I recently took my family to Topnotch Island Flavor Kitchen and it was an absolute treat! As someone who lives in Chandler, I'm more than happy to drive all the way out here because this place serves what I believe is the best Jamaican food in the entire Phoenix area. The authentic Jamaican jerk chicken was packed with flavor--perfectly spiced, smoky, and tender. The oxtail was just as impressive, falling-off-the-bone tender and rich with that classic Caribbean taste. The coconut peas and rice were fresh, fluffy, and delicious, with just the right balance of coconut sweetness and savory notes. Everything tasted homemade and full of soul. For dessert, we had the pineapple upside-down cake, and it quickly became a family favorite. It was served warm, which made the flavors and textures even better--moist, caramelized pineapple on top with that perfect hint of spice. My kids loved it so much they were fighting over the last bites! My son also ordered the island punch drink, and he couldn't stop raving about how tasty it was. The guava flavor really came through and made it incredibly refreshing. From the warm hospitality to the generous portions and spot-on flavors, Topnotch Island Flavor Kitchen delivered an amazing experience. If you're craving real Jamaican food in the Valley, make the trip--you won't regret it. We'll definitely be back soon! read more

What a great local restaurant! My friend recommended this place, and having never been here, but wanting to try it. Upon arriving, you find your own table, which already has menus for you. [[HIGHLIGHT]]There is a TV in the dining area, which was playing the FIFA game.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We tried the beef patty appetizer and it was yummy. I ordered the jerk, chicken pasta, and I liked that as well. You could really taste the coconut flavor, it was reminiscent of another dish I couldn't put my finger on. When you're done eating, you simply go back to the front to pay. Also, I think it's really cool that they have the table of local business cards as well. When I'm at home I always look for places that have that as well to find local businesses and what not. Great local spot to try! read more

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I found out about Topnotch while sitting in my dentist's waiting room. They had been featured in Phoenix magazine. Fast forward to Sunday afternoon and we made our first visit. What we didn't know was Sundays are limited menu but that was ok. We had already decided we had to try the Jerk Chicken and Mum's fried chicken which are part of Sundays menu. We were served in to-go boxes which I also believe is because of Sunday limited service. But that's ok because it did not change the fact that the food was outstanding! The jerk chicken was probably the best I've ever eaten. Huge flavors with a hint of spicy. I ordered it with the Caribbean slaw which was amazing (I'm a slaw snob). It is slightly sweet but really crunchy. Mum's fried chicken was delicious as well. Fresh and juicy. It came with steamed veggies which were, well, steamed veggies. I'm not knocking them but they are what they are. We washed everything down with a rum punch and a cucumber margarita. Both were tasty. The more I drank the rum punch, the more I liked it (coincidence? I think not). Both meals came with a small cup of sauce. I'm not sure what it was, but I am as sure it was really tasty. If you are looking for excellent Caribbean food this is the place. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's nothing fancy to look at but it does it right where it counts, that being the food![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

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Reasonable price. Good service. Tasteful food. Def recommend giving this place a try. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance is awesome as well![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We will go back! read more

Topnotch Island Flavor Kitchen - Jerk chicken (says spicey but wasn't overly spicey) - Caribbean Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Thursday evening, pickup order. The order was estimated to be ready in 20 minutes, it was ready in 10 minutes. The items were kept in a hot box so everything was still warm upon my arrival. The jerk chicken kabobs were spicy. I enjoy spicy things but the kabobs were nearly so spicy I couldn't enjoy them. The plantains were very good but overpriced, $3.50 for four pieces of a plantain. I would try other things on the menu. read more

Topnotch Island Flavor Kitchen - Jerk chicken kabobs - Caribbean Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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I've eaten here several times, tried different dishes, and the food has all been truly outstanding. Very flavorful and fresh. The restaurant is very well run by the two friendly and efficient owners, who do all the cooking and serving. Highly recommended. read more

Topnotch Island Flavor Kitchen - Brown stew chicken - Caribbean Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Favorite restaurant in North Phoenix. Been coming here for years and I'm always so impressed. The flavors are incredible, the service is great - everything is topnotch! The wife & husband are always so sweet every time I come in. Love the Jerk Chicken, fried plantains, and pineapple ginger refresher. read more

The name says it all. Mom and pop shop that serves top notch Caribbean food. Drinks are fairly priced but the food is on the expensive side. Definitely worth it because of the amount of food you get. We shared the sweet and spicy jerk wings to start, it was perfectly cooked. Juicy, spicy and sweet at the same time. I ordered the brown stew chicken and it was bursting with flavors. My BF ordered the molasses rubbed jerk pork, he loved it! Definitely will be back as I wanted to try other goodies on the menu. read more

