I've been fortunate enough to live in major cities in the US, which of course means I've been blessed with a variety of different cuisines from all over the world. Jamaica, naturally, is no exception, so I don't usually get truly wowed by one of my favorite dishes, Jerk Chicken, when I order it at a new restaurant. Until today. If there was a definition for hole in the wall restaurants, it would be The Little Grill. Blink and you'll drive right by it. But once you come inside, you're greeted by the owner with a smile and a warm welcome. My server (I believe he said Bert, but I could be wrong) was so very kind, and did a great job recommending items from the menu. Which leads me to the Rum Punch. And a punch it certainly has, in the best way possible. So many times you drink a Rum Punch in the US it's overly sweet and watered down that you lose the flavor of the rum. Not here. Seriously, I'm from Denver where even in a bigger city it's hard to find a rum punch prepared the right way, but I'm sitting here in the middle of Kansas having one of the best Rum Punches I've tasted. Not in Kansas City, but just outside of Manhattan (the little apple, not the big one!) The drink was nice and fruity without being too sweet, and a nice kick from the rum. 10/10. Then we have the grilled chicken leg and pork chop combo (you can order it with jerk sauce or bbq sauce... but you have to get the jerk sauce) that was out of this world. Great taste of the bbq flavor and the sauce is incredible. Add a dash of their house made hot sauce (I'm not 100% sure but pretty sure they use scotch bonnet peppers in one of their sauces which is the only way to make hot sauce) and you've got an amazing Jamaican meal. Again, in the middle of land-locked Kansas. I was pretty stuffed after dinner (14.50 for all that food is an insanely good deal) so I ordered a second Rum Punch (what can I say, it was that good) and a slice of their daily house made dessert which today was a double chocolate rum cake slice or a carrot cake slice. I'm sure both are delicious but naturally I opted for the rum cake and have no doubt it'll be the perfect end to the day. I can say without certainty that I'm the only out of towner here. Everyone I see who walks inside knows the owner very well, and it's clear that the owner and her partner have amazing ties to the Manhattan community. But whether you're a local Kansan or passing through town for the university or on business, please make The Little Grill a stop. This is truly an unexpected gem in the heart of cattle country that seriously can't be missed. read more

The Little Grill - Wood-Grilled Chicken Leg served with Jerk Sauce and a side of Red Beans and Rice. - Caribbean Near Me - Manhattan, Kansas

See all

Hot take... this might be the best spot in Manhattan area! I've never been wowed with the food scene in Manhattan... until I stumbled upon this place. Just a little north of town and I wasn't even said we went during a cats game and it was dead. Service was great. Food came out hot and delicious. We even split a dessert! I think they have live music occasionally so gunna have to swing back for one of those nights! read more

The Little Grill - Jamaican Jerk Chicken (Sub) - Caribbean Near Me - Manhattan, Kansas

First time coming here after coming down to visit from KC for father's day and unfortunately I ate too fast to get any pictures but WOW! I underestimated this place. The gumbo, cornbread, fried fish, and jerk chicken was some of the best jamaican I've had in a longgg time! It would've been nice to have some collard greens or plantains but the cooking here is incredible and the service was even better. The staff was friendly, the place was clean, they had live music playing. I definitely recommend driving out and trying this place. Also big shout out to our server, Eli, he's an incredible server and is half the reason we had such a great experience! We will definitely be back! read more

The place is nice. A bunch of youngsters work here--high school kids. They were polite and food didn't take long to be served to my group. There was live music playing to create a nice environment. The only reason I subtracted a star is because the tables and chairs were a little uncomfortable. Otherwise, great work by the young staff! read more

Went with a friend. Food was okay but the portions were.... Put this way, maybe good for a girl. Pretty chill feel. Our server was alright. Man... the ginger beer... sugar drunk. 112% of daily amount. Wow. read more

The Little Grill - Caribbean Near Me - Manhattan, Kansas

See all

Great food. Fun ambience. We were well taken care of by our young waiter. We had a good time!

My whole family is from Louisiana and this place took me almost 4 years to find in mhk, but boy am I glad I found it. I was disappointed in both gumbo dishes but I've had the HONOR to try every tizer and almost every fav. The chicken and pork at this place are UNBEATABLE. Some of the nicest people I've ever met work here and this place is truly a hidden gem in this town. read more

Wow! Camping across the street at Tuttle Creek State Park. Decided to try this out as it's so close and I don't have to cook. Amazing food... Give it a try and go there to eat if you have the time read more

The Little Grill - two containers of food and a bottle of beer - Caribbean Near Me - Manhattan, Kansas

Atmosphere is pleasant and unique. Food is interesting and tasty. And the music is a great touch !!

Fun food Great atmosphere Wonderful service Live music Would definitely return! You read more

The Little Grill and it's owners and entertainment are amazing and the food is top notch if you haven't been go you will love it!!!

