This place is at about an hour for me one way to get to but that doesn't stop me from showing up as often as I do because the food is top notch each time. Every thing is cook to order and comes out the same each time. Quality ingredients and loyal Chef to what he serves equal best food service each time. Plenty of seating. Great customer service from the cashier to the Chef that comes out and checks on how you feel about your food eack time. Although we're regulars the Chef still comes out to make sure this plate was as perfect as the last. I have brought majority of my family here and friends that have been visiting me from other states as a hidden gem unique experience. The Chef even makes his own salad dressing from scratch! He also has his own sweet and heat type of sauce you can use free there and buy a bottle to take home. Darling forgot what he famous for is his ribs. They fall off the bone so tender! Shrimp and grits where the shrimp are so plentiful my husband shares with me. Please don't sleep on this place. It's a must try! read more

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Really good food here, very flavorful. The shrimp and grits are awesome, they were my favorite dish for sure. The portions are a nice size and the price is very reasonable. Definitely will be back and a must try if you like Caribbean food. read more

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This was incredibly salty. They were somewhat impatient with my 88 year-old mother who had a difficult time ordering and asked questions. Hard to understand, since there was nobody else in the store! read more

Got some jerk chicken with rice, beans and some fried plantains. I was a little worried that was going to be a little bit too spicy but I was wrong it wasn't too spicy. It had a bit of a kick but definitely allowed me to enjoy my meal. read more

Always love the food at Island Thyme! Staff was friendly. Service is fast. Food is always great.

Drove 30mins from Downtown Orlando to this restaurant located in Avalon Park just to try the food and wasn't disappointed. This establishment is extremely clean and tidy which is a big plus for me. We went during the week, around noon and there was no line/wait at all which was surprising because the line should be out the door. We ordered Braised oxtail with rice & peas, and mac & cheese (not pictured). The young lady at the register was very polite and gave many recommendations on things to try since it was our first time. It didn't take long for the meals to come out and everything was hot! The oxtail taste was different compared to Jamaican style oxtail which is popular and more common...BUT IT WAS GREAT! The meat was very tender, falling off the bone, and the portion size was huge. Rice & peas were delicious also, not to dry but not soupy either. My only con would be the mac & cheese, which wasn't creamy at all and pretty dry maybe due to the big rigatoni pasta noodles used. I would not recommend it as a side (especially for $2.95 up-charge) but wouldn't mind giving the mac & cheese bowl a try next time. Lastly we ordered a side of jerk chicken just to try and it was amazing I mean hats off to the chef. Can't wait to return to try some different items on their extensive menu. S/n: The owner/chef did come out to introduce himself and asks how everything was tasting which I thought was very commendable. If in Orlando or plan to visit soon, please check this place out and bring your appetite! read more

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5 stars for an amazing local Caribbean spot with food to die for. One of the benefits of COVID-19 is that our family is trying other restaurants in the area to try and break out of the same old places, Island Thyme was one of those adventures! The menu boasts everything, from entrees to tacos and all are made with amazing Caribbean ingredients. So far, out of everything we tried the Jerk Chicken and Mac and Cheese are out of this world. The spices on the chicken are a flavor explosion with just the perfect amount of heat. The Mac and Cheese is so rich and creamy. More recently we tried the wings, Rum and BBQ flavors and they did not disappoint. The Rum was sweet and the BBQ was just right. Island Thyme has definitely made its way onto our regular rotation. We can't wait to experience the rest of the menu! Feel free to drool over the pictures, you're welcome. read more

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The hour drive for me was absolutely worth it for the most tender jerk chicken I've ever had! I got the rice and peas as a side and they were still moist with tender kidney beans and just the right amount of flavor. I had never heard of "plantain lasagna" and had to try it. It's interesting but not something I'd get again and that's purely from a taste standpoint - the plantains were beautifully cooked to have those nice caramelized edges, and then smothered in a cheese sauce with ground beef and pico. I ended up moving the toppings into my rice because I tend to eat my plantains as more of a sweet treat dessert rather than a side. But again, personal preference. My father got the jerk ribs and chicken combo with double collards and was blown away by the tenderness and depth of flavor. He didn't use hot sauce. He ALWAYS uses hot sauce except maybe at Thai or (authentic) Chinese restaurants. He said it wasn't super spicy but it was so tasty he didn't want to spoil the flavor of the sauces. The ribs and chicken fell off the bone, and the collards were tender but still had a bite to them with a delicious sour and salty garlic sauce. The staff were wonderful, the chef even came out to see how we were doing. He's from the virgin islands and trying to keep it as fresh and authentic as possible. Having never been to the islands, I can't vouch for authenticity, but I trust he knows what he's doing because I contemplated ordering to-go for lunch for today (but I was a stupid adult who already meal-prepped and had to be good). I'm hoping as things get back to normal I'll have more excuses to go to that side of town to try more of their items - I've got those oxtails on my mind now. But if I get a good enough craving, I'll definitely make the drive again! read more

