This is a Lil secret in Ottawa! The food is delicious. Lots of vegan options. I had the Buss Up Shut Roti with vegetables. Everyone at the table enjoyed their food. The service was local style. Great conversation, very knowledgeable about the menu and food options. Very willing to make changes to the menu to accommodate your preferences. The place is very clean and welcoming. A must do when you are in Ottawa. A taste of the island in the middle of cold Canada. Thank you to the Lil Negril staff. Complements to the chef. read more

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I've only eaten here a few times, but it had been awhile and I was in the mood for Caribbean, so thought I'd order from here. I don't get to have Caribbean food very often, so I got both of my cravings - the curried goat roti and oxtail meals. The curried goat roti was buss up shut. I actually like buss up shut (not wrapped) better because curry goat is always bone-in, so I find it less messy this way since you don't have to open it up. Flavour was great, not too greasy, more meat on the bones than I've had at other places. I just wish there was more of it! There were some large onion slices that I had to cut into smaller pieces, but that didn't bother me. I liked the hearty fried plantains, but could've done without the salad that wasn't as fresh as I would've liked. The roti was perfect, made with chickpeas (flour?), soft and moist, flaky, and still warm. The oxtail was marinated then braised, and came with fried plantains, steamed vegetables, Congo peas (pigeon peas, which are actually beans), and rice. The gravy was good - salty, but very tasty with the peas and rice. Like the curried goat, it also had large onions slices and more meat than I expected. There was more meat than the curried goat dish, but I still wish there was more. The veggies were nice and firm and just had a bit of butter. My husband had the bbq ribs and a side of jerk chicken (chose the white meat only option). The ribs came with fried plantains, peas and rice, and salad. He really enjoyed the ribs but also wished there were more. The jerk chicken wasn't very spicy or had much jerk flavour and had the same barbecue sauce on it, which did help the dryness. Maybe the dark meat would be better next time. We also had the fire wings with tamarind dip. There were four wings in one order - two drumsticks and two flats. They were breaded and crispy and came with the both the fire sauce and tamarind sauce on the side. We thought there would be more and would come tossed in the sauce, but I'm glad they were plain so that they weren't soggy. The fire sauce seemed to be the same barbecue sauce used for the ribs and ribs, which we didn't find very spicy. Tasty but not the spicy "fire" we thought they would be. That was okay, though, because the husband doesn't like it too spicy, anyway! The tamarind sauce was spicier with chunks of tamarind, a bit more watery than saucey, but not too sweet and good flavour. We ordered a side of fries to munch on, but they never came, and we received a refund. Our order came with a free can of coconut water. It a 500ml can of sweetened coconut water with coconut pieces from the Grace brand. All in all, the food was delicious, we just wished they had more meat in the dishes for the price, as we could've easily eaten so much more of it. Sorry, some of the photos are blurry - the husband was too hungry! read more

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My husband and I had dinner here with friends of ours (another couple) and we all loved it. There are not a lot of Jamaican restaurants in Ottawa, so we were happy to find one and even happier that it was awesome. I had the Curried Chicken $14.50, as did one of our friends. The curry had a mild coconut flavour to it. I asked for medium spicy and it was barely spicy to me, so I think they really tone down the spices. I will ask for hot next time. The meat was lean chicken breast and was tender. It had green and red peppers as well as onions in it. The curry came with a tiny salad, 2 slices of plantain and a small bowl of rice and Congo peas. The presentation was beautiful and the food was delicious. My husband had the Tropical Fried Chicken $14. All entrées come with the salad, plantains and rice and peas. My husband loved his dish - so much so that he didn't even offer me any, haha. So I can't comment on it, lol. Our other friend had the Jerk Pork $14. It looked good and he said he enjoyed it. The boys had Red Stripe which is a Jamaican beer $6.95. Our friends also got mixed drinks $6 each - a Dark and Stormy and a Shark Bite. The Shark Bite was a pretty drink since it has lots of colours and it also had a gummy Shark floating among the ice cubes. I thought that was so cute. Our friends said the Dark and Stormy was amazing. We were told they use D&G ginger beer that is imported from Jamaica. I had a guava juice $2.50 and it was thick and full of guava flavour. We weren't going to have dessert but our server tempted us into the Orange Pineapple Cheesecake $4.25. It was delicious. The cheesecake was light and full of chunks of pineapple. I tasted some shredded coconut in there too, as well as a mild orange flavour. The graham cracker crust was nice; it wasn't too sweet. Our server was Andre and he was so nice and courteous. He checked up on us often, refilled our waters without us having to ask and seemed like he genuinely wanted us to enjoy the food. Donna worked the cash register (you pay at the cash) and she too was very friendly. They give you this ginger mint candy with your bill and it is delicious. If you love the zing of strong ginger, you will love it. The restaurant is very nicely decorated. It looks modern and clean. At the time of this review, they have a check in offer. If you check in on Yelp you get $5 off the purchase of an entrée and drink. Lil' Negril Island Grill is located in a strip mall in Centrepointe. It's in the same mall as Baan Thai. There is lots of free parking. Delicious food, warm and friendly service, nice and clean environment, I will definitely be coming back! read more

