Showed up at 5:30 PM on a Saturday, in July. It's been almost 2 months since we went so this is a late review, my apologies. There was nobody in the restaurant. Seemed pretty slow... honestly, it seems more of a takeout place than anything. There are quite a few people coming to get food, but nobody dined the entire time we were there. We sat down, we wanted to sample a bunch of different food and unfortunately, it turned out that the restaurant was out of a bunch of food on the menu. They didn't even have jerk chicken, but somehow managed to scrounge up a few pieces in the back to serve us. We tried the oxtail, the curry goat, the couple pieces of jerk chicken, red beans and rice, plantains & a beef patty. Had a few different types of ice cream for dessert that we all shared as well. Unfortunately, there were six of us and only four ice creams so we had to share. I would really like to try this restaurant again when they have all their food available on the menu. read more

De-Jred - Full spread - Caribbean Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

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good food great service nice ambience if you love Caribbean particular Jamaican food, you will be very satisfied

I love jerk chicken but this was a miss for me. I moved to Skokie last year and visited while rehabbing my condo. Although the workers were pleasant the food too a crazy long time and wasn't that great. It was pricey and the portion did not match the price. My friend got the oxtails and got three small bones for $25! I haven't nor will in ever return. read more

Excellent family run restaurant! I was in the mood for something different, and decided to try Caribbean cuisine. This place showed up in my search results, thought I'd take a chance. Glad I did. Nice folks and even better food. My son had the jerk chicken and I had oxtail. Omg slow cooked goodness! My son couldn't stop trying out my dish lol. Can't wait to come back soon read more

De-Jred - Caribbean Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

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I'm all in for the food! Wonderful tasty (not hot) spices the half a chicken dinner was a ton of food. Couldn't finish it in one sitting. Friendly service. Not much to look at inside. Still, give this local family owned restaurant a try!! read more

Tonight was my first time coming here, and I will definitely be back. Everything was so flavorful. My friend and I shared two entrees, goat curry and oxtail. Both were tender and distinctively seasoned. The accompanying rice & peas, cabbage, and plantains were scrumptious. The restaurant has been spruced up, and is very comfortable and attractive. Brittany took wonderful care of us! read more

The oxtail was the most delicious I've had, and the curry chicken was yummy, too. They don't have most of the items on their menu, and so ordering was a little strange. It seems like they are in transition and not fully prepared. read more

I'm in Skokie, Illinois trying Jamaican food at a place that's been a family business for over 15 years. I went with my brother and his family to celebrate my nieces 8th birthday, and we had a blast. I tried so many different dishes starting with the beef patty. Juicy succulent meat, and in contrast the salt fish fritters were crispy and salty. The mains though did not disappoint. We did family style to share and up first was the oxtail and butterbeans. The fat that's on the oxtail is hand picked off to ensure the oxtail meat absorbs the juices and really is the most flavorful it can be. The Curry chicken was warm and savory and same with the curry goat but the goat had a gamier taste but worked so well with the spices. The roasted beef was tender and I could've finished it all but had to share. Never can go wrong with some sweet plantains but the most impressive thing I ate that dinner was the Escovitch Fish. It's a whole Red Snapper soaked in a vinegar mixture with pan fried onions and peppers. Such a light and delicate fish yet filling and easy on the stomach. We absolutely loved our family outing at Carib'n Bites, go show them some love for their authentic and delicious cooking. read more

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I'm from out of town There never open , I came a total of 3 times in one week and was close , everyday I came

Jerry chicken and oxtail was amazing fell of the bone! They cook was so sweet and attentive read more

De-Jred - Jerry chicken - Caribbean Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

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Amazing Delicious Fresh food served with the kindest heart and biggest beautiful smile you've ever seen. I placed a large order to go Oxtail and Beans Jerk Chicken Brown Gravy Chicken Cow Foot Salt Fish * All served with rice and beans, cabbage and plantains Fried Plantain Coconut / Ginger dessert Special Bread All fresh ingredients...clean food....not greasy or over spiced...all truly cooked with passion and love for the business and their customers. I highly recommend this restaurant... Its quite a gem in Skokie!!! read more

