Bahama Breeze

You must try the firecracker shrimp! Def the best app item you can choose from. I usually always get the fish tacos and they never disappoint.

Great food! Coconut shrimp is to die for and don’t forget the jerk chicken wings! One of my favorite places to eat at

Don’t make the mistake I did. I searched my iPhone for a Caribbean restaurant nearby. It gave me Bahama breeze. I called and asked about beef patties they said they didn’t have them but they had empanadas. Not knowing what empanadas are (like beef patties I was told) that should have told me that this was not a traditional Black Jamaican restaurant. I asked if they had rice and peas they said yes, so I assume it was Jamaican rice and peas: wrong
When I got there I found European Americans and European Spanish Americans nice place with an island flavor packed with tons of people and live music. Hmm.
I asked about The rice and peas they said yellow rice and black beans. Hmm
My first mistake was going on Mother’s Day. My second mistake was not asking them on the phone if they were a Jamaican restaurant.
This is a very nice Spanish seafood place that seems to make a pretty looking jerk chicken, but has nothing to do with the caribbean. If I was smart enough to read the Unilocal reviews and look at the food pictures first I would’ve known this, my bad.
The people were nice I got my takeout and learned my lesson.
Moral of the story don’t make my mistake. Read reviews on Unilocal.Most are not as long as this one, lol

If I had not found a hair in my food I would have given this place 3 – 4 stars. But shouldn’t have been surprised after reading a couple reviews.
When we first entered no one really greeted us. We were told it would be 25 – 30 minutes to be seated. That’s fine. So we decided to get drinks at the bar as we waited. The bartenders were really nice and the drinks were pretty good (couldn’t really taste alcohol in line though). We also decided to order the Island Hopper which was like a platter of the appetizers. The chicken, coconut shrimp, and conch fritters were really good. At this point we had already waited 30 minutes, but being Friday we decided to wait ten more minutes. It had taken a total of 55 minutes.
Once we were finally seated, our server was really nice, even helped us out in picking our food (and didn’t direct us to the more expensive item). Table was incredibly sticky. Our food came out pretty fast, but my friend didn’t really like her chicken quesadilla and as I was mixing my calypso shrimp pasta, I found a long black hair. It took us a minute to find a server, after bringing it to the back to make me a new one (hoping it was a new one, should have just order something entirely different), our server had apologized and taken it off our check.
From the moment we sat down to the moment we paid, we probably saw our server 5 times. Taking our drink orders, entrée orders, seeing if we’re okay, to apologize about the hair in my food, and the check. No drinks were refilled and after taken my utensils away with the first plate they never brought me new ones so we had to find another sever who could. Now our server wasn’t bad, probably just stretched out among several tables.
Ambiance was nice but a bit dark. Music was nice and the guy doing it was pretty fun/​funny. Not sure if I’d come back though.

Food and drinks were really good. Actually delicious.
The live music on a weeknight was an added bonus.
But the service was horrendous. And she was not too bright either. With my wife and 2 kids, I told her we were celebrating 2 birthdays. She looked at my kids and said, «oh are they twins?» referring to my kids. My kids are 6 and 2 years old. After I politely corrected her that it was mine and my daughter’s b-​day, she didn’t even bother wishing us a happy birthday. After she took our order, we didn’t see her again. I literally had to ask another server or a manager for every drink refill, condiments, an extra fork and the check.
To the restaurant’s credit, I think it was only this girl. The rest of the servers were very visible and helpful.

This is my second time here and the food doesn’t Dissapoint! Décor and music is great, just too dark like most restaurants these days. On a Friday night, our wait was 20 – 25 mins which went fast due to us talking. Though I’m not a huge fan of waiting at all-it’s my pet peeve; my friend was hungry and had a hankering for this place. Jerk chicken pasta with mushrooms and a ginger ale! Perfect!
I will return!

6 new Rita’s and live music fun atmosphere, even for kids. Valet parking is a plus since its close to Bergen Town Center and parking is tough to find. Stuffed yuca is delish — but let’s be honest — I’m mainly there for the Rita’s and Pinas!

Came here on a Saturday for a «girls night out» with reservations for 9 at 7:30pm. That being said, we were not seated until 8:10pm. My company politely made a comment asking if a wait this long was normal with making reservations. To our surprise, a few minutes after being seated, a gentleman in charge came over apologizing for the long wait and ordered us two Island Hopper appetizers, on the house. Anytime a restaurant can make up for a fault on their part with free food is a-​ok in my book!
Because our appetizers were taken care of, I ordered the Seafood Paella as my entre. My eyes have always been bigger than my stomach as this dish was of decent size with a larger portion of seafood to rice. I loved that it came with a healthy dose of seafood because it made me feel like I was getting more bang for my buck (that and I got to take home leftovers!)
Now it wouldn’t be a «girls night out» without some libations. so I ordered the margarita flight (which can be customized to whichever three flavors you want to try). Not sure if this is something offer all the time, but 6 new margarita flavors had just been introduced and there was no way I could choose just one! I absolutely loved the Hibiscus margarita flavor and the flower it comes with! The Mangorita had a spicy kick to it, and me not being a fan of spicy meant I was not a fan of this flavor. Lastly, I remember the Grilled Pineapple margarita as having a pulp-​like texture to it which I also didn’t like. I look forward to coming back and trying all the other many flavors! :P

Love the ambiance. The staff was really friendly and catered to you. That’s a plus in my book. The food and drinks are a plus. We were full from the appetizer alone. Still sampled the main course. Then asked to have it wrapped to go. We are definitely going to return again.

