Pura Vida Jamaican and Costa Rican Cuisine

I’ve driven past by this location countless times. Often my curiosity tugged my shirt tails like a child wanting candy. I’ve held back because the location & appearance just were not the appealing. Fortunately I was refreshed with the clean & cozy themed atmosphere. I wanted to try something different and that it was. In terms of impact & flavor impact Indian is the closest, hence often “West Indies” with a dash African spirit. I sampled the goat curry with regional rice & macaroni salad. Wow was this great! Just eat slowly as goat bones don’t fall off easily. If you’re looking for something more authentic with some grit give Pura Vida a go. My only regret is having not gone sooner.

24° F, windy with snow flurries. A good day to psychologically visit Jamaica, if only for 45 minutes. Having dropped a rider off across the street, the trip was quick. Finding a place to park is harder. When pulled in there were two vehicles parked behind the building with room for just one more, mine. One could probably parallel park two more along the fence ...... This is a cozy place on Woodward. There is seating for just 16. I was the only one eating in at 12:30 p.m. though there were several orders picked up while I was there. In more tolerable weather, there is seating outside. But not today. 🥶 The two women working were friendly, jovial even. It almost felt like eating in someone's living room. There were four $10 lunch specials listed, jerk chicken, curry chicken, oxtail & goat but they were out of oxtail at the time. Jerk chicken is personal favorite so I went there. The meat was fork-tender. The rice & beans delicious & the fried plantains decadent. (I'd have walked miles to eat fried plantains) Watch out for small bones in the chicken, though.

The jerk chicken paired perfectly with sweet plantains and the passion fruit juice was refreshing and delicious. The staff had a warm and welcoming energy that made the meal even more enjoyable. The food and the atmosphere truly left a great impression.

Definitely a smaller business but the food is delicious. When I was ordering the Spanish plate I generally thought I was getting rice and a side of beans with the steak LMAO but I can see the Jamaican influence in Caribbean influence. By the way it’s made and it’s delicious. I did ask for the gravy over my rice which I didn’t get so I was a little sad. Everyone seems really friendly definitely worth trying and they have lunch specials between 10 and $15 between 1130 and one.

10/10 definitely coming again!! The Jamaican fried rice is sooooo good!! And the macaroni pasta salad is perfect!!

“Pontiac's new gem of a restaurant”. Try it you will be glad you did! A++ amazing FRESH food!! cute place, nice owners. Look forward to going again and bring friends, and going down the menu for all the great choices! Support small business! UPDATE April 2024 I've ate here a number of times a year for the last 4 years never disappoints or the staff . You can eat outside in the summer. They now have a bakery and cafe as 2nd location just north of here. Also excellent

I was recommended this place while here for work. I’m glad that I came! The Jerk chicken plate with a side of Plantain was an awesome combo & washed it all down with a Passion fruit juice! The staff had a wonder loving spirit about them & so did the food!

Fantastic place. I arrived just after opening and had the Jerk Chicken as recommended by the waitress. (She said that it was what most people wanted when they came in.) Checking to make sure I could handle it, she asked if I wanted it spicy. I was confident and agreed. I was half way through the meal when the heat really hit me and I started pouring sweat from my head. Fortunately for me, the macaroni salad was just the right thing to cool down the spice. The cabbage and rice were a good combination with the chicken. I think the problem was that I ate a whole pepper during my gestation of the chicken. But it was worth the pain. Definitely authentic Caribbean cuisine. I’m sure I will return some time to try their agua frescas and other dishes- maybe even some of their desserts.

The service was friendly and quick, the ambiance was cozy on the inside...just a few tables and some Reggae music in the background. There is outside seating as well. The food was okay, but it just didn't hit the Jamaican flavor I was hoping for...I had the oxtail dinner and a chicken patty. The chicken patty was the most disappointing....VERY salty, not at all flaky, a little too done on the bottom. I only took a couple of bites. The oxtails were flavorful, but they had a little too much fat on them. The rice and peas were delicious. I've never had macaroni salad with corn it it before. It was different, but in a good way. The cabbage was a little too mushy for my likeong,but it was seasoned well. Why 3 stars? ‐ no plantains with the dinner (just a couple of pieces should be very included...in my opinion) - that chicken patty! Do I recommend it? Yes. Will I return? Yes.

Pura Vida always seems like it's packed with a bunch of people getting takeout orders. After you eat the food here you will understand why. We got a couple of items on this visit: Beef Patty ($4) - Fragrant, perfectly spiced and slightly hot with a flaky crust, yum Jerk Chicken ($15) - The chicken is very tender with a slight spice from the jerk seasoning. The red beans and rice has a great texture, with some heat here from extra jerk sauce around the chicken . The Jamaican cabbage is mixed with visible carrots and has a slight curry powder flavor. The macaroni salad is mixed with corn, carrot, and cilantro in a sweet dressing that's quite oily. The macaroni is super soft - to be honest, a little too soft for my liking. Caribbean Fried Rice, All Meat ($21) - The rice, again, has great texture and is mixed with shrimp, beef, chicken, corn, peppers, onion, cilantro. Great flavor throughout. This dish has inspired me to add jerk seasoning and scotch bonnet the next time I make fried rice. Note: all meat costs $6 more than one meat. Eat at Pura Vida; you won't be disappointed.

