Fireside Jamaican Restaurant - Lithonia, Georgia

Darrin R.

We hadn't been here in a while. It's located in a storefront connected to a gas station on Covington Highway. When we entered, we were barely greeted by anyone. The server behind the counter was pretty robotic, just fulfilling our orders. I got a small curry chicken , and Wifey got a small stew chicken. The meals came with rice, peas, and cabbage. Unlike most Jamaican restaurants, they didn't have plantains. The cashier’s demeanor was just as dry as the server’s. One thing I did notice was that the dining area was very clean. We packed up our food and headed home. Everything looked good and fresh. The food itself tasted okay with pretty good seasoning.  They need to work on the customer service a little. 3.5 rating

Z G.

I'd been a regular customer for years, but hadn't been to Fireside in quite some time so I decided to go 3 days ago. HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT. I don't know if the ownership/management/cook changed, but the food is all the worse for it. The oxtails were tender but ridiculously peppery, and the side order of curry chicken was just nasty all around. The biggest offense regarding the chicken is that it hadn't been cleaned AT ALL--the veins and mucus were still on the flesh. The one bite I'd taken revealed that the meat not been marinated & the curry powder used was tasteless.

To think, I paid $38.95 for this disaster of a meal. Never again.

Trill V. E.

Purchased a large brown stew chicken, a snapper, curried goat, and goat soup. All the plates were sooooo spicy we could not eat it or enjoy it. I have been going to this restaurant for over 10 years this has NEVER happened EVER!! Don’t know if it’s a new cook or what. If I didn’t live in Newton County I would have went back up there. Will be a while before we go back. $75 bucks down the drain

Jay M.

New to the area. I've been trying every Caribbean spot in the area. I've been here twice before during the week but it's always crowded. Went here on a Sat around 1pm. I was in line for 25 minutes BEFORE I COULD ORDER. Only 2 other customers in front of me.

They have buffet style food set out but the move EXTREMELY SLOW. No urgency for the customers. By the time I ordered the line had grown to about 12 people in line. THEY NEED EXTRA HELP or the employees need to move with a sense of urgency when they see the spot getting packed.

Some of my pet peeves....buffet food not covered, saw 2 flies land on the white rice....but not many flies in the restaurant,....employees not wearing gloves, employees having extensive conversations over open food.....

There are other options in the area that I'm more comfortable with. The flavor of the food was OK.

Update 11/08/2022: This is not it. Taking another star away. Rice stale. Salmon tough as steak.

Tamara D.

Came in for my first visit . Definitely will be my last for sure . First Lady doing sides was amazing . Lady doing the meats cannot follow directions . I ordered oxtails and told her to give me small pieces . She still proceeds to put the biggest pieces into my plate . After I told her 3 times to take the big pieces out , she replaces them with bigger pieces . Oxtails are boiled by the way and not properly seasoned . Not the authentic way of cooking it . Did not even eat the oxtail I paid for and plantain wasn’t even ripe yet to be serving . Will not be back and will be sharing the bad experience I had with others .

Eyram T.

I used to like coming here, sometimes consistently. However lately they’ve been missing a lot and dropping the ball. Even the beef patties are just dry and hard and tasteless. If you’re missing there and on the brown stew you’re failing. Brown stew so bad that when someone walks in and they say that’s all they have left, the person walks right back out. Not exaggerating. Food tastes TOO SALTY nowadays and menu is inconsistent. I’d prefer spending more money where I know the food is good. Sometimes I come here if I’m really hungry and have nowhere else to go but I’m not coming back, I’m done.
I recommend Island Fire by the DMV and Leh’s Restaurant. You’ll always leave with a smile.

Cassandra P. R.

After touchdown, I was down for take out. Signs along the freeway during the drive from the Airport suggested Fireside Jamaican Restaurant. My love for Jamaican cuisine and the unplanned stop near Fireside made it the obvious choice for lunch. Call in orders are not accepted. They were busy but the wait time was minimal and met with good music. The service offered a slight bit of what some may consider rudeness, surely it wasn’t anything personal. Maybe it was more about culture. The food was amazing! The Oxtails were very tender, the rice and peas with gravy were cooked to perfection, the plantains were a bit dry but nothing the gravy couldn’t correct. Oh but wait, the mild Jamaican Beef Patty with fresh Coco Bread was the absolute best I’ve had in a long time. Fireside Jamaican Restaurant has 3 locations serving the Atlanta area with authentic Jamaican dishes. This was definitely a delightful experience. A great choice🤩

Derek J.

Going here was the biggest let down to Jamaica and Jamaicans.. This mess was exactly that... A damn mess. Got the oxtails, that mess was so tough damn near broke my teeth on it.. Fireside used to be good on Covington Hwy, not anymore.. That will be the last time I eat there. 22 dollars for essentially some bullshxt. You are asking for a recommendation of what to eat? Nothing. The only reason why I ate it is because I sent my hard earned money for some of the toughest meat I have ever had..