My taste buds LOVE spice and Ja' Grill is definitely the spot to satisfy your spicy needs.
I came here for a friend's birthday and we pretty much had about 4 tables full. I got here a little earlier and ordered drinks from the bar. They make awesomely strong drinks that don't break the bank and after 1 or 2, you feel nice. The place has 2 levels but the bottom was empty when I went, so I just peeked in and out. They play mostly reggae music, which can be expected from a Jamaican place and that was cool.
I ordered the plantains to start and the jerk tofu as my entree. Being Hispanic, I'm critical of plantains and love the many ways to fry, saute and eat them. This place definitely does the plantain justice and I commend them. They tasted soft and sweet and I knew they just weren't previously frozen from a box.
Ooh wee, the jerk tofu was spicyyy! It was amazingly flavorful was indeed very hot. I liked the texture and taste but I did have some tummy aches later in the evening. I would probably go back as the servers were prompt and the food was good, I just might need to take a Maalox before or after.
The worst customer service I've ever had by far. The hostess was  my waitress and the bar tender. Couldn't tell me about the menu and when I saw another table with Lamb chops I ask her where on the menu are Lamb chops because I didn't see them and her response was I ordered to fast and didn't give her time to tell me about the specials, WTF so anyway my food comes out 50 minutes later in a to go box and now I'm furious and she says I thought you wanted it to go because I sat at the bar. No you asked me did I mind sitting at the bar even though there was on five other customers in the restaurant.  So I say forget it because it seems to be getting worst the longer I stay so I head to work a little early to eat my food and there is no forks or knives in the bag now I hate her. I thought about her situation for a while because she was doing a lot and she is a very beautiful woman so I think of a reason to forgive her and give it one more try. I have a Groupon and it says you must make reservations so I've called them 3 times today and been put on hold and no one comes back to the phone.  I will be calling groupon for a refund. And I don't know if she's the receptionist today or what but it seems the staff needs to be replaced.  I can't tell you how the food taste because I was so mad while I was eating but if they where the last Jamaican restaurant in Chicago I would never eat Jamaican food again and just so you all now all I do is go out to eat you can look at my instagram page (Redearl ) and see
Review Source:Ja' Grill is the only Jamaican restaurant I know of, so that's the sports equivalent of needing to sink of 6 inch putt to win the Master's. Â All it needed to do was not suck and it was pretty much guaranteed a 5 from me, and not suck it does. Â I've tried pretty much everything on the menu and can pretty firmly say you should order nothing but the chicken, and at 2 dollars more than the quarter, the half is a no-brainer. Â I get mild sauce, despite what I would classify as an above-average tolerance of spice. Â The hot sauce is pretty darn hot. Â Plus you can get it delivered, which is all kinds of awesome.
Fun fact: Â on 2 separate occasions when on a date with 2 separate girls, 2 separate Ja' Grill waiters have hit on my date when I went to the bathroom.
If you don't like spicy food, then don't go to a Jamaican restaurant. Gringos need not apply here.
Had the jerk rubbed ribs served with plantains, beans, and rice. The meat was tender and well spiced, the accompanying spicy sauce served with it sent it to over-the-top goodness and was spicy to get my blood flowing, but not melting my face. Also had the bread pudding, pretty good, though a little too dense for my liking.
Service was good, music was reggae, as expected, and as must be a requirement for a Jamaican restaurant, they have a Bob Marley mural. Came with a group of 8 for a birthday and celebration and overall a nice experience and will likely return.
First off I would like to thank my friend Veronica for recommending this place, I'm a huge fan of Caribbean food and the culture and this place meets the standards by far!!
My boyfriend and I came here one day while being in the area and he surprised me and had a Groupon ($5 for $10 worth of food)
Ambiance: Small but cozy, they have a large bay window where you can sit, very pretty and intimate. My fave part is the HUGE mural of Bob Marley (There's always Jamaican music playing when I dine, btw :) The bar is impressive w/ its shelves of liquor and lighted wall....now, the bathroom is downstairs where the lounge and dance floor is, VERY small and tight!!!
Staff: I've never had a problem w/ the waitress, always friendly, and willing to explain each dish and will gladly substitute anything for your diet. All of the ppl that work that are very sweet and polite.
