I walked into the place a few days ago, and decided to check them out, I told the operators I usually travel all the way to Raleigh to a spot to get this flavor and freshness I and glad I made this pit stop... loved the food and the atmosphere and the view... I will be back read more

Mama's Caribbean Grill - Caribbean Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Saturday, I decided to stop in and get some jerk chicken. My first red flag was that the place was empty on such a busy Saturday. I ordered jerk chicken and macaroni and cheese, and this was the worst dish I have ever tasted in my 19 years of living in Charlotte. I had high expectations, as I had been satisfied with the taste of Charlotte before, but I would never recommend trying this spot. The chicken was old and dried out, and the macaroni and cheese was not good either. read more

Said they opened at 1 on Yelp, we arrived and they were closed. Left and called like 30mins later and the man said they open at 2... got there at 2 and waited around a good 10plus minutes and still no signs of opening. The communication needs to be better as people like me were looking forward to some good Jamaican food but instead wasted our time. read more

This food was horrible. In fact, it tasted like it had been refrigerated for two or three days and reheated rather than freshly prepared. The stew chicken was especially disappointing. I wasn't expecting it to taste exactly like authentic Jamaican stew chicken, but I did expect it to have the proper seasoning, flavor, and ingredients. Instead, it tasted like it was prepared by someone completely unfamiliar with the dish and what it's supposed to taste like. Definitely not fresh, flavorful, or what I expected. Please take more pride and giving out what's authentic read more

I ordered pick up and the food was absolutely delicious! Curry Goat, Mac and cheese, rice and peas and yams!! Mouth watering. I got 2 portions out of this. Macaroni pie is normally a hit or miss with Caribbean spots but this restaurant was ALL HIT. They serve alcohol if you want to get a drink while waiting for your food. Open late. Sea moss was a little too thick for my liking but I would absolutely come here again. read more

Mama's Caribbean Grill - Mac and Cheese- mouth watering delicious - Caribbean Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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My family and I ate there today and we loved it. This is an authentic place recommended to us by a Jamaican friend. The food was excellent and the owner was very friendly. He told us about how they prepare and cook the food. They don't use any artificial ingredients, no added sugars or anything. The atmosphere is culturally relevant and authentic as well. We will definitely be back! read more

Mama's Caribbean Grill - Jerk chicken, oxtail, cabbage, plantains, and mac n' cheese - Caribbean Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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I think this is the first time I have been to an authentic Caribbean Restaurant and it did not disappoint. I love trying new things so some friends and I stopped in the other day and I am so glad we did! Upon entering I thought the ambiance of the restaurant was so fun and islandy. It really felt like we had traveled to a tropical island, especially with the North Carolina summer heat outside. I asked the man working at the front so many questions before ordering to really see what I wanted and he was super nice, courteous and helpful. So definitely five stars for service! I decided to go with a chicken patty and a side of mac and cheese with this punch they had made that day. The punch was very sweet and fruity (it would have gone perfect with a little rum). The chicken patty was packed with flavor and had a little bit of spice which I enjoyed. As for the mac and cheese, that was the star of the show for me! It was creamy and flavorful with a crispy topping that I could have eaten as a whole meal! My friend got the Oxtail Combo Plate and the man working made us fresh plantains to with it. The oxtail was not my favorite but I believe that just might be a preference thing. The rice had a good flavor but I wasn't in love with the cabbage that came along with the plate. Overall I would return to try more of the curry and jerk dishes but I would recommend picking up the food because the restaurant does not seem to be able to accommodate a lot of inside seating. read more

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I have never had Jamaican food before but this was incredible! There was so much flavor. My favorite has to be the beef patty and plantains. read more

Nice atmosphere feel w the stage up front Reggae music pumping out stereo. We had jerk chicken & curry goat. Jerk was more of stew chicken but good, goat was ok, patti ok. Prime location but parking scarce, food ok, customer service good. read more

Mama's Caribbean Grill - Caribbean Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Thais took our order and she was very nice. Came in randomly with my class. We all got a variety of options on the menu! I got oxtails rice & greens with gravy loved it. They have a nice mini bar and pour great shots! I would definitely come back! read more

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Food was subpar and customer service was worst. I placed a $45 order that I was not even able to eat. Pictures to prove that. I called them to explain the situation and immediately they became combative and hostile. Had to call the cops and I am going through the bank to get my money back. Shameful. read more

