Port-au-Prince Haitian Cuisine

One word, PHENOMENAL!!!! This food here touched my SOUL!!! This was my first time trying Haitian food and my first time at this restaurant. I had the most amazing experience and I plan on coming back many times to try different things on the menu! Let me first say that the customer service and hospitality is top notch! Mr. Roberto was truly amazing in all that he did! Very welcoming, friendly, and overall a very pleasant person that made this such a great experience! You most certainly feel at home here. Service was speedy and on time! Now to the food... y'all! I got teary eyed eating here because the flavors were so great and pretty unexplainable! I am a big foodie and I have tried many different foods from different cultures in different countries. Not many gave me the feelings I had here! I mean kisses to the chef because every item that we ordered was cooked and seasoned to perfection! We ordered the fried turkey that came with rice and beans with vegetables, macaroni gratin, stewed goat with black beans and rice, bannann peze, and rum cake! The way that goat and turkey was seasoned and so tender, I could cry!! The rice was also very well seasoned and good!! That rum cake (and YES you will taste that rum) topped the evening off perfectly with its sweet flavor and soft, perfectly moist texture. The prices are very reasonable for the portion sizes you receive. I had to get a to go plate! I would give more than 5 stars if I could! I will be back and highly recommend this place! I also love the artwork and ambiance !! Y'all please check it out!!! 🙏🏾 Had to come back for a second time!! Stewed chicken was amazing!! Definitely try the (Chiktay in bannann cups) smoked herring starter in plantain cups! Great amount of flavor and spice!

I recently had an incredible dining experience at Port-au-Prince Haitian Cuisine restaurant in Maryland. From the moment we walked in, we were welcomed with warm hospitality and a cozy, inviting atmosphere that made us feel right at home. The food here is simply outstanding. We ordered the Taso Kabrit, whole snapper, mac and cheese, and plantains. Each dish was bursting with authentic flavors and beautifully presented. - Taso Kabrit: The goat was tender and perfectly seasoned, offering a delightful mix of spices that truly brought out the essence of Haitian cuisine. - Whole Snapper: The fish was fresh and expertly grilled, with a crispy exterior and moist, flavorful interior. It was a standout dish that I would highly recommend. - Mac and Cheese: Creamy, tasty, and comforting, this dish added a familiar and delicious touch to our meal. Just like Mom used to make it. - Plantains: Perfectly fried, these were a savory treat that complemented our main dishes beautifully. The service was top-notch, with attentive and friendly staff who were knowledgeable about the menu and eager to make recommendations. They went above and beyond to ensure that our dining experience was nothing short of excellent. Port-au-Prince Haitian Cuisine is a gem in Maryland, offering a unique and memorable dining experience. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking to enjoy exceptional Haitian cuisine in a wonderful setting. I will definitely be returning to savor more of their delightful dishes!

This place was on my list for the longest and finally got a chance to try it. For starters the food is simply tasty ! Just so good. I ordered the djon djon came with a side of plantains. My only thing is I would say the food fairly pricy for what I’m used to - in Florida. For my cocktail, I ordered the punch 9/10. The location is pretty nice. Staff is nice and friendly. Overall 8/10

I came here with my queen for 4th of July weekend so it wasn’t busy at all. She ordered the Vegetarian Legume entree with black rice and I ordered the Stewed Goat entree with black rice. Also ordered their Port Au Prince (PAP) wings. Both dishes came with Pikliz and plantains. We ordered patties and Mac and cheese to go. Everything was flavorful and tasty. Service was excellent. 10/10 would recommend.

I only ordered their red snapper when I’m there because I tried their goat meat, it’s too dry to my taste. They serve good passion fruit juice and mojito. My other concern will be the house salad that was too salty to our taste. Their location is easy to find on the Main Street but parking can be a little tricky so allow enough time and patience. Beside that, there is a great ambiance and music playing if you are a fan of Haitian music you’ll be delight!

I recently moved from New Jersey to Northern Virginia. Couldn’t find any Haitian restaurants close by me. Met the wife of the owner and she recommended her husband’s restaurant. My cousin and I went last week and the food was amazing. The service was great and the drinks were good. I will definitely be going back.

Highly recommended if you are interested in trying Harlan food and drinks. Our order took a while for us to get it but when we finally did, it was totally worth the wait. The drinks are great, make sure you know what you are ordering or ask the waitress/staff.

The food and drinks here are really good!! I highly recommend the Pwason Woz (Whole Red Snapper sauteed) and the Akra Morue! The snapper was so delicious and juicy! AlsoThe atmosphere is relaxing and comfortable which is a plus!

I had a great experience at PAP! The service was quick and our waiter was very kind and attentive. The spot itself has a cozy comfy vibe with kompa playing in the background and a good amount of seating for dining in. To me the food to me was fairly average as far as haitian food goes and I was missing my favorites like griot and marinade, but it is in no way bad! My friend and I definitely enjoyed and cleared our plates! With there not being too many haitian food options in the area, I would definitely recommend this place to someone looking to enjoy a simple haitian dinner in a welcoming environment. Much respect to the owner for shining a light on haitian cuisine in MD! Also, as a tip I would Be sure to check out the menu before going as certain things like the black rice is only served on the weekends.

