Sometimes a hole in the wall is exactly what you want, and Caribbean Taste is that. Every meal is prepared as though you're going to leave, but everyone is welcome to stay. My permanent date, who has been to Jamaica and pronounced her jerk chicken absolutely authentic. I, who hasn't been to Jamaica, was delighted with the oxtails. As I was working with a plastic fork, there was a bit of using my fingers to pick the meat off the bones, which was completely worth it. She had to caution me to pause, as the quantity of rice and beans is more than any single person should eat in one sitting. Survey. Helpful hint: get a small if you don't want leftovers, but the large will make for a nice lunch the next day. Also, this place gets five stars despite not having sodas on tap. The joint is too small for that amenity, but they do have some Jamaican sodas in a fridge which looked delightful. read more

Stop by because I was craving some traditional Jamaican breakfast. I have been here once or twice and this has been my favorite dish thus far. I ordered the Ackee and salt fish with dumplings. This hit the spot for sure read more

Caribbean Taste - Ackee and sailfish with dumplings and plantains - Caribbean Near Me - San Diego, California

My original post was 8 yrs ago so I've been coming here for a long time. I always get the same thing!! ALWAYSSS!! & it is ALWAYSSS consistently good. You know when you have a hyper fixation on a meal and you keep eating it until you hate it, well it's been 8 yrs and still til this day I love it. It's hard finding a place where your favorite dish taste the exact same every time. Most places change the recipe or cut corners but here you get quality. Back to my O.G order: Large Oxtail Plate w/no veggies and extra plantain with 2 beef patties and a Malt. It comes with rice of course and if you're lucky, ask for some extra gravy! 10/10 recommend read more

This restaurant has a nice community vibe. Business was steady, I ordered the brown stew, chicken with curry, goat, and rice and peas. I'm not really a fan of all the black pepper that they use in the curry goat nor the brown stew chicken. The curry goat was good but the brown stew chicken was a bit tough. The brown stew gravy is really good though, rice and peas was amazing. The customer service was okay. I would come back for rice and gravy read more

Caribbean Taste - Outside of restaurant - Caribbean Near Me - San Diego, California

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By far the best Jamaican food I've tried in San Diego! I went in when it was just the owner and the cook in there. I asked for the jerk chicken meal and a chicken patty. The small plate was still big enough to last me two days. It had the perfect amount of spice and flavor. The jerk chicken was the star of the entire meal. The chicken patty was filled with flavor, spice with a buttery/flakey crust holding it all together. This place will NOT disappoint! read more

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First time here since they expanded their eat-in space ... and the first time we ate here rather than take-away. The Large Jerk Chicken plate (5/5 $16.61) is still excellent. Service is very good. read more

Food was amazing!! Service was good and Ambience was adequate. Loved the oxtail. Delicious and a lot of food. read more

Caribbean Taste - Oxtail, rice and peas and plantain - Caribbean Near Me - San Diego, California

It was a decent size but the cabbage was very small it was a lot of rice with goat covering it on top. I would've still given it 4 stars if the goat wasn't so meatless and each piece was attached to bone. Otherwise it would have got 4/5 stars. read more

Immigrant food of all kinds is some of the tastiest, most satisfying food anywhere. Immigrants often walk the thin line between adjusting to their new environment while longing to the flavors from back home. Caribbean taste hits on many such points. The food seems to be taken directly from the Caribbean shores from which they came. With strong nods to African foods, the menu includes oxtail, curry goat and of course jerk chicken. My dish, oxtail with plantains, veggies (cabbage, corn, peas and green beans), rice 'n' beans was flavorful, with each component perfectly made. My request for "very soft" oxtail, was answered with "it's very soft" (and indeed it was fall of the bone, soft), and all ingredients came together to create a plate which would feel right at home on a sandy beach shack. I'll have to come back to try the jerk chicken and curry goat! The interior is in dire need of a make-up. Mismatched chairs and older tables hint at a clientele that doesn't sit and eat here often. The kitchen walls and the Covid era barriers all need a touch of paint, and would someone please fix the crooked gate leading to the kitchen? I would've loved to see the same dedication and pride and attention to detail that are obvious in the food, in the interior of the restaurant. Those details aside, if you want a REAL taste of the Caribbean, come here! read more

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Yesterday I had the pleasure of trying some amazing Caribbean/Jamaican food, and everything from the oxtail, goat, rice, plantains, curry chicken, and jerk chicken was absolutely delicious. The atmosphere was welcoming, and the ladies there felt so authentic and reminded me of my great grandparents, aunts, and uncles coming together to make a home-cooked meal full of love. The only downside is that I live so far away, or I'd be there all the time. Truly a 10/10 experience and I will definitely be coming back! read more

