Went here at lunch and was impressed with the ambiance, decor, speed, and gluten free options, as was the vegetarian I was dining with. Definitely think the inside is gorgeous vs the less curated outdoor dining. read more

Get the paella, seriously just do it. You won't regret it! The shrimp in it is so tender and everything in the dish goes so well together. The original fried chicken sandwich on the other hand is not good. It's sloppy, falls apart, and the chicken in it was so hard and difficult to cut or bite into. I would come back to Kaya but only for the paella, nothing else really stood out as memorable to me. read more

Kaya - grilled chicken sandwich - Caribbean Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The food is amazing! Our second time here and it just gets better! We got the conch fritters, rainbow salad with salmon and jerk chicken. Our waiter Matt was very attentive and very friendly. Everything was perfect! If you haven't been, I highly suggest. read more

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Tried to order on Door Dash an order for delivery for our office. There were 14 meals. The order was cancelled because it was too large. Called and asked if the order could just be delayed and still delivered via door dash and was told no, only if I had called the night before or ordered online the night before and came for pick up. Very disappointed and we took our business elsewhere. read more

Nice brunch spot. The ceviche was okay, nothing super special. My favorite was the corn and lentil beignets. Ingredients aren't super fresh and personally found the food a bit under-seasoned. read more

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Try Caribbean food with a Spanish twist? Kaya has some really good food bursting with flavor! We started our foodie experience ordering the Jerked Pork and Plantain nachos and their Yucatán hot bean dip. Both of these appetizers are recommended but the Plantain nachos were great! I ordered their Tropical Paella that had a large quantity of mussels, shrimp, chicken and chorizo. The dish was very good, but I have had paella in a number of places including Spain and was not the best, but I expect you maybe hard pressed to find better in.Pittsburg. My wife enjoyed her Chili Rellenos they were tasty and well presented. Note - They have a good bread pudding if you have room for dessert. Food 4 - Excellent starters definitely go with Jerk Chicken Nachos. The Tropical Paella is Very good as well. Service 4 Helpful and Friendly Atmosphere 4 Very nice Caribbean vibe that adds to your experience. Nice place for a fun night out. Price 4 Good value for the money OA 4 read more

Kaya - Tasty Chili Rellenos! - Caribbean Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Updating, as I have visited many times since my first visit. At least 5-6 times since then. Everything here is wonderful and reasonably priced and DELISH. The smoked wings are some of the best I've ever had. Their brunch is my favorite, their dinner is delicious, their happy hour is great and their service is always friendly. I love this place. They easily deserve 5 stars. read more

I've eaten at Kaya twice both times during happy hour. Happy hour happens Monday thru Friday 4:30-6:30pm, and its half off all single-serve drinks. The first time I stuck with a glass of wine which was wonderful. This most recent time, I got a glass of Pinot Noir and the Tiki #7 which was a fruit blend; it was delicious! Also, I tried the tropical guacamole which I'm not a fan of only because I don't like mango. However, I got the fried chicken sandwich with waffle fries and found it to be very good. While I wish I had more flavor and less spice in the chicken, it was still super crispy and tasty. The waffle fries were amazing especially with the cucumber cream sauce. I highly recommend the fried chicken in whatever fashion you get it. The vibe of this place is really chill with dimmed lights after 5pm. Tables and bar are parallel to one another. Oh, and the napkins/towelettes in the bathrooms are amazing! They're thick and super soft. Yea, I couldn't leave them out of this review. read more

Kaya - Fried chicken sandwich and waffle fries - Caribbean Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The tropical guac was especially good, really enjoyed the bits of fruit in it. The fish tacos had a nice tangy taste. The tropical paella was a little heavy on the sauce. Servers were nice, but a little busy at times. Overall atmosphere felt very vibey, with solid music read more

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I love this place! I had never had "island cuisine" before, especially not in Pittsburgh but I was VERY impressed! The produce used to prepare the meals tasted fresh and the food was flavorful. Lots of vegetarian options and I'd recommend it to all! read more

Great food and vegetarian choices. Consistent in quality, great service and atmosphere.