Now......................on to the BEST part: FOOD- I have no words but to describe it as, flavorful, tender, juicy, divine, edible, perfect, rich in flavor, cooked to perfection!!! I really, truly mean that! I ordered the jerk chicken w/ rice and beans, sweet plaintains, and cabbage. I had not one bad thing to say about my meal. They have 2 jerk sauces, one is mild, while the other is hot, i had  mild and it was a hint of spice, not overwhelming. My BF had the chicken pattie which was great! If your'e not familiar w/ Caribbean food, they have these lightly breaded fried meat patties, u can choose frm chicken, curry, beef, etc........they're great for first timers and an appetizers. You can dio them in the jerk sauce. He also ordered the jerk shrimp, now the shrimp was huge and tasted great but.......we noticed there was a diff jerk sauce used. The sauce that came w/ my chicken was lihjy and fluidity, while as the sauce that was served w/ the shrimp was much thicker and a tad sweet, again it was still good but he would've preferred the more liquidity sauce.
Service: didn't  have to wait long at all, the waitress always came back to check on us.
PLEASE go and give them a try, im sure you wont be disappointed and it's very affordable and delicious. Definitely makes my list for authentic, Jamaican cuisine! :)
I went last night with my boyfriend; we made a reservation for 6pm and it was Saturday. We got there right at 6 and were seated promptly. The restaurant was not crowded, but I think from when we arrived to when we left, there was a constant stream of people coming in and filling up the restaurant.
We ordered fried plantains to start, and both chose the oxtail stew as our entrees. We waited and waited and the plantains weren't coming; after about 25 minutes, the stews came out. We asked the waitress about the plantains, and she said she would bring them out, and, like a pro, promptly offered to take them off of our bill.
The oxtail stew was AMAZING. I was so happy the whole time I was eating it. I found myself nodding and probably grunting happily to myself, and I noticed my boyfriend also nodding occasionally while eating. The meat was so tender and delicious, and the rice and vegetables went so well with the oxtail. It was the best thing I've had in a very long time.
We had a Groupon, but it is a little pricey. On the other hand, oxtail stew.
IRIE!! I went on a Saturday night for a birthday party. The food was delicious!! Â I had the jerk chicken dinner with rice and peas. I tasted my friends order of the jerk catfish and curry shrimp; they were also good dishes. The curry was way too spicy for me though. The restaurant is small and does not have a lot of room to move around. Especially if the place is packed, and it was that night.
The best part came after dinner. We went downstairs to the "lounge" for the music. Warning- it's not for the claustrophobic. It reminded me of a small basement house party setting. But the music... OFF THE CHAIN!! The DJ had me dancing all night! Reggae, Dance, old and new R&B... I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I'm not sure if the Saturday night DJ is their regular, but he was smoking hotttt! The bar downstairs kept the libations flowing and the bar maid was friendly and engaging. Seating is limited for those who prefer to people-watch than to dance.
Ja' Grill is definitely a place I would return for good authentic Jamaican cuisine, and to get my reggae "dutty wine" dance on!!
This Caribbean joint was a nice surprise right off the armitage stop. The atmosphere is pretty unique (cool decor and environment) and the food is good, especially for the price. The menu isn't huge but it covers all of the essential dishes, my date and I had the jerk pork and chicken. Both were tasty (I think they could've been spicier but I'm picky). The chocolate rum cake wasn't anything special but it was still good. They have a ton of drinks and good specials, and on busy nights they have another section for live music and such.
The only real downfall of this place was the service. It was good up until the end, where me and my date ended up waiting 30 mins for our check, even after asking for it. It may be the Caribbean laid back environment, but we were there for a long time.
Regardless, a great place if you're looking for some fair priced jerk food.
Atmosphere: 8.5/10
Service: 6.5/10
Food: 7.5/10
Ordered from Ja' Grill for delivery through grub hub.
The food came relatively quickly, actually before the time estimated, and it was a saturday night so I was very impressed.
The food came piping hot! That's always a plus when it's delivery.
And more over, the food was Good.
Ordered the jerk chicken and the jerk catfish.
The meats were great. The chicken was tender and the catfish was juicy. The jerk seasoning was flavorful but not too salty, and the hot sauce... sooooo good.
The sides of rice & beans and cabbage went well with the meats and were in generous portions.
Topped off the meal with a caramel apple bread pudding that made me smile when I put it in my mouth! Sweet, warm, soft, bread pudding that was not overly buttery but so fluffy. The caramel sauce was also not too saccharine and gave it just the right melty-gooey extra goodness.