Mama's Caribbean Grill - Curry goat and oxtail with beef patties - Caribbean Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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This a solid choice for Caribbean (Jamaican) food! We came here on a whim and because of a strong recommendation by a local. We purposely ordered an hour ahead..hoping that pick up would be seamless and quick. However, by the time we arrived, we still had to wait at least another 40 mins for our order to be complete. Not quite sure what the hold up was, but there was 3 other guests ahead of us, who had to wait on their orders as well. Verdict: It was definitely worth the wait! so good in fact, that we forgot to take pics of the food. Everything was delicious, and with authentic flavoring! I haven't eaten meat in a while, so this was a nice meat-loving dinner to experience. Our order included: curry goat with roti, curry chicken (white meat) with roti, jerk pork with rice&peas and mac&cheese, stew oxtail with rice&peas and steamed cabbage. We also added on 3 slices of corn pudding cake. The dessert was good for what it was, but for $5 a slice, I wouldn't necessarily try it again. The customer service was so warm and friendly, and "mama" herself gave us a complimentary cup of mama's juice, which I believe included several fruit juices and a nice kick of ginger "sure to clear up any viruses" per mama. If you're in Charlotte, definitely stop by!! Its sooo good! And There's street parking available right outside the shop. Highly recommend. read more

Mama's Caribbean Grill - Caribbean Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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I actually ended up at mamas by accident, thinking I was going to a different restaurant on Central, but turned into this one instead. The Caribbean vibes convinced me to stay and order some food for takeout. $16 later I had a small jerk chicken plate, meat patty, and a cup of "mamas juice." The small chicken platter was small indeed- one drumstick and one thigh for $10. The bulk of the plate was rice. What I noticed was that the chicken was particularly dry. I won't comment on the flavor as I am no expert on jerk chicken, but I will say I wish it was spicier. The mamas juice was very very sugary. I had asked for it with ginger and couldn't taste it at all. Overall, service was very friendly. I haven't been to many Caribbean restaurants around town, but I would search for another one before getting jerking chicken here. read more

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Great food! Friendly peoples. I will certainly come back. Ox tail was tender and flavorful, curry chicken was delicious, jerk chicken was perfectly spicy for someone who has never had it before. I will recommend to anyone willing to try. read more

Mama's Caribbean Grill - Caribbean Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Have lived in Charlotte many many years and finally decided to try this place out for dinner. It is located off Central Ave. Parking can be a hassle, so just expect to spend a few extra minutes finding parking. It's a small little restaurant with plenty of seating inside. The place does look a little run down, but I promise you the food makes up for it! We ordered 2 beef patties, coconut bread, and the oxtail platter with rice, cabbage, and Mac and cheese! It was DELICIOUS! the oxtail fell right off the bone, and it had plenty of flavor! The cabbage and Mac and cheese had so much flavor that it all paired well with everything. The beef patties were a little but spicy, but it didn't get in our way. I am definitely going to come back and try some more of their other dishes. I definitely recommend this place. The server there was super friendly and offered great recommendations and was super pleasant to speak with. read more

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I hate to leave this review because I met "Mama" and she is such a sweet lady. But the food just wasn't that good. It wasn't flavorful at all. My greens were simply inedible. I will not be returning. I gave three stars because Mama is a very nice older woman who is very proud of her business and heritage. read more

My husband and I came here on a Saturday afternoon for lunch-- there was one table seated and two people in front of us-- it took a very long time to get out food. Now, I don't expect speed from most Caribbean places IYKYK but this place wasn't making anything fresh-- the food was sitting out, it just needed to be put in the container. Outside of that, it was average. Okay if you're in a hurry or want something "quick" but I wouldn't come here for a Caribbean food experience or anything like that. Mama's punch is really good but it is sweet. The oxtails were okay, as were the yams. My husband said he enjoyed the Mac and cheese-- the plantains looked dry to me but I didn't taste them, my husband said they were average. It's a very casual location and the playlist was nice. The table that was seated got up to dance which was fun to watch. read more

Great food! First time here. People were very welcoming. The food did not disappoint. I will definitely come back! read more

Mama's Caribbean Grill - Location - Caribbean Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Kind of surprised to see such mixed reviews of this spot! For what it's worth, I thought the food was incredible. I got it delivered via GrubHub. As soon as I placed my order, I got a call from the restaurant for some clarification and the person I spoke with was very pleasant. Ordered the Curry Goat with rice and collard greens. I scarfed down the goat in a matter of minutes. Loved the collard greens too and not ashamed to say that I finished the giant serving of rice as well. Zero complaints from me and I'd definitely order from Mama's again read more

