Seeking an authentic, cool vibe in Oakland. I highly recommend this spot. Good choices, great taste. My go to is the oxtail & jerk chicken combo, with rice and peas and steamed veggies . Get familiar read more

Mintos jamaican Restaurant & bar - Oxtails & jerk chicken combo. - Caribbean Near Me - Oakland, California

We got take out from here and found it to be alright. I would probably give it a 3.5 but rounded up. We got the salt fish fritters which were delicious! We also have gotten their patties before which were also good! The main courses we got were just alright though. The jerk chicken breast was dry but other cuts were good. We got a side salad and callaloo rice with the chicken and the salad was sad and wilted, I wouldn't get it again, the callaloo rice had good flavor! The ox tail main was pretty tasty but I felt like it could have been more tender, the rice and peas and plantains were super good though, I'd def get those again. All in all we'd maybe try it again, the sides for me were the best part! The interior is a little meh, I didn't sit to eat but they seemed understaffed and I got to check it out as I waited for my food which took longer than they had initially quoted to me. read more

Mintos jamaican Restaurant & bar - Jerk chicken callaloo rice and salad - Caribbean Near Me - Oakland, California

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Good: Server was nice and very helpful. She described the dishes and ingredients. She was open about how long the mini patty assortment appetizer would take. She suggested the beef patties that were ready and we took that option rather than wait 25 minutes for the mini versions. The patty was fresh, flaky, and not skimpy on meat. The owner (I think) stopped by to see if we needed anything while we waited for our food. We ordered the curry shrimp entrees. The shrimp tasted fresh, and was made with onions and bell peppers that were also fresh. The plantains stole the show! They were fresh and cooked perfectly. Music is being played while you dine and that was also nice. Loved the ginger beer soda! Could be better: There were only 6 shrimp in each entree, the food was luke warm, and more seasoning would really ramp up the flavor of everything. For example we could barely taste the curry flavor and the sauce was thin. The rice and peas needed salt and I'm not a big salt eater. I don't think there was any dressing on the salad, and none was offered. Overall I would give them another try even if only for the patties and ginger beer. read more

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The best authentic Jamaican food in the Bay Area. They have a good collection of vegan food, fish, and meat collection. Try the escovitch fish while you're there. read more

paid almost 100 $ for 2 oxtail meals and oxtails were literally ALL FAT no meat. waited at least 40 minutes so disappointing . rice and peas were good though aswell as the cabbage. plantains tasted spoiled somehow read more

I've been coming here since they open. Definitely one of the best Jamaican restaurants in Oakland close to my house. I've only tried the oxtail, red snapper, and beef patty. All are very flavorful and tasty. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the food at all it's the service/environment that may get this place a low starring review. I seem to be heckled every time I go in either by workers or people eating inside. The order at the bar counter setup forces everything to be extremely intimate. I personally do not dine in and always call in to go as there can be really long wait times every time I try to order in person. read more

Mintos jamaican Restaurant & bar - Oxtail plate - Caribbean Near Me - Oakland, California

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I did have food. Food was dry and unseasoned land the service was horrible the lady very rude with me no good read more

Mintos jamaican Restaurant & bar - I ordered the oxtails was so salty and a lot browning no good. - Caribbean Near Me - Oakland, California

The oxtails were really good! They were super tender and falling off the bone. I enjoyed the sides but I wish they did more of a 1/2 & 1/2 on the sides because I got more rice and peas than the steamed veggies. I can't comment on the service or ambiance because I used Door Dash. My family did say sometimes they have live music which sounds cool if your into that. Next time I'm in town I'll try a different dish. read more

Mintos jamaican Restaurant & bar - Oxtail with rice & peas and steamed veggies - Caribbean Near Me - Oakland, California

Son requested Jamaican food for 13th birthday dinner. He wanted jerk chicken, it was so good. We also had the oxtails and goat everything was delicious. Our super picky daughter even loved her shrimp pasta. It was worth the drive from then lol North Bay. Although the restaurant was shot staffed we didn't feel neglected. read more

I would definitely come again. The sauce for the oxtail and wings were really good. The service was friendly, and the food didn't take long. read more

Mintos jamaican Restaurant & bar - Oxtail meal with 2 sides - Caribbean Near Me - Oakland, California

