This Caribbean spot has a great location in a former Pizza Hut, so there's plenty of parking and easy 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. read more

This is by far one of the worst food experiences I have ever experienced. I loved the way my food was 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. read more

Shantoo Togetherness - Oxtail & Bean Callaloo -Steamed Curried Chickpeas & Vegetable - Caribbean Near Me - Bowie, Maryland

Very terrible experience. The server started out strong. But things quickly went down hill, took forever for everyone to get water. We were advised appetizers would be delayed but all the items ordered never made it to the table. Placed entrees and the meal didn't come out together and complete. One at a time, and two orders never made it, one person didn't get half their meal. The server grabbed her purse and walked out before we even got our check. Asked to the speak to manager they were not going to come because they were cooking and never came to the table. Finally came out and were only going to take 5% off the check with terrible service and not receiving the full order. Reservations were made in advance by at least two weeks. No excuse read more

Good service and great food. The cod fish fritters are wonderful. I also am a fan of the callolou greens. I have tried several menu options and all are good! They also have daily "happy hour" specials which is an added plus. The ambiance is nice as well. read more

I noticed it's very difficult to find authentic Jamaican food in the DMV /Maryland. I've heard so many transplants with the same feedback. I decided to try this restaurant and honestly What a disappointment. I ordered 2 entrees, extra sides and an appetizer. Our waitress, Ivie F brought 12 pieces of wings when we ordered when we only ordered 6 as per the menu. Once we brought it to her attention she said sternly "well I heard 12" and walked away. What kind of service is this? I ordered the following menu items: Oxtails- 1out of 5 very watered down, sauce extremely dark and flavorless Jerk wings- 2 out of 5 Callaloo- 4 out of 5 very hard to find vegetable here in the US. This was very well prepared String beans -3 out of 5 Fish- 3 out of 5 nice presentation but overcooked/ dry Festival- 2 out of 5 Lemon drop- 3 out of 5 The food didn't taste authentic nor traditional. The flavors felt watered down, too much sauce or just plain salty. My husband (originally from Jamaica) who owns a Jamaican restaurant in another state figured he would help a fellow Jamaican out by giving some tips. The manager explained that the people in Maryland like it this way but he wouldn't cook it like this at home! Lol I've never heard such a response as a Caribbean restaurant you should take pride in authenticity always. I highly doubt with this experience I will be back. read more

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Went back for a second visit. This time, I tried the rum punch. It has the hard to find Wray and nephew over proof rum. OMG, the best rum punch I ever had. The owner "Shawn" stopped by to chat. The waitress "Britney" was also lovely. This is our new spot . My friend loved it too! The restaurant is great! I hope they stay in Bowie. Ambiance is friendly and welcoming: read more

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Yesterday, Mom and I dined at Shantoo Togetherness Restaurant, and from the moment we walked through the door, I was captivated by the beautiful décor. The many pieces of memorabilia brought back such wonderful memories and gave me the opportunity to reminisce about my Jamaican roots. The owner welcomed us promptly and took our order. What impressed me just as much was that he took the time to get acquainted with us. That was truly sweet of him. Now, let's get to the food--oh boy! I enjoyed so many familiar dishes that were masterfully prepared with love. The meal included stew chicken, jerk chicken, and curry chicken, all tender, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned. The fried whiting was absolutely delicious, and the plantain was the softest, sweetest ripe plantain I've ever tasted. Last, but certainly not least, was the rice and peas, cooked with grated coconut and fresh peas, accompanied by soft, divine cabbage. Oh wait, I can't forget the tropical beverage, which was mixed to perfection and incredibly refreshing. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo of my meal because the aroma was so tantalizing that I immediately dug right in (and yes, I cleaned the plate!). Lord, forgive me, but I even forgot to say grace! I think the Lord let this one slide because I'm sure that heavenly aroma made its way straight to Heaven's door. Don't walk--run to Shantoo Togetherness Restaurant, where you'll enjoy a warm, welcoming dining experience and leave feeling completely satisfied! If I could give this establishment 10 stars and beyond, I certainly would. It is truly deserving of every single one! read more

Shantoo Togetherness - Caribbean Near Me - Bowie, Maryland

This being in the old Pizza Hut always intrigued me. I finally got the chance recently to try their food. The inside was very dark and to me still gave the feel of an old Pizza Hut maybe that's just 90's kids nostalgia in me. The food was okay. I ordered the oxtail combos with curry chicken. I ordered my oxtail spicy and all they did was add scotch bonnet peppers so the flavor ain't really changed or was hot unless you had a pepper in a bite. For a Jamaican spot the portion size was kind of small. All in all to me this place was just solid, it's something about a Caribbean sit down restaurant that kind of just lack soul for me. read more

