Sally Roots

"Sally Roots is a neighborhood spot that tends to be full of neighborhood people, and nothing here costs over $20. The food is Caribbean/American, and it’s pretty straightforward. Order a bowl of braised oxtail, and that’s what you’ll get - a scoop of meat on a pile rice and peas. The plating might not be fancy, but just about everything here hits the spot, and Sally Roots has plenty of other things going for it as well. It’s perfect for a casual dinner date or a night out with friends, and - if you’re one of the seven billion people who enjoy backyards - they have a great one. photo credit: Noah Devereaux So when shouldn’t you come here? Maybe when you’re looking for a life-changing meal. Mostly, this is where you go for some highly pleasant food to put in your mouth while you talk to other people. It makes you feel good, and if you have a bad weekday, the pulled pork will put its arm around you and tell you that things could be worse. Although don’t expect comforting service. Most employees here give the impression that they just got back from a Father John Misty show, and it totally wiped them out. Your drinks might even sit at the bar while the servers take pictures of each other and field compliments on their hats. But what are you going to do? It’s still a fun place to eat. If we lived nearby, we’d come here once a week - selfie-taking servers and all. We might even post up at the bar on a Friday night and have a few cocktails (and tostones) before heading to Three Diamond Door. Food Rundown photo credit: Noah Devereaux Pork This main is called pork. As you can see, it’s pork. Also, rice and peas. Dump some hot sauce over this, and that’s a comforting plate of food. Half Jerk Chicken Not our favorite. We’d pass on this and go for the salmon or pork. Salmon A good piece of fish, although it could use more sauce. Add some of the stuff that comes with the tostones. Tostones Pretty good tostones with an exceptional garlic sauce. Even if you don’t get these, ask for a side of the sauce, and put it on everything. Burger Not what you should be getting here, although you won’t go home in tears. Despite all the toppings, it’s really just an average burger. Mac & Cheese First, why is this on the menu. Second, why is it actually good. We’d order this again." - Bryan Kim

"This Caribbean American restaurant strives to be the type of place where customers can hang out for hours. Every dish is generously portioned for its price: Don’t sleep on the jerk chicken platter with sweet plantains, oxtail dumplings, and the duck confit mofongo." - Eater Staff

"Stop by Sally Roots on a Friday night, and it’ll probably be dark, a little bit noisy, and full of people who are drinking rum cocktails. In other words, it’s a party (both inside the dining room and in the backyard). The difference between this party and the one you got invited to by someone on the L train is that Sally Roots serves a menu of solid Caribbean food. Bring some friends for a fun meal that won't kill your wallet, and get at least one plate of tostones for the table." - Neha Talreja, Hannah Albertine, Bryan Kim, Carina Finn Koeppicus

"It always feels like a late night in the summer at Sally Roots in Bushwick. It’s loud, busy, and smells like rum and coconut. The catch is that Sally Roots is a restaurant, and a very good one at that. They serve Caribbean food that you’ll crave when you’re spacing out during meetings or the next time someone talks about tostones and garlic sauce. We assure you whatever they’re talking about won’t be better than Sally Roots’ garlic sauce." - Hannah Albertine, Bryan Kim, Matt Tervooren

"Rum and backyards make for a good combination. That’s partly why the back patio at Sally Roots is one of our favorite places in Bushwick. It’s loud and always full of people holding colorful cocktails and eating shareable Caribbean dishes. We especially love the braised oxtails and the intense garlic sauce that comes with the tostones. You’ll need to order seconds of that garlic sauce, mostly so you can pour it on every other dish on the table." - Hannah Albertine, Neha Talreja, Bryan Kim