Island Frydays, recently opened, brings a real energy to the College Hill entertainment district…read more The atmosphere inside is colorful, spacious and relaxed. The staff have all been friendly and willing to go the extra mile. You go to the window near the back and order, and no one seems to mind standing in line to wait. Then you either have a seat to wait, or move to the window near the front, with spacious couch-like seating, for your order to be ready. And the food is delicious -- unique, well-seasoned, and made with care. I tried the jerk chicken nachos. It was a generous portion of meat over tortillas, and the sauce on top was unique, tasty, and very complex. Though my favorite right now has to be the honey BBQ wings. The tender, t-e-n-d-e-r meat literally fell off the bone! And the spice was just spicy enough to give it a fun finish. The plantains were sweet and well-cooked. The Jamaican greens were good -- they didn't seem to have a lot of kick to them, until leftovers the next day!! And now I always get their cheesecake brownie. Honestly, there isn't a lot of "cheesecake" to it -- but the brownie part is exactly as I love it -- a kind of gooey ganache chocolate goodness that sticks to the roof of your mouth. All in all, authentic cuisine made well in a fun, hip setting.

First time here but definitely wont be the last! We were a…read moreparty of three stopping by on a HOT AUGUST Saturday afternoon... The interior was like a lounge restaurant space with a waterfall backyard space. They also had an amazing violinist that kept the music going while we ate. We ordered at the fod truck and waited approximately 20 min until our food was done. The hubby ordered a pineapple long Island ice tea and me a strawberry Hennessy drink Both were DELICIOUS...HIS was strong! For food I ordered oxtail with cabbage. Husband ordered mango habenero wings with plantains and our stepson ordered jerk chicken with plantains. The wings were fall off the bone tender and very saucy but he felt it was a little dry. The oxtail was soooo flavorful but the cabbage was VERY VERY disappointing...bland except for the weird corn carrot pea mixed in. The jerk chicken was ok my stepson wanted them spicier! Everyone's favorite plantains. They were amazing!

Located on W McMillan, this spot features a self-order kiosk and fast service. It's a casual spot,…read moreand it seemed like most orders were carry-out, although there is plenty of seating. I ordered the curry goat, which comes with 2 sides. I chose the fried okra and plantains. The curry goat had great flavor, but was very salty. If I ordered again, I would definitely choose rice as one of my sides to balance it out. The fried okra was unfortunately mostly breading, but the plantains were delicious. I'd love to have tried the oxtail.

Taste of cincinnati spread! Oxtail and rice was amazing. Really warm flavors and fall of the bone…read moretender meat. The cornbread was pretty sweet and sticky, like a desert. So good we got 2 cornbread's and shared the oxtail. Okay prices for the taste of Cinci fest.

Food is always fantastic, super fresh and great flavor! Definitely come check them out!read more

We enjoyed our time at Gee's. The service was really great.. They were attempted to our needs,…read moreanswered our questions and ensure that we were satisfied. The food was delicious. The curry chicken is amazing. I always get extra sauce whenever I eat anything, and they were willing to accommodate. We tried their oxtails and jerk pasta and a brisket and ribs and everything was just seasoned to perfection hot and delicious. The restaurant is warm and inviting. They do their best to give the Jamaican vibe.

They have a station in the Cafe at UC Medical Center currently, which is where I ordered from. The…read moreservice was friendly and helpful in describing their offerings - this stationed was run by their employees, not hospital cafeteria employees. I had jerk chicken on penne Alfredo. Topped with sautéed onions and bell peppers, Caribbean slaw, jerk sauce and aioli. The flavors mingled well together with a little bit of spice/heat to it, which I loved. Everything was perfectly cooked and the textures combined worked well together.

When I tell you this truck served me the best-tasting thing since COVID impacted my sense of…read moresmell/taste in early 2021, it doesn't do justice to the deep and harmonious flavors or my relief that I even COULD taste something so fully! I ordered their island rice box: Jamaican rice & beans, Caribbean slaw, mango salsa and of course their jerked chicken. The mango was bright and tart, the slaw was crisp and creamy, the rice soaked up some of the flavor from the smokey and succulent chicken. I would eat this once a day if I could! The plantains were perfectly sweet with just enough sear and caramelization. I actually dropped my first order seconds after collecting it, and they replaced it free of charge rather than let me enact the five second rule. If you see this bright green truck, do not fail to stop!

There were once 100 Ollie's locations across the Southeastern United States, an idea born in…read moreLouisville, Kentucky, in 1973 serving American takeout from an actual repurposed trolley car. This Cincinnati location is one of only three remaining in the U.S., and the only location still in its original trolley. It was the Knoxville, Tennessee, location that we frequented in the late '70s and early '80s, a memorable part of my coming of age. My father would transport us to Ollie's in downtown to eat their mediocre burgers and absolutely stellar french fries. Unlike all the other American joints in town with their plain fries, Ollie's loaded theirs with seasoning. We're talking dozens of spices, a very complex mixture indeed! And even though my last taste of those fries would happen in 1984, they never left my memory. Fast forward to 2024. It was 40 years later, and I was driving through an unsavory section of Cincinnati when I spotted that telltale red streetcar and Ollie's Trolley emblazoned in yellow lettering across the top. I nearly lost my mind! I had no idea they still existed anywhere! You can't miss the countless signs lining the fence touting all of the dishes they serve. While the neighborhood isn't as nice as the original takeout spot still standing in Louisville, it didn't matter. The curt greeting from the employee I couldn't see who took my order while remaining invisible behind tinted glass didn't discourage me either. All I needed were those fries. And they are still just as good as they were four decades ago, still thoroughly seasoned with such a level of complexity! That was all I ordered on my stop there, a simple flashback to my youth that I thought was lost forever.