Steak Cubano had little flavor and the steak was extremely tough. Pineapple and mango salsa was amazing read more

Food and ambiance was great. However our service was terrible. My friend and I went here last night and she's never been to this place.. I have and wanted to show her how amazing it was. We sat at the bar and was immediately met with hostility from the bartender. They were busy but nothing that two bartenders shouldn't be able to handle. Both my friend and I are waitresses and bartenders so we usually extend grace to other service workers. However, the bartender was short, rude, and we felt unwelcome. We sat there for a very long time before our appetizer came out.. we had a feeling it hadn't been rung in so we asked the other bartender that wasn't serving us and sure enough it hadn't been rung in!! Then, we asked for sauce that we never received. Lastly, we asked for a box and was done with our dinner for probably 20 minutes before our checks and a box was brought to us. The bartender was too busy doing his closing work and chatting with coworkers than to finish us up. We sat for an hour and half for salsa and two sandwiches... something that should have taken way less time. We were one of the last ones out of the restaurant and were sitting there awkwardly waiting for him to give us the time of day. He might have checked on us 2 times for like 5-10 seconds total. Food was great. The service was just terrible. Don't come here during a "busy" time if you want good service. I'm pretty sure we even heard him comment "I'm doing my best on service but we are busy." As bartenders and waitresses we get it, but you should never let your customers hear you say that. Making mistakes and forgetting things is fine. But being RUDE and blunt to people because you're busy is not okay. I probably won't be returning here myself or bringing any friends from out of town. Bad experience. read more

I ordered the Vegetarian Prix and it was absolutely delicious. I wouldn't recommend the tofu option though. Some of the greens were slightly wilted and it wasn't anything super exotic or special. However, it was such a great experience! Our waiter Brent was professional, polite, and knew the menu really well, so he made great suggestions that didn't disappoint. Will come again as soon as possible. Thanks, Kaya! read more

Kaya - Tempura Avocado Banh Mi Tacos (Vegan) - Caribbean Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Was able to check out this place again for dinner with one of my close friends and have to say it continues to impress me! I always go with the rainbow salad, which is fresh and vibrant, and always a treat, but this time I decided to give some of the other options a try. We started with the corn and Brussels sprout beignets, which were absolutely delicious! I have no idea what is in the sauce they serve it with, but it's fantastic and could be a meal in and of itself. Next I tried to the carrot and Brussels sprout paella with jerked chicken, the taste of which brought me way back to the my cruises to the Caribbean! And to top it all off we went with the caramel flavored pudding, topped with chocolate and golden cinnamon crunchy pieces, we scooped out every last spoonful! read more

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Eleven probably gets my vote as the best of Big Burrito, but Kaya is a close second. Any time my wife and I need a place to go for a date night, they always fit the bill. Drinks are always reasonable and we've always had incredibly friendly service, but it always comes down to the food here. Quite frankly, I haven't had something off of their menu that I didn't like. Of course the fried chicken night is amazing - not the best I've ever had but certainly the best in the Burgh. Specifically love when they have coconut rice as a side. The pita with hot sauce is fantastic as well. I regularly order the Jamaican jerk wings with the cilantro sour cream, the kaya burger, the skirt steak, lobster tacos, or the black bean dip - not all at once obviously. I've only made it to dessert once or twice, wasn't big on their ice cream as it was more ice than cream. The 5 stars is for consistency and overall food quality. read more

Kaya - Fried chicken night - Caribbean Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

We took a chance on Kaya as a laid back place for our anniversary brunch while we explored the Strip. We were pleasantly surprised at all they had to offer! Being vegetarian, we can sometimes be limited in what is offered, although fish is something we will eat on occasion. The restaurant itself was nice with unique decor, however it felt a bit small and cramped where we were sitting. The menu had a lot to offer with a variety of choices. I ordered the eggs Benedict with salmon and my partner opted for the huevos rancheros. We also ordered the Kaya chips appetizer, which included potato and sweet potato chips and mango salsa. This was great and I recommend everyone try it! The eggs Benedict with smoked salmon was good, however it wasn't quite what I expected. I'm really weird about my eggs and they felt a little underdone to me, but that is just personal opinion. The flavors were amazing and if this is a dish you normally enjoy, I highly recommend. The huevos rancheros were AMAZING. I was disappointed I didn't get those as well they were so good. They even offered a vegan sausage option that was out of this world. Definitely recommend trying it even if you aren't vegan! Overall really nice place for brunch, looking forward to trying some dinner items in the future! read more

