Elma's Kitchen — Restaurant in Plainfield

The restaurant experience wasn’t welcoming. Upon arrival, we weren’t acknowledged immediately and waited about 15-20 min for our order to be taken. There wasn’t a published displaying prices so we relied totally on the server. We ordered oxtails, white rice (server went into back/kitchen area to get some cold rice and warmed it in microwave) and steam veggies all of which tasted horrible. The oxtails wasn’t seasoned properly and overall wasn’t worth the price of $22. We ordered Escovitch fish, rice, collard greens and steam veggies. The fish portion was very small and extremely dry, the rice and peas were over cooked and lacked coconut milk and the overall authenticity of Jamaican flavored food. The jerk chicken was oven baked and also lacked true Jamaican jerk seasoning and flavor. The food isn’t fresh; the food is microwaved after plated by the server in aluminum pans. Overall the food was bland and not good. We were not informed the cost of each plate and only given the total balance of the order. We paid approximately $60 for 3 plates of distasteful food. The rating should be “0” for this restaurant experience; 1 star is too generous. I do not recommend this place for authentic Jamaican food. It’s a waste of your...

Before I review, I need to say I’m from Queens, NYC and go to Caribbean restaurants all the time when in NYC. Read the recent review and I must say I got the total opposite. Got to the restaurant and was greeting with pure kindness (I think it was Elma). Ordered beef patty and it was good. Decided to go back the same day for oxtail rice n peas before closing early on Labor Day 2023. Again greeted with pure love that by nature I called her mommy and she might have called me son. After already filling my plate with sufficient oxtail, she changed the pot to get another one with full chunks of oxtail. A slight different taste than the usual and was enjoyable. The picture was after I ate some food already. Elma’s made me feel like I was in Brooklyn for great island food. Will be a...

Called to see if they had Oxtails. Was told yes. 30 mins later I get there. Girl is making tins and opens Oxtail bin and there's none left. She says they sell fast. So if that's the case how could you not know there weren't anymore?? Your making the plates but you didn't realize it was empty?? Then her attitude was not nice. I'm a Restaurant Manager. Her customer service skills could definitely be better. No apology to Guest. Only reason why I went is because Amazing Taste doesn't sell them anymore and The Soul Spot was closed. First and last time...