Here to write a view nearly 6 years later to continue to give kudos to one of my favorite spots in Detroit! I have consistently come here to get food throughout the years and it has been so rewarding to continue to see Yum Village be such a pillar in the city and in the food industry! The service here is incredible, you don't bus anything yourself. I also noticed that the staff that day was all women, from everyone front of house to the chefs in the back as well preparing the food, which was extra fun! They are so attentive to us and even when there was a snaffoo with on of my party's orders. They paid with cash and I think perhaps that messed up the tracking of the order through the system? I'm not entirely sure. As for the food, Yum Village has maintained some of the same dishes throughout the years, while also adding and/or rotating a ton of other dishes through the menu. I can definitely confirm that the garlic parm jerk chicken remains my favorite and that the spice level, while still plentiful and intense, has eased up a bit in recent years. Either that or that I have become more spice heat-tolerant! Either way, the portions also remain huge, so there was a ton of food to take home! I love the truffle collard greens, the deeply unique and flavorful corncakes, and also the star of the show this go around was the deliciously complex fried cheesy fufu! It oozes so much flavor and is the perfect addition to any meal and very shareable as well! Keep up the great work, Yum Village!! read more

See all

We came here on our first day in Detroit. The restaurant had great music playing and it has a good location, not being too far from our airbnb. The service was pretty quick. We ordered on the tablet they have at the front counter and sat down to wait for the food to be delivered to our table. They did have happy hour going, but I don't recommend it. The drinks weren't good honestly. Not sure what was being mixed but the liquor didn't taste right. We both had the Classic Village Meal (Jerk Chicken, jollof rice, and plantains). It was good food. I loved how the jollof rice and plantains were well prepared and hot. The jerk chicken wasn't served as hot as the rice and plantains so I think they had a timing issue in the back, so that was disappointing. There is a lot of food, so we were able to take home half and have it for breakfast the next morning. We also tried to the jerk taco and it was good and hot, but awkward to eat because there so much on top and it was just falling off as I was trying to pick it up and take a bite. read more

See all

WOW this food is incredible! SO packed with flavor, spicy and sweet and savory. Went with a couple friends for lunch and I got the Classic Village Combo with jerk chicken, jollof rice, sweet and spicy plaintain, and I also got a side of the truffle oil collards. Everything was DELICIOUS! A kind of spicy that slowly builds too, which I found really pleasant. I also tried bites off some of friends' orders, like a bit of cornbread, the fried cheesy fufu, the garlic parm chicken. Everything was so good. Huge portions! Even the smallest size option was enough food to have leftovers for at least another big meal. They have bigger size options too for the extra hungry. Only bumping it down a star because they had some trouble with one of my friends' order. I guess it didn't go through to the kitchen, but one of the ladies noticed and asked my friend for her receipt so they could get her food going. However, seemed like they then lost that too because it wasn't until after two of us got our food and had been munching for a bit that they realized no one had started on our friend's order. Came out fast after that. Easily 5 stars without the ordering hiccup! read more

See all

This was GrubHub to me. It was delicious very flavorful. The only complaint I would have is that the chicken was a little dry but the seasoning on it in the sauce on it made it very bearable to eat. I finished it all up. I may try again, but I'm not sure just yet I'm sure they would be very accommodating if I visited their store. read more

Yum Village - Plantain - Caribbean Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

See all

If I had to pick one place ever to recommend to somebody it would be this one. The food tastes absolutely incredible and the portion size is huge, I always have food left over to take home with me when I visit. The only thing I wish is that whenever I go the music is kind of loud in the main area which makes it hard to hear each other but that's minor, totally recommend read more

Yum Village - Mild village - Caribbean Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

