This was my 1st visit to Toronto and it was a do over for my wife's birthday. After a little…read moreresearch, I found many very positive reviews. After that, I really sold it to my wife and she was excited. We initially arrived at Chubby's and there was only bar seating available. As luck would have it, it was raining that Wednesday evening . I called just after 6:30 pm to see if we needed a reservation and the hostess said we didn't. We get there not 30 minutes later and there is only bar seating. Hearing that, my wife was highly disappointed and so was I. Quit frankly, I was going to go next door to Cafe Renee. But Zac was not having that. He checked a couple of times and found us a table. I was so relieved and my wife continued her enthusiasm. Zac showed us to our table and I swear I attempted to pay for accommodating us and he refused. The lovely Valentina was our server and she was delightful because she understood pace and flow. We ordered the Saltfish Fritters which were a great introduction to the restaurant. I had multiple Buffalo Soldier cocktails and my wife had multiple Rum Punches. We then ordered Jerk Chicken and Jerk Shrimp with rice and peas as our meal. Both were delicious. I also had a serving of plantains, and they were the best plantains I had ever eaten. I was amazed at how light the crunch was on the outside. A skill in itself! Finally, we had the Bread Pudding for dessert. Again...perfection. Zac was phenomenal and I appreciated his effort. I can certainly say from our experience, I understand the many positive reviews and here's another one to add to them!

We got the classic of jerk chicken, oxtail stew, plantain, and macaroni. The only thing that was…read moredifferent was the watercress salad. Food was delicious and filling and staffs were friendly and helpful! We went during the Christmas and it was decked out.

So happy to have randomly found this world food market where Caribbean bistro is . Street food at…read moreits best! Honestly a lot of it I've never heard of before but that was the best part, discovering new good food! We had been told to try doubles while in Toronto so I had been on a search for it. Here it was. Yes I can say everyone with a foodie palate should try this! Just delicious. Two flatbread fried puris (bread type ) filled with the original filling of Chana masala. Slightly spicy but so much flavor. The nice crispy puris and the Chana oozing out makes it messy but so worth it! You can also get meat fillings too , chicken and beef I believe. But I'd a say at the OG is the way to go. Yum. A Trinidad treat in Canada who knew!

I saw the World Food Market while exploring City Center and immediately knew that I'd have to be…read moreback as soon as the sun set, and I could break fast. Living in Cleveland, the thing that I miss the most is Caribbean/Island food. It being so accessible in Toronto made me feel right at home. Y&E is Trinidadian good, just as you know it. The server/owner was extremely kind and quickly prepared my food in front of me. I got the Curried Chickpeas and Potatoes; the scotch bonnet was so spicy that I'm sure I felt my face burning off... which is exactly how I like my spices. Seating isn't the greatest, but... that's what you get at this type of food market/setting. I'll definitely be back during my next trip to Toronto.

This spot completely blew me away! Those oxtails... I dream about still haha. I was visiting from…read moreLas Vegas looking for some oxtails and someone recommended miss likklemores and I'm glad I went! They were so flavorful and tender. Also the oxtail patties and the spicy sauce it comes with is fire!!! 10/10 I will be back whenever I'm in Toronto

Miss Likelmore is a stylish, welcoming spot with great energy. The menu is creative, the cocktails…read moreare top-tier, and the service is warm and attentive. Perfect for date nights or catching up with friends. I had the a peanut punch infused cocktail, oxtail burger and plantain chips. Highly recommend getting this pairing. My only caviet is that it took a while to get our food and the restaurant playa very loud music. It's still worth checking out for the vibe and better to go on a weeknight that is not Friday.

Best real authentic back home cooking.Amazing food and very clean and good portion.Always…read morefresh.Definetly worth trying.

I love the idea of bringing Trinidadian food to downtown Toronto! Before this opened up, I think…read moreMaracas in Kensington was the only other place. I didn't get to visit Trini Pot in person and got it delivered through Uber. I got the stew chicken with macaroni pie, callaloo and a side of coleslaw. When I reheated it, the smell was heavenly! I liked everything (chicken was well seasoned with so much flavour) but I hope they can make the macaroni pie cheesier and bolder in flavour. My pie didn't have much taste to it. I also got the curry chicken with rice and when I tasted it, it reminded me of curry back home in Barbados but just a little spicier. I don't know how else to describe it! Jamaican curry is quite different and I'm not a fan but this curry is a big Yes for me!

Trish and I had supper Thursday evening at Island Foods. It was surprisingly busy for a cold and…read morerainy Thursday (most were take-outs). I had my usual ... a boneless chicken roti. Trish is vegan and had a veggie roti. Yum!