I'd definitely order here again, and in fact added this to one of my delivery faves.
I thoroughly enjoyed my experience here. We beat the crowd on a Sunday's brunch day which was perfect.
We started with the jerk lamb chops...can we say addictive? I then ordered my fav jerk chicken (white meat) and the extra jerk sauce on the side was divine. The heat did not disappoint. I'm not a fan of hard dough (Booooo!) so I added cocoa bread which was the first time I was ever able to get in Chicago. That alone made the stock go up 10 points.
The staff were friendly & helpful. We stayed until the restaurant completely filled up sipping mimosas & catching up between bites.
This is not authentic Jamaican food. Â One sauce was too salty, the other not jerked properly. Â The rice and cabbage are not prepared properly. Â The plantain is not ripe. Â The rum cake is not even close to anything a self-respecting Jamaican would eat.
If you want to try real (and great tasting) Jamaican food, please find it elsewhere. Â You will also save money in the process. Â The food here is expensive, but that may be because of the restaurant location.
I went with some friends for lunch and was unimpressed. The food was boring - especially the salad my friend ordered which consisted of a few pieces of lettuce and some chicken.
Beyond mediocre food was the sub-par service. We were literally the only people in the restaurant on a Friday at 1:00pm and could not get anyone's attention. Waters were empty, no napkins, etc.
Over priced food and bad service are all I can recall from my experience at Ja' Grill
Well, when I first came to Ja'Grill it was with my Diner Club everything was amazing!
The staff was great, the food was amazing, the drinks were on point, so of course I had to to go back with my friend and experience this place all over again!
The sparkles were out of my eyes and the great feeling I had when I first came here was gone, I truly can't say what the problem was but my fish was dry and the service wasn't as good!
I mean the first time I came with the group I had no problem finding my waitress this time it was like where in the world is the waitress...it was annoying especially after I had boasted about the service and the food!
When the group was done eating some of us went downstairs to their little dance area and I do mean little but we still had fun, the bartender was great, I'm not going to lie at first we thought she was kind of stuck up and stand offish but that girl was fun and her drinks...yummmmy!
I didn't go down to the dance area the second time it was earlier in the day!
The restroom was also very small but it was clean!
The price is also kind of pricey...Oh that reminds me I was paying with cash and a card because I had spent a little more than I had planed I want to say that the change on the bill was like .06 cent and when I handed the waitress my 20.06 she handed me back my .06 and said "Sorry, we don't take change here!" I was dumbfounded I didn't even have a response to her, I just took my little pittance and dropped them back into my coin purse, that gets a overwhelming "REALLY?"
If I was in the area I would probably go back just to see if the second time I went was an off day but I wouldn't make a special trip!
Great food with awesome flavor! I got the chicken soup. It's also close, walkable distance from my apartment so that's always a bonus as well. The wait staff was fast and very helpful and I loved that they had a live DJ there playin' some funky reggae.
All in all, will certainly go back, but probably only if I pass it and am hungry.
This is the second time I have had their food and it did not disappoint!!! Â I went here with my husband about 3 years ago and had the curried goat and went to heaven. I thought it had closed since they were not answering the phone, but to my surprise are still going. We ordered delivery last night and it was amazing! Â I got the goat again and it was just as good as last time - amazing consistency over the years. This chef is fantastic! Â Highly recommended!
Review Source:I'll start off by saying this was my first time trying caribbean food and it may just not be my thing. But it didn't seem to be anybodies thing at our party of 4 table.
First we had a 8:15 reservation which didn't seem to matter because we had to wait at least 30 minutes. Once we got seated we were informed there was only one server for the whole restaurant. Which explains why we had to wait about 15 minutes for a drink order. On top of that our table was right by the door and freezing! And the music was so loud I couldn't hear the person across the table from me.
The food: I like spicy but our shrimp was too much, the kind of spicy where you lose any flavor except hot. I did eat all my shrimp though. Chicken decent. Sides terrible: white rice, cabbage, white dense bread, ice berg lettuce with below par tomatoes. I would expect those sides at a soup kitchen.
But hey the place was packed! So like I said it may just not be my thing but I think I have pretty good taste in food.
