Im posting from memory (2007-2009) and on behalf of my pal who had a ridiculously bad experience there over the weekend.
My experience was that the food was okay but the service was always so bad that even as a 20-something not used to good service, I finally stopped going. And this was before there were so many places to eat along 53rd street. I got tired of rude cashiers and getting home to have stuff missing from the meal or the wrong side.
My poor friend (who is jamaican) ordered 4 patties--45 minutes later they bring them out, and they were literally burnt black, though someone tried to scrape some of the black off. The manager then proceeded to hide when he realized he had an angry Jamaican woman on his hands. Add in a rude cashier who had an attitude about giving a refund for inedible food and guys joking around in the back which is obviously why the food was burnt up. Don't patronize places with service like Uncle Joe's. It's been years and nothing has changed. Owner obviously doesn't read yelp.
I used to have Uncle Joe's almost weekly... but, that was about three years ago when my ex had a yen for Jamaican curry goat. Uncle Joe's fit the bill in that it was authentic, and conveniently located. It was a bit pricey, though.
I revisited this location last week, and things have not changed much. The order taker/ cashier was more friendly and personable than I remember. I had the jerk wings and they were really, really good. I enjoyed them. What I didn't enjoy was the price. I paid $8 for four (4) wings, a slice of dough bread and a can of soda. And that was the lunch special price. Not cool.
I like Uncle Joe's food but it is, in my opinion, too expensive. There are other authentic Jamaican restaurants in the city of Chicago that are cheaper.
I will return, but only if I'm stranded in the area and can't get to another Jamaican restaurant.
Good, fresh Jamaican food. I tried jerk catfish, rice and peas, and steamed cabbage. The jerk catfish was not nearly as hot as jerk stuff is at many Jamaican places I have tried, but it was excellent tasting. They offer a variety of jerk fish plates, jerk chicken of course!, curried goat, oxtail, meat pies, and the other usual Jamaican suspects.. A short walk from the Obama family home in case you happen to be in the area checking that out like I was. Very close to the Metra stop.
Review Source:My husband and I (and baby in stroller) just returned from Uncle Johns (Hyde Park location) after placing a pick up order of wings. We were told the food would be ready in 25 minutes.
Upon our arrival, we were told they "ran out of wings". No call to inform us, no nothing.
The thing is, Joes service has always been sub-par. Half the time you call for an all "white chicken dinner" they have ran out of there is a ridiculous 2 hour wait. Also, call in orders are NEVER ready at the promised time even if you purposely come later.
Well, this is the last straw. Upon our return my husband immediately removed them from our take out menus. It is such a shame, the chicken is really good.
decent food was barely enjoyed after waiting for over a half hour to get my food. not sure if i got the "new guy" treatment, but it seemed like a handful of people came in after me, ordered, and got there food before me.
I feel bad making accusations and giving a poor review, but this wait was entirely too long for a meal that appeared to be pre-made.
As mostly stated below, the food is very good but the service is horrendous. Calling ahead is no guarantee that they'll actually put the order through. And yet I keep coming back because the chicken is quite tasty. Five star food and one star service; split the difference and you get my rating.
Review Source:Well what Jamaican Jerk Chicken restaurant runs out of plantain all the time! Â I like Uncle Joe's but they are inconsistent. Â This location is upstairs in a building and it is awkward to find, and parking is dicey. Â I have never eaten in always get my order to go. Â They have not been open very long at this location so there is room for growth and improvement, I will not write them off my list yet, but intend to go back again!
Review Source:I have eaten at Uncle Joe's twice, and both times it was very good. Â The food was fresh, hot and tasty. Â I wish the prices were a bit better and the service a bit faster, but the food certainly makes up for it. Â
I'm quite disappointed to see all the negative reviews. Â Uncle Joe's is a reliable Hyde Park restaurant, and I wish the community would be more supportive.
