Ok so Saturday they were only open from 6-10. If you're not familiar with a non-typical Caribbean restaurant, you'd be off-put by this place. It's not your typical restaurant they have like 2 or 3 tables but there's old men (probably family) sitting there talking in Creole. There's no menu anywhere, so if you're not familiar with the food already you won't know. The food isn't labeled and they in the tin pans. However, the food is amazing. The piklis is so good/spicy. The griot and black rice were so flavorful. I will come back. The ambiance isn't great, but the authenticity of the food is what drives their business. read more

Mommie Joe's - Griot and Black Rice (Riz Djon Djon) - Haitian Near Me - Trenton, New Jersey

This place is definitely a hole-in-the-wall, not gonna lie. The appearance and cleanliness might warrant a 1-star review, but I can't knock the food--it's genuinely good. It's home-cooked Haitian food, and it's worth the visit as I enjoyed my food. The service is typical of a home-cooked place: you'll get your food quickly, but this is a grab-and-go spot, not a dine-in experience. One thing to note: if you ask for anything extra, like I did for an additional scoop of rice, expect an upcharge (in my case, $5 for just one scoop). While an up charge for extra is understandable, just make sure the upcharge feels reasonable. Would recommend if you're craving authentic Haitian cuisine! read more

the place is really cultural but the credit and debit care service is hacked... but the food is really good!

LESSON LEARNED & POCKETS BURNED! $50... this dish cost $50! The lady had to repeat herself because I couldn't believe she actually saying that for this dish, it is $50. If it wasn't for the fact that I was supporting a small business, I would have walked out. Clearly I should have asked the price beforehand, but I never in my wildest dreams thought this place would charge $50. For obvious reasons, I will NEVER go back, and if I want seafood, I would have been better off going to red lobster for this price! read more

Mommie Joe's - Fried fish and black rice - Haitian Near Me - Trenton, New Jersey

Simply excellent. I was in town and looking for Haitian food in the area and found this place via Yelp. I get Haitian food in Brooklyn alllll the time and this was just as good! I ordered the fried snapper and griot and I was super satisfied with both dishes. The portions were perfect. The food was perfect. Service was fast and perfect. I was so happy to find good Haitian food on my trip. read more

Mommie Joe's - Red Snapper - Haitian Near Me - Trenton, New Jersey

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The most incompetent, rude place ever. I will NEVER order from them again. They didn't have my entire order and waited 50 minutes to tell me that. They didn't try to rectify anything. Despicable place. GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. read more

Great food, HORRIBLE service! Change of the price drastically if using a credit card. Almost as if they're punishing you for NOT using cash. VERY shady! I visited this place several times before writing this review and watched how my business was not appreciated at ALL! I will not be supporting this restaurant anymore. Ungrateful attitude towards customers. read more

Adrianne, the woman who runs Mommie Joe's told me that the tiny shop at the corner of South Broad and Division Streets in Trenton, NJ, had been slinging Haitian dishes for more than thirty years at that location. How is it that I never saw it before last week after living and/or working in the TNJ for almost that long? I guess I just wasn't ready for it. After the cover of each heated chaffing dish was lifted for me to see what was cooking, I had no problem selecting a plate of Black Rice, Oxtail Stew and a couple of golden fried Platanos. The Black Rice was a first for me, but I have learned it is possible to buy it in the right markets. It acted like the paler version I was accustomed to, with the taste of salt, pepper, garlic, and maybe a touch of something like turmeric or coriander, that only required the spooning of the Oxtail bone and amazing tawny rich sauce to make it explode with a flavor combination that was savory, smoky, meaty and mysterious. With only plastic utensils to handle the chunkiness of the beef, I really had no choice but to get manual. It would have been great if lunch had been served on a plate rather than in styro take out containers, but I understand that sometimes low budget is the only way to survive. It became an unruly mess to pick up and gnaw at the tender ox still clinging to this matrix, but after a few seconds I forgot about the office I had to return to, and the white shirt and tie I was wearing, and just let such stolid convention go. The only way to eat this was DIRTY. The Plantain was thin and nicely breaded before frying. It was still starchy, but the flavor was compelling. Mommie Joe's certainly needs a clean up, and a better spacing of the tables that were all pushed together in front of the store, but there is no question of authenticity. Adrianne even let me come behind the counter to have a better look at her dishes. She was very confident that I would like what was on the menu. She was right. read more

