tl;dr the juicy Caribbean pork sandwiches at this revived Seattle mini-chain live up to the…read morelegendary hype Un Bien is arguably Seattle's most popular sandwich joint, and its dramatic history begins with Cuban chef Lorenzo Lorenzo and his initial shop, Paseo. Lorenzo opened Paseo in 1994, where his popular Cuban roast pork sandwiches were regarded as among the best in the country. After years of local expansion, Paseo abruptly filed for bankruptcy in 2014. The brand was subsequently bought out by a local entrepreneur, but the sale did not include Paseo's secret recipes (the reboot attempted to reverse engineer the sandwiches with varying success). So, in 2015, Lorenzo's sons revived Paseo under a new name, Un Bien, armed with their father's original recipes. Nowadays, Un Bien is generally regarded as superior to Paseo, and you can grab their Caribbean sandos at one of the three locations across Seattle. You can't miss the pastel pink-and-teal palette of the original shack on an otherwise drab block of Ballard. As you approach the wooden window, you are greeted by the aroma of sauteed meats and veggies. Communal laquered wood benches are lined up underneath a covered pergola. Fifties hits ring respectfully around the kitchen. My partner and I visited for late weekday lunch, and we ordered immediately. We opted to focus on the signature pork shoulder, so we split the #1 Caribbean Roast and #2 The Press. Across both sandwiches, we were impressed by the tender pork, rich onions, lemon-forward aioli, and marinade-soaked baguette. The standard roast pork sandwich added on pickled jalapenos and crisp romaine, culminating in a dynamic flavor that accentuated the meat. Meanwhile, The Press featured tart banana peppers, smoked ham, and melty Swiss, amping up the sweet and savory flavors alike; we agreed that this extra-messy sandwich just edged out the standard version. Our order took just minutes to be prepared, and the bill just topped $30. Despite the fanfare, I still found myself surprised by just how satisfying Un Bien's sandwiches turned out to be. Across all the food I ate in Seattle, only these pork sandwiches would be worth a return visit, even if I had to venture out of my way.

Messy, pricey, totally overrated…read more My family and I visited Un Bien and arrived approximately 45 minutes before closing. We ordered promptly, but were told we would only have about 10 minutes to use the seating area before it closed. When we asked for clarification because the restaurant was advertised as being open until 9:00 PM, staff confirmed they were open until then but said the seating area would close earlier anyway. After receiving our food, we were told not to sit down and were asked to leave the seating area altogether. The interaction felt abrupt and discourteous, especially given that we had arrived well before closing and had purchased food with the expectation that we could eat on-site. The food itself was average, but the poor customer service and inconsistent messaging about seating left a much stronger impression than the meal. There are other better places. Skip.

Taste of the Caribbean is a black- and woman- owned Jamaican restaurant in the Central District…read more (The Central District rocks as a source for minority owned ethnic foods.) Walking in, the layout suggests they are also a party/mini-concert/event space. Service is casual; we were told to sit anywhere. I should have boogied my way to the table. We happily browsed through the menu looking at the many choices, some very unfamiliar. Everything looks so good, and prices are reasonable. We need to return and be more adventurous next time. Our server was helpful, guiding portion size and optional sides. The Food: Jerk Chicken plate, add steamed veggie, $20 + $2 - 5 Stars True to the jerk seasoning, theirs is spicy, as it should be. I find it annoying when jerk seasoning isn't spicy enough. The seasoning tastes even spicier when I drink water, and the heat spreads. So good! I was also happy they use boned chicken, which is more flavorful. I asked about veggies, that is $2 extra. Oxtails plate, add rice & peas, $24 + $1 - 5 Stars With beefy stock, these oxtail pieces are well-seasoned and paired well with root vegetables. A small salad and the rice & peas are a good match to the oxtail. I enjoy seeing oxtails used in different recipes. Jamaican patty, $5 - 5 Stars These beef meat pies are freshly baked and arrived at our table smoking hot. We were happy that we ordered two, so we wouldn't have to share. Haha. Very delicious. Plantains, $8 - 5 Stars From the appetizers portion of the menu, these are perfectly fried, caramelized, with minimal blackened carcinogens. This plate was a particularly good batch.

