A new Jamaican bar and restaurant in Woodridge, D.C., is slated to open next month.

Located at 2125 Rhode Island Ave., Jamerica Restaurant will serve authentic dishes like oxtail and red snapper as well as some American food in a Jamaican-inspired setting.

Owner Stanley Waite, a former city inspector who now works as an architectural engineer for a company he founded called Vaughnsfield Construction, told the Hyattsville Wire that he hopes Jamerica won’t just be a good restaurant but a restaurant with good food, good prices and great customer service.

When asked why he decided to open up a restaurant in Woodridge, he said, “The people here are very kind and Jamaican food is really catching on.”

Local artist Joslyn Jennings, who is a graphic designer and paint instructor, and owner of Creativeflavor Art & Entertainment, was out on Monday hand-painting a mural and sign for the restaurant. She’ll also be painting a coconut tree mural inside the new eatery.

Jennings other murals be found throughout D.C., Maryland and Philadelphia, where she was living before she moved to the D.C. area two years ago. Some of her work is being showcased at the miXt food hall in Brentwood.

Waite told the Hyattsville Wire when he opens next month he’ll serve lunch and dinner and may add on a breakfast menu later on. He already has a liquor license and plans to offer live entertainment.

“The reason I’m opening up my own restaurant is to step up the Jamaican courtesy and kindness to the American people, especially to the people of Woodridge,” Waite said.

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