Traphouse Caribbean — Restaurant in Austin

Mih Rass! Mih nuh even nuh weh fih staawt. I’ll tell you what we ordered: Oxtail Plate (Potato Salad, Plantain?); Rasta Pasta w/Jerk? Chicken, Mac n’ Cheese?; Beef & Bean / Plantain Phatty (Empanadas); Trap Juice and Mint Blend Juice. I saw the IG Post that said “Best Oxtails in Texas!”, but I was so emotionally invested in the heat of the moment that I made the rookiest mistake: forgot to check the reviews! Firstly, the Oxtails covered the Rice & Beans (it’s not Jamaican Authentic Rice n Peas). The Oxtails’ “gravy” was Brown Water, no flavor whatsoever. The rice and the peas were swimming in that brown water—it was like the container got in an accident in the middle of the night during a rainstorm & ended up in a swamp. I expected pimento (all spice), thyme, scotch bonnet, scallion & sweet/tangy flavors, but they luckily didn’t get into the container before (or after the accident). Plantains were not fried fresh & the Potatoe Salad—🤢! Not fresh, smelled sour. Besides the Rice with the Trace Amount of Peas drowning, ZERO Coconut, Thyme, Pimento, etc Flavor—Oxtail Plate was $32+ with Taxes. The Wife got the Rasta Pasta…It’s Still a Crime Scene! The EPA should’ve been called in for the Oil Spill! Dear God Almighty—the pics speak for the Disasta Pasta itself. The Chicken—I was a Jerk for buying it! No Flavor, overwhelmed by the oil spill & pepper-heat; pasta overcooked (they did remove it from the bill). Drinks had no flavor; the Trap Juice may have potential, but it was watery & tasted like artificial sweetener. Empanadas were decent, but not for the price. Mac n Cheese, no please! Was it baked or did the cheese sauce dry out? Ziti or Penne typically won’t last for make n cheese. Something hurt my stomach. I’m honest & try not to bash restaurants, but we drove 50 minutes, rushed, paid for parking and paid a lot for “food” that’s blatantly terrible. I will offer a amateur tip for the Oxtails:!if you’re going to serve that dish for so much, add Ketchup, Allspice, Garlic, Onion and Black Pepper Powder to the Gravy for some type of flavor and thickness. Serve a Basic Mash Potatoes on the Side; Rice and Beans or Rice and Peas needs serious help, it takes patience &!skill to serve these types of dishes with consistency in the restaurant platform. I’ll change or delete the review if I’m offered a refund for the Oxtails. I’m also willing to offer a free 1-2 hour consultation for the cooks in regard to the Jamaican Cuisine, because the lack of quality can’t maintain that aspect...

In response to the owners: Every opinion isn’t your enemy. It’s a chance to evaluate your business to see if change needs to be made or not. Take the opinions with a grain of salt or find a social media manager that’s able to handle it. It’s apparent you’re not able to. My mother has managed many restaurants, so I understand how hard it is. She dealt with complaints as well. Not in the same way you’re doing, but I guess there’s a learning curve. My review was based on the entire plate, not just the sides. Plus the many times I’ve had Jamaican, from different places, they’ve relatively been the same. I actually don’t care if you use a different grain of rice, as long as the flavor is there—which is what it was missing. I don’t care if your steamed cabbage includes carrots or not, as long as flavor is there. I do, however, draw the line at bbq chicken. However, even with all that feedback, there won’t be a 3rd visit. This is my final response. Best of luck to you and yours.

Sept 12th Review: I ordered via Grubhub. This maybe my 2nd time trying them. The first time wasn’t bad but it could’ve been better. Tony’s closed their ordering down via Grubhub so I chose to give Traphouse another chance thinking it would be better. It was actually worse than the 1st time 😭

The only thing I liked were the plantains. The rice was not correct. While I’m not used to the type of rice they use, I looked past that, because it can still taste good. The rice actually had some sweetness to it and barely any peas. The cabbage was just cabbage. No seasoning. No type of soul. I audibly laughed out loud. Why are the folks on social media lying about this place being “some of the best Jamaican food they’ve had”? The chicken is more like a Jamaican-American vibe. It’s basically BBQ chicken with Jamaican-esque seasoning. If that’s what y'all ATX folks call good Jamaican food, please travel more. Hell, Houston is next door. I know they have better options.

Lastly, had I checked the reviews before ordering, I would’ve kept my money. The reaction/responses from the company tells you all you need to know. They (Traphouse) might’ve heard Jamaican spots have bad attitudes from a small section on the Cliff Notes site (or maybe urban dictionary), but at least the food is good. You gotta pick a struggle: bad customer service or bad food experience. I suggest working on customer service.

0/10. Will not be eating here again....

As a seasoned food critic who champions Black-owned businesses and culinary creativity, it brings me no joy to say this—but Trap House in Austin was a trap in all the wrong ways. What should’ve been a flavorful, soulful dining experience turned into an overpriced disappointment with little to no redeeming qualities.

Let’s start with the food: • Oxtails – The very heart of soul food. Sadly, these were underseasoned, dry, and lacked the depth of flavor oxtails are revered for. No richness, no love. • Rice – Gummy and clumped together like it had been sitting in a steamer too long. Not fresh, not fluffy. • Mac & Cheese – Powdered cheese? In a $20+ entrée? It tasted artificial and soulless. No baked crust, no creamy center, no homemade feel. • Red Fish – Overcooked and rubbery, with no sear, no flake, and no seasoning punch. • Shrimp – Clearly processed. No snap, no spice, no coastal freshness.

As if that wasn’t enough, the environment added insult to injury. The benches were stained and dusty, with visible gum marks that should’ve been cleaned long ago. The lighting fixtures looked like they hadn’t seen a duster in weeks. Trap House might’ve leaned into a gritty aesthetic—but grime is not a vibe.

Then there’s the value. You pay a premium—between parking, long wait times, and high menu prices—for what feels like gas station cafeteria quality. If you’re charging gourmet prices, you better be serving gourmet effort.

Bottom line: Trap House has potential. The concept is bold, and the menu reads like a celebration of culture—but the execution is lazy, the cleanliness is unacceptable, and the taste simply does not deliver. There’s still time to turn things around, but only if the owners take real pride in their kitchen, staff, and space.

Until then, I can’t recommend this spot. Austin deserves...