Brisas

★★★★☆ 4.3 (87) • $$

"Even the veggies were good! And those Caribbean wings were jamming. My coworkers picked up tacos and beef stew and they were also raving. I can't wait to go back and try some other dishes. The service was excellent and it's a really cool space. I did spot Blantons and Bookers behind the bar for those whiskey lovers."

Jerk Masters

★★★★☆ 3.9 (84) • $

"This is the best and literally the only place where I get Jamaican food in the triangle! The food is consistent and the portion sizes are amazing! I get oxtail and the sauce is never too salty. However, it is very flavorful. I'm going to give it a 10 out of 10 please give this restaurant a try and you will not be disappointed. It is a takeout restaurant, so prepare yourself for that. I also would recommend trying the macaroni and the sweet potato cake."

Where's The Jerk

★★★★☆ 3.7 (44)

"Excellent flavor, increíble cornbread. Fair price worth every penny. Super satisfied & lamb-chops were so tender."

Jamaica Bites

★★★★☆ 3.9 (71)

"Mmmm everything was so tasty and the portions were huge! I am still dreaming of that jerk chicken. I would honestly say it's the best one I've had - it was smoky, flavorful, and if you get the spicy sauce, super spicy! The veg stew was also fantastic.I love that your entrees come with cabbage, plantains, and a choice of rice. Get the Callaloo rice and you won't regret it. I think I will be getting that every time I go.Rum raisin cheesecake was a dessert that they had available the day that we came so naturally we had to try it. It was a bit heavy on the rum for my preference but my husband was raving about it!Definitely check them out if you're in the area."

Angies Jamaican Grill

★★★★★ 4.6 (60) • $$

"Angies was my little secret for about 6 months and I completely forgot to review them. The first time I tried their food I immediately knew they were easily the best Caribbean spot in the Raleigh/Durham area. The food was SO good, portions were big, they are one of the only places with an actually great mac and cheese, and the staff was really friendly.The oxtail is so flavorful and has the perfect amount of everything. They are my favorite oxtails I have tried at a restaurant here actually. The rice is also so good- it is cooked in coconut water and has such a good flavor to it that goes with the food. However this past time I ordered I did not taste it so I'm not sure if they stopped doing that.The rasta pasta is just as good as everyone says. It's definitely enough to split between 2-3 meals or people, and they are very generous with how much oxtail they give you. The whole dish was a 10000/10. Recently, Angies went viral, which is great for them! I would give them some grace as it is probably hard to handle this amount of traffic now. The restaurant used to be fairly empty, they always answered the phone, and the food came out fast. This past weekend I placed an order online and it told me it would take 45 minutes, then when coming in 45 minutes later it took an additional 31 minutes. They also never picked up my calls when I kept trying to check in with how much longer it would take. The restaurant was extremely packed. Also, I ordered curry chickpeas and got curry chicken. I didn't realize until I got home unfortunately.If you want to eat here now I recommend really planning for it but I think the food is well worth it."

Jamaica Jamaica

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (156) • $

"Jamaica Jamaica Restaurant is truly authentic Caribbean cuisine the is the true toe recipes of Jamaica's famous food at it's best.Bob Marley would feel right at home with the nutritious vegetarian meals, pescatarian (seafood) meals, goat grabbing meats, pork meals, beef meals, poultry meals, diet conscious dieters meals, low calorie meals, and excellent beverages, served in their indoor dining room, outdoor café tables, take out meals, delivery meals, and catering for large groups.If you have never been to Jamaica Jamaica on highway 55 in Durham, NC.I highly recommend the charming restaurant which also offers live and recorded music from the Caribbean Islands, Of Jamaica, Trinidad, Tobago, Barbados, Saint Licia, Grenada, Dominica, Saint Vincent, Grenadines, Aruba, Saint Kitts, the Bahamas, Cuba, Haiti, The Dominican Republic, Anguilla, Antigua, Barbados, Puerto Rico, Saint Barthélemy,, Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, Curaçao, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Turks and Caicos, and other Islands too."