Officially our first taste of authentic Haitian food! This diner came highly recommended by a friend from Haiti and thankfully, it did not disappoint. Because we're greedy, we tried almost everything on the menu - fried chicken wings and plantain with a side of spicy slaw, then a plate of beef, collard greens, white rice and black bean soup and a plate of fried goat with veggies and mushroom rice. Surprisingly the wings were our favorite. They were fried to perfection with a delish glaze that tickled our tastebuds. The goat and the beef was good, but lil tough and a little dry. The plantain was not as sweet as I prefer, but paired with the spicy slaw, it was delish! The service was good, the venue was clean and the price was fair. Enjoy!

Food: 5/5 amazing Customer service: 5/5 amazing Drinks: 3/5 I was shocked at how weak the rum punch was, once again my rum punch at home is better then what you would get any restaurant. I had asked the waiter for an extra shot. Recommendations: The food was so delicious and flavorful! I highly recommend this place and also communicate with the bar tender if you like strong drinks. I would definitely come back and try other dishes and request a stronger punch.

Do you need to know where to take them on a date? Out by yourself and you want to try something different? Need a drink? This is your spot!! Authentic Haitian Food is RARE in this city...I'm so glad I ran up on this spot...STAMP!! . Where I am: @paphaitiancuisine . Location Reviewed: 7912 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring M.D. . Menu Includes: Butternut Squash Soup with or w/o beef), Stir fried Codfish or Smoked Herring, Beef or Fish Patties, Deep Fried Plantains, Spicy Coleslaw, Wings, Red Snapper, Fried & Stewed Goat & Chicken, Salmon Steak, Grilled Quail or Eggplant, Rice, Rhum Cake, & Chef Don Berto's Ginger Kremas. . Items Reviewed: Their PAP wings & Bannann Peze w/Pikliz (fried spiced wings-$12 with Plantains-$5). STAMP!! Extra Crispy hot wings, with a lil bit of sweetness, & some perfect plantains. Their Paté Kode bef (A large Beef Patty, with onion & spices $6). STAMP! This Haitian street food differs from your traditional Caribbean beef Patty. Spicy & TASTY!! Their Taso Kabrit (fried goat with carrots & broccoli, & rice with beans $25). STAMP STAMP!! The meat was tough tender, the rice with beans were surprisingly spicy, & the broccoli with carrots was a nice addition!! Their Salmon Steak (with white rice, black bean soup-ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS, & broccoli & carrots $22). STAMP!! The BEST salmon steak I've ever had!! GET THIS!! Their Mango juice, & Passionfruit juice. STAMP STAMP!! Fresh, authentic, refreshingly delicious!! . Customer Service: Warm & Welcoming, Full Bar, Karaoke, Film reviews. . Online Navigation: EASY . Parking: Street Metered . Recommendations: The Wings, The Fried Goat, & the Passionfruit!! =STAMP =A.DELICIOUS =DELICIOUS =DECENT =PASS =NAH #Bigschlimsreviews

We drove down from our hotel in Baltimore to try this Haitian restaurant located along a lively business strip in Silver Spring. While we were greeted shortly after entering, we were kind of just waved over to an empty table, by the person behind the bar. There we sat for a good 10 minutes before waving down a staff member to ask if, perhaps, we could possibly get some water, like the table that came in 5 minutes after us had already received. We appreciated that the menu was scannable and staff were masked up. It did get quite crowded on this Saturday night, and meaningful physical distancing was pretty difficult. There was a $15 charge per person for live music during our visit (although the musicians took their break about two songs in after our arrival-too bad for us). There was also an 18% dine-in "  service charge ". The food took about 30 minutes to come out, with a staff member coming back about 15 minutes after we placed the order to ask what exactly we had ordered and whether we had gotten any of our food yet. My dining companion's order came out 10 minutes before mine did. Meals were served with plastic utensils and plastic drink ware. The food: The tassot kabrit (fried goat) was very tasty, banann pèse (fried plantain) was done well. They didn't have the riz djon djon (black mushroom rice) we wanted to order, so we ended up with rice and beans. The rice used was a short grain that were didn't care for, but it was cooked well. We found the wings lacking in seasoning, but they came out hot and crispy and both dishes were beautifully presented. The passion fruit juice was great. Unfortunately, forgot to snap food pics after the extended wait time. The patrons and the unexpected (for us) live music really gave the place a nice vibe. There are also a few tables on the sidewalk in front, which is nice for those who prefer to dine outside. However, fora fried goat plate, order of wings, passion fruit juice and a drink shot, our bill came to a little over $100. We just didn't feel like the overall experience was worth this price tag.

I decided to check this restaurant as i was craving Haitian food. I got the fried goat meal (Taso kabrit) which came with rice and peas, plantains, and pikliz. Also got the rum punch i believe as a drink. The goat was delicious, tender and seasoned really well. I thought it would be tough to chew, but it was very delicious. Rice and peas were also delicious too. I'm not sure if it was pikliz or the sauce on the side but the food was definitely very spicy, which i enjoy! The rum punch was a bit sour tasting but overall the food was good. The service is really really good! I believe the owner was the one there taking our orders and checking in on us constantly! Will definitely return again!