I'm updating my original review because my experience with YumVillage Afro-Caribbean Eats has definitely evolved. The first time I tried to order from YumVillage, I was ready for a great meal -- only to receive a message 15 minutes before pickup saying my order was canceled. I was NOT pleased at all. At that point, I felt like I couldn't fairly judge the place without actually experiencing the food or the service in person. Since then, I've been back a few times -- and I have to be honest: I absolutely LOVE the food. The jerk chicken meals are really, really good. You can choose jollof, coconut, or turmeric rice, and every option I've tried has been flavorful and filling. I had the "Mild Village Bowl" with lemon pepper jerk chicken and ginger chickpeas, and it was delicious. The flavors are bold, well-seasoned, and comforting in the best way. When it comes to the food itself, YumVillage does not disappoint. That said, customer service still hasn't been my favorite part of the experience. When you go inside to place an order, you have to use a kiosk, which can be confusing because it's not always clear where everything is located on the menu. It would be nice to have a bit more guidance or a smoother ordering flow for first-time guests. I will say, I think Godwin Ihentuge is a phenomenal owner and chef. Known for its Afro-Caribbean cuisine, YumVillage has locations in Detroit's New Center and West Village neighborhoods. Ihentuge originally launched the business as a series of pop-ups in 2014 before opening the now-popular brick-and-mortar spots -- and that entrepreneurial journey is truly commendable. Overall: for the FOOD for the customer service experience If they can tighten up the service side and make ordering more user-friendly, this place would easily be a five-star experience for me. The flavors alone keep me coming back. read more

The food was a little spicy but I can't take no spice. I had a vegan dish that was delicious it had beans and rice, yellow rice, hush puppies and pickled cabbage. Customer service was A1. Price was great. read more

Yum Village - Caribbean Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

I am happy to post this review since August is National Black Business Month, a time to celebrate and support Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs in the United States. Yum Village is the perfect place to have some Afro-Caribbean eats. This is where you go to dine on jerk oxtails, coconut rice, jerk chicken, greens, cornbread hush puppies, joloff, etc. There are some many yummy selections to choose from here at Yum Village. Yes! Yes! The restaurant is found in midtown on the corner of Steve Wonder Avenue and Woodward. You can't miss it with the purple doors and the artist murals along the side of the building. Yum Village has dine-in and carryout options. I have been here before for their Christmas bazaar with multiple vendors and also as a meet-up for my book club to discuss city gentrification. The dining area also has a beverage bar that sells fresh juices and various drink options. Tip: You can place your order on their counter kiosk or your phone. Not only was it simple to use the kiosk, if you signup for their rewards you can get a free meal as your first reward! Bonus! I was excited to see on display their Yelp certificate that says, 'People love us!' read more

See all

The ordering process leaves a LOT to be desired. As a first time customer in the restaurant (I've had their food truck at our job) it's off putting to walk in with no direction. Of how to get service. Someone at the counter taking orders would do a wonders for welcoming people into the space. We dined in after figuring out how to place an order. The person brought part of our food and we had to ask for the remaining items. We then Had to ASK for the drinks we purchased. Again, very off putting.. You have the printed order why must we keep asking for the balance of our?? Overall the flavors of everything was excellent. The meals were Spiced perfectly, portion sizes were plentiful and even the dine in plates were appealing to the eye... Service (lack there of) is where they lost points with me. Bring a complete meal to the table or at least explain why you did not. Bringing drinks (that we purchased) with the meal, should be standard. read more

See all

This food is amazing! The naan taco was so good and the chicken was juicy. It did break apart a bit at the bottom because of the juices but it was definitely worth it. The plantain .. delish. My husband got the chicken and waffles and the waffle was fresh as well as the chicken had a nice kick to it. Loved it! Will definitely be back when we come to town again. Also, Zoo and the staff were great!! read more

See all

Yum Village has officially earned a spot on my favorites list. From the moment I walked in, the service was warm, welcoming and beyond helpful for a first-timer. They let me sample a few things and helped me build a bowl that was nothing short of amazing: jerk chicken, greens, plantains, and turmeric rice. Every bite tasted fresh and thoughtfully seasoned. The a jerk chicken definitely stole the show. My mom and stepfather are vegan and there were also plenty of options for them. Look forward to being a repeat customer. read more