Mama's Caribbean Grill - Curry goat with rice and collard greens - Caribbean Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

The plantains an cabbage are well seasoned. I also bought a beef patty, which I enjoyed. I do think the plantains were a touch over cooked. The rice was fresh. The oxtails are tender, but lacking in flavor. They don't have that authentic taste you expect a good oxtail to have. My boyfriend got the brown stew. It was good over rice, but not great per say. Overall, I'd say something's are a hit and others a miss. read more

Mama's Caribbean Grill - Plantains, Rice and Peas, Cabbage, Oxtail - Caribbean Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

This is my favorite Jamaican spot in Charlotte. The jerk chicken is delicious and the extra jerk sauce is spicy without being too much. The brown stew was cooked wonderfully was just a hint of sweet. They have a drink called Mama's drink and yes you want to drink it. It tastes like the juice they make at family reunions where you don't know what's in it but it's delicious so trust her mama. It is a little on the pricey side for a Jamaican spot but it's worth every penny. read more

Good food. Fair portions. Nice customer service. Tried the oxtails with rice and two sides. Also had a chicken patty. Will definitely try more items next time in town. read more

I visited Mama's for the first time on 05/13/2023. I was impressed by the late open hours (they were open until midnight) and the decor of the restaurant. The lady at the counter was very friendly. The food was great as well. read more

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Although my attached photo looks amazing, the food unfortunately DID NOT align. The rice and peas was average, at best. The jerk chicken was good. Average, but good. The yams were just ok. It's not the super sweet diabetes yams (for those wondering). The WORST part and reason for the low score was the collard greens. These were the saltiest greens and maybe saltiest food items I've ever had in my life. There's not many times where i throw food items away but this, to me, was un-eatable, unless you want an extreme case of hypertension. (I hate writing this bc people may think I'm exaggerating or trying to be funny but I'm not). In summary, would i return? Probably not. There are just plenty of other Jamaican spots to go to after such a average/bad experience. read more

Mama's Caribbean Grill - Jerk Chicken Sweet Yams Collard - Caribbean Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

I was in the area and had a taste for Caribbean. This popped up on my search, so we stopped by. This was an order to go, so it was just a quick stop. I did not personally go inside, but the person I was with did and they weren't too keen on the smell inside. Service was great though. I ordered curry chicken with peas and rice, collard greens and cabbage. I have to admit, I have had better. It was not bad, it all tasted good and the serving size was great. The curry taste just didn't really come through. Would I go again? Yes, only if I'm in the area and I would try something different. read more

Mama's Caribbean Grill - Curry Chicken, Cabbage and Collard greens - Caribbean Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

I have smelled the jerk chicken cooking from around the neighborhood for a while and had to give it a shot. Pretty authentic atmosphere and I loved that they had Ting soda. I think they have live music in the evenings based on the setup. To order you walk up to the counter and can take a look at the options. The gentleman working was by himself and it wasn't too busy. Service was pretty prompt and very friendly. I likes the yams a lot. The rice and peas were pretty bland, I would have loved some jerk sauce in there. The chicken was nice and tender but the jerk sauce itself wasn't very spicy and had more vinegar than I prefer. All in all it was an ok lunch but not as good as some of the other options nearby. I'd try something different (maybe oxtail or wings) if I go back. read more

Mama's Caribbean Grill - Jerk Chicken, Rice & peas , Yams , Ting - Caribbean Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

The food is good. Just wish I could've got more meat for the money I paid. I have eaten here several times and I always get large curry goat. This time it was less in my plate and I asked the cashier about it and she said that was the right amount. You can barely see a difference between a small and large plate $50.34. read more

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Stopped in just to have a rum punch as I waited for the rain to slow down. I'm 100% convinced it was no liquor in the drink. I'm very familiar with rum punch but this was by far the worst one I've had and it had no liquor, like NONE and I'm not even exaggerating. I'm not a bigger drinker and only drink mix drinks and I was thrown off. Truly baffled and I didn't complain just paid the $10 which is a bit overpriced, not to mention wasn't even one shot in the drink and just left the not even have finished drink at the bar. I will never return here though not even for food. read more

Great service! The two ladies and the owners were very patient and helpful with explaining what everything was. Great Food! The brown stewed chicken, oxtails, rice, mac n cheese and collard greens we amazing. Wonder atmosphere! The atmosphere was great! The music kept us moving and eating. My husband and I will be back! read more

The food was fresh and hot. My 3rd time back, I wanted some coco bread but they didn't have any, I wanted to try some sweet potato pudding but they never have any read more

