I've always been a fan of this caribbean restaurant chain. This location, steps away from SJSU, has a simple yet inviting setting. No indoor seating here, but there's an outdoor patio with a couple tables out front. My takeout order was ready in less than 5 minutes on a Saturday afternoon. I selected a bunch of different items, thinking that the "quik eats" on the menu would be small bites. To my surprise, these were pretty much full sized dishes, with bread and fries included, so I ended up with more than enough to last me for days. Everything I got was delicious and exceeded my expectations. The jerk chicken pieces came with two drumsticks and two thighs and had a nice kick from the seasoning. The bbq pork spareribs were tender and juicy and very tasty even before I added the bbq sauce that came on the side. The baked mac and cheese was rich and satisfying. And that cornbread was heavenly, with an ideal texture and nice buttery flavor. It may be the best cornbread I've ever had. They even offer a jamaican version of cornbread on the menu, which the worker explained is more dessert-like and very good too. All in all, this a great option if looking for some good comfort food at great value. read more

See all

They have amazing jerk chicken at this location and the sauce that comes with them is incredible! Highly recommend trying their jerk chicken if you haven't before. You won't regret it!! They also do really well with catering. They can individually pack the food so it's more of a grab and go style (which can be easier and more convenient for a lot of companies). read more

Im not mad at you.....so much I had to come back a second time in 1 week just to make sure I wasnt foolin myself. Back-a yard had me with Ox tail from jump...but add some mac and cheese to the side of an already spetacular combo plate...its good eatin'! The area is busy but in a cozy college part of town. Everybody and they momma was in there..dont ask for personal space tho...its a get yo' food and get out! Even the front counter cashier was talking about how hot she was cause of standing over the hot food and being confined in the small space. All the food was really good but I would reccommend a little less vinegar in the greens. I will be coming back for my next visit in San Jose. Ciao for now... read more

See all

We ordered the jerk chicken yard plate and oxtail yard plates. Both came with rice , beans and plantains. The jerk chicken was flavorful and delicious with a hint of spice. The oxtail was tender (less spicy) but a bit fatty. Service was good and fast. Recommend read more

Back A Yard Caribbean Grill - Beef Oxtails - Caribbean Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

Large menu selection but their "jerk" sauce is not it. I would only get oxtail and curried goat from here. The jerk sauce straight up tastes like the same vinegary one you can buy off Amazon, just dumped on top of the protein. Not all jerk seasonings and sauces are the same, got to find a place with more authentic jerk. Their patties are good and service was fast. Unfortunately I think we'll have to let this place and Menlo Park location go. Back A Yard is not how it tasted 8-10 yrs ago. Something changed. read more

See all

From outside, I saw signs advertising the various menu items and thought "hey, this place looks good". I walked in and there were 2 customers waiting for their orders. The energy inside...no bueno. The staff was frantic and I heard the staff member at the register complaining how busy they were and how understaffed they are. I feel bad for all staff who are overworked and undervalued. The energy in this restaurant was super negative. I left without ordering. read more

I got the jerk chicken with white meat, and my friend ordered the jerk pork and oxtail. As someone who only eats white meat, I already appreciated that they offer that option, instant bonus points. The chicken was juicy, the rice was flavorful, and the sauce had a slight tang to it, which balanced really well with the fried plantains. I'd definitely order this again and highly recommend trying Back A Yard if you haven't already. read more

Back A Yard Caribbean Grill - Jerk Pork & Beef Oxtails - Caribbean Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

The jerk chicken plate was fantastic. The chicken itself was juicy and well seasoned, the fried plantains complemented it well, and the rice and sauce were nice enough to eat on its own. No-frills service and atmosphere, but good overall. There are a couple tables outside that are nice to sit and enjoy your meal. No bathrooms available. Street parking. read more

Back A Yard Caribbean Grill - Jerk Chicken Yard Plate - Caribbean Near Me - San Jose, California