So a little far away from my well, I guess hood is the shortened name for it, but I felt like jerk chicken, so I find Ja Grill. Â Got pickup on a Thursday or something, and the place was completely empty. Â Don't know why, but that should change. Â I ordered the jerk wings (2 orders) and they were both amazing. Â My gf got the jerk chicken, and something else, but I didn't really care because the jerk wings are fantastic. Â I want to try more, but for now, solid 5 stars on the jerk wings. Â Please note that this review is only on the jerk wings. Â Their good. Â Get em! Â Jerk Wings.
Review Source:Note that I rarely give 5 stars. Went here on a Monday night with the girlfriend. Place was not busy. Right away the waitress / hostess was very attentive and super friendly, which is a rare occasion on a slow Monday night in my dining experiences.
Started off with cocktails and a few Red Stripes. $3 Red Stripes and half price wings on Monday nights? Boom! We ordered the tilapia special and the half jerk chicken. Both were AMAZING. Both were cooked perfectly, tender and juicy. The tilapia was served with a veggie mix that was lightly sauteed and not greasy at all. The chicken came with cabbage, rice and beans and Jamaican bread. Everything was delicious. And don't forget to ask for the Jamaican hot sauce. Delicious. Â
Also, 5 stars for ambiance. There is a huge Bob Marley mural on one of the walls, very cool. They were pumping out reggae beats (perfect volume level), and the loungy red lighting and classy iron chandelier all made for a cool, laid back vibe. I highly recommend this joint.
I thought I was doin' somethin' special by makin' an <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2FOpenTable.com&s=c91bdbc3a0ec574526e58696cba3aeccf3c9f0bf51b27a302b229c80b40f42ac" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://OpenTable.com</a> reservation for: Â *Tuesday - 8/7/12*
The best? Â NO, it's definitely not the best I've ever had.
Bottom line, our food was quite disappointing. Â For me, the best thing about my meal (Jerk Catfish Entree), were the plaintains. Â For him, the bornday boy, he wasn't too impressed w/his jerk chicken wangs either.
The bill $76.65+10$ tip = A $86.65 disappointment (major)
ByTheWay-Meh, I've experienced better IN Chicago AND Ocho Rios-ImJustSayin'
*Throws menu in the recycling bin....my review is done.*
Food is delicious. I'm always happy and full when I come here. The portions are huge so there's always enough left for a full meal the next day. This latest time the service was good. We sat at the bar and chatted it up so I think that helped make our experience better. A lot of the tables there had to come up to the bar and request their check or request a drink or whatever. My out of town friend asked me what that was all about and I remember that yes, usually the service is really slow. You have to have a laid back (think Island!), no hurry attitude when you come here.
So... in the future, I think I am definitely going to sit at the bar if I can. It made for a relaxed, good, easy going time.
I was close to giving this place 1 star, but I felt that was a little too harsh. Â Service was terrible (parties of 6+ have an automatic 18% gratuity, which I'm normally fine with, but this was just undeserved), we waited for ages for someone to even bring us menus (and that obviously set the tone for the meal), and there were only a few other tables filled.
Bottom line: The food was uber-bland & the service left something to be desired. Â Skip it.
If Bob Marley could eat one more Jamaican dish, he probably would go to Ja' Grill for it. That's how good this place is. The catfish is tender, with a crisp spicy tangy sauce that makes you drool just to think about it. All dishes come with rice, beans, salad and sweet plantains and unlike some Jamaican places out there, they do know how to cook those sweet plantains and how to leave the rice with the exact amount of poppy seeds so that you start enjoying a meal instead of wondering whether you are about to eat a seed or a bean and hurt your teeth in the process (plus that awful after taste that comes along with it).
Their oxtail is just as great, with plenty of meat and a good curry sauce. If you are wondering about their bread then stop, because all you need to do about it is eat it 'cause its so good and sweet, almost like a French bread but not quite.
Their portions are huge and unless you are starving you'll probably have leftovers for another meal, which is amazing because their price is very decent (even for delivery).
Totally go here if you love those Jamaican dishes.
Bombaaat! Sorry for the profanity, but it was necessary. Â Upon returning stateside after living in Jamaica for three years - I was 100% convinced that the only place I could find properly cooked Jamaican food was Jamaica. Â Jerk chicken was never spicy or tender enough, and the remainder of the dishes are practically impossible to find. Â I was plagued with irrational cravings for fried plantains, festival, rice and peas, ital stew, callaloo, jerk chicken, stewed chicken, ackee and saltfish, with no ability to satiate these needs.