Rotis are only half full, mostly folded roti shell, the doubles are skimpy and chincey,…read moreLook at how little chick peas. Look island foods on king was dope., this is broke, half portion, 3 percent on visa and no free hot sauce. fix up as this is such a let down. If you want real portions and a good scene, go down the street to Ali's roti. You will thank me later. Island foods Queen west is going to be out of business in two years. Bet.

Any time I am in Toronto, Caribbean food is a must for me. And if it's Jamaican, all the better. I…read moretend to go outside of downtown for Jamaican dishes, but decided that while I was knocking about in the downtown area that I would stop by The Diner's Corner. I opted for the brunch buffet so that I could sample a few dishes. Having my paternal side of the family from Jamaica had already exposed me to lot of Jamaican staples, so I find it a better route to try several menu items rather than a fixed menu. I had brown stew chicken, ackee, saltfish, rundown, callalou, plantains, and a little bit of a lot else. My water glass stayed full and used plates were removed as soon as I went for more food. This was one of the first times that a cultural restaurant in the heart of downtown had authenticity in the dishes. It became apparent when I passed the kitchen and heard patois. Not that patois was an indication of genuine flavor, given some cultural restaurants will compromise flavor for certain palates, but an elder speaking it is an elder who will serve you food as it should taste.

Personally, I really enjoy salmon, but I feel neutral about lamb. Grilled salmon has a crispy…read moretexture on the surface, with a slight sweetness, while the skin is only lightly seared, keeping a soft touch that adds depth to its taste. The lamb curry is a bit tangy but acceptable, though it's somewhat disappointing with too many bones and not much value for the price. That said, the tangy-spicy dressing on the salad is definitely worth praising.

Wanted to try this place for a while now…read more The chicken soup was okay, just potatoes, carrots and dumpling. Curry goat was perfectly spiced and tasty. The roti was hard and chewy, disappointing. Cod fritters were probably day old and hardish with little fish and way too much pepper, could not eat and I'm a "spice girl". Not greasy though. Cole slaw and plantain were perfection. Expensive. Probably won't order again. Update: Just the one fish fritter was super hot, the rest were fine.

Came to Simone's after our cousins recommended Jamaican cuisine of all things while in Toronto…read more Officially they recommended a place in Markham but that was a bit out of the way and a quick search for Jamaican in Toronto brought up Simone's on most every list. We tried a variety of dishes to varying degrees of enjoyment. Let's start with the good - we enjoyed the saltfish fritters, the Jamaican patties, the beef roti, and the fried bananas the most. They were balanced and very flavorful. The beef roti specifically looked like a giant burrito, but the beef within was so tender and well seasoned. We also really enjoyed the banana fritters which tasted like deep fried banana bread. As for the plates missing the mark - The jerk chicken was pretty tender but our two pieces were also pretty charred so we had to remove most of the skin where most of the rub would have been. Additionally, the goat curry and the oxtail were borderline inedible especially after we ran out of coleslaw which was its saving grace to making each bite palatable. It was so salty otherwise! There were also a lot of small bone fragments to work through on each dish. It wasn't necessarily that these dishes tasted bad but it was just impossible to enjoy due to the salt content. The staff at Simone's was very kind though. I could also tell that they made everything fresh and at order so I can appreciate the effort even though it didn't quite meet my expectations.

Ali's Roti located in Parkdale along Queen St. W. near Lansdowne Ave serves up West Indian food in…read morea casual environment. Their menu consists of a variety of items including curry rotis, paratha, curry rice dishes, jerk chicken, stew (chicken or oxtail), fish, soups, patties, as well as doubles. You are also able to pay by cash or card (if using card there is a service fee though!). Entering the space, you walk down the restaurant until you hit the cashier. You order your items there where you can eat it for here or to go. I've only gotten their doubles here but they are a pretty big portion and they taste great (you can choose your level of spicy and they also have a tamarind chutney as well). I've seen people eating their rotis there and the portions are pretty big. Service is no frills and the staff are friendly. This is a no frills place where you come for the good food. Overall, I definitely will return whenever I am in the area!

Found this spot on IG and decided to give them a try as other influencers mentioned they had the…read morebest roti's in Toronto. I got the curry chicken which I thoroughly enjoyed the flavor of the chicken inside, my problem was with the roti. As I cut more into the roti, it looked as though it wasn't cooked properly like patches of dry flour throughout to the point it didn't look appealing. I also grabbed a double which I enjoyed, they are much bigger than the ones I get at home in Va. I never had a Trini soda ~ Solo kola champagne which tastes very similar to the Jamaican version. The gentleman at the front counter was very nice and patient. The decor was definitely a Trini island feel. Bright colors and hand painted pictures. They have seating available for dine-in experience.

