Thanks to fellow Yelpers for recommending this place! I haven't had an authentic taste of Jamaica…read morein a very long time. The jerk sauce immediately took me back and the chicken was super tender. The candied yams were sweet but not over done. The beans and rice needed more flavor so I added the spicy jerk sauce. My hubby enjoyed the patties. The storefront is located in a strip center off of Rt 38 and Rt 47 with parking in front. Few seats inside so we took it to go and had a picnic. Ask for extra napkins and two forks if you plan on sharing. .

Ya Mon...this place is legit!…read more I am so glad my fellow Yelpers told me about Island Express in Elburn Illinois. Authentic home style Jamaican food with Island Flavor at reasonable prices. Mainly a takeout place with limited counter seating,each meal is prepared fresh. Jerk Chicken,Curry Goat and Oxtails are just a few of their Jamaican dishes. We tried their Veggy Patty and Chicken Patty. Flakey crust loaded with flavor. I didn't care for the chicken patty as it was chicken curry which I'm not a big fan of..wish it would have been listed on the menu in a different way. Ordered a side of their spicey jerk sauce which added additional flavor ....bonus! Also had their Medium Jerk Chicken platter with sides of red beans and rice and sweet candied yams. Everything was delicious. If you want to experience good Jamaican food minus the sand,ocean and Red Stripe Beer,this is definitely the place to go.

This is my go to place for a belizean food fix. So far we have had the stewed chicken, curry…read morechicken a little spicy, ox tails are sooo tender and flavorful. Wish they gave more plantains you get 3 little ones. The panades are great with the chow chow. My husband love their bread pudding. Still need to try the fish and pig tails.

This is my go to place for Jamaican Oxtail. …read more.................. ...............................................................................................

To start off with, the jerk chicken and the jerk pork alike are really solid. Very tender, and well…read moreseasoned. Additionally, the proprietor is quite kind and customer oriented. The beans and rice were undercooked, dry and not very well flavored. That was a surprise to me. The side of cabbage was a bit oily and also not very well flavored. Additionally, even though the printed menu has quite a few things on it, call ahead, because when we went, there was only chicken and pork on the menu. I will say that the portions are very generous, and so even one dish is enough for two people. I'm willing to go back again, because maybe it was just off the day that I visited.

While shopping in downtown Antioch, IL, we stopped in Queens Caribbean Kitchen to check out the…read moremenu. The owner, Quinta, explained the dishes, showed us the private dining room and even made us a dish to sample. Right then and there we decided we wanted a group experience. Because we wanted to try everything, we requested a family-style dinner of jerk chicken, jerk pork, rice bowl (curry rice, black beans, mango salsa), steamed cabbage, fried plantains, rice and peas, fufu and egusi stew, with pineapple and coconut cakes and ice cream for dessert. We were not disappointed! Everything is home made with fresh ingredients and love. A big thank you to Quinta and her daughters for a very special and memorable night. Queens Caribbean Kitchen is primarily take-out but does have a few window seats if you want to eat in. I would urge you to gather your friends and fill up the private dining room and have the same great experience we had. Laughter and food... you can't ask for more.

Super Fantastic! We picked up the Curry Chicken, rice and beans & we also ordered the Jerk Chicken…read more(1/2 chicken); more than enough for two people. Outsanding flavors & certainly ranks at the top of the charts for a Caribbean taste bud vacation! Order early for pick-up this ain't no fast food establishment , it's home cookin' at a nice price!

We really wanted to love Mama Jerk N Tings, but the food really missed the mark…read more I was excited about this place because I love supporting small businesses, but unfortunately with the higher prices and poor quality food we were served, we won't be back. We went around 5 PM, there was one other person waiting when we walked in. First let me say, the cashier was amazing. She was beyond pleasant and professional, and truly the only good part of the visit. But the vibe got super uncomfortable when the cook came out of the kitchen and snapped at her right in front of us over a custom order. Plus, it took almost 30 minutes to get our food, which makes no sense because the restaurant wasn't crowded at all. As for the food, most of it lacked authentic flavor. To be honest, I've had better Jamaican food from the grocery store. The Good: The jerk sauce itself was actually good. The Sides: The gungo rice and peas were unremarkable (parboiled rice, no flavor). The cabbage wasn't fresh at all and used what tasted like canned carrots and corn. The plantains were dry and tasted like they were old and/or microwaved. The Chicken: The jerk chicken was incredibly dry and lacked flavor. It was almost crumbly in consistency. We also tried the jerk egg rolls which had bones in them and the jerk nachos which tasted like cheap nachos you'd get at a high school football game. Nothing exciting. The restaurant itself is a really nice space--honestly, I hope they find other good uses for it--but the dining experience we had left us very disappointed.