Until now. Â
This is, THE BEST, hands down, Jamaican restaurant I've found in the states, to date. Â In fact, it would be a miracle if I ever found a restaurant that was even close to the caliber that this one met. Â The food is simply authentic. Â I'm convinced that not even some Jamaicans can prepare their food this well. Â This was grandmother's cooking replicated to perfection.
I simply do not think I can rave enough about this place. Â And yet I still will. Â If the $18 all-you-can eat brunch of to-die-for Jamaican food does not entice you enough (you're crazy, and also, you probably don't know Jamaican cooking), then go and get a bloody mary. Â Never in my life have I had such a perfectly seasoned bloody mary. Â It had heaven in it, by the name of jerk seasoning.
About 15 of my closest friends (who also lived in Jamaica) and I enjoyed this meal together. Â When the extremely bashful Jamaican chef came out of the kitchen we gave him the biggest and most deserved round of applause. Â Again, BIG UP to unu!
Sidebar: I'm so glad I wrote this review without reading any of the other Yelper's reviews. Â So much negativity for this place, and it boggles my mind. Â The only thing I took from it is that I need to go to NYC and find another Jamaican restaurant to compare, which makes complete sense.
The spicy sauce that you can request is amazing. Very spicy but not the "burn your stomach" kind of spicy. Its more like a deep, smoky spicy that just tastes amazing when you dip your choice of protein to it.
I tried the pork ribs, catfish, and chicken. My favorite was probably the pork ribs. The catish would have rivaled the ribs but it didn't come as a filet and was pretty difficult to eat.
Small place in lincoln park. I would make reservations.
Unfortunately this was really a "Meh" experience for me, perhaps it's what I ordered. Â
I ordered a vegetarian/vegan entree and chose seitan as my "meat" option. Â I believe the other option was tofu and I just don't care for tofu. Â Overall the flavors were really good and I also enjoyed the cabbage, but the seitan was the packaged Upton's seitan and I felt it didn't really mesh very well with the entree -- the texture was the biggest problem. Â I'll give JG another shot if my bf wants to return, but it's not something I'd go running back for.
Who doesn't like Chicken and Waffles? Â It's a southern classic. Â Well, what about JERK Chicken and waffles? Â That's right... I said it... Jerk Chicken and waffles! Â I haven't been to Ja Grill in a while but my recent trip to Miami had me craving Jamaican food. Â You probably never though of having Jamaican food for brunch but it's amazing!
When we first got there I had a spicy Bloody Mary. Â Yum YUM! Â It had the perfect blend of spices and was potent! Â I'm so glad they are right next to the train! Â I ordered the brunch. Â It's all you can eat from a huge list of items. Â I had the jerk chicken, waffles, curry goat, rice and peas, and fruit salad. Â The jerk chicken had great flavor and was moist. Â I dipped a piece in the in the spicy jerk sauce that was on the side and ate it with a bite of fluffy waffles dipped in the rummy syrup. Â PERFECT! Â I couldn't have asked for a better bite. Â The curry goat was spicy and flavorful. Â I could have eaten a whole plate of it. Â The rice and peas was the perfect thing to help cool the spiciness of the curry. Â A fruit salad afterwards was just the perfect thing to cool me down after the spicy bloody mary, spicy jerk sauce, and spicy curry goat. Â
I'm already thinking about my next trip... Â When you want an out of the box brunch spot, head to Ja Grill!
I would go back. Â My review is mixed for Ja' Grill.
Let's get to the good. Â I like the variety of the menu. Â This restaurant introduced me to the jerk lamb chop that I'm in love with and will be trying to duplicate at home sometime. Â I also like the jerk pork here. Â However, that is where my like of the food stops. Â The ambiance is very nice. Â At night, I like the music. Â I like the decor. Â The service is adequate. Â The alcoholic drinks were pretty good as well. Â
The not so good. Â Except for a few limited dishes the food is really not that good. Â The beans and rice is always too dry. Â I had the curry chicken and did not even want to eat it. Â So there are some kinks to work out with some of the dishes. Â The food is very pricey in my opinion. Â The servings are okay, but not always worth what you pay for them. Â
If you are looking for a good Jamaican food restaurant, you should attempt somewhere first. Â However if this one is close to you and you just want to get your craving satisfied, Ja' Grill is perfectly adequate. Â They are also often on Groupon Now.
