TL/DR - If you're not Jamaican, it's fine.
It's the type of place with Salmon and "Rasta Pasta". Definitely caters to Yankees. You're not gonna see stew peas, brown stew chicken, curry goat, ackee and saltfish etc. And if you're really looking for the hardcore, like Cow Foot Soup, Run Down, etc - you have to go to NYC for that.
In terms of Jerk, most of the places just roast the chicken in the oven. I think there's been an embargo on importing actual pimento wood into the states, not sure if it's been lifted. It's not like they're cooking over a real wood fire in the first place. I'm betting it's jarred sauce, but I can mix browning, scallion, pimento, etc and have a jerk sauce too.
You'll prolly enjoy yourself.
You will be paying DC prices though.
But If you're Jamaican, there's no good Jamaican food in the area. None. Zero. Nada. Zilch. Nil
Not in DC. Not in VA. Not in nearby Maryland (Plenty of Caribs live up by Langley/Takoma Park. And I've yet to taste anything that's worth the journey.)
Maybe there might be something noteworthy in or on the way to Baltimore, but you're coming to DC.
And that's because if you're Jamaican, no one can ever cook as good as Granny. But even then, I've seen places that use ketchup in the Oxtail, ranch dressing on tables, Faux Jamaicans... They're not even attempting to make food for Yardies. Everything is sweet, but not in a good way.
If you must, tolerable imo
Truly, get some Ethiopian instead. Or Wings and Mumbo Sauce. DC is really good at European Style Italian, South East Asian, Expense Account/Fine Dining...but Jamaican? Not at all. I won't say anything on Soul Food or Cajun/Creole.
However, if you really want to trip out - there's a sald chain called
Chop'T. They playing nothing but Reggae. It's a white as hell salad spot, but for whatever reason, Corporate keeps the spotify on the classic reggae station. And I don't mean 10 hours of No Woman No Cry. I've heard Barrington, Sugar Minott, even Yellowman once.
Especially avoid
- The Jerk Chicken spot on C. St SW (Not a Jamaican owner) (it's near the Museum of the Bible, and surprisingly popular)
- Bammy's (which is not technically Jamaican restaurant, it's a pan-Caribbean spot, but mostly ran by 2 white boys - their take on conch fritters was good) - SW
- Cane (Not a Jamaican owner) - though it does have Trini food. Not qualifed to judge, but If I ever go back, that's what I get. - H St. NE
- St. James (Not a Jamaican owner) - Just bad. - U Str NW
Cane and
Bronze (Afro-Futurism) do cater to a certain
saddity sophisticated clientele though. Both are in H-St NE.
That said, you can head over to
Union Market and get all the ingredients at the African Food Wholesaler (across from the Van Leeuwen). I want to say that most of the Giant Supermarkets carry plantain, D&G, and Grace products. But goat is hard to come by unless you hunt it down. Oxtail is still expensive.
Breadfruit? You're going to Maryland for that.
