I just had lunch at Janet & Rays, the food and staff were amazing, best fried chicken I've had since moving here from the southeast 20 years ago. The coleslaw and Mac n cheese were also delicious, the rice and peas were amazing as well. I will definitely be back!!! read more

The food at J&R's was amazing!! The fried lobster tail, yams, greens, fried fish and waffles were amazing!!!!!! read more

Janet & Ray's - Fried lobster tail - Caribbean Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Let's check out some Caribbean in the desert. The food was amazing but the service could use some work. I suggest order to go and save yourself the trouble. Their A/C was broke when I went so they had portable units onsite. Which leaked water and no one cleaned up so it was a hazards. It's a nice large location with plenty of parking and it was pretty empty to my surprise. We almost left to eat somewhere else as our waitress left to the parking to have a conversation before taking our order and no one tended to us for 20 minutes. It was very confusing. I ordered the fried chicken based in their recommended, yams and greens. The greens were a little salty and bitter the yams and chicken were good. I wish i would have tried the jerk chicken pasta i saw someone order. My mom ordered the catfish with greens and yams and they brought her out the wrong sides. We advised them and it was quickly corrected. read more

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GREAT FOOD & Atmosphere! THEY REOPENED and everything from their fried chicken, catfish, collard greens, mac and cheese and patato salad are still AMAZING!! Great taste! We were so happy to find out that they reopened. Sunday brunches here we come! read more

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Bad service and food served cold, people waiting on carryout and the place was fairly empty, second time and the last time

I stopped in a bit after 6 on Saturday the 31st of may. Saw a sign that says they are closed for Easter. The plants inside are wilted, as I looked through the door. I am super sad. Easter was last month, and the yelp said the hours were open until 8pm. read more

We tried the sampler. 10 dollars and it was worth every penny. Jalapeño poppers are amazing 10/10 Onion rings & Mozzarella sticks were 9/10 We tried the jerk chicken (8/10), potato salad(9/10) and Mac and cheese (7.5), fried fish (8/10). The service was attentive and fast. We also tried the new pancake and it was very good. The area was clean and well maintained. The music wasn't too overbearing. I would definitely recommend. read more

Janet & Ray's - Hours changed - Caribbean Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Oh man, this place is awesome. I've read a fair amount of negative things like the hours are wrong and the menu isn't consistent. So I can understand driving to the local to find them closed when Google says they're open. So what made them awesome was their food. I had the Jerk chicken egg rolls and fried chicken. The fried chicken was excellent. The Jerk egg rolls had a great flavor and texture. Definitely check this place out. Great food, but not a well oiled machine. read more

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Wonderful wonderful. The bill got messed up but was corrected. Fried chicken is wonderful. Great taste and good cook! The rice was amazing. The flavor was delightful. Jerk chicken fantastic! Kale salad wonderful! Mac and cheese was ok. Wish they had beer or wine. Would top it off marvelously. I shall return. read more

Janet & Ray's - Fried chicken with rice and kale salad. - Caribbean Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Summary: well-seasoned food with spicy kick but overpriced Got the catfish entrée with sides of mac & cheese, and coleslaw. Everything was really delicious and seasoned very well. The catfish breading and mac & cheese both had a spicy kick to them. The coleslaw was vinegar based rather than mayonnaise based, which I love. The portion size was good for one person. My only complaint is the price - it was almost $23 for one catfish fillet and two sides. I think a more appropriate price for the meal would be maximum $17 total. read more

Janet & Ray's - Fried Catfish with Mac n Cheese and Coleslaw - nearly $23 - Caribbean Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Like them; always good food, went looking for greens; but they are seeming closed. Sadness read more

The best food hands down in Tucson. There is nothing like it and its definitely like a gem

Just like the other reviewers, it's been hard trying to get ahold of this place while it's open. I've failed twice over the last year, but after noticing their Instagram was active I tried one more time. Quality seems the same as when I went before. Their fried catfish is solid and so are their sides. I didn't see collard greens or corn bread on the menu, but I guess it's because the menu varies by the day? Main difference is the flow of the restaurant is confusing. You walk in and there's a chalkboard to your right that looks like would have a menu, but doesn't. You walk up to the counter which appears to a hot bar, but if you're dining in they have you sit at a table. Food is a little pricey, but quality seems to justify it. Looks like a lot of food but we were able to finish an app and two dishes between two people. Would come again on a different day to try a different menu. read more

