Ocho Rios Parrilla

Ocho Rios Parrilla is a great Jamaican restaurant on east Passyunk Avenue. The restaurant has indoor and outdoor dining and it was very clean at all. I ordered one of their signature dish Curry Goat. It was very tender and delicious. They marinated the meat very well. Main course came with two sides, and I chose mac&cheese and rice&beans. They were both really good, especially rice&beans was so tasty. They also have rich cocktail options. My waiter Dan was great. He was very nice and attentive. Every time when he served something, he had big smile on his face. The prices were very fair, and definitely the food is worth every penny. Highly recommend!

I had the oxtails and they were delicious. Great roux, meat falls off the bone. The jerk chicken sauce was delicious little sweet with a nice kick. All the sides we had were great. Friendly service and nice set up. Outside seasonal seating. The food took a little long to come out, but was worth it coming out steaming hot.

The restaurant has an amazing vibe and the food was even better. Stopped in for lunch while strolling through the neighborhood and had the summer special cocktail Ocho rum punch and it was the best rum punch I ever had. For entrees had the oxtail stew, curry goat, and rice and peas, Mac and cheese, and plaintain for sides. The food was portioned well and bursting with flavor. Highly recommend all of those dishes. The service by John was also great. Will definitely be returning.

I feel bad writing this, but I hope the owner takes this as constructive criticism because I was really excited to find a Caribbean spot near my place. I ordered the Jerk Chicken and it was absolutely dry and didn’t have the right flavor I was expecting. The plantains and rice were flavorless - could use more salt. Cool vibe and would def come here for drinks.

Fabulous Authentic Caribbean Food with great portions always made fresh. Beautiful Tropical Drinks, good beer selection and beautiful atmosphere and vibe... The service is very personal and attentive.. if you haven't tried it out, now is the time...

The ox tail was fall off the bone, tender. It came served on a flat plate with a few vegetables into the stew and the sauce from the stew was very rich, yet neither thick nor too thin. The rice and beans is very good and you can taste the coconut flavor. The only recommendation I would have there is that the rice and the beans we split, because the beans cause the rice to clump up and you wind up getting big bites of beans. The three greens on the side were absolutely delicious. Full of flavor You could taste the flavors of the coconut, the onion, and the cumin, and they were crispy, perfectly cooked. There was even a hint of spice to them that made them pop. Really cool, the server accidentally brought us plantains and actually left them for us to enjoy even after realizing we didn’t order them.

Great option for a delicious and unique meal on the Ave. The staff is friendly, the rum punch is awesome and the food is delicious! Have been a few times and always pleased with the variety of options. Personally recommend the Caribbean patty, curry shrimp and Mac and cheese!

This place gets zero stars. The food was not good at all. I am Caribbean and know what good food is. What I was served, was not it. My husband ordered oxtail and I brown stew chicken - neither of which was good and tasted as well as looked dry and stale. Looks good doesn't it - well it was not goooood

We came here to celebrate my Dad's birthday and my gosh did the food blow us away. This is a smaller (maybe 30 people tops) seated restaurant on E. Passyunk Ave. It's super clean but the vibe and music still reminds you of being in Jamaica. All of our dishes were fantastic. The brown stew chicken, the oxtails, the jerk style beef brisket simply delicious. So well seasoned and definitely enough to take some home. The mac and cheese was tasty and fine balance of both. The sautéed cabbage and the red beans/rice were also really great to have as side orders too. Our starters were the salt fish fritters and the jerk wings plus one beef patty just to try. Loved them as well. John was the waiter/bartender/host for the evening and made an otherwise pretty long wait for the food enjoyable. They also have a tv over the bar and we could watch/listen to the Eagles game while we waited. I hope they are able to grow and make more delicious food with some help to get the wait time down. Even the fall seasonal cake and red velvet we ordered for dessert were divine. Thanks for a great and memorable evening Ocho Rios. Can't wait to come back!