This should be the go to place in Seattle for people seeking authentic tasting Jamaican food. I've…read moretried some of the other places but this is still the best in my opinion. Delicious oxtail, jerk chicken, and beef patty. I have eaten there and had take out. I'll say it's more of a takeout place despite being such a large space. It's mostly empty during the day but turns into a night spot for Caribbean and African night events on certain days. I have come here for years and gotten to see the same staff and they are always so great there. Very friendly and helpful.

The way I wanted to love this place so bad. I am a born and raised Guyanese. I have been to…read moreTrinidad many times ( and I have Trinidadian family members ) Coming from the East Coast to now the West Coast and I see Trini food. I'm letting my Caribbean friends know we found a spot where we can find our people/food. I get there, the girl with the purple hair at the register rude as hell. The prices are insane. The so-called curry bowl that I received was disgusting. The channa had no taste, the chicken was supposed to be curry. There was no curry powder on that chicken, the chicken was more likely just sautéed and seasoning and placed on yellow rice. Nowhere in Trinidad that plate would've been sold, they don't do that. I wanted to get doubles, however they didn't have any more bara. Please if you're going to call your establishment "Trini plate" make sure you're actually cooking the cultural dishes. Do not give it a name just because you know the surrounding community does not know any better and they will think it's good. I am highly disappointed. I will say the bread pudding on the sorrel was good. And the OWNER, was pleasant.

The doubles are bland and disappointing, we have tried them twice now and have been let down. The…read morefood took a very long time. Doubles are supposed to be quick, decently priced and spicy with an option for hot. I gave an extra star because they are friendly

We arrived around 5pm on a weekday and was maybe the only other party in the restaurant. There's an…read moreunderground garage below the restaurant. There's a sign that says parking for Island Soul. We mistakenly went to the adjacent underground parking garage. You tell the waiter your license plate to validate parking. The chickpea curry was a bit bland. The tostones were good garlicky and crispy. The coconut cake could have been moister and less sweet.

Island Soul is AWESOME! Island Soul bought/replaced Arleana's in downtown Kirkland. I have always…read morewanted to dine at the Island Soul in Columbia City, but it was always crowded requiring some planning. We made a reservation the day before easily. The interior is superb. This place would be great for date-night or get a drink or have a family meal. Our server was attentive and helpful, making a change for us last minute with a 'I gotcha ya' attitude - LOVE! Thank you! The food is so, so good! The Seattle area doesn't have enough 'soul', southern, creole, 'island' type of foods. This place fills the perfect niche. I have the urge to say 'hmmm, hmmm' dining here! Yum! Parking is free under the building, and nearby street parking tends to be available, too. The Food: Blackened Salmon, $33 - 5 Stars Menu: Salmon, corn soubise, fried plantains, fried okra We both wanted this as our main dish, so this is a 2X. The salmon is perfectly seasoned and grilled. You can SEE the seasoning on the fish. So glad they included pieces of okra. The frying/searing gives it the perfect chew. Fried Green Tomatoes, $15 - 5 Stars Menu: Green tomatoes, panko, egg, onion, Buddha's belly seasoning This dish is known as their must order. I have no clue what Buddha's belly seasoning is, but I can tell you it is tasty. Fried green tomatoes is a perfect southern dish (and I will always think about the movie). Wings, Jerk seasoning, $18 - 5 Stars Like many, we're suckers for wings. Even better if the seasoning is different. Jerk wings is rightfully popular, here. The sauce is generously applied, and every bit is delicious. The flavorful foods will have me returning for sure!