I've known about Back A Yard Caribbean Grill for years but never had a chance to try it until recently. While visiting SJSU around noon, I was pleasantly surprised to find it conveniently located just across the street--perfect excuse to grab some jerk chicken for lunch! The shop itself is small and cozy. Since it's summer break, there weren't any other customers when we arrived, so we got our food quickly. We ordered a curry lamb, a jerk chicken and jerk pork combo, and beef oxtail. Every dish exceeded expectations. The curry lamb was packed with flavor and had just the right amount of spice. The beef oxtail was incredibly tender and rich. But the standout for me was the jerk pork--it was surprisingly juicy and not dry at all, which can be tricky with pork. The jerk chicken was also solid with that signature smoky, spicy kick. Overall, everything we tried was delicious and did not disappoint. Back A Yard definitely lives up to its reputation. Highly recommend if you're craving authentic Caribbean flavors. Solid 4 out of 5 stars from me! read more

See all

Oxtails with the rice and beans are amazing. I enjoyed the hearty soup of the day and the crispy slightly sweet Jamaican fried cornmeal bread. BBQ plate with ribs and hot links was pretty good too. Overall, great place near SJSU for good value, flavorful food read more

Back A Yard Caribbean Grill - BBQ Ribs & Hot Link Combo - Caribbean Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

I am a big fan of Back A Yard. I remember seeing them for the first time when they were in EPA and loving it. It is great to see them doing well and opening up multiple locations around the way. This location was as expected and what I have seen in their other locations...clean, friendly service and great food. Note it is on the spicy side so plan accordingly. My fave is the jerk chicken and the chicken meat pie. read more

See all

Back A Yard has been my favorite Caribbean place for a long time, but I've only been to the Menlo Park location till date. This is my first time visiting the downtown San Jose location and frankly, it wasn't as great an experience. First of all, parking was a bit of a hassle with street parking being the only option and no street parking available on the restaurant block when we arrived. Most importantly, I was really disappointed to learn that this was essentially a takeout and catering restaurant and there was no sit-down option (unless you count one table with 2 chairs on the cold patio outside). I wish this were indicated on Yelp and I had known this earlier. Anyway, I went with my typical order at Back a Yard - 2 meat matties with coco bread, one plate of jerk chicken and one plate of curry goat. While the lady at the counter was wonderful and clearly juggling a lot, the overall ambience inside was quite chaotic. The tiny restaurant was crowded with folks, some waiting for their orders, and others waiting to place orders. The staff were fulfilling some big catering orders and seemed overwhelmed, especially with a new staff who was still being trained. Notwithstanding the initial disappointment with the restaurant, the food was pretty good. The beef patties was decidedly better than the chicken patties, both in terms of the taste and the amount of meat filling. The curry goat was wonderful as always but the jerk chicken didn't really hit the spot - maybe the meat wasn't marinated long enough or maybe there wasn't enough jerk sauce/seasoning. I think I'll stick to my tried and tested Menlo Park Back A Yard location in the future. read more

Back A Yard Caribbean Grill - Curry goat plate - Caribbean Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

I love the jerk chicken plate here it's so flavorful and juicy. They give a good amount of food I can eat it in two servings. There's not much seating so it's more of a takeout restaurant but the food comes out pretty quick and the staff are nice. read more

It's so hard to find good Caribbean food in San Francisco, so I was happy to be able to try this spot in San Jose. The chicken was so tender and juicy and the jerk sauce was delicious. I really loved their mango habenero as well. The oxtail was also so good and melts in your mouth. Would def go back here! read more

Back A Yard Caribbean Grill - Caribbean Near Me - San Jose, California

Little takeout oriented spot right across from SJSU's campus. They do have a few tables, and I ate there. The beef oxtails plate was really good. I think the oxtails were quite tender and fell off the bone pretty easily. Some of the pieces had a few bone shards and on a couple of the pieces I ate the meat stuck to the bone just a little bit and was difficult to gnaw off (especially in front of company), but really tasty and spiced well! I would recommend this one for sure. Red beans and rice has a lot of rice and not so many beans, but it's seasoned well with salt which I enjoyed. Fried plantains were good as well, I especially enjoy the crispy bits on them. Overall pretty good! I've not had that much Caribbean food and there aren't too many options here in San Jose to compare to, but I enjoyed the food here so I'll definitely return. read more