Anyway, Uncle Joe's has great flavorful, moist, delicious chicken and hearty sides. Â Give it a try!
after my visit to MBL in search of oxtail with some awesome rice and peas ended with no food in hand or belly i was still determined to get some good west indian food and then unc joe's was found...ventured to Hyde Park and ordered some ox tail, jerk chicken, rice and peas, plantain, cabbage, and yam...good gawd, get in my belly! food was on point for sure. everything was well seasoned and the plantain were perfect...not underripe like i've had at other places before...i had so much food i def had two meals in there....the food was def on the day i went and it cured my craving
Review Source:Got Uncle Joe's for an event to feed the staffers. We ordered a tray of chicken, a tray of plantains, and a tray of rice with beans. Overall, my experience was pretty good when picking up the food. Everything seemed pretty nice. Anyway, the food itself was... pretty good. Nothing spectacular. The chicken was not as good as I had hoped. It just tasted like normal chicken with hints of jerk flavor. Additionally, the sauce that came with it was too overpowering for the chicken, so that didn't help much. The chicken wasn't very moist either, so it was overall quite plain. The plantains and rice were both pretty good though. However, nothing really stood out about either of those. They were just really tasty side dishes. So, overall, I'll rate my experience with Uncle Joe's to be 3 stars. I want to bump this up to 4, but the chicken just really underwhelmed me. Ho hum. I guess next time I'll try some of their other selections. It's definitely worth a visit.
Review Source:It takes FOREVER to get your food, so call ahead and even still you may wait when you get there. The food is hit or miss. I feel the jerk chicken is consistent, but the side dishes are not. Â The cabbage is good, but inconsistent with how it is made. Sometimes it's tender and sometimes a bit crunchy. Â The rice is usually overcooked and dry. They drench the rice in the gravy so you won't notice, but I still notice. Â The plantain is good, but inconsistent. Sometimes it's sweet and nicely carmelized and other times some pieces black inside and not sweet. Â Cost of a meal seems to be rising. Understand you cannot get lunch portions on the weekend. You are forced to get the higher priced dinner.
Review Source:Will update and say that I haven't seen the rude lady behind the counter in a while which is a plus. The young lady who I see most often now is much more pleasant and appears to genuinely care when you have an issue or problem with your oder/service.
In regards to the food it is still hit or miss. Usually when the female chef is in the Kitchen its a big hit but when she is not there it is a miss. Thats been my experience at least. Once I called in advance to find out if she was working and I was told yes...I place my order and get there and lo and behold, she was not there!! Picked up the food anyway but was not pleased at all. From now on I will go in and make sure she is there before ordering.
I have such a love hate relationship with Uncle Joe's.
The funny part is the Jerk Chicken itself is completely lackluster. Taste like regular grilled chicken without a strong jerk flavor. But I go there for the Curry Goat and stewed Oxtails. When it's on, its absolutely amazing. I could eat it non stop. But the key phrase is "when its on". There are times when it's horrible, you just have to hope you go on a good day. When I worked in the area I ate it at least once a week, and the goat ranged from tender, meaty and orgasmic to tough, try and bony.
The sides are mostly bad. The mac and cheese, candied yams and callaloo are tasteless and dry. Admittedly the pasta salad is amazing. The only consistent thing on the menu. The cabbage also isn't bad, but it's not great either
The service is so bad, it's embarrassing. The wait could range from 20 minutes to over an hour, even when you call ahead. There were many times I would phone in an order and they'll say 15 minutes, and still have to wait 30-45 minutes after I got there.
There are also many times when they are out of certain products. In fact whenever I've wanted a beef patty they were out. One of the cashiers in particular looks like her cat just died every time she's at work, and there is a loud man who works the front every once in a while who mocks customers. I think it's pretty expensive for what you get, especially when it's bad.
