Back A Yard is a Bay Area Staple! The food is always spot on, good pricing, and it feels like home every time I go here! Go support this small business! The service is always accommodating and will leave you wanting to order more! read more

This restaurant has the worst service ever! There's so many things wrong here that if I can give a 0 star I would! Ordered a ginger beer and they did not put ice on it. Asked for ice and they said they don't have ice so we had a room temperature ginger beer served to us. Later when we were eating, we saw other people's drink with ice, so we asked again and they finally gave us ice. There's HAIR in our order! And the "replacement" came very fast, so they probably just took out the hair and re-served the food. They refused to give you the big to-go box, so you have to put the rice, plantains and the meats mixed in a small to go box. Not nice. If you want the normal sized to go box it's 40cents. They put the plastic bag in the self-serve area but when we tried to get one the server came to us and said I should've asked them instead of taking it myself. How am I supposed to know that if you put it in the self serve area?! Foods are ok and we went to the Market St location before and they are much nicer than here! read more

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

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I love the food at Back A Yard, but I knocked down one star because of the customer service. I ordered the Jerk Chicken/Ox tail combo and the fried chicken. The jerk chicken and ox tail meat falls right off the bone! The combo comes with a side of beans/rice and also a side of plantains. The fried chicken is so crispy and good! I absolutely love the spicy sauce here. So, I ordered my food to-go. I wanted to get the spicy sauce to-go. There were no to-go cups near the sauces. I'm not sure if they now put out sauce cups, but I did come to this location when they first opened. I asked the cashier for sauce cups. She told me that they don't give sauce cups. So, she denied my request. I ordered food to-go! I want to be able to get that sauce to-go to eat with my food. I was just caught off-guard because I've never heard of anything like that. Anyways, I'd come back because I love the food. But, hopefully when I order food to-go, I won't be denied of empty sauce cups. read more

Back a yard is declining. There food is tasting and less like true Carribean fare. I started patronizing this place a few years ago when I lived in San Jose and moved to Mountain House in 2020. I drive all the way back to SJ because of the taste. This past Wednesday, I picked up 4 orders: 2 oxtail, one brown stew chicken, and one brown stew chicken and oxtail dinners. All you taste is pepper/ heat. There is no flavor, as it is being overpowered by the pepper (I'm assuming it is scotch bonnet). This will most likely the last time I order this food. I guess I will just have to wait until I go back home to Brooklyn! read more

Do yourself a favor, and just eat here. This place never fails and the food is full of flavor. Make sure to come hungry, because the portion are on the larger side (which is a good a thing). Make sure to order extra fried plantains and extra jerk sauce to keep on deck for other dishes you may make. read more

Came here a week after going to the one downtown. The jerk chicken was so good that I kept thinking about it. I then hauled my family to eat again after a week and my parents and brother the week after that. This branch is more modern and cleaner than the one in San Jose. There are tables by the wall, then a long table in the center. You line up by the counter to tell your order, pay and then provided with a number. When I was with my hubby he ordered the pork jerk plate and loved it! I had the bbq combo plate because I didnt know better ( I thought I ordered the jerk plate) and the kiddo had the chicken jerk. The chicken jerk had the same awesome flavor but the skin wasnt charred enough like what we have Downtown. Honestly the pork jerk is so flavorful than the chicken and the sauce they provide is the bomb. The spices go well with each other and the plantains just offsets the kick of the habanero in the sauce. The fresh juices were on the sweet side that I would water it down. Still good tho! The week after that I hauled my parents with us and they ordered the jerk oxtail and the combo. They absolutely loved it. The oxtails literally falls off the bone and is so tasty that it was an absolute hit! My daughter had the jerk salmon salad this time and they serve a huge slab of salmon on top of her salad which she gobbled enjoyably. She said this isnine of the best salmon she ever had. Now my parents want to bring friends here when they visit. That's how good it is! read more

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Disappointed on how a restaurant doesn't have tap water?? First time I've ever been to a restaurant and was told this. Food isn't as good as in the past either. read more

