This place recently crossed my radar and I didn't know when I would get an opportunity to drop by…read more On the way home from an event, it was a weird time where some of my favorite spots were already closed, and I was just thinking about where might actually be open. I caught them about a half hour before they closed, but they kindly took my order and told me what they had run out of when I asked, since it was the end of the day. I immediately saw jerk lamb chops on the menu and decided to get those. I was just going to do the appetizer, but then they asked me what sides I wanted and I was like all right, I will just do the whole entree. $40+ it is definitely a splurge, let me tell you... But every element of that tray was fantastic. The planting, the cabbage, the rice and peas, and of course the lamb chops themselves. I got four in the tray. I will say, I would not make a regular habit of swinging by this place at night. This is that awkward Road between Hampton Park and Ritchie, and literally the food truck was the only thing lighting up that space. My next visit will definitely be in the daytime, and I hope to get some better pictures then too, haha.

As a treat for our family, last night my Son got lamb, shrimp, jerk chicken, salmon, rasta pasta,…read moremac & cheese, rice and cabbage. EVERYTHING WAS DELICIOUS. Nothing disappointed. Put it on your to-do list!

I actually came here last week to try them out but never got around to leaving a review…read more On my first visit, I ordered the fried fish sandwich with mac and cheese. Both were really good, but the fish sandwich was definitely the star of the show. The portion size was generous, and the flavor was outstanding. I enjoyed it so much that I decided to come back today. This time I ordered the same meal and added a fish platter. I also tried the newly added fried chicken wingettes, which were very good as well. I placed my order online, but when I arrived, I was told they had already closed at 3:00 PM. After I showed them that my order had been placed online before I arrived, they still took the time to make my food. Not only did they honor my order, but because of the mix-up, they hooked me up with an incredibly generous portion of fish. That level of customer service is exactly what keeps people coming back. Great food, generous portions, and excellent customer service--it's a winning combination. I highly recommend giving Taste Buddz a try. With food this good and service like that, I just might be back tomorrow!

The food at Taste Buds is actually very good that's the disappointing part. I wanted to support…read morethis business because I believe in supporting local businesses, but unfortunately, the customer service completely overshadowed the quality of the food. My experience with the owner was unpleasant. She came across as rude, dismissive, and lacking the level of professionalism customers deserve. I understand that running a successful business is stressful. Being short-staffed, dealing with equipment issues, or needing renovations can be frustrating, but those challenges should never be taken out on customers. We didn't create those problems, and we shouldn't be made to feel unwelcome because of them. As the owner, your attitude sets the tone for your entire establishment. If the person leading the business treats customers poorly, it naturally makes people wonder what kind of culture exists among the rest of the staff. First impressions matter, and customer service is just as important as the food you serve. Again, the food is good there's no denying that. But great food alone isn't enough to earn my business. People remember how they were treated long after they've finished their meal. I genuinely hope the owner takes this as constructive criticism. A change in heart, a little more patience, kindness, and respect toward customers could take this business even further. I would love to see Taste Buds succeed, but until the customer service improves, I won't be returning or recommending it to others. I sincerely hope things improve because everyone wins when businesses serve both great food and great hospitality.

I ordered ribs , potato ,salad , yams and green beans it was good…read moreMy son had jerk wings he said taste sweet over all the meals were good

O.M.G first let me start off with the customer service. The gentleman that welcomed me and assisted…read moreme with my purchase was outstanding. He was genuine and appreciative that I came. The place is super clean you can see everything. Tables to eat in if you wanted to. Now let's get into the food. I had the pig feet with collards and potato salad BOMB.COM!!! Listen if you don't believe me, go and ask for a sample!!!! The collards are super tender but not super seasoned but they were cleaned to perfection and still have a great fresh taste. Also ordered the steak n cheese that too was amazing! Looking forward to my next visit.

BBQ Tofu, Green Cabbage and sweet potatoes with Gluten free Cornbread from ELife Vegan Restaurant…read morein Capitol Heights, MD. It was delicious!