Finally!!! I've waited and searched to find Haitian food in the DMV area and I think I found it. Amazing restaurant. I was lucky to find street parking..I'm sure the day and time will determine parking. It's a small restaurant but service we great. We started off with the banan and pikliz. Amazing. The beed pate was also very good. I had the red snapper amazing as well.

If you're visiting DC and would love some authentic Haitian food, this is the place to be . The food was so tasty , service was great, I must say that's the best service I could've asked for . Beautiful atmosphere . Definitely recommend.

Port-au-Prince is a delightful Haitian restaurant that's won my heart! I have been searching for Haitian cuisine in the DMV for ages and this restaurant stands out as a shining example of what authentic and delicious Haitian cuisine should taste like. The owner, Berto is an amazing host! From the moment I walked in, I was greeted with warmth and a level of attentiveness that made me feel right at home. The service was great and the delicious food and Haitian rum punch was just perfection. Each dish was a mouth watering delight. If you are looking for an amazing and authentic Caribbean meal, (specifically Haitian) run to Port-au-Prince restaurant! I look forward to returning to this gem of a find.

Drove 3 hours to get this for my Haitian guy. And it was definitely worth the drive. He woke up out of his sleep to eat. My favorite was the picklese and patties. We are definitely going back!

The food is a taste of heaven and the service is the best! One of my favorite item they serve is the "Black Rice"!!! The way it's presented and taste is second to none! This place has the best tasting food period!!!!!

I really hate giving a Haitian restaurant a bad review but I am very big on good customer service and I did not receive that during my visit. The waiter did not speak english and ignored my requests rather than stating that he didn't understand what I said/requested. They also have the nerve to automatically include a gratuity on a party of 3 towards the bill. The food was fine, nothing amazing or worth returning for. I am disappointed in myself because I visited a few years prior and had another bad experience but was willing to give them another chance, hoping that things improved, but they hadn't. I cannot recommend this establishment.

I recently went to PAP and ordered the fried snapper, bannann peze, green beans, and pikliz...All of the food was completely DELICIOUS!!! Also to complete the meal, I also had the Rhum Punch of course! BON!!!

Food was incredible. Reminded me of my family's great cooking. However, I got there right when they opened for a take out order and it took them an hour and 20 minutes to prepare. That's a bit ridiculous. I love fresh food and all, but I would have settled for day's old rice, legume, etc lol The bartender also told me it would only take 30-45 minutes so I sat there waiting the entire time. Lastly, I wish they had better hours.

I have to give this amazing food and ambiance a Five a star rating!! Small quaint Haitian restaurant that gives you true Haitian meals. As most restaurants today many are only takeout or delivery BUT here you can eat outside on their patio or inside though limited table settings. First when you walk in you here their is full bar and some table settings for customers. The food is amazing and the service was perfect. I m late in this review as it was end of September 2020 and found it in my draft box :( Totally recommend the experience! BRAVO.

This is probably the only authentic Haitian restaurant in the DC area. I went for dinner with my friend and decided to sit at the bar. The bartender/ waiter was friendly and took his time to explain the menu I ordered baked fish with white rice , plantain and cabbage . We had to wait for a few for our order but it was worth the wait. The fish was well seasoned with fresh herbs and garnished, it took me back to when my African mother cooked for us, with love and all the delicioid flavour. The bartender remembered me from a previous restaurant that i frequented .. The service was great, the bartender kept us entertain. They have a DJ that starts around 10pm but we didnt stay . Will definitely come back for the food and the friendly ambiance.

The food here is fantastic! This a great place to celebrate Birthdays, Anniversary, and other special occasions. We love it here!

The food is authentic, and I love that about Port-au-Prince (PAP). As a fairly new restaurant, there is room for improvement, but I'm still willing to patronize. Food: We ordered the Chiktay in Bannan Cups, Djon Djon, Kabrit, and Salmon. The Chiktay was very good! This appetizer and dish is unqiue; the Moure inside the cup was so tasteful, and packed a nice kick. It was very good, and I can't wait to eat it again. - 5 stars Djon-Djon ak Kabrit - I can't really complain about this dish. It's hard to rate an establishment on a dish that you grew up eating, and you're accustomed to eating it a certain way. The djon djon and kabrit were good; however, I wish there was more of a spice to it. As my grandmother would say, "Li pa mal." (Creole translation to English: It's not bad.) - 4 stars Salmon - I understand the need to have varied options to be inclusive of everyone's dietary needs, but leave this one off the menu. It was a dried, overcooked mess. The seasoning was spot-on, but it was overcooked and my Mini was not pleased. - 2.5 stars Service: Elijah was our waiter. He took our orders, but not much else. We had to ask him to remove our menus when we were done. He left the straw wrappings on our table, and just didn't seem to want to go the extra mile. Also, we noticed the owner in the restaurant, but he only catered to one particular table. It would have been nice for him to acknowledge all tables (it wasn't busy and I don't think I'm asking for much). - 2.5 stars Overall, I would visit PAP again. I love authentic Haitian food - especially when I'm in the mood for it, and grandma leaves me hangin'. There's always room for improvement; and for me, service was lacking, but the food was solid.