I'm very sorry but I was very disappointed. Had high expectations for this food. Collard greens were the best thing we got other than hush puppies but the collard greens hardly tasted like anything. Hush puppies had some flavor and were enjoyable. Chicken was tender but again hardly had any flavor. Rice is very spicy and was average, not much flavor only spicy. Plantains were good. Sadly we will not be back and I am sorry for the bad review. Good service and nice seating inside. read more

Sister suggested this place and was so happy we stopped by! Food was delicious and portions were huge! read more

Yum Village - Just Plants Village Meal (Vegan) - Caribbean Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Absolutely delicious! The Quick Bite meal was perfect for lunch but if you're looking for leftovers definitely get the bigger size. The jollof rice is spicy and delicious. Jerk chicken was well cooked--not dry at all. And my favorite is the plantains! I wanted a side of green but felt $8 was sort of steep, not sure how big the side is. I ordered online and got there early and it was ready. Less than 20 minutes. I was in and out so quickly I didn't really pay attention to the restaurant itself but I did notice that they have iPads at the front desk for ordering. read more

Yum Village - Classic Village Meal - Caribbean Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Small but packed they have a BOOMING carry out business. You order at a kiosk and they bring out your food. I had the flip village and loved it! There was more than enough to take home. Next time I'll get the yam stew, plantains, mango curry chickpeas and hush puppies, and coconut rice the mango chicken was very tasty and moist but the sides made my night. My 3 companions got the classic village meals all 3 raved about the sauce and spiciness. The only downside was the DJ nice to have music but it was too loud to have any conversation read more

See all

Tried the perch with the greens and I chose the jollof rice...there was sooooo much flavor with a kick of spice. Met the owner and he let us try one of their late night menu items which is essentially plantain nachos. It was amazing! Also ordered a side of the sweet plantains which was deliciously sweet and soft. Amazing! read more

Yum Village - Late night menu - plantain nachos - Caribbean Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

See all

From the staff to the food 10/10! We were greeted with a warm welcome upon entering and they answered any questions we had about our dishes. We ordered to-go, so we put in our order on a tablet at the counter and it was a very user-friendly system. My dish was the Roots Village Meal with jollof rice, and it is vegan. The flavors were incredible!! The spicy pears were such a nice compliment to the other flavors in the dish. The greens were amazing and the vegetables, curry, and chick peas were 10/10 as well. It is spicy, which I love. My husband got Jerk Oxtails which came with a large side of greens and spicy pears and rice which he said were great. He also got the Classic Village Meal, which features smoky jerk chicken with caramelized sweet & spicy plantains and he said it was amazing! We both agreed that the pears in our dishes were such an incredible addition to each dish. We will be eating here again! read more

See all

Located in new center area. Quaint location ample seating for smaller parties. Menu and Ordering is scan code located on table. Service was quick and helpful. Ordered the jerk chicken with plantains. Jerk chick was very good with a lot of spice kick to it. If you're not a fan of spice be warned. The plantains were very tasty. My only complaint is that my food was room temp. It was obvious they made large batch of this but didn't reward before serving. Overall def worth a try read more

Yum Village - Jerk chicken with rice & Sweet and Spicy Plantain - Caribbean Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Really great jerk chicken meals! Served with your choice of jollof, coconut, or turmeric rice, they are so filling and flavorful! I had the "Mild village bowl" with lemon pepper jerk chicken and ginger chickpeas and I really enjoyed it. I don't usually tolerate spicy food well, my mouth is sensitive but I persevered to eat this delicious meal. It was't overly spicy for being a milder version of jerk seasoning. Also, I got the fish egusi soup with steamed fufu and I have to say is, it was really hitting! The soup was so flavorful and fresh. Everyone working in there was really nice and when I didn't get something through doordash, they were very understanding and quickly addressed it. I'll be back to try more! read more

Everything was delicious! Their jollof has great spices, the fufu was well fried and the jerk chicken was awesome. The service was prompt and friendly. They also had a DJ during dinner and his vibes were chill and fun. Eat here! read more

I love their jerk and rice bowls. I always get jerked chicken either regular jerk or lemon pepper with jollof rice. They can be slow with your order so I'd always order ahead. read more