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Wow. The food is absolutely amazing (I had jerk chicken with friend rice and plantains) and I will be going back as soon as possible!! The staff and regular customers are so welcoming and made me feel like family. I got to talk to several people there and they were so kind, and offered me a seat at their table to talk. They even made sure to bring me a bowl of ox tail to try because they didn't want me to leave without getting to try it for the first time. I honestly don't think I will go back to Skokie without stopping here. read more

De-Jred - Sm Jerk Chicken with fried rice and fried plantains - Caribbean Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

You want AMAZING Jamaican food? Come to De-Jred. You want a simple and cozy ambience, with the nicest people serving and helping you? Come to De-Jred. Come for the smiles, the laughs, and a little taste of Jamaica. I've rarely visited a restaurant where not only was every entree good, but also every component of that entree was delicious - De-Jred happens to just such a restaurant. From the lady serving us with a smile, to the beautiful lady sitting at the counter and bringing us our food, to the vibrant gentleman cooking in the back - everyone wore a smile, and had a great attitude. The food was phenomenal and cooked to perfection. I hate cabbage, and I polished it off my plate before I even touched the other things on my plate! The variety of Caribbean sodas being offered, transported me right back to the beautiful beaches of Jamaica. We finished our meal with a dessert of coconut drops and sweet potato pudding - both were good but that sweet potato pudding deserves a special mention because it was truly scrumptious. Also, for those to whom this matters, they serve Halal meat (see my pics). All in all, I don't care how far this is from me, I'm going to be coming here over and over and over and over and over again!!! Highly highly highly recommend!!! read more

This is my favorite Jamaican restaurant to go to! The people at De-Jred are so friendly and kind and chef Roy knows what he's doing. Not to mention, the food is some of the best Jamaican food I've had in the Chicagoland area. My favorite item here is the cow foot (I know, it's not for everyone), but it is always made to order and so soft and flavorful. I get it at least once a week. If cow feet are not for you, you must try the oxtail! They are so tender and flavorful and come with a ton of rice and peas, cabbage and plantains! Also, their jerk chicken and beef patties are also great! read more

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My family and I came here to eat after a difficult time. The staff was hospitable and took care to answer all of our questions and take our numerous orders. I ordered the Ital stew. It was delicious and filling. I hope they add more vegan items to the menu but I wouldn't mind ordering it again, when I visit. read more

De-Jred - Ital stew - Caribbean Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

I called one day and asked if they had any of their fabulous meat pies available. They had 5 and I asked for 6 they were able to make an extra one for me to even up my request. After a few hours the owner called back and said my meat pies were ready. So I went and picked up the pies and let me tell you those were some of the best meat pies I've had in a while. A good thing about this place is that not only they have beef meat pies they also have a veggie pie option and chicken as well. I highly recommend trying this place. read more

I got the 1/2 chicken meal and with an extra side of plantains ; and it was really good ! I would definitely come back to try another dish. Good portion ( even for my fat@$$ ) It falls off the bone!!! read more

De-Jred - 1/2 chicken meal & extra plantains - Caribbean Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

De-Jred is conveniently a 5 min drive from the locall strip mall. After a cool movie date, we were seeking some hearty Carribean food! I must say we were greeted with such good energy! There is a running joke that Carribean staff can be rude but the food be good ( if you know you know hahaha). I'm Carribean as well so I can say that! Anyway, the service was great. I'm from NY so I had my fair share of Jamaican food. I would say it's a 3/5. I had better but it's passing. If you are not native or new to trying Jamaican food, De-Jred is a nice introduction. read more

De-Jred - Oxtail meal - Caribbean Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