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Service was very helpful and informative. Ambiance was nice for a downtown location. Food was fairly good, oxtails were flavorful and gravy was seasoned, just not the wow effect. Rice and peas ok. Plantain's were not good, cut too thick and not tender at all for my taste. I was just passing through town. Parking would probably be a problem during the week on the weekends at lunch time it was fine for me. read more

If I could negative stars. I DEFINITELY would. I don't know how they're in business. The food = bland and tasteless. The service = non-existent. Rude Rude Rude. No eye contact and act like you're doing them a favor by patronizing them. Save your time and money. DONT GO read more

I visited here yesterday with a friend who was in town for the weekend. I wanted to give him a taste of Oakland and some international cuisine. The food was great however I was not pleased with the cashier's dishonesty. After waiting 20 minutes to finally get our order taken we placed our order of food. Noticing the drink container off to the side I decided to purchase two can drinks which were surprisingly $9 together, for two can drinks. Unfortunately I paid in cash and the cashier informed me he did not have change and will give me my change in a few minutes. Low and behold he never came back to give me my $11. Sadly I forgot all about it while conversing with my friend. I chose to leave this review to warn others they should use their card for transactions here and hopefully the owner/employees learn to practice honesty and customer service. Most likely will not return read more

Delicious! Great service and great food. I had the curry chicken, rice and peas, plantains and rum punch. The curry was outstanding...I could (and should) have licked my plate. Minus a star because they were out of patties and the fan was on blast. They said the lights and fan are connected so bring a coat. read more

Stew chicken was delicious! Jerk chicken- was good Ox tails- ehhh they weren't as flavorful as they looked. And they were not super tender. I might return but it would be for stew chicken or something else. Customer service was great!! The rest of the team liked their food! read more

Mintos jamaican Restaurant & bar - Brown Stewed Chicken - Caribbean Near Me - Oakland, California

Delicious food in healthy portions, no-fuss casual atmosphere, friendly service. The portions were huge. The jerk chicken was tender falling off the bone, but the rice and peas were my favorite. The spice profile of the jerk chicken was excellent, not too spicy, but it still had some heat. I'm not claiming to be a jerk chicken expert, but there are a few restaurants that I go back to time and again so those are my base line. I've never had jerk chicken with tomato in the marinade before. It adds a balance of sweet to the heat which brings it closer to BBQ than what I'm used to. Still excellent. The rice and peas had a wonderful spiced profile and the rice itself had a tiny bit of chew to it. Perfect texture to really amp up all the flavors in that side dish. I want to learn how to make rice like that at home. They have a full bar, but no draft beers. That's OK because a bottle of red stripe is the perfect pair with this dish. Outdoor parklet patio reeked of urine so we ate inside. On a Friday night they had a DJ set up thumping tunes. read more

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This place is wack. A disgrace that they claim they're a Jamaican restaurant. Maybe by heritage but definitely not by flavor. If you have jerk on the menu IT BETTER BE REAL JERK, YA JERK. read more

My experience was horrible and I've been coming here for years. The new chef is very rude and I seen him cussing and yelling at another employee. I came in for food and he had a negative attitude. The food is not good anymore and the environment is unprofessional. read more

You can't seem to find good Jamaican beef patties anywhere? This is the spot. Available hot and frozen. I get a hot one with a bag of 6 frozen. Air fry em for 13 mins frozen. The best. read more

My first time trying this place was just recently and I loved it. The service was kind and informative. I ordered curry goat, plantains, and beef patties. Their patties seemed to sell out fast, so be sure to order them early! The curry goat had a great flavor, although less spicy than what I normally experience. The patties were hot and flakey, and the plantains were exactly my taste. Coming from West Indian decent, I often enjoy Caribbean dishes. The ambiance was very welcoming. I highly recommend this place to anyone that enjoys flavorful food, and gracious service! read more

Reliable Jerk in the neighborhood with good lunch deals, the chicken is chopped up and on the bone which I prefer, and you can get the sauce on the side. The workers owner and management have all been chill and you can tell it's a real local spot. read more

