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    Jerk Modern Jamaican Grill

    3.5 (488 reviews)
    ModerateBarbeque, Bars, Caribbean
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Jerk Modern Jamaican Grill Takeout or Delivery

    Jerk Modern Jamaican Grill Photos

    Business Info

    JERK MODERN JAMAICAN GRILL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Jerk Modern Jamaican Grill

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    Beautiful view of the skyline by the restaurant
    Love C.

    When I tell you I'm sooooo happy I tried this place! Do not overlook coming here due to 3.5 star reviews! I'm not sure what's going on but this delicious restaurant is a solid hidden gem in Chicago! Easily the best Jamaican food I've had since being here. I tried the jerk chicken sandwich, which everything was delicious, but this honestly was the standout star! Their jerk sauce is sooo good, the chicken was cooked perfectly, the bun was delectably soft and the slaw was the perfect accompaniment to cut the jerk sauce. Honestly 10/10 on the sandwich! My partner and I also split the brisket, which was a solid portion! It was offered with rice and an additional two sides. Ya'll, these baked beansssss omg 10/10 they are SO good! The rice was also good, but if you don't choose a meal that comes with rice, do not choose rice as your side. Absolutely choose the baked beans or the mac & cheese! (I didn't try the mac & cheese. It just looked really good in the picture lol) Lastly for the food, the brisket was also good, I'm from NC though so I have to give it an 8/10 because it was a little over cooked BUT I don't mind well done meat, so it was fine to me. And with the sauces they give you, it was good! The brisket itself is probably a 7/10 but once you add the sauce it comes with for dipping, that makes it an 8/10! The sauces were SO good! Finally, the guys who run this place are very personable and nice. So service/staff 10/10!! Thank you gentleman for being so welcoming for our first visit! I would absolutely return here to eat, I will get takeout from here, and I will tell everybody about this place so we can keep it open! Hope this review helps

    Smoked Jerk Chicken Quarter Combo with Coconut Rice & Peas and Mac & Cheese
    Kendra M.

    I was so pleased with Jerk! To be honest, I wasn't expecting too much because no one ever talks about this place, and the only person who ever did told me it was overpriced and took forever. However, we found that it was quick, and the portions were huge! I loved the chicken, it was perfectly cooked and the sauces were great too. Mac and cheese slapped. I would definitely come back to eat! Biggest complaint is that the bar was closed and the menu doesn't describe items very well.

    S G.

    Decided to try this spot for take out. As someone who was born in Jamaica, I didn't have high hopes, but I was craving some jerk food so decided to give it a shot. I got the smoked pork dinner. The pork was only slightly smokey and had no jerk flavor whatsoever; it was quite bland and dry. Oh and to top it off, they forgot the bbq sauce!! Didn't even realize until I got home and had to walk to the corner store for some subpar bbq sauce. The coconut rice had zero coconut flavor. The plantains were good (but that's really hard to mess up). The baked beans were the best part of the meal (sweet but perfectly spicy).

    Jerk Chicken BBQ Sandwich
    Isha J.

    I drive past this restaurant every week and have always been wanting to check it out, finally got the chance yesterday. There's pay to park a little bit down the road which is helpful. We ordered two chicken Bbq sandwiches, jerk Mac & cheese, yuca fries, and a beer and cocoa cola. Everything was super tasty, I highly recommend getting all the sauces: rude girl, jerk bbq, and cilantro lime aioli. My favorite ended up being the rude girl sauce, it was perfect to add to the burger and the fries. Interior is spacious and the staff was very kind.

    Grilled Jerk Chicken Thigh 1/2 LB, Beef Patty, Veggie Patty
    Martinique B.

    From the menu it wasn't what I was expecting. But they knocked it outta the park. I later learned that this originally was a food truck-- which made so much sense as I was expecting oxtail, curry goat, steamed cabbage... But, the flavors were fire- I got the chicken thighs with allll the sides? Why you ask? Because Naomi was an exceptional host. My ranking for the sides (first being the best) corn and black bean salad (much like a cowboy caviar), sweet plantains, island slaw, coconut rice & peas (you have to add jerk sauce, but that's normal ) They have variety of sauces to chose from, the cilantro creamy one was my favorite. Yo-yo and Naomi also let us try the beef and veggie patties- you gotta order this at least once. Split it with a friend and talk about life. You'll be happy you did. If you like ginger, get the ginger beer. It isn't too "spicy" but has a ton of sugar (you have been warned). Enjoy! Tell them my review is what convinced you to walk thru their doors

    Destiny L.