Shantoo Togetherness - Oxtail & Curry Chicken with Steamed Cabbage and Rice & Peas - Caribbean Near Me - Bowie, Maryland

Had dinner on a Friday evening. Arrived about 7 PM. There was plenty of parking. I was surprised to see that for Friday evening. The restaurant was only about 30% full. That is a telltale sign in itself. The bar got progressively more busy as the night went on. The best part was our waitress. I wish I had gotten her name. It looked like she was also the bartender. She was attentive. She checked in on us. She got us everything in a timely manner. Outside of that, everything was just kind of average. Maybe I don't go out enough but &14 for a cocktail for me felt like a lot. Our food was good. Just good. Nothing was awful. Although, the mild escovitch sauce was VERY vinegar forward. They give you cocoa bread as a starter. It was good, but it would've been better if it was fresher or made in house. Overall, it was a decent meal. There was nothing that was so amazing that I plan to go back again. read more

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This place is located in a old Pizza Hut. Stopped by after leaving a winery and wanted to grab some food to go. The jerk wings and beef patty were really good. I was surprised that this place has a full bar. I definitely plan to come back and sit down and enjoy those vibes. Service was actually very good. I know there's this ongoing joke that if you go to a Jamaican or Caribbean spot and the service is good, then the food probably isn't, or vice versa. The service here was good here and the food was good. read more

Shantoo Togetherness - Caribbean Near Me - Bowie, Maryland

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I have been wanting to try Shantoo for months. I was on the fence between giving them a 4 or a 3. I chose a 4 for the service. Our waitress was new but was very friendly and attentive and funny. I would also give a 4 for cleanliness, ambience, and timeliness. We came for lunch and were the first ones there. Everything came out quickly and hot. They deserve a 3 for price! The $10 lunch special was actually $16. Please fix your menu OR honor the price you state on your menu. I got oxtails to go and they charged $36 for 3 small plantains, some rice and peas, and 5 oxtails. Are you serious!!! Either give me more food or drop your price accordingly. In terms of taste, I give the stew chicken, the beef patty, sorell, and coco bread a 3, the jerk chicken a 3.5, the oxtails are a 4, the rice and peas, cabbage, and plantains are all a 4. They were good just not enough of them. Overall this place has great potential but needs to improve the flavor of some dishes and match their prices to the quality and portions of their food to be a 5 in my book. read more

Shantoo Togetherness - Oxtails, rice and peas and plantains - Caribbean Near Me - Bowie, Maryland

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Yep I saw this Caribbean spot on my timeline after a fellow reviewer went. Food looked good...I pulled up!! This spot makes its food to order. So sit down, put your phones down, & enjoy!! . Where I am: @shantootogetherness . Location Reviewed: 1290 Crain Hwy, Bowie M.D. . Items Reviewed: DECENT. Their Coco Bread (Complimentary when you sit down $3 if you take out). I needed more fluff to this. STAMP!! Their Virgin Rum Punch ($10 with pineapple, orange, & grenadine). Fruity, & refreshing!! STAMP!! Their Patties ($ a house made beef patty, & jerk chicken patty). These are DEFINITELY homemade!! Tasty, meaty, & flaky!! STAMP!! Their Barb Fried Wings ($10 six bbq fried wings, with onions, & peppers). These are grilled, fried, & sauced up!! A MUST HAVE!! STAMP!! Their Oxtail Flatbread ($25 with cheese, onions, tomatoes, peppers, & marinated oxtail). Plenty of oxtail, cheesy, meaty, & savory!! STAMP!! Their Festival ($4 a fried bread). Simple but tasty!! STAMP!! Their Jerk Chicken Entree ($28 with seasoned chicken, rice & peas, & cabbage). Flavorful, & spicy chicken, rice n peas, & cabbage!! STAMP!! Their Seafood Combo ($28 with fried whiting, Escovitch, plantains, mac n cheese, & sweet n sour shrimp). Perfectly fried whiting, with the spicy Escovitch, & sweet plantains!! The Shrimp was tasty & LIKE THAT!! The Mac was garlicky & DELICIOUS. STAMP!! Their Rum Cake ($5). Moist, tasty, & sweet!! STAMP!! Their Triple Chocolate Cake ($5 chocolate layered cake). Chocolaty, tasty, & creamy!! . Customer Service: On Point. . Parking: Decent. . Recommendations: Get them wings, Jerk chicken, & cake!! . Accessibility: It's wheelchair friendly, & it's differently abled persons friendly. 5 Stars=STAMP 4 1/2 Stars=LIKE THAT 4 Stars=DELICIOUS 3 Stars=DECENT 2 Stars=PASS 1 Star=NAH #Bigschlimsreviews read more