This little slice of Jamaica was the perfect escape from the crazy St. Patricks Day partying! Â Though all I had to eat was a beef patty and a curry chicken patty, they were both very tasty - made me homesick (for the Jamaican restaurants I frequented in NYC).
The bartenders were very sweet and personable - we really enjoyed talking to them. Â As for drinks, I hightly recommend the Kingston Cosmopolitan, but the rum punch did me feel like I was in Jamaica chilling on the beach!
I made reservations for a fairly sized group (6 people) for a birthday but we arrived 20 minutes late. The place was packed at 9:15pm on a Friday night so understandably, we were told that our table was taken and told to wait. We went to the lounge downstairs and waited for, I kid you not, 1 hour and 15 minutes. I've never in my life had to wait so long for a table, considering the fact that I actually HAD made a reservation. That didn't matter to them though. By the time the hour had passed, our group had reduced to four people, and we finally got our table (if we had had 4 in the first place, seating wouldn't have been an issue).
After that fiasco, I was ravenous. We ordered some appetizers: honeywings, a beef patty and cornbread. THE CORNBREAD WAS AMAZING, GET IT, and I don't say that lightly!! The most melt-in-your-mouth, sweet, airy cornbread you've ever tasted. Went super well with everything.
I ordered Jerk Chicken, since this was my first adventure into a Jamaican restaurant. It came with a side of rice, plantains, cabbage. It was also very delicious and filling; I'd recommend it 100 times over.
Service was pretty good, waitress was sorry for our long wait, and accommodated us well for our birthday surprise. The place has a live DJ which I thought was pretty neat. When the waitress came out with the cake and candles, the DJ played a track of someone singing Happy Birthday and all eyes were on our table, which totally beats Cheesecake Factory's singing troupe. It was one of the most intimate experiences at a restaurant for a birthday I've ever had! Definitely recommend it for anyone celebrating a birthday!!
Overall, the food almost made up for the sucky wait time. Almost.
4 stars.
What's better than chicken & waffles on a Sunday morning?
Jerk Chicken and Waffles on a Sunday morning.
I work at a studio a few doors down, so I've been here more times than I care to admit. Â The dinners are good, though I tend to sway more towards the curry than the jerk (curry goat for the win). Â But whoever decided that they would pair their jerk chicken with waffles knows that when you add one good to another good, you get a great start to the morning.
Their waffles are hit or miss. Â Sometimes they're hard throughout, but most times they're a little crispy on the outside, and delightful all the way through. Â And the butter-rum syrup... Â I just had to wipe a little bit of drool from the corner of my mouth. Â I probably shouldn't drink it on its own, but one of these days I'll probably try.
They have a tendency to run out of things (a big yelp no-no), but with the exception of the ox-tail which didn't do it for me at all, it's hard to go wrong on their menu.
If you're there in the evenings, and they haven't run out of it (ask before you order), saving some room for their bread pudding is never a bad idea.
Ja' Grill was my first time having Jamaican/West Indian cuisine, and it was great! Â My boyfriend suggested we have lunch here so we decided to go! The restaurant was clean, the staff was courteous - our waitress was attentive and pleasant and we didnt have to wait forever to get our food after placing our orders.
I had the jerk catfish - and it was absolutely delicious. My sides included cabbage, beans and rice and plantains. I would've liked a few more plantains w/ my order - but I guess I could've ordered more.
I would recommend this spot to anyone looking for a West Indian/Jamaican eatery - and will definitely be back to try other menu items.
Good food. Â Being from NYC and of West Indian descent, I've had lots of Jamaican/West Indian food and while this wasn't the best I've ever had (gotta go to NYC for that-shout out to Brooklyn and the Bronx, esp. White Plains Road), it was good. Â Not great, not stupendous, just good. Â If there was a 3.5 star designation, I'd give it to Ja'Grill. Â Made an Open Table reservation with ease, even though there's probably no need to. Â Our waitress was cool, had a fun attitude, and provided her recommendations. Â Some suggestions:
1.  I had the veggie patty appetizer, which was soft and microwaved.  Please, please, please stop microwaving food, the consumer can tell !!!!!  You can't microwave a defrosted pastry! In the long run, it costs less to make the patties homemade.  Let folks buy the Tower Isle (frozen) patties from  their grocer's freezer.  Push the fresh patties, then more people will order,  you don't have to charge exorbitantly for it, and you can change the fillings (chicken, veggie, and beef) as demand dictates.
