Elevated Caribbean cuisine w/ innovative tasting menu & fun, soca-fueled vibe. A standout for bold flavors & unique 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.
Kabawa offers a unique fine-dining experience centered around elevated Caribbean cuisine, helmed by Barbadian Chef Paul Carmichael. The tasting menu is a culinary journey, starting with exceptional breads and moving through creatively presented and flavorful dishes that offer modern takes on traditional ingredients. The atmosphere is engaging, with an open kitchen and lively music, making for a fun and sophisticated meal that celebrates Caribbean flavors.
Kabawa serves an elevated Caribbean tasting menu that has garnered significant praise for its unique flavors and creative presentation. Standout dishes include the goat curry, pepper shrimp, and various patties, often described as flavorful and well-executed. However, some diners have found certain dishes, like the Chuleta Can Can, to be excessively fatty and not worth the high price point, leading to mixed opinions on value.
"The goat curry is frequently praised as exceptional and one of the best dishes in the city. Other highly recommended items include the pepper shrimp, various patties, and the bread service. The daiquiris at the adjacent Bar Kabawa are also noted as a great accompaniment."
Customers generally have a positive to very positive sentiment towards Kabawa, praising its unique and flavorful Caribbean cuisine, lively atmosphere, and excellent service. However, some find it overpriced or have had mixed experiences with specific dishes.
Important Note
Some diners find the restaurant to be overpriced, particularly certain dishes like the Chuleta Can Can, which has been described as excessively fatty. Reservations may also be difficult to obtain.
"Kabawa is mentioned as a restaurant in Chinatown."
Neutral"This user expressed a negative opinion, comparing Kabawa's goat curry unfavorably to "elevated trash" and mentioning Tatiana."
Negative"In response to a comparison with Caribbean goat dishes, this user clarified that Kabawa's preparation is not a stew and uses different techniques, stating it changed their perspective on goat meat."
Neutral"This user questioned if Kabawa's goat curry is superior to Caribbean options in Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx."
Neutral"This user seconded the recommendation for Kabawa."
Positive"The goat curry at Kabawa is highly recommended and is considered one of the best dishes currently available in the city. The reviewer noted it was perfectly cooked."
Positive"Kabawa was pretty good, but the commenter advised skipping the Chuleta add-on due to its high fat content."
Neutral"Kabawa was found to be a good option for a full pescatarian dinner, offering a large amount of food, although it is noted as the most expensive among the options."
Positive"Kabawa is recommended."
Positive"This commenter believes Momofuku-affiliated restaurants are generally overhyped and, given Kabawa's connection to the Zabar scion, suspects it might not be stellar."
Neutral"This user mentioned Kabawa as one of their favorite restaurants."
Positive"This commenter found the pepper shrimp at Kabawa to be fantastic, even better than the goat, praising its subtle flavors and the quality of the shrimp."
Positive"This commenter echoed the original poster's experience, having ordered the same dishes at Kabawa and finding the meal mediocre."
Negative"This commenter visited Kabawa early on and found the experience underwhelming for the price, with the bread course being the best part. They noted it missed the mark for upscale Caribbean food in NYC."
Negative"In contrast to the negative reviews, this user has had multiple stellar experiences at Kabawa with outstanding food, unique wines, and great service. They also highly recommend the rum-based cocktails at Bar Kabawa."
Positive"A strong disagreement with the previous comment, this user finds the Chuleta Can Can dish at Kabawa to be very special."
Positive"This user visited Kabawa with no prior expectations and was not particularly impressed, especially given the price. They enjoyed the red shrimp dish but found little else noteworthy."
Negative"A brief agreement with the overall sentiment expressed about Kabawa."
Neutral"This commenter found their two items at Tatiana to be expensive ($150) and while decent, not overwhelmingly impressive, suggesting other meals could have provided more overall enjoyment for the same cost."
Negative"This user was not impressed with Kabawa during their early visit, finding an egg dish delightful but the Chuleta Can Can excessively fatty, which led to a feeling of nausea."
Negative
