I love Calypso's food, but today was my last visit to this location. The chicken on my nachos was gross and it turned my boyfriend's stomach just to look at it. Our table was pushed up to a filthy wall with old food splashed on it -- it looked like it had never been wiped. The one in East Nashville (Gallatin Rd) has fresh food, super nice and happy staff, and is clean! Every time we eat at this one, it's a hassle. The servers never smile and frequently complain that the manager is a monster. I suspect that's why the quality of the food and service reflects that they just don't care. read more

Calypso Cafe - The floor was probably cleaner than the wall next to my food. Yuck! - Caribbean Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

I really enjoy this restaurant! It has a pretty laidback, island vibe inside and the staff are pretty responsive and attentive. I love going here since they are so accomodating to different diets. Being gluten free and vegan, I love that they mark on their menus what I can and can't eat and that they have several options for me. The sweet potatoes are amazing- I highly recommend them! They also have plenty of chicken/burger options for the meat eaters in your crew. Prices are very reasonable as well. This restaurant will definitely be a regular stop for me! read more

This is my new go-to lunch spot. I knew as soon as I walked in I was going to like this place, because it smelled amazing. I ended up with a tuna salad, which was affordable for a large plate of food, and a fruit tea, which was recommended as one of their best beverages! This is true - get the fruit tea! I will definitely be back to try their veggie burger and black bean nachos! My partner got the Lucayan salad and finished his whole plate, which means he more-than-liked it. Will definitely be back soon! read more

Calypso Cafe - Caribbean Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Great people making great, healthy food. We moved out of town and deeply miss the lucayan salad (the dressing is to die for) and roast chicken with sweet potatoes on the side. What a feast! read more

Calypso Cafe is a solid restaurant offering delicious, fresh and healthy food. The restaurant is small, but they make great use of the space. It can get pretty crowded, but to-go is a great backup option, because it is fast. Most of the food is prepped so once your order is given, it's ready within 10 minutes (longer for parties greater than 2) or less which makes it a great place for a mid week lunch. The fruit tea is tasty. Sweet and not bland. A great blend of juices and tea. I wouldn't say it's the most authentic Jamaican restaurant in Nashville, but it's cheap and yummy. The service can be hit or miss at times. Usually there are only 2 or 3 servers for the entire restaurant covering approximately 25 tables which explains when the service is a miss when they are busy. However, the food outweighs the service! read more

Calypso Cafe has good food most of the time, but if you are looking for a clean environment, usable bathrooms or a friendly staff...go somewhere else. I have frequented Calypso Cafe (all locations) for years but have to say, when they get your order wrong they will do NOTHING to make it right. They just do not care about their customers which is sad for someone who has been a regular off and on since 1999. The best thing about Calypso Cafe is their black bean salad. The worst thing about Calypso is that when you walk in - even during slow hours - around 80% of the empty tables have not been bussed. There is old food, chicken bones, napkins and used cups on nearly every table...at all times. To-go is the way to go when ordering Calypso, but BEWARE, if you're order is wrong they will not fix it. Update: I spoke to the owner and he DID finally acknowledge my complaints and repaid me for my bad meal. I will now return to Calypso Cafe. :) read more

With all the changes that have taken place in Nashville since the time I first lived here, it's nice to know that Calypso Cafe is still alive and kicking. Granted, the Vanderbilt-adjacent location I used to frequent is no more but that just gives me more reason to venture out to other parts of the metro and see what's happening. On a busy mid-Spring Tuesday, I found myself in Berry Hill and very hungry. I thought about driving home and making lunch from the food I had in the fridge (responsible) but, instead, I gave in to my impulses and stopped in to Calypso Cafe. I've been ordering the same thing here for [redacted] years but I decided to change it up a bit. For my meal I ordered the black bean salad and rather than fruit tea, I ordered the hot spiced tea. Both were fine choices. Like most other things at Calypso, the salad portion was extremely generous. It's not going to win any James Beard awards but this is island comfort food. It's supposed to give you a food hug -- and it does. My plate of tortilla chips was slathered in black beans, red onions, lettuce, cheese, tomato, bbq chicken, and bbq sauce. Yes, it sounds like a ridiculous 'salad.' Yes, it's extremely satisfying. Yes, I'd order again. The revelation of the meal was the hot spiced tea. Long have I been a gluttonous fan of Calypso's fruit tea. It's addicting. But this hot spiced tea was eye-opening. With a taste I'd describe at 'Christmas in the islands', I found myself trying to balance savoring the drink and wanting to gulp it down as fast as I could. My only regret is that it's not a bigger serving. With colder weather on the way (I think), put this drink into your rotation. One thing I liked about this location was the music. I never really noticed music at the other locations. Maybe it was due to the fact that the dining room was, mostly, empty but island jam after island jam accompanied my meal and made me wish that the islands had their act more together for I would, surely, move there and spend the rest of my days relaxing. Until that time, I'll have Calypso. read more