I visited this establishment for an event with an interest in supporting its stated mission of…read morecommunity healing, activism against racism white supremacy, and plant-based nutrition. However, my experience revealed a significant disparity between the stated purpose and the actual atmosphere created by the owner. The irony: The event was a documentary, discussion, and supporting the vendors who came. During the discussion portion after the documentary, comments and thoughts were welcomed, so I shared my thoughts specifically highlighting resources on collective healing and rest in relation to generational and historic racial injustice/oppression (resources such as the Nap Ministry). The vendors and attendees were kind and friendly, and a few were curious about the grassroots healing organization I mentioned. What I noticed was, while the owner was notably attentive and warm toward his white patrons and others, his demeanor toward me, the only Indian woman there, was inexplicably hostile and impatient. It left me confused. In his direct comments to me, he indicated a disdain he had for "Indian people" with the generalization that "Indians are the most successful in this racist system and are therefore part of the problem." I was painted with a stereotype that has nothing to do with me. It was disappointing to see a space dedicated to 'liberation' revert to such narrow, localized profiling of a supporter like myself, especially considering that my intention for being there was the exact opposite. This attitude of blindly disparaging Indians is the same anti-blackness he claims to oppose. It is ironic that in a space claiming to fight racism white supremacy, the owner reserves his most aggressive scapegoating for a dark skinned woman of color who was there to offer genuine support (an easy target for misplaced hostility), all while changing his demeanor for the white guests. It contradicts the grassroots racial struggle he claims to represent and left a bad taste in my mouth. The food was overpriced but watered down, cold, and lacked flavor. The whole atmosphere was cold, low vibrational, grievance and money driven, and lacked the vitality and integrity one would expect at this price point. Quality is a result of Presence. Because the owner's heart was closed and his mind was set on getting money for low quality food and finding a scapegoat, the food had no life-force. I have withdrawn my support from this place.

The food is EXCELLENT! The oxtails, while not huge, are extremely tender and incredibly flavorful…read more Honestly, the best I've had in the DMV! My wife gets the curry chicken and LOVES it! And everything tastes like it was just made. But what we like just as much is the customer service. When we order from DoorDash and ask for extra sauce/gravy, we get EXTRA! The portions are huge and there's no skimping and no upcharging. And the gentleman who answered the phone when we called to extend our gratitude after a great meal was so pleasant and appreciative. Eat here! I promise, you'll love it!!

I got the curry goat meal. It wasn't what I expected. It could of been a little more flavorfulread more

This is my FAVORITE restaurant in the DMV! I'd literally book a flight just to come here and eat!…read moreI've eaten here twice on two different trips. And made sure to place an ubereats order both times, so I could fly back home and share this gem with my mom. I promise you, anything you order will surpass your expectations. I didn't get a picture of the fried Oreos, but make sure not to leave this spot without a sweet treat. They have the best bread pudding I've ever had. My cousins and I always pulled up for a late night bite, literally minutes before closing, and the food has always been a hit. You can absolutely feel and see the passion and love that goes into this restaurant. Shoutout to Derv, Harold, Alex, and the other staff for their hospitality and amazing customer service. 100000000000000000000000/10!!!!!! Pull up on them!

My BFF (my Wife) and I stopped here with some friends visiting from New York after seeing them…read moreonline. We were all craving some good Caribbean food, but unfortunately, this experience was really lackluster and did not live up to the reviews The service was frustrating. The girl at the register seemed to be on her phone the whole time, I couldn't tell if she was calculating something or just talking, but she definitely missed the mark on our order. We specifically asked for Steak and Cheese Egg Rolls with no mushrooms. By the time we got home, we realized she gave us Jerk Chicken Egg Rolls instead. They were a mess; sauce was all over the container and the fries, and the chicken inside was incredibly dry and overcooked. Surprisingly, the Fried Rice was really good, which isn't the first thing I'd associate with a Caribbean spot. The Jerk Fried Chicken Sandwich was also a standout and one of the best things we had. Our friends ordered the Rasta Pasta, which was very heavy and spicy, and the Jerk Chicken with Rice and Peas. They had asked for wings but got dry grilled strips instead, which was disappointing. My Cabbage and Collard Greens were also pretty average--I've definitely had better. Between the order being wrong, the dry chicken, and the distracted service, it just wasn't what I hoped for. It was an okay meal, but nothing I'd recommend or go back for. Definitely inspect your bag before you leave this place. Sorry about the pitiful picture I was so annoyed and remembered after I made a plate to snap a quick pic.

