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    Tropical Time

    4.9 (15 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 2 weeks ago

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    Curry chicken dark and Jerk chicken dark with rice and peas and cabbage.
    Nicolette S.

    Tropical Time never disappoints! They deliver a generous portion of authentic flavor. It feels less like "fast food" and more like a Sunday dinner at home. If you're torn between the curry and the jerk, do what I did and get a combo plate and don't forget the plantains!

    Oxtail dinner with plantain and cabbage.

    So glad I found their new location. After moving from Northlake, they are now in Glen Ellyn. I ordered the oxtail, curry goat, and jerk chicken dinners. Everything was cooked to perfection and fresh. If you like good Jamaican food, this place is a must try. All sides were delicious. I had the Mac and cheese, cabbage, plantains, and yams. My family all loved the food and I will definitely be back for more goodness.

    Rice n beans
    Ben C.

    I don't really eat Caribbean food, I'm not even sure if I've tried jerk chicken before but this place was definitely good. Bit expensive but for the quality of the food I'd say it's worth it. I just got the 1/2 chicken with the mild bbq sauce. More than enough food. Along with the rice and beans which was a giant serving. The inside was clean, pretty basic but I think the food is the main highlight here. Guy who served me the food was very respectful as well.

    JERK CHICKEN HALF WITH CABBAGE AND MAC AND CHEESE

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    22 days ago

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    6 months ago

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    4 months ago

    Food very good I love the chicken stew and red beans and rice people working nothing but polite and respectful

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    6 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    6 months ago

    Jerk chicken in the western suburbs!! Tropical time did not disappoint. First time in. Jerk chicken excellent.

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    Review Highlights - Tropical Time

    I've been eating from them since the original location in Maywood on 1st ave by the courthouse!

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    Island Express Restaurant - Medium Jerk Chicken with 2 sides

    Island Express Restaurant

    4.8(66 reviews)
    21.4 mi

    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.

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    Island Express Restaurant
    Island Express Restaurant
    Island Express Restaurant - Jamaican jerk chicken with Mac n cheese side

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    Jamaican jerk chicken with Mac n cheese side

    Jerky Jerk - Fantastic chicken and red beans and rice

    Jerky Jerk

    3.9(56 reviews)
    16.2 mi

    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.

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    Jerky Jerk
    Jerky Jerk - 1/2 Jerk Chicken

    1/2 Jerk Chicken

    Jerky Jerk - Front entrance

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    Front entrance

    The Jungle Plate

    The Jungle Plate

    3.8(27 reviews)
    10.3 mi

    Stopped in a couple weeks ago. I had wanted to try fufu and egusi for a while now. Once this local…read moreplace popped up on my TikTok I had to try it. Of course we ordered fufu and egusi, we also ordered chicken and jollof rice, side of spinach and fries. The man was very kind. It did take a while for our food. I think he may have been preparing it himself. The fufu and egusi (vegan) was good. I'm glad I finally had the opportunity to try it. The jollof rice was dry along with the chicken. The chicken was so dry we didn't even eat it. I would not recommend that meal unfortunately. The spinach was very spicy but good. Of course the fries were delicious. Our total was $75 including two drinks and tip. For that reason alone I would never come back. I love to support small businesses but unfortunately the price was higher than the value. I didn't get a printed receipt so I'm not sure how my total ended up that high.

    This was such a pleasant surprise from the moment I walked in. The owner of Jungle Plate is…read moreincredibly friendly and welcoming, which immediately set the tone for the experience. I didn't realize beforehand that it was an African restaurant, and since I have limited experience with Nigerian cuisine, I was excited to try something new. I ordered the beef with jollof rice, and while I wasn't expecting the level of spice, the flavors were bold, rich, and truly enjoyable. It's one of those meals that leaves an impression--comforting, flavorful, and different in the best way. I'll definitely be returning, and next time I plan to bring my husband so we can try some of their goat dishes as well. Overall, a warm, welcoming spot that's worth exploring if you're looking to step outside your usual and experience something new. Perfect for anyone looking to try something new in a welcoming, approachable setting.

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    The Jungle Plate - Inside

    Inside

    The Jungle Plate
    The Jungle Plate

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    Tropical Time - caribbean - Updated September 2026

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