I was a fan of Don Berto's pop-up, and was thrilled when they opened a full service, sit-down restaurant. I love Haitian cuisine and it's hard to find in this area. The space is pretty. The small bar is beautifully tiled, and Haitian art embellishes the colored walls. It's a bit dim inside, but still warm and inviting, and the music adds to the ambiance. I understand what others have mentioned about the service. I think I had the same server. She is perfunctory, and polite, but not friendly at all, hence the four stars. I don't think I saw her smile once, which put a damper on the experience. If I had been unfamiliar with the cuisine, I would have walked out. Another server helped near the end, and I believe either Don Berto himself came by or another manager, just to see how everything was, and I appreciated that. The other server and the manager were very friendly and helpful. I started with a drink, the Wap Konn Joj, which is Rhum Barbancourt, ginger beer, ginger syrup, and lime. It was strong and gingery, which I loved. If you like Moscow Mules, try this. Some may think the drink prices are high, however, Rhum Barbancourt is not a cheap rum. If they were using a lower tier product, then I would agree, but they are not. Plus, they do offer happy hour for drinks, which I love. I ordered the marinad (seasoned fried dough) and the griyo kodenn (fried turkey) with bannann peze (fried green plantains/similar to tostones), pikliz (vinegared slaw/similar to curtido), and duri blan avec sos nwa (white rice and black beans), and salad kay la (house salad). The house salad is gorgeous, with incredibly fresh vegetables and a light vinaigrette. I'm a fan of the mixed greens instead of iceberg or romaine. I'd never had marinad before, but it is delicious. It's like eating seasoned fry bread or savory fried dough. I don't like onions, so I skipped the sauce. My entree was delicious. One bite of that rice and beans and I knew I was eating Haitian food. Everyone does their rice and beans a bit differently, and this was unmistakably Haitian. I think I cried a bit. If I hadn't known I was eating turkey, I would have thought it was pork griyo--that's how great the turkey was. The red pepper sauce is addictive. The pikliz were fresh and crunchy. Plantains were perfectly fried. I was too full for rhum cake, but if it's anything like the pop-up version, you are in for a treat. I wish they offered pate, but there probably isn't a bakery in this area (I don't know of any). I thought the portion was great, and I had leftovers. Also, Don Berto's sources locally, leaves out the MSG (and possibly the Maggi--sacrilege), and makes everything in-house. If you are only familiar with takeout type places, this will blow your mind. All I can say is mesi, chef, mesi.

I'm Haitian and I just moved to the DMV area. I was feeling a little food-home sick and went to Silver Springs just for this. The vibes and music inside were great and the food was even better. 100% authentic and the staff makes sure you're taken care of. Definitely craving it again as I type this. Would 1000/10 recommend!!!

They have the best rum cake. They need to fix their phone line always ringing off the hook.

I have been here a number of times, the service and food is exquisite. I'm an Italian sigle father, my daughter was born in Haiti and this restaurant helps her feel closer to her roots in the most authentic way possible in this area. We love how the atmosphere and food here is so close to the class and flavor of restaurants in Haiti, it is most definitely the closest in the DC area to some of our favorite restaurants in Port-au-Prince, Leogane and Jacmel. Haitian food combines the refinement of French cuisine with the flavor and warmth of West Africa in a truly unique way, the dishes they serve have history and depth. Haitians take their food very seriously, and it does not receive the credit it deserves. For those of you who are interested in a new taste or would like to indulge in the food and history of the first Black Republic, this is the place to do it

We were last to arrive for a party of 9 total people, the largest group in the place. When we sat at our table, I asked for the menu and was told to scan the QR code on the opposite side of the table. Because there was only one QR code at the far end on a table of 9 people, I decided to ask for another one. That's when the problems I noticed began. The restaurant only had 1 available QR code for our table, and maybe 2-3 total for the entire restaurant. It was so bad that they never honored by request for an additional one, and even came to our table within 15 minutes and asked us if we were done using ours so they could use it for another table. Afterward a waiter came to our table (of 9) and started taking our orders. As people attempted to order, he routinely interrupted them to tell them that the requested entree was not available. After denying multiple items, he settled into his denial and rattled off item after item that was unavailable, eventually letting us know that 80-90% of the menu was not available. We're kept our cool and asked him what they could make, then we ordered it. We all waited for our food for over an hour, despite the fact that we were one of the first groups there. Eventually they brought out undercooked fried plantains, and subpar food to match. My pregnant wife and I were still waiting for our order. I asked how long the wait would be, I got no answer. The waiter kept saying he'd get back to me, but never did. Eventually I asked to speak to a manager but kept getting the runaround by the waiter. Eventually I decided we should leave and try to take our food to-go. I went to "the juice guy" and appealed to him, asking him to summon the manager. 2 hours into the experience, the manager finally arrived. I told him to get me an ETA on our meal or cancel it altogether. He begged us not to cancel our meal, asked me what I ordered, and said he'd be right back out with an answer. I didn't see him again for another 75 minutes. During that time, I just wanted to get my wife home and attempted to pay. They finally brought out my to-go order but the people who had their food at the table had already eaten, and the others were still waiting to be served. We had all had it; and just wanted to pay so we could leave. It took the staff over an hour to complete this simple task. Their reasoning for the delay was that they did not know how to use the new technology. Eventually the manager (who's name is affixed to the business) emerged from his abdication and showed the staff of 2 how to operate the equipment. When they did, they quickly made sure to include 18% gratuity as part of our totals and said it was a built in price (total BS). I paid the total, to include the gratuity so we could leave, settle our debt, and never return. After paying I pulled the manager to the side and explained our experience to him. He never apologized. Instead, he equivocated. He made excuses for that poor service, poor food, poor leadership, and poor souls he hired as his wait staff. He just didn't get it. And he probably never will. Visiting customers are great, but returning customers are better. We tried to appeal to him as Haitian brethren, but his since of entitlement, indifference, and ignorance will cause him to lose the business of 9 customers, and everyone in their networks. I've already told several people in my network never to visit this establishment. And I hope everyone reading this follows suit. This is the worst restaurant in the greater DMV area. The only positive, was the moment I left.

