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Roywoods

3.5 (129 reviews)
Open • 11:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)

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ROYWOODS ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Outdoor seating
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - Roywoods

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Airpod case for size comparison but it's loaded. $14.45
Phuong P.

For a container of jerk chicken that seems small it is filling. Quick friendly service. Large accessible space.

Oxtail 18$
Janey T.

I ordered the oxtail with rice and it came with a side. The choices were coleslaw, plantain, fries, or festivals or mac & cheese. I got the mac & cheese, and it was delicious. The oxtail was really tender and juicy as well, though it was very salty overall, it was a really great dish and I would order it again.

Jerk chicken plate with coleslaw
Areeba Z.

They don't call this home of the jerks for nothing. By far one of the best jerk chicken in the city. I was here to pick up food before flying out of Porter and this place is within walking distance which makes for a great option since the food at the airport is limited, bland and over priced. I placed an order via ritual and the order was ready for pickup in a timely manner. I got the small plate and it was still a very generous amount of food. The plate was $12 and for the amount of food you get, it was definitely worth every dollar. You will definitely feel full and satisfied. The chicken is boneless and very juicy. It is well seasoned and for someone who thinks they can tolerate decent amount of spice, it definitely has a kick to it. The dairy in the coleslaw helps. 10/10 will be back!

BBQ chicken
Jasdeep G.

Great service - friendly and helpful staff, especially for me as it was my first time. Food portion size were great! Food was delicious!

Sakinah M.

service was nice! it was in a mall so nothing extreme with the ambiance. Food was good just needs a bit more island flavor to it. The Jerk chicken sandwich wasn't spicy.

a man standing outside of a restaurant
Owen R.

Good quick meals. Newer area (city place). Jerk pork was good, very dry. Would like to try chicken next.

Jerk chicken plate
Kavya V.

Had Jerk Chicken which comes with Rice & Side Veggies, Jerk Chicken was seasoned so nicely and cooked so perfectly, it was juicy and tender....just as we expected.

Bbq Chicken, Coslaw and Rice
Mary M.

Home of the Jerk Chicken... However, I have to say this was my least favourite. Their bbq chicken on the other hand is delicious and flavorful. Either in a sandwich or with rice, they portions are generous. During the warmer weather, they have high chairs set up outside with the view of the Cn Tower. Great place for a quick bite with Welcoming Staff

Outside, and the music is blasting!
Andrew P.

While in Toronto for the first time, I was looking up some local food that was still open, and it turns out there was a Caribbean spot right near by! As I drew near, I could hear the dancehall music bumping. They have a speaker outside, how welcoming!!! So I go in, it smells greaaaaaaat. And as the music still bumps, I decide to go with the basics, I get a jerk chicken platter. My sister was gonna get callaloo, but they were completely out. Thankfully they gave extra veggies and gave her the large size for the price of the small to make up for it. The plantain was made fresh, so it took a while. But it eventually came out, And I dove in! I cut up a piece of jerk chicken first, and it was that HOT kind. I do wish it had more flavor to it, as there was plenty of heat and little else. The rice & peas.... was unfortunately boring. The jerk gravy on top definitely helped, but the rice itself didn't do much for me. No coconut flavor? Come on. The mixed veggies were steamed, not too much flavor with them either, but they were good. Overall, I expected more, given how many Caribbeans I know are in Toronto. On warmer days, though, I could see myself hanging out outside and jamming to their music!

Veggies, Stewed chicken
Kelly L.

The food here is very very bland, all of the chicken dishes (jerk, stewed, curry, bbq) all taste pretty much the same, often dry, jerk pork is always dry. Oxtail is also bland. You can choose either cole slaw or veggies with your meal but the veggies are just boiled frozen veggies (see picture). I know that veggies are not a common side in a Jamaican restaurant but just don't offer them if this is how you prepare them. I live near here and once in a blue moon I go here when I don't feel like cooking or traveling further to get decent takeout. I will very likely not go back after this last visit, the food was so off putting.

two trays of food on a picnic table
Melissa P.

Now I know why Roywoods is the Home of the Jerks (Jerk chicken that is ). Roywoods is serving up some AMAZING Caribbean cuisine with all the favorites such as jerk chicken, curry chicken and oxtail. For both the curry and jerk chicken that I tried the chicken was sooooo tender and moist and you didn't even need to chew it simply melted in your mouth. The jerk chicken had a kick to it and was spicy but hey no pain no gain right? It was hands down my favorite dish. The seasoning was spot on and I could eat this everyday if it was closer! The curry chicken was so saucy just the way I like it and they do not skimp on the portions. Each box was filled to the brim with goodies and everyone was super friendly. Only complaint I have about this location is that there is very limited parking available.

Dt
Westbound P.

Food is ok service was decent from one person the other was miserable & the vibe was decent.

Jerk Chicken Sandwich
Will A.

Local post club favorite. Came 3 times within 48 hours. First night did the jerk chicken, rice and coleslaw. Was delicious especially after some drinks. Service was very good and playlist was amazing. The food was fantastic also. Came again the next morning for a jerk chicken sandwich. Yummmmm! Came for a 3rd time at night about 2am. Must admit I was kinda disappointed. The bread and meat were cold. Third time wasn't the charm this time I suppose. Open till 4am on Fri and Sat. Right around the corner from my cousins so next time in town, I will return but double check I get the warm items.

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3 years ago

Great vibes and great food! Fast service. I'd come back when I come back to visit Toronto.

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Roywoods Reviews in Other Languages

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Chubby's Jamaican Kitchen - Half Jerk Chicken

Chubby's Jamaican Kitchen

(481 reviews)

$$

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.

Y & E Caribbean Bistro - My doubles falling apart !

Y & E Caribbean Bistro

(4 reviews)

Ryerson, Downtown Core

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.

The Diner's Corner

The Diner's Corner

(45 reviews)

Downtown Core

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.

Simone's Caribbean Restaurant - Jerk chicken with coleslaw and festival

Simone's Caribbean Restaurant

(169 reviews)

$$

Greektown, The Danforth

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 West Indian Roti Shop - Curry chicken roti and doubles

Ali's West Indian Roti Shop

(104 reviews)

$

Parkdale

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.

Allwyn's Bakery - Stuffed Sandwich (~CAD$7)

Allwyn's Bakery

(179 reviews)

$

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!

The Real Jerk - Legacy - Storefront

The Real Jerk - Legacy

(10 reviews)

Little Italy, Bickford Park

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

Roywoods - caribbean - Updated May 2026

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