Zamar Wings — Restaurant in Florida

Zamar Wings – Haitian by Flag, but Not Quite by Flavor

The buzz around Zamar Wings, a Haitian-branded food truck in Tampa, is impossible to miss. Social media—particularly TikTok—has crowned it as a must-try, promising a fusion of flair and authenticity. Having eaten Haitian cuisine since the 1960s, and being married to a Haitian woman whose diri djon djon rivals any restaurant, I arrived both curious and cautious.

I ordered ambitiously: 5 spicy shrimp, 5 spicy wings, 5 sweet wings, mac and cheese, and a portion of djon djon rice. The tab: roughly $55. After about a 20-minute wait in my car, an outdoor intercom summoned me to collect my order, packaged in a medium foil container with each item wrapped in its own foil packet, the fried shrimp in a separate Styrofoam box. The presentation was pure food-truck practicality.

The shrimp and wings were the highlights. Substantial in size, crisp in texture, and generously coated in sauce, they delivered flavor and satisfaction. For the casual American diner, they alone might justify the drive.

Yet here lies the tension. Beyond the Haitian flag draped proudly, Haitian cooks at the grill, and the token inclusion of djon djon rice, the essence of Haiti was conspicuously absent. My wife, Haitian born and raised, declared the food inedible. I disagree—but only partially. The shrimp and wings were enjoyable, yes, but “Haitian style” they were not.

The djon djon rice betrayed its shortcut origins, tasting more of Maggi mushroom seasoning than the earthy complexity of true dried djon djon mushrooms. A letdown, especially when promotional photos suggest otherwise. The mac and cheese was more puzzling than pleasing: neither the indulgent American version nor the rich, baked makawoni graten that would have honored Haitian tradition and set the menu apart.

What Zamar Wings offers, then, is a paradox: a food truck cloaked in Haitian identity yet delivering flavors crafted more for an American palate. For those unfamiliar with Haitian cuisine, this could serve as a lively, if misleading, introduction. For Haitians and those who know the cuisine intimately, it risks insult by trading cultural depth for commercial appeal.

Verdict: A spirited stop for wings and shrimp on the go—but if you come seeking Haiti on a plate, you’ll leave hungry for...

Drove an hour to try this place, my 16 y/o has been begging for it. The flavor of the sauces was great, the wings were on point, or so we thought.......The only person working a young girl was exceptionally nice and helpful. I went on a thursday night around 9pm, i felt very bad because she was all alone taking orders and doing the cooking and there was 4 other customers right before me still waiting. I had an order of 30 wings, fries and shrimp. Deff need more staff. Was all out of drinks except water, there was no large shrimp, The food trailer is located on side of gas station which isnt too bad because its a decent neighborhood but it wasnt a clean curb appeal. The ordering windows were dirty and greasy and looked like the food trailer needs a good deep clean inside and out. For the prices of the food, there should be no reason zamars cant afford help and a good cleaning and maybe some potted palms from home depot on the outside of trailer. They run like $20 each. Its located right next to a dumpster......disappointed that there was no sides but fries. All the pics online including the website show mac and cheese, baked beans, mashed potaoes, rice and ribs.....there was none of that. Even the photo of the table and how it set up like that, it wasnt. It was a bit ghetto lookn now. Just want to be helpful and honest and hoping the owner will take this post into consideration to better the business. Hours following eating Zamars, myself and 3 others in my family that ate zamars that night all had terrible stomach cramps and kept running to bathroom through the night and my son had the worst with stomach pains all through the next day after eating the wings, shrimp, and fries on 6/27/24. Very...

I recently had the pleasure of trying Zamar Wings, and let me tell you, this food truck is a gem! From the moment we pulled up, the customer service was exceptional—friendly, welcoming, and genuinely caring about our experience. They even offered a military discount and treated us to an amazing deal of .99¢ wings for being first-time customers.

Now, the food—wow. The Haitian Wings were absolutely incredible, crispy on the outside, juicy and flavorful on the inside. The Haitian Shrimp was succulent, perfectly seasoned with a slight sweetness. And the Haitian Mac n Cheese? Pure comfort food, creamy with a hint of spice that made it extra special.

We also tried the strawberry and mango drinks, and they were to die for. The strawberry drink was refreshing and sweet, while the mango drink had the perfect balance of tang and sweetness.

Zamar Wings is definitely a food truck worth visiting. The combination of mouth-watering dishes and top-notch service makes it a must-try. I’ll be coming back for sure!

As Zamar says "Welcome...