This is the best food in the ENTIRE DMV. It's not up for debate…read more The food is wonderful and budget friendly. The staff is beyond welcoming. Not to mention, the restaurant does amazing work in the community. I highly recommend the oxtails.

I come to Tropicana about once a week, so this is not a review based on one bad experience. I…read moregenerally like the food, but the customer service from one particular employee has consistently been an issue. I'm referring to the smaller, slender-built guy with glasses who is usually working the register. Almost every time I encounter him, he comes across as irritated or like he does not want to be there. He is often on his phone, sucking his teeth, sighing, making smart remarks, and showing very little basic customer service. More importantly, he seems to have no ability or interest in de-escalating a situation when something goes wrong. Today was a perfect example. While placing my order, I noticed on the register screen that he had entered oxtails, which was not what I ordered. I pointed it out and he changed it. I also specifically asked for only cabbage/vegetables with my meal, but when I received my food they had given me rice instead, so I had to come back inside to have that corrected. After I got back to my car, I realized I had also been given four drumsticks. That part was not necessarily his mistake because he was not the person preparing the food. I also did not know that customers could request specific chicken pieces other than asking for white meat, because normally I receive a mixture and have never been given four drumsticks. What bothered me was his reaction when I had to come back inside again. He immediately started sighing and acting irritated, even though he was not the person who had to remake or fix the food. When I explained the issue, he made a smart remark asking, "Didn't you say that?" I told him no, because I did not know specifying individual pieces was even an option. Instead of simply explaining that to me or helping resolve the situation, he became disrespectful and cursed at me. That is where the bigger problem is. Mistakes happen. Orders get entered incorrectly and food gets made incorrectly. I can understand that. What I do not understand is an employee getting angry at the customer because the customer came back to have mistakes corrected. There is a serious lack of customer service and de-escalation skills here. If a customer is already coming back because something went wrong, sighing, sucking your teeth, making smart remarks and cursing at them only makes the situation worse. I asked for the employee's name and for the name of the manager or owner because I wanted to come back and speak with management directly about the repeated issues. Nobody would clearly provide that information. One person told me that this employee was the owner and manager, but I was not given any clear management contact information to verify that or speak with someone else about the situation. Again, I come here regularly and the food is why I continue coming back. But good food does not excuse consistently poor treatment of customers. Management needs to address how customers are being spoken to, especially when the customer is simply asking for an order to be corrected. Would easily be 4/5 if not for the rude cashier consistently and sometimes the meat is dry like today, more than a few pieces been sitting too long are were too dry to eat.

This Caribbean spot has a great location in a former Pizza Hut, so there's plenty of parking and…read moreeasy access. The concept has potential, but the restaurant itself needs some work. The inside is extremely dark, and the old carpet makes the space feel dated. A few upgrades and design tweaks would make a huge difference. The menu is overloaded with too many options. Sometimes less is more, especially for a Caribbean restaurant trying to maintain quality and speed. Service was another issue. The wait for food was way too long, and while most restaurants cook to order, customers still expect communication and efficiency. A strong General Manager could really help tighten up operations and improve the overall experience. The food itself was decent once it arrived. One thing that didn't make sense was offering different spice levels for Caribbean food. Just serve the dishes as intended and offer pepper sauce on the side for customers who want extra heat. Overall, the restaurant has potential because of the location and decent food, but the atmosphere, service, and management side need serious improvement. I will leave a 5 but will be back ownership (address your customers sentiment), previous reviews.

This is by far one of the worst food experiences I have ever experienced. I loved the way my food…read morewas played so the various flavors didn't touch. However, the dishes fit the table cane out one at a time every 10 mins or so. By the time the first person finished the last person was just getting food. If you wanted the food would be cold. We Waited for over an hour for the parrot fish for it not to be served. This was the greatest disappointment and last straw. The server walked out in the middle of her shift and the kitchen couldn't handle the patrons there were 6 tables and a few people at bar. Witnessed groups walk out due to the lack of service. I would NOT recommend and caution you to temper your expectations prior to going. Expect the worst so you will be pleasantly surprised.