Come Take A Bite Jamaican Cuisine

ok, so hubby and i decided to try this new jamaican spot out. great reviews in general so we took a chance. so we walk in, the place doesn’t smell like food is cooking. actually it didn’t smell good at all. after asking for a sample of the ox tail, i decided to get a small plate with rice and peas and plantain. my husband got curry goat and rice and peas. we also ordered the fried chicken side dish. they had canned soda and bottles of cream and pineapple soda, etc. typical of jamaican restaurants but no cups and no ice and cheap plastic forks. strike 1. we were told it would be 15 minutes for the chicken to fry which was fine, because we figured we would be eating and the chicken would come out later. we waited and waited for the food until my husband went to the counter to ask about the food. lo and behold, our frickin food was sitting on the counter the whole time while waiting for the chicken to fry! strike 2. while sitting there waiting for the food (that was ready and sitting on the frickin counter) i scanned over the décor and the table settings, the furniture, the overall appearance, and the 88 grade given from the health inspector they displayed proudly on the wall near the front door. i must say i was pretty much disgusted. the table settings are tacky as hell with a jamaican flag underneath a clear plastic cover which was tied in the corners with gold ribbons… just tacky as hell. the plastic needed a good wiping down with bleach and water. our plastic had dried up oxtail juice on it. they had incomplete settings on each table. pepper shaker was empty on our table, 2 bottles of the same hot sauce sat on the table across from us, one was empty, falling over and dried out looking. condiments differed from table to table. the chair legs were dirty and chairs were pulled out from the tables. the booth seats, raggedy. there were no napkins in the napkin holder slash menu holders. i couldn’t make out what the hell that table setting was for. no uniformity whatsoever. one table had a huge bottle of ketchup on it, not in a squeeze bottle, but in the heinz bottle. what on earthly earth on the menu requires ketchup in a jamaican restaurant? the window sills were dusty, the fake tree behind me had branches that were touching the back of my head when i sat back which kinda pissed me off a little. the mats on the floor were crooked and needed a good shake out. the place needed to be swept and mopped. my daughter was sticking her finger in and out of the hole in the cushion in the chair. aaaaaggghhhh! the «sound system» sat on top of the garbage cans near the front door with newspapers and flyers all over the place, just plain untidy and nasty.
what about the food you ask? actually my oxtails were delicious, i was 100% satisfied with the food. my husband’s goat was tough and had big chunks of meat that could not be masticated and swallowed. we just threw those to the side. the plantain was delicious.
the service you ask? strike 3. well. since there was no description except «fried chicken» my hubby asked how many pieces came with the order. the cook came out personally and said «2 to 3 pieces» but he will give us 3. we were like cool, ok. when the chicken came out it was a fried chicken boneless breast chopped into 3 large pieces. what tha??? i didn’t even taste it because i hate chicken breasts. never had a chicken breast that wasn’t dry, and this was no exception, dryyyy, dryyyy, dryyyy to the bone! (yes it was boneless but that’s just how dry it was) my husband was not happy, at all! we were expecting a leg and thigh or something and they gave us 1 huge dry ass breast cut into 3??? uh uh.
so anyways, the woman whose restaurant it was, we guessed, came in the front door with lumber in her arms and attempted to build an add on to the counter or something right there in the tiny dining area. she literally was measuring and marking the wood, pulled out a damn saw and was sawing the wood! i was like «smh» while sucking on them ox tail bones giving her the side eye… then the phone rang and she was yelling to the cook in the back to hand her the phone! she was like «get mi di fone! pass mi di fone, di fone, di fone a ring!!» i was like smh, some folk just don’t have no couth. needless to say, she was not interested in customer service, housekeeping, nor feedback, or not ours, rather. she asked a couple at a table across from us how they liked the food but didn’t acknowledge us. didn’t even say «by, thanks for coming, cat, dog“nothing when we got up to leave. anyways, she was not dressed for business either. i was like uh, uh, uh the whole time. anyways i can certainly understand why some businesses fail. that place was dusty and dirty but my food was good so we may give it another shot in the future.

Great lunch specials. Really good food. Hole in the wall. Good for lunch, not for taking a date out to dinner, unless she is Jamaican!