    Went here for a quick dinner after finding this place on TikTok and it was pretty good. The staff was really nice and even provided a sample of the chicken and brisket as I was deciding between the two. Unfortunately, this taste came after I ordered, and I went with the brisket per the recommendation of the cashier. Now the brisket was good, but the chicken was EXCELLENT. The seasoning that the put on it was sweet and spicy and the chicken itself was juicy and flavorful. If I wasn't leaving the next day I very well might've gone back again the next day it was that good. I got the macaroni and baked beans as my side and wasn't blown away by either of them. My dad did say he really enjoyed the rice and peas. Overall, would probably return just because I truly was impressed by the chicken but that's all I would go back for.

    Smoked Jerk Chicken Quarter Combo
    Anthony Z.

    The beef patty was decent, but definitely not worth the price. The Smoked Jerk Chicken Quarter Combo was, was, well let me tell you the Chicken was juicy, but had some of the most mild jerk seasoning that I've ever had which was not necessarily a bad thing; yet, not a good thing either as the flavor was a lacking a little. The rice was moist and delicious as were the beans. The slaw was better than expected but not anything special and the same goes for the plantains. Overall the dish was delicious, but the prices are crazy, especially considering the portion size. Not necessarily surprising for the area. I payed $20+ for my plate, and even with a bogo discount i didn't think the meal was worth it. I won't be back, but I won't say it was bad. I ordered take out so I can't comment on service or ambiance.

    Taste of Jamaica platter and double sweet plantains
    Samir K.

    Ordered delivery and it came within 30 minutes. The chicken thighs were tender and fairly seasoned. Found myself occasionally dipping it in the sauce (regular bbq was good, ride girl was meh). The plantains could have been crispier but were tasty. The corn salad was phenomenal with the pineapple juice giving some extra flavor. Finally, the festival was pretty dry and bland. If I came back here I'd stick to the chicken and corn salad but at that point I could just go to Chipotle and pay less.

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    2 years ago

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    10 months ago

    Food was very tasty. Lots of food for the price you pay. Staff was helpful and kind. Location was nice and clean.

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    2 years ago

    Very good brisket sandwich and chicken thighs. Limited options on sizes and sauces. Coconut rice is good.

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    1 year ago

    This place is called jerk and yet the jerk chicken has no seasoning. On top that the service was not great.

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    Page 1 of 13

    Ask the Community - Jerk Modern Jamaican Grill

    What is the corkage fee to bring my own wine or beer?

    Jerk is not BYOB but they do have a great selection of beer, cocktails, and liquor!

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Three Dots and A Dash

    Three Dots and A Dash

    4.1
    (4.2k reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$$

    This place is a yes, yes, and yes! I have a buddy that loves Tiki bars and found this place/made a…read morereservation, so our group came to visit on a Sunday night. The vibe is speakeasy-ish; the entrance is off the street in an alleyway but the interior is very nice, low light, and would be fun for a date night! The staff were attentive and very friendly. My friend got some shots, which were surprisingly good given they were kind of sweet, and I ordered the "mystic lamp" cocktail ($16) which was VERY memorable to me as someone that loves floral drinks -- it was very floral, slightly fruity, and had a lovely chunk of lychee it came with which was delicious! The drink was decent sized too; I've been charged a lot more for much less drink at other speakeasies (those of which I don't plan to visit again any time soon haha). In my opinion, this spot has the perfect combo of great drinks, nice ambiance, cool speakeasy-vibes, but also cheerfulness given the tiki-theme inside. Would definitely rec a visit to anyone visiting Chicago who likes cool bars!

    I can't understand what the fuss is all about here. I couldn't wait to leave…read more This place represents itself as a tiki bar but is the most half-hearted attempt I have ever seen. I was excited for the experience having heard how busy it gets, blah blah. These positive reviewers need to seek out other tiki bars. After you negotiate the alley entrance and go down dangerously dark stairs, you are met with crazy boring decor. I kept thinking there had to be more right? The whole point of a tiki bar is to strike a mood, but hanging a very few polynesian masks on the wall, putting up a grass facade over the bar and dressing the servers in vaguely polynesian outfits is sad. I've seen private tiki bars at people's homes that are more exciting. Add to this a comparably boring music selection played far too loud over boomy lo-fi speakers and you'll wonder what's going on here. So what about the food and drink? Completely uninspired for anyone who's had more than a mai tai before in their life. About a dozen extremely common drink choices is all you get!! No specials, that's it. When I asked if this was the whole cocktail menu, the server said it was but they have a full bar so you can get anything you want. Well, I could get that service at just about any bar in the world, so big deal. Maybe it would be better if you sat at the bar and chatted up the bartender. One could also go taste their rum selections and other cocktails in the Bamboo Room, but I hate that kind of elitist nonsense. That's never been what tiki bars were about. The drinks we sampled were okay at best. Even the namesake 3 Dots and A Dash cocktail was lackluster and used cheap cherries for the dots instead of classic Luxardos. (If you know, you know) The appetizers were okay, but way overpriced. 5 tiny spring rolls for $18. Come on guys, enough already. I'd rather go to the bar at the Polynesian Hotel at Disney than return here. This place is a hard pass.

