Konoko Jamaican Restaurant — Restaurant in White Marsh

Edit: Before you read my original review below, please know that we appreciate the owner's quick, thoughtful, and great response to my review here, and via email. We feel valued reading it, and we look forward to returning to the restaurant.

I sadly did not appreciate my experience there last night, and it ruined Friday night for my partner and me. Things started out smooth sailing: The food was great, I loved the decorations, and the waitress was sweet and accommodating. I loved their "flight attendant" theme. This is why I gave them 5 stars for "Food" and "Atmosphere".

However, at the end of our meal, my partner stepped out for a smoke, and I asked our lovely waitress where the restroom is and made my way there. Two minutes later (actually two minutes; I am not kidding) as I was coming back to our table, the host and the security guard were giving me dirty looks, but I didn't think much of it nor that it might be directed towards me. When I returned to our table, I noticed that my partner was back, holding my keys (which I had forgotten at the table before going to the restroom), and the entire table was cleared out, including his wine that he barely touched. He proceeds to tell me that the host gave him the keys with an attitude, and she assumed that we tried to leave and skip out on the bill. I was shocked because I did not leave the table for more than two minutes, and I did not even leave the restaurant. I couldn't believe it.

One of the ladies of the kitchen staff later returned his wine glass and said "sorry" and walked away. That in of itself is unsanitary and gross, because he had already touched and started drinking from the glass, and you do not take a glass that someone has already been drinking from away and bring it back. Nevertheless, the kitchen staff lady was nice, and she did not create this situation; the host did.

The waitress came with the check and was surprised that the other staff did this and was apologetic. I still tipped the waitress because she was sweet and none of this was her fault.

As we were leaving, all the host had to say was "sorry", without any attempts to accommodate us or make our experience right. We paid a lot of money to eat there, on top of the 18% tip that they automatically charge to the bill, hoping to have a good experience and date night. We walked into the restaurant knowing that we will overspend, with the thought that we will have a warm and fancy experience. Due to our negative experience, we will not be returning to this business, nor will we recommend it to any of our family or friends.

In the future, please treat your customers with respect and dignity. While we understand that some people might try to steal from your business, you had no right assuming that about us. Moreover, when you realized your mistake, you should have come to us and made the moment right, instead of returning our wine glass back from the kitchen and giving us a contextless "sorry" as we were walking out the door and after we already...

Yesterday was our very first visit to Konoko for brunch, and from the moment we approached the entrance, it was abundantly clear why this establishment is so highly revered. The exterior decor was not only visually captivating but also set the tone for the exceptional experience that awaited us.

Upon reaching the door, we were warmly greeted by a doorman who welcomed us with genuine hospitality and expressed gratitude for our visit — a simple yet meaningful touch that many places overlook. As we stepped inside, we were immediately struck by the remarkable architectural design and the impeccable cleanliness, even extending to the restrooms, which is always a telling sign of an establishment’s overall standards.

The atmosphere was absolutely electrifying, imbued with an undeniable vibrancy that made it impossible not to feel at ease. Dr. Dre was masterfully curating the soundtrack to our afternoon, demonstrating an extraordinary command of his craft. His music selections had the entire room singing along in joyous unison. Those celebrating birthdays were visibly delighted, as Dre's customized selections made their moments feel even more personal and memorable. It is clear Dre is no novice; he navigated special requests with remarkable ease and charisma — a rare and commendable talent in his field.

Turning to the cuisine — words scarcely do it justice. As a party of two, we began with the salmon bites, which arrived astonishingly fast, practically as soon as our phenomenal server, Otis, turned on his heel. The salmon was perfectly cooked, bursting with flavor. For entrées, we savored the seafood pasta, rich and hearty, though I personally would have loved a bit more spice (admittedly, my palate leans toward the fiery side). We also indulged in the oxtail with rice and peas, which was a revelation — tender, succulent, and seasoned to absolute perfection. Even down to the plantains, everything was meticulously prepared and delicious. And let’s not forget the rum punch, which provided an undeniable vibe, perfectly complementing the vibrant atmosphere and adding a festive note to the entire experience.

The service throughout was simply stellar. Otis exemplified the gold standard of hospitality — frequently checking on us with genuine care and ensuring that our table remained immaculate. His professionalism, warmth, and attentiveness elevated our experience immeasurably.

In every conceivable way, Konoko surpassed our expectations. The ambiance, the food, the music, and the hospitality were all executed with a level of excellence that is all too rare today. We are already eagerly anticipating our next visit. A resounding five stars to the entire team for crafting such an...

So, let’s start with the reservation aspect I attempted to make reservations on Sunday for dine in on Monday and system kept kicking it back. Not sure why there needs to be 3 days in advance reservation for one if this is restaurant that doesn’t require dress code enforcement etc. I proceed to call restaurant first thing Monday when they opened and spoke with a lovely young whom I explained to that I did see open time slot but system was not letting me proceed to make reservations, she then stated that I can come in as this was for my daughter birthday and wanted to try something different especially given that it was Caribbean food. I then called again later in evening to confirm they will be able to accommodate a party of 3 and spoke with Katlin who is a darling a wonderful host explaining that I did try to book and since I’m coming from Anne Arundel county didn’t want to get there and them not accommodate us, upon arrival we were told that there was no table again after me calling and there was another lady with dreads who was in my opinion not so welcoming. Nonetheless I brought cake to celebrate my daughter’s birthday and was told that I would need to pay 50 for bring food from outside which I was abit perplexed because when I spoke to someone earlier I was advised otherwise that since we are not actually cutting cake but take pics we wouldn’t be charged. I however agreed to the 50 fee only to be told they cannot put cake in their refrigerator to keep it chilled so essentially the cake sat at table with us for the whole duration of dinner.

Now to the food I won’t say it was bad but definitely not authentic Jamaican food as the spices were missing and then some. I expected it to have certain spice to it but I guess you need to cater to the area you’re in which is predominantly mixed. The waiter Shawn was amazing but lacked attentiveness not his fault given fact that it was him and one other server serving the dinning area. I mean the food was not bad just lacked in spice level and the presentation was a bit off I would have preferred my salad seperate on the side as the plate was busy with everything on it at once. After our meal now time to take pictures with cake and cut but i and kids were already over the experience we decided to take cake home, let mention they did sing happy birthday to my daughter, so we essentially wasted 50usd for nothing had they put in fridge then maybe I would’ve felt better.

I don’t think the experience they trying to achieve is going work if things are not remedied especially with reservations and dress code. I can easily go more upscale restaurants in DC or downtown Baltimore and receive...