This place is legit! I grew up not too far from Little Jamaica in Toronto (Eglinton and Oakwood), so have had my fair share of Jerk Chicken (oh man, I miss the days of Toonie Tuesdays where I could get jerk chicken with rice and peas for $2, but I digress). The jerk chicken at Island Grill is amazing! The chicken was tender fall off the bone, and nice and spicy and full of flavour. The chicken thigh was cut up, but no bone fragments, which I appreciated. The jerk chicken meal was $13.50 and came with rice and beans, 2 pieces of plantain and the best coleslaw ever! The coleslaw was vinegar-based and slightly sweet. I much prefer this type of coleslaw to the creamy mayo-based ones. The cabbage was crunchy and really tasty. The rice and beans were excellent, soft and fluffy, not mushy at all. The plantains were soft and sweet. Island Grill usually has space for dine-in, but that section was closed off and they are only doing takeout at this time (Covid Pandemic still on-going). Service was quick and efficient. They sell hot sauces, plantain chips, and a few other items. They also had coconut cake and other desserts. Street parking only. read more

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This place is hands down the best Jamaican place I've had since my trip to Jamaica like 3-4 years ago!! So authentic and flavourful!! We came here by fluke walking down bank street and feeling hungry.. we saw the sign and as we came in , the scent of epic Caribbean spices just hits you right away. Service: Very friendly girl at the counter was super sweet and explained the menu perfectly and we ordered within 10-15 minutes our food was ready! It's a hole in the wall but don't be fooled the food is To die for. Food: FRESH PACKED WITH FLAVOUR!!! We got oxtails & Jerk Chicken. It was literally fall off the bone! The oxtail was my favourite part because it's such a rare dish prepared Jamaican style and it was super tender definitely worth every penny. The plantain was super delicious usually its hard to get it cooked right but this place definitely did! Veggie Fritters were amazing , rice was soft and delicious love how they drizzle the ox tail sauce on the rice and the beans were pretty good. The patties were alright but not the greatest..I would skipp the patties next time & go for everything else again instead ahaha Overall: Food /Quality Price , Service and ambiance was amazing super impressed and you definitely need to try this place out if you're in the area and craving an authentic homemade meal!!! Cheers read more

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A few of my coworkers and I went to this restaurant for lunch and ordered take out. The guy at the front talking orders was really nice and recognized that we weren't Canadian and asked where we were from in the States. My coworker and myself ordered the Curry Chicken with Rice and Peas. My other coworker order the Jerk Chicken Wrap. There was a little wait on the food, only because it was relatively busy. The food was decent, but a little salty. read more

Island Grill - Caribbean Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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I was in Ottawa and was walking on bank street being a tourist. I then smelled amazing aroma coming from This place. It's a small place but cozy that just does take out for now. Tons of street parking and public transportation. When you walk in you are met with a bubbly host who helped explain the menu. I got the ox tail. This was the best ox tail I have ever eaten. So tender so moist. Fall off the bone meat. I wished I order more plates of this. Spiced so good. The same for the jerk chicken. So tender fall off the bone chicken. The patty's were good but not great. The rice for both were cooked perfect. Not dry. The coleslaw was so fresh and you can tell it's home made. I would go back to this place next time I'm in Ottawa for sure read more

I had the boneless jerk chicken & WOW. Phenomenal, the owner was extremely kind and very helpful when choosing what I wanted and how spicy. My meal was made fast but with such care to detail, presentation was awesome. If you haven't tried Island Grill you have to! Every bite was full of flavour, will definitely be back for seconds. C read more

Island Grill - Caribbean Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Ahhhh, Jamaican cuisine. There aren't many nations who do it better. Customer service? Well you know our island people aren't too fond of that concept(it's ok, my family comes from all over the Caribbean, I'm allowed to say this lol). What if I told you you can get good Jamaican food all while basking in the hospitality Canadians are known for. Yes, at the same time. I swear it's a thing. They call this magical place 'island grill". As far as the food goes, this is a real as it gets, down to the ackee and saltfish and soursop juice. Am I surprised to find Caribbean cuisine this far north? Not really! Jamaicans especially are a well travelled people. Good to know places like this exist in the capital. read more

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We're feeling more than just irie after having a scrumptious meal at Island Grill! The scent of Jamaicain spices greets one, upon entry and well the rest as they say is his/herstory! Ordered the jerk pork, plantain chips and sorrel drink. PURE Caribbean soul food! The pork was tender and juicy with a perfect kick of spice. The sorrel drink was REALLY tasty and complimented the meal nicely. Had great conversations with other customers and the owner which felt like being part of a community in this restaurant. Definitely will be back! Roses are red, violets are blue...go get some real Caribbean food! read more

Island Grill - Plaintain Chips, Sorrel Drink and Jerk Pork - Caribbean Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Nice little restaurant. Authentic Caribbean food. Very good service. Everything seems fresh. Great fresh in house ginger beer. The goat roti was delicious. Prices are very fair for the portions. Quick service. Also got the fresh ginger beer and it was the most gingeriest ginger beer ever. I loved it. read more

