Freda's Reviews

For 8 bucks, you get a lot to eat and it's good. The lunch special is plenty to eat. Very casual but pleasant. I had the curry chicken and I liked it.

The food really surprised us all. The service was so friendly. You have 4 Chilean fans. The food was delicious and really amazing.

WOW! While in the area, and hungry, my search for a restaurant resulted in discovering "Freda's". It's a small place (be careful...you may walk right past it), but quaint. My waitress was very pleasant and juggled several tables in as smooth and professional a manner as I've ever seen. The menu is packed with an assortment of both Caribbean and southern-style selections, including jerk chicken, oxtails, brown-stewed chicken and a variety of fish. There is also yams, rice & peas, mac & cheese, collard greens, etc. My brown-stewed chicken was quite delicious and the yams were equally as enjoyable. The mac & cheese noodles were a bit overcooked, but did have good flavor. The prices were reasonable and the portions were adequate. I'm rarely in this part of Manhattan, but if I were to return, Freda's would be on my list for dining. I recommend it!

Stayed in Brooklyn for a week to seek out nice places in New York City. Found Freda's and it turned out to be the best place I ate all week. Had the jerk chicken and it was delicious. Friendly helpful staff. Thanks...I'll be back.

Authentic food from the Islands. Brilliant jerk everything....chicken and shrimp favorites. Rice and peas plantains are both as they should be. Mac and cheese is not the best- but the sweet potatoes are good too- especially next to the spicy jerk. Don’t forget the roti- it’s huge and outstanding. I hear the oxtail is perfect. Suggest you get an assortment and share. You don’t need one dinner per person unless you are huge eaters. We were 8 friends and ate our fill - our bill was less that $100. It’s a BYOB - we do vodka and lemonade or beer. Not really food for wine Ladies from Trinidad can be seen in the kitchen - all smiles all the time-preparing the food. Catered my husbands birthday from there and they were wonderful. God me wait staff- supplied chaffing dishes and it was reasonable.

Went here for lunch on a Monday. Ordered the carribean jerk chicken lunch special with a side of plaintains. Pictures are shown below. The plate was huge; the chicken was very good and the rice had a spicy taste to it giving it some kick. The plaintains were good. Their lunch menu is very cheap ($6.50 gets you a plate and 1 side dish). For the fine diners out there, this is not a restaurant you should expect a hostess to seat you and the waiter to explain the menu eloquently and in great detail. It is a small, local restaurant that serves good, cheap food. Expect nothing more than that. If you want good, cheap jerk chicken, go here to experience it. It's located just 2 blocks from the 110th St- Cathedral Parkway Subway stop at the NW corner of Central Park (accessible by A, B, and C trains).

The food was great. We unfortunately got lost on our way to the location due to lack of direction on our end. We walked in the Freda tired and upset but the waitress....I believe her name was "Ola" was so pleasant and hospitable. She really made us feel welcome and professional. Enjoyed the food....the portion size was rightly served. Will visit again

Ever since it opened, Freda's has become a popular fixture. Good wholesome food and good service make this a repeat dining destination.

I have been eating at Ms. Freda’s for years. Back when she herself was there and I am happy to see the quality has remained the same. True restaurant is small in size so make reservations. The food is amazing. There’s nothing on the menu that you won’t like. I have eaten there with a vegetarian and he was satisfied. If you plan on having dessert, mention that at the time of the reservation so they save you some. Everything is that poplar. They cook when you order so the food is fresh and hot!!! So have time to wait. Enjoy the party you are about to have in your mouth.

I try to stay positive in my reviews and live interaction at each restaurant. I won't venture far from that practice, yet what I'm disappointed in is that I decided to leave a decent tip for a poor experience. Made that decision to not give them a reason to feel justified in the zero performance. Perhaps they'll listen to this differently. When we walked in there was a cloth sitting on an un-bused table. The one server, who was acceptably friendly, took us to a table, cleaned another table next to us. Gave us a glass of water while never offering anything to drink... and never refilling the water. Food was luke warm like it might be toward the end of the meal. Brown stew chicken was tender but no flavor. Candied yams tasted 'canned.' I'm used to thicker plaintains... these were like banana slices you'd put in cereal. Server came and put bill on table while letting us know there was no hurry, just putting there in case she got busy and we wanted to leave (???). Of the possibly 7 tables occupied we were the last to come in, and one would clear every 5-10 minutes until we were the only one left. Never offered dessert. This was on a Friday afternoon, 1/26/18, around 2-3, in case there are variables they are aware of to let this be the last time this happened.

