Spice

I stopped here for lunch today. I was WOWED with how clean the outside was and WOWED again with a very warm welcome from the gentleman and lady that was serving and cashing out. I was coming from a 1 hour drive and needed to use the restroom. The restroom was the cleanest restroom I have ever used at a Jamaican restaurant located in America. Everything was going well until I disappointed myself by only being able to eat one meal. I had a mixed lunch (fried chicken and curry goat). The curry goat was seasoned to the bone and very soft. I usually don't eat chicken breast/ white meat, but that's all they had left, so I took a chance and never had any regrets. The chicken was soft, well fried, seasoned, and juicy. Don't think I need to say much more. The evidence is in the picture showing what was left of my meal.

I got two things, the jerk chicken (dark meat) and the oxtail. I got sides of rice, plantains, and salad. I also got coco bread. Wasn’t a huge fan of the jerk chicken to be honest, but that’s just my personal taste. The oxtail was absolutely delicious, the sauce was super flavorful, dipping the coco bread in it was an absolute 10/10. mixed with the rice was also gas. The ladies in there were super nice too, got me everything i needed, i almost forgot my coco bread but they caught me after i left and made sure i got it

Update: I have been eating here for over 4 yrs & I'm not sure what changed but the flavor is not the same & the chicken I got tasted and looked old. Every since the remodel I don't know what happen. I'm very disappointed, now I have to search for another good Caribbean spot after it took years to find this one. PS why does the brown stew chicken taste sweet now & the rice and beans be hard like there old??

Never been disappointed as I am today, been coming here for 5 years to support this business because I genuinely enjoyed the food. Today that changed when a new young staff served me what seems to be left over pieces of shredded chicken. I ordered the brown stew chicken with rice and peas and cabbage. As the server was making my large plate I asked her not to give me broken pieces. She gave me two small portions of whole chicken and the rest of it was broken shredded chicken which amounted to one extra piece of it had not been broken, so I paid for three pieces of chicken for what should have been a large which usually includes about 5 good pieces. Then she literally gave me one scoop of cabbage that were over cooked and needless to say I’m highly disappointed for her service. The owner was there but she is not approachable as she never smiles and always seems to just want to get people in and out her business. I think I will no longer support places like this although in the past I have enjoyed their food today was just trash of food service and poor quality of food. I took a pic of my served plate for reference. They sure show favoritism in cultures as well as in the past I’ve noticed they give more rations to the African Americans vs the other supporting customers.

Everything is so delicious! I drive up from Virginia Beach just to order food from here. The oxtail! The fish! The rice & peas! Everything....

Consistently good food, generous portions and reasonably priced.

I'm sitting here eating the BEST jerked chicken sandwich in the WORLD!!! First time I've eaten in and its quaint and clean. The lovely ladies serving are FANTASTIC!!! A MUST for Carribean food enthusiasts!!!

Please check your food!! Had their brown stew before and it was great. Decided to try the curry chicken and this was the result🤢. Sauce was good but food poisoning ain’t worth it chief.

Came here for dinner with my wife a couple months ago. The service was very friendly and prompt. The ambience is more that of a fast food joint. My wife and I shared the Jerk Chicken Sandwich and Snapper Escovitched and we had plenty of food for dinner and leftovers at a low price.

I ordered the fried chicken with rice and peas and a side salad. The rice and peas were really great. But the fried chicken tasted like it was cooked a days ago. Super dry and cold. They also didn't provide any dressing for the salad, so basically I ordered rice and peas for dinner.

The food is good. The service can sometimes be slow, but it's not a surprise as most Caribbean spots have that issue.

I had the curry goat, rice and peas, plantains and steam vegetables. My husband had the curry shrimp and same sides. My curry goat was delicious and he was equally pleased with his shrimp. They give you A LOT of meat to accompany the rice which is not common everywhere. The shrimp were also much larger than we expected which was also a major plus. They give you your money's worth, for sure. My husband also got the alcoholic ginger beer and enjoyed that as well. We will definitely continue to come here when we visit DC.

No one loves Caribbean food more than me!! I'm willing to drive within a 15-mile radius just to satisfy my cravings. It's quite challenging in the DMV area to find a place that consistently excels in flavor, pricing, and excellent customer service. While the prices at Spice were reasonable and the food was tasty, the customer service left much to be desired. The ladies behind the counter seemed disinterested, not very welcoming, and I felt rushed when placing my order. Upon receiving my order, she handed to me without uttering a word. I might give them another chance, hoping that perhaps they were just having a bad day. I'll update my review after my next visit.