As soon as I parked, a guy stared me down but soon smiled and said hello as I approached the doors of this joint, likely in approval of my lunch decision. It’s a tiny place, but it was busy so I knew it’d be good. The menu is pretty straight forward, and their lunch specials are their best deals. Any meal under $ 5 is going to please me since I’m a broke b****. I chose the vegetarian option and told the staff that I had been craving jamaican cabbage. I thought I was annoying her w my small talk, but she actually was so sweet and told the chef to really be generous w the cabbage. They also asked me if I wanted gravy on my rice. WHAT! Sensitivity to dietary restrictions is so rare in restaurants that I was really taken aback. (The gravy contains meat products fyi) With a heavy box full of rice and beans, tons of cabbage, and to die for plantains, I was on my way. I will most definitely return for a box full of plantains and cabbage. The rice was a bit dry, but I didn’t have it w gravy.
Overall, it’s a great bang for your buck and the staff is really nice. You won’t regret coming here.

The parties are on point and they are really nice people. I think I am going to go back for the ultimate test… THE OXTAILS !

Jamaican food at its best. Recommended several people to go there never bad feedback. Curry goat is on point. No real bad options on the menu.

I absolutely love Jamaican food and it’s great to finally find a spot that will keep me coming back ! The prices are great (especially during lunch time) and you get a pretty good portion of food. I wouldn’t plan on dining in because it is super hot in the restaurant but other than that the place is nice and clean. I am super picky about the way my cabbage is cooked but they did a great job and it was very tasty, as was everything else. The staff are a little short on words but they were nice and the service was very quick.

Ive been searching for some oxtails since I moved here these were pretty good on a scale of 1 – 10 I give it a 7 I ordered a small oxtail w/​white rice plantains and cabbage. I also got coco bread soooo good. When I first walked in I was greeted by an older gentleman he was sooooo friendly and welcoming. I ordered online and it was ready for me when I got there the food was nice and hot.
The only thing is when I was walking out there was a man walking in that stopped me and asked me to help him out with some food I didnt have any cash on me and I had to get back to work after i told him this his remark was «next time there is a war you go fight in it».

Norcross/​Tucker has plenty of other cultural eateries, and I long looked for a Jamaican restaurant. I went into the plaza the restaurant is located many times, and did not realize this restaurant here. As soon as I went in, I felt good vibes. I was acknowledged immediately, with warmth and attentiveness. The portions are plentiful and DELICIOUS. The Jamaican cuisine spots in Gwinnett, i have my qualms about each. Not enough, seasoning, small portions or the authenticity is not there. If you grow up eating Caribbean food as much as I did, you can tell the difference. I was highly satisfied with he cleanliness, service and quality of food. I have already recommended to other islanders I know, and there sentiments were the same. This is the best authentic, Caribbean you will get in Gwinnett County.

Great food and friendly customer service! I got the small plate of braised oxtail and was not disappointed! Although a small plate, I ate until I was full and still had a hearty portion left over for lunch the next day! The braised oxtails were delish and meaty… not just all fat like you get at some places. So definitely a great deal for the price. Will definitely return and you should too!

Sry I didn’t take a pic but fry chicken was on point… thanks for frying us some even though you guys were busy. finally a Jamaican restaurant that makes fry chicken

Beyond furious with this place.
My best friend and I were craving some good jamaican food. We call ahead and place an order to pick up. When we arrive there is NO ONE at the front register, there is a doorbell that apparently no one can hear, and NO ONE came out for the next 10 minutes. Even after I yelled hello, even after I opened and closed the door for the doorbell to go off, and even after I called the restaurant WHILE IM SITTING INSIDE THE RESTAURANT, and watched as the phone just rand and rang and rang. Funny thing was, I could see a man in the kitchen that appeared to be cleaning. SO ANGRY. Don’t you want any business? It was 5 PM… did you guys just decide to check out? Either way… We won’t be back. Terrible experience!

Pretty good Jamaican food nearby the house. I stopped in for lunch on Monday and ordered a large oxtail and large brown stew chicken w/​2 beef patties to go. The café is kinda a hole in the wall, there was about 5 – 6 booths and a counter where you ordered and picked up your food.
The tablecloths were nice, but there were covered under a protective plastic sheet, you know the kinds that preserved grandmother’s nice couches in the livingroom you weren’t allowed to play in.
Although the portions were huge, each combo came with a few pieces of plantains, rice & beans and cabbage, my order was wrong. I was given green curry chicken instead of my brown stew chicken. Fortunately they do show you your order before bagging it up. When I pointed out the mistake, the lady who took down my order got really confused and looked back at her ticket, but even she could not read her own handwriting and kept asking me, are you sure? Are you sure?
I told her that yes, I am quite sure what I wanted to eat and ordered and if she could just fix the problem since both the curry chicken and the brown stew chicken were the same price. It was just an annoyance really.
I will say that the beef patties were among the best I’ve ever had. Just enough spice kick to it but not spicy enough to scare you away from taking another bite. The brown stew chicken as hearty, but was just missing a spice or two to take me to the sandy beaches of Jamaica.
In all, a pretty decent place to grab some good grub.