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This is a great new place. I'm so happy it's in my neighbourhood. Easily the best roti this side of Scarborough. I went for lunch today with my friend, who ordered the Jerk Burger and gingerbeer. The burger came with salad and mango dressing (he had a choice). He loved it. I am of Trinidadian descent and it has been difficult for me to find a place I like for Caribbean food. I think I've found it. It's been a long time since I've had an auntie I could visit for delicious roti that melts in your mouth and Island Grill is it. I went to Caribbean Sizzler a few times when it first opened, but the servings are really large and the roti is too thick and the goat curry is a bit on the tough side, and it's take out only. No such problems here. The goat roti is tastefully served in a nice sized portion. It's $10.00, which is I think, cheaper than the goat curry further on down the menu. The daal is perfect and the goat is tender, tender. I added the 4.00$ side of plantains to my order and was not disappointed: sauteed to light, crispy perfection, they were not greasy at all and sliced into nice sized chunks. No extra sugar needed - these were deliciously ripe and like eating a warm cookie. The service was great and the ambience much improved over the weeks since they opened. There is a daily special for $20 which includes salad/soup, main course and dessert. We found our a la carte order was plenty with side and Ginger beer (Grace brand - yum!). I'll definitely be back. You should go, too. read more

Island Grill - Caribbean Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

I live nearby and decided to check it out for take-out. I couldn't decide what between the jerk chicken and the curry goat, so the owner offered to give me a large order with both for 15.50. Entrées are priced at $11-12 for regular size and $13-14 for a large, so I paid a bit of a premium to get both, but I got a ton of food. He brought out my order pretty quickly, which is good for take out, but it also means they must have the food already cooked. The jerk chicken was nicely spiced, not too hot, and the curry goat had a good flavour and was mild in comparison to the jerk. The meat was served on the bone and both had been cooked for some time because the meat came off the bones easily. The combo also came with sweet fried plantains, coleslaw and rice with beans (rice and peas). The plantains tasted great but we're definitely not crispy. Overall I'd say the owner is a nice guy, and the place gives good value for money. Next time I'll try their rôtis read more

Island Grill - The place has spaces to sit, even though it's small - Caribbean Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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I've eaten here three times; I've had the jerk chicken roti, rice & peas with oxtail gravy, and coleslaw. Everything has been AMAZING: it's delicious. And the staff are super kind. One time I butchered the address of the place I was staying in a way that made it impossible for the delivery guy to find me, and the guy at the restaurant stayed on the phone with us, giving the delivery guy turn-by-turn directions until he found me. I love this place :) read more

Food - 3/5 Service - 3/5 Atmosphere - 3/5 Overall - 9/15 Repeat - No I came by here looking for some Caribbean food, though it didn't satisfy my desire. Don't get me wrong - the roti I got here was fairly good.The flavors were straight forward, not too bold and with the right level of spice. While the portion was filling, a lot of it was due to the heavy potato/starch content. In addition, the presentation of the dish felt lacking compared to the price tag; it looked like I got a potato burrito for $15. Perhaps it may be worth it for others who are really into Caribbean food, but I probably won't be repeating this place. There's a lot of food options on bank and somerset. read more

Man, this place is sooo good. A hidden gem in ottawa. The jerk ribs and jerk chicken are my favorites. So tender and flavorful. I always come and eat here when i am in ottawa. Try Carlton's super fire hot sauce...you won't be disappointed.. read more

Island Grill - Caribbean Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Wow I walk by this place everyday day on the way to and from work and I've never gone in until tonight. I had the coconut curry shrimp. Holy my mouth is still on fire. I don't know what spices they are using but this was a dang good curry. A little too much rice for my liking but plenty of shrimps. The coleslaw was delicious and I washed it all down with their homemade ginger beer which was aHmazing. Definitely authentic Caribbean food. I'll attach a pic because the presentation wasn't much but the food was delicious! And the people are really nice too read more

Island Grill - Caribbean Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Great restaurant , my chicken was exactly how I liked it.

The service here is friendly and fast, and the food is flavourful, comfort food. The generous portions and big chunks of spicy meat make this a good value. read more

I was visiting Ottawa for the weekend and decided that I would stop at Island Grill for lunch. The place has a lot tables and the service was great but the food was a little underwhelming. I got the curried goat and my girlfriend got the curried chicken. The presentation was great but the roti skin was a little rubbery for my liking. There was also too many potatoes in the roti and there wasn't enough sauce in it. Overall, the experience was okay. read more

Island Grill - Caribbean Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

-Flavourful, well-seasoned tender meats. I really enjoy their oxtail -Great rice and beans -Big portions (for mains) matches the price, so value is average read more

Yum! Highly recommend the jerk chicken, it's a lil spicy but delicious. We finished the plates! Great seasoning and balance of the overall meal. Curry goat roti and jerk beef roti are good too! read more