Strolling down Passyunk Ave with my son and came across this Jamaican restaurant on a Sunday afternoon. He tried a beef patty first and said it was the best he's ever had, where we came back for 2 more patties along with a jerk chicken platter and another order thereafter. I also got the Jamaican jerk wings and oxtail stew. It took about 10-20 minutes for each order- was told everything is made from scratch. Although everything tasted decent, they used the SAME sauce for the chicken, oxtail stew, and dip, which made all the food taste the same after a while. The sauce had a kick to it, meats were tender, but nothing really stood out to me except for the beef patty- tasted like the ones I had in Jamaica. The rice & beans were bland and the mac & cheese had cinnamon on top, so it was sweet and salty. Service was good and the staff were very friendly, especially the gentleman who took my order 3 times. The restaurant had NO AC except for a rotating fan the day I went. Maybe it was broken? Imagine dining in during 90° weather- I took my orders to go. Not the best nor most authentic, but worth trying. We'll definitely be back again the next time we're in philly for more beef patties & jerk chicken.

The place was clean and it was down hill from there. I won't be going back. There was a gentleman on the floor handing customers and the bar. The wait was long and the food not that great. I ordered grilled salmon and my uncle ordered curry goat, neither was good enough to complement. My salmon was over cooked. It is a shame most Jamaican restaurants are take out because we were looking for a place to sit down

My boyfriend and I absolutely loved our experience at Ocho Rios Resturant in East Passyunk! We stopped in here for lunch today and were happy we did because it was fantastic! Authentic Jamaican food and that truly exceeded my expectations! I am not one to have Jamaican food too too often but after dining here I will certainly be back and I can't wait to try more! My boyfriend ordered the chicken soup which was extremely tasty. It had a tiny kick to it which was perfect. The carrots were sliced so thinly and the broth / chicken had great flavor. I ordered the garlic shrimp. Our waiter told me it was his favorite thing on the menu and he wasn't wrong! I cleaned the plate! The garlicky sauce was so so tasty and the rice / beans paired perfectly with it! Also you get two sides and lots of options with a main course. I chose the rice / beans and the Mac and cheese. Whatever you do get the Mac and cheese! So so good. Like wow, truly worth its own wow. Please go try it! Upon entering we were greeted by the most friendly and kind employee who is the nephew of the owner! He was so helpful with explaining the menu to us and accommodating throughout the meal. We even had the opportunity to meet the owner and she was so appreciative of us coming in. The vibes in this resturant are excellent, extremely vibey with awesome artwork on the walls. They have outdoor seating now that it's getting warmer out which is an great perk as well. Overall we loved our experience and would highly recommend this resturant to anyone! My boyfriend and I will definitely be back and this resturant will be added to our date night rotation!

Came here during a food festival and they had a food stand outside. I got the jerk chicken rice platter that came with a salad for $10. Portion size was on the small but it tasted pretty decent. Chicken was not too spicy (my spice tolerance is low).

Sad to leave this review but honestly, I'm not sure why this place has such great reviews. The food was mediocre at best, and the service was just one person who is very nice, but was overwhelmed even with a small seating the drinks were about twice the price of what was listed on the menu online, and had nothing to do with the drinks that I thought were there. They were strong, but also hangover, and as they were full of sugar.

The jerk chicken is an absolute must at Ocho Rios. I don't know if they have a char grill in the back but the chicken tastes like it's been marinating for days, slow cooked for hours, and charred to perfection. The tofu curry was okay - tasted more like Thai curry than Caribbean but I was here for it. The rice and peas were meh. The 'collared greens' (which were actually kale) were unimpressive - but the mac and cheese was fantastic. I really wish we would have ordered just sides of the mac and cheese as the portion was small but it was the perfect compliment to the spicy chicken. Long story short - get the jerk chicken and EXTRA mac and cheese...you're in for a treat. Drinks were good as well! However, drinker be warned - the punch is aptly named...

The review is based on the food because the service that I received was great. The owner was super friendly who explained that ocho Rios is a place in Jamaica. They currently are BYOB and waiting for liquor license. I ordered mango chicken which included 2 sides. I chose cabbage and plantains. The chicken isn't boneless and you have to be careful with the small pieces of the bones. It had chopped mango but overall it needed more flavor. I was disappointed that it didn't have the plantains that I selected.

The food was good, especially the jerk wings. My mango margarita was too strong for my liking. The restaurant was small but spacious and not crowded. The bartender was weird. At first it seemed like a quirky dry humor shtick. After a group of about five guys sat at the bar (in addition to me, my friend, and another gentleman), the shtick quickly turned into the bartender being audibly annoyed that people were at the bar ordering drinks: "I wanna go home" and other mumbles of annoyance. He finally called 'last call' but was still annoyed. A woman came over and nicely asked if we needed boxes for our food. It was clear they were trying close up shop at 10pm on the dot. On a summer Thursday. The manager never said anything to us about leaving or what time they close. In any event, the food was good, spot was cool, maybe a different bartender would have made the difference.