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This space is what used to be a Pizza Hut. The vibe is easy and the music is relaxing and not too loud. There's a nice sized bar in the middle of the restaurant space and patrons are having lively conversations. I ordered an oxtail plate for my wife to enjoy and she was very pleased with the oxtail, plantains and steamed cabbage. I must confess that I forgot to order peas and rice with this dish. So to compensate, I made rice at home to supplement this arrangement. The chef came from the kitchen to make sure it was my order that he was preparing and it was nice gesture for a staff member to check the order and meet the patron that ordered it. I'll be sure to sit in next time to take in the vibes and their other menu items as well. read more

Shantoo Togetherness - Host station next to the kitchen where the magic happens. - Caribbean Near Me - Bowie, Maryland

I tried to give this establishment another try, however it was not good at all. First let's say the wait time for food is horrible, and especially for what we ordered. The coco bread was brought out for starters, it had a weird taste, almost as if refrigerated and warmed up, and very crumbly. The whiting was ok, but better the first time I had it, this time it was just ok. Those French fries.. they don't need to serve no more fries.. looked and tastes old. The cabbage was overly saturated with parsley... and the rice and peas were dry. The highlight of the night was the jerk chicken. Asked For bone in white meat... was served chicken tenders with jerk sauce.. and told they don't have bone in white meat!!!??? Why ask if you want bone in or bone out white meat? And it was dryyyyyyy, had to get extra sauce just to eat it. Overall, I don't know, it's just not for me.. read more

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Hands down, by far, some of the best Ox tails I've ever had. If you go there and don't know what to get... I'm telling you, just try the ox tails with roti. You can't go wrong. The staff is amazing! So kind and welcoming. They treat you like family from the time you step in the door. And the music... the music was hitting! I definitely go back any opportunity I get. read more

I had the jerk wings, shrimp and salmon jerk with beans and rice.Calaloo. All delicious,Shout Outs to Shawn and Mahoany great food and service. Will visit again. read more

Food is delicious! The snapper chef kiss! I had some hickory BBQ smoke wings. They are so good! Must try. 4 stars only because the service is a hit or miss. I've been to this restaurant about 5 times and each time is a different experience. The first time I came the owner came out and was greeting everyone ( which set the tone for my expectations) the last time I came. We sat there for almost an hr in a half with not even appetizer had arrived. But all in all the food has never disappointed. It's been times I come just for the wings and the owner was the only one in the back cooking. I commend the owner. He's a hard working man with a beautiful spirit. Please check this place out. Your stomach will be very happy with you. read more

Shantoo Togetherness - Snapper Whole - Caribbean Near Me - Bowie, Maryland

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While I think the food is tastes okay, the portions are disproportionately smaller and not worth the overall cost of the food. I was craving Caribbean food and thought to give this place a try but I doubt I'll do that again. I spent over $170 on a few items and when I received it, the food was leaking from containers into the bag, I looked at the portions and thought where's the rest. The most disappointing was ordering 2 entrees of oxtail and beans and paying $39.60 for each one and receiving a container that looked like this. Maybe there were 3-4 pieces of oxtail, I don't even see many beans, I felt like I was swindled out of my money. I love eating from community places but these costs don't represent true value of the food. read more

Shantoo Togetherness - $38.60 for Oxtail & Bean - Caribbean Near Me - Bowie, Maryland

Jamaica, Jamaica!! There is so much luv at this restaurant; I love visiting. Alaina is the best! Her customer service is amazing. The Brothers (owners) are so accommodating and down to earth. The escovitch fish was delicious, flavorful and savory! Rice and Peas and plantains were also great!. Every Friday is Fish Fry Friday there!!! Enjoy the sounds of dancehall and other Caribbean beats. read more

Shantoo Togetherness - Caribbean Near Me - Bowie, Maryland

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Let me start by saying that Shantoo is a personable and humble man working to provide a food and family experience. Let me jump to the good info! I have NEVER had a beef rib that I could cut with a butter knife! Need I say more?? read more

Let's talk about the place where you can go for a meal that taste like grandma is in the kitchen! Delicioso!! That's the word for every bite of food I ate. The thick richness of the curry goat to the home made callaloo!!! I raised my hands in praise for every bite that made me feel like I was back in the islands. Sitting in our booth with a smooth Caribbean sound in the background....Thanks so much Shantoo! What a pleasure to share your food with me & my friends!! read more

