Dine-In: The Simpson Restaurant & Bar Serves Caribbean Soul and Community Warmth in Atlantic City
AC JosepH Media
ATLANTIC CITY — Step inside The Simpson Restaurant and Bar and experience their one-of-a-kind Caribbean fare with a culinary treasure chest of savory Jamaican cuisine, soul-food comfort dishes, breezy cocktails, dedication and heartfelt hospitality.
Celebrity Chef Wenford “Patrick” Simpson has created a venue that explodes with the vibrant flavors of his home country in an atmosphere that is unmatched, where you become family.
The Simpson Restaurant & Bar, guided by manager Kahlieff McKenzie, himself a Jamaican native, has quickly become an Atlantic City hotspot. On a recent Saturday with an early crowd filling the seats and as more patrons gathered, waiting their turn of indulgence, FRNJ Dine-In journeyed into the delectable inspiration of Chef Simpson
On the recommendations of Chef Simpson, McKenzie first served our appetizer, the over the top honey curry chicken wings, which in our humble opinion were the most delicious version of wings that we’ve ever tasted. With the arrival of Simpson’s Biggie Sample Platter, we were blown away at the combination of oxtail, jerk chicken, curry goat, coconut white rice, rice and beans, seasoned vegetables, and mouth watering plantains. A festive and home baked, not too sweet, cream cheese frosted, generous slice of red velvet cake was served for dessert.
A Feast of Flavor: Jamaican Classics With Soul Food Comfort
Honey Curry Chicken Wings
Simpson’s Honey Curry Chicken Wings, stand out with the perfect balance of sweet heat and curry spice. The wings are “absolutely delicious,” with a crispy finish and side kick of tangy ranch style dipping sauce.
One of Simpson’s favorite stories dates back to age 10, when he accidentally spilled curry into a cabbage dish — prompting his sister to laugh at his efforts. He said that was the moment that inspired him to become a professional chef. This inspiration is why curry appears throughout the restaurant’s menu and most heartwarming to know.
Ackee and Salt Fish
Jamaica’s national dish of salted whitefish and ackee delivered the most memorable bite. As McKenzie explained at our table side, “People say it looks like scrambled egg yolk, but when they taste it, it is different. It’s more like a burst of flavor.”
FRNJ Dine-In noted the ackee’s soft, egg like texture mixed with peppers and onions and married with salted cod provided the perfect balance of rich and savory.
Jerk Chicken
The Jerk Chicken showcases Chef Simpson’s mastery of traditional Jamaican seasoning. The dish is packed with the perfect smoky, spicy punch thanks to the Walker’s Wood jerk sauce — a brand Chef Simpson embraces for its extraordinary quality and bold flavor and perfect heat.
Oxtail and Curry Goat
The restaurant’s oxtail and curried goat were an absolute highlight! The oxtail’s Scotch bonnet pepper brought “a kick… not overpowering, just enough.” The curry goat offered an elevated warmth of Caribbean spices.
Rice and Beans, Seasonal Vegetables, and Sweet Plantains
Simpson sides deliver extraordinary Jamaican comfort. The rice and beans are cooked in coconut milk and incorporate red kidney beans while the seasonal vegetables include broccoli, carrots, cabbage, and bell peppers and are “seasoned to perfection. The caramelized sweet plantains did not go unnoticed and absolutely add to the incredible cuisine.
Macaroni and Cheese
Chef’s signature mac and cheese is reason enough and arrived steaming hot in a cast iron skillet with its lightly crispy browned top and blend of rich, creamy cheeses. McKenzie said the recipe was a personal creation by Simpson that quickly established itself and resembles “ dinner at Grandma’s house.”
Dessert: Red Velvet Cake and more by Sweet Encore Desserts
…and wow, Dessert. A moist three layer Red Velvet Cake, gently flavored, with multiple thin layers of cream cheese icing comes courtesy of Sweet Encore Desserts, a Brooklyn based confectionery that provides their sweet treats to both of The Simpson Restaurant and Bar’s New York and Atlantic City locations. Other selections include Jamaican Black Fruit Cake, a variety of cheese cakes, Blue Mountain Coffee Tiramisu, Chocolate Tuxedo Bombe and Chocolate Explosion Ala Mode.