All in all, the restaurant has way more negatives than positives, but that damn curry goat won't let me go. If not for that, I would give this place 1 star. If you like goat like I do then you have to give it a try. But if not then stay the hell away
This place is mad slow. There are a lot of frustrated customers who have been waiting longer than 40mins to get their food. Their operation efficiency needs serious help. They have one lady answering the busy phone line, while taking orders from 10+ customers and packaging orders at the same time. Absolutely ridiculous
Review Source:Ok so the food is delicious BUT the service is horrible! They always have an EXTREMELY long wait, even if u call in advance and pick up! I have been here twice once as a walk in and another as a call and pick up customer and both times I waited over 40 minutes for my food! I will not be going back...I'm willing to travel to the other location further south!
Review Source:Uncle joe's employee's  on 51 st  hyde park need classes on customer service .I walked out the cashier taking orders while i stand there for 7 min.Then another person walks out.Prioritize people do you want my business obviously not.
The prices are too high this ain't lobster IT'S CHICKEN ,yes i said ain't.Dinner and cake ,drink $$$$16.00 tropic island on 79th rhodes here i come.
The food is great, one of the best places in Chicago to get Jamaican jerk IMO. Â Don't expect five-star restaurant service; it's akin to Harold's, which is fine. Just make sure you manage your expectations upfront ... Order your food, expect to wait about 15-20 min., and keep it moving!
Review Source:This place has really lost it's touch. Was there 7/9/10 and they served me peas and rice that had been refrigerated and not at all warmed through. They tried to place warm, not hot, red beans (peas) over top and that made it even more obvious. The plantains were cold in the middle. Â I was sooo disappointed that they would have served me a dinner that was not at all fresh and wasn't even warm. Â They've just lost my business and the business of the guest who also received this terrible dinner.
Review Source:Compared to other Hyde Park places, Uncle Joe's is a decent option and a place I would consider coming back to again. Â I decided to try the jerk chicken dinner plate (no lunch specials on weekends, fail) - $11 gets you 1/2 a chicken, beans and rice, plantains, and a side of your choice (I got creamed corn). Â I thought the chicken was just ok - I liked how they used a smoker to smoke the chicken, but I found the chicken to be really dry and a bit overcooked. Â The sides were just fine - no complaints there.
The one positive about this place is the jerk sauce. Â I swear, this sauce might be the only reason I come back to this place - it is a flavorful sauce with a bit of a spicy kick to it. Â I can't really describe it, but it might be worth coming here to try it. Â Service was okay - took about 10-15 minutes to complete our take out order, which to me seems a bit on the slow side when there aren't too many people there.
So here's the thing...in college I lived with a friend who was married to a Jamaican. All of our friends were Jamaican or some sort of Caribbean or African descent. I know I jerk. In addition, I spent a month in Jamaica touring with locals and ate homemade jerk and callaloo and plantain....
Suffice to say that I can accurately comment on the quality of this type of food. The curry goat was as I remember. Haven't had it in years...it melted in my mouth as I picked the meat off the small bones. It had been marinated and stewed properly and the spice was just right. Soo soo right.
I would have liked some jerk goat but the curry made up for it so no complaints....
The jerk chicken also was absolutely authentic. Even cut with a cleaver as is the norm. I was stunned. I was happy. The plantain was also as I remembered....I said to my friend, 'This is what I think of as comfort food.'
Yes, the service is impossibly slow. It is a Jamaican restaurant, the food does take a certain amount of time to prepare and when we were there they actually ran out of chicken. That was ok with me, it means that they are freshly cooking the stuff not just pulling it out of a freezer.
They also made me happy because they serve my favorite of all time Jamaican drink, Ting! It was beautiful to remember my comfort food....
Nastier than Janet Jackson. This food and service are just........my vocabulary is not vast enough to explain. The girls at the counter talked and joked around with each other until they decided I had been standing there long enough. I ordered "jerked" cat. It was bland. The fish was whiting and had been cooked whole without the head. The consistency of the fish indicated that the fish had not thoroughly thawed before cooking it. My rice tasted like Zatarins red beans rice and in my heart of hearts I truly believe it might have been. This place is always empty for a reason.