This restaurant has a special place in my heart since our experience was truly magical. They seem to be fairly new so there's always a few things to work on but I think they are determined to get there and for that I give it five stars. All I can say is flavors galore! I've had Haitian food once about five years ago and was excited to try this place since there aren't many Haitian restaurants in the area. I had a veggie medley of some sort five years ago and I remember thinking "spices and flavors". Taking the first bite of our entree at PAP was reminiscent of that memory. I didn't even know about PAP's existence so it's a hidden gem of Silver Spring, or to me at least. Upon walking in Wednesday evening, I thought that it's a cute little spot with strong Haitian vibes. There's comfy seating and the walls are decorated with beautiful art. The music makes you want to sway throughout your dinner. It truly gives you a full cultural experience. They also have salsa dancing on Tuesday nights I believe. So we initially thought PAP was participating in restaurant week since they were advertised on the Silver Spring restaurant week website, but hopefully they can try next year because I think people would be interested. After looking the menu, I thought that it had fewer items, which meant all of them must be done right. That was indeed the case. Each entree came with rice and beans, salad, plantains, and pickled cabbage and carrots (which was surprisingly spicy but awesome) so we decided to share the tropical salmon steak and it was more than enough food. Between two people, we still couldn't swipe the plate clean. Everything was phenomenal, fresh, and full of different flavors that complemented each other. Even the salad had a tang to it and I was already very happy even though it was the first item that was brought out. After the rest of the food came out, I was impressed with how many items we had to conquer. The beans were delicious-they could be freestanding as a soup. Plantains were perfectly crisp. I don't eat salmon often but I really enjoyed the spices. There was a lot of bone but I figured it was just being fishy. My dining companion really enjoyed the rice and said it's the best rice he's ever had. So there aren't any complaints with the food. Entrees range from $14 to $22. Some items like the veggie casserole can be served as a side instead of a meal. They also have a different menu for Sunday dinner. They have happy hour from 4-7 so we decided to get some drinks. I appreciated being able to order drink specials at table service. We got the PAP punch which seems to be a favorite and also the Wap Konn Joj after our waiter recommended it. It had rum and ginger beer in it and it was on point. These drinks are really good and also dangerous. Around 7 pm, I wanted one more drink and tried to get the attention of the waiters but they were both standing outside. They came back after happy hour was over and I shamelessly asked for one more drink at happy hour price and they honored it. Finally, the best treat was meeting Chef Roberto. He's a kind fella and you can hear the passion he has about his profession when he talks to you. He came to ask if we enjoyed our experience. He also said he had something strong for us. We were given two shots of really strong rum-I'm not even sure what kind of rum it was but it was spicy and...did I mention strong? And it was just really good. He also packed the other blend of rice and beans that we didn't order as a lunch box for my date who was ecstatic to have it the next day. The rice and beans came out warm and was made fresh before we left. He said the turkey entree is amazing so we'll have to try that one next time. As mentioned, I think this place has great potential to keep growing. There aren't many Haitian restaurants in the area so it's nice to see the diverse range of restaurants up and coming in Silver Spring. It's still a new restaurant but after coming here, you are bound to leave with a smile on your face and feeling like you could actually enjoy dining out. We look forward to coming back. I'd be curious to check out those salsa nights or enjoy another entree and PAP punch.

The food is very authentic and good. However, it's the first time I've left brunch still hungry. It's still a new spot and there are very few places in the area with Haitian food so I'll go back again for dinner. There are several things they'll have to do in order to be better for brunch. My suggestions for the owner are: 1) limit seating to 60-90 minutes 2) if you're going to seat people at 1:45 then be prepared to have food for them to eat. It is unfair to have all you can eat but there's not much left and not restock the buffet. 3) train your waitstaff to have specific tasks during brunch. There should always be one person clearing tables and resetting them. There should be someone specifically responsible for drinks and more than one bartender. I'll be back and hope to be able to give more stars next time.