I decided to give this place a try and I'm Glad I did! The food was delicious. Jerk chicken was juicy and flavorful. It has some spice but not too hot. The rice and beans were good and a very generous portion. I added the plantains and they even threw in the salsa. Will be a regular from now on. read more

Virgin Island Thyme - Caribbean Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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Island Thyme! Why did it take me so long to return. I live 3mins away. Saturday night, did not feel like cooking and needed something good, flavorful, hot and comforting. Island Thyme checked off all those points for me. We ordered Jerk chicken with rice and peas, jerk salmon with rice and beans and three beef empanadas. This restaurant shares a plaza with my neighborhood Walmart, so parking is plenty. The door has the hours of operation, masks required sign and all the delivery apps they participate with. I rather call them directly and pick up, money directly in their pocket. Support Local. The space is pretty big, there are a couple of tables and room for more, once covid looses its grip on us. Approached the counter, paid for my order, waited a few minutes. Noticed how clean and well lit the place is, I like that in a restaurant. Order up. The aroma in the car made me impatient to get home. People, do yourselves a favor and run, do not walk to this wonderful place and bless the hands of that cook this amazing food. My husband rarely speaks up when eating his food, he is the type that food is for sustenance, so when he says something is good, I know it is truth. And he said, "this has flavor." The jerk flavor is savory with a sweet heat that creeps up on you, lovingly letting you know you are alive. The chicken was sooooo juicy and delicious, the salmon was cooked nicely, sooooo good, topped with a sweet pineapple salsa. The maduros (sweet plantains) are perfectly ripe & sweet. The comforting, tasty, warm flavor of the rice and peas and beans, invoking memories of back home in DR. I noticed they have a VIP club, might have to join because I will be returning for more of the wonderful food, the jerk chicken and rib combo has my name all over it. read more

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The food was good, the Mac and cheese was okay but could be better. I would go back for it for sure though, the jerk ribs were amazing. We got it to go and the service from that was also good. I would suggest to anyone! read more

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The food is delicious, and not expensive at all! As for the ambience, it's not fancy more like fast food place. But great to order and bring home. read more

Don't walk...RUN to this place for their amazing food!! My husband and I noticed this place a few weeks ago while visiting his mom (who lives right down the road) and we bookmarked it for our next visit because the pictures looked amazing and it had such great reviews. Well, today was finally the day we got to try it! We placed an online order for pickup. We ordered 3 meals: Jerk Chicken with collard greens and seafood chowder, Jerk chicken and ribs combo with rice & peas and fried plantains, Jerk Chicken and ribs combo with rice and beans and fried plantains. We also couldn't resist their "Johnny cakes" which are not the traditional corn cakes we're used to in the South, they are actually Jamaican-style fry bread - think a somewhat savory donut with no frosting. (Yes please!!!) This was my first time eating Jerk Chicken and I can't wait for my 2nd, 3rd, 4th...you get it. I don't like super spicy food so I made sure to look at the reviews beforehand and noticed people saying it was a reasonable amount of spice, but not HOT. Well, they were right. The spice was perfect! It was just a bit of heat, but never uncomfortable. (I tend to like mild/medium level hot. They will make it spicier for you if you ask!) The FLAVORS in this Jerk seasoning were astounding. We could taste the complexity of the spices in every bite and the meats were so tender they were falling off the bone. I would get the chicken or the ribs every single time, but I hope to visit this place more often so I can try all of their other offerings! The rice and beans were good, but not spectacular. I actually liked the rice and peas better - had a bit more flavor to it. My husband's seafood chowder was delicious! I was pleasantly surprised with how great the flavor was! The collard greens were good, but were missing a bit of smokiness. He always gets collards...so he's kinda particular. :) These were very good, just not the best he's had. The fried plantains were perfectly sweet and delicious! I feel like we each got the equivalent of a whole plantain too! So generous! The fry bread...deserves its own paragraph. Wow. Wow. Wow. It was the perfect accompaniment to the sweet spice of the Jerk seasoning. I could see eating the bread by itself...with butter...with jelly...with powdered sugar...as a sandwich with their delicious meats...the ideas are endless. Get 1 (or 3) of these with your order! They're huge too...so share if you must. :) As far as the service, the online order worked perfectly. We set our pickup time for 5:30 and arrived about 8 mins early. The very nice young man at the register informed us it would be another 10-15 minutes. We didn't mind one bit since we were early and that just meant everything was coming out truly fresh! While we sat and waited we observed like 8 people come in and out for take out orders. Clearly it is a VERY popular place. The young man treated everyone so politely and so sweetly, I was so impressed. Every phone call was handled with kindness and patience. Every customer was addressed by name and served or greeted promptly. Props to this business for not only incredible food, but wonderful and kind service. We need more places like this during these times. All in all, we wish we lived closer to this place and not 2 hours away! :( It is a new guaranteed stop every time we visit from now on. Already looking forward to the next time! read more