Tried "Spice - A Carribean Jerk Joint" the other day and I'm already trying to figure out when to go back. The food is good! When you walk in the decor is simple and laid-back, and the first thing you'll notice is the aroma and the food bins of covered food! The spices from the kitchen also was kicking'-- and try to entice you. This place has all the main Jamaican/Caribbean food staples.....Jerk Chicken, Oxtail, Curry Goat, Brown Stew Chicken, Snapper, Callaloo.....you name it!  It's all here and from the dish I had....the flavors are there too. I came with a friend during the lunch hour. It was crowded for the small space but they kept the line moving....which was a "thumbs up" considering how long the wait can be at some Carribean "joints" around the DMV. My friend and I each ordered the small Jerk Chicken & a Oxtail Dinner, because you'd be crazy not to try that first. A true test for finding good Carribean eats around the DMV is to put a restaurant's Jerk Chicken and Oxtails to the test.  If either dish lacks flavor, a spice kick, the gravy seems watered-down, or the meats are bland or tough to chew......run for the hills, save your $$$ and don't ever look back!!  LOL This was not the case here.  The Jerk Chicken was tender, juicy and seasoned to the bone.  It had a nice flavor, but was mild heat....nothing spicy although that's the way I prefer it.  But, I still give it props and it was good. The winner and star was the Oxtails. This dish stood out the most on flavor and a gravy that had me sopping it up between each bite and licking my fingers until the entire platter was all gone. The balance of spices and tender meat...all stewed together with carrots, onion, tomatoes & butter beans was perfect! It was a great, hearty meal and they serve up the right portions. I definitely Along with your main entree most meals comes with two sides: peas and rice, cabbage, baked mac and cheese, greens...to name a few and and are already prepared. In all, a great place for Carribean eats amongst all the many other choices around the DMV, Petwoth, Takoma and Silver Spring neighborhoods. They are not "THE" best in all of the DMV....but definitely rivals most of them. Decent customer service too....which speaks volumes for anyone who has gone into a Carribean takeout and they actually speak/acknowledge you. You would know what I mean, if you frequent Carribean spots around the city....no pun intended. lol I recommend definitely fgiving this place a try and also, go for the oxtails for sure!

My go to Caribbean restaurant for delivery. I'm unsure what the inside of the restaurant looks like, however, they give me a healthy portion of food and sauce for my orders. The food is flavorful, including the rice which is hard for me to find in the area.

just purchased two meals from there jerk chicken rice and peas with plantain. The food quality good but alil on the cold side. coco bread I've had better. They gave me one fork and one hot sauce and I have two large meals. I saw the front worker pour the last of the hot sauce in my container. I later asked can I have extra hot sauce and she said there's no more tops do you want me to put more into the container and said no because clearly it's full. Lots of customers good food but if you are running a busy business it's either you didn't want to stop the line to give me more Or y'all really ran out. Either way at least have to go packets on hand.

I really enjoyed my oxtails, Mac & cheese and rice & peas. I don't live in the city but I plan to go back again and try other things on the menu. The staff is also very friendly.

My favorite Jamaican spot! I order from here every week, and they never disappoint. From the curry shrimp to the brown stewed fish, everything is great!

don t even waste ur time with this place.. if you are looking for a bunch of rice and cabbage with 2 pieces of meat then this is ur place.. went there twice and ordered the curry goat...ro my surprise they loaded the container with rice and tons of cabbage with only 2 pieces of goat meat.. i felt cheated so i went back to confront the owner...she decided to put a fight and was so extremely rude.. please go to angry jerk or negril...this place is a ripoff.. they think they are smarter than people

so disappointed as this place used to serve up good food. I ordered 2 oxtail meals and chicken curry. The serve ended giving me goat and chicken that was way under cooked. The rice and peas and plaintains were tasty but I had to throw the entire chicken curry away.

