asoline. Probably my favorite meal I've ever had in Grand Rapids. I'm sick of people always try to spice it up. This was delicious spicy with the coleslaw with the crispy this of that doughnut thing, bro it was delicious. I even got to hear the gentleman say Wahgwaan read more

Jamaican Daves - Curry Chicken - Caribbean Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

We were excited to find this place. We drove 30 minutes from Wayland. We arrived at 12:15 pm; found a handwritten sign: "I'll be back by 1:00pm" Ugh. We left and came back an hour later. Store was open on 2nd try. First impression: Empty. Lights are off. Dark inside. One friendly man running the show. Smells delicious. Greeted promptly. Store quiet, except for quiet talking among clientele. There were other customers already ordering. I ordered jerk chicken and curry chicken. $16 each meal. Chef disappeared into the dark kitchen. Order took about 10 minutes. Jamaican trinkets were on sale in a glass case. Bob Marley earrings, etc. Huge airbrush mural on the wall was nice. *Some quiet reggae music would have added to the ambiance. I took my food home and split the 2 orders 3 ways with my 2 teenagers. The CHICKEN was very tender, almost too tender. Nice flavor. Dryer than I expected. Jerk flavor was preferred, but curry was also good. (Better cold) COLE SLAW was great with a fresh citrus taste. The RICE was thick and pasty like oatmeal, and had some fruits in it. It took up half the tray, and most of it landed in the trash. Even The donut or CARNIVAL, is interesting, as were the plantains. We are not familiar with Jamaican cuisine, so can't judge it for authenticity. The flavor was a nice experience, but not really our thing. Good luck. Nice guy! I'm probably just too Caucasian for this place. ;-) read more

My dad and I have been coming here for years! The most authentic Jamaican food we have, the owner used to give us extra oxtail (before inflation) whenever we would stop in. We love the bean rice, and the platters are always full of meat. A great hidden gem! We ordered the jerk chicken most recently, picture attached. read more

Jamaican Daves - Jerk Chicken - Caribbean Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

This shit is trash... slaw nasty, hard donut thing.. never have nothing available.. sucks this is the only Jamaican spot in Grand Rapids smh

Do not judge a book by its cover - the food is tasty and the portion sizes are not lacking! We ordered the red snapper plate and the oxtail plate. Both were good. While on ambiance of the restaurant isn't about frills, the food and flavoring are where it is at. My husband enjoyed both dishes. The oxtail was tender and flavored well. We brought our meals home to eat and our entire family couldn't resist tasting some of Jamaican Daves food. Service was friendly and quick. We didn't have to wait long which was nice. We're glad to have been able to support this local gem and plan to be back again! read more

Eh food was cold but I did come here 45 minutes before they closed. I assumed the food was just sitting out and they plated it as is.

Food was dry. Nice service, but took a while unless they have some good sauce to add, I don't think I'll go back

We had spent a delightful time at a resort in Jamaica, so coming back to GR, I went to check it out. I was pleasantly surprised, that food was great. I have become a fan of jerk style foods, especially the chicken. It is hard to find, and not overly impressive, but the friendly owner made it special. Was closed for a while, but now is open. read more

The best Jamaican food I ever had I come here once a week lol won't be disappointed he shows major love read more

Jamaican Daves - a meal in a styrofoam container - Caribbean Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Okay for starters I'm guess Dave is the owners name, well anyway he was a absolute gem! He was a very personal and sweet man! I would come back just to support him but the food was also beyond fantastic so it was all around a great experience! We had the curry chicken and the jerk chicken! I will say there was a lot bones as it was bone im n chicken but the meat literally fell off and was so easy to pick around! Just maybe not the best for children! Each dish is served with rice and beans, coleslaw, fried plantains and a festival! There was so much food for a $12 take out it was our lunch and dinner! Go support small businesses because this was some amazing authentic jamaican! read more