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Good food and inexpensive. Quick service. The griot is good and nice and fresh. Wish they accepted debit/credit. Cashier is nice. I enjoyed my food. Update: I had to take a star away because my last order tasted a bit stale. read more

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when mommie joes was alive service was decent. Since dude took over the place it's a crap show, very rude for some odd reason they stopped taking orders over the phone and on separate occasions would not give me my food nor provide a refund. Best advise try out "Le Soleil" on sculptors way. Le soleil feels like moun lakay, mommie joe employees vin boujee epi restaurant an sal pase saw pa konnen. read more

Pro: Great Caribbean food! At first instance, I though it was a Jamaican place; the prominently-displayed Haitian flag prompted my thoughts otherwise. (Mwen regrete, zanmi m ') Nonetheless, this unassuming little place produces some amazing stewed, chicken, fried fish, roast goat, and fried pork! (Yes, I've tried them all!) The pepper served on the side alone is worth its weight in gold! Con: Not a lot of seating in this cash-only establishment. Take your order to go, and make sure you have the paper money to pay! No credit/debit.... Bottom Line: I will repeat this habit early and often! Great food for the Caribbean soul! read more

Not the greatest service but definitely some of the best haitian cuisine you'll find in the north east.

Do not go here!!!! The man at the front was extremely rude!!!! Drove 22minutes for poor customer service. He gave me the run around for about 20 minutes. I only wanted black rice. Also the older lady was very rude as well. Very mediocre !!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

My go to spot for Haitian when in Trenton. Every trip ends at Mommie Joe's. The Legume is to die for and that black rice is deadly!

The food is great . I love this place. The staff are friendly. The only downside is that it is in a schetchy neighborhood. You really want to get in and get out. The food is the most tasteful and worth the trip. They only take cash but it's very affordable. Griot pork is my favorite. Parking is scarce so please try and squeeze right by the front of the store. That last statement was for your safety. read more

Best Haitian restaurant in the area. I loved the food. I've been there twice and haven't been disappointed yet. Would recommend.

Lost my business immediately. I'm writing this review as I wait for my food in Olive Garden, where I went after I was just here! Lol. I called this place at 11 AM because that was the time I saw it opened on Google. The person who picks up cannot speak English and literally tells me "no speak English," so I hang up. I call back a few minutes later and someone who can understand me lets me know the place is open today. I went to this place on an extremely snowy day because I was craving griot and pickliz so much, and I wanted to make sure it was open in such bad weather. I left my house at 11:15 AM and what should've been a 20 minute ride was about 45 minutes due to the weather conditions. I get here after a painstakingly long drive, and there is no parking, not even street parking. So I try to squeeze myself in somewhere thinking I'll just be ordering very quickly and leaving. I'm aware that this is one of the worst neighborhoods out there (Trenton, NJ) with a crime rate of 92/100 (U.S. average is 31.1), but it was even worse than I remember Trenton to be. Several people on foot and bike were staring at me way too intensely and passing very closely to my car. I felt extremely uncomfortable but I decided to go in anyway after the very long drive here. I walk in, and there is someone on their phone just staring at me, but they appear to be a customer because they are not behind the counter. In fact, there is no one behind the counter and there are no trays of food out. Mind you, it's 12:00 PM now and all I can hear is loud laughing from the back but no one at the counter. It feels like there's a very odd and unpleasant smell in the air, reminiscent of mold and mustiness. Not to mention, there is a scribbled "cash only please" sign, which is disappointing because I don't like using cash. I wait there for about 10 minutes with no one coming to the counter and I decide to simply leave because the entire situation was all too uncomfortable. read more