Stopped by here last night for dinner with my girlfriend and our friend. Parking can be a little difficult to find - there is no parking lot, just street parking. Luckily we were able to find a spot on the street close to the restaurant. The restaurant itself has an outdoor patio where live music and DJ's perform ( the DJ performing last night was really good) and tables to sit down at indoors. For our meal, each of us got our own plates and some things to share. For the appetizers, the Fried Breadfruit was really interesting. The fruit itself did indeed have a bready consistency which was actually kinda trippy. But it tasted great - it was almost smokey, with a little bit of salt added on top and a light sweetness from the fruit. The Festivals were pretty good - They tasted like deep fried breads with a hint of cinnamon. The taste was decent but they were a little too dense for my liking. For Entrees - I got the Brown Chicken Stew Plate, my girlfriend got the rasta pasta, and our friend got the oxtail. One thing to note for each of our entrees - portions are extremely Generous. You'll definitely get your money's worth of food here. The Brown Chicken stew was very solid - it reminded me of what I used to get back on the east coast. The chicken was perfectly tender, and the brown sauce was extra savory. The plantains on the side along with the rice peas went well with the stew sauce. I found that adding a little bit of hot sauce brought it all together nicely. The Oxtail, from what I tried, was also very delicious. They were cooked properly and were also tender and the flavoring was perfect. The Rasta pasta (one of the only vegetarian Items on the menu - they did not have the Ital menu available) left a bit to be desired for sure. It was very turmeric forward, and not quite what I expected based on what I've seen of Rasta Pasta in the past. My girlfriend said that adding some extra seasoning and some of the hot sauce made it better for sure. All in all, Mintos is a spot that has good service and solid quality Jamaican/ Caribbean food. Would definitely recommend giving this place a try. 4/5 read more

Mintos jamaican Restaurant & bar - Brown Stewed Chicken, Rice & Peas, and Plantains - Caribbean Near Me - Oakland, California

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Went by for my first time to try the place out, lady at the register refused to take my order because they were closing 30 minutes from the time. But took orders for 3 others that came in after. Weird. Service was very disappointing. read more

This review is for the food only. I grew up in Jamaica. Tried the take out for Jerk Chicken and Ox Tail with Rice and Peas ( American grown folks would call it "red beans"). AWFUL. AWFUL AWFUL!! Food had NO FLAVOR. Meat was dosed with black pepper to hide the lack of flavor. Chicken was charred. Ox Tail was fatty. They used TONS of what we call "browning" sauce in Jamaica so the so-called gravy was just browning sauce. The rice was burnt and some of it was undercooked. For the price of the meal it was definitely a waste of money. It was so bad I could not finish it. If you want authentic Jamaican jerk chicken and ox tail with delicious rice and peas then this is definitely NOT the place that will provide it. Oh, and it took about 20-25 minutes for the order to be filled. I will not be back. read more

Food was good. I had the beef and chicken Patties and grabbed some sea moss. No complaints

I ordered oxtails and while the flavor was good the portion was ridiculously small. There were 2 smallish/medium oxtail pieces and the rest were tiny pinkies, like it was from the bottom of the pot. The rice and peas portion was very small too. They didn't even try to make up for the lack of oxtails with a normal size serving of rice! They charged $27.50 for a tiny meal. Very disappointing! I will not go back. read more

Parking is a bit tight at night, it would be probably best to bike or bus to this location as it was all filled. It is located on a street past the bar, a tad hard to find for me. The inside was very cute with lots of space but with a cozy ambiance. The colors of the inside were bright and offered a nice path to the counter. Decent spot but the food did not have much flavor. It was on the dryer side and the flavors sort of meshed together to not be distinguishable. Other than that, the flavor was decent. read more

Mintos jamaican Restaurant & bar - Caribbean Near Me - Oakland, California

First time eating Jamaican food & the food was excellent! We ordered: * (2) Jerk Chicken meals that comes with 2 sides of your choice, our sides were Callaloo rice & White rice * 1 - Jerk Wings combo with Fries they were generous to add plantain due to the long wait time *Very much appreciated * 1 - Oxtail meal with 2 sides double Callaloo rice * 1 - Island fried plantain platter * 5 - Beef Patties - No issue with parking & they're in a pretty easy location - Great prices - Plenty of space - Customer service was excellent & they were very accommodating especially for the wait time. * Our servers from the order taking, serving the food & the chef were all excellent! THANK YOU ALL WE WILL BE BACK ! Everything was 100/10 for us here on this beautiful Sunday 7/7. read more