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Once I touch down in AZ, I had to come back here again. The food, the vibe & they are real Jamaicans.. I order curry goat w rice & peas & side plantains. My ppl order oxtails & rice peas & plantains. Man we bust that shit down. The rum punch was . The spicy chicken wings, to died for. [[HIGHLIGHT]]They was playing the tunes, i feel like i was back in Brooklyn.. lol.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Than we had to take black cake & Jamaican cream liquor home. overall this is my spot whenever I come to AZ. read more

Cute little family run Jamaican restaurant. Food is great. Some of the best oxtails I've found in Phoenix. You also got to check out the patties! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Cute decor, small little patio area and decent music.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Definitely a place worth trying out. Staff are friendly and helpful. read more

Topnotch Island Flavor Kitchen - Oxtails with rice and peas - Caribbean Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Service was amazing and the food was DELICIOUS!!!! Steamed veggies were seasoned very well, not overly but just enough! They had some amazing in house juices that we also tried. We were the only customers in there so we got the run down of the menu. Would definitely be returning!! read more

Food was so good! My kids don't usually eat things they know nothing about, but they loved this! I ordered the brown stew and it was soooo good! We will be visiting again now that we finally went in. read more

The chicken was all so flavorful and we enjoyed every bite. The goat was so tender and flavorful and we loved the rice. The cabbage and slaw were really nice too. The service was kind and good. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is a nice vibe with good music.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

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Hands down the best Jamaican food I've had since living in New York. Owner was very welcoming and friendly. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance was gorgeous and cozy.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I was winding in my seat while I waited for my food. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Music adds that much more of an experience.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I ordered the braised oxtails; They fell off the bone had the best seasonings and were so tender. HIGHLY recommend and will definitely be returning! Thank you so much for giving us a taste of Jamaica! read more

Topnotch Island Flavor Kitchen - Dinning area - Caribbean Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Phenomenal! We stopped by here on Father's Day and even though they had a private reservation only event they took our order. The lady working there was friendly and our food came out quickly. The jerk chicken was divine! Flavorful with a beautiful smoky crust and the rice and peas were delicious as well. My boyfriend got the oxtail and raved about it. I also got a side of the potato salad and enjoyed that as well. I did see that they had beef patties as well so we will definitely get those the next time! read more

Ordered the curry goat ,Tried the Jerk chicken and also shared a plate of oxtail. The Curry Goat and the rice and peas rice was amazing! 10/10. The Oxtail on the other hand 1/10. I know everything is pre-cooked but i really wonder how old the oxtail was or if i just got really bad pieces. Good oxtail should be tender and succulent, this was just rough all the way around. For $27 id pass next time. The jerk chicken was tasty. The Male server was not welcoming at all! Answered everything rudely and acted like he didn't want to serve us. It was a hassle just to request the oxtail in a separate plate. At one point I offered to separate it since he didn't want take my order that way. Just bring me a plate so i can do it. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The interior was cozy.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The beef patty was good with the hot sauce:) That curry goat put me in a food coma , that's the best thing about TopNotch, I want more. read more

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Top 3 signs the food might be fire 1) I didn't unbuckle my pants. I let my pants unbuckle themselves 2) I put on sunglasses while eating indoors. Somehow the room got brighter 3) My dog tried begging for a bite. In my empty house I asked "Who's dog is this?" read more

Topnotch Island Flavor Kitchen - Chicken Patty, curry goat that fall off the bone. Omg!!!! Mandatory nap immediately during and after - Caribbean Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

The best Jamaican food around, awesome service, and nice staff. They care about what they serve you. Never had a bad experience in the many times I've dined here. read more

Mama's fried chicken, sooo very tasty , juicy and crunchy, everything on this plate was good, veggies steamed to perfection read more

Topnotch Island Flavor Kitchen - So I just had this mamas fried chicken, so good, juicy, crunchy, and so flavorful! - Caribbean Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

By far my favorite Jamaican restaurant. Went here one day randomly and drive 30 minutes every week just to go. The jerk chicken does not fail! Rice & Peas cooked to perfection and the festivals put the cherry on top everytime. Love the owner and her husband service, they will always make sure you are taken care of. read more

First time here. Why did I not know about this place before? It's amazing. The food was delicious. The service was great. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambience was very interesting[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] and the server/owner was quite delightful. read more

