Kingston - Post Report Question and Answers
What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
There isn't that much in the way of good foreign food and all the resturants expats go to are super expensive and most of the food is good not great. Get ready to drop over a hundred on a meal for two. I enjoy local Jamaican (Jerk chicken, curry goat, oxtail etc) but it's pretty limited in variety. - Oct 2024
Restaurant dining options in Kingston are very limited and pricey. There is good Indian food and good jerk pork and chicken. Fried chicken is very good. There are several U.S. fast food options, including Pizza Hut, Dominos, Wendy's, BK, Subway, TGI Fridays, but no McDonalds. - May 2022
There is a range of food options but all restaurants are stand alone or in small shopping malls, don't get too excited. Restaurant bills are exceptionally high for a moderate value meal. The Indian cuisine is good here, the Chinese cuisine so-so, the fancy restaurants are nice but the service, in my opinion, is atrocious. If you go to a cafe and do not like the service there is no other cafe in that strip to go to. So accept this is an island with an island attitude to service and you will save on the blood pressure meds. Food delivery is hit and miss but a growing industry since the pandemic. - May 2022
People complain a lot about the lack of good restaurants. There are restaurants here but they tend to be fairly expensive and mediocre at best. I eat at home more here than any of my previous posts. Expats have 5 or 6 restaurants that they like to eat at. There is a decent Indian restaurant and a handful of good Jamaican Jerk restaurants. Fried Chicken is available and good. No McDonalds. - Jan 2020
There are some great Indian and Japanese restaurants in Kingston. However, the prices sometimes seem to be a little higher than in Washington D.C. Almost every place will add 5-10% service fee, and 16.5% government tax. Customer service is slow and poor here, unless you are in an expensive restaurant. Waitresses or cashiers are usually pretty checked out. - Aug 2018
There are a variety of international restaurants that are popular with the expat set: Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Lebanese, and Mexican. I also recommend jerk stands and/or local chains like Island Grill. There is Burger King, KFC (reportedly much better than the US version which Jamaicans think is terrible), Subway, Wendy’s, etc. - Jun 2018
American restaurants like Subway, Wendy's, Pizza Hut, Dominos, KFC. Jamaicans claim to have the best KFC in the world! There are lots of restaurants to choose from but customer service is not a priority. You can expect long waits and sub par service. Restaurants do deliver and there are a handful of online delivery services that have started up. - Mar 2017
Wendys, Subway, Pizza Hut, Kentucky Fried Chicken; however at double the prices. Food is SO expensive here. - Apr 2016
In general, Kingston is an expensive city. Pretty much everything not grown on the island is imported and so that impacts the costs of most everything, food included. Expect to pay 30% or more for the American fast food companies than you are used to. Local fast food chains are much cheaper and still have very good food. Make sure you try all of the major brands of patties (Tasty, Mother's Juicy, etc.). - Dec 2014
There's Wendy's, KFC, Burger King, Subway, Pizza Hut, Dominoes and TGI Friday's. Everything in Jamaica is more than in the U.S. - Oct 2014
KFC, Burger King, Subway. Besides Jamaica restaurants, there is Sushi, Greek, Indian, and Chinese cuisine. - Mar 2014
Burger King and Wendy's are here, about the same price as the U.S. There's a TGIFridays in Kingston, which is expensive and fairly lousy. That's about it for American chains. Scotchies is great for Jerk Chicken, there are a number of good Middle Eastern places, two decent Indian restaurants, a couple of sushi/japanese places. Most of the restaurants are not on main streets, but on side streets, so it's really hard to stumble upon good places to eat -- you've got to know someone who knows someone. Tripadvisor, weirdly, is good for this. - Dec 2013
Some US fast food - Wendy's, Dominoe's, Burger King. No Starbuck's or McDonald's. - Aug 2011
There a number of fast food and restaurants here. However keep in mind that it takes awhile to get your food. I've found that if I'm going to a restaurant it's better to call in advance and to know what I'm ordering as soon as I get there if not your in for a long wait. Your bound to wait for a long time for your food even in the more touristy areas. - Sep 2010
Chinese and Japanese here are great. They have a little bit of everything Fast-food restaurants include BK, Wendy's, KFC, Subway, but there is no McDonald's. - Jul 2010
All fast food is here. You will find the same fast food you find in America or Canada. Same prices, too. - May 2010
American Fast food - KFC, Burger King, Subway, Pizza Hut, Dominos Pizza. There are also a large number of local fast food places (patty shops and jerk chicken especially).There are also a number of very nice and reasonable restaurants, including Sunday brunch at the Terra Nova hotel. I would have to agree that the Chinese food here in better and less expensive than in the States. - Nov 2009
There are some fast food places here like KFC, Burger King and Wendy's, but they are not as good as stateside! There are a couple resturants in Kingston that are really good and decent prices. - Jan 2009
There are a few American Fast food places such as KFC and Burger King. There are a few good resturants. - Jan 2009
I do not eat fast food but they exist. Subway, Wendy's, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Diminos Pizza and many local Jamacian places. Jerk shops, Drum pan chicken, all you can eat crab shops. Market Place in Kingston has some great restaurants. The food is the best. The Chinese food is way better than the U.S. I think. There's also Indian food, Greek, and Japanese. - May 2008
