Jamaica Way — Restaurant in Augusta

I have tried to be a loyal customer. There are times when the food is great (more times than not), but I have to comment on my latest experience. I placed an online order, primarily because the last 3 or 4 visits were extremely long and I wanted to do whatever I could to expedite time; not to mention, anytime you call, they will send you to a prerecorded voicemail. I mean, really....are businesses in the covid era really turning away customers? Upon arriving, the line was 3 people long, but it literally took 15 minutes for me to get to the counter. The person was NOT aware of any online order that I had placed, even though I provided a receipt of purchase. Simultaneously, the clerk was trying to process phone orders and track my information. I observed that the information had not been passed and the order was not prepared. I waited. After waiting another 15 minutes, I was summoned and my food was handed to me. Once I got home, I found what appeared to be old and very dark oxtails, as if these were scraped from the bottom. The sides (mac n cheese/rice and peas) were obviously days old and dry. My complaint is that authentic Jamaican food is obviously not fast food, so most orders are already cooked in pots (not sure how the back is set up), ready to be plated. To call and be sent to voicemail, to purchase online and wait for 30 minutes, and to see the confusion is frustrating. TIP: Hire competent people, reorganize duties and tasks, and set timed expectations for your exchanges. This was the worst experience I've ever had. I will try them once again, because one day doesn't make my mind up, but their pacing needs to be improved. The parking lot is too small to manage everyone arriving and waiting at...

As a loyal customer who purchases meals from Jamaica Way at least once or twice a week, I want to begin by saying how much I truly enjoy the food. It’s consistently flavorful, well-prepared, and clearly made with love. I also want to commend the two young gentlemen who often work the front counter (they look like brothers) they are always kind, courteous, and bring a welcoming presence to the space. Their customer service reflects what hospitality should feel like: warm and attentive.

However, I must express a concern that has unfortunately been a repeated experience. Each time I visit, the young ladies at the front counter demonstrate a lack of basic customer service etiquette. There is no greeting upon entry, no eye contact or acknowledgment, and even when I extend kindness or gratitude, I am often met with silence or a blank stare even after speaking first. As someone who believes in showing respect and good energy especially when supporting a Black-owned business It’s disheartening to be met with such coldness.

It pains me to say this because I want to see this business thrive. You all have an amazing food, but your frontline staff are an extension of your brand. A smile, a simple “hello,” or “thank you” goes a long way in building community and customer loyalty. It’s a missed opportunity to create an exceptional experience that matches the quality of your food.

With sincere hope for improvement, A faithful and...

The portion to price ratio on the oxtails is insufficient. They gave a good amount of rice and approx 5 pieces of oxtail for $14. The food was dry and did not taste authentic. It could be because they were busy and people were complaining about the wait so maybe they rushed. The girl did not allow me the option of half and half rice which may have made the overall experience better because it is a lot of one rice, so why not split it if that's the preference and the person is willing to pay?

I had this home made juice which is amazing, but never saw it again (loss of potential profit because they still make it, but never have it stocked). Little girl running around the back to the front back and forth crying she's ready to go home. I understand this is a family business, but come on guys? Is no one going to address it? There was a 30 minute hold up because they ran out of cabbage and didn't want to reimburse people, so they wasted patron's time. The jamaican patties are great! That's about the only thing I will return for. The cashier tried her best to keep it cool, but the business is simply poorly ran from my experience of calling in, being told to wait 25 minutes, giving extra time, and they still were not prepared upon my arrival. I hope they get better because good island food seems hard to find...