Kabawa

We would we have never known that it was Day 2 for Kabawa, Bar Kabawa’s formal dining sibling. Service was smooth and the Caribbean-inspired menu was perfection. Cocktails were fabulous as well. Rafa and Sami were wonderful, and they kept checking in on us to make sure we were enjoying ourselves. My friend and I enjoyed the pepper shrimp, breadfruit tostón, Cobia, Goat, Coconut turnover and the Roti & dipping sauces. In terms of cocktails, we had the Kapitán (which was way too easy to drink…), Martini Kabawa and Swanky Panky. Great overall experience! Will be back!

Excellent experience at Kabawa (different than its neighbor Bar Kabawa), which is located in the old Momofuku Ko space in the East Village NYC. It’s a new Prix-fixe restaurant from the Momofuku team. Service was smooth, the Caribbean-focused menu was delicious. Cocktails were great as well. Loved dining around the bar and watching the team cook. Three courses for $145. Follow GlamYourGlass on IG for more recos & tips!

Excellent, excellent, excellent! Wowed by everything, especially the goat (exquisite) and the duck saucage (amazing). The wine suggestion was also excellent. The staff was very attentive and jovial. The chef was kind enough to explain his goat sauce and very gracious. In short, a memorable expensive. We eill be back!

I enjoyed my meal, but the Chuleta Can Can had way too much fat. I’d wager it was somewhere between a 60 - 70% fat to meat ratio. Listen, I like fat, but not when 2/3rd of it is fat. Shame cause it was actually quite delicious otherwise.

They inherited the wine collection of Momofuku Ko, so the "cellar sips" option is quite singular. For my dinner, they opened with a 2011 Champagne and the program included a 2006 Chateau Neuf du Pape. We ordered the Chuletas Can Can (an extra $75). Although a dish meant for two, its size and fat content could have provided a meat portion for four.

Enchanting. The staff. The food. The concept. Thank you! Caribbean fine dining that will blow your mind and satisfy your heart.

Kabawa is excellent and you should absolutely go to this new restaurant! The meal was inventive, flavorful and filling. I enjoyed everything we ordered: the octopus and cassava dumpling apps, the goat and cobia fish mains and the coconut turnover for dessert. The bread course was the perfect start with four delicious dips. For the main course, they gave us some of the best rice and beans I've ever had, the most delicious and creative sweet potato that transports you to the beach with its pineapple flavoring, and a salad with my new favorite dressing. I can't wait to return to try all of the other dishes. The staff is attentive, helpful and professional. Our server knew the intricacies of each dish to help us make a decision. It's a great vibe and perfect for any occasion. The music is on the louder side. The bathrooms are beautifully designed! I know some people don't love prix fixe menus. Don't let this deter you. Kabawa is one of the best meals I've had all year and entirely worth it!

Beautiful restaurant with beautiful food. Attentive and charming service from all the staff. Open kitchen is also really fun and incredible to see the food being prepared.

I had a quick 24 hours in NY and my friend informed me we had dinner reservations at Kabawa. I live in Texas so this restaurant was not on my radar and, I happily chose not to research as I wanted to be surprised. All I can say is WOW! This was one of the best dining experiences I've had in a long time! From the moment we entered Kabawa everyone was curteous and kind! Every single person I encountered. We were a bit early to our reservation so we went next door to Bar Kibawa. What I loved is if you start there with cocktails, someone will come get you when your table is ready. Also, whatever you order transfers to your final bill so need to close out. We had seating at the bar which, I think is preferred as you get to interact with the staff preparing the food. Did I mention how kind everyone is? The menu is prix fixe with multiple options for each course. Kabawa is Caribbean cuisine meets fine dining. I opted for: pepper shrimp, goat, and birthday flan. My friend ordered: breadfruit tostón, black bass, and the sorbet of the day (coconut). The presentation and the flavors were PHENOMENAL. And it may not sound like we ordered a lot but there were delicious surprises along the way so bring your appetite. Again, everyone was kind! Jody our server, Denzel in the kitchen, and the gentleman from Haiti (forgot his name) that made sure we ate to our hearts desire!