Oxtails are ridiculously delicious! They are very accommodating to my rice allergy. It's a family run business.

This place is unique for sure. 2 six top tables inside and seating outside. Like I said unique. They have a great selection of Caribbean specialties including goat on the menu. I had the spaghetti which was a little out of the ordinary for me to order, but I was intrigued. The spaghetti itself was very good however it just didn't seem to mix on the plate with the fajita steak peppers and onions as well as a nice set of lettuce and tomato. It was kind of questionable how I was supposed to eat it. I'm not complaining because the flavor was good I just don't know if I would ever order it again. I also ordered the chicken empanadas. The filling was delicious, however the masa crust was bland and a little thick for my liking. It really took away from the crust itself. The staff was all had hair nuts and the place was clean from what I could see, and it wasn't very big so I could see quite a bit. They were very sweet and nice you could tell it was family-owned and run. I would go back and try a few of the other things however I don't think I would eat them there it would be more of a take-out situation. I won't say this place was great but I will say that it was unique in definitely if you were a foodie it would be worth going in and investigating and trying it yourself.

Amazing food, amazing service. Very small restaurant. Take out or summer weather for outdoor seating.

Let me just say that all travel sites should have this gem on their website listed as "must visit." I have two days left here in Auburn Hills and have to decide if I'm going back tomorrow or Saturday for the oxtails or the red Snapper. My golfing buddies and I after a round of golf searched Yelp hoping to find a four star Jamaican/Caribbean restaurant because we were craving jerk chicken and let me say that Pura Vida Caribbean Cuisine earned an extra star from this trio. Our jerk chicken arrived with a side of cabbage, rice and beans, macaroni salad and the star of the show, jerk chicken. The sides all could be delicious meals unto themselves.The jerk chicken was so tender and flavorful that you didn't want it to disappear from the plate, but we all are proud to say that we belong to the clean plate club. I am honored to say that I give this wonderful restaurant my highest recommendation.

Ordered the food via Grubhub. They had a six dollar discount on your first order. Ordered the Maduros which are my favorite and the chicken tacos. The food was excellent, the chicken tacos could have used a sauce or sometime of salsa, but the chicken was very good. It was a nice surprise for lunch. Will definitely order again or stop into the restaurant.

This little slice of heaven is on Woodward and it's a tiny little restaurant you could miss if blinked. We got greeted by a tiny little ball of energy. A Jamaican lady who owned the place and took our order. She was super friendly and you could sense she loves cooking and people. I ordered Jerk Chicken that is the most traditional food from Jamaica. I could taste the Jamaican spices of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, thyme, garlic, pepper, and nutmeg. The meal came with Jamaican cabbage and rice and beans with a macaroni salad. Everything was delicious and the restaurant was clean. We definitely will go back and try different menu items from this wonderful little taste of Jamaica.

Monday lunchtime and wanted something not fast food. This came up in our yelp list and usually I would want more reviews but we took a chance and so glad we did. There's a small strip parking area alongside Woodward but they have a parking lot beyond several picnic tables and a back patio. Inside is a small eat in area and regulars who looked like they were at home. They suggested a few items and so we had oxtailsand curry goat. The oxtails (beef) are around a bone and though I wished they were bigger they were mild, tender and good. The rice and beans that came with it were not an afterthought as they are most places. I added ginger lemonade and they quickly delivered all to the back patio. Service was very good as well.

Out of all the Jamaican spots here in Pontiac, this place, peas and rice is the best. Today I got their jerk chicken and the curry chicken with peas and rice and pasta salad. The jerk chicken is way too spicy for me, but my fiancé loved it, the curry chicken is OK. The chicken is rather small, and I like curry with a little vegetables mixed in, but the pasta salad and the rice are both delicious

Excellent Jerk Chicken! Fast service very good food. Have tried the oxtails also and they were good

My first time having lunch here and WOW! Food was amazing. The energy from everyone in there was super kind and welcoming. Real authentic Caribbean cuisine! I got the veggie tray

Holy crap!!! This place is awesome! The food was plentiful and absolutely delicious! The small restaurant has a very home kitchen feel, but they are nothing but geniuses behind their Jamaican/Caribbean cuisine. Please take the time to patron this restaurant. Do not let the parking lot fool you, this is the place to be!!! 100 stars!!!!

I was looking for a restaurant near the volleyball complex on South Blvd and Pura Vida popped up. So glad I decided to stop by. The small dining area is nicely decorated in the Caribbean theme. Picnic tables were nice outside too. And I should mention super friendly service. All the food was thoroughly enjoyed by the family with chicken tacos, curry chicken and of course jerk chicken. All tender and perfect. The sides of beans and rice, macaroni salad w cilantro and a braised cabbage were really tasty. Loved the big flavor in the rice and beans. Can't wait to go back and get into the goat and fish dishes soon!!