Review Source:Not sure if these folks at this location are just having a HORRIFIC day however I the last time I placed a to go order, the Order Taker was soo Rude that I had to Stress to him to PLEASE have a NICE DAY... we just paid $50 for a Full Meal Deal at this joint only to get home and find that the Mac - n - Cheese Looks like some Noodles with shredded cheese (barely mixed) and thats it.. It used to be ohh so creamy.. The 2 Jerk Whole Chickens.. DRY AS THE ARIZONA MOUNTAINS.. I'm soo Irritated! there is nothing like having a taste for something but end up having to drink a Gallon of Water just to Flush it down.. YUK!
Review Source:so, i know they are not known for their service, but it's not so much an issue, as long as your order about 40 minutes ahead. Â Don't recommend a dine in, but food is packed very nicely so there is no spillage for carry out.
As always, the bf orders the brown stewed chicken, and i order the oxtails. Â Both falling off the bone, and that my friends make for a good Caribbean meal. Â If it does not do that after the first bite, folks, bring it back!!! Cabbage has a great consistency, not being too soggy or crisp. Â The rice is wonderfully done, and they have huge pinto beans in them. ooooh, hmmmmm. Â
a decent price, as the helpings are huge, and enough for lunch next day. Â Can ya tell we are big on leftovers? :)
It tools me years to actually step foot in a west-indian restaurant in Chicago because I was certain Id be disappointed. Luckily, after trying out Uncle Joe's, I deemed it worthy enough to bring my very west-Indian family who all enjoyed the food. The servigs are pretty hefty!
As for the service, it's already been said. Hire more help at the register and in the kitchen, or hire new people.
For those of you complaining about the horrible service, when have you EVER known a Jamaican restaurant to offer fast service?? Â C'mon, Mon! Â You dink de service is slo, din go somewhere else! Â Seriously, Uncle Joe's has ok Jerk Chicken. Â Sides (mac & cheese) are not top notch but will fill a void. It's not unusual to spend 20-30 minutes in this place if you go here for carry out. Â They are supposed to be opening a store in downtown Chicago, if they do then they will need to learn the methodology of fast food. Â "Fast" being the operative word here.
Review Source:I called for takeout last night: two orders of 1/2 chicken dinners. Â DEEEELISH. And one dinner is enough for two meals. Â Didn't have an issue with service, but seriously you don't come to a place like this for 5 star service. Â Good for takeout. Â They got me my food quick, delicious, and with a smile. Â That's all I ask :).
Review Source:Honestly, when I go to a place like Uncle Joe's, I am not expecting five star service. Look at it, it is pretty spartan. This is a place that screams "eat, pay, and go away." Those are the places I like going to because I know the only reason they are in business is because their food is serious business. I can see how some of you all are so disturbed by the lack of finesse at the cashier, but on the other hand, let's remember, you are AT A CASHIER, not sitting in Sullivan's waiting for your kobe beef.
Ahem, now for the food. I have dreams about the jerk chicken. Wonderful dreams in which I am hunched over my foiled wrapped half chicken with the sauce that makes my soul sing everlasting praises about the world. This is serious jerk chicken, I mean, they even have a barrel in the back to grill it. Screw the service, come here to eat, not to be served like you are King of the World. Wow, I think I will grab some of this jerk chicken soon...I'm already salivating for this.
Also, the dinners are a great deal. DO IT.
Great Jerk chicken, and sometimes, nothing except Jerk chicken will do it for you. Uncle Joe's consistently gets it right. Unfortunately, the seating / decor is pretty drab, and sometimes they get a little stingy on the portions (but out of the 25+ times i've been there, its only happened two or three times). I highly recommend their candied yams, their rice, and of course, their chicken.
Also, almost never a long wait for the food. :)
I can't agree more  with Angela J. in re the HORRID service. Can I give them negative a million stars? It was that bad.
Quite possibly the worst service ever. Actually, strike that. It IS the worst service ever.
So we ordered around 2:40 for pick up. The order was easy enough. About 10 orders of jerk chicken and fish. Easy peasy, right? Apparently not. We even called before we left to pick the food up to make sure that the orders were going to be ready. Â And they said forty minutes. Â
Why did we leave there after 4pm without ANYTHING? Because they suck. Oh, and did we get offered a drink, a discount, a taste of something while we were waiting? No.