Simpson Signature Cocktails
The Simpson Restaurant and Bar offers an array of Signature cocktails. FRNJ Dine-In enjoyed tasting both the Bob Marley and the Simpson Rum Punch. The frozen Bob Marley is layered with the aesthetic blend of Strawberry, Mango and Blue Curacao then topped with Wray and Nephew Rum. The Simpson Rum Punch is crafted with smooth Caribbean Rum and served on the rocks. Both drinks are staples at The Simpson Restaurant and Bar and will leave you, as the famous Marley song goes, “feeling alright.”
Humble Beginnings
Simpson’s transformation story begins at his youth. As a young boy Simpson needed to seek help for food from his neighbors. Chef Simpson shares that as a child, he would ask neighbors for food and watch other families gather around the dinner table. He loved how food created a reason for coming together.This difficult yet humble beginning became the spring board of perseverance toward his success. Simpson’s creative mind and relentless determination proved his ability to adjust his sails and navigate rough seas. “I never had a home, in which a family came together around food,” Simpson said in a previous interview. “When I used to go to the neighbor’s house, I watched the togetherness of families [and food]. I craved that kind of home. I wanted to recreate this for the rest of my life.”
A Manager’s Journey That Mirrors the Restaurant’s Heart
McKenzie said that is the kind of environment Simpson wants to create in Atlantic City and at all of his other restaurants. Fate would bring McKenzie to meet Simpson in Atlantic City after moving to Pleasantville from Jamaica. Like Simpson, he worked his way up from a server to where he now holds the position of general manager at The Simpson’s Restaurant and Bar in AC.
McKenzie’s admiration for Chef Simpson deepened during the restaurant’s challenging period inside the ACX1 Studio, where the first version of Simpson’s in Atlantic City struggled to be seen as it was so far off the beaten path.
Simpson, however, did not give up on Atlantic City. He cared deeply about his employees and in an unanticipated moment while driving out of Atlantic City, he came across The Simpson Restaurant and Bar’s new and now existing location. Simpson in his determined style decided to inquire about the space. It is no coincidence that here in the old Ruby Tuesday Restaurant across from the Tanger Outlets on Atlantic Avenue in Atlantic City, Chef Simpson found The Simpson Restaurant and Bar, with its heart and soul intact was destined to be planted and grow in Atlantic City.
“His heart was already in it… employees still depend on you,” McKenzie said.
The move to Atlantic Avenue in January 2026 changed everything. The restaurant now regularly fills to capacity, with lines forming outside. Lucky for all of us that Chef’s extraordinary ability to pivot has The Simpson Restaurant and Bar in the early stages of expansion into the building next door, the former Long Horn Steak House is now going to be revitalized and will be accommodating the many to come looking to experience Chef’s story and dine in Jamaican style!
“This spot is the new Atlantic City hotspot,” McKenzie said.
A Menu With Range: Jamaican Classics and Soul Food Favorites
McKenzie emphasized that the menu offers both Jamaican cuisine and American soul food. In addition to the dishes FRNJ Dine-In sampled, the restaurant serves:
- Lobster
- Ribs
- Burgers
- Fried dumplings
- Bammy (cassava cake)
- Sweet potatoes, yams, green bananas and so much more!
A Place Where Food, Culture, and Community Meet
From Jamaica’s national dishes to its Caribbean inspired signature cocktails, where spicy sweet wings blend with home cooked style, comforting mac and cheese, The Simpson Restaurant and Bar delivers a phenomenal culinary experience within Atlantic City’s growing food scene.
For locals, visitors, and food lovers across South Jersey and beyond, The Simpson Restaurant & Bar fits a destination place, an endeavor to experience … and a story still rising.
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