I LOVE coming here. Not only is the food so full of flavor but sometimes the cook, the owner idk who it is but they let us try a snack size of something while we wait. Really friendly environment. read more

The food was great! Very different and delicious... However... it is very much "self service" when ordering. We placed an order for some dinner and two dark and stormy beverages. The drinks were $10 per drink. Not bad. However, after ordering, receiving and eating our food, we still hadn't been given our drinks. Seeing that we had to catch a show, we went up the counter multiple times to ask for the drinks. No one was "authorized" to make drinks... and no one was "authorized" to give a refund. After 30+ minutes of waiting (and two workers just basically saying ), the cashier finally open the drawer and gave us our money back (minus to 20% we paid for a tip on the drinks). Very bad experience... took 10 mins to order and get food, 20 minutes to eat and 60+ minutes to leave. Just bad customer services overall. We will not be back. Way better customer service in metro Detroit elsewhere. read more

Visiting the Motor City from Washington DC over the past weekend, we drove across town to patronize this establishment, and boy oh boy, they did not disappoint. First, the young lady at the front counter held it down by herself, never skipping a beat, with superb customer service. She made everyone feel welcome and appreciated that we were all there. She answered every question thrown her way while taking care of customers, including drivers picking up orders, and handed out samples to anyone who wanted to taste before ordering. Now let's talk about the food. Every single thing on my order was 100% delicious. When I am back in Detroit, this will be my only place for Caribbean food. KEEP UP THE AWESOME customer service, young lady!! We appreciate you!! read more

I took two friends here who'd never been and they were as enthused by the food as I've always been. Two of us had the Roots Village Vegan Meal and the third had the Classic Village Meal with chicken. Everything was delicious; cooked to perfection, and just the right amount of spicy. It should also be noted that the staff was very friendly and solicitous. read more

Nice place with a spicey menu. We are always in the lookout for Island and West African style cooking. Visiting Detroit this place stood out in our food search and does not disappoint. The staff is friendly and helpful, but it's more of a tablet ordering place- so if you have questions you need to track down the team. They make great suggestions. The oxtail in particular was great! Recommended! read more

Yum Village - Fufu (Fried) - Caribbean Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

See all

Too Good To Go has finally arrived in Metro Detroit and it starts with a bang! For those who don't know, Too Good To Go is an app that allows restaurants and other food establishments sell leftover or day old food that they would normally have to throw away. The customer gets a deal (typically paying 1/3 of the menu price) and the restaurants saves on food waste. It's always a gamble on what you eventually get, but I can emphatically say that Yum Village sets the bar very high. Out of a dozen or so times I've used this app, this is the first time I've felt kind of bad for using it: while it was less than half an hour to closing, there was still a steady line of customers walking in to order takeout. In addition, these weren't pre-boxed items stuck in a fridge as usual, but instead the food was made fresh in the kitchen. Since they're pretty new to this app, I think they'll figure out things soon. On this pickup I got the Large Dinner Bag ($9.99), which consisted of three large boxes: Chicken and Jollof Rice - The jerk chicken is tender and moist, with a bit of a spicy rub on the exterior. The jerk spice isn't quite as noticeable as a Jamaican jerk chicken, but it's plenty flavorful. It's drizzled with a slightly smoky, sweet, spicy and creamy sauce (4/5). The chicken is served on a bed of jollof rice that's quite spicy and fragrant. Unfortunately it has a bit of a burnt acrid flavor and there are distinguishable charred coal-like bits mixed in that doesn't make it a pleasant eating experience. (1/5). On top of everything is a bit of chopped apple and some sliced banana peppers. Maafe on Coconut Rice - The maafe is a very rich peanut stew, with whole soft and tender peanuts mixed with sweet potato. It's creamy, savory, and nutty. (4/5). The coconut rice, as opposed to the jollof, is cooked perfectly with a great bite and properly seasoned. It has a bit of a creamy sweetness from being cooked in coconut milk. (5/5) Truffle Oil Greens - These are collard greens stewed down until tender with just a tiny bit of sweetness but mostly deeply savory. Delicious, some of the best collards I've eaten. It's somehow vegan, but I just can't understand how they can get that deeply savory meaty flavor without any meat! It seriously beats the classic bacon/collards combo. The greens are also mixed with tender stewed tomatoes and mushrooms. (5/5) I've wanted to try Yum Village for years, but I'm just never in New Center. This deal gave me a great taste of a variety of the foods Yum Village offers and certainly made me a fan. I will be back! Bathrooms - There is one room to the side of the order counter, but it was locked the entire time I was in the restaurant. Overall rating of the food this visit: 3.8/5 (Unfortunately, the burnt jollof rice brings down the rating hard). read more