BE AWARE! They over charge the price of food once you are paying! Their excuse is that prices are subject to change. They should change the price on menu. They don't warn you that price is different either (THEFT). Patties are good but sandwiches are a rip off ( 3 thin slices of chicken ) bread mayo and tomato. Will never go back with the ladies attitude

So, so far the food is ok. However, it will be nice if they paid attention to when you tell them your order. One of the sides I asked for was plantains, instead the young lady saw it fit to give me salad. This just contributes to my trust issues with food establishments. Overall, nice small place BUT check your food before you leave.

**Takeout Review** A really great place for takeout. My go to order is the oxtail with 2 sides (rice and plantains). It's always really delicious!! I feel like the portion is more than enough that I can eat the leftovers for another meal. It may be less meat than you expect, but keep in mind oxtail is usually pretty expensive and they keep their prices pretty affordable from $12-$16 depending on the size you get. There's seating available and service is pretty quick.

Discovered this restaurant a few weeks ago because I was looking for a change... most Jamaican restaurants aren't consistent and the normal spot that I like to go to is farther than I would like so I was looking for a place that was midway between where I live and the place I love incase I can't always make the drive - insert Spice. This place is SO good! I've had the oxtail, jerk chicken and curry goat. My favorite would have to be the oxtail.... it's soooo soo good. Definitely in my top 2. For sides, I recommend the rice and peas and plantain. I personally didn't care too much for their cabbage. It had very little flavor but everything else was very tasty and delicious. The oxtail really melts in your mouth! Great and friendly service, they carry beer and wine as well as other drinks. They do get very busy so it's probably worth calling your order ahead. They also do delivery through I think GrubHub.

Food is pretty good. I like it. Good go to spot for West Indian food in dc. My personal favorite in dc. They are closed on Sundays or Mondays tho. Exactly when I want some food right lol. Also...I hate to say this but...when I ordered on the phone I definitely got the angry Jamaican lady vibes...you know the type...when you ask for some oxtail gravy on the rice you get that look. Hate to say it but it is what it is lol. But hey, it is a staple of the Caribbean takeout industry you know so not gonna make it like it's just this place that does it. Similar treatment like this takes place in NYC all the time lol. Other than that tho the food is good. Know what you want and don't ask too many questions you should be good. If you inquire about some of the items...which should be cool right??? Idk, you might get the angry vibes lol. Other than that it's all good. Go eat and enjoy. I highly recommend this place....

food remains delicious five stars. the restaurant requires their patrons to wear a mask which I was pleased to see. I was however disappointed to see that none of the staff was wearing a mask. It didn't deter me from paying for my order and leaving with my food. However it will make me consider whether or not I'm going to return until covid-19 is over.

I had the curry chicken ,rice ,beans and sweet plantains . The chicken was falling off the bones and the taste was absolutely delicious. The staff were friendly and informative regarding the status of my order . The prices were very reasonable and they have small but comfortable eating areas . You can also order via uber eats . Enjoy

Spice is a go to that I order from routinely while at work. Being Jamaican and from South Florida, I am hard pressed to find a decent caribbean restaurant and Spice is top 2. The thing I appreciate the most is the consistency with which the menu is prepared. Whenever I'm in the mood for a solid Jerk (4/5) Or Brown (4.5/5) Stew Chicken, I know I can get good flavors at Spice. I will say the sides aren't that hot. The plantain is ripe but firm enough (4/5) but the RICE AND PEAS (3/5) could use a bit more coconut milk, pimento, and thyme. And the STEAMED/CURRY VEGETABLES (2.5/5) tend to be cook down too much. And I'm an oxtail snob and very particular, so I'll keep my opinion of that to myself. Overall, I'm happy to order here because I know the chicken is consistently well seasoned. This is major when there are so many duds in DC!

LOVE LOVE LOVE there food everything ALL THATS NEEDED TO BE SAID !!! They are consistent good hours of operation food is very very flavorful and authentic! Regular uptown customer

Small location. Small portions. Food was decent. Staff tends to confuse themselves on customer orders. Even if you've ordered online, expect to wait for a little while. Additionally, you have to be aggressive (meaning you have to ask for help or to place an order) when coming here or else the staff will ignore you; you will not be greeted.

I literally just ordered from here and requested a large oxtail with a pineapple ginger drink and I received a corner pocket of oxtail and a pineapple drink! I paid $27 for this and will never do it again.

