BITE CREW ATL

Atlanta is no stranger to Caribbean restaurants. Everyone and their mama knows the “best spot,” but rarely do these spots offer a true dine-in experience.

Mobay Spice is one of the few restaurants that gets this right. Located in the Toco Hills Promenade, the restaurant’s interior is reminiscent of a tropical getaway. Vibrant colors, a fully stocked bar with seating, and plenty of spaces for photo ops. Staff are dressed uniformly in floral shirts. Background music plays but you can still hold a conversation with your date.

The lunch and dinner menu consist of classic Jamaican dishes like Brown Stew Chicken, Curry Goat, and Oxtail. Less traditional dishes also grace the menu including a Jerk Beef Burger and Oxtail Tacos. We went the classic route during our visit. For appetizers we had a Beef Patty and an order of Plantains. The patty was standard. It didn’t say it on the menu but it packed some heat. The plantain was soft and sweet, just like we like it.

For entrees, we ordered the Curry Goat and Oxtail. Each dish came with a choice of rice and peas or white rice and cabbage. We opted for the rice and peas. The oxtail was tender and flavorful. We would definitely go back for seconds. Next up was the curry goat. We had high expectations for this dish but it fell short. The potential was there but we both agreed it was too salty. There’s nothing worse than an oversalted dish in our opinion. The side of cabbage and rice and peas complimented both entrees well.

We rounded out dinner with cocktails suggested by our server. Most of the cocktail menu combined fruity elements with an aesthetic vibe. The Love Language Cocktail (pictured) was served on a heart shaped platter in a heart shaped glass. They even give you a pair of heart shaped glasses to keep; super cute! The flavors of overpoof and coconut rum meshed well with the peach vodka, pineapple juice, and watermelon liquer. Talk about a tropical paradise. The Bob Marley took us on a trip down memory lane. It had a nice punch and we loved that they offered a frozen version.

Mobay Spice has all the makings to be a great restaurant. If you love Jamaican food and tropical vibes, check it out.