See all

The first time will be the last.The food was horrible. The greens were uuh and the oxtail were fatty and over cooked. What a waste of money.

Entering had such an authentic African vibe. Menu written on large chalkboard but kiosk shows detailed menu. Not sure what to order, we ordered small size at the counter then sat on woven seats. Food brought to us within 5 minutes very hot. We were approached by the manager/owner. He asked how the food was then brought small portions of 2 other dishes to try. OMG!! That was so surprising but then he brought out 2 more items to try. Now that unbeatable hospitality. The food was delicious though a bit spicy for me but I ate it. Yum Village is "yummy". read more

Yum Village - Egusi - Caribbean Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

I saw this restaurant on TikTok and was highly interested in checking this place out. I was so excited to try the food! Unfortunately a few of my friends and I didn't even get any food after waiting 1.5 hours for our food. We checked at the counter a few times after it became less busy and it seemed like our orders got lost or something. I tasted some of my other friend's food that got theirs and it was delicious! Thankfully they did give us a refund and were sincere about the error. I do hope to give them another try though because it smelled amazing. read more

We weren't exactly sure about this place (very few people were dining in on a Friday evening) and the service was lacking but the food was very flavorful and we enjoyed it thoroughly. Everything here is self-serve, you order and pay up at the kiosks, wait for your order and grab once they call your name. The kiosks didn't exactly match the menu (we had an idea in mind to get just jerk chicken but couldn't find a just meat dish) so we ended up sharing the Classic Village Combo (didn't want to get too full). We didn't see any water (self-serve or to purchase) so if you plan to dine in, bring your own drink. They do have some sweet drink options but not a large selection. Take-out is probably more common for those who live nearby. I prefer Baobab over this place but nice to try somewhere new. read more

Yum Village - Classic Village Combo 14-16 ounces (larger size option): Jerk Chicken, Plantains and Rice - Caribbean Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

See all

The food is amazing and very flavorful. It gives me more of a Jamaican flavor than African. A few down sides are ordering and pricing. The first time we visited was a little confusing as we were trying to figure out the ordering process. There are 2 iPad style ordering kiosk. Those people in front of us took about 15 minutes to order. The process to order should flow better. I feel one on one ordering with a person is better. It feels more personable. As far as pruning it is very expensive compared to other places who offer the same style food. I think the portions were sparse as well for $20. The portions we received should of been a $12 meal. For one scoop of meat, one scoop of greens and 2 scoops of rice seems insane. This is only for take out not sit down dining. When we received our food it took about 10 minutes to get. The food was barely warm. We would of liked it warmer. Will we come again, yes, but for $20 there are more portions elsewhere for a better price. read more

Yum Village - Jerk Chciken, Jollof rice and greens - Caribbean Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

I want to love this place! The flavors are good as opposed to some of the negative reviews.They have a wide enough menu to hit any flavor you're looking for. However, they chronically serve room temp or below food. I've been here 5 times and every single time has a component, or 3, on the plate that aren't top. Today was chicken and chickpeas that were cold. It's certainly to do with how they're holding the food, but surely they could just throw it in an oven for a minute before sending it out? I don't think I'll be back after this many unpleasant experiences in the row. Owner & staff are nice, and the building is clean. read more

Absolutely, positively, hands down, my favorite place in downtown Detroit to grab a bite to eat! After that first spoonful of coconut rice hit my lips, it was over. This place has got my heart and I love the vibe inside whenever I walk in! Was just there for a collage and create done in partnership with Play Mates Detroit and my partner and I had a blast! Service is always top tier from Chef Godwin and his team there. Yum Village shall live on for 5ever because I love this place so much mwahahaha read more