Came in for Saturday lunch, left with a gloriously full stomach. Had Oxtail for the first time, which was smoky and delicious and the candied yams were amazing. However, the highlight of the dish was the humble rice & peas combination, which tasted unlike any rice and peas i'd ever had before. Our waitress was quite lovely, and a Manchester United fan, which is always a bonus.

Came here with a Groupon and was pleasantly surprised. Awesome meal. I loved the rice, chicken, and yams. We will be back. Cool digs and great service and people there.

It was a great spot to enjoy the beautiful weather. The guacamole has a little too much lime for my liking but I added salt to tone it down. Good food.

Great Caribbean homemade food. Reasonable prices. Friendly service. Tast foof. Feels like eating at home.

What an unpretentious gem within easy access of Columbia U! Am glad we stepped in -- the management was warm and welcoming without being obtrusive. My son enjoyed a goat curry while I thoroughly enjoyed a roti with 3 vegetables. It was pity that not all the listed items were on offer (particularly the home-made drinks). The food is distinctly Caribbean (loved the callaloo) with a nod to soul food (collards). I wish they would add hot beverages to their menu.

We were in NYC for the weekend over the holiday's and before we left the city we stopped in here to pick up some good west Indian food to take home and also drop off at my sister's office in NYC as she is the one that recommended it. she spoke very highly f the food and i must say i was not disappointed the Roti is very good with chicken and goat, and their oxtail is always very good. The owner is very friendly we had a great conversation while waiting on our food.

We visited the Cathedral of St John and were starving. So I pulled out my handy Trip Advisor ap on my phone and searched for a HIGH RATING restaurant near us. We found Freda's one block away and although it had less than 10 reviews they were all positive. Another winner! This place was incredible. If you want/like caribbean food that tastes like you are ACTUALLY IN Jamaica, then you must take a cab, bus or subway to this restaurant. NOTE: It is authentic caribean and they use real spices so I was on fire! LOL We ordered the jerk chicken and rice and could not stop eating. Every bite was more tasty, and although my mouth was on fire, I just kept eating. I could not believe the flavors and taste. My mom likes things a little more spcy and had no problem eating it and loved it as well. Drinks are served in a can with a cup and it is a very basic, plain, unassuming cafe' feel eatery but you will NOT have better caribean food in your life. This is a family owned/run place and that is the feel you get from them. They care that you enjoy and love the food. It's who they are and in a town with so much pomp and circumstance, it's great to find a truly genuine little taste of the caribean in this little quaint and fantastic restaurant.

YUM!! This place was actually better than food I've ate while being in the Caribbean. Instead of them just overwhelming you with spice, the found the perfect balance between spice and flavor! It was incredibly delicious and a must try if you like caribbean flavors. The Jerk chicken was tender, flavorful and perfect. The rice although you can tell it was kinda old was still ok. The Callaloo was amazing, subtle sweetness of coconut,okra perfection. We also had greens on our second plate of food, they were perfect as well! its really hard to find a place thats able to season and cook greens the way you would expect at home-FREDAS pulled it off. The mac and cheese was good, just a little bland.The portions were HUGE! and reasonably priced, get a good home cooked meal without breaking the bank. All in all the food taste homemade and was just what I needed after a day of travel.

Aside from average service and an underwelming ambiance, Fredas serves up authentic dishes that can easily be taken home since the portions are so large. The curried chicken was tremendous though the side dishes left a bit to be desired.

We had so much fun at Freda's. It's a very homey spot. We all ordered either the Jerk Chicken or Jerk Shrimp with sides (Mac and Cheese, Collard Greens, Potatoes, string beans). Absolutely everything was delicious. It wasn't greasy, the sauces weren't overwhelming it was just delicious, satisfying, VERY spicy fare. We will be back!

Just had lunch at Frieda's, jerk chicken with rice and string beans. The food was great! Had to post a review and recommend it to others. Warm, friendly customer service; hot food served with the right amount of spice; comfortable seating, tables not too crowded. You should give Frieda's a try.

This wonderful place is well worth discovering for huge tasty portions of fresh home cooking, friendly service, and low prices. Vegetarians will find plenty to enjoy along with fish, chicken and other classic dishes. The callaloo is a scrumptious coconut-based greens side dish that is hard to describe but addictive! Decor is a bit basic with large TV screens, stacked supplies, etc that could use updating.....but friendly quick service makes it a great choice. Everyone is welcome at this warm owner-operated delight.