The International Supper Club met here for June and I was excited to try Jamaican food for the first time. I had heard good things about this place from fellow Yelpers and got some suggestions for dishes to order. I went with a side of plantains and the jerk chicken, a staple. I chose steamed vegetables and coconut rice with peas as my sides. The owners chatted with us and were helpful in providing background information about different dishes which was great. They brought out our food as they were prepared and we dug in. I loved everything about my plate: the smoky spicy flavors of the chicken, the bbq-like sauce, the beans in the rice, even the vegetables which appeared to be typical ones you'd find sold in a frozen bag were very tasty. Portion size was plentiful and I had leftovers for the following day. The plantains were delicious as well, and I even sampled some breadfruit from Norm who had previously dined here and recommended it as a unique dish. Once you finish your meal, you pay at the register. Convenient for our large party as we didn't need to split checks and just had to inform our servers of what we ordered. Everyone seemed to enjoy their food and drinks and I'm glad I got to try this spot! read more

Topnotch Island Flavor Kitchen - Plantains - Caribbean Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Came here for my very first UYE and this place was very good! I had the Curry with Jamaican Slaw and it was just what the doctor ordered as far as taste and texture. It was spot on with flavor and spice and I really liked it. The service is very good here and the people who own this place came and talked to us, kept refills going on our drinks and were very good to our group. The ambiance was peaceful and relaxing. It was a bit of a drive for me bro g this restaurant is located in North Phoenix and I am an East a valley girl, but I didn't mind since I was with an amazing group of people and enjoying something different for dinner. A win-win combination all around. read more

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Absolutely amazing food! nice & fresh! [[HIGHLIGHT]]the service and environment was top notch![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] i would recommend to anyone who's looking to enjoy some authentic jamaican food! read more

This place is outstanding! The food is delicious, the service is top-notch, and [[HIGHLIGHT]]the atmosphere is excellent.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The owners are truly wonderful people who have built a fantastic restaurant! read more

I i've eaten a lot of caribbean food and this one was not quite up to snuff. The jerk chicken lacked the pazaz.I normally get with jerk chicken and it was very little meat. I got the jamaican rice and peas and they had absolutely no flavor whatsoever. I will give it a second.Try to see if maybe it was just an off night read more

This is my 3rd time eating at Topnotch. Visited Topnotch yesterday. Sundays appear to have a limited menu. Was sad, but got our picks. I got the jerk chicken, my daughter the brown chicken stew. Both were soooo good. The jerk chicken was really moist. My daughter really liked the stew. I took a bite of hers and it was so yummy. Chicken was moist and just enough gravy to get your rice in there too. Service was limited but still friendly they've usually would come to table and take order. This time around orders at counter. No problem once menu was limited. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The inside it set up nice and really just a nice size to give it that small locally owned feel.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Owner was friendly, as always. We definitely plan to keep going back. read more

The best shrimp I've had in a loooong time. We got the shrimp Rasta pasta. The pasta is great, we've had it before. But the shrimp version!! New favorite!! And the jerk kabobs were so delish and exceptionally well cooked. One of our local favorites!! read more

This hidden gem, hole in the wall was delicious. The staff were so friendly and great conversation. Lots of seating inside, very clean and casual. We ordered some apps, entrees and desserts. All were amazing and loaded with flavor. They even had some good vegetarian options like the Jerk cauliflower steak. I will definitely come back. read more

Best Beef patties. I get them early when Im close by. Owner is nice and try the Sorrel It's the truth

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Really cool place with great food, service and ambiance.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]..it's such a unique restaurant we'll definitely come back :) read more

I was hanging out with some friends today & when I was ready to leave I decided to see what restaurants were in the area. After checking Yelp I saw Topnotch Island Flavor Kitchen & decided to give it a try. Chickpea curry - online it says it comes with curry chickpeas, potato's, sautéed spinach and rice and peas. I got white rice and cold slaw. I don't go to Caribbean restaurants for white rice & I don't eat cold slaw so I'm very disappointed before I even taste anything. When I finally did taste it I wasn't impressed. It lacked flavor and/or spices. Rasta pasta Penne paste simmered in coconut milk, with vegetable medley, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and cracked pepper sprinkled with jerk seasoning. There was no jerk flavor or spices, & a small amount of vegetables just a whole bunch of pasta. I wanted to try the rum cake but they didn't have any again disappointed I met the owner she was really sweet & guaranteed I would be back after tasting her wonderful food. While the customer service was great the food was just ok. I wish the food tasted like the customer service . Unfortunately I won't be back. The stars are for the customer service. read more

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My Husband and I cannot rave about this restaurant enough. We each had a rum punch that was to die for and "Grandma's Secret Recipe" fried chicken with the pasta salad and basmati rice. If you are wanting to have the best fried chicken you've ever had, I would highly recommend. We will be going back and we can't wait! read more