The food was just okay. The ambiance was nice. I ordered brown stew chicken and the chicken was pretty hard. My husband got escovitch fish and he said it was okay. We were traveling through the city and needed something to eat.

Ocho riosons to check out the new Caribbean place on East Passyunk: 1. The goat curry was super tender and delicious. 2. Their cocktail list looks super interesting and you're going to need something to pretend it's summer when we go into a second lockdown this winter (but see #3) 3. They're BYOB until they get their liquor license. 4. Their playlist will have you thinking you're laying on a beach and drinking something out of a coconut. 5. Great people watching from the window seats! I saw 4 people I knew. 6. Very reasonable prices! We split goat curry which came with 2 sides (we opted for mac and cheese and three greens) and it came to $31 with tip for 2 people! 7. Fresh squeezed juices! We did grapefruit with our tequila. 8. Very attentive service. The Mac and cheese could have used a bit more cheese and the veggie fritters more veggies, but I'll definitely be back to try the rest of the menu (jerk wings and patties!) and those cocktails! Welcome to the neighborhood Ocho Rios Parrilla!

So far, so good. I've had the jerk chicken delivered a few times, and it's always well-packaged and tasty. Portion size is good, too. My only criticism is that if I order close to opening time, the mac and cheese hasn't settled and thickened (a common issue with soul food restaurants). Otherwise, like I said, so far, so good.

Delivery was fast. The greens were by far the best part. (I could eat 10,000 servings of those.) The plantains were also very sweet and cooked perfect. The jerk chicken was just eh for me... The meat was dry and the sauce was just heat (which is good) but not much else going on. With how good the sides were, I have a feeling I just ordered the wrong thing. Should've trusted my instinct and ordered curry goat or oxtails. Those greens though... I will be thinking about those forever!!

We had a fantastic dinner at Ocho Rios! Absolutely delicious Jamaican food. We came during happy hour - the beef Patties and wings were half price - both were outstanding. We were able to get two each, for the price of one. For the main course, we got garlic shrimp (yum!) and jerk chicken - both were really good. My favorites were the sides - the Mac and cheese was perfect (my kid couldn't get enough) and the greens were delicious. I highly recommend coming here. My only concern is they weren't busy - which just makes me want to patronize them more and encourage others to do the same in the hopes they succeed!

Delicious!!! Ocho Rios has a new Chef and the food is delicious. The food has always been good but now it's great. I had the Jerk Chicken, Greens and Mac n cheese last night. Best it's ever been. This review is to negate the prior review I posted.

Wonderful service and good portion sizes. We had a couple of the entrees, would recommend the oxtail. They had a complementary rum punch for us as well. Very nice people working here.

A friend and I stopped in for lunch on a Saturday and there weren't many dine-in customers besides us, but a couple to-go orders came in. The atmosphere is very trendy and it was a great place to have a conversation over lunch. We each had a cocktail and I ordered the jerk chicken, Mac and cheese and fried plantains! The chicken was fall-off-the-bone, the jerk sauce was sweet with a little spice to it. There were probably 5 medium chicken pieces, I ended up taking some home! The Mac and cheese was so good, cheesy and crispy but not dried out. The fried plantains were delicious! My friend had the brisket in jerk sauce and hers was very tender as well! Definitely recommend checking this place out! The staff was very friendly and helped us decide what to get!

Incredibly friendly staff, and great food to match. We had the salt fish fritters, pumpkin soup, jerk chicken and tofu curry. Everything was great but the fritters were just perfect, a must-have. Great to see a Jamaican spot on Passyunk. We'll definitely be back

Probably the worst Jamaican food I've ever had. The venue was cute and pleasant to sit in. Our server seemed very unfriendly. The curry goat was beyond salty. And none of the sauces were right. Curry goat is supposed to be almost stewy thick and this place served the wateriest looking curry goat. The oxtail was weirdly sweet and the rice was clearly cooked in water not coconut milk (I mean I should have known when the menu called it rice and BEANS and not rice and PEAS). Also, I think they must have jerk confused with teriyaki. Don't get the jerk wings or brisket. It won't taste like jerk. It was truly disappointing. *** update. 6/18/23 I was there with my Jamaican husband, his mom, and his brother. Everyone tried different things. And the goat did taste very salty. Neither myself nor my brother in law could finish it. My mother in law got the oxtail and shared it with me. It was our first time going there and unfortunately it will be our last. Especially after a very defensive reply to my review from the owner.