First time tasting Caribbean food. Freda's grandparents are from Trinidad and Tobago. She is very nice and talkative. I have been there for a break, while visiting upper Manhattan and Harlem. I ordered Jerk chicken with a callaloo and rice sides. The chicken was very tasty and well cooked, I really enjoyed it also if considering the low price. The rice was also good. The callaloo was instead a bit different from the European way of cooking. Very sweet and full of aromas.

We ordered the jerk chicken, curry goat and curry chicken. It was our first time at the restaurant, and the entrees were fantastic - tender meat and wonderful spicy flavor! Service was very welcoming and friendly too.

Only because of the good reviews here we go to this restaurant and we were not disappointed. We like this food very much. If we had stayed near to this restaurant, we would come again.

Great Caribbean food at Freda's. Way too much food for one person to eat, and very reasonable prices. Definitely a good find we'll return to!

Freda's food is not pretentious, but it is delicious. For $8 lunch special, Freda's served curried chicken, beans/rice and collard greens. The meat was tender. The collard greens were a little sweet and made with love. It is a lot more food than I could eat by myself, but I felt comfortable eating and watching Steve Harvey on TV. Just like home...

I love good food and good service !! The waitress told us to sit where we wanted to sit and then when a group of 3 white customers came in she came over to us and told us you have to move this table is for 3 not two!!! She was rude and the food was not good!! We will not be returning!!!! The curry goat was nothing but bones!!!!!

I found this restaurant accidentally while strolling in the neighborhood..my background is Caribbean so I'm always interested in Caribbean cooking..WELL!..this is traditional Jamaican cooking, seasoning and all..sooo GOOD..the portions are huge..I always leave with a doggie bag and its cheap..its not flashy but the servers are soo friendly..there is no pressure to turn over the table..its wonderful..I go at least once a month and always introduce it to my Jamaican friends

Great homemade Caribbean food. Reasonable prices, friendly service och really tasty food. Feels like eating at home! Take-away or dine in.

We went to Freda for dinner during our stay in New york. She was very friendly. The food is delicious! we bought a 10 for 20 groupon so it was totally worth it.

Picky with my macaroni and cheese and Freda's is out of this world. I went last night and this was my second visit. The first visit i had Roti with rice and peas and a side of macaroni and cheese. The Roti was excellant as were the sides. Freda the owner sat at the next table helping her granddaughter with homework. She conversed with us and asked what we had ordered. She stated next time order the oxtails. So when coming back thats exactly what i did. I ordered oxtails which comes with rice and peas and you get 2 sides. I ordered the mac and cheese and candied yams. The yams were just as delicious. I will definately be returning for a 3rd visit.

Went to Freda's because I had heard about it from a friend. It's a fairly small place but not tiny. You can also bring your own wine. We didn't eat in and decided to take out. Restaurant is not convenient for take-out service as there is no where convenient for you to stand or sit while waiting for your food. Every place my husband and I stood we were asked to move for one reason or another. All this is unimportant if the food is good, and it was. I ordered the oxtail and my husband ordered the brown stew chicken. We both had collard greens and candied yams. The good news is that all the meals come with rice and peas and then also 2 additional sides. Meals are about $10 and $12 and was plenty. The only reason I didn't give the food 5 stars is because it was put in a plastic container that didn't have compartments. Doesn't really sound like a problem, except the juice from the greens, from the yams and the oxtail gravy was all running together. Although the food was very good, it was way too soupy with all the gravy and juices running together. After eating about half of the meal everything began to taste sweet because of the candied yams. Due to this none of the flavors for each item were individually defined. If Freda's package the food with this in mind, I would consider the food excellent.

This little gem in Cape May was excellent. The staff was friendly and helpful. The food was wonderful. The rack of lamb was tender and cooked perfectly. Would definitely recommend.

Food was amazing, great selection for people who dont eat meat. massive portions - everything tastes and feels home cooked. The host was lovely and went out of her way to chat with us, make us feel welcome - didnt get that in mid town restaurants - cant recommend this place enough, and the jerk chicken and rice and peas - the mac and cheese is out of this world!!! Fantastic prices as well.We will be coming back here in Jan 2018

This is a small casual joint. The server was busy with the restaurant being full but was still attentive and pleasant. I had the stewed chicken and my wife had the oxtail. The stewed chicken was tender and falling off the bone. My sides of peas and rice with collard greens was very good. The place isn't fancy, but has a great neighborhood vibe to it. We went at 4:30 on a Monday and would would definitely go back.