Stopped by while traveling thru the area.I had the whole ribs with a side of baked beans and my…read morewife had the whole chicken with wings and fries. This place has a old school dinner feel. We each had a 24 oz Lemonade. Topped it off with Chess pie. It was a different experience. The service was attentive and our order was correct. Ours was not the same as some other reviews, but your mileage may vary. If you are in the area, you might want to get it a try for your self.

Absolutely great food. Made to order and fresh every time. The customer service is very friendly…read moreand welcoming. I had a few issues with my order but he was very patient with me and had no problem with correcting it. The fish is fire as well as the fried chicken. Lunch combos are affordable. Nice place to grab lunch. Thank youuu.

I am disappointed in the delivered meal for perch and chicken combo. The perch was raw and by the…read moretasre the chicken and perch were cooked in the same oil which made both proteins a one note wonder.The fries were soggy and the Mac n cheese was noodles with cheese melted over. They must have changed cooks as this is not of the calibre of 5 to 10 years ago and this is the second meal in a month that was just plain nasty. I threw all in the garbage and ordered Captain Ds at least their taste is consistent.Get a new cook.I will not be ordering from here ever again.

Standing ovation! I…read morestopped by after visiting a nearby nail salon and was immediately welcomed by the owner. He was genuinely friendly, accommodating with my order, and made me feel like a valued customer from the moment I walked in. While waiting for my food, we chatted about other Jamaican restaurants around Cincinnati. What stood out most was how highly he spoke of the competition. Instead of putting other restaurants down, he gave each one credit where it was due. That level of confidence and respect says a lot about both the owner and the business. I took a quick look around while I waited, and the restaurant was spotless. The space felt clean, comfortable, and inviting. I ordered my meal to go and had about a 30-minute drive home. When I finally opened my container, steam poured out and the food was still piping hot. That's the kind of freshness you hope for but don't always get! The only hiccup was that my macaroni and cheese was accidentally left out of my bag. I called the restaurant, and before I could even explain why I was calling, the owner immediately acknowledged the mistake. He apologized and assured me he'd remember me the next time I came in. His response was genuine and customer focused, which made the situation easy to overlook. Great hospitality, delicious fresh food, and excellent customer service. If this first visit is any indication, I'll definitely be back and next time, I'm getting extra mac and cheese!

This was my 4th time ordering from Yard Vybz, and unfortunately it will be my last…read more I drove 45 minutes round trip and spent $60 on food that ultimately ended up in the trash. We ordered jerk chicken wings, steamed cabbage, fried plantains, rice and peas, and three beef patties. The jerk chicken wings were unbelievably salty and completely inedible. It tasted like an entire bottle of salt had been dumped into the sauce. There was very little jerk flavor, just overwhelming salt. An order of 16 wings came with nothing but drums, not a single flat wing. The beef patties were hard, dried up, and tasted like they had been sitting in the warmer for hours. The fried plantains were just as disappointing. They were over-salted, undercooked, and inedible. The only items we were able to eat were the steamed cabbage and the rice and peas. I waited about an hour for my order. I've ordered here before and understand that it's cooked fresh, but this wait was excessive. No one checked in, gave an update, or reassured me that my food would be ready soon. I was genuinely left wondering if my order had been forgotten. There were also issues with the service. I asked for a Coke while waiting and didn't receive it until my food was handed to me. They also nearly forgot my beef patties until I asked about them. What's most disappointing is that my previous visits were much better, which is why I kept coming back. Unfortunately, this experience was so poor that I can't justify returning. I don't mind waiting for good food, but waiting an hour for food that was inedible is unacceptable. Between the excessive wait, poor communication, forgotten items, and food that ended up in the trash, this was a complete waste of time and money. Very disappointing experience.

Smoked turkey wings ,sweet potatos, greens, macaroni and wings. My favorite, so good everything is…read morealways hot.

We are in OH for a basketball tournament and went to Mama Jo's on a Friday about 2 pm. The place…read morewas not full so we were able to order and have a seat. It is a nice little restaurant, the staff was so nice. It is a bit pricey, but what isn't these days. I ordered the two piece catfish and four wings platter. It comes with two sides and cornbread. My sides were Mac and cheese and green beans. The catfish was so delicious and seasoned just right. I didn't have to add anything to it. The wings were perfect. They had a very flavorful crispy breading that make a crunch noise when you bite into them. And juicy on the inside. The flavoring was so good. Usually I don't order plain wings, I'll get like bbq sauce or some kind of sauce with them......these wings didn't need anything. The Mac and cheese was good and the green beans as well. I didn't have to add anything salt or pepper to any of my food. My husband ordered the 10 piece wings and he was very pleased with his food. He said those are some of the best wings he's had. He also got the Mac and cheese and loved it. His other side was the collard greens. He said he loved them. This place also had dessert and people were coming in and ordering dessert to go. It must taste good also, but we were too full to get dessert. I highly recommend this place if you are ever in the area. It is definitely one of the best soul food places I have ever eaten at. It's a bit pricey but the servings are so big.