Ja’maican me lose my mind…
Caribbean food has really been on my mind the past couple of months. When I heard about Come Take a Bite, I knew I had to give it a try, as long as I could convince my usual lunch buddies to tag along.
The interior isn’t the most welcoming and cozy to me. Bright orange walls with a black ceiling isn’t super calming for me. However, we were determined to try their food.
Ordering is VERY slow. So don’t come here when you’re in a rush. My friends and I made the mistake of ordering separately at the counter. The guy at the counter (someone get this guy some glasses, by the way… Squinting at everything) would take one order, go back into the kitchen, and emerge with our food 5 minutes later. Not the most efficient.
I ordered the small orders of the curried goat and the oxtails, as well as the coco bread and Mac and cheese to split between my friend and me. I also stole a bite of another friend’s two beef patties (they only had beef and veggie, and being the carnivore that he was, couldn’t go against his carnivorous religion).
Oxtails: Oh. My. God. So good. Rich and full of flavor, the meat is tender and falls off the bone. Best oxtail I’ve had (ok, I’ve only had it one other time, but this is freaking delicious). The rice and peas was moist and mixed well with the oxtail and sauce. The steamed cabbage was pretty good! A little bland: I could have used a little kick to it. But still not bad. The plantains were also a little boring: could have used a little seasoning. But the consistency was perfect.
Curried Goat: I wasn’t a HUGE fan. I love curry, but maybe I’m just not a fan of goat. The meat was definitely very interesting and gamy in a different way from lamb.
Coco bread: I had no idea what to expect. $ 1.15 for some bread? This is probably the DENSEST white bread I’ve ever had. Heavy as a rock. My friend wasn’t a fan, but you don’t understand how much I love bread. So yes, I loved it. Especially when I dragged pieces of it through the stew of the oxtail entrée.
Mac and cheese: just average, nothing special or unique about it. I say take the money buying the Mac and cheese and put it toward a beef patty.
All in all, a great meal. While I may not be the Caribbean food expert, I do know what I think tastes good, and the oxtail here is on point.

Yum!
Went with a group of 4, one of which is Jamaican! We ordered the large portions of the oxtails, stewed chicken, and curried goat. We really enjoyed the oxtails (got two orders) and the stewed chicken tremendously. The curried goat was okay. All of the items came with rice, cabbage, and plantains. Our waitress offered us extra gravy if we wanted it (YUM). Decently priced, big portions. We will be back!

So after reading the reviews and moving in the area, I decided to try out this spot. First off I’m Jamaican and there are certain things you expect, SEASONING, is one of them. I ordered the oxtail, rice and peas, and cabbage, the norm and I was greatly disappointed. No seasoning AT ALL. I don’t want to count them out just yet, but the thing about first impressions, you only get to make one.
Also I asked for my gravy to be over the rice, I don’t think the young lady relayed that message. Another thing, the cabbage was overly cooked.

*approaching microphone podium and takes golden award statue from presenter, faces audience and looks into camera*
«I just want to thank the Academy, GOD and my family for this restaurant…» That’s how good the food is here-​yes! My co-​workers and I sorted this place out from a grubhub and Unilocal search on our phones. We piled into one car and headed on down on our lunch break. We were met by a sweet smiling Ethiopian lady who kindly took our orders and chatted with us while we waited. I ordered curry shrimp and my shrimp were the size of Montana. The plantains were far superior to anything I have ever tasted since childhood and in another lifetime. They were not dripping in oil like most other places and the cook gives you a good helping for $ 1.50. I also ordered their homemade ginger beer, which made me shed a thug tear. It was so potent and sweet with a bite that only someone from a tropical island can give you when they touch your food. My soul moaned in food ecstasy.
The only drawbacks are the restaurant has very poor marketing. The full menu is not offered when you search online, but once you arrive at the actual location there is an extensive one for you to view. It offers much more than you can see online. Also, the restaurant is named «Come Take A Bite» but their website is
–a little confusing. It’s just a basic mom and pop restaurant: four walls, table and chairs. Nothing fancy, nothing extra. Call ahead because it takes awhile for your food to be prepared.
As long as they keep the same cashier and cook… I will be a gold card member of this place. *drops mic*
Update 17 June 2015: I decided to encore again today for lunch, but instead I called in. Ughhhh! The cashier is very sweet but she can’t understand spoken English very well, so it took me about 30 minutes to order a lunch for one… delivery. My co-​workers were asking «what is going on over there?» LOL I called at 11:02 am and my lunch was delivered at 12:29 pm. My first and last attempt at the delivery option. I’ll just go in person.