Janet & Ray's - Catfish and jerk chicken plate - Caribbean Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Order the Jerk Chicken, Mac, and Potato Salad. The Jerk Chicken was sneaky--bold and flavorful on the first bite, followed by a nice heat kick. For the price, the serving size is generous. It's been years since I've had good Jerk Chicken, and Janet & Ray's definitely hits the mark. read more

Ordered online, and off the food alone...AMAZING got the jerk chicken plates with mac and potato salad. I've never eaten sides so quick and was so sad when they were gone. The Mac had so much flavor and the potato salad was some of the best I've ever had. Fun and unique all the way through. The chicken though...blackened grilled with that classic BBQ flavor while still remaining moist and flavorful all the way through. But the real belle of the ball was the jerk sauce. Explosion of flavor in every bite that's sweet, tangy, and just as you think you've got it all; hits you with a spicy final note that is the absolute perfect counterbalance. Props for the grape koolaid being sent in a mason jar -so fun! Can't wait to go in person. Wish I could Give more stars read more

Janet & Rays is a cute spot. The Catfish is DELICIOUS! Their mac n cheese is very cheesy and I like it. I must say, I'm not a fan of the potato salad(it's a little too peppery/spicy for my taste. It's not hot spicy it has too many spices). The Cabbage is good(when they have it). The cole slaw, I'll pass on that. When I want a good piece of catfish, I'll go to Janet & Rays. They have the best catfish in Tucson. I will say it is over priced in my opinion. 1 piece of catfish, a few fries and a half a serving of cole slaw for $13 plus tax. However, the fish is good. read more

Janet & Ray's - Caribbean Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Went here a week ago on a whim 30min after opening on a Sunday and my husband and I were the only ones there initially. Service was good and we were able to quickly order. I got blue Koolaid (it was a little tart still sweet but tart too!), then saw they have an array of yummy looking drinks from a mocktail menu, smoothie menu, and milkshake menu with lots of flavors. Definitely have to try one next time! My husband got the jerk chicken plate with a side of potato salad and macaroni and cheese. For some reason, the potato salad wasn't done and they were making it. He said he would wait but ultimately as we were eating the meal, they ended up swapping for cornbread instead. When his meal came out, it was a plentiful portion. But be careful because the spice is spicing on this one! It was the best jerk chicken I've had in a long time. I was debating on what I wanted to order, but with the servers help, I ended up picking the Rasta pasta with jerk chicken and was not disappointed! This also had a great portion which I loved and was everything the server described from the creaminess to the flavor. I got a side of greens, candied yams, and a cornbread. The cornbread was on the less sweet side and a little too crunchy for my husband liking, but I liked mine. my other two sides were delicious. The whole meal was great up until the end when the server went to a car outside I'm assuming for an order but remained out there for quite a while. Because she was the only server, this was an issue as there was another table who was waiting to order, and I was still waiting on a Mocktail I had ordered . I ended up going to the counter and canceling the mocktail since I was done with my meal. Again, everything prior to this was great and it did look like she was taking an order outside. The other 2 staff jumped in to help on the floor to help once I went to the counter and canceled my drink. I still enjoyed my time despite the inconvenience and felt it was handled well when it was addressed. I would go back and recommend this restaurant to others! read more

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Service is good. The fried catfish is a must try. The family really likes the fried chicken. It's not the cheapest place in town, but I can't think of another place where I can get fried catfish. Especially that good. The restaurant is wide open and casual. I would recommend trying it! read more

So I think it all depends on what you order or when you visit. I went during the week and picked up some fried chicken and it was amazing! Period. But I decided to go back on the weekend and picked up an oxtail plate to go. I was extremely disappointed. The cabbage was way too spicy and the oxtail was rubbery and dry with hardly any gravy! Granted I went 30 minutes before closing so maybe that had something to do with it? I don't know. I don't want to totally dismiss this place, as I still want to try the shrimp or catfish & grits, but just a heads up on what you may experience when visiting. read more