The only place I go to whenever I'm craving Jamaican jerk chicken! Back a yard has plenty of jerk offerings like chicken, pork, salmon, and even goat curry. However, my go-to order is the combination jerk chicken thigh & drumstick (dark meat is the juiciest!) with oxtail. This combo meal comes with rice and fried plantains (their staple!) I also order the side of festivals (fried corn bread) that is the absolute best when you dip it into the sauce that smothers the oxtail. The extra hot sauce on the side is a delicious dipping sauce for the chicken or oxtail - a little tangy, some ginger and a whole lot of spice! read more

I'm so glad that Back A Yard finally has a location closer to home!! The downtown one gets super packed so it was nice going to this one and not having to worry about getting a table or long waits. One of my favorite things about Back A Yard is that their food is authentic and unique. I actually don't know any other place where you can get Caribbean food that tastes like theirs. My boyfriend and I shared two plates: the curried goat and pork combo, and the jerk chicken and oxtails combo. Everything was SO GOOD. I really like how despite that three of our meats were labeled as "jerk" they were cooked differently and it wasn't just like some grilled meat with sauce thrown on. The pork was crispy on the outside but tender on the inside. The chicken was moist. You could tell the oxtails were slow cooked as they melt in your mouth. The only thing I wasn't particularly a fan of was the curried goat. It wasn't bad at all - just not as tasty as the other entrees. The service at this restaurant is phenomenal. Despite that you order and pay at the counter - everything else is full service. Our food was brought to our table. Our waters were refilled periodically. Our dirty plates were removed. In fact, the guy at the counter was so friendly that he actually sold us on buying a red velvet cake despite that we had already ordered way too much food! Overall Back A Yard is AMAZING and I would highly recommend this location! read more

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I am so glad that I've discovered this new location in South San Jose (and mad at everyone who never told me this existed). Spacious parking, working AC -- all things I tolerated lacking at the other locations. (Also, an amazing grocery store next door, but that's another story.) Rating Breakdown: 2/2 Stars for Taste -- The only things I demand every time I go to Back-A-Yard is oxtail and corn festivals. The oxtail here falls off the bone and has the perfect ratio of melt-in-your-mouth fat and meat. I'm always scraping the last of that savory sauce with my fork and barely stopping myself from licking the plate. The corn festivals (which I've already waxed poetic about on my review of the other location) is like a corn bread did the dirty with a beignet -- if you close your eyes, you can literally feel your thighs expanding as you consume them. WORTH IT. I've also tried the jerk chicken and the goat curry -- guys, everything is good. Just the right amount of kick for those who enjoy mild spice like me. Add some habanero sauce if you're a bit more of a masochist. Chase away the pain with some plantains and red bean rice with a hint of coconut. Yum. 1/1 Stars for Value -- The portions here are huge. I usually come in groups of 4 and we always order 3 entrees to split...and an order of festivals (duh). The last couple times we were stuffed but still forced each other to clean off the plates. Exquisite agony. You'll probably pay around $15 per person. 1/1 Stars for Customer Service -- Unlike at the other location, the service here is fast and friendly! Did I mention the AC works? We were actually a little cold and had to move away from under the vent. The servers even swung by to check in on how we were enjoying the food and went "woah!" when he saw how arduously we were tucking it away. Bonus star because this is my new go-to place for Caribbean food! Festivals, I'm coming for you! TL;DR -- Everything is good, but definitely get the oxtail. FESTIVALS. -- For more food pics, check out @noshameadventures on IG! read more

My partner ordered me a plate of jerk chicken for dinner and it was overall a good experience! The jerk chicken wasn't dry tasting, but actually juicy and nice seasoned! The rice and beans were a tad dry, surprisingly, and a bit clumpy and hard to eat. It might be because we ordered towards the end of the day, so the batch of rice is probably from this morning. The plantains were nice, soft, and sweet! My mom really enjoyed their plantains and I will probably consider ordering an extra side order for her in the future We had to wait about 15 minutes for our order and the workers there were all super nice! Overall, the jerk chicken was super enjoyable! read more