Listen, I like good food and I like supporting local businesses. However, I do not support SUCK A(# service and complete disregard for the customer, or a place that lacks any semblance of decency. Â
Can you tell how much I hated this place?
Oh! And the worst part is, the jerk chicken and fish were just okay.
5 stars=Woohoo! As good as it gets!
Inspite of this place's slightly pedophilic name, it gets 5 stars because a) I like to woohoo (so really...it's only 4.5 stars) b) For the purpose it's meant to serve----Uncle Joe's does its job. [i.e. good food, cheap, no frills.
Workers @ UJ's aren't that friendly [at all.] Not really a frilly dine-in spot. Â [For frills--go to Jah Grill on the Northside. I love that place] BUT....
The food @ UJ's is GOOD. Portion sizes are huge. Did I say the food was good?And the food is cheap. (typicall b/w 9-14 for a dinner.) My mom [who's visiting] is even raving about it.
Although it's supposedly known for its jerk chicken [they even sell bottles of Uncle Joe's Jerk Chicken Sauce], I'm not that crazy about the jerk chicken [though that's the dish my Mom is raving about---as I type.] I prefer the jerk at its Hyde Park competitor, Calypso Cafe. However, Uncle Joe's is authentic/the real deal. Calypso Cafe? Not so much.
Back to Uncle Joe's----the oxtail stew is delish! [still licking my lips.] The brown chicken stew is good, too. I am however, a bit thrown off with some of the menu items---i.e. mac n cheese. I also once substituted yams {i'm from the South so I know my candied yams) for plantain since they were out of plantain. Bad idea. Not to mention, when they do happen to have plantain [in stock], you only get 1!!! 1 big slice of plantain? Doesn't cut it.
Not a place to go and dine-in (unless you're on a super chill afternoon with a friend or a boyfriend). In that case, not too bad.
The reggae in the background music is hot. I'd buy the CDs if they sold them. [I actually suggest they dub those CDs and sell them.]
Oh....and another thing----there's a table set up inside with a bootlegger who sells all of the latest CDs and DVDs. I've never gone over to the table, but still-----gotta love it.
Cheap food, good music, huge portion sizes (I only had 4 bites and just put the rest of my dish in the fridge), bootleg guy (if that's your thing). Â Your one-stop shop.
Now.....if only I knew who Uncle Joe was? {aren't you secretly itching to see who he is, too?}
sometimes I go here & get pissed. other times I go & go to sleep smiling with an over stuffed belly.
Pros: the food is damn good
cons:
*slow as hell
*2 out of the 4 times my  oder ( brown stew chiken is my favorite) was ice damn cold)
* The ppl who work there now are not too "personable"
* DId I mention these Mfs are slow as hell
* the last batch  of mac n cheese tasted like it was made with nacho sauce.. what the hell!
Uncle Joe's on Cottage Grove is legendary for jerk chicken in Chicago. Â They've opened up a bunch of new locations, and this one does not disappoint. Â Unlike most of Hyde Park, parking is usually easy on 51st, the place is clean, friendly, plays some good old school R&B, and has a decent seating area. Â The jerk chicken and curry goat here are absolutely up to snuff, and they stock a really good brand of ginger beer. Â Probably the best thing about this location, compared to other South Side Jamaican institutions, is that you can eat here without canceling your plans for the rest of the day. Â (I get it, South Side + Jamaican = no hurry mon, but I've got places to go, people to see.) Â They'll also take call-in orders for pick-up, but if it's late in the day, towards closing, they might refuse to do so.
Most people here get their stuff to go, but there's a lot of (no-frills) seating. Â Dinner runs $9-13 for big portions of meat and seafood; dinners includes a side, one fried plantain, and the wonderest bread I've ever seen (the South Side's contribution to Jamaican culinary arts). Â Lunch runs more in the $5-8 range.
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