Beignets Caribbean Cafe

I ordered curry chicken and a beef patty. The portions were good but, the food lacked flavor. The plantain tasted freezer burned and the curry chicken was really dry. The rice and beans was really the only good part of the meal. I don’t have to try this again, at all.

This is a little place with delicious a food. The server is very friendly and service is very fast. I highly recommend the oxtail and jerk chicken. The entrée were seasoned generously and portions are huge.

At first I thought this place was permanently closed because there were no cars and no open sign. Me and a friend decided to check it out. I’m so glad we decided to pull the door handle because the food was delicious! The restaurant is small but that’s what I like. I got rice and beans with ox tail. I can’t believe they had ox tail, so I had to try it out. I wanted the soursop shake but they didn’t have any. The ox tail was amazingly good. I’m so satisfied and happy. My friend got the jerk chicken and it was good. The price was adorable. You get a lot of food. I know I will be coming back.

Was looking for something to eat while being on this side of town… I searched Unilocal and it showed a few Caribbean restaurants… After checking each restaurants I decided to order online from this place b/​c I love small (hole in the wall) restaurants and I am glad I did! The oxtail dinner with rice & beans and fried plantains was was delicious, even my picky husband loved it! Also, I love the convenience of being able to order on line and pay with PayPal. The food was ready a few minutes after I ordered!

The following review was published under my byline in the Florida Times-​Union on Saturday, July 11, 2015. This is an original, unabridged version of that review.
If you’re cruising for a bite along University Boulevard, east of I-​95, one blink is all it’d take for you to miss Beignets Caribbean Restaurant. Its spot at the tip of a diminutive, tired strip center off Barnes Road isn’t exactly eye candy to would-​be diners.
It’s not much more eye-​popping online. As of press time, Beignets scores only nine entries on the review site
[Ed: This will make No. 10]. That’s a bit lacking for a place that’s been open the same number of years.
But for its regulars, and lovers of authentic Haitian, Jamaican and other island-​inspired cuisine, I suspect Beignets’ fly-​under-​the-​radar marketing approach suits them just fine.
I joined my review buddy one recent Tuesday night to investigate the Southside eatery. Beignets is the epitome of a no-​frills dining experience. The dining room features a smattering of seven tables and a couple of booths dressed in plastic tablecloths, with a colorful island mural on one wall and a flat-​screen humming with the Uruguay/​Argentina soccer match on another. Aside from our table, everyone else there fixated on the game.
The no-​frills theme extends to the menu, a slim, double-​sided affair with about 15 lunch and dinner entrees and side orders, including a handful of daily specials. On the flip side, it’s a rundown of mostly bottled sodas, juices and shakes from a refrigerated case in the dining room. Sorry, you won’t find an alcoholic option among them.
Without a list of starters to prep our palates, we jumped right into the entrée action. My selection, the Oxtail ($ 10.99), came in a mild bowl of broth brimming with white onions, peppers and quite a few braised morsels of bone-​in meat. With little effort, the rich, slightly gelatinous meat separated from the small bones for a succulent, delicious finish. Fingers work best here; check your fork and knife on the table. Snag extra napkins from the table dispenser, too. You’ll need every one.
My friend took a spin with the Jerk Chicken ($ 8.50), another brothy bowl of finger-​licking bone-​in meat that packed plenty of heat.
Entrees come with your choice of white rice or beans and rice, and fried plantains or salad. Our white rice had a buttery tone and was a nice foil to the over-​the-​top spice of the jerk chicken. The thick, crisp plantains were instant favorites.
For lighter appetites and budgets, check out the Jamaican patty ($ 1.50 each). This turnover-​like pastry had a thin layer of beef filling that resembled black bean paste, with a nice, spicy kick after each bite.
You won’t find desserts on this menu, although cakes and puddings do make occasional appearances. One dessert in particular got me wondering. Sadly, the French pastry drizzled in powdered sugar that gave Beignets its name isn’t available here. Co-​owner Thergelie Louis said they did try them once upon a time. But they didn’t sell well, so now they don’t sell at all.
Atmosphere and ambience notwithstanding, Beignets Caribbean Restaurant is a great find that covers the basics without a lot of fuss or fanfare.
Beignets Caribbean Restaurant
4770 Barnes Road South, Unit 1, Southside
(904) 737‑6789
Type of cuisine: Caribbean
Hours: Kitchen open Monday — Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; closed Sunday
Credit cards: All major except American Express
Bar service: None
Children’s menu: No
Reservations accepted: No
Catering: Yes
Price range: Lunch and dinner entrees, $ 6 – 16; side orders, $ 6 – 7

