Going to eat out in Barbados is something that is a treat for me. I don’t do it very often, but when I do, I look for places that give me lots of food for my money. I changed the title of this post several times because I wanted to highlight that I was dealing with the best, budget friendly restaurants and not necessarily the best restaurants in Barbados.
1. Chefette Barbecue Barn (located in Rockley and Warrens)
They are at the top of my list because I think that they give you quality meals for your money. The price is do-able and the food is good. Getting a half of chicken with two sides is just a great meal and more often than not, you will take home some of it. But, I must admit that my favourite menu item is the Buffalo wings. Goodness! And then when you dip them in the BBQ sauce, yummy! They also have pork and spare ribs which I have not tried, but I bet that they are extremely tasty too.
2. Mapp’s (Eagle Hall)
Yet another reasonable place where you can get nice, succulent chicken done in a rotisserie fashion and fries. The kicker is the BBQ sauce which I suspect can make anything (even yams) taste great. It’s set in a traditional rum shop setting/atmosphere ( I think the actual rum shop is to the side) and you can see the chickens rotating from outside of the shop! My only gripe is the distance, because there is no way that I’m leaving Christ Church to go down to Eagle Hall unless I can accurately predict when a hunger pang will hit.
3. Pug’s (Grantley Adams International Airport)
When I used to work at the airport, I would walk over to Pug’s, which is adjacent to the roundabout, for lunch. One night in particular, I ordered fish and chips. Never in my life have I had fish that was so soft, juicy and melt-in-your-mouth good! I think that was the meal that made me look at dolphin differently. I became hooked! I must admit that I haven’t been to Pug’s in years, but the memory of that piece of fish, is enough for it to make this list. What I did not like about Pug was the long wait for the food, even though it was worth it
4. Chicken Barn (Worthing, Bridgetown, Warrens)
This one might be a shocker for some people, but I don’t get Chicken Barn too often, and when I do, it’s a treat. My boyfriend and I usually share a half chicken with fries meal (I can’t remember, because it’s been a while) and that is enough to fill us both. I think what makes them so yummy lies in the seasoning. Whatever mixture of seasonings that they use, flavours the meat perfectly. (P.S hubby wants to make it clear he is not cheap, but it works for us.)
5. Oistins
I know that Oistins has many establishments, but I’ll narrow it down to two – Pat’s Place and Uncle George (I don’t think that this is the correct name, but there is only one Uncle George). You can get nice portions of grilled fish, grilled potatoes and salad at a fairly okay price. I’ve tried dolphin and tuna, but dolphin is my favourite. Getting food on Friday nights is horrible. The lines are long, long and longer. But I guess the food can sorta make up for the long wait.
I know that there are many other places where you can eat out in Barbados that give you great value for money. Other honourable mentions include Bubba’s and Lucky Horse Shoe, but their prices are borderline budget. If you’re visiting Barbados and looking to get some yummy Bajan food, then you should try Chefette Barbecue Barn and Pat’s Place.