The ladies at the counter were beautiful and so helpful. I recommend EVERYONE goes here if they want true good Caribbean. Excellent rice, the meat was so tender and flavorful and it was filling for a good price. And plus the free bowl when you first visit! GO HERE GO HERE ITS GREAT read more

Great food, great service, and great value! A $25 large plate lasts me like 3-4 meals! The only thing is sometimes they have drum lessons which makes it VERY loud and hard to have conversations. This was even during the fall time when it wasn't that cold, so I wish they would have the drumming lessons outdoors when it's not cold. read more

So, I'm no stranger to Detroit as this has always been a one-tank trip or weekend getaway since I was a child (we have family here). What I do look forward to is experiencing great food and this is what Yum Village comes in. They actually came up as I was browsing Yelp for black owned businesses and I saw pictures and West African dishes and West Indian ingredients that caught my eye. We were about 30 minutes out but had time to spare, so we took the trek. It's is a nice location for business, on the corner so it gets foot traffic and there's street parking. Okay, enough about the location, when you walk in the smell hits you first. You know you're about to get some food that slaps! They have postcards where you scan the barcode for the menu (times have changed haven't they? ) and there's so many tasty options, you already know you'll have to come back and try something else. I had some questions for the cashier. She was so polite, courteous and patient. She gave us a sample of the jerk chicken, greens and turmeric rice and that's exactly what I decided on (plus the vegetable curry). She was very knowledgeable about what to pair for your taste buds and she handled the rush of customers with ease. The food did take a while to cook, but it was fine because there was ample seating, this isn't a fast food restaurant, and you know they're are cooking with love, heart and soul. It's WORTH IT! We get our food and as soon as we get somewhere to park and eat I realize that they forgot my greens, but my daughter got some a la carte and it was plenty to share. I didn't even mind because it was so good and it didn't leave a bad impression, they were busy. The most delightful surprise of this visit is that they actually have a location in Cleveland and now I have to use my 20% off (you get for signing up to their loyalty program) there. Score! Try them out, you can't go wrong! read more

Yum Village - Jerk Chicken Grab and Go Bowl Lemon pepper sauce Truffle oil greens Vegetable Curry Turmeric rice - Caribbean Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Just went today for the first time. I got stared at with no direction or question of can I help you? I had to stop the guy coming back to the front to let him know that I placed an online order. He then fixed it right away. I am just not sure why they are not more hospitable when you walk in... especially when they see you looking around confused as to who is going to help me. Also as a first timer at Yum Village and me being a big time lover of Jamaican and Caribbean goods. I don't like all of the flavors of the spices and it was super spicy. Also the rice was dry and I was hoping that was gravy on the meat so I can mix with the rice but nooo... it's a glob of spicy spices and sweet. My first and last experience. read more

Food was good. I had the chicken and rice bowl with a beef patty. However, the experience was HORRIBLE. You order from the table, cool. When I received text message saying food is ready, staff said they would bring it to the table. I had to ask about it 5 minutes later and then received it about 7 minutes later - close to 15 minutes after text. Food was room temperature and beef patty was just cold. They replaced the patty and second was better. Everyone else at the table had to ask for everything. We would get one plate and kept having to ask for other dishes, had to ask multiple times for beverages, received wrong beverages. Basically had to ask for EVERY single item multiple times. A bad dining experience! So unfortunate. read more

Happy to see there was a Yum Village pop up stand at Little Caesars Arena last night. While the selection was limited, understandably so given the venue. The food was absolutely delicious. Of the four of us that went to the Red Wings game, 3 of us ordered the jerk chicken hot bowl. The 4th is a vegetarian so she's doesn't count. The jerk chicken was delicious and tender. The veggie toppings were are very fresh and complimented the chicken perfectly. And the plantains...amazing. Will definitely look to try their main location for a more complete sampling. read more

Yum Village - LCA tasting menu - Caribbean Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

See all