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I was so disappointed with the food. I am giving two stars because the customer service is very good and the restaurant was clean and beautiful. The rice was bland and hard, the vegetables weren't what I was expecting (not in a good way). The oxtails were just ok- they had some flavor but not at all what I am used to and the plantain weren't sweet yet. Unfortunately, I won't be returning. read more

Had the jerk pork and jerk chicken meals. The food is okay had good flavour but just wasn't as juicy and tender as I expected it to be. The atmosphere and service was excellent. Will give this place another try. Maybe it was just an off day. read more

Lil' Negril Island Grill - Pork jerk - Caribbean Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

I've heard some good reviews on this place, but I was quite disappointed. I will say the food was tasty, but the price was crazy expensive. We ordered the ox tail, jerk chicken, and two bone in chicken roti's. That came to $70!! The proportions looked small, but surprisingly filled us up. With the roti, you are expected to wrap it yourself, but was impossible since it had big holes in it. No problem.. so we just took bites of it. My salad that was in a different compartment from the bone in chicken was covered in the chicken sauce..that was interesting tasting. My husbands salad was plain, no dressing; nothing. It was my first time trying ox tail, that was delicious. As for the jerk I told my friend that I've only ate jerk once in PEC and it was nothing to be excited about, she told me that's because you need to order from a better place. This jerk chicken was tasty, but it was basically bbq'd chicken with a sweet bbq sauce. Not what we were expecting. Overall, if you don't mind the high prices, you should try it. For me $70 was too much money and I would expect leftovers for that price. No pic, since I was starving and just gobbled it down. read more

Great little spot hidden in Centrepoint. The atmosphere is nice and small. Service is friendly and efficient. The food was tasty and very well presented. I had trouble deciding on my Jamaican favourites from roti, curried goat, oxtail stew or jerk chicken or pork. We decided jerk pork which was nicely charbroiled with excellent jerk flavour. We had the hot jerk which was as advertised. I like spicy food and this balanced heat and flavour. They can go extra hot. I will be back for sure. read more

Lil' Negril Island Grill - Great jerk pork. Spicy. Good as in Jamaica. - Caribbean Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Went once when we couldn't get into a Baan Thai. Was good! Very friendly service. Jerk chicken was very flavourful. Didn't blow me away but certainly would go back. read more

A hidden gem. Lil Negril is buried in a stip mall near Nepean Centrepointe and doesn't look like much on the outside. Inside, the decor is surprisingly modern and posh. Our server was super friendly and had lots of answers to our menu questions. Spinach artichoke dip was a great starter. Our table had jerk chicken and jerk pork. Both were excellent - very flavourful without being dangerously hot. There was a booster of hot sauce on the side for the adventurous. Fried plantain and rice/peas (beans) were the expected sides. Mango salsa was unexpectedly nice. We just tried the Jamaican side of the menu. Look forward to trying the Trini side with the Bust Up Shut roti. I think the owner/chef is from Jamaica by way of Cayman so he has a pan-Cairbbean approach. I've eaten West Indian food in North America and in the Caribbean many times and Lil Negirl ranks as one of the tops Ive tried. read more

Had a really good experience here today. I've had a ton of West Indian food mainly in Toronto. This place looked fancy from the first steps inside and I was expecting low authenticity and high prices. We got the opposite. The chef greeted us since it was before 5pm, told us everything was made in house. Roti was super fresh and tasty, hot sauce was solid, oxtail super tender and jerk chicken was good. Felt very friendly and service was great. Would defintely come back. read more

This is the nicest Jamaican restaurant I have experienced in Ottawa. The decor is pleasant and warm; it is a small, intimate restaurant. Most importantly the food is fantastic. I am Canadian-Jamaican and regularly visit Jamaica and have tried foods across the island. The jerk pork we had here tonight was easily the best jerk pork I have ever tasted anywhere. Crisp outer edge, wonderfully seasoned, moist, tender, and the amount of heat is to order. Served with very nice rice and peas and a very refreshing side salad, a great value at $14.00 They have Caribean beer and liquor on hand, the pork was great with an ice cold Jamaican Red Stripe lager. Service was prompt, attentive and professional. read more

Lil' Negril Island Grill - Jerk pork with side salad and plantain - Caribbean Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Again with Ottawas roti problem. Roti we're way over priced and came in a separate container. -Barely passable roti wrap -Roti mix contained plantains and the chicken was bone in and covered in BBQ sauce not even chickpeas and curry powder -Have to assemble it yourself -Expensive read more

We were very disappointed the roti shell was mostly raw, we couldn't eat it and the portions are very small. The jerk sauce was not it was just BBQ sauce. The salad was old. I emailed them and got no response at all. read more

This restaurant is a hidden gem! We decided to stop in after cruising around the local neighborhood to see if we could find something open today. We came upon a little plaza on Centerpoint and stopped to give it a try. Amazing!! The curried goat was fabulous! So tender and flavourful it almost melted in my mouth. Hubby tried the stew beef and it was the same. Soooo good! The portions with rice and peas and salad were perfect. As much as we thought we could eat more in that sitting we were pleasantly sated. And the prices were very reasonable. I encourage you to stop in and test out the wonderful Jamaican dishes here. You won't be disappointed. We'll definitely be returning. Hubby wants to go back tomorrow evening read more