Mintos jamaican Restaurant & bar - Jerk wings, Plantain with Callaloo rice, forgot to picture the fries which were all made PERFECTLY - Caribbean Near Me - Oakland, California

Very convenient location with plenty of nearby street parking. I got the jerk chicken, rice & peas and plantains . The chicken was amazing however the plantains were on the dryer side. Tip: Grab a extra side of the jerk sauce for an extra kick ‍ read more

Mintos jamaican Restaurant & bar - Caribbean Near Me - Oakland, California

Visited Oakland and had to return to Mintos for a third time. Delicious food, friendly service, great ambiance. Feels, smells, tastes like home. read more

I have been to Minto's a number of times and typically I order the oxtail or the jerk chicken. It's fair in taste, but the jerk chicken has always been a tad dry whenever I order. What I really love here is the rum punch, but that's another story for another time. All I'm saying is if you drink, order the rum punch. I wish we could give half stars because my rating is more like a 3.5/5 My review today is about Minto's Jamaican Restaurant and their partnership with Too Good To Go. Since I always order either the oxtail or the jerk chicken meal, I never try anything else off of the menu. I placed an order for pick up a couple times through Too Good To Go, an app that aids in preventing food waste from restaurants. You place your order and when it's time to pick it up, you go in and show your code from the app. These are considered surprise bags because no one knows what's going to be leftover at the end of the day, but it's also a good way to try new things at restaurants you've gone to before. I received the yellow curry chicken in one to go bowl and the other was a brown stewed chicken, which is also good. My favorite is the yellow curry chicken just because that's been my favorite since a kid. As far as service, they take your order promptly. Orders for dine in are on the left side of the restaurant, and you order at the bar. Orders for take out and pick up are on the right. The inside is small and on the dining side it can tend to get a little stuffy during the warmer months, but it's a small space and expected. In this area there is a lot of parking with pay stations, but depending on the time of day that you go parking availability may be sparse. read more

Mintos jamaican Restaurant & bar - Curry Chicken & Brown Stewed Chicken - Caribbean Near Me - Oakland, California

930 Friday night , I walk in and the place is open but practically empty; 2 people working behind the counter, 1 other unsatisfied customer, and now myself- the next unsatisfied customer.... Neither of the workers noticed I came in, they also didn't notice I walked around to the register. I waited there a few minutes trying to find a menu. So I went back to the first worker, asked to place an order and she sends me back to the register. Still didn't get a menu but I noticed the white board next to the door. After more waiting at the register , the 2nd worker who was talking to the other unsatisfied customer, comes to 'help' me , but when I order ox tails she's looking at me confused. So I clarify, saying I saw ox tail special on the white board menu by the door. Hella rude tells me if I had read the board it says those are lunch specials, right now we're serving dinner. Took me by surprise honestly, asked her why the menu is out if it's not available to order from. She says it's a daily lunch special we serve everyday, if you had read the menu, so we keep it out. Do you want me to see if we have oxtails. That was my experience with this place; I walked out. And reading the other negative reviews, I'm not missing anything. read more

The service is always great and with the smile. The Food is always up to par!!!! my food came out fast and it was hot and delicious. Sometimes I forget about this restaurant only because there's so many options out there and I'm trying to find my favorite to order off the menu next up,oxtails!!!! I just finished eating my food and that was the best curry girl I ever had. It was a right amount of food which just a little extra meat. I can't wait to go back and try something else. It had the perfect spice and the perfect kick! if you haven't been here yet you're missing out. read more

Mintos jamaican Restaurant & bar - Please food was so delicious just the right amount of everything and a little extra meat! - Caribbean Near Me - Oakland, California

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They always forget something & the portion sizes are so small for what you're paying. I've been to this place both for dine-in & ordered pick up & they don't pack the plate up to the brim for as much as you're paying so you don't really get your money's worth. I ordered for pick up over the phone & when I went home I realized they forgot the Mac &cheese. We had to go back out to get the order & they didn't apologize & the portion size is laughable. Definitely not worth the trouble. read more