If you need a mini getaway, this is your spot. Bring your boardshorts and bikinis. The alcove was creatively designed with flavors of the tropic, influenced by the Bahamas. Imagine large palm trees swaying overhead with teak wood surrounding you, warmed by golden rays of light giving off a beach-​like ambiance.
The drinks are strong. Don’t let some of the cheesier names get to you. I ordered a Virgin Pina Colada and was drunk in 5 minutes. Just kidding about the Virgin, not kidding about the buzz. The shrimp calypso is a must try, a perfect blend of alfredo-​esque sauce and garlic. The price per entrée might feel steep at first but the portions are immense. You are essentially buying dinner, and your lunch for tomorrow.
My only gripe was the mojito sampler, you can skip that. Unless you adore a colorful ensemble decorating your table. Some flavors of Benadryl test better. Parking might also be a hassle but the mall parking deck behind is plentiful.

I’ve been here multiple times since my last review and i’ve still got the same feelings. The food here is pretty decent and nothing beats their awesome happy hour but the service needs work and that’s always a shame when the place has such potential to be great. Be prepared to wait and wait and wait… don’t come here if you’re in a rush. I went for the 9p-​12p happy hour to get some drinks and food. We sat right at the bar and our waitress came over took our drink order and then took what felt like forever to come back and get our food order. We ordered the shrimp, chicken quesadilla, and carnitas tacos. Our order came out and we were missing the shrimp which never came out. The waitress never came back to check on us at all until we flagged her down and told her we were missing the shrimp. Finally when it was all said and done flagging her down again to pay was a process. Maybe it’s just the bar area that’s like this? I will admit I mostly dine in the bar area when I do go but nonetheless i think service can be better. Also the time before that there were some fruit flies annoyingly around the bar area which was also a turn-​off.

Here’s how my trip to Bahama goes… I Isley come in for happy hour because the dead are incredible… Soo I walk in and basically stumble out. 20oz beer are only $ 3 and all the drinks are discounted.
Now this isn’t why I always come here thou. The food is actually really really tasty. Every app I had from here (except maybe 1) was great. Not a single piece left on the plate.
I would come here just to sit down but the happy hour is just to great to pass up!

I always pass by this restaurant when I go to the Bergen Mall or the Garden State Mall.
My father wanted to go to a restaurant with my stepmom and I and asked me to pick the restaurant. I’ve always been curious to try this place out, so we did.
Of course, this place has a very island/​tiki atmosphere, which attracted me to it. Only thing I could think about how great the drinks would be.
The staff was very friendly and seated us quickly. We chose to sit outside in order to better appreciate the aesthetic of the restaurant.
Our waitress first introduced us to the drink menu, which included a special of three different drinks all for $ 9. I immediately ordered this special, because you can’t go wrong with three drinks for that price.
The food-​the menu was very diverse, which resulted in me asking the waitress to pick what she thought was the best and most popular option. (I am not a picky eater at all, so I don’t mind.) I can’t remember the name of what I ordered, but all I remember was that it was delicious. (Refer to my pictures attached to this review.)
The waitress was very attentive which made us very happy guests, and will also make us return again. We came here in early September, meaning the weather was a little chilly, but that didn’t take away from the atmosphere. I definitely look forward to coming here on a hot, summer day to enjoy the atmosphere even more and feel like I’m on a mini vacation, lol.
P. S. The bar is HUGE! I was so shocked with the size and organization of it! There was also island music playing in the background– super cute.

Not impressed with this establishment. We should have known as we waited for a host to acknowledge we even entered the half filled restaurant. Our group of four was seated and it was obvious the server was slammed, not sure why.
After being seated for a long period we were brought menus and he was ready to leave again and asked if he could take our drink order before he left, which he kindly did.
We ordered our food and I ordered the crab avocado salad along with a cup of chicken tortilla soup to come out the same time.
As our food came out we were served and had no cutlery so waited while the server went to get us cutlery. Was not a quick turn around and by the time he came most of our food was cold. Did I mention the soup didn’t come out. I reminded him of the soup and said it was on its way. I finished my salad (mind you I’m a fast eater) and the soup came out… not ice cold but room temperature.
We were disappointed with the service and food, especially since it was suggested we eat here.
Hey get one star for their menu and one for their food (I’m being generous) three IF the food was hot and four if service was good.
How I rate my restaurants despite an off night would be if I would come back and I wouldn’t come back here.