This place is a gem. Its Haitian food and it’s awesome. I’m a southerner and my wife is Jamaican. I’ve been eating ox tails a long time. This place hands down has the best ox tails I’ve ever had in my ENTIRE life. Come here and enjoy yourself. The owner is super friendly too! 5 stars

My favorite Caribbean food in Jacksonville! Their jerked chicken is extra spicy, but very juicy and delicious. The fried pork with red beans and rice is my favorite! Don’t forget to request the spicy slaw that comes with the pork: match made in heaven!

Still had to use Google Maps to find — parking lot was packed and so was inside. Food was going quickly. I planned on ordering the same thing I did last time — but they were out of sause pwa (bean sauce) and the white rice :-(Instead I had Diri Et Pois Coles (red beans and rice), Legume (stewed veggies ad beef), and Twice Fried Green Plaintains.
While I waited on my food and looked around at the place. Little has changed from 2 years ago. The place is still pretty dark, little in decorations, but I noticed new flat screen tvs. Men sat around watching tv and chatting as they ate — joking that they are waiting for Beignets to start selling Haitian moonshine here. This starts a livly debate — but they don’t want to get a liqour licence — so that might never happen.
I also noticed the patties are now marked «Jamican Patties» still waiting for them to get Haitian patties but at least my senses won’t be teased like the last time. And a small cramped table filled with Haitian/​Caribbean events. Major plus since I’ve been missing a good kompa party. So I grabbed a few flyers for later.
It wasn’t until then that the lady behind cash register figured out I might be Haitian and started to chat. She pretty much said nothing before this time. They ran out of salad and sauce but still packed my plate. The food was much better then I remembered. And the packed parking lot proved that others around are enjoying it as well.
If only they could do something with the dining area — brighten it up a little. Play caribbean music. Maybe some artwork — either way the food will bring you back.

Jerk chicken is one of my favorite plates to order, but finding an authentic or creative kitchen to make it is more difficult than finding a Vegetarian or Turkish restaurant in some towns. It must be the firey spice elements combined with tender meat that really draw me in.
While a little off the beaten path, Beignets seems to have the basic Jamaican look to it, but I think that one should overlook the venue itself and think on the food.
When it came out in a packaged tower of Jerk chicken w/​salad, rice, and beans, I was impressed with the take out order.
Getting into the platter, I noted the chicken was ok and looked like it had come from a deep pot and it was flushed with a sauce or soup. The portion was on the smaller side and it had an aroma of un-​named spice that lingered. The rice was was very good and reminded me of the old recipe of cooking rice in chicken broth.
I think the jury is still out on this one for me, but I will return try other menu items in the future.

Ordered the oxtail, curried goat, and Jamaican patty (oxtail was the best). Food was great, portions were huge and still good 2 days later in my fridge. I told her I liked spicy and she gave me some kind of slaw that was super hot, just the way I like it. Will definitely be back for the jerk chicken.

Found this place on Unilocal and thought I would give it a try. Like most hole in the walls the décor was nothing special so I knew this was my kind of place. I ordered the jerk chicken with beans and rice. It didn’t take long for the food, I was presently surprised at the portions, the plate of beans and rice was massive. The food was great, the jerk chicken wasn’t too spicy but had just enough heat. Didn’t really care too much for the fried plantain but other then that I enjoy the food, I most definitely will be back to try the curry goat and oxtails.