Mintos jamaican Restaurant & bar - Tiny Mac & cheese - Caribbean Near Me - Oakland, California

I was feeling something new tonight after work at the hospital and decided to give this place a go. I googled top DoorDash restaurants in Oakland and this is one of the top 10 so I ordered all popular oxtail and the goat curry. The meal came with a side of rice and plantains Now people were saying that the portions are large. I think that they give you a lot of rice but the actual portions are just adequate for what you paid which was 20 and $28 as you can tell there's like 3 1/2 pieces of oxtail, I don't consider that an overwhelming portion of food, I usually don't finish my meals and I was able to eat the whole plate but then again I was also missing the side of plantains which I ordered. I ordered DoorDash showing proof and they immediately refunded me so I guess I got that for free. The sad thing is I got this for free and I still would give this three out of five stars. It just tasted very adequate. Nothing special not worth a giant service fee. Also not getting my order correct was also a star taken away all in all I probably will not come back here or order it I should say on DoorDash. read more

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I placed 5 orders from the Too Good To Go app. I always share with my family. The lady that attended to my order let me know that they were all going to be soup and I said "perfect". I was hoping to get some actual small meal, like curry or stew. But, you get what you get with the app . I'm assuming it's the chicken & pumpkin soup. It was very hearty with different kinds of root crops (don't know what kind), carrots, beans & good amount of chicken. Well seasoned (whatever seasoning) & not salty considering it must have been simmering for a while. Has a very good earthy goodness to it. Chicken bones were sooo soft, that's how you know it's been simmering for a long time. If the soup was good, I'm willing to go back & try their regular menu outside of the app portioning. read more

Mintos jamaican Restaurant & bar - Chicken pumpkin soup - Caribbean Near Me - Oakland, California

Mintos jamaican Restaurant is where Ichiro was. the infrastructure looks similar with a minor decor update. service counter is on the bar side, not where the former sushi was. dine in, outside dining, take out available. offerings: entrees, sides, drinks. ital, specials eats: jerk chicken with 2 sides (18) -jerk chicken was dry on the inside, definitely cooked twice: boiled, then fried? -slight hotness on the skin portion, no flavor on the meats. *all experiences with jerk chicken tend to be on the dry side plantains were moist, not fried heavily, heavenly rice & peas had a nice combo of spices, smooth tastes. *all foods definitely freshly made, took 30 minutes instead of the promised 15. drink: ginger beer (4) bottled -was looking for a low sugar drink, ginger beer recommended. -has 56 grams sugar added=112% of minimum daily requiremnt.. NOT COOL! *very sugary, no house made drink available 4 stars: good service, food took longer than promised. jerk chicken & ginger beer a downer, plantains & rice & peas the highlight. possible return to try other items. parking is difficult in the area. read more

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Curry shrimp, rice and peas, plantains, and a salad. TO DIE FOR! So good. We also ordered a tamarind/ginger drink and their version of a squirt. We combined the two into a cocktail and made a pretty tasty drink. Service is really nice, although sometime the food takes a while to come out. We dined inside and it was perfect. The inside ambiance includes Jamaican music, decor, and a relaxed vibe. There's outdoor seating but not enough shade. We'd definitely come back and recommend others support it too. read more

Mintos jamaican Restaurant & bar - Curry Shrimp Entree - Caribbean Near Me - Oakland, California

The dish was plenty and delicious. Chicken smoked outside. Meat was plenty with a slight spicy to it. The rum punch was great, not too sweet with a hunt of tartness and plenty of rum. Service was good. There are settings inside and outside, music jammin' in the loud speakers. Good for hanging out with your mates. Can't go wrong with chillin' to music and good food. I recommend this place and will come back for food and the Jamaican Rum Punch! read more

Mintos jamaican Restaurant & bar - Smoked Jamaican Jerk Chicken with Plantain and Rice & Beans. Delicious! - Caribbean Near Me - Oakland, California

First time here and they got me as a loyal customer now! Food was amazing and very flavorful! Customer service was excellent and I love to support mom & pop shops music outside was a vibe and definitely made me want to stay longer. You will not be disappointed coming here!! read more

Mintos jamaican Restaurant & bar - Oxtail Entree - Caribbean Near Me - Oakland, California