Jerk Man Island Cuisine

★★★★☆ 4 (21)

"Update- they added fried salmon bites to the menu and now our official regular order is one plate with curry goat with rice and mac and another with fried salmon bites with yams and mac. The goat and salmon are both divine. Huge portions, hot, flavorful, enough food for up to 4 people, you get your money's worth, and extremely satisfying."

SaYum Jamaican Food

★★★★☆ 3.9 (43) • $

"Leaving out the "Why the hell am I here?" portion of the story, lets fast forward to food, shall we? *the train & rail systems have more issues than Harper's Weekly**Little did this town with a population slightly north of Bozeman, Montana foresee the rush of delayed travelers before it's early screeching halt. In we poured and the register sang Zippidy Doo Da out of its cash drawer.I sat sipping and supping the delicious brown drippings sauce of Ox Tail marrow, onion and carrot that seductively absorbed into my brown rice, you sexy thing. An unusual suspect of shredded cabbage joined the mix in its own individual to go box compartment. Chunks of tender Ox Tail tipped the scales to a triple digging meal session. Two of the three sessions occurring in the train leaving the fragrant yet pungent sent of Jamacian spices."

Hady International Food Restaurant

★★★★★ 4.5 (100)

"12/29/2022-This was my first time trying this spot. If you're not familiar with the area you may miss it. It's located within a strip of stores, if not mistaken it's beside a laundromat and barbershop/nail salon. The food wasn't bad but first glance it's looks very oily but it was very flavorful. This was my first time trying egusi (chicken) and fufu. The restaurant was undergoing cosmetic changes and from what I could see it's going to be very nice. They had a couple hand painting the artwork on the wall which was very beautiful along with much talent. The staff is very friendly and didn't mind asking questions for items you are not familiar with. The prices are kind of high but then again you're paying for authentic made to order food. Once I ordered it took about 15 minutes or so to prepare but I was happy it was fresh. The menu offers a wide variety of entrees, appetizers, and drinks. Some of the drinks look freshly made. If I have the taste for egusi I definitely know where to go."

Caribbean Kicker Food Truck

★★★★☆ 3.5 (8)

"Food Truck Time: Caribbean Kicker at HollyFest in Holly SpringsI tried this food truck at an event and it took a total of 50 minutes from the line to order to receive my food (the majority of time waiting was to get my food). I ordered the Island Shrimp Bowl. It was rice and shrimp with a sauce and seasoning, I wanted more ingredients to the bowl than that. It was good but there was too much rice to the other ingredients and the shrimp were a tad overcooked. The main driver behind my review outside of the basic bowl is the wait time, my husband visited two food trucks and returned before I got my food."

Ama'Gees Jamaican Cuisine

★★★★☆ 4.4 (13)

"We came across this truck, with a very long line, at a First Fridays event in Durham. The line moved slowwwwly - I think it was almost an hour between joining the line and getting the food.Unfortunately, though they hadn't crossed anything out on their menu (PLEASE cross out menu items if you're out of them, food trucks - no one wants to wait in line for 30 minutes only to discover you don't actually have what you say you have), literally TWO things were left for us to choose from by the time we got to the window, neither of which were our original choices. I was looking forward to the saltfish and ackee, something I haven't found since I left Los Angeles. Too bad! Jerk chicken or brown sauce chicken only.Left no choice, we got one of each.The jerk chicken was unfortunately very dry, but the flavor was great, a blend of spices that all hit right in the back of the throat. The brown sauce chicken was a little more tender, and, I thought, even more nuanced in its spice blend. Their cabbage salad was coconutty and full of little surprise gems like sweet potatoes and carrots.I'd try it again if the line were shorter and they actually had most of the things on their menu available to sell."

