Guanabana in Camden

I've been to this place twice now and can't fault the food. You get a large plate of delicious food. First time I had the jerk chicken roast, with all the trimmings. 2nd visit I had their vegetarian dish which was so nice. Will continue to visit and try other items on the menu. Pity they don't do jerk pork. My only criticism is they put a time limit on your time there. Puts pressure on eating your food quickly.

Food wise great, but the customer service have to improve. It is seriously damaging your reputation.If someone books for a particular slot then they should not wait too long or should be treated properly. We were told to wait outside in the cold and it was not in a nice way. Also, just once someone finishes the food, one should not be rushed to pay the bill. Food is great but the rudeness of service staff was deeply disappointing. Please improve on this aspect, you do serve great food."

Great food, service a bit slow but understandable as it was very busy. Quite hard to have a conversation without shouting

I would like to start of with saying I will definitely come back to Guanabana Restaurant again and again, after visiting with my friend today. I highly recommend this restaurant, everyone should try it out if you are in Camden. The restaurant is clean both from outside and inside. All the staff are very kind, attentive and provide excellent customer service throughout, they check on you to see if you are ok which was nice. I ordered Jerked Roast Beef (well done, my choice) and a glass of orange juice, I'm very satisfied with my meal, it was 10/10, the Jerked Roast Beef was flavourful, you can tell they cook everything from scratch it does not taste stale, it taste fresh and homely! The portions are huge, it is sufficient to fill you up for the day and worth the price. The orange juice was nice and fresh too, again you can tell they actually squeezed the oranges rather than give you the ordinary orange juice. When paying the bill they gave us sweets that was thoughtful. Lastly I knew it was going to be a great experience they were playing good music, my favourite songs was played so that's a bonus! Thank you all!

Food tasted great, good atmosphere, nice and friendly staff too.

Really delicious Sunday Roast and service was speedy and friendly! I will definitely be back to try the other items on the menu!

Overall it was a very good experience shared with friends. The beef island roast was spot on and the jerk gravy had a humming kick, just delicious. The waiting staff could be friendlier, show a degree of enthusiasm and should welcome diners with a smile. It felt like a transactional service rather than enhancing the diner experience.

Interesting place. I'll get the negatives out of the way first:- They don't serve alcohol. You have to bring your own alcohol instead (for which you are charged) and then pay for the serving glasses. This wouldn't be a big deal in the normal grand scheme of things but it is a crushing blow when alcohol means the world to a diner. The enticing tiktoks and vibrant website made no reference to this no alcohol rule. Next there was a slight mess on the floor that the serving staff didn't pick up on. Next the decor disappointed me. The wooden benches and sparce pillows didn't warrant a £14 starter price. Next the platters were swimming in coleslaw. It was visually off-putting. But please please don't get me wrong, there were certainly positives to this place:- It was beautifully warm and cosy inside the place. Next the side breads were the best Ive ever tasted in my life. Lastly the food itself tasted pleasant. It was all OK.

Amazing food, great atmosphere, can't wait to come back

Walked past on a Saturday night and found this really cozy restaurant. The staff were so lovely and the food was fantastic! Well worth the price and would highly recommend for vegetarians as the menu is still pretty big without meat. Would recommend to anyone in Camden/Kentish Town way

Such great good. such a good experience & lovely staff. Went for a birthday dinner and the best menus was delicious. Special mention to Jasmine for organising everything so well.

AMAZING 👏!!! The welcome from Jasmine, James, Stephan, Nicardo and the rest of the team was absolutely phenomenal!! The natural and authentic kindness was heartwarming! Let's talk about the food.... Mac and Cheese....bap bap Jerk Chicken was Jerking... The plantains were the perfect ripeness, the jerk shrimp..shrimped!!! The vibe was soooo right! We felt like family... After traveling from another country and snacking along the travel we needed this soul food. Irie

A group of us (4) had dinner this past Tuesday and everything was top tier. My wife said the 'Oxtail Butter Bean Stew' may be "the best oxtail I've ever had". I opted for the 'Half Jerk Chicken On The Bone' and was not disappointed -- if it was brought out on a slice wheat bread and wrapped in foil, I would've thought I pulled up on a jerk pit in JA. We didn't get a chance to take advantage of the BYOB option, but will ABSOLUTELY be back to take full advantage.