One of the best tasting Jamaican food in this corner of Arizona. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Price is good, friendly people, and location is nice.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]A little busy at times but means people love it.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Nice vibes and music.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

We saw this restaurant on yelp and tried it. It was amazing! The jerk chicken was so flavorful and perfectly spiced. The service was friendly and quick. I ordered the cucumber margarita and it was the most refreshing margarita that I have ever had. We will definitely be coming g back thank you!! read more

Topnotch Island Flavor Kitchen - Cucumber margarita with lime and tajin. - Caribbean Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

First time here, and omg. This place is amazing. Everything from the food to the service to the vibes. I would come back every day to eat here. The jerk chicken is INSANE. When have you ever been able to just pull apart the drumstick and the meat just slide off? Never. Not until this place. Even the rice was fragrant and fluffy, and the coleslaw was crisp like a curtido. The fried plantains were SO good. They're a perfect little finisher, along with the festival. I honestly just can't wait to come here again. read more

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I'm so excited that I discovered this gem! When I was younger I worked at a Jamaican restaurant that made excellent food! Since moving here in 2012 I haven't found a place to satisfy my cravings for curried goat, oxtail and jerk chicken...until now. I happens to drive by and notice the Jamaican flag and did a U-turn. There it was Topnotch! YES MON I yelled in delight! [[HIGHLIGHT]]It has exactly the same ambiance and good vibes at the place I worked at decades ago.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Since that day I have ordered food several times. The gist is scrumptious! The Oxtails melt in the mouth and the fried chicken is excellent. I love their coconut milk rice and peas (which are what kidney beans are referred to in JA) their slaw is perfect can't the steamed veggies are cooked so they are tender yet still have a little crunch. It cannot be overstated how happy I am to have found this wonderful restaurant. I'm going to have my birthday lunch there in November! Everyting Irie here! read more

Yeh Mon. Enjoy delicious Island flavors while sipping on rum infused cocktails! We enjoyed the most delicious Rum Punch and jerk chicken. I recommend showing up early so you have pick off everything on the menu! We had Jerk Chicken 5 Festival 6 Return factor: 100% read more

For June's International Supper Club, this was the place selected and what a treat this was! Thanks Monica and Ursula for organizing us! Super fun to hang out again with the supper club! I love West Indian food and it's been a hot minute since I've had some, so tonight was just absolutely amazing! The staff here know what they are doing and to hear the West Indian lilt in our server's voice, that really made me feel at home. I've been to multiple Caribbean islands and have some really good longtime schoolmates from all over the Caribbean, so tonight felt really good to patronize this local establishment. I ordered a Jamaican rum punch and seems many at our table did so too and it was very solid! I loved the fresh edible pineapple decor! Norm was super nice to let us all try his breadfruit and I really enjoyed it! I think I've had it before and its a starchy vegetable which tastes kind of like taro, sort of like cassava... So many awesome items on the menu and a few people ordered jerk chicken, which everyone said was fabulous. I had some trouble deciding as so many good options but in the end, I opted for the braised oxtail, white rice and steamed veggies. The braised oxtail was cooked to perfection. I grew up eating my grandma's oxtail soup and this was just unbelievably good. The meat was tender, falling off the bone and perfectly seasoned. West Indian music was playing and I recognized an oldie which was Footprints by TOK, it was so popular back in 2005 and remember it was playing everywhere when I was visiting Guyana that year. Overall, a really great experience and I'll definitely be back to try all the other items on the menu! This place was definitely Topnotch for sure! read more

Topnotch Island Flavor Kitchen is a destination Jamaican Restaurant located in Phoenix Arizona. They offer most of the well known Jamaican favorites, hard to find Jamaican foods like ackee & saltish, molasses rubbed jerk pork, breadfruit, and also offer other unique dishes like flaming beef tacos, and spicy chicken jerkadilla. They have a few vegan dishes, cocktails, and a children's menu. Also many delicious sounding desserts. We started out with the cod fritters. It was a generous portion , fried to perfection and was very tasty with a tasty sauce. I had to try the curry chicken. When it arrived I was surprised that it was boneless....But it did taste amazing and was as good as curry chicken can taste. It also was the most tender curry chicken that I have tried anywhere. We also tried the jerk chicken. The chicken was expertly prepared and was fall off the bone tender. It did run on the milder side of other jerk chicken that I have tried but was still very good. We also tried breadfruit because we have never tried that before. It was seasoned nicely and was tasty. Anyone would like it. The people there were informative and helpful. The restaurant looked sparkling clean. This is a very recommended restaurant to visit to try Jamaican Food! 4.5 stars read more

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