See all

I've been trying to come here since Monday 11/6/23 & now today 11/10/23 they are still not open after pushing back their open sign a couple days after original day. This is not a good look at all especially pushing it back on the days your supposed to be re-open. Would love to try the food sooner or later! read more

Jamaican Daves - Monday photo. - Caribbean Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Great food, I got the oxtail! Not busy and there was only two of us in there Saturday lunch. Service was great. Nothing much to write about ambiance as the dining area overlooks a parking lot read more

Ox tail is amazing. I also love jerk chicken. Curry chicken is ok. Meat pies are good. Make sure you ask for a ting to drink with your meal. Call ahead to see what he has available. read more

Food was great. It reminded me of my friends on the island. Good times to be had by all. Respect.

I just left Jamaican Dave's, dayum! This shit was tasty! I had the best experience here, food was fantastic! I had the jerk chicken white meat and curry shrimp. I definitely will be back sooner then later! The jerk chicken meal came with rice and beans, corn bread, plantains, and coleslaw. And it was all AMAZING! Even the guy who took our orders was really nice! im not sure if he is the owner but it's possible. I would highly recommend coming here. This place is underrated. Love this spot I'll be back ! read more

See all

I found this place today driving through the neighborhood, and decided to give their jerk chicken and curried chicken a try. We arrived at 1:10 p.m. only to find cars parked outside with customers waiting, and a hand-written sign saying simply "I will be back at 1:00." Since it was already 1:10 we thought they would open soon.... And then a guy comes to the door and changes the sign to "I will be back at 1:30." So we drove off and will not be back--not at 1:00, not at 1:30, just never. I don't want to seem uncaring so I hope all is well with them, but what a poor business model--not having back-up in case of personal events (to keep clients served).... Oh well..... read more

Food & customer service was great! I ordered a serving of oxtail with rice and peas and definitely worth it. The person in the front went back there to help the cook prepare my order so I can get out of there quick (I was in my work uniform). If you're looking for authentic Jamaican food, this is a good choice. The area is kind of sketchy but don't let it deter you! read more

Ok being half Jamaican I have high standards for Jamaican food. I was born and raised on the stuff. Lol Jamaican Dave's is really good, the spices are right, the taste, and the texture! Now in my mind no one's, and I mean No One's food will ever be as good as my dad's, but Dave's is really good. If you like island food this is a good place to hang out, and the owner is really cool. read more

Bro F**** this place walked in as ah new costumer told the guy never had Jamaican food I needed to look at the menu and wen I was ready he said they were almost out of everything on the menu becuz they were about to close and so I pretty much got kicked out and it was only 7:25 and he said they close at 8 so Middle Fingers up to this place read more

I am hooked to this place after discovering it on Grub Hub. It is absolutely delicious! I love Caribbean food a lot, and there isn't anything here in GR, so I was very pleased to find this place. Whatever dish you get has everything to satisfy your palette- a meat, rice and beans, coleslaw, fried cornbread, and plantains! They give you a lot of food for cheap, so you can share too :) I am really happy I stopped by to discover this place with a warm welcoming from the staff. Have an open mind and you'll have a great eat. read more

Jamaican Daves - They have this delicious grapefruit drink! Yum! - Caribbean Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Very authentic Jamaican! The owner is very friendly, cares about customer satisfaction and delivers great dishes. Ive tried the jerk chicken and the oxtail, and my tastebuds can't get enough! Even the rice is flavored perfectly. Definitely not for kids There is lots of bones you'll need to be aware of and careful not to swallow by accident! read more

I love Jamaican Dave's. Maundys jerk dishes are Soo good. Even after they moved to division, I make it a point to drive there for my order. They were closer to me when they were on Wealthy bc I'm in Forest Hills. But the extra few minutes drive is worth it. Whether it's chicken, goat or beef...you must try it. The also does plantain like we do it. Cuban style. And the Carnival!! Wow!! I'm drooling as I write this. read more

Jerk chicken is amazing! Great service! I usually do not dine in but great portions for a great price!