Back A Yard - Jerk Chicken with Rice and Beans - Caribbean Near Me - San Jose, California

Food was so delicious. Super fast with it and great pricing for the portions. Bathrooms are clean and the place is very nice. Highly recommend! read more

In my heart, I've always wanted to try jerk chicken and im so glad that this restaurant exists to make that dream come true. I ordered the jerk chicken plate and it was sensational. It was sour and spicy from the special green sauce and the chicken was so tender. The plate came with a side of plantains and red beans and rice and I couldn't believe how good it was! This was an iconic combo. My bf had the jerk chicken and salmon combo and his salmon was delicious as well. Something I wasnt used to was, after you're done eating and ready to leave you don't have to bus your plates, you can leave your dishes on the table and they'll come clean up for you. I was uncertain because the store is small and I saw the trashbins nearby. Their menu isn't limited to only jerk chicken, but BBQ meats and oxtail and goat and so many sides to choose from! Interior is cute and clean and service was top notch. I can't believe I've been putting off to try this restaurant for so long, but I'm so glad I finally did. I can't wait to come back! read more

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

I can't believe we have this here in San Jose! The food is amaaaazing! Service is fast and place is clean!

One of the best meals I've ever had! My first time eating Jamaican food! The jerk chicken and pork are great! The oxtails are also fire! The sides were amazing. I love the spice and amazing flavors that come with this cuisine. I'd be back soon! Definitely love the flavors. The chicken was good and mostly tender, some dry parts but not terrible. The pork and oxtails were tender! read more

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A-FREAKIN-MAZING. I mean... what else can be said when you're craving that spicy, well-seasoned kick of jerk chicken and you find a place that makes it wonderfully? Well... yea.. delicious food... juicy.. spicy... all the things you would expect. I enjoy the jerk chicken and the oxtail... and those delicious fried plantains are just that added sweetness to round out the meal. GO GET SOME FOOD. read more

We arrived at this place for lunch. The cashier was friendly and allowed me to try the three different freshly made juices so I could choose amongst them. I ordered the jerk chicken with white meat, corn festivals, and a pineapple guava drink. We sat down and our food was brought to us. My dish came with rice and beans and fried plantains. My chicken was juicy and topped with a green sauce that was mild and delicious. I expected the rice and beans to come separate but they were served together like an ice cream scoop. The rice and beans tasted sweet and that was a strange taste to me but it was good. My fried plantains were the right amount of sweet and savory. My drink was sweet and refreshing. The portions were a good size. I've never tasted corn festival so that was interesting. It taste like a funnel cake without any toppings. I enjoyed the atmosphere, good food, and friendly service. read more

Back A Yard - My dish. - Caribbean Near Me - San Jose, California

This place is so good it's ridiculous. I had the jerk chicken and pork platter (about $18) so flavorful and the sauce they give you on the side is heaven. I can't even tell exactly what it is but damn! Great job folks, I can't wait to go back. Oh yeah, the dirty rice is worth going for alone. read more

Back-A-Yard was awesome!! It was my first time trying Caribbean food and I'd been meaning to try it. I ordered the Yard Plate with jerk chicken, which comes with rice and fried plantains. DELICIOUS!! There were 4 huge pieces of chicken, the rice was awesome, and the fried plantains were DELICIOUS!! It is more than enough to fill you up. The decorations in the restaurant are so colorful and vibrant, and the employees were so nice. Awesome vibes, lovely food!! Would love to come back here again ^__^ read more

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

This is one of my favorite restaurants in San Jose. All of the food is great. I recommend the jerk pork, jerk salmon, festivals, collared greens, plantains, rice, fries, bbq, or almost everything served her. The service is quick but this place gets busy for dinner. You can get take out. This place gives a lot of food for not much money. read more

This place is good if you can find it open!! Try any of the meat and fish dinners. Dessert is not good though!!