Bare bones kinda diner. What makes this a Jamaican restaurant? A few bottles of different hot and condiment sauces. A trio of Bob Marley prints. A food case with a few patties. Two OG Jamaican men running the shop. De-J produces good flavors at a convenient price. Too bad food wasn't prepared piping hot when I dined. I wonder what the difference would be if it was prepared fresh and hot. Right after serving my plate, the "cook" engaged in a lengthy phone call with a lady friend. Sounded like they were having a flirty conversation. De-Jred operates like a takeout spot but lacks the basic restaurant necessities & or services. I tried an appetizer platter, dessert and jerk chicken. The chicken was warm on the outside but cold on the inside. Worse, chicken was dry. The fritters were okay but lacked flavor and basic seasoning. I used the condiment sauces to help get them down. The sweet potato dessert was too dense and dry. Last but not least, the beef patty was tasty and fried plantains are an always tasty side but a pastry and a fruit aren't going to fulfill a hungry stomach. One and done. read more

Fantastic food. All made by the owner with loving Jamaican care. I had the red snapper with red beans and rice. I have not been to Jamaica but his food makes me want to go. Easy to find too on Oakton in Skokie. read more

One can argue that there are plenty of Jamaican restaurants around this area, but what makes this place so special mon ( in my terrible "Jamaican Accent")? The old man preparing the food by himself. As I turn my head around I see nothing but smiles on his face as he's cooking. Do you know what that tells me? That, that food is prepared with love and care! Not to sound like a broken record by the way. Then the food arrives and holy bumbaclot! This is yoga flameeee! I mean you can read my reviews and take my word for it or you can come and try it out yourself! read more

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Pretty good food. Great customer service. It's not as spicy as I like but for ppl who don't like all that kick of spice and seasoning this is the food for you. Food is made super fast. read more

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Great food, awesome people. I look forward to eating there again. Hidden gem that I found randomly.

Just stopped into this place on a whim. I always think Skokie is lacking when it comes to the food scene, but not here. Arguable one of the best places my husband and I eaten at in Skokie. The cost is also super cheap, and the staff is really friendly. read more

I'm always down to get some jerk chicken, so when I found out there was a spot in Skokie, I made it a point to stop by next time we were in the area. I've had a decent amount of experience with jerk chicken. I've had it in the Caribbean a few times and I purchase both dry and wet jerk seasonings and cook with it often. We came for dinner on a Friday and there was a very large party just seated before us. We were told service would be a bit slow, but I didn't mind a wait and it ended up not being that bad. The restaurant is pretty bare with a few decorations and a TV that hardly faces the dining area, I'm thinking it's more for the chef aka "de jred" to watch. The restaurant is clean though, unlike the other jerk restaurant I've been to in the suburbs. The bf ordered the large 1/2 jerk chicken with rice & peas, plantains and steamed cabbage. I had the small oxtails and butterbeans with rice & beans, plantains and steamed cabbage. The large order of jerk chicken seemed pretty small for a 1/2 chicken. The chicken was cooked with a jerk marinade and then topped with another sweet bbq-like sauce that threw the flavor off for me a little. The flavor was okay, the spice level was more like a medium, and the chicken was a little dry and overcooked. All the sides were decent. I actually enjoyed the flavor of the oxtails more, however, there wasn't much meat on the small bony pieces I got. The meat was tender and the cartilage was soft and gelatinous. I'm not sure if the meat portion sizes are usually this small or if we were just unlucky that day. I would come back, but probably not for the jerk chicken. I'd also ask them to increase the spice level or for some extra hot sauce on the side. I've got my eye on the brown stew chicken, ackee & saltfish, and the seasonal callaloo. The woman working there was nice and friendly. One interesting tidbit is that "de jred" is actually a vegetarian and he cooks all the meat dishes and flavors them by what he thinks it should taste like! Interesting.. read more

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We love this restaurant so much- we've been there to eat many times and it's always extraordinary. The food and the wonderful people there will always keep us going back. read more