Caribbean Taste - Best place in San Diego for Jamaican food - Caribbean Near Me - San Diego, California

If you're looking for a locals only joint, this is the spot to go to. This spot has a simple menu that is perfect for anyone who wants Caribbean food. I am a huge fan of the oxtail here. It was cooked to perfection and was fall off the bone. Their rice here was very good. To my surprise, it was packed with a ton of flavor. This spot feels like a family ranch restaurant with great service. It was just one person working who probably was the owner. She was nice to us and packed our plates. read more

Caribbean Taste - Oxtail - Caribbean Near Me - San Diego, California

So I've driven past this spot several times and told myself I must pop in and I finally did. It's very unassuming, but the food is anything but. I got my food to go and was served very fast. I got the goat/oxtail combination plate and I was blown away when I opened my plate. The amount of food was impressive. The goat was tender and the sauce had the right amount of heat. The oxtails were tender as well and the sauce was thick and flavorful. The plantains were fried to the right consistency and were sweet. If looking for Caribbean food this is definitely a spot to try. read more

Caribbean Taste - Caribbean Near Me - San Diego, California

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This place is a must, and the definition of an authentic hole in the wall. Simple menu with some BOMB ass food. I was craving oxtail and found this place, and was not disappointed at all. My plate was delicious, hot and made quickly. Pricing is also not bad considering its location. I will be coming back even with the shitty as San Diego roads I have to drive to get here. read more

Caribbean Taste - Oxtail small - Caribbean Near Me - San Diego, California

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Best oxtail in San Diego by far. It's the closest to my mom's recipe I can find. Oxtail is recommended and ask for hot sauce. read more

Caribbean Taste - Oxtail - Caribbean Near Me - San Diego, California

Loved it. You can smell the smoker working and the flavors are fantastic. And generous portions for a fair price. Easy going and friendly staff. read more

The food was really delicious. I ordered the veggie plate and a veggie patty. The portions are generous and everything is flavorful. The prices are reasonable and the service is good. The ambiance is casual. I would definitely recommend this place and I will also be back myself. read more

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Love the oxtail plate and chicken patty. We get the same thing every time with extra sauce and we're satisfied every time read more

Caribbean Taste - Caribbean Near Me - San Diego, California

I ordered the curry chicken. The portions are big but I wish they added more veggies. The food had a lot of flavor and chicken was really tender. read more

Caribbean Taste - Curry chicken - Caribbean Near Me - San Diego, California

Flavorful, tender, excellent portions. So far I have had the curry chicken and goat and jerk chicken. All have been delicious. The plantains are fantastic too! read more

The chicken was really good but the oxtails weren't all oxtails. They were mixed with some other beef. It was tender and tasty. The cabbage was terrible and the plantains were hard and unripe. Customer service was wonderful and the place was clean. Don't play with my oxtails. Be truthful... read more

The food was so delicious & very flavorful!! Price for food is reasonable and costumer service was good. Called for takeout and took 10-15 mins for the food to be ready for pick up, highly recommend! read more

First time trying it and it is so good. Curry goat and oxtail!!! I'll be back for sure. It around the corner from church so sundays watch out!!! read more

Being an East Coast transplant in San Diego, I grew up on Jamaican beef patties, and they're not easy to find out here. Both the spicy beef and chicken patties were legit--definitely hit the spot when I was craving a taste of back home. Don't come expecting ambiance or overly polite service--it's got that classic bodega vibe, which I respect. Just grab the patties--you won't be disappointed. read more

Caribbean Taste - Spicy Beef and Chicken patties - Caribbean Near Me - San Diego, California

Amazing food and service. Big portions. I've been back multiple times since . They never disappoint read more

Caribbean Taste - Oxtail - Caribbean Near Me - San Diego, California

I ordered a large oxtail a side of jerk chicken and 2 beef pie everything for almost 44 bucks. Thought it was expensive until I open the box. Food fill up to the top 5-6 pieces of oxtail full of meat, big pieces of chicken thigh. Everything was great even the cabbage was great ( I don't like to eat vegetables). I had 3 full meal. Owner was an older man and very friendly. Please come and support your local restaurants. read more

Jerk chicken thigh meat was unfortunately dry. Now very spicy considering it's jerk seasoning.