I really enjoyed the food here but I agree with others that they are lacking in the service area. I'm not sure how long the restaurant has been open but our waitress wasn't familiar with the items on the menu which is not a good look when customers have questions. I asked about replacing my rice with veggies and she went and got the owner who agreed that it could be done. When our table needed condiments or drink refills she was no where to be found. We tried getting the attention of another waitress who completely ignored us and continued playing with her phone at the computer. I ended up walking to the bar and ordering another drink. My 4 stars is for the food which was amazing and because I've been to a few pop up restaurants of the owners before he opened this place. I visited on a Thursday evening with a few of my Haitian friends. We originally just planned on having a couple of drinks and calling it a night but after trying my friends dinner myself and a couple others all ended up ordering the same dish as she did. Which was the Griyo kodenn/fried turkey. So yummy. As a non Haitian I'm not really sure if this is the best or most authentic Haitian food as I have nothing else to compare it to but I've always enjoy my food whenever I've supported the owners events. Will definitely be back, but I will be sure to sit at the bar next time.

While I was going to go with restraint, Pauldine France encouraged me to talk about my experience at Port-au-Prince Haitian Cuisine. This place is absolute trash. From beginning to end, the experience was a natural disaster. From Haitian level customer service that we know and tolerate for some odd reason, poor mise en place and lack of preparation, to waiting nearly two hours for a table's orders.... this is unmitigated and unmistaken Haitian restaurant level quality. I'll never be able to understand why there was only one scan code for the restaurant. It's beyond puzzling like this can't be printed out and laminated. From a menu so extensive and long that you likely never find 30% of the items in stock to a waiter who could not fill drink orders, to a juice guy who is so incompetent that he couldn't deliver on the one drink that he said he could make -- a F mojito... Ask me why the drink was red with two sprinkles of mint -- I will seriously never know. To the chef/owner who went out of his way NOT to apologize for the drink that I didn't want nor ask for, but to get into a Haitian level debate on why he created something for "new" which wasn't a F%^*G mojito that he place in a pitcher. You can literally buy a premade bottle for that level of effort. While I can go on... because I was asked by Pauldine, ya can honestly do what ya want with ya money but I don't endorse mediocrity in my culture. I don't co-sign. There is a way to do business and this ain't it. While I'm not in the business, I served in kitchens in the Marines that feed over 2,000 recruits every meal... and "nah fam, this ain't it." Ironically, this restaurant is a reflection of Haiti and its capital. All ego and dysfunction over anything that make business sense. I'd rather die than ever return to ANY Haitian restaurant because of this experience. I've been to place that the food suck, where the ambience dragged, the customer service was subpar. But I've never been to a place where everything was so horrifyingly wrong.

I was excited to take my husband to Port au Prince after a previous good experience. The ambience is great and the server was wonderful. Unfortunately the food did not match. The plantains were dry and the main courses lacked the great balance of flavors I love so much in Haitian cuisine. The vinegar and garlic were both over powering. I would give it another chance but there are several options for Haitian food in the area that I would try before going back to PaP

My friends and I came here on Haitian Independence Day and really wanted soup Joumou. My friend called ahead and was told they still had it. We arrived around 7 pm and it wasn't really busy at all. No one was at the front to seat us so I found a host. It's a nice area with a bar, and literally 2 others working on this day. We finally get seated and ordered water. It took us some time to get our waters but apparently they were understaffed. The water wasn't clean and we asked for another. We waited well over an hour to place our food order and when we finally ordered of course they had almost nothing available anymore. No soup joumou which was disappointing and no pikliz either. At this point I was entirely too hangry I just wanted my food. I ordered the fried goat with white rice, my friend order the legumes (which was really good), and my other friend ordered the fried Turkey. The rice was lukewarm when it came and we were also annoyed by that. No one likes eating lukewarm rice. The fried goat was delicious though! Overall between the long wait, being understaffed, and the cold rice. I didn't enjoy my first time here. My friend is Haitian and was looking forward to the soup joumou, actually we ALL were, so that was also frustrating. I'm pretty sure I won't be back, but I'm sure if you come earlier in the day just like any other Caribbean restaurant they'll probably have more choices available.

Very small restaurant with limited seating options. We came here on a Saturday night around the time they opened and had to sit at the bar because all the tables had reservations. The vibe was nice and they even had a live band. I would've enjoyed the food a lot more had it been served hot (it was cold) but that's my only complaint. I got the grilled goat and the PAP punch which were both really good!

I came here for a group organized brunch and it was my first time here. It was a rainy Sunday and much of the group flaked out but the bunch that came had a good time. We did not do the bottomless brunch. The Haitian coffee was great. We advised everyone to bring cash to make paying the bill easier but we were told by our server that it's no problem to split the checks among the group using cards. It's an old school, family type Caribbean restaurant, so they were out of certain things, like the dessert. The salt fish was the fave of all the dishes tried. Also note that this restaurant does not serve pork in any of their dishes in case that is a concern for anyone in your group. I would try this place out for a low key dinner date if I was in this part of town.