This was an amazing first experience to try out Caribbean food! My friend recommended this place as she is a local in South Philly, and I am excited to try it again with different entrees when I have the time. We were welcomed by friendly staff, and the food came quick after we ordered. I got the curry goat, and the meat was pretty tender and you were able to choose two side dishes. Mac and cheese did not disappoint either! It was very creamy, and honestly this was the perfect amount of mac and cheese with the meat. We also were offered a free drink that they were experimenting, and it was delicious and fresh! Thanks for the great experience!

This little restaurant could be overlooked on a street full of good dining options - and that would be a mistake! It has a chill Caribbean vibe, yummy traditional Jamaican food and music, and every possible cocktail you can make with rum! (they have beer and wine as well). Friendly service. Great food at a good price. We will be back!!

I ordered the Ocho Oxtail Stew, with a side of collard greens and fried plantains. The oxtail stew was delicious, and the meat was tender, falling off the bone. The collard greens were fresh and the fries plantains were fried in a thin batter. Both sides weren't too heavy. For dessert, I had the sweet potato pudding. I liked how there was a dairy free option but it tasted okay. They served it warm, and it was spiced and slightly sweet. I wasn't a big fan of the pudding's texture.

I love this place! The coconut shrimp curry was delicious and the shrimp were cooked perfectly. I love all of the sides but the greens are probably my favorite. So flavorful. The goat curry and jerk chicken are also great. The servers are also so friendly.

Amazing food and service! 10/10 recommend the oxtail and the curry goat. Can't wait to come back.

Great space to dine outside or inside, the server was pleasant and super helpful the food was good and the portions were plentiful. Great restaurant

This was amazing! I had the curry chicken with the greens, and rice and beans. Divine!

I can't wait to go back again and again. This is the type of place where you want to try everything on the menu. The jerk chicken was incredibly flavorful and had a perfect heat level. The sides of rice and beans and Mac-n-cheese were a perfect pair. Others in our party got curry shrimp, Caribbean surf and turf and chicken stew. Everyone loved their meal. So glad we have this great new restaurant in our neighborhood.

The food was so delicious! I had the curry chicken and my hubby had the curry goat. The cocktails were excellent too. I had the lemon drop martini. The service and bartender were excellent. The location is great and the vibe is chill! I will definitely return. I highly recommend.

Everything is delicious and the staff so attentive. My vegetarian wife got tofu in jerk sauce - she practically licked the plate. I started w the Caribbean Patty and followed that w curried duck. Love the atmosphere feels very homey.

Went here recently on a date. I like the decor and the service was attentive. The food however was just ok and little bland especially for Caribbean food. I had the curry goat and the goat was just not tender. It tasted ok but was just not cooked great. The greens was very bland and needed salt. Overall, I probably wouldn't come back but I wouldn't be against giving them another chance.

Went on a whim with my family. The jerk chicken was excellent! The staff was really friendly, and very helpful to steer us into things we would like.

This New Jamaican / Carribean Restaurant on Passyunk Ave is great for everything on their menu especially the Jerk Chicken and Oxtail Stew! A real friendly staff and great service. Nice relaxed atmosphere and terrific Sign and canopy (my work). Yall can't go wrong for a nice date!

Highly recommend, I'm a vegetarian and they have plenty of options. Get the plantains and three greens! So good! Hope travel back to Philly for the tofu jerk curry. People are so welcoming.

Love! My boyfriend and I just finished eating take-out from this spot and we already can't wait to go back. I got the garlic shrimp with the greens and mac & cheese for sides. Pro tip: get the mac & cheese!! Amazing. Also, I've never had more craveable collards in my life. The shrimp had amazing flavor, and overall, the portion sizes were great. My boyfriend got the ackee & cod, with plantains and beans & rice. It was gone in 2 minutes haha. We'll be back, and most likely to dine-in! Atmosphere was really cute.

