Best Caribbean Restaurants in NYC

New York's Caribbean food scene is one of the deepest in the country, shaped by decades of Jamaican, Trinidadian, Haitian, Dominican and Guyanese communities across Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens. This guide covers 14 restaurants spanning Flatbush, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, South Richmond Hill, the Bronx and beyond — from decades-old jerk counters and doubles stands to newer rum-bar and Haitian dining rooms.

Prices here run from casual takeout plates around $12–15 to full sit-down dinners in the $30–45 range, so check the price note on each pick. Most of the casual spots are walk-in only; the sit-down restaurants generally benefit from a reservation on weekends.

How to use this guide

• Casual jerk and roti counters are typically cash-friendly and fast; sit-down spots like Gladys or Miss Lily's take cards and reservations.
• Portions at Caribbean takeout spots are often large and meant to share — a single oxtail plate can feed two.
• Ask about spice level before ordering jerk dishes; "mild" at a real Caribbean kitchen can still be hotter than expected.
• Weekend brunch is a strong entry point at several of these — curry, saltfish and ackee, and bammy show up on brunch menus more than dinner ones.
• Rum and punch programs are a real feature at the sit-down spots (Gladys, Miss Lily's, Negril Village) — worth ordering alongside the food.
• Getting there: Flatbush, East Flatbush and Crown Heights are best reached via the 2/3/4/5 lines; Bronx and Queens picks vary more by spot.

Brooklyn: Crown Heights, Prospect Heights and Flatbush

Glady's has built a reputation as a rum-focused Jamaican canteen — jerk seitan sits on the menu next to curry goat and oxtail stew, and the rum flight list is deep enough to build a whole evening around. It's one of the more polished sit-down Caribbean spots in Brooklyn. 3

Not Caribbean cuisine itself, but worth knowing about if you're doing a Franklin Avenue crawl alongside Glady's — RAS anchors the same strip with a different, plant-forward African food tradition.

Bamboo Walk runs a fuller-service operation than most East Flatbush Caribbean spots, with a proper dining room, weekend brunch service, and outdoor seating alongside its takeout counter.

With two Brooklyn locations, Mandeville's is built for quick, family-style takeout rather than a sit-down evening — oxtail, jerk chicken and curry shrimp served hot and fast, open long hours daily.

Running since 2003, De Islands has built a following across its Brooklyn and Queens locations for jerk and oxtail cooked the same way every day — a reliable, unfussy option when you want Caribbean food fast.

Manhattan

Miss Lily's is now under culinary director Brittney "Stikxz" Williams, whose menu draws on her own Jamaican heritage while folding in broader Caribbean and New York influences. The East Village room doubles as a late-night rum bar on weekends. 10

Negril Village leans into a more upscale Jamaican dining experience than most Caribbean spots in the city — a "hip and classy" room, per its own description, aimed at date nights and special occasions rather than quick takeout. 11

Sisters Caribbean Cuisine offers a tour across the islands from one East Harlem storefront, a solid pick if a trip to Brooklyn or the Bronx isn't in the cards.

The Bronx and Queens

Flava of the Bronx has built its name on consistent execution — a bi-level Jamaican spot the borough treats as a reliable go-to for jerk, oxtail and curry rather than a special-occasion destination.

Caribbean island oxtail and Montego lime jerk sit alongside West African jollof at this Mott Haven spot, plus a brunch menu built around dishes like Georgia's peach chicken.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between Jamaican and broader Caribbean food in NYC?

Jamaican cuisine (jerk, oxtail, curry goat, ackee and saltfish) is the most visible on this list, but Trinidadian, Haitian, Guyanese and Dominican traditions all show up across Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx — look for roti, doubles, and pelau at Trinidadian spots specifically.

Where's the best neighborhood to do a Caribbean food crawl?

Crown Heights and East Flatbush have the highest concentration, especially around Franklin Avenue and Flatbush Avenue, and it's the epicenter of the Labor Day West Indian Day Parade.

Are these restaurants spicy?

Jerk seasoning and Scotch bonnet peppers are core to much of this cuisine, so yes, expect real heat — ask staff before ordering if you're spice-sensitive.

Do I need a reservation?

Sit-down spots like Glady's, Miss Lily's and Negril Village benefit from reservations on weekends. Counter-service places like Mandeville's and De Islands are walk-in only.

Is there a rum-focused Caribbean bar in this list?

Glady's and Miss Lily's both run substantial rum programs alongside their food menus, making either a good pick if drinks matter as much as dinner.

Plan the rest of your night

Continue exploring NYC's food scene with the full NYC Food Bucket List, get oriented by borough with the NYC Neighborhood Guide, or head up top for a skyline nightcap at one of the Best Rooftop Bars in NYC.

Liberty Avenue in South Richmond Hill is the city's densest strip of Trinidadian roti shops and doubles stands, and this no-frills storefront is one of the standbys — expect a line at lunch and a menu built around doubles, channa and roti rather than a sit-down dinner experience. It's a useful anchor if Crown Heights and East Flatbush's Jamaican-heavy lineup has you craving Trinidadian flavors instead.

DJONDJON is one of the few Haitian restaurants in the city built as a proper dinner destination rather than a takeout counter, pairing dishes rooted in Haitian tradition — griot, legim, and rice studded with the black mushroom the restaurant is named for — with a cocktail list designed to match. It's a good pick for rounding out this list beyond the more heavily represented Jamaican and Trinidadian kitchens.