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Tasty food with homemade ingredients ..... Service on point... clean all around.. I had their grilled salmon, well done and flavorful.

Saw island thyme on tiktok and it looked good in the videos but even though it looked good I wasn't expecting the food to be as good as it was literally everything I got was so flavorful , I recommend this spot I had : 1. Jerk Chicken The jerk chicken was tasty and the portion was HUGE 2. macaroni and cheese The macaroni and cheese was seasoned to perfection 3 Loaded oxtail fries If you loved fries you'll love these 4. braised Oxtail For some odd reason these oxtail taste a lot like Pig tail , Which to me I really appreciated that . It was really good , however I don't eat pork so it was good to have what felt like a pork replacement lmao I loved this 5. Empanadas (Meat Pate) I've had better PATES but this one was still good , I think it mainly came down to taste preference 6. Island beef taco & Shrimp taco I had both tacos but I loved the island beef taco more mainly because it had tomatoes and I think sour cream and I really appreciate that My favorites were : Island beef taco & the oxtail read more

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Talk about flavor!! I loved the jerk chicken and mac&cheese. The carrot cake was moist and scrumptious. It was my first time trying that brand of Kola champagne and it didn't disappoint. I can't wait to go back! read more

Virgin Island Thyme - Jerk Chicken Baked Mac & Cheese Yuca Fries - Caribbean Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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So cool to have my culture and local food from the Virgin Islands, right here in my backyard in Alafaya. I couldn't have asked for anything better. read more

It just absolutely wasn't what we expected the chicken was NOT stew chicken and I'm It sure what sauce was in it but it wasn't very good it gives a pollo tropical feel and I was looking for more Jamaica in Caribbean type food I really just wasn't feeling it. The customer service was pretty good though. read more

I was absolutely blown away by this place! I'm not usually on that side of town, but my husband and I happened to be in the area and decided to check this place out. We came pretty early, so we were the only ones there. The girl taking our order was very welcoming and answered all of our questions. After ordering, our food came out in a timely manner. Everything was absolutely amazing and you could definitely tell the chef takes pride in his food. We had the jerk chicken and it was very flavorful and juicy. Enough spice to add flavor, but not to the point where it was overbearing. The sides we got with it were the collard greens and the rice and peas. The collards were nice and garlicky and the rice and peas were flavorful, but better with a bit of oxtail gravy on it. We also got the coconut shrimp meal. They had the best taste and came with a honey mustard sauce. My husband said they were the best he's had. With those we got yuca fries and Mac n cheese. Both of those sides were great! The yuca fries were amazing, light and crispy, and came with an awesome garlic sauce. I enjoyed the larger pasta of the mac n cheese. The best part of all, was when Chef Thomas came out to check on how the meals were. Whaaaat?!! Who does that any more?... this guy, because he cares! I definitely let him hear my praises. Even though it is a bit of a drive, we will definitely be back to support this business!! read more