I had avoided going here for a long time. I thought everything would be greasy but good. I was pleasantly surprised when I got inside and saw the menu. The décor reminds me of the Elephant Bar chain on the west coast. Very Caribbean looking inside. Was relatively quiet in noise volume for its size. The food has been great every time I have gone. Not greasy at all. Came out looking fresh and hot. The taste was great too. We have gone back several times now and these are the dishes we tried and found to be very good. Lobster & Shrimp Quesadilla, Beef Empanadas, Ahi Tuna Stack, Chicken Tortilla Soup and Bahamian Seafood Chowder. At lunch they offer a lunch option that has smaller meals and comes with a Caesar Salad or house salad. They have a full bar and the service was great. Hope you have a great experience too when you go.

Before coming here I didn’t expect much. I was expecting it to be just another applebee/​tgi Fridays type place and it is, but the food tastes so much better. Just like those chain restaurants it’s a casual dining spot with the same type of feel. It’s island themed in the menu and décor. The service is also very nice. Our waiter was friendly and attentive. This place does get busy so be prepared to wait for a seat on a Saturday night. What’s cool is that when you put your name on the list they will send you a text message when your table is ready.
As for the food, the shrimp and grits is our favorite dish. It’s plate licking good. The Jamaican stuffed plantains was also delicious. The ribs, wings, and tacos were great also. Try the island style drinks as well.

I really want to give this place 4 or even 5 stars, because the food here is amazing-​especially because it’s a chain restaurant. However, every single time we come here we have a problem getting seated. Every single time. We have come on numerous occasions for dinner and are either met by an empty hostess station, or an unreasonable wait time considering the amount of empty tables that are in plain view. Just today, we stopped in for a late lunch. The restaurant was empty. There were maybe 10 – 15 tables sat. We were told there would be at least a 25 minute wait. On a Saturday afternoon. This was my final straw which prompted my review. A 25 minute wait at 3 pm on a Saturday when hardly half the restaurant was full is beyond unacceptable. The only reason we ever come here is because they keep sending us coupons in the mail, and like I said-​the food is fantastic.
I’ll write a little about the food just to give credit where credit is due. Like I mentioned, this is a chain restaurant and I typically avoid chains because the food is really sub par. Bahama Breeze is an exception to that rule. The food is so unique and full of flavor. I have never been disappointed by a menu item here. Some of my favorites are the habanero wings (literally my favorite hot wings ever), the skillet shrimp, and as a main course the shrimp with grits (ask for it with Sriracha sauce!)
They also make really awesome mixed drinks and have a fun happy hour.

Nice atmosphere. Pretty darn decent food. Weve been here plenty of times and I’ve had the turkey burger, yucca fries, fish tacos, and boyfriend usually always gets the cilantro crema chicken or the burger. They’re all very very good. The drinks are great too. Come here for a date, girls night, guys night, or just to hangout and have good food.
Happy Hour appetizers like street tacos and firecracker shrimp for $ 4 – 5 and $ 2 – 3 beer!

Do I get my Elite badge revoked if I actually enjoyed this place? I came for a work event with free drinks and apps so I’m sure that didn’t hurt.
I had a virgin piña colada which was actually twice the size of the alcoholic one my friend got. We sampled a bunch of apps that were like guilty pleasure good– coconut shrimp, lobster and shrimp quesadilla, spinach dip, nachos, wings, etc. I definitely left stuffed so it could t have been that bad!
Service was stretched thin but still managed to keep us happy. They had a guitar player/​singer on a Thursday night which was very chill. All that in a Caribbean oasis off of rt 4! Wouldn’t be my first choice to go back to but you wouldn’t have to twist my arm either.

The first time I went to Bahama Breeze was for a Unilocal Elite Event, and I was overjoyed that they had outdoor seating (despite the miserable view of highway). All of the food we got to sample was fried though (and I’m not too much of a fan) so I never really got to see the other side of things.
So, I hadn’t been back in a while, but the other day I wanted to eat outside to enjoy the beautiful day. We got to Bahama Breeze and there was a 15 – 20 min wait.
You are able to get drinks at the bar and bring them out the front door to the little lounge seating area. Happy hour is from 4 – 6 and it’s awesome. We were so excited. I got the Ultimate Pina Colada ($ 4). It is SO delish. We sat in the comfy chairs until they texted me that the table was ready.
We sat outside and ordered the lobster & shrimp quesadilla. It was really good, but not the best ever. Then, I had the snapper with the plantain stuffed with rice, black beans, and cheese. Holy smokes, so damn good!
During our meal, I got another drink before happy hour ended… had no idea that there was a happy hour drink menu until I saw the bill. Whoops. Would have been good to know… The host (ess) and servers don’t really have the detail down. For instance, when we got the text that our table was ready, we walked in and the guy just started walking away with the menus, no «Hi» or «right this way» or anything. They all seem on the young side, so it’s probably just the inexperience there. No one told us it was happy hour or anything, we just found out from the bar check, etc.