Found this place on accident while looking for dinner before our movie. It's hard to find healthier options in Nashville so this was a sweet find. Half chicken was super tender. Black beans and sweet potato on point. Goes perfectly with a red stripe! read more

This one star is based solely on service as I didn't have a chance to try the food. My boyfriend and I went on a Sunday around 6pm. The restaurant was half full with a sign by the door saying 'please wait to be seated'. Well, we waited... But it didn't seem like anyone was coming to seat us, so my boyfriend approached the counter and asked if we should wait. (We hadn't been here before, we didn't know). We were told to seat ourselves at any small table on the left side of the restaurant. (The right side was empty). Apparently the table we sat at wasn't small enough because shortly after sitting down, an employee came over to inform us that their half-full restaurant would clearly be packed to the brim before they closed in two hours, and that we should pick a smaller table. Give me a break. This is not a restaurant where your meal takes 1.5 hours to happen. Don't pack me in like a sardine before you're even busy. So I'm sitting at a cozy booth eating dinner and giving someone else my money. If you can't pay someone to seat people, then let me sit where I want while I pay to eat your food. read more

I hope that I just happened to come on an "Off" day when I tried Calypso Cafe for the first time. I had heard that there were many vegan and healthy offerings so it made sense for me to stop by, rightio? Well. Not so much. I do appreciate the menu items that they offered that were Veg friendly but they didn't have soy cheese, tofu, or other protein replacements available? Don't get me wrong, I know that not all dining establishments offer these options but it I was a little surprised that a place that specializes in healthy and veg options didn't? I chose the Spiced Sweet Potatoes, Cuban Black Beans, and the Martinique Callaloo for my lunch and I have to agree with fellow Yelper Lee K that everything tasted as if it came from a can. The prices are fantastic and the service is quick so maybe I am unfairly comparing Calypso Cafe to finer dining establishments instead of a fast-food joint? I will try another location to see if the quality is better before I totally blacklist this place. Update to come! The upside is that most menu items are $7 or less but you get what you paid for. read more

If it wasn't for this joint, I'd starve. I usually stick to the vegetarian options here, but my dad always gets the pulled pork sandwich. The black bean salad is my go to item-it's a gut buster. I love the mustard green and bean n' corn salad sides... the coconut sweet potatoes are good too! read more

Vegetarian local chain in Nashville serving up yummy Caribbean inspired dishes. I have mad respect for vegetarians because I think it is so much better for our bodies and our planet to eat this way. I am proud of Nashville for having such a chain. Though the dishes are geared vegetarian you can order meat. The day I went their soup of the day was a hearty type of 3 bean that was outstanding. This place is affordable, healthy, and has a nice menu. It is worth checking out. read more

I drink water, all day long, and it's usually the only liquid I order when I eat meals out. However, on this occasion I ordered Calypo's hot spiced tea and HOLY HELL was it awesome. A little fruity, a little cinnamon-y. Gosh, PERFECT for a colder day. The variety of comforting, nutritious "caribbean" food on the menu is so enticing. I had the BBQ chicken with a bunch o' sides, including the sweet potatoes topped with coconut and the coleslaw. Hate to say that the coleslaw was a big disappointment. However, the only disappointment of any of my Calypso visits. I loved completing my meal with one of the Calypso Bars - shortbread bar cookie topped with coconut, almonds, more yummy stuff. And SO affordable. Ja mon! read more

It seems the reviews for this particular location are pretty mixed. Personally, I've never had an issue with this place. This one is right down the street from my apartment and a favorite of mine and my boyfriend. We just actually ate there yesterday. I love the muffins with the toasted coconut, the Calypso bars and the Black Bean Chicken Salad. Off the charts delicious. And that barbecue sauce... ugh don't get me started on how good that is. However, I can see their blemishes too. If it's busy the tables are usually on the very light side of dirty, the soups don't stick around long enough and the options for vegans are pretty limited. All in all though, I think Calypso Cafe is a delicious and unique little find. read more