Yo! Spice! I don't know how to describe the place but I'm going to do my best but the oxtail like a bite of it makes you feel like an out of body experience. The rice is not too hard not to soft perfect actually. I would definitely come back for the rice alone. Also the plaintain is good. Hard to mess up plantains. The only issue is they only give you 3. Who is the world gets satisfied with 3 plantains. No one! Just side note: Texas oxtail is still better lol. Go to Just oxtail in Houston to have a true out of body experience

This place was amazing. I ordered takeout from here and it came fresh, hot, and fast. The spice on the jerk chicken was unreal and something I've never tasted before. The scotch bonnet showed out! The sides were delicious as well. I asked for rice and plantain! And my friend got the curried shrimp and loved it! Will be back!

My favorite new neighborhood Caribbean joint. Quick service. Good food. Limited seating. Always pleasant customer service. Just stopped by and had ox tails. Yum!!

I stumbled upon this establishment in the Summer 2018. I was very pleased with the quality and quantity. Some hits and misses along the way. Now, let's fast forward....ordered the Curry Chicken, Rice & Peas w/Cabbage. To my dismay, the food was quite bland. Cabbage: lacked seasoning/Chicken: more bones than meat. I literally picked through the food and wound up throwing the whole container away. I wasted $17 (tip included) and I'm still hungry asf :/

Spice has some of the best jerk and oxtail in dc. It's hard to find good Jamaican food. Spice nails it every time. They are open pretty late as well until 10 which is nice. The jerk is really good as well. If you like spicy get it with the jerk sauce.

I ordered the combo oxtail and jerk chicken dinner. Both were good! The oxtails were seasoned pretty well and the jerk had a nice kick! Veggies and plantain were good as well. The reason I gave them 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the size of the oxtail and portion size...both were small! Will I go agin; definitely! Lol So far, this has been the best oxtails I've eaten since Mangos closed!!!!

My favorite spot for Caribbean food in DC. Overall DC's Caribbean food is subpar honestly but this place has great jerk chicken. Mac n cheese is good. But listen to me, the way that oxtail gravy hits the palate with the rice... you won't regret it

Food was good but the jerk chicken sandwich barely had meat on it there was more bread, lettuce and tomatoes, had to put all the meat on one side of the sandwich.

My favorite Caribbean joint in DC. I was sorry when they couldn't offer eat-in service during the pandemic. Check hours before you go; also, I think they deliver. My favorite dish is the Curry Chicken; I get extra curry gravy on my rice 'n peas. The plaintain is good; so is the cabbage. On certain days, they sell mac ' cheese, which is quite good. The usual menu items: Jerk Chicken, Oxtails, Jerk Shrimp, patties, etc. They also sell desserts. My beverage of choice is TING, a grapefruit-flavored beverage, but they sell beer and wine!

Hands down the best west indian food in the area. So far I had the curry chicken, goat & oxtail. All seasoned to perfection. The meat is so tender and juicy. Be sure to ask for alittle gravy on the rice!! I love this place. I frequent it at least once a week. A MUST TRY!! Go now!!

0 complaints! No matter what I buy. Everything always taste fresh, authentic and homemade! Great customer service and value. I love this place!

Great restaraunt with a great owner. The portions are very generous, the prices are low and the flavor is good. I've gotten the snapper a few times and it's always been delicious. The amount of vegetables I got with it is tremendous and knowing how to cook okra isn't common - Spice does a great job at making it just right. Spice has become one of my favorite DC spots for delicious grub.

Once upon a time Jamaican food was some of my favorite. Then after some bad experiences (Sweet Mango and Tropicana Eatery). Quite a few closures (Sweet Mango, Taste of Jamaica and that spot on U Street). I've spent the past couple of years eating very little Jamaican food. I guess that is my loss. Any way, I had a taste for something different, from what I usually do, so I decided to hit up a spot I didn't know. I was checking maps to see what was near me and found Spice. I went to Yelp to check out the menu you and decided that this would be the first time I order food through Yelp. I wanted them to see my Yelp status and know that I don't play. I ordered the small Brown Stew Chicken with Plantains and Rice and Peas for my sides for $9.00. Cracking open my order, I was pleasantly surprised by the portion size. I was wondering how much you get for a large because this was a whole meal. The plantains were really good. The Rice and Peas too, yes it was a lot of it but I was cool with it. Now with the Brown Stew Chicken: It was really good. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I knew I would come back for more. I wasted no time for my return because it was the next day. This time I wanted to try the Patties and special, bottled juices. I got a Veggie Patty and it was aight. I will try a Chicken Patty with Coco Bread next time. Good food, and good service. I am feeling Spice.