These reviews are hilarious. There's nothing like privileged/entitled Americans reviewing food from a third world country. Jamaican food like curry goat, oxtail, and jerk chicken, are usually slow cooked or pressure cooked. The complaint that the food isn't cooked fresh to serve every customer is silly. Every Jamaican restaurant makes a slow cooker portion of food in the morning and serves it throughout the day. Oxtail generally has to be pressure cooked to separate the meat and the fat. Curry goat and curry chicken are usually soaked in the curry seasoning overnight to insure the flavor sinks in, then slow cooked for 8 hours or so. With this said, don't be surprised if this Dave is out of curry goat or oxtail. If he runs out midday, there wont be enough time in the day to make another batch. Okay, on with my review..... I stopped at Jamaican Dave's while on a work trip. This place is much better than the Jamaican restaurant by my house. I got 2 oxtail and an order of curry goat. Everything was great, very authentic. I loved the festival that comes with your meal. I've had them where they were over cooked where they were too hard and also undercooked where they were mushy on the inside. These were really good. The portions are definitely larger than any other Jamaican restaurant that I've been to. My food ended up being 3-4 meals. I like that Dave serves the goat and oxtail on top of the bed of rice and peas, the seasoning from the meat gives the rice and peas a good flavor. I went to a number of restaurants during my week long work trip to Grand Rapids. Although there are some great places to eat in GR, this place has me the most excited to come back. Good steak houses are a dime a dozen, shrimp/seafood restaurants are a dime a dozen. Good, authentic, Jamaican restaurants aren't common. I wish I lived closer. read more

I will say that the food is absolutely phenomenal. However, customer service is terrible if you order through Grubhub. I've tried ordering twice from Grubhub. The first time around we went to pick up the food and they were "out of everything" 45 minutes before closing. The owner had not contacted me or Grubhub or tried to remedy the situation at all. I gave this place a 2nd chance and ordered through Grubhub again. This time, I went to get the food and he had not even started the order. Additionally, he said he was out of some of the food again. Not only that, but the "Today's Special" board listed this meal as the special for that day, so that was also confusing. He said he had not confirmed the order with Grubhub (although they did). To make a long review shorter, I ordered and didn't end up getting my food for another 3 hours, which involved multiple trips to the restaurant to check up on the order. I would have let it go if I hadn't already paid online, but I had to nudge the owner to make the food multiple times. The story gets worse, but too much went wrong to go into more detail. Food is great, but don't order through Grubhub and order at your own risk of possibly not even getting your order or having to wait 3 hours... read more

Good service, best part is the Jamaican ginger beer. Never leave without a handful of them! Not going to be five stars because I did have the pleasure of having a better tasting Cuban oxtail from Milwaukee Wisconsin and a better Jamaican Jerk chicken from Missouri (and those were in a league of their own), but I've yet to try the goat from here. There's nothing wrong with this food though, just was a little bland to my taste buds. Still worthy of going again later, it's a cute atmosphere. read more

I suggest you pick up some milk before eating the jerk chicken here. I'm no stranger to spicy foods and half way through eating the jerk, my eyes are watering like they did when that one mean and physically intimidating fat girl in elementary school tweaked my nipples into oblivion (seriously, i have a scar). But jerk isn't the only thing on the menu. The curry chicken is a milder (but still tasty) alternative for those who don't like their tongues set ablaze by food. But if you want my opinion, why wouldn't you get the jerk if you walk into a joint appropriately named "jamaican dave's?" along with the chicken, you will recieve some peas and rice and some friggin' plantains. a single order of jerk chicken will easily feed two people... or if you're anything like me, you can finish it on your own. There's usually reggae playing and there's a fantastic poster up on the wall involving a wet t-shirt. Of the people i know that serve jerk chicken, Dave (of Jamaican Dave's) is one of the friendliest dudes i've met. Of course, i don't know many people that serve jerk chicken. If you're lucky, Dave might toss in some extra food. So be nice! The only bad thing i can think of about Jamaican Dave's is the location. It's located at the ass end of a mostly empty strip mall on wealthy and as a result, most people will live their lives never having known the hospitality, or cullinary talents of dave. 1059 wealthy st. GO GO GO! it will be a sad day when i see that dave's has gone out of business and i hope it never comes. read more