Island Grill - Curry goat roti (comes with potatoes inside) - pretty big portion! - Caribbean Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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I love this place! I've tried the jerk chicken entree and the curry chicken roti, both are fantastic! The plantains are absolutely perfect, too! If I get a full entree, it usually lasts me 2 meals. read more

Their jerk chicken roti is honestly one of the best I've ever had. Really authentic and really flavourful. Tasted just like those made at home. read more

We placed our order for pickup for 2 people. One was A meal plate and one was an order of dumplings. We drove 30 minutes to pick it up to be told when we arrived "we did not make dumplings today" read more

Our monthly Supper Club had the pleasure of eating at this restaurant last night. Had the Cod fish fritters. They were amazing. Flavorful and crunchy I am not a big fish eater. This app had me wanting more. Main dish tried was the Curry Goat with Island Mash potatoes. I fell in love with this dish. The goat meat was tender and just malted in my mouth. The flavor oh my the flavor. The spices the Chefs mix and use are the best. They prove that spicy is delicious. Honestly I am ready to go back today. Crying and eating never tasted so good. read more

My best friend and I went there 2 days in a row..it's Very authentic & tasty! 1st day she had red snapper and myself coconut curry shrimp. It's simply delicious..good amount of spice and portion. The coleslaw was fresh and complemented our meal..not to mention plantains (although 2 slices was not enough) I like the varieties of hot sauce on the table. The 2nd day we ordered something different. She had jerk salmon and loved it! I opted for oxtail..one of my favourite when it comes to Carribean food (OMG #1 so far & the meat was tender). Service was pretty fast and price was reasonable. We will definitely go back again!! read more

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Wonderful Jerk Chicken and Coconut Curry Chicken. The ginger beer was super gingery. Super authentic.

I had a great lunch at Island Grill today! It was my first visit and the staff were really helpful - and guided me towards a lunch choice that saved me from guesswork. I ordered the Coconut Curry Chicken Roti with the addition of chick peas and vegetables. The Roti was hot and chewy, but tender; and the filling of roasted chicken and veg in a really delicious mild curry was altogether delicious. The cost was reasonable and I will definitely be going back to try other dishes there. read more

I was craving some spicy food I wasn't sure of what I wanted but I took a walk down Bank st and found Island Grill. I hasn't had jerk chicken in a while and this was hands down one of the best places I've ever tried. The chicken was actually spicy and delicious the rice and peas were great. I would recommend this place to anyone looking to get some authentic Caribbean cuisine. I'm probably going to go back and try their rotis as mentioned in some of the other reviews. read more

Saw this restaurant from the street and decided to give it a try. Food was delicious. Restaurant had a relaxed feel--it felt more like eating at a friend's house than a restaurant. The meal was delicious. I ordered the jerk salmon GF, and my partner had a curry roti dish. The portions were the perfect size; the food was seasoned well and very fresh. Will definitely return whenever downtown. read more

So I had my birthday dinner at the Island Grill and it was awesome. 14 people fit in one long table... and the chef accomodated a wide variety of dietary needs: vegan, gluten-free, vegetarian, weird allergies, not spicy, extra spicy... and seriously, everyone enjoyed their meal! Do it!!!! It's so good. They even make their own homemade ginger beer!!! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm read more

Jamaican cuisine is one of my favorites and this did not disappoint! Started out with cod fish fritters - crispy on outside soft and chewy inside - salty and savory topped with a curried fruit chutney - awesome. Then had curry salmon and shrimp- delicious. Go for the rice and peas for the starch. Yum! read more

Small portions, rude staff. Ordered take out special and staff member complained that we waited for our Uber. Stated we needed to "take and go". read more

From plantains to jerk chicken, curry goat and even oxtail (super tender), Chef Carlton's Island Grill is delicious! Even the rice is amazing. Highly recommended! read more

Super delish, always wanted to try this place out and well glad that I finally did today!! Super awesome!

Delish jerk roti, avocado dressing on salad is tangalicious, and treat yourself to a spicy homemade ginger beer! Yum!

The jerk pork was really tasty! I'll have to go back to try some of Carlton's other offerings. It was takeaway tonight and it was hard not to eat it while driving, the smell was really distracting. read more

After putting off Caribbean food for fat too long I decided to try Island Grill. I had the curry goat for an early dinner. The food was excellent and very flavourful. I was the only customer at the time, so service was quick and polite. Decided on curry goat instead of a jerk, since I wasn't sure how spicy it would be. I'll be going back very soon for some jerk. Ginger beer was tasty and sweet as well. read more

I am always ordering delivery, I get the curry chicken with salad and plantain. For the price, I think you get a great portion of food which I eat twice. The curry chicken is just too good and so is the plantain but I don't really care for the salad. read more

Nice restaurant with very friendly service and great atmosphere, would definitely come back. :)