We had dinner here this evening and had a great experience. We enjoyed the coconut shrimp, patties and veggie cakes all delish. For dinner we had the shrimp curry, jerk chicken and brisket each super yummy and the sides all really tasty. Dessert topped off with in house made carrot cake and sweet potato pie. Very gracious service, great value and just yummy food that we look forward to return. Nice spice, great cuts of meat and all very nicely prepared you will not be disappointed!!

The service here is awful. Waited 15 minutes to even get a water and then another 10 minute to even get a menu handed to me. Took the waitress 20 minutes to come to me to order my food after constantly waving her down for 10 minutes straight. - let me note, it wasn't because she was busy with other tables because she was standing behind the counter doing nothing the whole time. This waitress does not write down the orders of anyone. She literally asked me 3 different times what I ordered because she kept forgetting. While she was putting in my order after only 2 minutes of telling her the other, she asked again what I ordered. If she has so much trouble remembering people's orders then write it down. The waitress seems like the boss or a manager, an older lady. This place is kinda a mess with their service. They don't know which table orders what. They asked me two separate times with plates on their hands asking if this is what I ordered, it wasn't. They had to ask every customer in the store if those plates are what they ordered. The food was okay but the service and the long wait really made me not want to eat. Would not go back.

Yum! This was delicious. I had the curry shrimp with a side of three greens and fried plantains and everything was great. We also asked about dessert because it was the birthday of a friend in our group. Not only did they bring out dessert, they played happy birthday music for him. It was very sweet. If you're in the mood for tasty Caribbean food in a fun environment, this is the place to go.

I have to be honest the food was INCREDIBLE! I got the jerk chicken and it wasn't too spicy, just right. Bbq wings were out of this world. I came in with my mom and we'll most definitely be back!

Had a great dinner! The vegetarian fritters were amazing. The mango chicken and jerk chicken were very flavorful. Would highly recommend the plantains as a side! Loved the music and ambiance throughout dinner. We will be back!

Such a great addition to the neighborhood! The island vibes and flavors are perfect! Great customer service! Felt like we were part of the family! A must try!!

Loved this place - will absolutely be going back. The saltfish fritters were so perfectly crispy and the sauce with them was so right for the dish - bright and a little spicy. For fried food the dish really felt quite light. For entree I had the goat curry with rice and fried plantains. So. Good. The goat was so melt-in-your-mouth tender and was just so delicious with the crispy bits of the sweet plantains. Really lovely vibe. Can't wait to try the rest of the menu.

Great drinks and bartenders! Solid happy hour specials and good seasonal drinks. You know it's a good takeout place when they don't plate until you get there.

I've traveled all over Jamaica and this was the best Jamaican food I ever had. The oxtail was amazing. 5 start.

Had dinner with my friend over the weekend. The food is AMAZING!! And I'm Jamaican, so I'm particular about Jamaican food in America. Best Jamaican food I have experienced since I have been living in this country, without me making it. The service is spectacular! Staff is friendly and attentive. You must check this restsurant out. And it is gorgeous inside. Also, BYOB for now.

Excellent. The beef patties tasted like homemade and the goat was tender and amazing. I got the jerk wings to take home for the next day, but ate them when I got home. I like more spicy food but even though it was very mild, the flavor was excellent! Great addition to Paasyunk Ave. I'm going for lunch next time.

Great casual neighborhood dinner spot!! Food was so delicious. Got complementary rum punch. Def would come back!

Delicious curry goat! Staff was so friendly and attentive, great spot. Highly recommend.

Wonderful newish spot on E Passyunk. Jerk chicken, call W'loo (greens), and fried plantains we're excellent. And a killer rum/papaya/passion fruit drink gratis (like El Limon does with tequila). Staff is attentive and warm. Chill environment. Reggae on the stereo. Five stars all around.

Stopped in on a weekday. Not too crowded but gaining popularity among Passyunk for sure. The food was excellent, fritters perfect density and maximum flavor. Oxtail is a must-try if you go for jamaican food. Jerk chicken was phenomenal as well. The staff is pleasant and couldn't be any more courteous. Can't wait until they get their liquor license because the virgin rum punch was the perfect citrusy sweet to balance the flavorful spice of the food. Highly recommend trying this spot; great for date nights, watching the sixers on the big screen, and just eating some extraordinary food. I went two nights in a row.