I tried 2 places for beef patties today. Here and "Island…read moreFoods Express" at Woodbine and Hwy 7. Look at my other review for them. To compare the two, I ordered a spicy beef patty and tested them for flakiness, crispness, and filling. First off price wise. It was cheaper here at $2.70 including tax. I found that this beef patty here at Allwyn's was flaky enough but lacked the crispness of the outside dough. As well the filling was too moist or soggy and it was translucent which was off putting. Also, the patty was lukewarm and not piping hot. I came here to try one and then maybe go back in and pick up a dozen. But From the one patty I had. It didn't warrant a purchase of a dozen to take home for future enjoyment. I must say the patty was not bad. However I found it was not the best one I have had in Toronto. I will pick Islands Express Foods for a beef patty in future visits. Recommendations, I suggest you try for yourself as this is a personal preference but I'll stick to some other locations for my beef patty fix.

Ordered: Stuffed Sandwich (~CAD$7): beef patty with jerk…read morechicken and coleslaw in coco bread Aya's take: Allwyn's is a true hole in the wall, tucked away in the corner of a shopping plaza. They are cash only and although they have a few tables, it seems to be a takeout spot. The Stuffed Sandwich is a Jamaican masterpiece. From the pillowy coco bread to the flaky beef patty to the spicy and smoky jerk chicken. There is definitely a lot going on here which makes it hard to really taste or appreciate all the ingredients and flavors here. The jerk chicken had a kick to it which was nicely balanced out by the coleslaw. Despite that, I would've much rather had this with either the patty or the coco bread (not both). Awesome try, overall!

Not the best Jamaican food I've had, but it still hits when you want that comfort fix. Legacy spot…read morehas better portions and more consistent flavour than the other location. Fried dumplings with oxtail gravy were warm and soft, and the gravy gave it a nice boost. The mix plate had fried chicken with good crunch and oxtail that was tender, but heads up--the oxtail portion is small, so don't expect anything crazy. The gravy ties it all together though. It's not a top-tier spot for me, but definitely worth a visit when the craving hits. Rating: 3 out of 5

This is a restaurant featuring Caribbean food, with a heavy influence of Jamaican cuisine. It is a…read morefamily-run business. The soft opening was on 2023-04-25, and the grand opening will be on 2023-05-19. There many tables for seating, a second seating area half a floor up at the back of the restaurant, an extensive bar, and an event space in the basement. We ordered the following: 1. Jamaican Mule ($10.99). Ginger Beer, Gosling Black Rum. 2. Lily's Passion ($10.99). 2oz Captain Morgan, 2oz passion fruit, 1oz cranberry juice. 3. Peanut Punch ($5.00). 4. Plantain ($3.95). 5. Chicken Roti (13.95). 6. Jerk Chicken & Oxtail Combo ($23.95). 7. Escovitch Fish ($22.00). The service from the waitress and bartender was excellent. The alcoholic drinks were colourful and tasty. The Peanut Punch was in a drinking box from a Caribbean company called Grace. I've had it before. But the waitress suggested it be poured into a tall glass with ice; it was amazing - I highly recommend it! The Plantain appetizer was perfectly cooked and delicious. The Chicken Roti side dish was huge! It is twice as high as any Roti I've ever had before! The chicken inside was succulent. The Jerk Chicken & Oxtail Combo was amazing. You get two sides: we chose rice & peas and coleslaw, two quintessential sides for a Jamaican meal. I feared the Jerk Chicken would be too spicy, but the restaurant wanted to cater to many tastes, so it made it medium spicy (which I could handle). I was told you can add their Real Jerk Hot Sauce yourself or ask the cook to make it extra spicy during the cooking process. The Oxtail was tasty. We also ordered the Escovitch Fish, another popular Caribbean dish. The whole fish is fried, then marinated in a sauce of vinegar, spices, onions, carrots, and peppers. The taste was excellent, and the meat flakes off the bone easily. This dish also come with two sides: we chose coleslaw and steamed vegetables, which came in their own separate bowls. During this restaurant's grand opening, there will be entertainment starting at 15:00, with steel pan, limbo, prizes, and DJ. Starting at 22:00, there is a party. This location has an event space in the basement, which can hold up to 101 people. It can be used for old school parties, karaoke,  spoken word, etc. The parties are to appeal to the older clientele who frequented the Queen and Broadview and Gerrard locations. The Real Jerk started 38 years ago and has moved several times. The most famous location was at Queen and Broadview while they were there for 25 years. This location is owned by a husband and wife team: Cleigh and Natasha. Cleigh's father owns the location on Gerrard St, which became internationally famous due to a music video by Drake and Rihanna. There is a third location in London, England, owned by Cleigh's uncle. There is free WiFi. The restaurant is not currently wheelchair accessible but there will be a ramp to overcome the one step at the entrance. There are separate male/female washrooms in the basement, so they are not wheelchair accessible. There is paid neighbourhood street parking. Review 2023-142