I was extremely excited to try and support a local business, especially a Haitian one. Unfortunately, my experience today left me feeling deflated. We ordered takeout, as we placed our initial order we had to call more than once before someone answered. Nonetheless we persisted. We placed our order consisting of appetizers and a side (Chikay Morue, Duri Kole, Rum Cake, and Marinades) totaling $29.68 (which isn't a problem) however when the order arrived (picked up) it was missing our $7.50 rum cake and the marinade provided was partially burnt. We called the restaurant several times to voice the concern to no avail - no one answered. We swallowed our loss and figured we'd enjoy what we had, unfortunately it was extremely greasy and not palatable after a few bites. Don't know if this experience was an anomaly. Since we're from out of town, this is our first and will be the last experience as we have no plans to return when we're back in DC. Fool me once, lesson learned.

Delish, authentic Haitian food! A true gem! I love the pikliz, the rice with bean sauce and the grio goat. The Haitian art around is a special touch, and they had live music when we went. What more could you want? Many patrons are likely unaware of how further special this place is because there are very, very few haitian restaurants in the U.S. This place does it well.

I take away the few stars I left because not only was I not satisfied with the food, but later on after I'm checking my bank transactions, I notice that they over charged my card. I didn't dine in, I ordered Carryout but still left about a 15% tip, like as if I needed to. I dnt usually leave a tip when I'm carrying out, but I did because I'm Haitian. Now I just regret the whole ordeal, not only is the food bad but they are con artist too, conniving thieves. Why are they so press for money? I was going dispute the whole transaction but I figure, I let them keep that extra they took and just post an updated review on here and let GOD handle the rest!

Ive been back 4 times since my last review and things have gotten waaaay better! I love love love that the owner is expanding into the cultural horizons by providing Haitian Kreyol lessons, cooking lessons, musical performances and civic engagement events. The food once again is STILL tasty and AUTHENTIC. Im so proud to have sooo many Haitian friends and be exposed to this rich culture. A culture of people who were the first black established nation in the WORLD. We oughta praise and lift up the Haitian diaspora. Good job!

If you like Caribbean food, and haven't tried Haitian food, you should try Port au Prince. There are typical beans and rice, fish, and fried meat dishes. My favorite are the plantain cups (Chiktay). There is a new vegan menu that is great, different bean dishes. I had the Tchaka and Marinad starters as a meal. I've had the legume casserole and fried plantain, both are good. Next time I want to try the Soup Joumou and the mushroom and spinach entree. This is a neighborhood spot and a popular hangout for Haitians with a friendly family vibe, and service is not horrible, but it's not the best. Come for the good food and cultural experience.

My family and I met up here for Sunday brunch. The service was good and so was the food. Wish they had more seating options and menu options for brunch.

As a Haitian-American going to college in DC I always miss the food that my dad would make back at home. Once I hear that a Haitian restaurant was opening not even 45 minutes away from campus, I had to take a visit. My dad was visiting this weekend so I decided to take a visit while he was in town. The ambience on a Saturday night was amazing, although I did not make a previous reservation so I had to sit at the bar because 8pm on Saturday is apparently always booked but that was fine. The barkeep was very friendly, always refilling our water/drinks on time. Food-wise, they didn't have my favorite rice dish "rice with kidney beans", but I was able to get the black rice with the dried mushrooms was absolutely. My dad even knew the owner's family from back in Haiti, so it became a mini-reunion for him, that was definitely the highlight of my life. I will definitely come back again to get my Haitian food fix, and am super excited to bring my friends to show them my culture!

This was such a disappointing experience to say the least. I was not greeted when I entered the restaurant. After several minutes I asked for a table for two. I'm Haitian and the other person was American. This place needs to work on their CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS. IT HAS ZERO CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!! The Bartender/waiter name Toby has an attitude and very rude to customers. Port -Au-Prince Haitian Cuisine needs a lot of improvement to include time management, remembering customers' orders most importantly CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS . I should have gone to the other Haitian restaurant Gisele's Creole Cuisine located at 2407 Price Ave Silver Spring MD. I will not be returning to Port-Au-Prince Haitian Cuisine. You have been warned, DO NOT GO to Port-Au-Prince Haitian Cuisine. I wish there was an option for half a star!

Visited this restaurant in August 2018 with my girlfriend and her family (I'm American and she and her family are all Hatian). I've had Hatian food a few times now at her family gatherings and I love it. In my opinion, the food here is great, but more importantly her family thinks so as well. They consider this true, authentic, Hatian cuisine. I ordered the Legume (one of my favorite Hatian dishes) and it was excellent. The Legume here is made without any type of meat, so it's considered a vegetarian dish. When I've had it at their family gatherings it's been made with some type of meat, which I certainly prefer, but I was not disappointed at all. They also don't serve pork here, which I am told is a popular meat in dishes like "Griot", so instead everything that would be pork is substituted for Turkey. My gf's family doesn't seem to mind as they still visit this restaurant frequently. It's a small, quaint family type restaurant which is nice. The only reason I didn't give it a perfect rating is because of the service. There are maybe 1-2 servers working so the wait time for food was a little longer than I expected. I didn't have a problem with the wait time, as the service was still good, but I must mention it to give an honest review. I can't wait to go back!