Support black-owned businesses . I have been here a couple of times, and it can be a hit and miss. When they were fairly new, I went with a friend, and the food was yummy and tasty. However, I went recently with another friend, and the food was a miss this time. I had the lobster Mac and cheese and it didn't have all the ingredients that were on the menu, so I was disappointed. Also, they didn't communicate on their Google page that they were close to fix some restaurant issue, so that was just communication error. However, the owner was nice enough to give us free cake, so the customer service was adequate. Other than that, the restaurant is simple and chic. read more

This Caribbean & Soul joint is new to Tucson! The interior is large with plenty of seating and service is wonderful. With music playing and an overall friendly atmosphere vibe, this place is worth a try. Come in, find a seat, and look at their handwritten chalk menu for what the specials are for the day. I ordered the Fried Catfish with Mac & Cheese and Cabbage (~$17.00). I was told ahead of time that it would take about 10 minutes for the catfish and I appreciated the notice! The catfish was seasoned with the perfect amount of salt and lightly battered with fish that was not overcooked! The sides were as equally tasty and flavorful! My SO ordered the Oxtail with Rice & Peas and Plantains (~$22.00)...let's just say he was close to licking the plate after devouring the food. That's how tasty everything was. The oxtail was deliciously seasoned (we wished it was a bit more tender though), rice & peas were a great combination to soak up the oxtail juices, and plantains were perfectly fried. Overall, the food was a little expensive but well worth it. We left with our palates absolutely satisfied. We will DEFINITELY be back to try their jerk chicken and chicken & waffles! read more

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Always in support of small local businesses and Janet and Ray's did NOT dissapoint. Pros: Food was delicious. Extremely flavorful! Daily menu still has great items available. Priced right! Con (not really): Friday through Sunday menu has items only available on those days. It makes sense for the type of food that is offered as there is no such thing as fast food with this cuisine. Ill definitely go back on the weekend. Service was acceptable as they were busy and two people were running the show. Music, art, and overall atmosphere perfect for lunch or dinner. Extremely kind people!! I sure hope they stick around as this place is a gem! read more

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I'll firstly state that the food here is absolutely delicious! Hands down the best fried chicken I've had in Tucson the past 2 years or so. I came with a group of friends last weekend and everyone's food was good. No complaints there! However, the service here is notably poor. Multiple times throughout our meal I felt neglected and/or judged by the staff for small things such as asking to place an order, ordering a regular waffle rather than one of the speciality waffles, my food took longer than everyone else's, etc. Lastly, I think the restaurant would benefit from opening a little earlier on the weekends to take full advantage of brunch hours such as 11a. I would definitely order here again but likely only to go. I also want to continue supporting a local black business. read more

Best Caribbean restaurant in AZ! They were attentive, kind, and went above and beyond from my brother and I during our lunch today. The restaurant is open and welcoming. The restrooms were clean as well. The fried chicken was seasoned perfectly and they gave us the whole wing. I loved my red velvet pancake and the coconut water is out of this world! I can't praise them enough! We'll be back! read more

Janet & Ray's - Fried Chicken - Caribbean Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

What's going on here? Came by about 12:30 pm today - Sunday - supposed to be open. But, locked up, no cars. What gives?? read more

Janet & Ray's - The check. Lunch for two includes the takeout order as well. - Caribbean Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Food was awful and overpriced. Lobster Mac n Cheese is not creamy but collagulated. I expected much better at this price point

Absolutely YES. My foodie buddy and I went to Janet & Ray's today for lunch after almost a year of talking about eating here. Their food is just absolutely YES. Among the most perfectly & deliciously flavorful food of any kind I've had. I seriously almost cried from the first few bites. We really wanted to sample many of their legendary dishes so we shared three of their $8.88 lunch specials with tons of leftovers to keep us fed for the weekend. We indulged in their catfish, fried chicken & jerk chicken with mac n' cheese, potato salad, coleslaw, peas n' rice, and fries as sides. Everything was phenomenal, like that classic "ohhhh!! NOW I understand!! That's how it should be...I didn't know it could be THAT delicious!!" And even extra extra awesome for the catfish and mac n' cheese. For real. I had no idea. You know when people say you can taste the love? Yeah, that was definitely the primary ingredient. And certainly everyone there was super wonderful and inviting. In a perfect world I would eat there daily...or really just move right in (maybe I can rent a back room?!) to home cooking heaven. read more