Back A Yard Caribbean Grill - Beef Oxtails Plate - Caribbean Near Me - San Jose, California

I had business on the east side of campus, which I rarely do, so I was pleased to find this just across the street. They didn't mess up my order, which happened once at the Menlo Park location, but the jerk chicken wings I got weren't great. They were full wings, and large, but the order came in 8 minutes, which I suspect means the chicken was already cooked, and then recooked with the sauce, which must be why the meat was dry and not very appetizing. Though the skin with the sauce on it was good. read more

Love the good here ! Wish it was closer to where we live . Flavors are great on all the food and the cornbread is fabulous . I had the jerk chicken and Oxtail. Wife had the salmon and Oxtail. Greens are good but spicy so be aware read more

We stopped in before a BayFC game and were greeted with about half a dozen folks waiting for their orders ahead of us. As is the joke with Caribbean places, I can't recommend coming here if you're in a rush because it took a while for us to place our orders and receive our food. With that said, we weren't in a rush so we were okay with the wait. Unfortunately, they were down a table and don't have many to begin with, which meant we had to eat off of our laps. Not a problem for the many folks that picked up to go orders, but it would have made my experience a lot better if we were able to properly dine in. With that said, I liked the oxtails and I think you definitely get what you pay for. In fact, if I was at home I would have made this into two meals since they're big enough to split. I wasn't a fan of their hot sauces, which you have to pay extra for, but to each their own. read more

See all

I really appreciate restaurants that deliver great customer service, and this place truly exceeded my expectations. Although the location is small with no indoor dining, there are tables available outside, and the atmosphere is still very comfortable. The food is a solid 10/10, but the customer service is also a 10/10. Our order took a little longer than usual, and the staff went out of their way to come inform us and even brought out complimentary beef patties and snacks while we waited. That was such a thoughtful gesture and showed how much they value their customers. The workers here go above and beyond, and they absolutely deserve recognition. If you visit, make sure to leave a generous tip--they work incredibly hard and truly earn it. read more

been more than couple times here. the place is not small or you can say it is designed for order, grab, and go. there are two tables and four chairs outside. staffs are ok but the lady with short hair is super nice. foods taste great and plantains are wow!!! you must try it!!! the combo barbecue which is short ribs and chicken are top notch!!! prices are affordable and i will say worth it!!! recommended place... read more

Back A Yard Caribbean Grill - BBQ Chicken & Pork Ribs with french fries and Jerk Salmon with rice and beans plus plantain... - Caribbean Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

i was on the hunt for good jamaican food in the bay (raaare). i've heard great things about this place and honestly it was really good. i wouldn't get the white meat jerk chicken plate though, the meat was super dry. no other notes cus this place was amazing and i'd be back for sure. the service was good too. 10/10 read more

Lord have mercy, this food was delicious! Ok, so my friends and I were chatting with this young man at Sprouts and he told us about BackAYard so we came to try them. The beautiful Sista at the register was kind, sweet, professional, and had a very pleasant spirit as she took orders from everyone. Our food was perfect, no issues at all. The inside is small, but the outside seating area was perfect for me and my friend. I highly recommend you try this place asap! Oh, and the prices were unbelievably affordable! 2 beef oxtail meals with bean and rice, plantains, 2 delicious Passion Mango drinks and a jerk chicken wrap was $60. We'll definitely be back! read more

This is one of my favorite places to get Jamaican food, their jerk sauce is the best I've tried and believe me I have had jerk chicken in the home country. Last I was to the downtown location back it was across Taco Bell and now they moved to closer towards campus. Jerk chicken and oxtail combo $19 Service: Incredibly friendly and homey workers. They do give free plantains if you show that you've commented on their Instagram. Ambiance: It's small inside, no seating indoors Jerk Chicken (5/5): I haven't had their jerk chicken in a while since I usually prefer oxtail but this blew me away. I felt like I had taken a bite of heaven from this chicken, it was incredibly flavorful/juicy Oxtail (4/5): It's always consistently flavorful, tender, and huge pieces. I noticed this location does better in their chicken than the capital location, which does better in oxtail. Beef patty $3.75 (3.5/5): It's pretty cheap on the go type food, they have a variety of fillings such as beef, chicken, and vegetables. It was good, I don't remember being memorable. They have 4 different sauces to try that you can add onto it It's convenient to be within walking distance of campus, highly recommend if you're grabbing a bite around the area. You won't be disappointed read more