First time here. Note that the jerk meat marinade does have some spice/heat to it so it is not for kids. All dishes/meal comes with 1) rice/beans: cooked rice and beans mixed together with a light hint of coconut-3 stars for mushy texture 2) fried plaintains-4 stars. Although I wished they would cut it in a chip like shape instead of small chunks. Meals: Jerk chicken - white meat- 2 stars. Please note that this is my first time trying jerk seasoning and I just didn't care for the marinade/ flavor. Jerk salmon: 3 stars. Better than the chicken although with the same marinade. Definitely some mild spiciness that last in your mouth for awhile. Oxtail: 5 stars: moist, tender and sits in a broth almost like a stew. Fall off the bone tender. I would drive back again just to have more. This is a winner and not as spicy as the other jerk meat. Curry tofu: 3 stars. Indian curry favor (not my favorite) but with a hint of coconut. Comes with plenty of fresh veggies as well. Wish the tofu would have an option of being fried instead of just plain white tofu. Does have some heat/spiciness although mild. Collard green: 3 stars. tart and salty in broth kinda of like Vietnamese pickled veggie soup. I would have eaten more but it was so salty. Would have given it a 4 star if it wasn't so salty. Fresh juice: 5 stars Mango/passion fruit: sweet and refreshing. With more mango flavors. Pineapple guava: more tart but also refreshing. read more

It was extremely fresh, fast, and everything was cooked to perfection. I can't wait to go back again! read more

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

I love the plates from here! I've tried the jerk chicken and oxtail and both were amazing! The portions are huge so it's a really good price for all the food that you get. I also got the cornbread last time and it was so good too! Make sure to ask for the sauces because those really enhance the dishes too. :) read more

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

Love this place! This is definitely on my top 10 most craved food places of all time! I love their mango sauce! I have not noticed the sauce in the downtown SJ location and Palo Alto. Make sure to try it! I put their jerk sauce everywhere on my plate! Be aware that there's a kick! Definitely try their oxtail, chicken, and salmon! Also, get some of their festivals. That will surely complete your meal! read more

I wanted to support a black business and only one person who worked there was. I walked in and all the girls were smiling and looking at me. I'm a black nonbinary person. I looked at the server just on her phone not even trying to come to the front to greet me and take my order so I ended up leaving. Would've loved if it was actually made by Caribbean people...and would've loved if I felt respected but that wasn't the case read more

Came here on a whim and found out the food is here is absolutely amazing. Carefully seasoned accompanied by excellent jerk sauce. The service here is kind and considerate given the small space, but they always know how to be incredibly genuine so I always feel welcomed. Not once have I been let down by this place. 10/10 would come again. And again. And again! read more

Their jerk chicken was flavor able and their sauce definitely had a spicy kick to it. The bbq ribs were the star of the menu, affordable and huge portions with a lot of meat. Get the ribs! Their rice is different from a lot of places, where there's nuts/beans in it. I'm not a big fan of that in my rice. FYI, this was during orange tier in the santa clara county. There was few tables where you can in door dine. read more

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

Solid. Service was excellent. (Thank you, Ms. Quynh!) It was our first time. Parents and 3 younger kids we needed help with the menu. The jerk salmon and oxtail was great. The kids chomped the BBQ plates and the curry tofu. Hubby had the chicken sandwich. We will be back. Very clean establishment. Lots of delivery service orders. They were always cleaning or otherwise maintaining the counters and such. Very good good handling in my observation. Limited indoor dining. No outdoor available. Shopping center is a large private lot. read more

