs were definitely cooked "Kansas City style," but you could definitely taste a hint of Jamaican in the ribs and the sauce, as I suspect the ribs were cooked using pimento wood - flown in from Jamaica - and the sauce was sweet, and just a little spicy, with a hint of Jamaican flavor. Whatever the heritage of these ribs, this was delicious barbecue! Kingston met Kansas City at the 2nd Annual Placer County Fair Rib Cookoff in Roseville, at Jerk Shack! Jerk Shack grills amazing pork ribs! Despite the fact that the cuisine of Kansas City and Kingston are thousands of miles apart, I simply loved Shaun and Myisha's delicious Kansas City style ribs, with a Jamaican slant. I'll be looking for Jerk Shack at The Fountains at Roseville, or another area "foodie" event in the near future.

    I just had Jerk Shack ribs at the Placer County Fair rib cook off, and they were the best ones…read morethere! Deliciously sweet and tangy, perfect tenderness. Also, great personality and interaction with people. "Respect!"

    Photos
    Jerk Shack - My order of five amazingly-delicious pork ribs, from the kitchen of Jerk Shack. I loved these ribs!

    My order of five amazingly-delicious pork ribs, from the kitchen of Jerk Shack. I loved these ribs!

    Jerk Shack - The restaurant has a large pan of ribs, ready to serve to hungry rib-loving customers.

    The restaurant has a large pan of ribs, ready to serve to hungry rib-loving customers.

    Jerk Shack - I'm a happy guy, as I'm ready to enjoy five delicious pork ribs, from the talented grill of Jerk Shack.

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    I'm a happy guy, as I'm ready to enjoy five delicious pork ribs, from the talented grill of Jerk Shack.

    Cafe Connection - cafes - Updated September 2026

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