One of the best Sunday roasts around. Great atmosphere and staff cater to every need. Would definitely recommend

Banging! Good portions, tastes authentic. Can bring the kids , caters for all

I've ordered prawn for started and it was delicious with the sweet bread on the side verry yummy but the let down for me was the jerk chicken Alfredo , I really wanted to try something new and I was really disappointed the chicken was very dry,hard and cold the creamy pasta on his own were OK. Did not make a fuss to the chef as it was kind of busy. The music was good and staff were very attentive so that's a bonus but this little thing made me not to order other things that I wanted to try and thats a shame.

Food was okay, not my fav. mac and cheese was the highlight, though! staff were lovely service was quick. They play great music so the atmosphere was nice

Iv got to say this place is amazing!!!!. Foot fabulously tasting, value for money ey & staff are friendly & lovely. It's going to be my "kitchen away from home'!

Opted for the Island roast which was the half jerk chicken. Very very nice and spicy. The only criticism I have is that I would have liked the gravy to be served on the side, as my meal came with more gravy on my plate than I would have liked.

The staff were extremely friendly and the service was great. The portions were big and it was really good value for money. Cannot fault it at all, will definitely be going again. We need a branch closer to home in South London please 😉

Can't find any faults, the Jerk Chicken is very good.

Very disappointed by the overall experience. I found the restaurant on IG and wanted to bring my friends. The service wasn’t great at all, and were rude to us. We ordered their roast beef dinner and wanted the beef cooked pink. The meat was way over cooked and fatty. I wouldn’t come back.

I recently visited Guanabana, and having traveled to the Caribbean, I can confidently say the food here is on par with the authentic flavors I’ve experienced. The smoky, well-seasoned boneless jerk chicken was a personal favorite, perfectly complemented by rice, peas, salad, and plantain. Every bite took me back to the islands! The atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming, and the staff were friendly and attentive. It was a fantastic experience from start to finish. I would definitely go back and highly recommend Guanabana to anyone looking for a true taste of Caribbean cuisine.

The staff are brilliant . Very accommodating. Although my meal (Sunday Roast) was swimming in gravy which was a bit too much for me. I would prefer the gravy on the side. If I knew this is how it is served I would have requested this. Unfortunately I eat visually, so I had to take it home. Would come back to try other parts of the menu Thank you for the birthday song😁

Went here with my girlfriends and we had a lovely time. The food was great, I had the jerk chicken roast, it was delicious and a good sized portion. For dessert I had the mango crumble, absolutely lovely. The service was good but we did feel the waiting staff could’ve been dressed a bit more professional instead of in jeans, t-shirts and crocs! The byob policy was brilliant, £6 corkage fee which works out a lot cheaper than buying a bottle of wine from any restaurant. Would recommend this restaurant 100%

Beautiful atmosphere, easy going crowd - amazing food! Best Mac n cheese and the food not overpriced! Fantastic all round. Would highly recommend. Stefan the head chef was amazing! Great guy even better food!

Apart from walking in and being told by the asian man ‘ u have till 3pm.’ We’ve reserved a table we know the policy. This was very patronising and rude. Too many stuff hovering about we want to eat in peace not staff waiting to see if we’ve finished eating so they can clear the table..and the layout of the restaurant is rubbish tables close to customers u have to yell and no privacy bcos u can hear everything. Nott to forget nearly every drink& juice NA! Secondly when we asked for a table closer to the windows which were empty the asian man said ‘theyre reserved’ - we reserved a booking too so if tables could be picked there should be details of this online. The place wasnt entirely busy bcos ppl were leaving as soon as theyve ate. Staff saw were bringing bills to tables even though customers havent asked for this but this was to clear tables. Just very rude and rushed. Food was decent. Cramped place, humid no AC. We had our hand fans out. Far better places in camden. This is from someone who visited the first time. Customer service needs work on. Crappy.

Highly recommend 10’s across the board

I was a bit weary after reading some of the reviews but I’m glad I came! The corn ribs were nice as was the lychee mocktail. I also had the jerk chicken meal and whatever sauce they put on the salad, I need more of it lol it was delish! I tried the coleslaw and Mac n cheese but they were to my liking. The staff were very attentive and polite and although the bill was a bit eye widening (lol) the portion sizes were very generous to the point I couldn’t finish my meal and took the rest home! Although I liked it (and the music) and will definitely be back

For my first Caribbean experience, it was great. The food was both tasty and filling, and the staff were very friendly. I highly recommend!