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Such a gem in the Strip District. The mahi tacos and jerk wings are ones you can't miss! Opt to sit outside if the weather is nice on the day of your visit. read more

Goof food, best to make reservations and this place is very popular, Gluten and vegan friendly. Love it

I ordered the shrimp po'boy sandwich with sweet potato fries. I loved the combination of flavors-sweet pineapple with a savory creamy sauce. It was super messy-but the sauce was finger-licking worthy. The sweet potato fries were super crispy and delicious. I can't wait to come back and try some other menu options because my neighbor's Kaya burger looked to die for. This place is really fun and bright, and I love the vibe. It temporarily transports you to a tropical paradise, and it's a great location with plenty of street parking. I came over my lunch break, and the service was quick, but not rushed. read more

Kaya - Kaya lunch menu - Caribbean Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Hmmm... a little mixed on this one. I liked the decor and my jerked chicken was good but my family's 2 fish dishes were only ok. The Street corn was a bit over sauced I thought. I liked it but had hoped for more read more

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Kaya is another offering from Big Burrito and if you're familiar with their other restaurants (especially Mad Mex), you'll know what to expect from the vibe. It's a pretty dark space, heavily style with an island flair...both in decor and menu. The menu is pretty small, but all of the items that I've tried have been pretty good, and the service has always been really good, whether sitting inside or outside. We absolutely love their black bean dip, but fair warning: it's pretty spicy if you're not good with heat. The burger is good, as well as the cuban sandwich, but my go-to is probably the fish tacos. I tend to think they overdo it on the cream sauce, but otherwise, they're excellent. The red sangria is also delicious! I wouldn't say the food will blow you away, but I doubt you'll be disappointed, either. It's warm vibe and good service means it's good for both casual meals and for a nice date night spot. The strip district can be insane at times, so while you may have luck grabbing a table or seats at the bar on a whim, I'd advice making a reservation to save yourself a wait. Enjoy! read more

Ok loved this spot! It's not particularly Caribbean per se, it's more "tropical" I'd say. The menu shows Cuban s/w, Paella, etc which isn't exactly Caribbean. My fiancé and I ordered the Jerk Wings- so effing amazing! Coming from the Bronx we're well aware of what Jamaican ((Caribbean)) food ought to be, and the wings were beyond bomb! It was so good that we went back the next day to order wings again. It wasn't spicy for us, but it could be on the spicy side for someone who is not used to spice. Wings came with a cilantro-cream side dipping sauce. Amazing combination. Wings were fantastic on it's own. Moist and juice, you knew the chef marinated it well. I ordered the veg Paella ((recommended by the curly young bartender))-- the paella was fantastic! I loved the assortment of veggies they used. Flavor was too good! My fiancé had the chicken s/w ((original)) with waffle fries-- really good! Everything was so good! When we went back the next day. We ordered the same wings again, Cuban s/w- I didn't like it much as it was too much meat, but I can see someone else who eats a lot of meat on a daily basis enjoy this s/w, but the sweet potato fries were delish!!!! The s/w came with sauces on the side. Much needed for me. Fiance had the jerk chicken s/w-- real good! Same marinade as the wings but with more add-ons. The manager (( I think..)) & the young bartender with the curly hair were super nice. MAJOR KUDOS TO THE CHEF THOUGH!!!! He knew how to chef it up! It was evident thru his cooking that he loved what he did. I didn't try any of the cocktails/drinks. Food was super filling! The paella was a lot!! **Only delivery and take out as the whole social scene was closed this week sadly. So we could not properly enjoy what the city had to offer. I don't know when the city opens back up. This restaurant is worth visiting and I can't wait for patio dine-in! 5 stars even tho I didn't like the Cuban s/w much. Awesome, awesome place! read more