Heard through the grape vine that they have some of the best fried chicken in Tucson. Naturally, we had to give it a try. They definitely lived up to the hype! The chicken was hot, crispy, and cooked perfectly. I think it is some of the best I've had in Tucson. Not only was the food great but the service was top notch. Our server was very friendly, and the building was exceptionally clean. We talked to the cook and when he learned it was our first time in he gave us a sample of all the sides. They were also great! My favorites were the Mac n cheese and the kale salad. read more

Janet & Ray's - Fried chicken, Mac and cheese, rice and beans. - Caribbean Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

A friend and I decided to give this place a try since they were having a soft re-grand opening. I came once over a year ago and The menu is a little different than before. It's More of a "wings and things" type menu now. (they were out of beef patties, as well as jerk chicken eggrolls. Said that they were doing the soft opening, so everything on the menu was not available when we went) I had the tangy chicken wings and fries with a side of onion rings. My friend did the cat fish and fries. You could see them making it, so the food was hot and fresh. But the chicken was a little soggy, I would have liked my chicken to be crispier. A side of onion rings was six dollars and the onion rings were over cooked and they only gave me 5. The fries had some type of seasoning on them that I wasn't a big fan of. I think it may have been oregano? I wish they would've asked if I wanted seasoning on the fries or not. The flavor of the chicken was good. The coleslaw was good as well, it Was a little sweet. They serve Kool-Aid in a mason jar, which I thought was very cute. Unfortunately, it was very watery. It had enough sugar, but I think they used too much water when mixing it. The staff was friendly and greeted us. read more

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i had such high hopes for this place. The guy taking the order yelled across tha room asking me how i was gonna pa. The food was not good. The waffle was dry after waiting a long time to order and for the waffle. The owner walked around on the phon. Should have been helping with the food. And called me old. Dont go here. Waste of money. read more

I love Janet & Rays. The food is awesome. The whole place is a vibe. I was a bit skeptical at first. When they opened they had really mixed reviews. They've must've listened to the feedback. Because by the time I went. I did not experience any of the mishaps other people did. The staff was nice and attentive & again... the food was awesome! read more

Janet & Ray's - Sunday lunch - Caribbean Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Amazingly delicious. We got the catfish, jerk chicken, mac and cheese, fries and the potato salad. read more

Janet & Ray's - Catfish French fries - Caribbean Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Service was phenomenal and Tyrell makes the best banana pudding! 10/10 recommend to anyone!

I reaaaaally wanted to like this place, as I loved the food in the BVI, I've had excellent Puerto Rican and Caribbean food in the Bay Area, and I also love southern food, especially the sides and banana pudding. The restaurant is very large, modern, and clean, which is great. The service is decent. One critique is that the menu is a mess. Our server even confessed that the menu is "one giant typo." It's confusing as to what is available and what is not, in terms of sides, appetizers, and desserts. Apparently fries, sweet potato fries, and onion rings cannot be sides. Collard greens and banana pudding are only available on Sundays. Since I went on a Saturday, that was supremely disappointing. Second critique is that the food portions are kind of small for the prices, especially the "festivals" appetizer, which were 3 sticks of fried dough for $4. I'd just dined at Culinary Dropout and their entrees have much larger portions for similar prices to Janet & Ray's. I'd expect to have leftovers for a joint like this. The fried catfish was very good--flavorful and tender. The mac n cheese and kale salad were also pretty good, but I didn't really care for the Jamaican cabbage. Needed more...spice? My husband's portion also included a big chunk of a cabbage core. Regardless, I'll still return because I cannot resist banana pudding. And I would also like to try their curry goat. read more