Food amazing Service was amazing Told all my colleagues it was the best Sunday lunch I had in years...Definitely going to return

I want to start off by saying the food is great here - some nice flavours and good choice on the menu. My issue mainly lays with the service - it was fairly busy for a Sunday so would give the restaurant the benefit of the doubt but some constructive criticisms would be to train your staff to manage this a little better. We waited 15 minutes to get our drinks and in total around 50 minutes for our food to arrive. Asked the staff member how much longer we’d have to wait around 40 minutes in and they answered “I’m not sure we’re pushing out meals fort he bigger tables at the moment” We then had no other comms until about 10 minutes later when our food arrived. The food itself was great and good sized portions (which is what you’d expect when paying £25 for a roast / £20 for jerk chicken rice and peas). But the whole service and atmosphere felt very rushed - our food arrived at just passed 6 and they had requested the table back for 6.30, we felt as soon as we finished out food they wanted us to leave. Asked for the bill and there was also extras on there that we had ordered and never received. Asked for these to be taken off and bought up the time it took to receive the food and was met with an “Ah ok, no problem”. The restaurant has obviously caught a lot of hype recently and struggling to manage expectations - I used to come here 5 years ago and it felt more warm and homely, I wouldn’t rush back any time soon sadly. Toilers are in awful condition and all out of service bar 2. My advice is - If you want to charge big prices you need to brush up on simple customer services.

Popped in on an unannounced weekday. Food was lovely and the portions were on point.

We came here as a walk in with a pushair and this blonde lady who spoke with us was extremely rude telling us she doesn't have space for a baby puchair however would allow much larger groups of people be seated who did not have a reservation.

Great music, kind staff and INCREDIBLE food. Walk in and they managed to squeeze us in for a roast before another reservation took the table. Food came out fast, but drink selection was slim at the time. Definitely coming again!

Great experience celebrating my husbands birthday, the service was excellent and food was good.

Shocking customer service! I spoke with the manager via phone who was extremely rude. She swore at me because I wanted to make a family booking. I couldn’t believe it very very disrespectful person. I don’t recommend going here!!!

Poor customer service. I will never eat here again. I was spoken to appallingly!

The food is delicious and wholesome - portions are also very big. Mac cheese was amazing. James was so lovely!

Food and service was top tier! Ayo was really attentive and friendly. Guanabana is lucky to have him on the team !!

Food was absolutely amazing , I can’t lie I’d recommend it to anyone who loves quality food , ayo I believe his name is was an absolute gem , great service and amazing personality so thank you for giving us the best experience ever

On the plus side, food was hot, lovely flavour and came quickly. However, chicken tasted old, reheated, and overcooked. Calamari overcooked. Oxtail overcooked, no butter beans (why?). Portion sizes way too big and poorly presented. No alcohol license, but you can bring your own for corkage. DO NOT ORDER A MOCKTAIL! £7 for a horrible concoction. We sent two back and left the third. Disappointingly, they would not allow us to split the bill. Thank God for internet banking and instant transfers we circumnavigated that potential embarrassment. This place has really good potential, but until they find it, I will not be returning

This was my second visit , I bought a takeaway about two months ago which was expensive and very average. The chicken was warm so I had to reheat at home, plantain was soggy . I gave them the benefit of the doubt as it was a takeaway. I know that social media can hype up restaurants because people take pictures of everything . You can’t taste pictures! Remember that! Visited this week Wednesday, given a table after a few minutes - so really good. Unfortunately that’s where the good service started to decline. The waitress took way too long to come over 15 mins at least - even just to offer drinks, could be a wise strategy. I don’t know why - I think understaffed. Order eventually taken - we get a starter after 12 minutes , the most awful fried calamari, cheap , frozen rubbish , with soggy patches very salty. Sent that back - 10 mins later it’s back just as bad -patchy , salted to the max -sent back again. By this time the mains came. - we are starving and could eat anything. The lamb curry was warm not hot , rice and peas good , plantain good -not soggy. My dates’ dish was oxtail which was ok . We tried to order an alternative to the failed starters. In the end - we just decided to get jerk chicken - with fries . We were charged full price despite the poor service and the awful returned starters. I will not be stopping by again. The manager was dogmatic and seemed to think we wanted a freebie, some of us work and I found his attitude poor and presumptive. If you give poor service you should make amends without the customer having to ask. He ought to have offered anything on the menu complimentary after failing to deliver a viable starter, twice. They even had the audacity to add a service charge of 12.5% which they patently did not deserve. You can get better food elsewhere and pay far less.

