Kaya

Getting the right balance between classy and casual is something a lot of restaurants try and fail to do, but Kaya has made it look easy for years. I make it down about once a year and they haven't let me down yet. Had our annual lunch + drinks today with a couple friends, and Kaya gave us the perfect setting and great food to go with it.I had the birria Cuban sandwich, which is a beef-centric version of the classic Cuban that comes with a little dish of au-jus style dipping sauce that is freakin' delicious. This is the second time I've had this sandwich and it won't be the last. It's great.One of my friends got the crabcake sandwich which looked amazing. He raved about it. I might have to try that next time.Terrific server - experienced, friendly and on-the-ball without hovering, knew exactly when to ask me if I wanted another beer. :)Kaya's a gem. Not the cheapest, but you get what you pay for. Their excellent food is worth what it costs. (Full disclosure: I wasn't the one who paid for lunch today!)

I made a reservation for fried chicken night yesterday for the four of us at 6pm. I accidentally got there about a half hour early and they were nice enough to seat me because our table was ready.The inside is really dark so beware. There's a long bar and a good amount of tables available. The bathrooms are downstairs and the first step down is a little precarious. The fried chicken we got was excellent. It was juicy and flavorful and the Nashville hot was actually not. I'm not sure as to why we got two tortillas and the coleslaw wasn't my favorite but the mashed potatoes with gravy were good and I wish we had a bigger portion of them!

I recently had a date at Kaya. My date made a reservation online prior to us going. When we arrived, we checked in and were seated immediately. Our waiter came over to take our drink and appetizer orders. We started with the tropical guacamole, which has mango, pineapples, and cilantro in it. It's a fun take on guac and it's really good! For our entrees, I ordered the Miami salad and added salmon to it. The Miami salad has avocado, tomato, cucumber, red cabbage, orange, jalepeno, pepitas, queso fresco and a sesame vinaigrette. It's one of my favorite things on their menu! My date ordered the tropical paella, which has sofrito, garlic, chicken, shrimp, bay scallop, mussels, red pepper, peas, pineapple and saffron rice. We both really enjoyed our food, the ambiance, and the service. Kaya can do no wrong with me! It's a Pittsburgh staple!

We visited for a Saturday lunch, and we definitely plan to return! Our service was wonderful, especially given the crowd. We started with a queso appetizer and ordered the basil grapefruit margarita. The margarita was so good, we had to have a second round! For my meal, I had the fried chicken sandwich - one of the best I've ever had!

This was our first time at Kaya and we really enjoyed our experience! We had reservations but had to wait about ten minutes to get seated. We did not mind, and we got a drink at the bar. We ordered conch fritters for an appetizer...amazing choice! I then tried to order a Cuban with no cheese but I was told that could not happen??? I was very confused why it couldn't. If it was premade they could just pick it off, and I highly doubt they would already have been in the press and just wait for someone to order one...who knows? I ended up ordering the chicken sandwich, which was really good, with fries, and my husband ordered the fish tacos. After drinking several beers and having an appetizer, he did not even finish them! We did think it was odd that they came with no side but the sandwiches did.

Kaya is a great spot for Caribbean inspired comfort foods like jerk chicken and fried fishes. They also do a great tropical paella which has chicken, chorizo, and the typical seafood (scallop, mussels, shrimp). Coming from someone who doesn't really tolerate spices - it definitely has a kick to it. The bean dip is a great starter for the table. I couldn't get enough of it! They use to have an amazing mango buratta appetizer, and I hope they bring that back one day. Overall the food is good.The service was just okay. We also got some cocktails but the drinks seemed slightly diluted.

Rainbow salad followed by the crabcake sandwich with a side of chowder. Adam was a fantastic server and the vibes are always great at Kaya!

Kaya was a great for lunch in The Strip District. Kaya has a flavorful menu that accommodates vegans and non vegans. The restaurant is conveniently located on The Strip and easy to access. The staff were friendly and attentive. Kaya has a had Caribbean decor and accents around the restaurant. They offered both indoor and outdoor seating.The pineapple mango tomatillos salsa was a light and tangy start to the meal. The crispy tofu was slight spicy and sweet and a very generous portion. Both chicken sandwiches were cooked well and tasty. Waffle fries are always awesome!The dining room seemed very busy for a Sunday afternoon. We would stop by again next time we are in town.

Stopped in here for appetizers and cocktails with a friend recently! We didn't do reservations and just sat at the bar. It was crowded but it was nice to get a seat. The crispy tofu was delicious. We also had the guac with pineapples which was also very good and refreshing. I tried their spicy marg and a red sangria and both drinks were good. Will be back for dinner for sure

Stopped here for dinner on a whim one weekend. We sat at the bar because we had no reservation and they were packed. The bartender/waiter was grumpy but the couple seated next to us was extremely friendly. We had a few drinks which were delicious! Ordered the half jerk chicken which was in no way half of a chicken. It also was not "jerk", hardly had any spice whatsoever. I will say it was delicious, for me the fresh vegetables elevated the dish. The menu had a good amount of options. Not pictured were the corn and lentil beignets which were 10/10.