    Photos
    Interior Entrance
    Interior Entrance
    These Loaded Luau Cheese Fries
    These Loaded Luau Cheese Fries
    Tiki gift shop.

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    Tiki gift shop.
    Rossi's Liquors

    Rossi's Liquors

    4.2
    (432 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $

    Friendly and lively dive bar (4/5 Green Stars) Waiting for…read moretake-out from nearby Lou Malnati's, we wandered into Rossi's for a quick drink. It's a reasonably-priced busy dive bar in the heart of Chicago. I asked the bartender if she had a beer + shot deal and she said "no, but you can order a beer and shot." And so we did! Noise level is fairly high, thanks to a lively crowd plus a jukebox. They don't normally serve food but I think are fine with customers bringing in your own food, and you can also place an order from a nearby restaurant (I don't recall which one). And yes, it's cash only so bring some money if you don't want to pay ATM fees! 4 out of 5 Green Stars for social and environmental impact. I like bars that allow customers to bring (or order) their own food - it allows for all diets! The one thing I'd like to see is more beer on tap - even just one good rotating local beer (e.g., Goose Island). Draft beer has smaller environmental footprints compared to bottled or canned.

    Recently stopped by Rossi's Liquors and this place is the definition of a dive bar, in the most…read moreauthentic way possible. After a quick ID check at the door, the bouncer let us know it's cash only (thankfully we came prepared). From the moment we walked in, dim lighting, loud music, and shoulder-to-shoulder crowds gave the vibe of a full-on frat party, but not in a bad way. It's chaotic, energetic, and unapologetically no-frills. There's even a self-serve cooler with drink prices clearly listed underneath. I grabbed a Sapporo Premium, brought it to the counter, and our friendly bartender broke our change and offered a chilled glass to pour it into. Simple and efficient. That said, it was loud, so loud that even whispering-distance conversations were a struggle. The space is small, seating is limited, and since we couldn't snag a spot, we ended up leaving shortly after finishing our drinks. This feels like a better weekday hang than a packed weekend night. Still, if you're looking for a classic, gritty, no-frills dive experience, Rossi's delivers exactly that.

    Photos
    Nightcap
    Nightcap
    Rossi's Liquors
    Rossi's Liquors

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    O'Callaghan's

    O'Callaghan's

    3.5
    (315 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$

    Sat at the bar because it was Friday night and the tables were all taken. I liked the variety of…read moremusic, the ambience, the atmosphere....and the burger and fries! That burger----was SOOOO GOOD (Char Burger) and the waffle fries were kind of crispy- good! They had an NBA game playing on the tvs. Service from both bartenders was great- Our main server had great attention to detail. (realized they forgot the mustard without me saying anything) All in all- great! (Skip the fish and chips- get the char burger!)

    I came in with three friends and we grabbed a high-top table. We ordered a few rounds and…read moreeverything was going fine. Toward the end of the night, two of my friends left, and the remaining two of us paid our bill and were finishing our drinks while waiting for our Uber. At that point, the bartender came over and told us she needed our table for a large group. The table wasn't reserved, and we were clearly just finishing up. We told her we were about to leave anyway, but the way it was handled felt really abrupt and rude. What made it worse was that she immediately brought a group over to take our table, and even they were apologizing to us because they seemed uncomfortable with how it was handled. I've worked in bars and restaurants myself, so I completely understand needing to manage space, but there's a way to do it respectfully, and this wasn't it. Unfortunately, this experience left a bad impression, and despite having been here multiple times before, I won't be returning.

    Photos
    Dining Room
    Dining Room
    Corned Beef
    Corned Beef
    O'Callaghan's

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    Jerk Modern Jamaican Grill - bbq - Updated July 2026

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