Prices went up, waay up and quality went down. Don't recommend it anymore. Won't come back, what a shame...

Stop in just by chance. It's a tiny little place if you blink you would pass right by. I was on lunch from work. Gotta say it was delicious. I got a steak quesadilla the flavor was superb. Will definitely be back. I wanna try the jerk chicken next. To the nice lady with her brother. I met which was her first time also. How was your dinner?

My jerk chicken dinner and large horchata were done within 10 minutes. I was in the area at the west Bloomfield target so I stopped here for lucky on the way home for a carry out. It is super spicy and the chicken was delish. I will come back when I'm in the area. The jerk chicken was $13 and the large horchata was $5 so the prices are fair and the dinner was enough for 2 people.

This place is a little slice of the islands right here in Pontiac. It reminded me of the little beach side huts along the beaches of the Caribbean! On a cold winter day Reggae was playing inside that instantly warmed my mind and my mood. My family and I ordered a ton of food that filled 3 bags. We had burritos, empanadas, and beans and rice. All of the food was unique and flavorful. I loved the beans and rice with spicy gravy and it was awesome!! The burritos were burritos but so much more with fire roasted peppers and onions and different island spices that made it a island burrito rather than a traditional Mexican burrito. All of this and more coupled with people who obviously love what they cook makes for an incredible feast from a fusion of Costa Rican and Jamaican cooking. We can't wait to visit again! I highly recommend trying this place to show them the love they deserve.

The food was awesome!! Sooooo good!! Fresh, perfect spice , all around good as ever. Love the horchata.

This place is wonderful. Today was my 5th time here. I have tried a different dish every time and I have yet to be disappointed. Today I had the Curry Goat and I felt obligated to post this review it was so good .

The food was so delicious!! The smell soon as you walked in just hits you instantly. This the best Caribbean food I've tasted.

Food here was soooooooo good! I had ordered The Plantanos Murdas x Oxtails x Cake Bread x Grilled Fish and Fried Fish. It was all so fuxking good! And it's Family owned by a Jamaican Man and Costa Rican Lady and their Daughter and they speak SPANISH!!!! Finally people to speak too! I would come back best Caribbean Food in Michigan thus far coming from Los Angeles.

OMG wow. Great amazing food. I had the steak taco dinner. Great flavor. No weird pieces of steak. They have me plenty of sauces on the side. I will be back! Please give this place a try!

I'm a big fan of food as you guys already know. Lol. Who isnt here right?! Well this was a much anticipated place until COVID 19 put a brake on EVERYRHING. SIGH. I was delighted to find out that they did take out. YEA! I had the Red Snapper with Vegtables and Plaintains. I really enjoyed the fact that you are able to substitute items such as Carribeans eat a lol of rice. I don't. Keto. But as you can tell I was able to substitute. I love Lamb and Chicken but not a fan of pork. So I was delighted that I had a choice between Talipia and Snapper. The Snapper has bones. Talipia doesn't. Keep in this in mind when ordering. But with the bones the Snapper was cooked thoroughly and the re removal of the bones was no issue. The vegtables as you can was huge! I made the mistake if eating them first as I was driving and found I was full. Lol. Im not a fan of plaintains but these were good and flavorful. So all in all friends. Please stay safe. Eat safe. Be safe. (Wash hands before eating) Until the next time my friends keep yelping and EAT ON!

Super good food with friendly service! We're big fans of Caribbean food and these guys surely represent. Jerk chicken is outstanding with just enough kick. If you have not tried this place yet, you should!

Finally a restaurant that Nicole E. Hasn't been to! That makes it 5 stars in my book!

An absolute gem. Everything falls off the bone & the desserts are amazing. Curry goat is one of the best dishes in metro Detroit.

Called in order and girl was very nice taking my order. Whfn I arrived a Sign on door says no mask, no service. Which I expected. Looks like a family business. I seen There 5 people working. The only one wearing a mask was a young girl. How can a business expect customers to wear one but the ones preparing our food do not??? Really turned me off. Just know this is what you'll potentially see if you decide to come here.

This place may not look fancy at all. But the food is really great. The owner is sweet, she makes u feel like she's serving u from her kitchen at home. It's worth trying.

We had a great take out meal! The chicken empanadas were huge, piping hot and so flavorful. The Jerk Chicken was the perfect spice level, a nice kick and slow burn on the tongue. Absolutely loved the plantains, a great sweet note against the savory. We'll be back for more!

The food here is delicious. The service is friendly and helpful. The food was fresh and flavorful. I had the fish soup which had snapper, shrimp, and plantains with the perfect combo of spice. My husband devoured his jerk chicken and the shrimp empanada was fresh out of the oven. We will definitely eat here again.

My food was delicious, the ginger lemonade tea is to die for. From the curry chicken to chicken and all in between the food is Amazing. The owners are very nice!