2. Â My main dish was the jerk catfish, and the catfish was cooked and spiced well. Â My friend had the jerk chicken (which she liked, but I thought it was well cooked, but missing some kick). Â I could not believe the only pepper sauce they had was jerk sauce (hot or mild). Â In many West Indian families, there's a member who can prepare homemade hot sauce, or scotch bonnet pepper sauce. Â It has a long shelf life, and you'll have a condiment no one in the neighborhood can offer. Â If it's good enough, you can bottle and sell it. Â
3.  There's a tendency for Jamaican restaurants that aren't in Jamaican neighborhoods to "dilute" the flavor for mainstream  ("American") tastes.  I'm sure a pretty good percentage of folks who live in Lincoln Park visit, or have visited the Caribbean.  Don't be afraid to be what you are.  If something's too spicy, like the Jerk Chicken, okay,  maybe you tone it down, a little - or give them an extra piece of hard dough bread to chew on.  But people come for the experience of authentic Jamaican food.  So give it to them.  Stop cutting corners thinking folks don't know what authentic West Indian cuisine is.  If you make it, folks will come.
4. Â Further the presentation where Jamaican restaurants "cup" the rice and peas (tender and moist, with a delicate coconut milk flavor, oh yeah!) is really pretty old-fashioned and needs to go. Â Hey, my rice is shaped like a cone, is it rice, is it ice cream? Or, is it rice and peas? Â It's rice and peas, and I'm cool with that. Â If that's a method of keeping tabs on the portion size, I'm sure you can work that out as well.
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The music was cool and I was fine with the volume, selection and vibe. Â A good looking crowd on a Sat. evening too! Â Specialty drinks were fairly priced and well made. Â And overall, the vibe was good. Â Despite my above issues, I'll visit again. Â Maybe next time, I'll tote my own homemade hot sauce, sample appetizers at the bar, and check out the crowd.
Great food! Â The restaurant is cozy and welcoming. Â The music is fun (a little too loud, but I feel like such a mom saying that!) Â I got jerk chicken, which I KNOW is such a stereotypical jamaican food, but it was delicious!!!!! Â The chicken was amazing as were the vegetable sides and rice. Â My girlfriend was also non-stop raving about the ox tail stew. Â
The delicious food aside, the service was so-so. Â The waitress never came back to refill my drink, and they were out of corn bread (boo!)
Great restaurant, and will likely be back!
The food looks tasty!.. but thats about it.
Dont rely on my review for dine-in service. The lady helping me did seem very helpful and the place inside is cozy- it looks like it seats maybe 30 people and it has a bar. I called for the jerk chicken platter for take out, my food was ready in under 15 min, which is great in by book!.
Now, here is where my review goes downhill-- the 15$ i wasted on fake jerk chicken. If you have never had jerk chicken, then maybe you will love this place- the portions are pretty big the chicken is succulent ( but not juicy) and their jerk sauce is very unique from other sauces the general public is used to ( bbq, buffalo, teriyaki, etc). But guys, this is jerk chicken STRAIGHT OUT OF A BOTTLE FROM THE SUPERMARKET. I know this why? .... because i tried making jerk chicken for myself one day... i bought the ingredients and made it.. it came out okay, but it was not jerk chicken, it was random spiced chicken.
It comes with rice and kidney beans ( called rice and peas), cabbage and 4 pieces of plantains. The rice was average, cabbage was below average ( was not spiced right) and the plantains were SOO DRY! I was going to order another set of plantains over the phone and after i actually ate them, i was so happy that they ran out!
Overall- this is not real jerk. For real jerk, please please try Mr. Browns lounge! I spent the same amt of money @ mr browns for food that was ten times better! And someone mentioned that mr browns is spicier, and i disagree. The chicken @ mr browns is not spiecier by any means, but the rice is a little hot there. HOWEVER, the spices used @ mr browns is more authentic and idk how they got it to taste like jerk chicken from the island, but they did.
Food was DRY DRY DRY. As Katrina R said- certainly edible, definitely not memorable.
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