I had the pleasure of finding that I can make it all the way to the CD and back to my office by…read morecoming here and I'm glad that I did. This place is tucked away behind Arte Noir. You can smell it before you see it. Walking in the kitchen is bustling I was surprised to see the boss man in so early. They had my to go order plates and packed up within 10 minutes of me arriving and they'd just opened. The freaking soft shell crab sandwich! Please do not miss out on the flavor bomb! So delicious and the jerk fries are the best nice and crunchy. I've since been back another time to get that meal and a Mac and cheese as well as some greens and my goodness my tummy couldn't have thanked me more. Thank you for sharing your culinary gift with the world!

I was really excited to try Jerk Shack after hearing great things. On a previous visit to the area,…read morewe could smell the food and it smelled amazing, which made us even more excited to come back and try it. Unfortunately, we weren't able to eat here this time. We arrived around 10:55am and waited until about 11:25- 11:30, but the restaurant still hadn't opened. I understand things can happen, but I do hope the posted hours are accurate on a daily basis since we planned our visit around them. That said, based on how great everything smelled, I'd definitely be willing to give it another try next time we're in the area.

We finally made our first visit to Pam's Kitchen after years of meaning to go - and it did not…read moredisappoint. When we arrived, there were a few tables occupied, and we were invited to seat ourselves. We chose a cozy booth near the kitchen. One thing to note: there are no physical menus; instead, you order and pay using QR codes at the table. We started with the aloo pies and, of course, couldn't pass up the jerk chicken. Everything arrived at once rather than in courses, but it didn't take away from the experience. Every dish was packed with flavor. The aloo pies had a taste reminiscent of samosas :: crispy on the outside with a warmly spiced filling :: and were served with a tangy chutney that complemented them perfectly. The jerk chicken was the standout. Tender, juicy, and beautifully seasoned with warm, balanced spices :: it was easily the highlight of the meal. It came with rice and peas (beans), which were some of the best we've had, along with a simple green salad that surprised us with its freshness and bright citrus vinaigrette. We also had the pleasure of chatting with Pam, who was just as warm and welcoming as the food she prepares. She mentioned that they often have live music on weekends, which sounds like a great reason to return. I also noticed they offer an all-you-can-eat buffet on Wednesdays, and after this experience, I'm especially excited to come back and try more of the menu. If everything else is as good as what we had, we're already sold. Oh! I almost forgot :: my husband ordered a wonderful drink, the Trinidad Smash. One sip transported us to vacation mode, instantly! So good!

I'd give the food 4 stars and service/ambiance 2. We ordered the jerk chicken sandwich and it was…read morepretty good. I loved the coconut fry bread it was served on! That was the highlight. The restaurant didn't seem very busy the night we came in, but they did have a lot of takeout orders. We placed our order via QR code at the table and waited... and waited. There were a lot of takeout orders coming from the kitchen but those of us dining in seemed to be sitting around a long time waiting for food and drinks. No one came to check on us and since we paid on the app, there was no interaction other than being seated and having our food brought out. I'd like to try other dishes but will just order takeout from now on.

I really enjoyed the Desi Plate from Bongos. The pork was flavorful and tender, the plantain was…read moresweat and soft, the coleslaw was fresh and not too creamy and the pickled veg was great sourness to combat the rounded beans flavor. 10/10 would order again. Good spot for the summer since it's an order and pickup at the counter spot (with ringers) and a good post-Greenlake hearty meal. The service was quick and standard, no complaints and limited conversations so not too fussy

Bongos is a green lake classic, sheeeeeit miss when they had the sand pit fr fr lol…read more But yeah. They got them plates + sandwiches, both fire. Yall gotta try their West Indies chicken + spicy shrimp + curry chicken--they don't miss But yeah. Anyways, lol. Haven't been here in a fat minute. Checked out the menu and saw some new thangss including a loco moco? You know I had to try em out. I mean.... It's solid hahaha. Still comes w the standard slaw + beans + rice + maduros. Their version of loco moco is a patty + special gravy + one egg on top. I mean for $14 or whatever, it's not the worst esp when ya factor in quality + quantity. I just wish there was a way they could separate out the slaw/beans w the actual loco moco part of the plate. That way I could actually just taste the gravy, rice, patty, egg components alone.