If I'm being honest, Kaya might be one of the best restaurants in Pittsburgh. From its unique interior design and friendly wait staff to its amazing food and drink selection, Kaya has it all. I spoke with a coworker who said their "Veggie Burrito" offered only during the Sunday brunch was the best meal she's ever had. I had to try it, and I was, too, blown away. I've got to admit, I think the Kaya burger takes the cake. The meat was so tender that you had to eat the burger with a fork and knife. Overall, I am a 5 star fan of Kaya, and I will definitely be back to try more of their exotic menu! read more

Kaya - Caribbean Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Just received order through Uber Eats. My Jamaican Jerk Wings were not fully cooked and very pink. Usually the food is good here but I'll not eat here again & will never again recommend this place. Someone is going to become sick eating here. read more

Kaya - Jamaican Jerk Wings - Caribbean Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Not bad, but I don't think I'd come back unless it was pretty convenient. Overall thought it was decent. I came here with my family in the late afternoon and it was pretty crowded still. We only had to wait a few minutes to get seated as a table of four. The service was a bit slow due to it being so busy but not too bad. The drinks were really great! The cocktails were probably the highlight of the meal. We had the conch fritters, seafood paella, jamaican curry with shrimp, and jerk chicken torta. I loved the fritters! Or rather, I loved the spicy sauce that came with them. Could have eaten those all day. The curry was decent, but not as spicy as I'd hoped. The seafood paella was a huge portion, lots of chunks, which was good, but incredibly bland. The jerk chicken torta was probably the worst thing - a very dry piece of chicken on some bread, and there was no flavor. Really couldn't tell that it was anything but some grilled or boiled chicken. I blame my brother for even thinking we should order this as it didn't sound appealing in its menu description either, which is a testament to their menu-writing at least. When I think of Caribbean food, I think a lot more flavor than what was here. But it would still be a good place to gran some tasty drinks and some small fried snacks. read more

Great authentic food choices, service is always friendly and welcoming, love the Caribbean atmosphere in the restaurant

One would surely expect something spectacular from one of the Big Burrito lineup, but Kaya delivered disappointment to the front door tonight. I won't be snarking on small details...the pandemic has put a kink in everyone's business and we all have to accept the occasional gaff. My beef is with fundamentals. First, presentation. With current circimstances, take-out/delivery has necessarily become the bread and butter of foodservice. Packaging food attractively isn't that tough. We are certainly accustomed to spartan, cardboard packaging for our McTakeout, but we need to set the bar a little higher for food that is presumed to be of a slightly higher caliber. Paella certainly deserves better. To the paella, pretty tasty with a fruity Carribean twist, but barely amounted to a lunch menu portion. A steak cubano was also on the order with sweet potato fries that were tortured way too long in the fryer. The cubano was only a cubano-by- association. Prepared in a press with the correct bread, yes, but it was more on the order of a Speedway panini with tough steak slices and jalapenos that were very much out-of- place. Maybe a rough night...maybe better in person with soft lights and proper plates...but not the way to roll when you need take-out sales to keep the lights on. read more

We went during the time no one else really seems to rave about- dinner on Saturday. No amazing happy hour specials, no cool brunch options. The Jamaican Jerk wings app we ordered was good, but I've had much better wings at a dive bar. The flavor on point, the texture just didn't do it for me. I like my wings to be crispy and tender. These were tough and chewy at times. My friend got the salmon. He said it was over cooked on the outside and too soft on the inside. I ordered the rainbow salad, it was good and not a bad value. I opted for no meat because I had the chicken wings already. Im leaving 4 starts for my overall experience, but there is definitely room for improvement. I'd give it another try and you should too. I heard the fish tacos are on point and happy hour is the best. read more

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Frequent Kaya many times... what the hell happened to the chicken and waffles.., it used to be one of the best brunch things on your menu.. is the dried up stuff with the waffle chicken? Super disappointing. Maybe think of using the chicken that goes on the chicken sandwich for the replacement of those dried up ? chicken things!! read more

