OMG!!! I finally found a real Trini restaurant in New Jersey! The food tastes just like…read morehome--every bite was full of authentic Trinidad flavor. The customer service was warm, friendly, and exceptional, and the place was spotless. If you've been searching for genuine Trini food, this is the place! I'm already looking forward to my next visit. 10/10--highly recommended!Right here in Newark nj all this time mins away you guys don't understand how much money I wasted these different restaurants thank you Brennon and Erica

Food is amazing, service is friendly and ambiance is island like…read more Cow-foot soup is recommended

Top taste makes a solid and delicious Caribbean style breakfast. My go to from here is the…read moresalt-fish w. Calaloo (Spinach) and provisions (root vegetables)! Very good and always fresh! I always get an order of festivals on the side! Their festivals are a hit!! Love it!!

I placed an order through Uber Eats, and after the restaurant ACCEPTED my order, they called to…read moreinform me that the item I ordered was unavailable. Not only did they fail to offer any suitable alternatives, but they also insisted that I cancel the order myself. Unaware that this would result in a cancellation fee, I followed their instructions--only to find out I was still charged. When I contacted Uber Eats, they reached out to the restaurant, which then denied ever asking me to cancel. This establishment scammed me out of my money, and I will never order from them again. I will also be sharing my experience on every review platform to warn others. Avoid this place at all costs.

I am impressed with this little spot in Irvington! I saw 5 stars but 2 reviews and just had to try…read moreas I am always on the hunt for great jerk :) I ordered a jerk chicken, veggies (cabbage, peas, carrot, corn and green bean mix), hardo bread and plantain. The Jerk chicken was really good but not phenomenal. It was well seasoned but missing the char from an actual jerk grill. The sauce was sweeter then most sweet jerk sauces in NJ and closer to the NY version of sweet jerk sauce. Which I personally don't mind. The veggies were good not too soggy or limp which is usually an issue that occurs in a jamaican spot. These veggies were very flavorful, they added curry which was simple but delicious addition to boost flavor. I really appreciated the thought. Plantains were slamming and hardo bread was fresh. Hubby ordered curry goat and said it was good. Not sure if good was just good or great good because he devoured it so quickly, I didn't get to taste it. I will definitely be back in for more jerk and those curry veggies. Service was nice too. Friendly people.

I found this spot by surfing Yelp, and was I amazed at the find. Ballos has excellent well smoked…read morejerk. I had both pork and chicken well seasoned and just enough heat. When I'm back in the area I will be back to eat again. Just finished eating... Nap time! Be careful parking off the main street is recommended.

Oxtails are the bomb . First had them off the truck in a park last summer & just so happen to live…read morein the area of the restaurant. Service is amazing they're so nice and welcoming !

A 24-hour Jamaican spot? Yes, please! After an exhausting…read moreday of adulting, we ended up here around 2:38 a.m. and I'm so glad we did. This place was exactly what you hope for when you're looking for amazing food at an unexpected hour. The food was absolutely delicious: fresh, flavorful, and cooked with so much love. We had the oxtail, jerk chicken, peas and rice, and cabbage. Unfortunately, they were out of macaroni and cheese, but everything else was so good that it didn't even matter. The prices are fair for the portions and the convenience of having a 24-hour Jamaican spot available when you need it. That alone is a huge plus. The staff were friendly and welcoming and took our order with a smile!! The area is a little rough around the edges, but we felt fine grabbing our food and heading out. They offer takeout, which makes it even more convenient. I'll definitely be returning again and again. Great food, great flavors, and a true gem when you need a delicious meal at any hour.

Solid food on the plates, great tunes on the speakers, super sweet staff behind the counter. Great…read moreneighborhood spot to eat some AMAZING Jamaican food. Highly Recommend

From the owner: MacKariba Kitchen is an authentic Jamaican take-out restaurant located in Irvington, NJ. Known for…read moretheir flavorful braised oxtails and mouthwatering jerk chicken, this local gem offers a taste of the Caribbean right in your own neighborhood. Whether you're craving a hearty meal or looking to spice up your lunch routine, MacKariba Kitchen is the go-to spot for delicious Jamaican cuisine.