Roy is super CL . Fantastic brown stew chix, & succulent jerk chix. & also really nice red snapper. More then enough food for the price . Clean comfortable and welcoming staff read more

De-Jred - Jamaica - Caribbean Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

No frills, no worries, just good food man! Located at a corner along Oakton, I passed this restaurant this past summer and made a vow to return and check it out. It looked uber authentic and just my kind of spot. It was all that for sure! I arrived in during an odd time 2:00, with a couple tables just seated before us. The chef and server were very nice, said we could sit where ever we wanted. Water served right away along with the menus. It was very quiet when we arrived - reminds me of the time I ate in Jamaica, I'm here to eat, not listen to the stereo or watch TV. When I see oxtail on a menu, I immediately start salivating. It's good eating generally, and folks that know how to cook oxtail are my friends. Its the part of the cow that is ignored and once just scrapped away. When prepared properly, it's succulent and creates such a nice mouth feel. The chef sure knew his spices and this oxtail was some of the best that I had. Well seasoned (my wife thought a bit too salty, but chef knows how to well season). The flavors were spot on and just what an oxtail lovin' fella needed. Curried shrimp had a generous portion of shrimp, I don't think any other restaurant would normally give this much shrimp. The flavors were not as exuberant as the tail, but it was still good on its own. The rice and peas (beans) that accompanied the entree was just what I needed to sop up the juicy curry sauce that was on the plate. Cabbage /carrot vegetables also accompanied the entrees and paired nicely with both dishes. Fried plantains were good as well. A "small" portion is enough food for filling my hunger, wonder what the large would entail (leftovers?). I think you get great tasting food with generous portions. A good spot for takeout - with its no frills style. Just good authentic eating. Ample seating during off hours. read more

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Came back over the weekend and really enjoyed the oxtail and brown chicken stew. Loved the plantains and cabbage as well. The two dishes were cooked in really savory and tasty sauce. I even elected to try some Jamaican Pickapeppa sauce which was great. We really love the oxtail and chicken dinners. My only question is, with probably some of the best music produced in the history of mankind - why isn't Ska or Reggae being played for the diners? Instead, there's a flatscreen with sports on. Almost everyone I know has been to Jamaica for vacation - so the owners should try playing some Wailers so people can really get into the Je-Dred experience and reminisce on their time in Negril or Montego Bay. Ok, enough minor venting, I'll Simmer Down (Marley) now. read more

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Before I even had their food I already had a good hunch about this place. Here's the sitch: Drove by on Oakton and saw De-Jred on a street corner. I thought: "There's a Jamaican restaurant in Skokie now?! What? Sweet!" Skokie always has boasted its multicultural and multi-ethnic persona. It's the Ellis Island of the northshore and hosts the annual Festival of Cultures. Skokie is trying to re-invent itself and encouraging a new wave of establishments in the downtown area. So, how fitting to have such a unique restaurant in such a place! I called to place a pick-up order and stated that I'd like the following three things: Large Oxtail & Butterbeans Small Jerk Chicken Side of Plantains Voice on the line: "Is that all?" Me: "Yes...um, ..." [hung up the phone] I was taken aback because I was about to say my name, ask about the pick-up time and how much I owed. This restaurant doesn't mess around with telephone chit chat (in a good way). After the initial shock of providing what seemed, like not enough information to "complete" my order... I knew already, this place is COOL. As in... if I came home and asked my mom what's for dinner, SHE wouldn't give me a bill and say, "Be back at 6:30pm, that'll be 20 bucks and what's your name?" I would just show up, and eat. Likewise, this restau has a mom&pop's family-style demeanor. When I arrived to pick-up my food (a guesstimated half hour later), the kitchen was a two-person show. Run by (what I believe to be) a friendly married couple and also the owners, I was greeted by a big smile and a warm welcome. They were chatty and you could tell, cooking Jamaican food runs in their blood. They've been open for 4 years and as I was paying, Papa De-Jred himself asked if I will be coming back. In summary, the oxtails were my favorite, flavorfully stewed to a barely-need-to-chew delicacy... and their platters come with plantains and cabbage (in addition to their beans & rice). You get a LOT for what you pay. From a good hunch to the shortest phone take-out order I've ever experienced, the answer, Mr. De-Jred, is yes. read more

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Love this place. I've been here twice. Each time I had the intention of getting the oxtail but the tasty platter always lures me in by the time I get there. You get a variety of or bites with the tasty platter. Jerk chicken, beef patty, plantain and salt fish fritters. The combo lives up to its name, it truly is tasty and a true paradise for an indecisive gal like myself. Feels close to home. I'll probably be a regular here. Stay tuned for the oxtail update. read more

De-Jred - Tasty platter - Caribbean Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

While trying to find a certain Afghani restaurant that used to be on the eastern end of Skokie, only to find out that it is now a little farther inland, I stumbled upon De-Jred Fine Jamaican Cuisine. Let's just say that it was a very good idea that I was reminiscing about the other restaurant and found this one instead. Beef pattie. Kola Champagne. Callaloo. Rice and beans. Plantains. Cabbage. Saltfish and ackee. I was completely blown away by the flavours. The beef patties were filled with the beef paste, unlike the pastries filled with air you get at other perpetrating restaurants. They are also spicy the way you get them in Jamaica. The rice and beans tasted the way my grandmother made them and the callaloo had me hankering for a return to Jamaica. Where it really hit home was with the saltfish and ackee. I was sold. With the plantains and cabbage, De-Jred Fine Jamaican Cuisine is my top pick for Jamaican eating in the Chicago metropolitan area. read more

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De-Jred is one letter shy of being a palindrome. Did anyone notice that? In what may or may not be related news, I had mixed feelings about my dinner at De-Jred. First off, the jerk chicken was flavorful, had a nice kick to it, and you really can't beat an entree for $6.50! You had me at plantain, D-J. The cabbage was also the perfect carrier for the chicken, and I could always use more veggies! On the flip side, the rice was cold and underwhelming. Believe it or not, we were the only diners on a Friday night, though a family came in after us. The ambiance is unique: in an otherwise very quiet atmosphere, a tv may be on in the corner of the dining room. On this night, it was playing Tia and Tamara Mowry's latest reality tv show. Pay at the front, and don't forget to tip! read more

De-Jred - Beef patties - Caribbean Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

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Delicious and authentic Jamaican food locally. Would recommend to anyone looking for a homemade meal packed with flavor!

This place is pretty awesome. Their hospitality is top tier - the owners were very nice when picking up our order and the food was fresh. Their jerk chicken is slightly different from what I'm used to but regardless it was tasty (theirs is more saucy and I'm used to more of a dry chicken). Their portions are nice and overall, I would try them again! read more

De Jred is back open after a five-month closure due to the double whammy of a water main break and the pandemic. New floor and wall. Everything was on point as usual: brown stew goat and oxtail were both great. We tried snapper in foil for the first time, and my wife was very pleased with it. All three dishes are prepared bone-in for extra flavor. Great homemade food and friendly service. Brother and sister Roy and Roni deserve your support! read more

Perfect hole in the wall. Unassuming space with friendly service and delicious food We had the jerk chicken which came right off the bone and was bursting with flavor . As well as the goat stew. Definitely get the rice with 'peas' (which is actually beans) read more

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I'm a truck driver and I eat fine foods all over the country...This restaurant made me leave my first review ever...Best Jamaican food I've tasted in the US! Lavish Trucker certified... www.lavishtruckers.com read more

De-Jred - Jerk Shrimp - Caribbean Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

Jerk chicken and Ox tail were amazing! Definitely check this place out. Worth it and very friendly owners.

best jamaican food he gave us extra chicken. y'all needa go pull there so we can go again. shit was bussin he him fr read more

De-Jred - Caribbean Near Me - Skokie, Illinois