I Maybe it was busy day or it was because I visited during lunch. Or, after all the great reviews I heard, I set my expectations too high. My experience was average overall and the downtown/Strip District scene has much better food to offer. Kaya, owned by the Big Burrito company (own Mad Mex, Eleven, and Casbah), offers moderately priced Island/Grilled fare and attempts to transport guests to the tropics. We ordered Jamaican Jerk chicken wings to start. These are good, and well seasoned. They came with a delicious white sauce. By far my favorite part of the meal. For my entree, the Shrimp Po Boy sandwich underwhelming. Shredded chopped lettuce covers the mayo/aioli tossed shrimp and it's all lost in a large bread roll. It was a Saturday lunch rush, so the restaurant was packed. Our servers was struggling to get to our table (and avoiding bumping into the tables to the back of him). Plus, it was hard waiting for the bathroom since the door opens to a main walkway the servers walk to. I was awkwardly standing between tables for the upstairs restroom and trying to stay out of the way for those heading outside/back to the kitchen/to the tables. Overall, I really wanted to like Kaya, but it did not meet expectations. read more

Kaya - Shrimp Po-Boy - Caribbean Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

After hearing some really good things about Kaya, my wife decided to take me here for brunch on a Sunday afternoon. Several people have raved to me about their chicken and waffles and I wanted the chance to indulge! My wife ended up ordering the chicken and waffles, promising me a few bites so that I was able to order the tropical paella. Last year I was first introduced to paella and loved it. Needless to say, Kaya's paella was excellent. The scallops, mussels, and shrimp were blended beautifully with chicken and chorizo with not one element overtaking the dish. I also thoroughly enjoyed the sampling of chicken and waffles I had from my wife's plate. For some reason, fried chicken always taste so much better with waffles and maple syrup! We ended up ordering some coffee and tea to go with our meals. A little pricey for each, but we both needed a nice pickup after our filling meal. Kaya definitely lived up to my expectations. I really enjoyed our brunch here and was pleased to see the prices on the menu were reasonable for a nicer brunch place with good food. I saw a few things on the men that I would like to come back to try, especially the rainbow salad. Kaya is a solid choice for taste and price and I imagine this will be one of my default go to places in the strip when I'm in the area. read more

Kaya - Paella! - Caribbean Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Kaya has a really great selection of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian meal options. The corn and lentil fritters were fantastic! All three desserts were also incredible! Chocolate banana bread pudding, mascarpone cheese with churro croutons-original and amazing! I can't thank this restaurant enough for offering many wonderful vegetarian options AND plenty of choices for my family members who don't share my diet. Accommodating all of us can be really challenging. The decor is also very cool. read more

I enjoyed the cuban sandwich, the texture in particular. The chips were not that special but fine

One of my favorites in Pittsburgh. The food and drinks are always top notch. The service and overall ambiance are great as well.

This was my first time having dinner at Kaya. Our server, Heather, was attentive, and personable. We each ordered a Banana Old Fashion to start, with Tuna ceviche. Both were fantastic. Fresh and tasty. We ordered the shrimp Pelau and seared salmon. Both full of flavor! The atmosphere was great, our server was great, the food and drinks were great. I would highly recommend for a fun night out! read more

Excellent salmon and unique Mediterranean hot wings and salad. I forgot how good the food is here. Cool environment and mostly very friendly waiters, bartenders. read more

Kaya - Caribbean Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I really, really wanted to like this place-- but the prices are heavily inflated, even for The Strip, and the quality isn't there. I ordered the Tropical Paella (dinner). It was $27 (just the plate) for overcooked shrimp, mussels, with pineapple from a can mixed in-- Gordon Ramsey's nightmare fuel. The best I can say about it is that it's "food". I'll update my review later but I just can't recommend this place. 2/5; might, possibly consider going back if it was one of the only places open and I'm just looking for a drink. read more

I don't know why this place was so highly rated. I'm disappointed. Flank steak was literally just a steak with a little bit of salsa. No sides, barely any flavor. And it was $26. The margarita was like any other margarita, except they charged me $12 for it. I sat on the patio because it was a nice day. The service was fine and the restaurant seemed clean enough. Overall I don't have much to say about it. It was a bland experience and I don't recommend it. read more

I loved the food here I've been twice and they have great vegetarian options all where tasty it's right off the strip in Pittsburgh Pa. Near the stadium the drinks are Tasty cool atmosphere read more