J & J Caribbean Restaurant

I walked in and heard the cling of a pot cover..I was right on time to get a serving of freshly cooked oxtails. Yummy 😊

This place has in this town for 28 years, there is a reason why they have been around so long. The owner is this wonderful sweet lady that, she is definitely Jamaican be a those Pattie’s hit different. The oxtails are succulent and falls off the bones, the plantain’s are sweet and crispy on the edges. If you’re looking for delicious Jamaica food go here, always call before you go because she starts cooking in the morning and at times the food isn’t ready until after 12pm but it’s very much worth the wait. 🤤😋🤤😋The prices are very reasonable but those Pattie’s are to die for.

This place feels like home. I've been coming here since I was in high school back in the late 2000's, and I've always found comfort in the owner's Jamaican beef patties, served in cocoa bread and occasionally with cheese. Every time I've come back, she has remembered me - even when I've disappeared for years, changed my glasses, dyed my hair, or brought in new partners or friends. She's been remembering me for over a decade now, and she always takes the time to talk for a bit and hear how I've been.

I always thought she was amazing growing up, but I didn't understand just how amazing she was until 2016. I came into the city from NYU and asked if I could interview her. As it turns out, she had not only been this kind to me, but to all of the students at Columbia High School who would visit her. Students were always filling her store during lunch and after school, and she got to know every single frequenter on a personal level. Some students had difficult situations at home or struggled with school, so her and her husband would even take the time to feed them and tutor them in various subjects. She really treated the kids as though they were her own, and I think - based off of what I heard around the school and the way the shop was always full - the students really appreciated and respected her.

I've always been amazed by the store owners here. They turned this place into so much more than a restaurant: They made a warm home for so many students at CHS. I still visit whenever I can, and would love to see this shop and its owners memorialized in some way one day. I really don't think they get as much recognition for the amazing work they are doing as they should.

Finally, after going to this place since 2005, I tried the Oxtail platter and man was it a treat! Had got the Oxtails w/ rice & beans, cabbage, and plantains. It was absolutely delicious. The Oxtail Gravy was amazing. The meat was very tender. Excellent flavor. Then to top it off I got the classic Beef-Cheese-CoCo! This place has always been amazing and nothing has changed. J&J’s never fails to pull through. Highly recommended to anyone looking for some Caribbean Food in the South Orange area!