Shantoo Togetherness - Curried Goat Meal - Caribbean Near Me - Bowie, Maryland

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I took a friend there today. Her first time, my 4th. The food was amazing. The rum punch......no joke. You are easily transported to Jamaica. I had the brown stew beef, rice and peas, and cabbage. Shawn, the owner was welcoming, sat and talked with us. It feels like family here. ​​ read more

Shantoo Togetherness - Rum punch - Caribbean Near Me - Bowie, Maryland

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I went to visit this restaurant yesterday. I was excited as I've saw the reviews and and the way the food looked on Instagram. However, my anticipation turned into disappointment. When I entered, I went right to the bathroom, which wasn't the cleanest. Immediately afterward, I went to the podium to be seated. The young woman continued talking on the telephone as if I weren't there. I left. When I got to my car, I called and requested the manager and assistant manager. I was told they were cooking. Therefore, she inquired about the nature of my call. Once I told her, she went on about how they were short, and she was taking a telephone order. I told her, ok then ended the call. I'm very disappointed about my experience. Please, just do better. read more

Been hearing about this place for a minute, and I heard they were off to a bit of a rocky start. I was in the neighborhood and finally decided to try them out. Upon entering, a wave of nostalgia hit me. This was where the classic looking Pizza Hut with the red roof used to be, and I remembered so many times coming as a kid. The layout has completely changed now, of course. And it was great hearing all the reggae and dancehall tunes! There's a big bar, and the place was mostly empty. I was there towards the end of the night. There were just a few groups in there -- one which was celebrating their birthday, so that was cool. I grabbed a seat at the bar and the bartender was updating the playlist and taking care of others there. I learned it was Taco Tuesday and they had some food and drink specials going on -- alright now! I was intrigued at the presence of jerk chicken and curry chicken tacos. I ordered those along with a side of roti and callaloo. The roti and callaloo were everything I could've hoped for. The jerk and curry tacos came in little square dishes, and completely fell apart when trying to pick them up. Given all the juice that comes from the sauces, plus the protein and weight, that was inevitable. They use one tortilla each, and would probably benefit from being doubled up. And given the presentation, I had to fork some chicken out before I could even attempt to pick them up. Unfortunately because of the size of the dishes they were in, anything that fell out immediately hit the bartop. I hope they improve those moving forward --- taco format aside, the jerk & curry were decent. I'm looking forward to returning and trying more things! read more

Food and service was amazing, wonderful establishment. When you go get the jerk chicken or the ribs they are fall off the bone tender.

Wonderful! The staff was warm and friendly and the food was delicious. I hope to return soon.

The food is sooo good. A bit on the high end but delicious. Our server was great. It's in an old pizza hut but still nice. read more

Shantoo Togetherness - Ox tails - Caribbean Near Me - Bowie, Maryland

I ordered the boneless jerk chicken breasts, cabbage and fried dumplings for take out. The chicken was tender and the spiced chicken was tasty and tender. The level of spiciness( very spicy) was good for me but i think most Americans would have found it too spicy, and medium or less might be a better choice. The cabbage was excellent( it had peppers in it) but far from spicy. The fried dumplings were tasty, but not that flavorful, and dipping them in sauce improved them. The Cole slaw was ordinary. read more

We went during game night. I have to go back when it's not a game night because the music was so loud i coudn't even have a damn conversation (that's why this rating is not a 5). Oh also, after we were sat down, we waiting 15 minutes for waitstaff to even ask for drinks. Otherwise! I am coming back or ordering to go disappoint! The food was amazing! I normally take pictures but I literally dove in to everything and didn't even think about pictures. I had the jerk wings (9/10) that were so tender and yummy, you can tell they were fresh. Just need to offer some ranch or blue cheese. Also the beef ribs. I wanted oxtail but they were out, that was disapointing. But those beef ribs did not!! I thoroughly enjoyed them 9.5/10. I had a beef patty as well, that was kinda flat but the taste made up for it! 9/10. My friend had the jerk chicken, cabbage and rice and peas and she said everything was hot fresh and delicious!! I will take pictures next time, so sorry! I will be visiting again....SOON!! I would just ask management to please be quicker with initial service! Such a wonderful addition to the area. read more