Calypso specializes in vegetarian/healthy food, but of course I usually opt for the least of these. The black bean + chicken nachos are spectacular! I would trade some prized possessions to get the recipe to that barbecue-y salsa-ish sauce. Parking around lunch is terrible, so get there early. Parking at the Elliston location is awful, too. Annoying. The service is usually pretty fast during their busy times, but that's about all that can be said for it - not outstanding, but they can get you in & out on your lunch hour for sure. The atmosphere is... different... very casual, to put it nicely. All negative aspects considered, for the price and quality of the food, you can't beat it. read more

EVERYTHING IS AMAZING. service is always fantastic . Lucayan salad and nachos are my favorite read more

Calypso Cafe - Nachos with chicken and Cuban Black Beans* - Caribbean Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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I've only been to Calypso Cafe one time, so I cannot judge their full menu. I was told by friends that I absolutely had to try the nachos appetizer so I took the advice and tried them. FABULOUS. Also, I got so much food that I had enough for dinner later that evening. I only paid 8 dollars for my meal so I was more than pleased with the portion size. The spice tea is also amazing. Overall I enjoyed my lunch here. I didn't have to wait for a seat, service was pleasant, and I got a yummy lunch for under $10. read more

Service is quick. food is delicious. prices are good. portions are terrific. I have tried several different locations but this one seems to be my favorite. read more

This place seems to have a cool premise, but the one time I visited, my waitress seemed annoyed and very disinterested in serving us, which really soured an already underwhelming experience. I got the quarter jerk chicken with rice and beans. The chicken was good but the jerk sauce was served cold in a cup on the side which I thought was weird because wouldn't you want to cook the chicken in the jerk marinade? Pouring the sauce over the chicken was a bad idea because it made my chicken go cold. My rice and beans were flavorless and not worth talking about. Overall disappointing but maybe different food on a different day with a different waitress would improve my take on this place. read more

Not bad for a quick lunch on a Saturday afternoon right before a Saturday Matinee. Had the lite Tuna Salad. Decent. Fresh greens and veggies. Lots of interesting things on the Menu. Since it was my first time and I was in a bit of a hurry I just played it safe. But I would like to come back and try some other stuff. The poor waitress was doing the best she could. Obviously they were understaffed. Give it a try. read more

Went here for the first time today... The only time I have had their food is a coworkers leftovers, which I love... So I went in today, expecting to be very pleased, yet I walk in to find the staff very impolite, and the manager/cash register woman was VERY RUDE! I ordered the black bean salad, bean dip, and carrot cake. 1-the carrot cake is the bomb, thats the only reason they got 2 stars from me... 2-the barbecue sauce was ALRIGHT. Not great. 3-the salad was okay, MINUS THE BUG I FOUND IN IT!!! Paid $18 for my meal, and all I ate was carrot cake... Called immediately about the bug in my salad, they said I could come get my money back. The manager being so rude made it to where they will not get any more of my business, which is disappointing since I work right down the road. read more

I'm not a fan. I ate at this place not realizing that it was a place I already tried near Vandy. I had a salad and I don't recall which one. I just remembered that it was a salad with chicken and almonds. Whatever carribean tea that was that they created was yucky! Again, not a fan! read more

I went to Calypso Cafe for lunch today with a group of 6 people. They were quick to accommodate seating for us, which I really appreciated. Our server was really friendly and efficient, and was happy to do separate checks for all, which I know can be a pain! I ordered the Black Bean Nachos and my mind was BLOWN. SOOOOOOOO good!! I opted for the white chicken, but man that bbq sauce that it comes with, as well as the cheese and the black beans, onions, and tomatoes...wow! Two others at our table also ordered the nachos, and everyone was just raving about them. I fully enjoyed the fruit tea, and actually brought a cup back to a friend at work who was in town and hadn't tasted this amazing fruit tea before, either. This location can be really tight for parking, but if you go to lunch a bit later, you won't have an issue getting a table or a parking spot. Calypso has always been consistently good, and I'm so glad to have one near work (this one) and near my home in East Nashville, too! read more

I don't know what all the hype was. Ordere the bbq chicken platter with some rice and salad. The bbq sauce tasted of rancid tomatoes and the jerk sauce was mild and bitter. Even asked for some of the curry sauce. It was bland and way to sweet. The rice looked like it was from a bag. AWFUL! . The only positive portion of this meal was the cucumber dill dressing. That stuff was GREAT! Of all the places in Berry Hill. Go somewhere else! ANYWHERE ELSE! read more

