TLDR
High-energy Caribbean fine dining in the East Village featuring a tasting counter, soulful cooking, and a celebrated prix fixe menu.
Instagram Posts References
Kabawa offers a unique Breadfruit Tostón topped with octopus. This dish features crispy fried breadfruit slices serving as a base for tender, chopped octopus mixed with herbs, onions, and microgreens, presenting a delightful fusion of Caribbean/Latin American flavors with seafood.
Kabawa's coconut turnover is described as an 'incredible' and 'special' dessert, so memorable that the reviewer would eagerly return just to have it again.
Kabawa is highlighted as the #4 ranked restaurant in New York City by The New York Times, offering a unique Caribbean tasting menu. Helmed by Chef Paul Carmichael, a culinary legend from Barbados with numerous awards including running the #1 restaurant in Australia, Kabawa is celebrated for elevating Caribbean flavors into a fine dining experience. The restaurant provides an interactive atmosphere where chefs engage with diners. The menu innovatively combines traditional 'grandma style recipes' with fine dining precision, delivering an exciting and elevated Caribbean culinary journey.
Bryan Kim reviews Kabawa, a Caribbean-inspired restaurant in the East Village, praising its fun atmosphere and unique fine dining approach with dishes like jerk duck sausage and braised goat.
Sonal Shah reviews Bar Kabawa, an East Village spot where rum cocktails and Caribbean patties fuel a lively party atmosphere, praising its creative drinks and flavorful snacks.
Details
Helmed by Chef Paul Carmichael, this East Village destination offers a joyful, elevated approach to Pan-Caribbean cuisine [1]. Diners can enjoy a $145 three-course prix fixe menu at a U-shaped counter that provides an intimate view of the open kitchen [1]. While the restaurant is widely celebrated for its vibrant atmosphere and bold flavors, including standout goat and duck sausage dishes, feedback occasionally notes the high price point [5], [6].
Food Overview
The cuisine is defined by modern, elevated takes on Caribbean staples such as braised goat, pepper shrimp, and duck sausage [1], [5]. While the goat is frequently highlighted as a standout [5], [7], dishes like the Chuleta can can receive mixed reviews due to their high fat content, and the coconut turnover dessert occasionally polarizes diners [1], [5], [6].
Caveats
Some diners find the prix fixe pricing to be steep, and specific items like the Chuleta can can are sometimes criticized for excessive fat content [5], [6].
Reddit Opinions & Reviews
Top Reddit Posts About KABAWA
Recent Reddit Mentions
From post: Best Mocktails In Bkmanhattan That Arent 20 Real
"Kabawa was suggested as a place with excellent mocktails, though noted as not being cheap."
PositiveFrom post: On The Hunt For For Good Or Interesting Bread
"Kabawa is recommended specifically for its great roti."
PositiveFrom post: On The Hunt For For Good Or Interesting Bread
"Kabawa is listed among other recommendations for bread, alongside Eyval and I Cavellini."
NeutralFrom post: On The Hunt For For Good Or Interesting Bread
"Kabawa is mentioned as a place with great roti."
PositiveFrom post: What Is The Single Best Restaurant Dish In Nyc In
"The commenter's dinners at Kabawa were among the best meals of their year so far."
PositiveFrom post: The 50 Best Restaurants In North America Here Are
"In a comparison of different restaurant lists, the commenter identified Kabawa as one of the NYC restaurants that appears on both the World's 50 Best list and the NYT's top 100 list, noting its Caribbean tasting menu."
PositiveFrom post: 13 Nyc Spots Made North Americas 50 Best
"Questions how Kabawa ranked #1 on the NYC list but #14 on the North America list."
NeutralFrom post: 13 Nyc Spots Made North Americas 50 Best
"Lists Kabawa as a restaurant that might not deserve its inclusion on the list."
NegativeFrom post: 13 Nyc Spots Made North Americas 50 Best
"This user preferred Tatiana, Torrisi, and Semma over Kabawa."
NegativeFrom post: 13 Nyc Spots Made North Americas 50 Best
"Suggests the Kabawa crew is poised to 'eat the lunch' of other restaurants, referencing their PR spending."
NeutralFrom post: 13 Nyc Spots Made North Americas 50 Best
"Believes Kabawa is good but questions if it's better than Jungsik."
NeutralFrom post: I Won A 250 Gift Card To The Restaurant Of My
"There was a concern that Kabawa might be difficult to get into, making it a less ideal recommendation."
NegativeFrom post: I Won A 250 Gift Card To The Restaurant Of My
"Kabawa was suggested as a good choice for a one-of-a-kind experience."
PositiveFrom post: Going To Kabawa For A Special Occasion What
"Commenter advises against the turnover, describing it as mostly bread with sugar. Other desserts are more interesting and delicious. The goat is spicy but well-liked. Overall, they found nothing to be a real dud and not to overthink the order."
PositiveFrom post: Going To Kabawa For A Special Occasion What
"This commenter advises against ordering the duck sausage, suggesting it was not worth the cost given the positive reviews they had heard."
NegativeFrom post: Going To Kabawa For A Special Occasion What
"A brief comment recommending the goat dish."
PositiveFrom post: Going To Kabawa For A Special Occasion What
"This commenter enjoyed the pepper shrimp and goat, but has only tried these items as they dined solo."
PositiveFrom post: Going To Kabawa For A Special Occasion What
"Complimentary roti with dips are great. The breadfruit tostada is a must-get. Goat and duck sausage were favorites among meat dishes, and the sea bass is also amazing. The coconut turnover and frozen treat of the day are recommended for dessert."
PositiveFrom post: Going To Kabawa For A Special Occasion What
"A brief comment recommending the goat dish."
PositiveFrom post: Going To Kabawa For A Special Occasion What
"This commenter reiterates that the restaurant, and specifically the turnover, is generally overrated and not that enjoyable."
Negative