Food Is good but the service sucks. They take forever to respond when you ask a question. I put a order in on the phone and they said okay it will be ready in 30 minutes and I came to pick up the food it was not ready I had to wait another 30 minutes for my food that I placed ahead of time. They don't really have great customer service. read more

I give it a 3.5 but rounded up because you can't give half a star. I ordered 3 jerk chicken plates and 2 beef patties. The chicken was hot, fresh but a little dry, the rice and beans weren't as fresh, the plantains were not sweet and kinda dry. You get a good portion for the price but I've had better. I will try a few more places before I decide to come back or not. read more

The flavors were absolutely excellent. We were also pleasantly surprised with the portions which were considerately more than other restaurants. This is our new favorite! read more

The Food is BOMB and service was on point. I ordered ahead for a meal to-go for my Jamaican husband. Unfortunately the call dropped like twice but I still got my order in!! I got a whole bunch of patty, Beef Patty and Chicken Patties which were all nice and hot. Then I ordered a plate of Oxtail Plate w/veggies (no rice) and Brown Stew Fish w/veggies (no rice). Everything was so delicious, HOT and flavorful!! I'm so glad I picked up from Caribbean Taste and Peter helped me out on Sunday afternoon. read more

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Visited Caribbean Taste today for the first time and I can say for certain, we will definitely be back!! I ordered the oxtail (small) and my spouse ordered goat curry (small). Both plates came with rice and beans and fried plantain, and a fresh side salad (I can't recall the name), all were delicious. The goat curry and oxtail were absolutely delectable! Highly recommend Caribbean Taste! Beyond exceptional food and service, they share ample parking with other store fronts, also their chairs are super comfortable. read more

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I can't wait to go back! It's so delicious. I don't understand why some people say it's expensive, they have absolutely fair prices for the amount of food they give you and how delicious it is. The portions are big, you can choose small or large. It's a low key place, nothing fancy just a place where you can enjoy a good meal with an explosion of flavors. read more

Caribbean Taste - BB Chicken small size - Caribbean Near Me - San Diego, California

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the service was fast which i loved! we were greeted and ordered the large oxtail plate that comes with rice and peas and steamed vegetables! the portion of oxtails were large and nice sizes! the oxtails could of been more tender! i think they could of cooked for another hour or two to be more tender! but the flavor was good! it's a hole in the wall restaurant so the inside resembles that! i would again and try different things on the menu! read more

Caribbean Taste - oxtails - Caribbean Near Me - San Diego, California

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I finally tried my neighborhood spot for jerk chicken and a patty. They only had a chicken patty and I was pleasantly surprised how much flavor it had with a terrific flaky crust. My large jerk chicken fed 2 people and I enjoyed the heat level/medium spicy- the chopped pieces weren't super meaty which made me wishing for more. All the sides were bomb- veggies, plantains and rice n peas. Everything was cooked well and full of flavor. Service was quick and polite. read more

Caribbean Taste - Large jerk chicken plate - Caribbean Near Me - San Diego, California

I can't speak on the ambiance/service because my friend picked us up an oxtail plate. But wow so tender, amazing flavor, and great portion size. read more

The food here was very good! Jerk chicken was very flavorful and there was a very generous amount of food per plate. I will definitely be returning! read more

Caribbean Taste - Caribbean Near Me - San Diego, California

Decided to switch up my normal large oxtail order for a combo plate to try something new. Much to my surprise I open up my plate to find no oxtail and just chicken. Extremely disappointing.... If this place wasn't so far from when I live I would have went back. That coupled with the fact that they close soon.. it's just not worth it. The chicken is decent but the oxtail was my main reason for going. The rice is dry and lacks flavor without the gravy on top. This experience and just confirmed I will be opting for a different jams in spot moving forward. read more

Caribbean Taste - Oxtail and chicken "combo" plate. - Caribbean Near Me - San Diego, California

This is the best Caribbean please I have tried in San Diego. I got the jerk chicken and my husband got the goat curry. Husbands from the Uk so he has been complaining how all the other Caribbean places we have tried have been "trash." The jerk chicken had the perfect amount of spice and the goat curry was delicious. The rice was really good and the greens were okay. Each plate came with greens, rice, and plantains. The plantains were yummy. Portions are huge so you could probably share a plate with someone. The only issue with this place is that it's kind of warm in there and it was cash only. read more

Caribbean Taste - Jerk Chicken - Caribbean Near Me - San Diego, California

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Is just that Caribbean taste you can't forget from back home brought here to San Diego

This place had the best ox tails I've had in a long time. I've been on the hunt for a good Jamaican ox tail plate here in SD and this place has it. Their beef patties are also incredible. I've been to 3 other Jamaican restaurants and they all sucked. This place was so good. I've also read reviews about the bad service. I didn't have a problem at all. They were cool. read more