Came here the other night for my friends birthday, and Reya and Ivi (hope I spelt their names right) were so lovely from the beginning, no request was too much for them and honestly they went above and beyond for us. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced such good customer service in my life, God bless the both of you. We couldn’t stop talking about how great you guys were and we’ll be sure to come back! The customer service here is what differentiates the restaurant from the others out there.

Had the sunday roast! It was a great portion, i wanted more from the yorkshires and roasties but it was delicous. The mac and cheese was gorgeous! We did BYOB too which was great! We ordered a pitcher to go with it.

One of the best vegan roasts I’ve had, the portion was generous with the portobello mushroom nicely flavoured with a great texture for a meat substitute. There was a little confusion over making this vegan but after clarifying the chef said it could be made with vegan gravy too which was up there with the best vegan gravy I’ve had - nice amount of jerk / spice flavours to it! Really amazing vegan roast option - would highly recommend.

First time and sadly last time visiting this restaurant. If you are a large group, please make sure to check your bill properly before paying, as we were almost overcharged £220. When booking a table for a large group, you have to book their set menu for £38 per person, which includes, starter, main & dessert. A £20 per person deposit is also required; however, when the bill came, they hadn’t deducted this amount. Once this was addressed, we also realised that we were charged full prices for the starters which were included in the set menu. A complete mess from start to finish. Our table of 22 guests was only ready 20 minutes after our reservation time. The food didn’t come out together, so some people had already finished their mains when others were only just receiving theres. The food unfortunately wasn’t the most flavourful, and some foods were even undercooked. 3 portions of the churros also had to be sent back as they were overcooked and rock hard… The staff however, are friendly and did their best to rectify all issues, but when so many things go wrong, theres not much positives to be said

The food and service were great, I would definitely go back. Would recommend the jerk platter, jerk Caesar and the lamb curry

Ewent for lunch yesterday service excellent. Food and drinks fantastic will defininatl Go back already recommended to friends They’re going to try Sunday lunch Definitely worth a visit

Travelled from out of town to try the weekend roast. It was lovely, a decent amount of food, the right proportion of accompanying potatoes, gravy etc. It is slightly pricey but definitely would go again as very very nice. Staff were very welcoming. Calm atmosphere. The only criticism was that the toilets weren’t that great.

Starting with the food this is my fourth time here probably my last & won’t return as I ordered 3 beef Roast asked for spicy was bland, flavourless & chewy. They didn’t ask me how the food was. Service was okay friendly staff but i definitely think there’s been a change of chef as it used to be very flavourful . Way too overpriced , music was way too loud it was hard to communicate when ordering or talking to your friends.

The jerk chicken roast is out of this worlddddd 10/10 service could have been better took a while to get the bill/pay but defs going back, my fav roast in London and halal!

Service here is really good, friendly staff and paying a corkage fee when they provide you with an ice bucket to keep your drinks cold is okay. Restaurant was heaving mid- week with a great atmosphere. However, what lets this place down is the food. My meal was bland, tasteless and an insult to Caribbean cooking. I ordered jerk chicken on the bone which arrived covered in some kind of slimy green sauce. Completely tasteless, not even salt had been added! I don’t look like it was fresh off a bbq but more likely had been cooked in an oven or even frozen / reheated. Inedible. The so-called ‘homeslaw’ resembled no homemade coleslaw ive even eaten and looked like it was supermarket basics. Just carrot and cabbage, no peppers, onion etc. £26 for that!! Wasn’t worth a fiver. Would never return

Amazing restaurant to eat at. The food was great, service great. Although there were 2 chefs down service was still good and they informed us before we arrived.

Ridiculous service, I came in as a walkIN and theyve said we have an hour for the table. Then I ordered the half chicken and they gave me the boneless chicken, so they took it back to the chef and then the food didnt come. The food took more than hour and their excuse was they were understaffed. Then employ more staff? Genuinely disappointed with the service.

