Negril is back: Jamaican eatery reopens on Georgia Avenue
Originally published by South Florida Caribbean News Read the original
Beloved family-owned restaurant, pushed out by Howard University’s Wonder Plaza redevelopment, cuts the ribbon two blocks north with salutes from Mayor Bowser and Jamaica’s Embassy
WASHINGTON DC (SFLCN) — Negril Jamaican Eatery, a Washington DC staple for jerk chicken, curry goat, oxtail and beef patties since 1979, has reopened on Georgia Avenue, about 18 months after redevelopment at Howard University forced the family-owned restaurant from its longtime home.
Family members, community leaders and loyal customers gathered Friday for a ribbon-cutting at the new location, 2928 Georgia Ave. NW, near Columbia Road. The building previously housed NuVegan Cafe and sits about two blocks north of Negril’s old storefront.
Pushed out by Wonder Plaza redevelopment
Negril served its last meal at 2301 Georgia Ave. NW on May 23, 2025. Howard University reclaimed the Wonder Plaza retail strip, across from its main entrance, to make way for a mixed-use project with student housing, academic space and retail.
For more than three decades, the eatery fed generations of Howard students, faculty and neighbors. Its closure left a gap on a stretch of Georgia Avenue that has since lost several other popular food spots.
Negril was founded in February 1979 by Jamaican native Earl Chinn. The brand now operates locations in Washington and Maryland.
Mayor Bowser, Jamaican Embassy salute the return
In a citation read by Natalee S. Snider, executive director of the Mayor’s Office on Caribbean Community Affairs, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser welcomed Negril back as a valued part of the District’s food and hospitality scene.
“Founded in 1979, your restaurant has since expanded its reach with locations around the DMV area, and we are proud to see it continue to successfully grow and thrive,” Bowser wrote.
The mayor also praised the restaurant for sharing Jamaica’s culture, traditions and flavors with District residents.
The Embassy of Jamaica joined the celebration. Emile Wallace Waddell, the embassy’s community relations officer, read a message from Chargé d’Affaires Lishann Salmon and presented a letter of commendation.
“For many years, Negril has been much more than a restaurant in the DMV community. It has served as a home away from home for Jamaican students and nationals, a gathering place for the wider Caribbean community, and a champion for Jamaican cuisine, culture and hospitality,” Salmon said.
Salmon called the reopening a sign of the brand’s resilience and of the loyalty generations of customers feel toward it. She said Jamaican-owned businesses help keep the island’s culture alive and accessible across the diaspora.
‘We stayed in the neighborhood’
Marguerite Chinn, who spoke for the family, traced the restaurant’s journey from its 1979 start and its long bond with Howard University.
Chinn said redevelopment plans left the family facing an uncertain future. Rather than leave the Georgia Avenue community, the family set out to find a new home nearby.
She credited her brother and her nephew, Brian Chinn, with finding and securing the new property, and thanked Trudy, a longtime supporter, for her commitment through the move.
The transition brought financial pressure, unexpected setbacks and a long build-out, Chinn said. She thanked employees, friends and supporters who stood by the family.
The most rewarding part, she said, has been the reaction of customers thrilled to see Negril return. That response, Chinn said, confirmed the family’s decision to stay in the neighborhood.
What’s next for Negril
For a business nearing its 50th anniversary, the new address marks a fresh chapter, not an ending. With its doors open again, Negril is welcoming back longtime regulars and introducing a new generation of Howard students and Washington diners to the Jamaican cooking that built its name.
Quick facts
- What: Negril Jamaican Eatery, family-owned Jamaican restaurant
- New address: 2928 Georgia Ave. NW, Washington, D.C., near Howard University
- Reopened: Ribbon-cutting held Nov. 13, 2026
- Former location: 2301 Georgia Ave. NW (Wonder Plaza), closed May 23, 2025
- Founded: February 1979 by Earl Chinn
- Known for: Jerk chicken, oxtail, curry goat, Jamaican patties
The post Negril is back: Jamaican eatery reopens on Georgia Avenue appeared first on South Florida Caribbean News.