Jamaican Grille

★★★★☆ 3.8 (96)

"Ordered via uber eats the jerk and curry chicken sampler with sides of plantain and macaroni and cheese. Beyond delicious. Fast service. Hefty portion."

Mum's

★★★★☆ 3.8 (108)

"I am upgrading Mum's to a 5 star experience. I gave them a chance again today, and my food was delicious. I was feeling home sick today and wanted some Jamaican soup, beef patties, and black cake. My cravings can be that of a pregnant woman. Raised by Jamaican grandparents from Kingston, I know good food. I first tried the curry goat here last year and was pleased. Today, I had the chicken soup, beef patties and a very moist black cake. Soup was excellent with dumpling and carrots. The Patties were nice and spicy. The black cake was a dream. I may need to order a whole cake. Everything was piping hot upon delivery. Thank you mum's for feeding a home sick belly."

Boricua Soul

★★★★★ 5 (1)

"I visited here over the weekend they have a very nice spot.The staff was very friendly and inviting to me. It was my first time here they helped me with some recommendations. I ended up getting the Boricua Soul Bowl, Empanadas, Wings and the Watermelon Lemonade. I will say the food was worth the drive very flavorful fresh, I love their twist on Puerto Rican Food. The lemonade was a great addition to the food I'm usually not fond of watermelon as it doesn't have strong taste. The juice was the perfect balance. I will definitely be back for seconds!"

Levys Jerkstand

★★★★☆ 3.9 (14)

"Was at the food truck rodeo in downtown Raleigh and wanted to try the jerk food at Levy's. The line was very long and the place was recommended by people who were in lone waiting. We only ordered one item, the jerk/bbq wings that came with one side. And yes, the wing sauce was both jerk and bbq mixed. Not as spicy as a normal jerk sauce because of the mix with bbq but very good together. The wings were cooked well and still juicy and meaty. Came with one side and they had a great list of side but we tried the rice and peas. If you have never had it, it is rice with red beans with a little spice. We would recommend compared to plain white rice. The menu had great variety and we would have liked to tried the curry goat and brown chicken, however, we went to 4 trucks before this stop because it was the food truck rodeo. The line was long but moved pretty smooth and all the food was hot and fresh. Great friendly staff. Food was packed in closed boxes with silverware and bagged. This was great since we were taking it home and went to other trucks at the event. We will definitely be back for more. Very authentic Jamaican food."

Island Coconut Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4.3 (22)

"Do not sleep on the jerk pork plate from this truck. They will LOAD your container with so many pieces of blackened yet fall-apart tender pork that it'll be hard to open it without it exploding. They leave allllll the delicious fat on, as they should (but not enough places do) so the flavor is intense enough to stand up to the also naturally intense jerk seasoning. The mac and cheese side is great, and the rice and peas are surprisingly coconutty (I guess not hugely surprising given the name of the truck). 'More peas' would be my one nitpick, but it's a small one."

9.19 Island Cuisine

★★★★☆ 4.3 (132) • $$

"The ox tail here is amazing! My husband and I come back over and over for it. No one else in the area can quite get it right like 9.19 island cuisine!"