Laid back restaurant with delicious roti! I'm definitely not an expert with Jamaican or Caribbean cuisine, but definitely I've come back several times and am never disappointed. read more

My staff and I recently had our Christmas Party at this restaurant. The staff was very friendly and welcoming. The food and service were excellent. This was my second time eating at the Lil Negril. I have been pleased each time. We particularly liked the Jerk Chicken with the Mango Salsa. The restaurant is very nicely appointed and offers a classy but cozy atmosphere. I would not hesitate to recommend this restaurant. read more

Stopped in at Lil Negril today for lunch as I was at Ba'an Thai recently and passed this place on our way there. I was intrigued, so I went...and was very happy that I did! A nice, quiet place with very tasteful decor and ample seating. I tried the avocado/cilantro dip with chips for an appetizer, with an ice-cold Heineken. The dip was fresh and flavourful, and the chips were crisp tortilla-style chips with minimal salt. I ordered the Chicken Fricasee for an entrée and it arrived promptly after finishing my appetizer. The bone-in chicken was incredibly tender, with a delicious herb-y sauce. Rice and beans side dish had a wonderful smoky flavour, and the chicken also came with crisp greens and a couple of plaintain chips. The service was exceedingly friendly and prompt. The restaurant was near-empty, which is a shame as many are missing out on a deliciously satisfying meal. I will be back to Lil Negril very, very soon. Meal with an appetizer and two premium beers (don't judge me!) came to under $40. read more

Food was great (medium hot is hot, mild is medium hot), staff was awesome. Wine was not very impressive (but at least it was cheap). I would definitely recommend it. read more

Jerk pork is not microwaved pork with bbq sauce Come on ! And we both had minute rice( we heard the microwave) an cant even get gravy for our rice? My boyfriend is jamaicain and this was seriously the worst we ever had and that being said the price was way over the price we paid for realgood jamaicain food. read more

Outstanding meals! This is a place I will continue to introduce friends to time & again. It never disappoints in quality of food and service! read more

I liked this place. To start, we had the Festival (kind of like barely-sweet, dense donut sticks with a watery cinnamon dip) and the avocado-cilantro dip with tortillas (basically guac and chips). For his main course my partner had the fried chicken, which was crispy, lightly seasoned, and served with a sweet fruity sauce. I had the ackee and salt cod, which was quite tasty and came with a nice little salad. Both also came with rice and beans, which we found perfectly-cooked but a bit bland. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable, the restaurant was clean, and everything was fresh. Overall, the food was good, but nothing wowed us. I would compare it to pretty decent home cooking, with a bit of Jamaican flair. read more

This restaurant specializes in Jamaican cuisine. Located in quiet strip mall it is nicely decorated and certainly suitable for dining. The food is delicious. My favourite appetizer was the plantain chips and codfish. My favourite main dish is the Jamaican curry goat but there are many others like the grilled fish that is excellent. Service was very courteous and friendly. I would highly recommend it. read more

I ate here for the first time in June. It has a sophistocated atmosphere, a friendly and professional staff with great Caribbean music. I went after the lunch time crowd so my food came relatively quickly. The food was delicous with excellent presentation. I had the cod and plantain appetizer and the braized oxtail dish which were both yummy. I would definantly go there again! read more

What a wonderful eatery! Fed up with paying high prices for poor quality, we decided to try this small friendly restaurant based on reviews and their BYOB collaboration. This is a GEM!! Service was extremely friendly and helpful, food just as good. Portions are perfectly sized and flavor! Lots of that! We will definitely come back and recommend!!! read more

Had a great meal with my family last evening. This was second meal - the first was take-out that was so good I came back for more. They did not disappoint. The service is top notch. I had the braised oxtail and found it tender and richly flavourful. Others had the ackee and salt fish, salmon and the jerk chicken. Everything was excellent. They catered to the different tolerances for heat in the spice very well - from suicide hot to mild. They serve the rice on the side which I always prefer - some places put it on the plate that really only serves as "filler". The presentation was well done and the plates came out hot and appealing. The price was very reasonable given the excellent quality. I will be back and I will, of course keep using their excellent take out service. read more

I came to this place because of a Groupon. Formerly a Curves location, it has been beautifully renovated. I was favourably struck by the bright, modern decor. The food was very tasty; I had the plantain/codfish dip (fried plantain yummy, more of the codfish dip would have been better) and the goat roti. Surprisingly, neither was very spicy. When I commented on this, I was told that they prepare the dishes with the palate of non-Caribbean folk and even children in mind. So if you would like a more authentic heat level, just mention it and they'll spice it up. I was there for lunch on a Saturday and received very pleasant service, with explanations--including how to eat the "bust up shut" style rotis ---it's your chosen meat on a plate with a nice small salad and a warm roti on the side---you can either wrap your own meat up in the roti or tear up the roti and use it to scoop up the curried meat, Indian style. Delicious! The restaurant is clean, friendly, and a great introduction to Caribbean cuisine. read more