I don't live near or go to Zion, but through a streak of serendipity found myself going that way on…read moreThursday and made a point to finally get to DaDa's Soul for some "Black people wings". So worth the trip. The wings were delicious and cooked right. Full wings, not wingdings, winglets, flats or whatever. Black people wings, y'all. Those sweet potatoes have to be a family secret. I've never had any that were so light, so soft, yet had so much flavor. And that mac and cheese. No runs, no drips, no errors. Nothing kills mac and cheese like being even a little soggy, but you'll never have to worry about that at DaDa's Soul. Somebody's putting a good portion of TLC in that mac and cheese because it WILL make you wiggle from that first bite. The blue lemonade was a nice washdown for this meal. Next time, I'll get it with some ice because I'm sure that will boost the enjoyment even more. I also had a slice of chocolate frosted yellow bundt cake, but had to wait a couple of hours to eat that because the meal was beyond satisfying. There seemed to be a hint of coconut flavoring in either the cake or the frosting, but not enough to turn me away. The young (to me) brother who took care of me really took care of me. I am not used to such personable service in casual establishments, but the welcoming and appreciative energy during my visit ensures that it will not be my last visit. I like that there is only one table in there. I was able to enjoy my lunch without distractions or disruptions.

My dad and I were bursting at the seams but we couldn't stop eating! The food was amazing and owner…read moreis the definition of southern hospitality. Make sure to try the catfish filets!

I called and they answered! The food was so good it made me forget about the times they weren't…read moreactually open during their hours.

Wow--just wow! The food here was absolutely amazing! We had the jerk chicken, curry chicken,…read morecollard greens, mac & cheese, and stuffing--and every single dish was bursting with flavor. The curry chicken was so juicy and rich, with deep, decadent flavors that truly stood out. The collard greens had the perfect hint of smoky goodness, and the jerk chicken? Perfectly cooked--not dry at all--and it reminded my husband of the authentic flavors we had in Jamaica! We drove about 40 minutes to try this place, and it was 100% worth the trip. The staff was so kind and helpful, guiding us through the menu since it was our first time. They made sure we got to try the best--and they absolutely delivered. The music choice this evening was perfect volume and great genre. The atmosphere is "mom and pop" so if you're looking for candle light dining this is not the place but we were looking for spectacular food not ambience. Next time, I'm definitely trying the oxtail. We'll definitely be back, and I'm wishing this spot all the success in the world. Highly recommend!

We are at the mall food court location. My wife and I had a couple of their tacos. Best tacos I've…read morehad in a long time, definitely recommend this place!

omg!!! took a gander down to food truck tuesday down at…read morenicholas conservatory in rockford...and.....got the jerk chicken fries..absolutly to die for!!!!! fyi,, get the hot!!!! going back again to try the philly ...