Back A Yard is a must try. Service was good & fast, food was delicious. They have limited outdoor seating. It does get busy sometimes because it's next to the university. Definitely check them out if you want a taste of the Caribbean read more

See all

been to this spot quite a few times already. I been to the campbell spot as well. this one is closer. I usually get my carribean itch once every month or every other month. last time I had the jerk chicken and goat curry. I particularly like the goat curry which is available everyday. this time I got the oxtail plate and goat curry a la cart. I thought the oxtail plate was awesome. not too into the sides. the rice and bananas. probably will just go for the oxtail a la cart next time. carribbean curry is a bit more flavorful. it has a little extra spice. i think it is a somewhat mix of indian curry with more star anise and more peppers. definitely different. goes really good with rice. I like indian curry with nan. very happy with the food today. total was in the 30s. each item is over $15 i think. didn't check the prices. always around 30s for 2 dishes. read more

Food is so good and flavorful. Definitely will be back. The tofu was a great vegetarian option read more

Back A Yard Caribbean Grill - Jerk Tofu Mac and cheese Jerk Chicken white meat plates - Caribbean Near Me - San Jose, California

CONSISTENT EVERY TIME. Food is on point, service is friendly, ambience is very nice amazing decoration. I love it. Best place around (rivals home eats) read more

We catered Back A Yard for our granddaughter's college graduation celebration, and everything was fantastic! Saily R. from the catering office was amazing -- extremely helpful, attentive, and thoughtful throughout the process. She guided us through the order, offered great suggestions, and made sure everything went smoothly. The food (as always) was absolutely delicious. What impressed me most was receiving a follow-up call from Saily a few days after the event just to check in and see how everything went. That kind of care and service truly stands out. Thank you, Back A Yard -- and thank you, Saily, for helping make the celebration so special! read more

This place is NOT AUTHENTIC JAMAICAN food. When you call a Mexican answers first red flag, second red flag the food tastes old like it's sitting. Not sure where the owners have fell off but this is just pure trash. The memo park location is what pays the bills for these other sub par locations.. just terrible. The chicken is tough. The oxtails are too fatty. It's commercial Jamaican food which is the worst read more

The food here is amazing. Never dry, always flavorful, and so reasonably priced. We love the jerk chicken, oxtails, rice n beans, and plantains. Staff is friendly and competent. read more

I waited too long to try Back A Yard and let me tell you if I could go back in time I would have been eating here for decades. Very quant and intimate location right aside SJU. Private parking lot available just know it can get full quick. Our hostess was very knowledgeable about recommendations and how to make the most out of your experience. Now the food....the food speaks for itself. I cannot rant enough about the flavor that exuded from my plate: every single bite was amazing. Can't wait to go and explore the menu more. read more

Back A Yard Caribbean Grill - Caribbean Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

Love the food and the people. Except yesterday a new counter person felt it was necessary to start lecturing us about our lack of having "a modern palate" after we committed the offense of asking if they had items on the menu that were not spicy for young kids. So strange after so many years traveling the world to end up in a rather unremarkable city like San Jose and having a counter person thinking it necessary to dish out some passive aggressive insults dressed up in a lecturing sauce. Up till then I've had only great experiences with lovely previous counter people, often themselves from the islands. We didn't stay, not trusting that maybe this person would spit in our food. I hope this person can find a path out their misery and not have to abuse others. We'll give this place another try but will wait some time before revisiting. read more

I write this review for constructive criticism. I love Back A Yard been going there for years. I've been multiple locations. I've been to this location before. But man,today, November 22, 2025 at 2 PM., whoever is manning the kitchen -- no. The pork is drryyy ,the rice is al dente, the plantains are overly charred (burnt). The greens are overly vinegary, (almost inedible). I was starving, drove across town for this meal - - mad, disappointed with this food. Do better on the quality control. read more