At first glance I thought this place had potential, but unfortunately my experience confirmed otherwise. Upon entering this establishment, we were not greeted and seated ourselves. It was my sister and aunt who were with me, and we were disappointed to see that the menu only had about 6 items on it. We've been told that this is due to the fact that they are a new business and are starting out small. Although, you would think after more than a year of operating, they would expand the menu items a bit more. Nonetheless, when we started ordering with our server we were told that most of the items we all wanted were unavailable, which we thought was strange because it was early afternoon on a Sunday. We asked to speak to the owner personally to discuss the situation, however not only was his greeting underwhelming, but he did not make any effort to compromise or amend the situation, and walked away from our table . I would not recommend eating here, there are more established Haitian restaurants that have a wide array of menu items and a far more professional and friendly environment.

Was so excited for authentic Haitian food - which I've missed since living in Port-at-Prince. Walking in, the restaurant is decorated with metal art and Haitian paintings and has a bar with seating as well as tables. The menu is pretty simple with the usual Haitian specialities. We started with passion fruit juice - they also have barbancourt rum and a bunch of appetizers from banan peze, wings and akra. The only disappointment was the akra, which was too soft and mushy. For entrees we ordered the goat, turkey griot and salmon. Was sad that the snapper on the menu wasn't available and the griot wasn't pork. All the dishes came with a side of rice, banan peze and pikliz. Everything was delicious and reminded me of Haiti. We ended our meal with rum cake, just out of the oven and some soursop ice cream. Definitely make sure to have dessert!! FYI, we were told the weekend brunch has soup joumou - can't wait to go back to try it!

Gabriella saved the day. She is the best bartender. She had our drinks on time and was very polite . As far as the buffet, the restaurant continues to run out of plates and food. In addition, your food is rationed out like one oxtail and few onions and vegetables at a time. Again, Gabriella is the only reason we stayed at your establishment . Please rethink how a true buffet works. Especially, when you are expected to pay $35.00 a plate. Please go and observe establishments like the BEACON in D. C. I only giving a one star because it will not let me post a no star rating.

I've always wanted to try this place and after enjoying an appetizer and great drinks I will definitely return to try some dinner plates. The bar tender was so helpful. He kept us entertained and explained the menu to me since I can't speak Haitian kreyol.

The food was excellent. I would have to say better than Giselle's. I ordered the chicken entree and my friend the red snapper. I was hoping to have the patat sweet potato but it wasn't offered as an app Saturday night. My main issue that unfortunately forces me to give it a 3 Star was the service. We saw our waitress only twice that night. Once to initially take our order, and twice to finally give us our check. Never once in between our two hour stay at the table did she ever come in to check on us. The owner did stop by to at least introduce himself, which I appreciated. Someone else came to actually serve us our food. It was at that point I wanted to get a refill on my drink and asked if they themselves could do so. They left to go find our waitress, but that refill never came. Ultimately, it made it hard for me to give the waitress a good tip, and I have ALWAYS tipped well whenever I eat out. We'll give this place a second chance sometime in the future, mainly for the food and atmosphere. I'm just hoping that by then they'll have better table service. (And also not closed on Fridays).

This was probably one of favorite outings with my cousin. I am so glad I accepted her invitation. Upon my arrival we were seated immediately and the waitress was kind and offered wonderful service. She checked in on us several times. The food was delicious. I am already thinking about what I will get next time I go to PAP. My cousin ordered food to go and it took some time to get it. I believe they cook it upon order. The nice thing about that is that the food is fresh but the downfall is the wait time. We were not in a rush so we had no problem waiting. The restaurant is clean, nice lighting, and some good music. The ambiance was perfect!

My third visit here and the experience is always great. Hostess greeted us at the door and sat us down right away. The food is made to perfection. Great flavor and and a hint of spice. OMG the Chiktay Mourue is AMAZING. I'm proud to see Don Berto live up to his dream. Definitely will return

Food was Amazing, Staff amazing !! Drinks Amazing !! Timing was Amazing Music / Design Culture Amazing

Dinning at Port-au-Prince was my first time indulging in Haitian Cuisine and boy was is delicious! The restaurant it self is modestly sized but big enough. It has a bar in the front, a handful of tables and the night we were there the first couple of tables were reserved. The waitress was very nice. She answered all of our questions and didn't make us feel weird about not knowing what most things on the menu were. I appreciated her patience and willingness to share her culture. Also, throughout the night, I found myself mesmerized by the beautiful Haitian art they had on the wall. I felt like I was having a true Haitian experience! Now for the food; for one appetizer I had the chiktay morrue with herring. It came out nice hot and fresh. The plantains were perfectly molded cups and cooked to perfection, a bit crisp yet tender. My companion got the akra which was also good. However, we wish it had some type of sauce or dip to accompany it. We used the one from the chiktay morrue. For my entree, I ordered the fried goat. The entree as a whole was delicious. I really liked the plantains again. I'm happy to have this new Haitian spot in the DMV. For anybody craving Haitian food, I'd say give it a try.