Large portions of very tasty authentic Jamaican food! Jerk chicken wasn't the best I've ever had, but the curried goat was great. I could eat the plantains all day long! Kind of a hole-in-the-wall place, worth visiting if you're in the area! read more

Jamaican Daves - Jerk chicken and curried goat - Caribbean Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

3 reasons why I will never go here again. 1) Absolutely no fresh food. Everything was prepackaged and microwaved lukewarm. 2) I get it's Jamaican themed, but there's more to Jamaica than Bob Marley and pot. I'm not against pot, but don't smoke it around me, or when you're microwaving my food. 3) The guy behind the counter became disgusted and agitated when I mentioned that I had a restaurants.com certificate. I won't be going back. read more

Amazing food authentic right to the peas .. walk in or call in order takes the same time which is a long time.. food is definitely worth the wait read more

Good size and nice food. Worth driving 35 mins for. Customer service needs to be more friendly but the Rasta man is very nice and cool. If you need good Jamaican food it's worth it. read more

Ordered online through their website and paid with credit card. Went to pick up my order at the time it stated it would be ready. The man working said he didn't have the food we ordered and we should request a refund. Very unprofessional and disappointing. read more

Good food. Friends and I ordered from there last weekend. 2 curry goat, 2 jerk chicken and 2 curry chicken. Dinners included rice and beans, festivals (like a cake donut), plantains, and mixed veggies and were $8-$10 each. Goat tasted like good pot roast. Flavorful and juicy. Biggest complaint from group is meat, bones and all, are chopped which means there are small bones throughout. If not prepared, it will throw you off. You've got to eat slowly until you know if bones are in it. I think I will stick to jerk chicken because it is easier to see the bones when there's no sauce. I like eating here for something different. You've got to hunt to find Jamaican Daves, but it'll be worth the adventure. read more

Being in Grand Rapids, I miss my good ole Chicago foods. I have high standards when it comes to the food I order out and I was very disappointed. The food isn't made fresh, he literally walked and put it in the microwave. The only thing cooked were the plantains. The meat was soooo spicy I didn't even taste anything else, it's just hot with no flavor and the peas and rice could use some seasoning. I need that good ole smoked chicken flavor and that is not what I got when I went here. I'd only go back for the plantains if I go back. I feel like at home in Chicago shouldn't be the only place I can find decent urban cuisine. read more

I've been here three times, the curry goat was awesome, the jerk wings were really good too. I was disappointed they were out of the ref snapper the last time I went, but I'll definitely go again. read more

The menu is diverse. The food is freshly prepared each day. The place is a bit hard to find but the flavors are so good that is worth the hunt. We tried the jerk chicken, curry chicken and the curry goats. Are all made delicately with excellent blends of spices. I especailly love the meal combo. All three combos are $10. The serving portions are very generous. Small family owned business that adds much needed ethnic food choice to Grand Rapids, Michigan. You won't go wrong by checking this place out! read more

Excellent jerk chicken, the side dishes were also excellent, lips still tingling. ill be back soon.

The food is amazing. The portions are quite large, so bring an appetite or prepare for leftovers. Do yourself a favor and get extra festivals. The dining area is a bit small but you can always get take out if they are busy. read more

I live nearby and forget about it because it is hidden in the back of the old McDonald's on wealthy street. When I do remember it, I swear I will come back as soon as possible Try the curried goat read more

Had the curry chicken. Was impressed at how delicious the food was and the amount you get for the cost. I was in town on business and this place is now on my list to go to every time I am in town. read more