Back A Yard Caribbean Grill - These are in the fryer just a little too long! - Caribbean Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

This place rocks. Delicious! Little bit of a walk from me, parking is a pain.. but the food makes it worth it. read more

Back A Yard Caribbean Grill - Caribbean Near Me - San Jose, California

My boy recommended this place , recently moved to San Jose. Never had anything like it . Jerk chicken, Brown stew , coconut curry shrimp, plantains , all fire. The staff there are very friendly as well. read more

This is right next to SJSU! My friend recommended this to me and it did not disappoint I got it right before work and they took relatively fast to pack my order. ! They do not do dine in ! This is a Caribbean place and it's my first time having their cuisines. I want to try more :o The Jerk sauce is a great addition; a bit spicy and mixes well with everything :) Note: This combo I got was $20 but the portions are relatively big, including the salmon and oxtail^^ Yard Combo: Jerk Salmon & Beef Oxtail Combo: side of rice & beans + plantains. * I'm really happy with this place! The salmon was cooked well, and it paired amazing with the Jerk sauce. The oxtail not as good as the salmon and it was hard to eat since they were small but still . The rice was also super flavorful and everything mixed super well with it. The plantains are a good addition to tie it all in and gives a contrast from savory/spicy to sweet! read more

Back A Yard Caribbean Grill - Jerk Salmon Jerk Salmon & Beef Oxtails Combo - Caribbean Near Me - San Jose, California

Solid Caribbean food. We used to frequent the downtown San Jose location which had indoor seating before that location was closed. This location is really for take out as there is no indoor seating and only two tables on the outside patio. My go to order is the jerk chicken and oxtail combo. It's amazing and I always get an extra order of the plantains. The food can be a bit salty, but it's offset by the rice and beans, so overall flavor is amazing. This location is right across from SJSU, so it gets busy during lunchtime. No bathrooms here so plan to take your food away. read more

Back A Yard Caribbean Grill - Jerk Chicken & Beef Oxtails Combo with extra side of Fried Plantains - Caribbean Near Me - San Jose, California

Stopped in for lunch and got the Chicken Cobb salad. The service was fast and friendly. The dining area in front is small and limited. The salad was good size with flavorful sauce. The sauce was spicy but flavorful. The amount of salad dressing was too small and should be doubled. Overall the salad was very good. read more

Back A Yard Caribbean Grill - Cobb salad with chicken - Caribbean Near Me - San Jose, California

There was a catered luncheon for volunteers today. The food that was catered was from Back a Yard. The food was delicious fresh veggies, rice, (I don't know what kind of rice it was but it was delicious) jerk chicken, seasoned barbecue chicken, and marinated beef so tender and delicious! I will be visiting the restaurant in the very near future. read more

Very disappointed in the service today, more so the quality of food and mistakes made. Although the staff was kind, they made errors on my order that could not be fixed and cost me to waste my hard earned money that I sacrifice for. I came in and ordered two orders to go. 1) Jerk chicken - quick eats portion 2) Combo Jerk chicken and Oxtail I wanted the jerk chicken plate to eat there and the combo plate to bring home to my kids/family. They served me the chicken plate and as I age, I noticed that one of the chicken thighs was extremely dried out and small/stale. I kindly asked for a replacement and they were nice enough to give me a replacement on my second plate. I appreciate that, but when I drove home and opened up my second plate, which was supposed to be a combo with jerk chicken and oxtail, it only had the chicken NO OXTAIL! Major issue considering a chicken plate is only $13.95 and the combo plate that I paid for was $18.95. It's also significantly less and I was ordering it to feed me and my kids. One of whom prefers the oxtail and sauce. Big disappointment and inconvenience after spending $35. Only receiving food worth $24. I live over 40 minutes away and only have a chance to go there when I'm doing other things in that area, so I can not simply go back for an adjustment. There's not much worse than spending money on food and not getting the quantity or quality that you paid for. read more