This is the best Caribbean-Jamaican food out here y'all. Don't be fooled by the lame reviews, if you want authentic good quality and healthy cuisine; this is the place to go. God Bless Spice, may y'all live ten thousand years!

I stopped at Spice for some DC reggae festival tickets. While I was in there I decided to get some jerk chicken. I got a 1/4 jerk chicken (white) with rice/peas and veggies. The chicken was falling off the bone and the sauce was spicy but had a great flavor! I also got some chicken patties for the wife. She loved them! Definitely going back!!

I order from Spice via Grubhub about 1-2x per week. I'm always happy with my order, and the food always has been fresh and tasty. I usually go with the curry chicken, but I have tried the dark meat jerk chicken which was amazing too. Portion sizes are great, and the steamed veggies are good as well. Would definitely recommend!

I was skeptical at first. I've been burned plenty of times in the city trying to find a decent Caribbean spot. I was raised eating this food. Both my parents are Jamaican. But I enjoyed it. I ordered the oxtail which was good, flavorful and tender. I also ordered a beef and cheese patty with coco bread...ugh...GOOD!!!! I will definitely be back and hopefully not disappointed. My biggest issue with Caribbean establishments is consistency with both service and food. When this place was pink snapper...yeah no. Bad service and the food was mediocre. However, this first visit at Spices, the service was alright, nothing to complain about, and the food was good. I will be returning very soon to see how round 2 goes.

I have very little experience with Jamaican food; I pretty much just eat beef patties. haven't had any Jamaican food in the four years I've lived here because I was nervous about finding a good spot. After years of craving beef patties I finally stopped at Spice and loved their beef patties!! And they're a pretty decent size for $2. I MIGHT venture off to other menu items.....maybe.

My family is from the Caribbean, but not from Jamaica, so I can't vouch for the authenticity. But, I can vouch for flavor and tenderness, and I'm a fan of Spice. I usually get the oxtail, stew chicken, or curry goat plate -- and I'm rarely disappointed. If I am disappointed, it's because they're out of something (which happens when you show up at 8:30pm, my bad). My family likes to say that I "eat my gravy with rice" and it's true. Spice will gladly give me as much extra gravy as I want, at no charge! I've been to a few places that charge for extra gravy, and I absolutely can't stand that! I mean, you have SO much extra gravy in that pan! What else are you going to do with it??? The shop is always clean, and the staff is very friendly. I'll keep making my monthly (sometimes weekly) stops at Spice!

Amazing! I had their oxtail lunch and it was one of the best I've had in the area. I definitely recommend if you're looking for good Caribbean food!

This was my go to spot for good Jamaican food. Today I was disappointed in the oxtails which where warm not hot. Then I waited on cabbage that when I did taste it the texture was if it had been sitting or frozen. Usually I'm always impressed with their food, but this time not satisfied.

The curry chicken and their plantains were absolutely delicious. The rice and peas were moist (versus the usual dried up version from other restaurants... won't name names here); the curry was very tasty and they provided enough to go over the chicken and rice/peas; and the plantains were nice and moist, and didn't taste like "yesterday's" plantains. AND THE RUM CAKE, OMG DELICIOUS!!! ... so moist, you can taste the butter and the rum and...OMG... delicious!

I enjoyed the food from Spice while at 2 HookieLife events this summer so much that I had to find the store front. The first time we visited, the food was pretty good but now 3-4x later it has really gone down over time. I need the chef from this summer to return - or maybe chef needs a break to bring back the food stuff? I really thought I found my new favorite Jamaican spot. Perhaps I'll check back in a few months.

Horrible attitudes from cashier , first and last time not spending money with ungreatful people

Curry goat was awesome! Rice and peas, just right. Used to be the red snapper, which was really good as well. Not too sure why the name change but based on my one meal there so far, different name, same great food!

The food was OK. Ordered curry chicken, ox tails & jerk chicken. The chicken is dry. The rice is dry. They barely put any sauce on the chicken and rice. It's just ok. I love curry chicken. I will not be ordering from this place again.

1st time here. I was impressed with the service and the food was great! I had the Ox tails, small spot nice mom and pop feel! Highly recommend it.