Caribbean-style food in Nashville? Yum! There are two ways to look at this place - comparing it to a fine dining establishment versus comparing it to a fast food joint. The food is amazing when you do the latter - they specialize in jerk chicken, but the vegetarian options include black beans, Caribbean-style rice, collard greens, cole slaw, salads, veggie-sandwich, corn and chickpea and kidney bean medley, and cornbread (aka "Boija muffins"). Now, is all the food fresh? Probably not, but neither is everything at Baja Fresh or Panera or most restaurants these days, and the options here are a refreshing change from a sandwich or burrito. Their veggie-melt sandwich is good but nothing special (just raw veggies & cheese on a bun), so I would go for the platter where you get 4 sides, one of which (per the restaurant) must be the black beans. If you are comparing the food to a fancy tablecloth and candlelit restaurant, then you will be disappointed, but the bill here can be less than $7 a person! I've tried the food at the Vanderbilt/Elliston Place location as well; it's the same menu so just go to wherever is closer. The atmosphere at both places is similar (cheap plastic chairs and table), and definitely not nice enough for a formal meeting or special date, but I could see a successful first or casual date or friend gathering here. The to-go service is also very fast because a lot of the food is already prepared. Regardless of the atmosphere, their cornbread muffins can hold their own compared to at any restaurant! Overall, I will come back here, for good food at a good price. read more

My wife LOVES this place and is a vegan, but I dread it. I can't slam it, because it's not their fault I'm a meat and potatoes kind of guy. I truly have never found anything on the menu I like, and this is not the first time I've had to endure a vegan's dream. They are not that into folks like me, and that's OK! And like some before me have said, the chicken seems strange. Kind of like that chicken you get at Kroger in the box. Sweaty, bland, just plain ole chicken. Point being, if you are a vegan, you will probably love it! Rock on vegans and different chicken eaters!!! read more

Parking lot was very full, and it was very crowded inside. I was hoping that the food would be good judging from the signs of popularity of the place. However, my wife and I had a very ambivalent first dining experience here. To start with, the place lacked certain ambience, but perhaps that's the whole point of this venue to recreate some authentic experience if this place were in Bahamas!?. Plastic garden chairs, cheap tables, unremarkable décor, I can't remember what kind of music was playing, etc. Our server was very attentive, friendly and pleasant! That probably was the best part of our experience. Food...my wife's grilled chicken on her Lucayan Salad was very plain and lacked flavor. My quarter chicken was done well, but it also lacked flavor. I ended up using some salt and pepper to make it tastier. Jerk sauce was good, but I didn't want to judge the food by the very spicy sauce. I read about their great black beans, but I think some chain restaurant serve even better. Muffins were very dry, and I could not even take a bite before it crumbled on to the plate. Price was very reasonable, but I kept thinking "you get what you pay for" throughout the time we were eating. Oh well. read more

One of my favorite lunch spots! I typically get carry out but they always seem to be very busy during lunch hours. Carry out usually runs 10-15 minutes until its ready. I typically always get the lucayan salad, which has fresh chicken, almonds, mandarin oranges and served with an amazing vinaigrette dressing. The salad is a very big portion and also comes with two corn muffins. My only compliant is that I wished they cut up the chicken, they give you two large chicken breasts. Otherwise this is a great healthy lunch option! read more

I really don't like this place. My colleagues do, but I just can't get into it. I gave it two tries, but I won't be back. The chicken always seems dry and the rice isn't that warm. I do like the boija muffins, though again, not warm enough. I went for the pita wedges, which was a mistake. If there's nothing to dip them in, they're just bland. The service just OK. The tables seem like they should be outside (though there's no outdoor seating). There's a line to pay the bill, which I hate. read more

Always consistent... interesting servers and FLAVORFUL food. My go to is always the black bean salad, with extra barbecue sauce for dressing. And I finish it off with an amazing lemon bar... or rwo! Yummmmm! read more

The rotisserie chicken is juicy and tender and the honey lime dressing is addictive. Seriously addictive and it makes the chicken sandwich. The Lucayan salad with chicken, mandarin oranges and sliced almonds served with 2 sweet corn/coconut muffins is another favorite. Calypso has many options for vegetarians and vegans, with their meat-free black beans + three sides, as well as the extremely popular black bean salad (think meatless taco salad) and veggie salads and sandwiches. Gluten-intolerant diners and those watching calories also can find many choices to fit their diets, especially if they go to the calypsocafe.com site to see the recommendations. When you realize how reasonable the prices are, the food tastes just that much better. read more