Virgil's Jamaica

★★★☆☆ 2.9 (32) • $

"We had lunch from Virgil's Jamaica Jamaican food truck and we thought the food was delicious. The food truck stopped by my wife's workplace in Chapel Hill so she picked up lunch for us and brought it home. It was a nice treat.I had a three-compartment takeout box that consisted of Jerk Chicken and "Jerkaque" Chicken on top of rice and beans plus sides of stir-fried cabbage and sweet fried plantains. Everything was tasty and satisfying. The standard entrees on the menu come with rice and beans and one side for $8. This double entree and two side meal cost $12 before tax and tip. It's not on the menu. You can ask Virgil about it.Chef Virgil, who was born in Jamaica, has been operating this food truck with his wife, Taffee, in the Triangle since June 2013. The "Jerkaque" or "Jerk-a-que" chicken is unique to the chef, a combination of sweet Carolina BBQ sauce and spicy jerk sauce. I enjoyed both the Jerk Chicken and Jerkaque Chicken equally. I got half dark meat and half white meat. Overall, the chicken was seasoned and cooked well. The meat was tender and flavorful. It also had a nice kick to it. A lot of jerk chicken isn't prepared spicy enough for me. Virgil's got the spice level right. It was good.The rice and beans were extra tasty because they were sitting beneath the chicken, soaking up the wonderful sauce, seasonings, and juices. I'm a big fan of both Caribbean cabbage and sweet fried plantains and Virgil's versions of both hit the spot. The cabbage was stir-fried with carrots and onions. It tasted fresh, savory, and delectable. The plantains had an appetizing texture and were addictively sweet, almost like a dessert.In addition to the items I tried above, the menu featured Curry Chicken, Brown Stew Chicken, and Vegetarian Platter entrees ($8 each) plus Jamaican beef patties ($3 each), and coco bread ($2 each). More items were listed on the online menu on Virgil's Jamaica website at https://virgilsjamaica1.com/. They do catering and events too.The food truck - technically, a trailer - looked weathered, like a trailer that's been well-used since 2013. There's a story about the three generations of chefs that Virgil is a part of posted on the side of the trailer.My wife said service was great. The food came out quick. At the time of her visit, it was a one-man show (Virgil). She said he was really nice. Payments were handled via Square. An itemized receipt was automatically emailed to the address associated with the card used for payment.Follow Virgil's Jamaica on social media by following the links below:* Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/virgilsjamaica* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virgilsjamaica/* Twitter: https://twitter.com/VirgilsJamaica"

Vittles at the Park Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.3 (34)

"I love discovering new restaurants! After getting my brows done I noticed this amazing spot. Soul food and Caribbean food in one location. They offer wings, fish, tenders, jerk chicken and so many yummy sides. Prices are very affordable and you get a lot of food for the price. Service is amazing. The food is cooked to order so call ahead or plan to wait. The food is fresh and flavorful and pretty darn good! The Mac and cheese is moist and cheesy. Just how I like it. The inside is clean and sleeked. I can't wait to try other menu items!"

D Chill Spot

★★★★☆ 4.4 (47)

"My 1st time trying Caribbean food and boyyyy was I blown away! It was delicious!!Flavors were very rich and portion sizes were generous.My husband had the jerk wings and I enjoyed the ox tails. Every piece of meat was fall of the bone and tender.I highly recommend sharing!Just a heads up though- if you are shy to spice, the jerk wings DO have a kick. Strange to say but... the plantains were my favorite part of the meal. Everything was wonderful but those plantains were cooked to PERFECTION. You can't really get that anywhere else. Pair the savory goodness of Caribbean chicken with a can of mango drink and you are set for a beautiful date night. We will definitely be back. :)"

StarBar

★★☆☆☆ 2.2 (45)

"Dear Raleigh Yelpers: Be amazed that I went to a new locally owned business and reviewed it first!Having received an email with a menu with items such as fish and spaghetti, chicken and waffle, and shrimp, turkey wings, porkchops, chicken, and/or fish with grits . . . well I had to give it a try.The business has been open for about three weeks. I arrived for lunch around 11 a.m. - and I was THE lunch customer! I ordered the smothered chicken and grits - fried white meat chicken over grits with gravy. Any southerner knows you have to do grits rights, and this place nailed it! No little cup of grits - it covered the plate and were done perfectly. The chicken was tender and juicy. Wonderful presentation as well on a red squared plate.The sweet iced tea was made from some concentrate - you could tell it wasn't brewed tea. The serving time was about 30 minutes. I would suggest that if they want to have a steady lunch business they may want to have a simplified lunch menu with fewer choices so folks can get in and out on their lunch hours.Lovely facility. Lots of red and black in the design. Second floor has VIP booths and another bar with an aquarium. The lounge I believe is open after 10 pm on weekends."

