Frank’s Soup Bowl

I got sick twice after eating fish from there!!! Once from steamed/​fried fish and vegetables a few months ago — second time 2 weeks ago — very badly — food poisoning lasted 10 days– after eating whiting fish!!! BEWARE! They don’t seem to acknowledge customers’ requests either– I asked no potatoes in my sides– got potatoes anyway!

Not the best Jamaican restaurant at all. Every time I eat there I have diarrhea. The food is fresh at nights when they are about to close and not so fresh in the afternoon/​evening hour which is very weird to me. I don’t recommend at all… Save your money or go elsewhere. By the way, they don’t know the parts of a chicken, depending on who’s serving. I always get the breast when I order leg&thigh.

EVERY TIME I come, they always mess up my order!!! Avoid this place. They are rude, nasty and obviously stupid!!!

I like this restaurant. This is the only place in the Bronx I will get Jamaican food when I’m too lazy to cook it. Whether its breakfast or dinner the food is delicious. My favorite thing on the menu is their oxtail. I also like the wings and mac & cheese on weekends. If I want breakfast, I always go with fried dumplings and salt fish (codfish). Hi5 to the chef!

Oxtail was on point againnn. Went with same friend and he said jerk chicken was even better than the last time. Place was super busy but food came out no more than ten minutes after ordering, so fast. Saw Joe again and he was all smiles. He remembered us and gave just enough of that family love to complement the delicious food. Eventually I’ll try the jerk chicken but it’s tough to leave the oxtail even for a meal. Próxima vez!

Frank was an awesome host and the staff were warm and welcoming! The dishes were delicious and tasted like they were made in the Caribbean! We will definitely be back!

I’ll be the first to say «Meh.» The only reason I’m giving 3 stars instead of 2 is because my fiancé really liked his jerk chicken – not loved, but really liked. My brown stew chicken was underwhelming. Nothing particularly yummy about the flavor and the texture was terrible. It had clearly been baked dry, then sitting the gravy, probably underneath a heat lamp. I had to throw out large strips and chunks of meat because it was tough and unappetizing. On second thought, you get 2 stars just because you have enough competition to step your game up and you ought to consider it.

Having driven all the way from Stamford CT, I think it’s safe to say this is my favorite place to get amazing Jamaican good. I’ve tried almost everything on the menu and I’m pleasantly surprised every time. The goat head soup is one of my favorite, it has the right amount of food, vegetables and the goat is very tender. The jerk goat was new to me though. It’s a bit on the spicy side which definitely has a kick to it. My favorite Jamaican breakfast was the kidney, banana and dumpling. They did not disappoint, especially when it came to the portion. I’m always pleased with the oxtails. They are huge pieces, seasoned properly and falls of the bone. If you’re getting the fried chicken, try the sauce with it as well, even though it’s really good with or without it. The Bronx is so saturated with places like Frank’s Soup Bowl but there’s no comparison, so its nice to have a place that is very laid back and enjoy authentic Jamaican food that is also reasonably priced.

On the strength of flavor alone, Soup Bowl would *easily* earn a 5 star rating. It’s some of the best Jamaican food I’ve had outside of my mom’s house. Ask for their pumpkin and carrots with your vegetable sides, I promise, they are transformative.
What gives Soup Bowl a 4 instead of a 5, in my opinion is the sluggish service. It is well known that you should call ahead for seafood dishes, they suggest 15 minutes. However, on several occasions, I’ve called while more than 45 minutes away and had to wait on shrimp dishes an additonal 15 – 20 minutes once there. In fact, earlier this spring, I called ahead for garlic shrimp while leaving the Palisades Mall in West Nyack, NY. With traffic on the Tappan Zee keeping us stuck in bumper-​to-​bumper traffic for 30 minutes I was hoping to swoop into Soup Bowl, pay and leave. To my surprise, I waited an additional 20 minutes for a dish I was told would be ready ‘soon’. I make shrimp at home frequently and even thawing frozen shrimp and then cooking it wouldn’t take over an hour to prepare.
If they can speed up their kitchen, this place would be on their way to success.

I live around the corner from this place and i say the food is pretty good, nothing real fancy, but taste like real back home Jamaican food, not no artificial golden Krust stuff and the prices are reasonable too, a $ 6 dollar small plate and you get a good portion of food, its a pick up and go spot when you just too tired to be behind a stove and cook for the night after a hard days work, they stay open long hours too.

Good down home Jamaican food.