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Loved it! So glad I was finally able to try this place out. It's a nice atmosphere, very clean, spacious and well-lit. My friend and I visited last Saturday. The staff was welcoming and helpful. We ordered goat and brown stew chicken. Portions are large enough to eat from twice. The chicken was juicy and flavorful. The cabbage was spectacular. And the potato salad was amazing. My friend didn't expect he could eat everything but he ate every single bite! Can't wait to visit on a Sunday to try their special menu. I liked the beverages they offered. Ting is similar to Sprite. It was yummy. We'll definitely be back! read more

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So- I drove by J & R and was intrigued. I am a big fan of Soul Food. So we made plans to go on a Sunday afternoon. They only opened about a month ago and had their Grand opening on Juneteenth. A few moments after we sat down, the owner (Janet's daughter) brought our small glasses of lemonade because she had just been given a new recipe- she was excited to see what we thought. This homey "a friend is just a stranger you haven't met" vibe continued throughout the meal. I had curry goat which was rich and marvelous and chock full of pieces of goat (not just little shreds and bones). The collards were TO DIE FOR! Tender and juicy and no hint of bitterness. My dish came with two little corn breads which were perfect for sopping up all the juice. I also had a side of Mac and cheese, but I didn't get much of it bc it was quickly consumed by the teenager. My other companion had jerk chicken- he also had the collards and then potato salad that was actually flavorful and not just Mayo potatoes. For dessert we had a slice of salted caramel cheesecake and a banana pudding. Both were amazing- and generously portioned. I washed my meal down with a Jamaican ginger beer with serious (& wonderful) bite! I came back 5 days later because I needed more collards (ok maybe need is a strong word, but I don't think so)- apparently collards are a weekend phenom so keep that in mind. Most days have a theme (thick thigh Thursday, fried fish Friday, Etc). The owner (beautiful human whose name I never caught) sat with me while I waited for my to-go order. She said the restaurant is named after her mother (Janet) and her father-in-law (Ray). She changes up the menu bc she doesn't like to cook the same thing all the time. I suggested she post the menu on her FB page so we can know what wonderment to expect. I'm planning my next visit already for a Saturday so I can have oxtails and collards. I.can't.wait. read more

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Lots of flavor, great atmosphere and service. The smells of this place are crazy good! Everything in here has the aroma of flavor. Our favorite by far is curry goat and mac-n-cheese. If that's all they sold I would be back again and again. We did get festival this visit and it was perfect compliment to the goat. We did have fried catfish and fried chicken as well. Everything was good and nothing is better than curry goat! Give it a go you, won't t be disappointed. read more

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Jamaican my taste buds water at the thought of another plate of that jerk chicken. It really had my whole body vibing in a love riddim. Sorry to be so Caucasian but if I may be Frank, or John or Dan this place is a must try! read more

Well, another Caribbean restaurant let me down! Why can't I find a stand-out Caribbean restaurant? Every place I tried tasted the same with the same results. I really had high hopes with this place having 4 1/2 stars. This was our Wedding Anniversary dinner. I should've went with my gut feeling when I noticed there were hardly any diners during dinner time on a Saturday. I ordered the oxtail, buttered beans, rice n peas, and Jamaican cabbage. My wife ordered the catfish with Mac n cheese, and rice n peas. The oxtail was very salty. I got what must've the end of the tail. The oxtail was so small and so few pieces. The oxtail was served over white rice and buttered beans. I mixed it with the rice n peas and it was still too salty. For $23 I expected more; not just in quantity, but quality also. My wife said her meal was just Ok. The catfish was thin. She couldn't taste that distinct catfish flavor. It curled up during frying because it was too thin. It could've been thicker like at Lo lo's in Phoenix and other excellent places we had catfish at. The Mac n cheese was meh. It needed something. More cheese, seasoning? Listen, we don't mind paying above the norm. Just give us our money's worth! read more

My first eating at Janet & Rays and it was ...I order then catfish w/ Mac n cheese & Onion Rings; my GF for the Jerk Chicken, Potato Salad, & fries. The catfish was flakey and cooked to perfection! The mac n cheese was creamy and the onion rings were big and crunchy. The Jerk was probably my favorite dish, though! Tender & juicy with a nice KICK! I certainly recommend you to go at least once a week if you're able. Really good food! read more

Janet & Ray's - Catfish, Mac n cheese, & onion rings. - Caribbean Near Me - Tucson, Arizona