Been here twice and the jerk chicken is excellent 👌. My recommendation is to take the sharing platter. You'll get all the best items. Atmosphere is great and service friendly. Food came out fresh and on time on both of my trips.

Food was amazing! Great portion sizes. Music was a great volume and good vibes. Staff were chilled and happy to help! Will definitely be back again.

Quick service, lovely atmosphere and decor and delicious food!

Came here on a spontaneous trip to the area, saw how good the reviews were and had to try it myself! Me and my friend had such a great time not only with the fantastic service we got (was served so quickly and friendly) but also the food was just amazing! So generous with the portions and choice. My eyes were bigger than my stomach because I wanted to order everything 😁. They went above and beyond to make us feel welcome and I highly recommend this place. Everything was perfect for us! Thanks again and will come back for more 🫶

Oh my! The Jamaican Jerk Chicken platter is amazing! Come w an appetite! Try one of their freshly made juices - my husband had the green apple/ginger/lemon - so very refreshing - we’ll be back!

Not really authentic. No jerk pork

Such a shame they dont do the ribs the way they used to before. Tried the ribs platter but it was not as good as the old ribs they used to do in the small pot. That was one of it's kind.

I really enjoyed the chicken platter, the chicken was so flavourful and went perfectly well with everything served!

I should have checked the price of the menu before booking, but when we arrived I gulped at the price of the dishes ie a jerk chicken dish for 1 person was about £20ish. And cams of soft drinks are £3. When I'm paying for 6 people I had to order sensibly. We had bottles of tap water and I ordered two platters. My bill came to £96, which was a lot based on the food we ordered. The waiter kindly took off the service charge as he must have realised I was on a budget. The atmosphere at this eatery is brilliant but won't be a place I'll be coming back to with family. But it's ideal with friends where the bill will be split. Ps my wife and mum loved the dishes we ordered. And before I forget the menu isn't suited for kids.

Portions and taste were amazing

Corn ribs stale Steak was leather Stew was bland Carrot ginger drink was tepid Price was high

Always 10/10 service and food!!

Had the jerk chicken/beef platter, pasta, beef with rice. Wow...we were blown away by the taste and the generous service. Even the tortillas/rotis were so tasty we ordered extras. Thanks Yash, TJ, and Tina! 5/5 in every aspect from California 🇺🇲

For a person who didn't enjoy Jamaican in the past, this place changed my perception. The food was delicious! Definitely worth visiting and trying their food.

Island roast was 10/10 and the hospitality is unmatched as you feel at home. They were also very understanding when we asked for music to be a bit more quiet to accommodate to ASD needs in the group.

Fantastic service & food as always, Owner & staff have such a warm, friendly vibe about them. Would highly recommend, and you don’t have to wait a ages for your food also!

Guanabana offers a warm and inviting atmosphere, reminiscent of enjoying delicious food at home with friends. The generous portions will challenge even the heartiest of appetites, and the option to bring your own alcohol is a delightful perk. The staff are friendly and the environment is welcoming. I’ve already visited three times this month and plan to return before June ends. Highly recommended!

The food here is ridiculous. Ridiculously good. This felt like a home cooked dinner. The portions were quite huge. I opted for the jerk chicken (boneless). I added coleslaw, mac and cheese and extra plantain for sides (sharing between 3). The entire dinner was fantastic. The chicken had a nice kick and crispy skin. This went well with the sweet plantation. The only thing missing was dumplings. Would highly recommend and will visit again next time I'm in London.

Unreal spot - best Caribbean I’ve personally had. Drew for the jerk platter and every aspect was great, special mention to the stewed beef which was unreal. Service with a smile, spoke personally to a chef and he was so friendly and the atmosphere was great - everyone speaking to eachother across tables nice community feel to it. No wonder it’s described as the best jerk spot in London. Would recommend all day all night

The food here is ridiculous. Ridiculously good. This felt like a home cooked dinner. The portions were quite huge. I opted for the jerk chicken (boneless). I added coleslaw, mac and cheese and extra plantain for sides (sharing between 3). The entire dinner was fantastic. The chicken had a nice kick and crispy skin. This went well with the sweet plantation. The only thing missing was dumplings. Would highly recommend and will visit again next time I'm in London.