Incredible experience. Fine dining thats filling! Vibes and flavors that I couldnt help but love. I saw a couple of chefs I follow on social media raving about Kabawa and got lucky enough to snag a reservation. Its Caribbean fare so right up my alley. Its easily the best high-end Caribbean food I have had. It hits those soulful back home flavors with incredible flair and execution. The portions are bigger than typical fine dining places as well, which is greatly appreciated because there is nothing worse than spending $200 on dinner and then still being hungry. We started with complimentary bussup bread course which was delicious and spot on. Next was the cassava dumplings and breadfruit toston (there was two of us) the cassava are formed like gnnochi, it wasn't my favorite thing but wasn't bad. However, the breadfruit Toston was amazing. We had the Cobia and Goat for second course. Cobia was executed perfectly, it was a little on the sweeter side and delicious. I've never had Cobia before it was flaky and the flavors were really clean. The Goat was super flavorful. I will say I deeply respect the chefs for staying true to their roots because it is spicy as hell. Caribbean spicy, not American lol. So be warned that it has a significant kick but it is delicious. The entrees come with a tasty salad, some rice, and some korean yams. I was full after that but made room for the Matrimony (citrus in condensed milk) it was light and bright. Nice way to end my meal. Had several cocktails, don't remember the names but there were really good. The only downside to my experience was it took a long time (30 mins) to be seated. I wasn't in a rush but it was a pretty long wait.

This was incredible -- everything I hoped it would be. The roti and dips to start were absolutely perfect, especially the butter over a peppery sauce. The pepper shrimp was one of the best things I've eater this year. I also loved the mushroom pastel, although I could see myself subbing it out on another trip. The goat was also perfect -- really spicy, and soft enough to be fork-only. The curry with the black bass was amazing, although this is the one dish that we'd definitely sub out next time. The coconut turnover for dessert was incredible, although it was so huge I don't know who could ever eat it in one sitting after all the other food we got. The one inner conflict I had was around the chuletas, which is basically a giant serving of pork belly. We didn't get it mostly because my wife has an aversion to coriander, which is prominent in the sauce, but even so, I really wonder if it would be too much, as much as I love that kind of thing. Regardless, this was so amazing and I can't wait to come back again.

The beau and I hit this place as soon as we read that it was named a top 10 restaurant in NYC. We got an early reservation and arrived at the restaurant oddly located down a wide dead end alleyway. Our server Anne was just incredible. She elevated the entire experience with unrivaled service and conversation. While the prix fixe menu is pricey, the quality and authenticity of the food nearly warrants it. The three courses are supplemented with bread, dips, and various sides. The goat is a must and the coconut turnover will blow your mind. A lovely and fun spot with mostly bar seats that I'd love to sit at next time to watch the chefs at work. Also, go next door for a nightcaps, especially if you like rum!

kabawa, a formal counterpart of Bar Kabawa, finally opened, and we made sure to make reservations for their 3-course prix fixe experience! From Chef Carmichael and Momofuku, the menu features a 'distinct perspective' on Caribbean cuisine. Choices of our 1st course were: +Breadfruit Toston - octopus with dog sauce and capers +Plantain - scrambled egg with salt cod and caviar For the 2nd course, we opted for: +Black Bass with curry +Goat with spicy scallop creole For the dessert and last course, we went for: +Coconut Turnover with caramelized coconut and cream cheese +and, the Matrimony - citrus fruits with condensed milk Service was friendly, and the wrap-around counter seating was great. +3-course prix fixe +friendly service

Had a wonderful time at the newly opened Kabawa. The menu is organized into three sections for a prixe fixe of $145 without tip and tax. We picked one option from each of the three sections, and were also served a delicious bread course with accompaniments. The entree course also came with a collection of sides and rice. I found the flavors to be very satisfying, as every bite of food was delicious. The drinks were also rum forward, just like the bar side!

Wow, truly one of the best experiences I have had in nyc; the food was mind blowing good as well. I loved that it had a spacious beautiful open kitchen setup and more importantly - it was coupled with a homey feel given everyone was so cordial and conversational. It packed a modest high end feel yet without any ostentatiousness. Do get the pork if you're there. It's worth every penny and lastly the flan is the best flan I have ever had. It was so thick that it had a cheesecake like consistency. Lastly, wanted to give a shout out to Anthony and Jodi who made the dinner so fun and special!

OMG, pretentious, expensive, insulting culinary experience and service! Yikes! $145 per person for dressed-up potatoes, garbanzos, dumplings, weird fruit, over-cooked bass, and bread. Really?! Super disappointing. First time writing on Yelp and NEVER going back. Rip-off!