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

I've been to the downtown location several times and I freakin' love it. The downtown location always seems to be closed on a Sunday, but surprisingly this one was open. I haven't had this since I was still living in SJ for school and man did I sure miss it! This location is a lot smaller and a lot newer. Similar concept to the downtown location. You order at the register, they give you a number, and they deliver your food your table. The main reason why I'm giving this location three stars (more like a 3 1/2) is that the self-serve option wasn't completely available to us and our plates were not served with the side salad. I would've hoped for consistency among the two locations. Water is served behind the counter so you can't refill it on your own. We had to get up several times to ask the cashier for more water which I thought was pretty inconvenient. Perhaps they are trying to implement more direct customer service at their new restaurant, who knows. We ordered our usuals - jerk chicken with white meat and jerk pork. Each was served with beans & rice and plantains. It was missing the side salad! Not sure if I just haven't had this in a while, but I felt the jerk chicken was a lot more tender at this location which I loved. And the additional sauce served in a tiny little container was nice. Love the spiciness of that jerk sauce, mmm! The downtown location is still my favorite location. But I don't really mind going here when the other one is closed, especially since there's a parking lot! read more

Back A Yard - Jerk pork - Caribbean Near Me - San Jose, California

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What is there not to like?! I absolutely love their oxtail it's my go to. I'm so glad they have two locations in San Jose. The bean rice is delicious, and oxtail is full of flavors, meat falls off the bone. It also comes with fried plantains. If you don't wan't the oxtail another alternative is the jerk chicken, it comes with a sauce that's also amazing. I love sauces so I'll probably drown my chicken I want to try something else but I crave for my usual oxtail It's what keeps me coming back. read more

Humble pie. Is that what they serve? No. But I was hesitant to drive down to San Jose on the weekend for Carribean food, especially right before the shelter in place happened. And it was indeed served to me, This place, well here's the thing. It's in a strip mall, it's not the biggest restaurant, and I will freely admit, it's not on my radar on places to go to. I mean I have a hell of a list of just Asian cuisine and places to go try so it didn't cross my mind until my coworkers suggested it. As mentioned I was initially hesitant, especially since I would need to drive from Berkeley to SJ, not that I haven't done it before, for a restaurant I've never been to, along with not doing anything else except for eating with coworkers and leaving Well as I arrived, we were still waiting a bit for a few others to arrive. Once they did, we all walked into what was a relatively empty restaurant (until we left) and placed our order one by one. I ended up getting the yard combo with the jerk chicken and the beef oxtail and comes with rice, beans, and fried plantains. This restaurant was already small, coupled with about 8 people trying to all sit together meant we had to sit at the high top tables that ran across the middle. As our food started arriving, smelling absolutely delicious by the way, the restaurant started to fill with other people eating in, and lots of to go orders. I was ready, and that oxtail looked so tender too. As we all got our food, we all started digging in and it was delicious. The chicken was juicy and flavorful along with the extremely tender oxtail is such a good protein platter. It was smoky, just enough to not be overbearing and spicy. Of course you can also add their mango chili sauce for that extra flavor and I was ecstatic. The fried plantains, while I was also hesitant since I'm not the type to mix savory and sweet, was a nice break from the richness of the protein. Rice, oh those rice and beans completed it. The chicken, beef and beans were savory, the fried plantains were sweet, and the rice brought it back full circle. If I had less shame, I'd probably lick the plate clean. It was that good. Anywho. Definitely going back after this shelter in place is done. Can't be running around the bay getting to go. Unless... Cheers! read more

Finally went to back a yard again after 2 years I think. My buddies and I went to the location on Capitol Expressway. It's in the Gould Shopping Center in the far left side. They are open for indoor with about 5 tables. They are staffed sufficiently and are doing a lot of to go orders in person and/or website. We got there around 7 Saturday and there was no line. We ordered the special combo curry goat and oxtail and the combo jerk chicken and oxtail. The curry goat was so damn good because the curry has a nice kick to it. I didn't remember the curry having that extra kick. Not Hot spicy but flavorful spicy. Anyway, I had a Sam Adam's and wasn't able to finish because they close at 8. The place was clean and not crowded at all. If you like oxtail and goat like I do, you'll love Back-a-yard. They have 3 or 4 locations in SJ and the original in Menlo Park. read more