Alright... it pains me to do this because I don't believe in leaving negative reviews in any…read morecapacity but this feel necessary and earned by the business. My recent visit to this restaurant was the first visit in over half a year. My last visit was quite a bit ago because I was upset at how poorly resolution was for a missed meal I ordered for one of my co-workers. This recent visit as of tonight will be my final visit. I try to see it through and remain a good patron of businesses I appreciate but good service must exist. Do I expect a business to get it correct all the time? No! But I do expect there to be some semblance of competency, grace and determination to find resolve where error was made. Tonight I placed an order for myself and my gf. I received an automated email response suggesting the order would take between 30-45 minutes, which is totally fine. I figured I'd allow some extra time before arriving. When I get to the restaurant, I'm told my order would be ready in another 15 minutes. While I was slightly upset, I didn't let it bother me. I just went back and sat in my vehicle for about 20 minutes. I came back into the restaurant and waited a few more minutes before being called to get my food. Upon stepping to the counter, the lady looked at the receipt for my food almost confused and said "sorry, there aren't anymore beef patties but I can swap that item with another side" I'm not certain if she was aware or not from the kitchen staff that this item wasn't present but it struck me as odd based on her reaction. More importantly, I'm more than upset now but I handle this situation as calm as can be, by pausing to think about how to respond. I choose a side to replace for lack of the beef patty but can't help but notice the price difference doesn't even align. Shortly after making a decision on item to swap, I ask how long ago did that item sell out today. She replies and says, "it's been sold out since around noon" and at that point I just try not to stare or show emotion. While she did apologize for this mishap, it just didn't go over well with me. The lack of communication prior, struggle to find proper resolution for this incident and the previous one. Do you not have a POS system which updates automatically against your live stock? Or being attentive to detail would have helped and a simple phone call would have sufficed had they known this. Btw, the previous incident was an order they forgot to give to a delivery driver, only to blame that driver. I had to drive to the restaurant to pickup my co-workers meal during a busy work day after they realized they messed up and actually left that meal on the side of one of their counters. This restaurant has pretty good food and options for food in general but that alone won't solve your problems running a business if you screw up and struggle severely with customer service. I've come here more than several times in the past but no longer will that happen.

Every time we've ordered from here we've come away with happy bellies and tastebuds!…read more What we get: Jerk Chicken - So good! The sauce is bright and tangy--obviously spicy, but so, so good. And there's really no place similar in this area. Paired with the rice and beans and cabbage helps tone down the spice. Goat Curry - So spicy but so flavorful! The meat is tender and it's addictive. Beef patty - This is different than others, and it seems deep fried where I'm used to baked. Always love a beef patty and our kids enjoyed it. Plantains - Our kids love plantains in whatever form. Plus, these aren't spicy so they eat them all. Mac and Cheese - I'm usually wary of getting mac and cheese for kids because it's bland and watery (my child's words not mine), but THIS mac and cheese was SO good! So much flavor and gooey cheese sauce. Both our kids loved it and said it was delicious. Easy win! Candied Yams - Of all the tasty things, this is probably my least favorite. Everything on the menu is packed with deep, rich flavor. But candied yams are just too sweet for me. I think people who like sweet things will love this, but my preference tends to lean less sweet and more savory. So if you're not huge on sweets either, maybe skip this and go for the other items. The staff here are so nice--we ordered with the high hopes of ox tail (one of the non-spicy items) but they were all sold out! My husband was so disappointed that she took pity on him and just gave him the sauce and bits and bones that were left because they couldn't sell it anyway. It was SO good. Almost better than the first time I remembered it. I could be entirely too full and still want a taste of these ox tails! Please never go out of business or change hands--this place is a gem.

This is going on our list for our favorite spots! I am a garlic lover and they know how to season…read moretheir food, amazingly! Portions are large and food is delicious. This is the best seasoned steak in Elgin. We had the jumbo jabarito sliders and más lokas, great portions! The boyfriend and I were very happy and full!

I ordered their Puerto Rican style smash burger, and I thought it was both creative and innovative…read more Instead of using traditional burger buns, they replaced them with crispy fried plantains, giving the burger a unique twist. The beef patty was well seasoned, and the mayoketchup sauce complemented every bite perfectly, tying all the flavors together.

This was my first time trying Nigerian cuisine but not my first time trying fufu. I really liked…read morethe ambience, it has a more upscale, classy vibe. Service is very friendly and they're quick to offer suggestions. Prices are reasonable since this is not the type of food that you can get anywhere. We ordered oxtail pepper soup, egusi soup with chicken, and jollof rice with beef. I wouldn't mind coming back here to try other items on the menu. -oxtail soup 5 - the soup is spicy but it's the type of spicy that is very enjoyable. The oxtail is super tender. Make sure you drink the soup when you're finished. -egusi soup with chicken 5 - the soup is hearty. You take a piece of fufu and dip it in the soup. Think of naan and how you use it to scoop up curry. It has bits of turkey, beef tendon, and smoked fish in addition to the chicken pieces. -jollof rice with beef 5 - the jollof rice is tomato based and very savory. You get 2 big pieces of beef and plantains. The beef is easy to cut and it's tasty.

Friggin delicious!!…read more Jollof rice is too die for!! Add beef and it makes it that much more amazing. Will be back again....and again... and again.