Food: Very mediocre. Dry, no taste really. Otherwise: Nice atmosphere though and friendly service. Good music, nice place to watch sports

Food and service were amazing! What can I say I was dreaming about the Jamaican roast dinner during the night! It was just what I needed and it was served perfectly! Can’t wait to go back!

Ayo provided excellent customer service and the food was excellent thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere. The roast dinner was nice

Generous portion, but a bit burnt and salty

Their sauces are full of flavour. Any marinated item of the menu is delicious. However, the steak was extremely disappointing. No flavour or character. Bring back the tomahawk!!

Great experience - lovely, tasty and freshly prepared food. Good presentation and quick service - last minute booking and accommodated which was fantastic. Fresh juices were lovely. Attentive service *shout out to Thomas, thank you. Having been to Original Flavours in Brixton yesterday, this was a superior experience in terms of food quality, prices and venue aesthetics. Third time visiting and would return plus recommend.

Definitely my go to carribean spot in London.

Came here for a family dinner (first time) and it was absolutely wonderful. The food was amazing and the ambience was warm and joyous. Nothing beats dining at a local restaurant. It was such a lovely evening. The servers were so kind and attentive. Thank you to the all the staff. Definitely will be coming back again, and again.

We came here on a whim, and we are so glad we did. The restaurant has a really nice vibe to it, casual, laid back and cool. We had friends over from the USA and wanted to show them Camden, they were really pleased with the food, as were we. Massively flavourful, delivered fast and fairly priced. Thankyou,

Great food and service. Lovely, lively atmosphere so don't go if you want a quiet romantic dinner. Tables too close together but it won't spoil your enjoyment. I'd definitely go back.

Very good experience and good value for money.

Amazing food. Shared the platter. Eat here!

Good jerk chicken, average everything else, rude staff.

Excellent food (but spicy), great setting and top service.

They don't serve alcohol but you can pick up some from the off license next door and bring it in the restaurant, that's great ! They take cash, unlike many youngsters places in London. The server from the south of France (that's classy) was super friendly and very professional in his service. Food was great and big portions !! Completely reminded me of back home (I'm creole) Jah Bless !!

Lovely restaurant for Sunday dinner. The staff were so friendly and helpful and the food was gorgeous. Portions were huge and we had to take lots away with us. Very worth a visit.

Lovely Jerk Chicken and Nigerian Fanta served by the equally lovely Thomas. Great food great service. Sat a bit too close to the front door on this chilly April evening.

50 minute wait for food and no kids menu is not great. And my kids didn't like the food they were given. With a heavy bill at the end I was less than impressed.

Had an amazing experience here. The food was incredible and very good value for money. The service staff were efficient, friendly and prompt, especially Ehsan who went above and beyond for us. Will definitely return again.

First time trying Caribbean food and it was SO good!!! We got the boneless and the half jerk chicken with the spicy sauce and it was absolutely delicious. Perfect level of heat and so flavoursome. The dishes were very big!! Good value for money. The corn ribs were so good we wanted to eat a hundred more lol and the cheese empanada was the same. Highly recommend!

We had no booking so we did have to wait half an hour outside while having a beer. It was worth it, a lot! I had the jerk chicken Alfredo and I was feeling as if I could go to Mars after it. My friends have eaten the bbq chicken, it was also fantastic. The price is not cheap, but it matches with quality.

Great food and customer service. Food was quick, delicious and full of flavour. Service was great too with attentive staff. Portion size was good too. Enough meat in the curry lamb and oxtail stew.

Just the best Caribbean food around, and supports freedom!!!

The food is excellent. The flavours are bold, and the presentation is top-notch. Overall, dining here is a truly enjoyable experience.

Ambience was great. We came on a Saturday evening for iftar and it was busy, as expected. We made a booking about a week before which is what I’d advise. Service was good although we felt really rushed. Food came just before iftar and they provided us dates and water to break our fast which was nice. We got the beef roast which was nice but didn’t taste like jerk and the portion was beef was quite small. We also got the mac n cheese which was more like a pasta bake- it was good but not mac m cheese. Cactus chips were fantastic as were the calamari. Our total bill was around £90 which is on the pricey side for what we got.