Back A Yard - Jerk chicken and oxtail - Caribbean Near Me - San Jose, California

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One of my favorite places to enjoy a unique Caribbean BBQ meal! I really enjoy the jerk chicken, salmon and pork! Plus the Oxtails are off the chain!!! I also love the portions! They finally raised the prices but you basically get a double portion of delicious food for $20! The rice beans and plantains are also delicious! The only issue is Customerservice is subpar! The manager doesn't treat the employees right. Even in front of the customers!!! read more

I hate that I am giving a 3 star, but I'll explain why. I'd been wanting to come here for a while now and finally did! I called and ordered takeout (Jerk chicken white meat plate and BBQ chicken white meat plate) easy ordering process. Was told about 20 minutes and drove over to get my food. I was so excited. Got there, paid for my food, got my order and off I went. I excitedly opened my food when I got home and dug right in. The jerk chicken was AMAZING. So great, flavorful, chicken was juicy. The fried plantains, were great. Tons of food too. The BBQ though, it was inedible. The chicken was hard and we could barely cut through it. I ended up tossing 95% of it. The 2 chicken plates were totally opposite. Yes, I will be back to get that jerk chicken, but never the BBQ chicken. read more

Went here with a friend after class. I have had Caribbean food only once and this is the second place I have been to. I was not too keen on the food before because my experience was not that great, but I have to say, the difference is amazing. This restaurant is right near the 101 and is a small location but clean. The staff are friendly and accommodating. The food was so good. Here is what I had: Beef Oxtail with Curried Tofu combo: this is not actually on the menu but I asked for a substitution because I wanted to taste the oxtail without bias from another meat. Also, the tofu came out as an excellent compliment to my meal. The oxtail was cooked perfectly, with a good amount of meat. The sauce was perfect, not too salty and just the right amount of spice. Their coconut rice was delish with not too much beans. The plantains...always a plus. The tofu and curry sauce were amazing too. Grilled so as not to be rubbery and still substantial enough to chew. My friend just got the oxtail plate but it also was a very generous amount. I also had their mango passion fruit juice. Can I say YUM! So much flavor! It is sweet, so if you are not a sweet liking person, just ask for water. You can always add it in. I personally love it the way it is. Overall, I would definitely come back for more and to try their other food! read more

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How have I never reviewed them? This place never disappoints. I haven't had everything on the menu, but I can confidently say everything I've had had is amazing and worth trying. I first had Back A Yard at their downtown location and was very impressed with their Caribbean cuisine. So pleased they opened in this area and I hope everyone continues to show their support so this establishment maintains in this community long term. Must haves: Jerk Chicken Jerk pork Oxtails Plantains are THE BEST! Jerk wrap is convenient for on the go. And their hot sauce? The only restaurant sauce I want bottled and brought home. It's soooo good and has the perfect kick! If you haven't tried Back A Yard, add them to your list when you are in the area. read more

Rating - 5 Stars I wish I discovered this place sooner cause I can't believe I've been missing out on such FLAVORS. I ordered their beef oxtail, jerk chicken, and curried goat and I'm so glad I ordered extra because it meant I had something flavorful to look forward to the next day. Everything from the beef, chicken, and goat were all cooked perfectly. All the meats were so tender, succulent, and juicy. The flavors were bold and had a nice smokiness, gentle heat, and savoriness that just lingers on your palette. Even the plantains had a beautiful char to them. My friend who ordered the jerk salmon and collard greens said he really enjoyed his meal as well. So clearly it's hard to go wrong here. I will definitely be back and would love to try their daily seafood specials next time. read more

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Excellent food, omgoodness never had jerk meat so good before. And I had have plenty of jerk meats. By far wonderful experience.

Yummy bbq. I have tried more than a dozen Michelin recommendations, this one so far wins it, and THE best bbq joint I've ever tried. The best was actually the sweet potato sides, it is likely toasted and grilled I think, so creamy and just the right texture. The oxtail is also quite good and pretty unusual way of cooking, very tender, probably similar way they make jerk chicken? read more

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