I gave them 3 stars this time because I spent almost $ 30 here and they didn’t put a thing in my plates. I’ll just spend the extra to get a bit more somewhere else. Sucks because this place is good.

No palm trees, no white sand beach, nothing but real authentic Caribbean cooking going on in here!
I had seen several check ins by my fellow Unilocal friends, and being a lover of island cusine, music and anything dealing with the tropical islands i had to come try it out.
I ordered by phone ahead of time then went in side to pick up my oxtail order. Inside there were a few tables and chairs to dine, with menu’s and «Hot Pepper Sauce» on each table. The menu has all the usual Caribbean entrees so i know i will be back to try something else. Prices were fair and quantity was plenty
My large oxtail meal was plentiful with cabbage, rice and rich brown oxtail gravy the oxtails were cut small with succulent tender meat on each piece. I have gone far in search for good island food, now that i know of this place, i will be stopping in to fill mi belly whenever the craving hits.

My quest for great Jamaican food in Atlanta is finally over!!!
You know, if you count my updates, this makes my 718^th review. I’ve used a LOT of words in all those reviews, many even reaching the Unilocal character limit of 5000. Yet my meal today has left me somewhat speechless.
What I have learned from being on Unilocal is this: People like what they like! Good or bad, tasty or tasteless, people love food for many different reasons. What I think tastes like garbage some other Unilocaler thinks tastes like their grandmother’s best cooking (which may or may not be good, but hey… it’s grandma). It used to drive me crazy when Unilocalers I respect would write great reviews about food that I totally disagreed with, but then I matured into being okay with people not being aware they have bad taste! LOL
There are certain food categories I have a strong affinity for and seem to be on a neverending quest to quench a deep itch for a specific flavor. That longing flavor that sends a message from your taste buds to your brain that ricochets through your body causing your shoulders to slump, head to tilt back, arms to fall, eyes to close and mouth to quietly murmur «oh yeah, that’s the ticket.» Well, that happened to me today!
THE FOOD
I’m not going to bother with descriptions of the food. I’m just going to simply say I had THEE BEST oxtails I have ever eaten in my life today. I only WISH my grandmother could have cooked them like this! I probably would have been eating oxtails as a kid instead of waiting to falling in love with them as an adult. If you are an oxtails fan, try the oxtails here! If you find you don’t like them, it is a strong possibility you may have bad taste and don’t know it! (just kidding, kinda)
The Curry Goat was equally delicious and the beef patty was just as good as either of the two famous places that sell them in Jamaica — Juici Patties & Tastee Patties. I was in Jamaica about 6 months ago and gorged on beef patties for 4 days. I can tell you I wouldn’t know the difference in those places vs. the patties here @ Come Take a Bite.
SIDE NOTE: I’ve come here three days in a row! I wanted to try something different, but I just can’t get past the items I mentioned above. I will probably be back tomorrow too, even though it is a bit of a drive for me.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Unless they change chefs, recipes or close for business, they have a loyal customer for life! I have discovered all the flavor and taste I ever wanted in local Jamaican cuisine right here and I most certainly will not be going anyplace else to satisfy my cravings. That’s it… I’m done with searching! Even if for some insane reason I moved out of state, this would be my first stop whenever I returned to the city. You might not agree (and that’s ok), but I think the oxtails, beef patties and curry goat are THAT good! They deserve 10 stars in my book.

First of all, I’d like to say how disappointed I am in myself for just figuring out this delicious caribbean food establishment was so close to my house. 5 minutes away for some darn jerk chicken and oxtails? Seriously! So mad at myself.
Nonetheless, they were absolutely wonderful. This place was so good, we visited them twice in three days and as I’m typing this, I want some more today for dinner (and I will probably get some since I get what I crave often LOL). Plus, they give you so much I’ll be able to have some for lunch at work the next day.
The first time we came, I didn’t get anything but the food smelled so lovely. I wanted some soon so we came back. I ordered oxtails with rice and beans. The food was definitely plentiful and I had SO much left over. I opted out of the plantains so the cashier had no problem giving me a little more meat and more rice and beans, especially since they were out of cabbage. I couldn’t have been any more satisfied.
I also tried their jerk chicken patti which was one of the best patties I have ever had in my life. I believe this may be the best caribbean food I’ve had in Georgia. and had in a long time.
Next time I come I want to try something different, but I can definitely see myself becoming a regular.