The Ambience

★★★★★ 4.6 (7)

"First, do not expect this to be "fast food". If you want the "quick" experience, call ahead then pick it up. This is also, not the sit down experience. If you don't mind waiting for your order, there are pool tables inside if you want to pass the time. Next, they have a 100% health rating. (May not matter to some, but important to me.)They offer Caribbean food. They make the best beef patties I have had since my trip to Jamaica in 2009. Believe me, I have tried quite a few beef patties. The wings are pretty good. And I hear they have a pretty good cheese steak. I have eaten there twice in the last month. The people that run the place are very personable."

Lee's Kitchen

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (180)

"Since they're only letting 4 people in the restaurant at a time during corona it seems like every time I drove by this place there was a line. But since Lee's Kitchen is so known and popular in Raleigh and I've never had it, I had to give it a try anyways. Let me start off by saying ubereats and the Lee's Kitchen app both miss a lot of menu items (turkey wings, beef patties, etc.) so if what you want is on there you're lucky but we weren't able to order ahead because of this.The food is really delicious, decent prices, big portions, and hot food. We got turkey wings, white rice, rice and peas, veggies, oxtails, and Mac n cheese. We enjoyed all of it and finished our plates! The veggies is pretty much just cabbage and the Mac is super good. You can get the turkey wings baked, grilled, fried, smothered, etc. but they said the two most popular were smothered and fried so we did smothered. The only complaint we had was that the turkey wing plate didn't have a lot of rice (we thought there'd be more under the wings but it was just that corner.) I'd definitely come back here and get the same thing or try the curry goat. They also have a large variety of different fruit juices and drinks! I definitely see why everyone likes this place."

Kingston 99 Kitchen

★★★★★ 4.8 (16)

"Wow! I am so glad to see something unique and special in Pittsboro. There is nothing else like this anywhere close! Advertising as authentic Jamaican food, this was absolutely delicious. We ordered the Braised Oxtail with Jasmine Rice, with a side of Plantains and the Salted Fish Eggrolls. First, the braised oxtail is phenomenal. Super tender and incredibly flavorful. The plantains were a nice, sweet compliment. But I have to take a moment to talk about the eggrolls. I know it as bacalao, but never had it in an egg roll. It was slightly salty, super savory, and the mango pico on the side was a perfect add-on. I will be going back ALOT! Top notch for sure!!"

Let's Eat Soul Food

★★★★☆ 3.8 (10)

"I've wanted to stop here for some time, but because I rarely come into this strip mall I kept forgetting. Today I finally made it. I thought I'd keep it simple and ordered just one fried founder filet, hush puppies, and cole slaw. They don't have soft drinks in the fountain, just cans. Also drinks in bottles. Even though I thought I said I'd be dining in, my food came to the table in a take out bag and container. I give them a plus for using an environmentally paper food container, but the utensils are plastic. When I opened the box I was surprised to see several filets rather than just one. Probably because the fish was nearly as thin as a paper plate. The tarter sauce is not homemade, but rather in a pkg like ketchup comes in. Even though the fish was lightly fried, the very thin edges were so crisp the tiny plastic knife couldn't cut thru it, so I ended up eating with my hands. There's way too much salt in the breading IMO that sadly overpowers the flavor of the fish. The hushpuppies were so over fried on the outside it was a battle to get my small plastic fork thru, but they were soft inside. The cole slaw, while tasty, had a strange grayish color which didn't make it look very appealing. If you come here don't expect to have a mellow dining experience. Although there were only a handful dining in (most customers seemed to be getting take out) two Very loud tv's are competing with each other. One plays the network news and the other an ongoing gospel performance. It was really ear splitting and unsettling. All and all a so-so experience, for me at least."

Taste of Jamaica

★★★★☆ 3.8 (136)

"Did is good and at a decent price. The staff is friendly. I don't think they want people to dine in, just pick up and go. I've been 2x since the pandemic and the chairs are always on the tables."