Virgin Island Thyme - Coconut Shrimp, Mac & cheese, & Yuca Fries - Caribbean Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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Ordered island thyme through Uber Eats based on positive reviews. I ordered the jerk chicken wings and the carrot cake. Items were packaged well, but did not include requested Utensils. The jerk wings were just okay, and not spicy at all. I found they lacked real jerk flavor and were a tad over done. The carrot cake was just alright. I found the prices extremely high relative to portion sizes. I would try it again in the restaurant, because quality might have been hindered from delivery. read more

I loved every bite of my meal. I got 1/4 chicken meal with plantains and rice/beans as the sides. Pineapple soda and guava cheesecake were the sweets to pair with the salty. Everything was perfectly cooked and seasoned and even was presented nicely. read more

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Carrot cake is top notch. Rest of the the food was average at best compared to the island style food I've had in the past. read more

Virgin Island Thyme - Caribbean Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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Quality food for a great price and consistently great service. This food is great for the soul. Gotta give it a try. read more

Virgin Island Thyme - Jerk Chicken, Fried Plantains, Rice and Beans, Collared Greens - Caribbean Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Delicious food, very clean and good portions. I thought it was a bit pricey but what isn't these days? But the portions are big! And the food I can't stress how delicious it is. read more

Finally a great restaurant in Avalon. The food is excellent! The place is clean and the service was fast! Highly recommend this place.

Bright clean friendly restaurant serves delicious flavorful food including jerk chicken, collard greens, sweet plantains, and deliciously light fried shrimp. Food is cooked to order and delivered to your table. A pleasure. I will be back. I appreciate the kids menu. read more

Hands down the best Jerk Chicken Orlando has to offer. Not only is it great portion sizes, the chicken and ribs are perfectly seasoned and cooked, it's one of the JUICIEST jerk chicken I have had in the Greater Orlando area. Along with the ribs and chicken, I ordered fried plantains, collard greens, roasted corn and Oxtail Loaded fries. Each entree comes with two sides and they had some great appetizer options you can order separately as well. The wait time for food was great, the time you would expect for them to prepare a phenomenal dish. The staff was wholesome and caring, providing great recommendations and the scents of the kitchen lingering out the door as you walk in made your mouth water. It was definitely worth the trip and some of the best Caribbean food I have had in a long time. read more

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This food is so good. It came out hot and fresh. The oxtail was one of the best dishes I've had in a while. So tender, savory and juicy! The Yuka fries were your basic yuka fries, but the dip they came with was incredible. I'd buy them again just for that dip. The Johnny cake was the perfect side to dip in the oxtail juice. My sister got one of their jerk chicken rice bowls, and although it had great flavor, there was far too much rice and not enough chicken. That would be my only complaint. I would still come back again to try more genuine Caribbean flavors. read more

Virgin Island Thyme - Johnny Cake Braised Oxtail Yuca Fries - Caribbean Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Food was amazing! It is a simple restaurant that looks more geared for take out but the food and service were top notch! We tried the Conch Fritters, Jerk Shrimp and Grits, and the Jerk Chicken. No complaints at all. read more

Virgin Island Thyme - Jerk Chicken, Conch Fritters, Jerk Shrimp and Grits - Caribbean Near Me - Orlando, Florida

When you think "best Mac and cheese", you probably wouldn't think a local Caribbean restaurant would be the source. But this is the best Mac and cheese I've ever tasted. I'm torn between the jerk chicken Mac and cheese bowl and the jerk salmon every time I order, but I always know I'm going to have Mac and cheese and yucca fries every time I go. read more

This place has become one of our favorites in East Orlando. We have been here several times and always consistently good! I tried the Caribbean grilled chicken and my friend had the Curry Chicken. Both were hot and delicious. Love the plantains. Folks inside are always appreciative and friendly. 2 things you don't always see in restaurants anymore. Food is delicious and a great value as well. Will continue to go back and recommend to friends! read more

Good day,, it's nice to know a Caribbean restaurant is up and running in the Neighborhood, and a VI restaurant at that, but sorry to say the food is not all good. I can only talk about my experience with the food I ordered not once but twice. 1st off your Johnny cake is way to greasy, don't taste good and looks horrible. The Pattie was more domestic, not island type very disappointing. The Ox tail was totally off. Please do research ask the people. Go back home to see and taste the food STT, STJ and STX. , read more