First off let me start by saying the food was delicious that's why I'm giving 2 stars, but the bartender Ivana was VERY DRY & does not let you know the new prices which is misleading as a customer who is frequent with supporting up & coming businesses. I ordered the curry chicken which says $23 on the menu & my other half ordered the seafood combo which says $28/30 it does not say nothing about a $5 upcharge for salmon. Then as we spoke to the owner about the issues first thing he said was she should've told us food prices went up & he can't reprint menus cause it costs him $2K but part of being in business is being prepared for things like this the customer shouldn't have to be surprised when the bill comes. Then they point out "THE MENU PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE" but that is clearly located on the happy hour part of the menu. If you go just be sure to be prepared to pay a higher bill then advertised. read more

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Horrible they served beef bones and tried to pass off as oxtails nastyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy read more

Shantoo Togetherness - These are not oxtails I'm from the Bronx these are neck bones the fuck stupid ass man saying he not arguing - Caribbean Near Me - Bowie, Maryland

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Great food, owner was amazing! The service was awesome with a great bartender. The ambiance was great. read more

Shantoo Togetherness - Curry shrimp with oxtail & Rice & Peas w/ Cabbage- Steamed - Caribbean Near Me - Bowie, Maryland

I journeyed all the way out to Bowie for a separatd event and, while there, I recognized this restaurant from IG so I decided to check it out. For reference, Shantoo sits in the same plaza as Sky Zone. I ordered escovutch fish online and when the quoted time arrived, I entered the restaurant. The space is large and there is a large bar in the middle. My order took a good while longer than the quoted time to be complete so, while I waited, I was able to observe a gentleman who gave 'owner' vibes, interact with the customers at the bar and, for that alone, I'd come back to have drinks - he had great energy! I took my order to-go, so the entire trip home, I was smeling those DELICIOUS scents and I was excited to taste. I didn't love the to-go packaging of my food and I wanted a bit more seasoning on my fish but the spice and taste of the escovitch sauce was perfect!! If in this area again, I would definitely stop here to try more items or to try their Fish Friday menu. read more

Staff is always nice. This restaurant is underrated. It reminds me of good old jamacian cuisine. Actually taste better. Chef kiss on rice and peas, cabbage and beef ribs. Best jerk wings I've ever had. Reminds me of my grandmother's food. Wraps it's arm around me. Place should be booked up. It's cool chill environment. Met the chef . He like an uncle from back home. Great spirit....10 stars for me and my husband. Coming back soon and bringing friends and family. read more

It used to be a Pizza Hut location, so there was a lot of familiarity with the location. However, the food was really great! I like that the portion sizes are very generous too. There was quite a long wait, but as long as the food is good and made fresh, so I definitely didn't mind. I was here on a Sunday, and it seemed very family friendly for everyone to be comfortably served. It's also easily wheelchair accessible. Just has a slow paced home like feel to it, which is great. read more

I ordered curry goat and it was horrible. I also had more bones and curry juice than meat. I'm going to post pictures so you people can see. The rice was also horrible, how do you not know how to make white rice? Anyway moving on. I definitely will never eat at this place again. read more

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Food was absolutely amazing. From the jerk wings to the Dino rib! Highly recommend and great service. Definitely coming back

Stopped by to finally try Shantoo. We placed a to go order and sat at the bar for rum punches. I was skeptical because of the negative reviews I saw. The rum punch was delicious. We ordered the bone in jerk chicken, brown stew chicken, beef patties, coco bread, rice n peas, cabbage and plantains. We really enjoyed all of our food. I'm glad we finally tried this out. I definitely recommend trying. We were so hungry we forgot to take pictures read more

Shantoo Togetherness - Caribbean Near Me - Bowie, Maryland

I believe Shantoo can do better...it may just take some time but I would be willing to give them another chance. Typical expectations may be missed as you may expect to walk into this establishment to be greeted with the scent of Caribbean spices...maybe I came on a bad night but with a $200 plus meal my family was pretty underwhelmed. These type of reviews are hard to write but it doesn't take much to please us locals, we also want you to succeed.....it may be a while before I return but I will return...Everything tasted like it was their first time preparing...best item was the French fries. Wings are serviceable but the rest of the menu needs a little time to develop. I did indeed enjoy the ample space and parking...full bar and a few live tvs. Hoping to have more content to update my review read more

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We went in to try something new and I had been wanting to come in for some time. We were pleasantly surprised when we walked in and the menu had more selections than what was showing online. We came in shortly after they opened and there were no other customers. The food took some time to come out and it came out one by one (there were 5 of us). This made it challenging for those who "wait to eat until everyone is served" type people. When we finally got all our food, the food was good. The portions were large but the timing was frustrating. It also took a long time to get the check when we were done. All in all, I would go again but maybe not in a large party? Not great for a quick work lunch trip. read more