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Food was ok, nothing spectacular, but I ended up paying $36.94 for what should have been a $26 dollar meal. I'm not sure how they calculated their taxes, but I do know that a $20 oxtail dinner and a $3.50 cup of sorrel should not cost that much. Also, this was for a carry out order not eat in. They did not give me a copy of the receipt, which makes it harder to dispute. Diners beware!! read more

The staff working today almost forgot my main dish and only gave me a tray of just the sides that I ordered. Now they are only accepting cash and were closed down the other day during lunchtime for some reason, not sure because they didn't say. This place is a huge inconvenience. I had to walk across the street just to get cash out to pay, and of course when I checked the food in the car, all pieces of meat were missing! Just bad and no attention to detail after I told the staff what I wanted several times and they even asked me to confirm and still almost gave me a trey of sides for $20 plus dollars. Mind you I live about 20 mins away. The chicken was ok but not worth none of the hassle I went through to get it. The food is mid. Not bad but nothing to write home about. Not the best location for this type of business being on central ave with other restaurants that have better food and service. This business seems like it's holding on by a thread and now I can see why. read more

I just ordered food and all I can say is just nasty and I usually go to irie nation because they never fail me and let's just say mamas rice was over cooked mushy the greens nasty no type of seasoning and stew chicken no flavor just dry and I'm very disappointed I will not be going back the Mac n cheese looks like potatoes. They disappointed me I don't recommend to go here at all read more

Mama's Caribbean Grill - Greens Mac stew chicken and rice & peas - Caribbean Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Yay! This place has never let me down. I went in, there was new staff. They were friendly but seems busy. I ordered jerk chicken with mac & cheese, and cabbage, 3 chicken patties, and 3 drinks (mamas tea and sorrell). They were out of chicken patties so got veggie. We waited awhile but I talked with the staff while I waited. Got the food and I have to be honest I didn't get a picture but I crushed that food. I usually do white meat but they no longer serve it so had to do thighs. The jerk chicken tasted very good and had tons of sauce. The mac and cheese was okay and cabbage really good. The veggie patties were good, although I miss getting the chicken patties. The drinks were great. I love their juices, they are a must try. I will be back to the restaurant. The staff was friendly. Good portions of foods. The food was tasty. I really enjoyed eating there. read more

Mama's Caribbean Grill - Caribbean Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Some real good o'le Caribbean comfort food. Service was great and all are very attentive

I don't have much to compare this too being that I have only tried 2 Caribbean restaurants in Charlotte- I have DoorDashed this place and have gone to eat here and it is so good. Every. Single. Time. My favorite is jerk chicken and yams. The chicken comes straight off the bone and pairs wonderfully with the rice. I love the yams. I also had oxtail here for my first time! read more

Had Jamaican food here for the first time and it was so good. I had the oxtail and not all places can do oxtail right but these guys did it great. read more

Mama's Caribbean Grill - Oxtail - Caribbean Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

We came, we ate, we had pretty terrible service, and mediocre food. Mama's is a small spot, only a few tables inside. The temperature was quite warm inside, restaurant was decently clean, decor was cheap and tacky. If you want you arms to stick to a plastic table cloth, this is a great place for you. So the food, ordering is interesting because every other thing you ask for you'll be told they're out of it. Had a chicken patty which is like their version of an empanada. It was flaky with good spice inside but odd texture to the meat. The jerk chicken, meh, not a ton of flavor and soft rubbery skin. Mac and cheese, be better off with something you microwave at home. Just in case the crap food wasn't awesome enough, oh the service. If you want to be ignored, this is the place for you. If you want more water or another drink, well then you probably should have drank what you had slower because you're on your own. If you want to pay and leave, enjoy waiting 15 minutes to grab someone's attention. And when you have to audacity to not take a to go box and want to pay, they'll ask you to get away from the table while they work on getting the bill for another 10 minutes. One of the rudest places I've actually ever been. Don't go. read more

Mama's Caribbean Grill - The "lovely" decor - Caribbean Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Nope! Nope!! Nope!!! No curry goat. No beef patties. No collards. No carrot juice. No white rum. This was all at 9pm and they close at midnight. Food did not have enough herbs and spices. My friend paid $16 for 4 oxtail bones. I'm done, because I have nothing nice to say, so I'm going to shit up read more

Came out to celebrate the holiday always wanted to try this place food was awesome people were very nice and customer service it was packed but nice. Definitely will be back good was great read more

Mama's Caribbean Grill - Jerk chicken curry goat combos - Caribbean Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina