The food here is really good, definitely on par with what you'd find in Toronto. I tried the oxtail, jerk chicken, and curry goat, and I really appreciated that the goat is boneless. The only minor points I would note are that the jerk chicken could use a bit more smokeiness, the coleslaw is very finely minced (I'd prefer it a bit chunkier), and I wish there was a bit more gravy. Overall, I enjoyed my meal and would definitely come back. read more

They're not doing soup, porridge or ackee & saltfish now. Coconut shrimp was decent. It had a subtle coconut flavour & was somewhat spicy. The coleslaw was ok. Their fried fish is dry with some sautéed onion on top. Brown fish has brown sauce. Steamed fish uses a different, vegetarian sauce; you can customise the spice level. The default spiciness is mild. read more

Irie I Bistro - Caribbean Near Me - Newmarket, Ontario

See all

I haven't been able to visit as often as I'd like to but if I did, I'd be eating this nearly every night. The curry chicken is always amazing and the jerk is tasty as well. To me, it doesn't taste like traditional jerk, but it's flavourful and juicy nonetheless. This restaurant has the kindest people working and it's a small place but they get the job done! HIGHLY recommend this restaurant! read more

See all

Living in Aurora, it's hard to find authentically diverse cuisine options such as Jamaican food. This small restaurant hidden away in a big strip mall serves up huge flavour for very good prices! The restaurant is honestly nothing special in terms of appearance, I definitely wouldn't come here for date night, you can tell it's more of a takeout place. Not sure if it's because of Covid but there's really no ambiance but we ordered food to take home so that's all I'm going to focus on! We walked in on a Friday night and there were two people ahead of us. It appeared that only one person was preparing the food, taking orders, cashing you out, so it was a bit slow. The singular man definitely was taking his time, talking to the customers and carefully packaging the food, I was starving so it felt like forever but once I caught a glimpse of my food, I only felt excitement. We ordered the large jerk chicken and two pattys, one chicken and one beef. The jerk chicken was smothered in delicious oxtail sauce and the chicken was moist and flavorful. I also really enjoyed the coleslaw as it added some sweetness and acted as a nice refreshing palate cleanser. Portion sizes are amazing, small appetites can definitely share a large. My husband was just able to finish his but he has a big appetite! I had leftovers for the next day. The Pattie's were also really good, they tasted fresh and the pastry was flaky. We actually really liked the chicken patty, it tasted like a chicken curry, it was super tasty and different, I would definitely recommend! The beef patty was also good, standard but good. Overall the food is really to die for, the price point is also very affordable considering the location and the service while a bit slower, is polite and friendly. I will be back time and time again for my Jamaican food cravings! read more

Super nice people serving delicious and authentic Caribbean food! We loved the curry chicken with rice and peas and curry goat roti. The fried chicken is amazing and so different from any other fried chicken because it is marinated before breading and frying so it has so much flavour! I must remember to ask for it not cut because I find it easier to eat that way. The jerk pork was not the style we are used to because it had no black char but it was super tender and tasty. The festival were the best I have ever had - light and crispy and not heavy at all. I wished I ordered more. The best surprise was the chicken soup - such complex flavours and filled with chicken backs and necks which give it so much flavour as well as chunks of chicken, carrots, potatoes and dumplings. Will definitely be back, so nice to find gems like this close to home! read more

Ordered a small oxtail with rice cost 7.99 it was good especially with the competitors in the area. However they could be a little more generous with the amount they serve for a small dinner. The spice was good and the gravy was right- spice level was good, may be to spicy for those who can't eat spicy. Could of been a 4 star was generous to give 4 but portions are way to little for price, so 3.5 stars it is. read more

Irie I Bistro - Small oxtail with rice 7.99+tax - Caribbean Near Me - Newmarket, Ontario

This was literally the only thing open in the plaza on Saturday at 3pm on Jan 2 2020. My brother had jerk pork roti $11.99 and I had curry goat roti $16.99, I topped it with a ginger beer. They have all the authentic drinks and a large choice of food options, but it looks like they almost just have one of everything. Since it's COVID I don't think they prepare too much in advance in order to not waste food. I never noticed this place before because it's in the far corner of the plaza but willing to give it a shot. The jerk chicken was just plain weird. It was more like normal roast chicken? No jerk? It was like pulled chicken almost with a savoury sauce? Where was the peppery taste? Would not re-order. The curry goat roti was very tasty and a bit spicy, very good. I would re order this. I'm a bit confused by their take on jerk, what is going on there? read more

Irie I Bistro - Jerk chicken roti - Caribbean Near Me - Newmarket, Ontario

Honestly doesn't look like much when you walk in, but the food is so good. We went and got the oxtail stew two days in a row because it was THAT good. We ordered it with rice and beans. The sauce that goes on is flavour! Also the coleslaw goes surprisingly well with it, definitely never expected that - but mix it in with some sauce and rice, you won't regret it. Also, upgrade to a large and thank me later! We also got the fried chicken today. Don't expect deep fried crispy chicken because that's definitely not what it was. However it was till super tasty and a bit spicy. Also ordered it with rice and beans and also asked for sauce on it. Will we make it three days in a row ??? read more

The food was really good! We got the curry chicken roti, curry goat and rice and peas. The food was perfectly spiced and the flavour wasn't dumbed down to "Canadians" as some places are. I would absolutely go back!!! Wish we lived closer!!! read more

It has been a long while since I've had oxtail and the craving was surrrrreal. Newmarket doesn't have a lot of options when it comes to authentic Caribbean food. It is either overly priced or the quality is subpar. I've passed this place a couple times when I get my massages next door and told the hubby I wanted oxtail. So glad that we did. Thanks to the reviews that helped pushed me to try this place because now we will be coming here more often. Don't be surprised by the interior - the place might not be like your other Caribbean restaurants but when it comes to the food - they're not joking around. I've ordered the oxtail with rice and peas - it was WORTH the wait. 20 minute wait for the special oxtail and holy it was soooooo worth it. The portions were super generous and well worth it. Every single bite was packed with so much flavour. Oxtail was still hot and the meat was so tender. There were a couple of bones that were missing meat but dang, the bones itself were so flavourful we sucked out the tendon and bone marrow. The coleslaw was also soooo darn good and paired well with everything. The only thing that was missing was the spicy hot sauce. They do have it but it isn't as spicy as other places - I had her pour a lot of it onto the oxtail but you can't really taste the spiciness unless my tongue has completely numbed out on the spices after years of eating spicy food! Hubby loved the oxtail and kept asking for another after another. The hubby ordered the jerk chicken with rice and peas. That was also sooooooo good and juicy. I am so impressed with the flavouring it will be such a hard decision to choose the jerk chicken or the oxtail. The lady was quite nice, she told us about their popular dish the fried fish which we are so excited to try next time. Unlike other Caribbean places in Newmarket, this place is super generous with the portions and doesn't make you feel jipped after eating it. The prices match the quality and the portions - unlike other carribean places which are overly priced and has you waiting for a very long time for a dinky portion. So happy that we got the chance to try this place. My fellow yelpers, DO try this place. You will thank me later. Serious authentic Caribbean food packed with tons of flavour! I am beyond full and had to write this review right away while the flavours are still lingering in my mouth. Happy eating fellow yelpers! read more

See all

Except for the time it took for the food to be ready, the jerk chicken rice and ox tail roti was very tasty. The chicken isn't overly dry as many jamaican jerk chicken shops are. I'm looking forward to trying other not so common dishes that other jamaican shops don't usually carry. When I order again(not sure if its because of covid and it was only my first time) I would add around 15min more wait time incase. Friendly owner, giving 4* since everything else was all good and its homemade fresh food. read more

See all

Fair price; Authentic taste, comparable to dishes I had at Montego Bay Jamaica. However, prepare yourself for a long-wait, not because of the line up, but the speed of the service. They take their sweet time to prepare food. - Even if I call ahead an hour to order food, I still spent another 20 minutes before I can have my lunch box to get back to the car, 10 minutes driving back to my office. That's 40 minutes of my lunchtime ! The owner was very friendly and nice...but there are things to improve. This is for the owner: - Organize your store; streamline your food preparation; learn from fast food restaurants. - Hire better server, they are slow and often confused. Good luck with your business ! read more

Amazing Jamaican food I go there almost every week I definitely recommend the fried chicken and oxtail. Service is excellent

Very slow 45 min wait in line .. way to long for a Friday dinner , nothing was in heating trays only rice .. overall food was good , but the wait time have to get better . Also the person in the back was not wearing a mask while handling our food . read more