Another small, hole in the wall place that you can easily miss if you blink, but don't blink, make…read moresure you get in there and at the very least grab a patty or two for lunch, beef, chicken, oxtail, pulled pork, just to start. That was enough to hook me the smells when you walk in could hold you there all day. Next up will be a nice platter so I can properly taste everything. Get there!!!!!

Overall the food was delicious. Ordered the oxtails and the curry goat to go. Both dishes were…read moredelicious and served hot, even made it all the way home to enjoy. My only complaint was the plantains, they were overdone. Despite this I would still come back.

The joy I'm feeling as I type this review is indescribable. FINALLY, I have found a PROPER Jamaican…read morerestaurant with PROPER JERK food and for a reasonable price. The chef is in the back GRILLINGGGGG that meat- oxtail, chicken, goat meat, beef ribs. Meat, that I as a Jamaican, never imagined could be jerked, they jerk and it's delicious. The flavors and the tender meat- just wow. This is literally a gem in for the state of NJ for sure. I'm telling ya'll, I have been to MANYYYYY restaurants and the jerk is always baked. People are out here eating baked chicken, calling it jerk and NO THANKS. I'm so grateful to R'SZN Jerk Center. If you want real, authentic, Jamaican jerk, this is the place to go. I promise you won't be disappointed. I wish I had pictures to attach but, it's gone, finished, and eaten lol

I unfortunately had to change my high opinion of this establishment…read more Disgusting service via phone when I called to find out why my order kept getting pushed back. Waited over an hour for my order..when I called, the manager who is apparently at a totally different location, told me they were out of jerk chicken and that I needed to cancel the order. I explained to her if I canceled the order I'm going to be charged. I also explained to her that as a merchant, she has the option of letting me know VIA THE APP that they're out of the item AND then cancelling the order..She stated that she can do neither, which is a blatant lie..!!!! I ended up having to cancel the order and now I have to dispute the charge with my bank since getting a refund from Ubereats is NOT an option if customers cancel the order. If you don't want to be charged for food that you may not get, I suggest you DONT order from here!!

I love, love, love, this restaurant its truly delicious. The staff is amazing and the entrees taste…read morelike someone's grandma is in the back cooking. I have tried many items on the menu and they are all tasty. I wish i lived closer i would eat here more often.

Don't let the ambiance fool you…read more Macaroni Au Gratin is bland with consistency of imitation cheese whiz? I can't put my finger on it but it didn't have a flavor of ANY blend of natural cheeses. I'd know, I'm a cheese connoisseur! Perhaps they use imitation cheese. Simply put, their macaroni au gratin is inauthentic as in no veggies (onions, bell peppers) nor ham or ground beef used either. At least the Diri Djon Djon and Lalo was decent. I've had better Salad Russe. It was either missing onions or salt. The condiment cup of Pikliz is shorter and smaller than the usual 1.5 oz. Most restaurants provide sizes 2 oz and larger and that's how I was able to tell the difference. I never even knew those solo dipping cups came any smaller! Probably so you can ask for more so they can charge extra. Not only do they make sure to cut corners on the Pikliz. Which wasn't even enough to mask their thick, brown, over-fried, DRY and STALE bannann peze that has been sitting out. After they cut the plantains they don't soak in salted water. Bannann peze SHOULD NOT be so thick, should be made-to-order and served hot, fresh, golden and crispy. Just look at their photos and see for yourselves compared to other bannann peze / tostones you've eaten / seen. Then to ask if I need utensils for a to-go order? No ma'am, I'll be using my fingers and eating out of my hands today, thanks for asking. Don't ask, just automatically include utensils in the bag for the astronomic amount you charge for your food. Chain restaurants or even mom & pops all simply include utensils and napkins when preparing to-go orders. Only time to get away with that is when delivering. At which most times customer may decline since they're home / work and may already have those items. Price point - garbage for side of macaroni au gratin I'll let you all be surprised for yourselves on the rest on menu. * If anyone gave this restaurant 5 stars... they're obviously not Haitian and/or their tastebuds are shot.