We came here a few months back while house hunting in Nashville. I used my trusty yelp app to try and find a place that had good reviews and a unique menu. I've only been once but I don't get all the hype about this place. They are PACKED during lunch time which is about the time we went. Customer service was only so-so. They weren't rude, but they acted a little snobbish at the counter. Our server wasn't terrible, but he wasn't the greatest we've had either. We had to ask for several things and it seemed like he was giving a lot more attention to a couple bigger parties than our party of 2. I get it, there's more people to look after and possibly a bigger tip, but we felt a bit ignored and left to fend for ourselves. When the food came out it was just mediocre. I had a BBQ sandwich and it was a bit dryer than I'm used to. My husband wasn't really impressed with his food either. Log story short, mediocre food and staff. It wasn't bad, but I won't be seeking this place out anytime soon either. read more

Their vegetarian burger was so good! The staff was so attentive and apologetic when when only had to wait a couple minutes for service after sitting down. It might look sketchy out front. But it's the BEST read more

I've been coming here for years for the food, which has consistently been good. Their attitude has always left a lot to be desired. From the moment they seat you till you check out, they ignore, then hurry you. They never smile, say thank you, you're welcome, or anything that could be construed as welcoming. Today was my last at this location however as I stood, for 35 minutes, while tables were vacant and uncleaned. And soon after my food finally did arrive, I was rushed out. The food didn't sit with me well either, it wasn't very fresh, and the pulled chicken wasn't great. Not what I'm used to for my go-to dish here. I'll continue to patron the other locations, but it's not worth going back to this 100 Oaks location. Too bad as it's the closest to me, and the one I go to most often. read more

Calypso Cafe is delicious! It was recommended to me through a friend and it did not disappoint. We came around 3 pm on a Thursday; there was only one other person eating. We ordered from a very friendly waiter who checked on us many times throughout the meal. We both got the BBQ pulled white chicken sandwich which was great but the highlight was definitely the sweet potatoes with coconut on top! Also highly recommend their fruit tea...it's better than Arnold Palmer. Highly recommend. read more

I frequent Calypso all around town and know the folks well - GREAT FOOD. Despite all that, today we wanted to sit outside and was required to make our order take-out at the counter, deal with attitude, paid a hansom tip on a $51+ ticket and when I asked if they could bring the food outside (may 30 feet) the answer was "Nope." That was a missed opportunity for them. Live & learn. read more

We started going to calypso back when it first opened and man, it was good. Sorry to see what's happened after all these years. While the callaloo is still great, and the bean and corn salad is great, my jerk curry chicken was practically non existent. I made the mistake of ordering a 1/4 dark meat, and it was a tiny drumstick with a shred of thigh attached. My wife's chicken sandwich was so dry she couldn't eat it. The most disappointing thing was when I went to pay the fellow at the register asked if everything was ok and I said no, that was the end our conversation, he obviously didn't care what was wrong. Will we go back? Why, in a town with as many good options that Nashville has now. read more

Lucayan Salad. There are times when I crave it and can eat it every day of the week. It's such an addiction! Now, don't let "salad" fool you into thinking it's really healthy. Yes, it has fresh greens and chicken, but the chicken has to be marinated in something ultra bad for you because it's so freakin' good. It's definitely a Caribbean flavor, whatever it is. On top of the chicken and lettuce are almonds, Mandarin oranges (there's your sugar!) and the best dressing this side of the Mississippi. Here's a tip--dressing comes on the side, so request an extra! You'll want it. Again, I'm pretty positive it is full of fat because I could drink it by itself it's so good. Pretty much makes the salad! I can't say I've had much else to eat here, except for the black bean nachos. They are so tasty too! Huge portion--make sure you have someone to share them with! Everything on the menu looks amazing, but I'm such a slave to the Lucayan that I can't bring myself to order anything else. Let me know if you do! read more

This is often my choice for Wednesday night dinner with friends - it's so reasonable, the service is good, and I haven't had anything bad here yet. My four year old LOVES the cheese pita with fruit salad and black beans - am awesomely healthy kids meal option for only about a buck more than a happy meal. He ate the whole damn pita the last time which blew my mind! My only complaint is that there is no changing table in the bathroom! Not even a serviceable countertop or other surface! I brought Harry here as an infant and had to balance him on the toilet to get him changed. When I was there last Wednesday, my friend had to take her six month old, Ouida, out to the car to change her. Not cool, Calypso! read more

When I worked in Cool Springs we used to go to the Calypso Cafe out there pretty often, although we called it the Hippie Chicken. The 100 Oaks Calypso is pretty much the same deal, as is the one over by Centenial Park. I still get a quarter white, sweet potatos and a side salad with tea, and it is alway good. 4th star withheld for no good reason, other than this location doesn't have great atmosphere like the other two I've been to. read more