Everything great food taste amazing good service Well seasoned everything I tried. One of my new spots read more

Yooooooooo !!!!! Island thyme spit that Dylan hot fire !!! The only way I can describe the oxtail is meat flavored butter with a touch of love. It was fucking amazing !! The coconut shrimp was perfectly fried to a mouthwatering crisp ..... and the jerk chicken taco was the spice of life. The fresh pineapple salsa was the kicker. And of course V.I. TIL I DIE read more

Virgin Island Thyme - Braised Oxtail - Caribbean Near Me - Orlando, Florida

The food is prepared to perfection (nothing was dry and seasoned perfectly) and doesn't take long. You can order to go or dine in. We came in and the chef himself came over to check on us. It was a real treat to have a Valentine lunch date there and the island vibes were felt with the music choices. Wanted to dance while eating. We will be back! read more

Virgin Island Thyme - Jerk Chicken, greens , rice n peas, Yucca fries, plantains & blackened fish - Caribbean Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Been living near this restaurant for the past two years and never gave them a shot till yesterday. Its a small restaurant with seating area and very very clean. Ordered the Island Stew chicken with Collard Greens and Mac and cheese. The oxtail taco, jerk wings and yucca fries. The flavor of all the meats were outstanding, the oxtail melt in your mouth and the chicken was juicy!!! The mac and cheese was very good (Greens were cooked well but hardly any flavor least favorite item). They do take a bit longer than normal with the food but the staffed is very friendly and they will let you know upfront. Will definitely be back!!! read more

I finally had the opportunity to come in and check out this new restaurant addition to Avalon Park. The Owner/Executive Chef came out to say hello and see how we liked the food. That's a pretty cool gesture. I never had the chance to visit the previous restaurant in this space but I can honestly say that I like the new decor and vibe - spacious, plenty of natural light, bright colors and good background music. For the first meal, I opted for the jerk chicken with yucca fries and mac n cheese as my sides. I was not expecting so much food, let alone a half of chicken. I think that this makes the price per entree very reasonable. I took home about half of my plate. Another surprise is that the mac n cheese is not made with macaroni noodles. Although I would have liked more cheese (I just like overly cheesy mac n cheese) but it is good. The chicken appeared to be cooked then covered in jerk sauce and warmed. I expected there to be more spice to the jerk but otherwise it was ok. One can't really go wrong with yucca fries. I love yucca fries and these were very good. I didn't see any mayo-ketchup though. Before leaving I doubled back for dessert and decided to try the key lime pie. I was hoping for a slightly larger slice for the price but nonetheless it is good pie. Overall the food was good and the combined experience comes in at about a 3.25 for me. Of the items I've had I would definitely order some of them again. Also, there are a few other items on the menu that I'd like to try. read more

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If you are ever in the Avalon Park area, this place is a MUST TRY. It's finger licking, melt in your mouth, gooooood food. For this foodie adventure, we decided to try the braised oxtail and the jerk chicken with a side of French fries, mac & cheese, and island seafood chowder. The braised oxtail was fall off the bone, tender and juicy as can be with a side of rice that complimented the oxtail so well. But the hidden gem for this trip was the jerk chicken. It was seasoned to perfection, by far, THE BEST I EVER HAD. The outside of the chicken was crisp, and the meat was moist. Something even Guy Fieri would be speechless about. Definitely we'll be back to try more! read more

Virgin Island Thyme - Braised oxtail and jerk chicken - Caribbean Near Me - Orlando, Florida

I forgot how good island thyme is!! Decided to get the tropical chicken and bbq rib combo with fried yuca and plantains. Sooo yummy! The ribs literally fall right off the bone and the chicken is so moist! I The fried yuca was super crispy. Love this place!! read more

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The food was awesome, I heard about Island Thyme from my boss, he said he had some great Jamaican food, so I had to give it a try. I was not disappointed. I texted my fiancé and asked her if she wanted some dinner, I didn't want to get in trouble for not bringing her something home to eat. I got her some Sofrito Chicken, with rice and peas and plantains. I ordered some Jerk wings and 2 side Empanadas, the food was so good, seasoned great, and very filling. I will definitely be returning for more!! read more

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