Food is very tasty. Kitchen doesn't know how to correctly cook dishes to make sure they all come out in time. We received 2 burritos then waited 20 min for the rest of the food. Server/bartender was overwhelmed and forgot to ring in apps. He also forgot to ring in the table next to us entire order. Maybe it's just him. Zero management presence. Maybe it was the server/bartender guy? Shambolic operation you wonder how they've made it. The "we are short handed" excuse came up. I've worked in restaurants 30 plus years, and that shit always happens. Don't give me that bullshit. I'm tired of hearing it. Not a day went by that I didn't have a call out of some kind. read more

The Little Grill is a really cool restaurant nestled north of Tuttle Creek. Eric R. and I went hiking in Fancy Creek State Park which is west of Tuttle Creek State Park. We built up an appetite and drove around the Big Blue River and over Tuttle Creek, arriving at the newly repainted (yellow) restaurant. Inside there are some tropical touches and the tables have bamboo print on them. The bartender turned on the basketball game for us on the TV, and gave us samples of the famous Rum Punch! Our server was really friendly and chatted with us about the restaurant and the menu. She encouraged us to get more tropical drinks so she could "live vicariously through her customers." I ordered a large Rum Punch (small $4.50 9 oz, large $6.00 12 oz) and Eric R. got the Trip To Paradise which was really good (coconut rum, lime, orange juice, other yummy stuff). I do not usually booze it up at lunchtime and try not to before eating, but I was getting Caribbean-ed away, We ordered 3 things so we could try more. First, the Jamaican-style gumbo (chicken base with beef, crab, chicken over red beans and rice) served with a festival (fried corn bread log). Eric R. got the pulled chicken sandwich with red beans and rice on the side. I got the 2 piece jerk chicken (which came with 3 pieces) and jerk chips (made to order potato chips with jerk seasoning). Everything was tasty, and I was impressed that the server knew how everything was prepared. I don't eat pork and wanted to make sure the gumbo and red beans and rice did not have any. She was a vegetarian and was aware of what ingredients were in the dishes. I would definitely come back as the atmosphere is fun, the drinks delicious, and there is live music in the evenings. read more

See all

If you've never been to The Little Grill do yourself a favor and go tonight! That spot is the best hidden gem of a restaurant in all of Kansas! The chef and owner makes the best Jamaican food I have ever had and possibly the best meal I have ever had was the Jerk Chicken with Red Beans and Rice! The atmosphere is super colorful and fun with music. The owners are the nicest, kindest most lovely couple I have ever had the luck of meeting! The service is impeccable as well. So what's not to love? Go give it a try you'll be glad you did! read more

Great food & atmosphere, friendly staff. The rum punch is excellent, They frequently have live music but at a chill volume that shouldn't be too loud for most. Overall a winner. read more

The worst Jamaican food I have ever eaten. This semi baked chicken had what I think was jerk sauce on top. SMH. Red beans and rice were mushy and tasteless. read more

Appetizer was brought with meal. Loud sort of atmosphere but they had live music which is fun! Food was goods jerk ribs I enjoyed... Seafood jambalaya was great And shrimp pasta was great lol Red rice and beans.... Little bland for me but its me ;) Drinks were strong! (except the punch) read more

The Little Grill - Happy place - Caribbean Near Me - Manhattan, Kansas

I ordered red beans & rice, fries, and jerk chicken to go. Although I found the red beans and rice to be a touch boring,the meal was still tasty and nutritious overall! Would suggest based on my initial encounter. read more

My husband and I were in Manhattan to visit our friends and also to view the solar eclipse. Our local friends brought us to little grill after a long morning hike. They could not have picked a better spot! The food was absolutely perfect and the selection was so good I almost wanted to order everything, except my husband was trying to be "healthy". The shrimp was so good, my husband's jerk chicken was great, and they even have off the menu plantains. They also have really great Caribbean drinks I definitely enjoyed my rum punch. read more

The Little Grill - Caribbean Near Me - Manhattan, Kansas

By far one of my favorite restaurants ever! The food is delicious! Make sure to try the Rasta ranch. I literally eat it on everything when I'm there read more

The Little Grill - Caribbean Near Me - Manhattan, Kansas

First and foremost, STOP PASSING THIS OFF AS JAMAICAN FOOD! IT IS NOT. I loved the atmosphere of the restuarant; it is very beautiful! The only (not single most) recognizable thing on the menu was the Jerk Chicken. It was horrible. Jerk Chicken is (traditionally) grilled, but most pass it off with baked, with herb/spices. Not drizzled with a house sauce as an after thought. Not good. The rice was overcooked and bland with no taste. Traditionally, rice and peas along with cabbage is the actual dish. Not only did they not have cabbage, rice and peas was offered as a side. They are staples of the dish. One Jamaican in the building does not make the restaurant Jamaican. There was older white woman working the kitchen, so where is the authenticity and originality. As a Rastaman I was ashamed and embarrassed. You got the entire city of Manhattan fooled. Stop passing this off as Jamaican food. I am an actual Executive Chef willing and able to show your crew how to make real Jamaican food. But this is not it. It's just not, sorry. I left after three bites. read more

Marvelous Jamaican chow in Manhattan. Manhattan you say? So what? No, no, Manhattan KANSAS, not New York. A venue so improbable people probably don't believe it exists. Drive into the country about 3-4 miles away from the North end of the Little Apple and dive back to the East out by the end of the dam on the lake and there it is, surrounded by... nothing. A sizable oasis of a watering hole with smoke pouring out of the chimney that's going to deliver some of the finest, smokey, jerk chicken I've had. OK, OK, right... Kansas is not really a destination of Jamaican cuisine. It's true. But... good food is good food and now that I've dined here probably 4-5 times over as many years my mouth starts watering at the thought. My latest: jerk chicken, smoked rice and beans and a side of deep fried shrimp with sauce. Good gawd o'googly moogly but it's good. The chicken is absolutely fork tender, falls off the bone, moist and succulent. Some spicy, slightly vinegar red sauced sprinkled over the rice and beans and you have my recipe for a mild case of heartburn on the drive back to Lawrence. Heaven. So what brings me here? I do an occasional music gig with the guy that's the Wednesday night house duo. When the main partner in his duo can't make it I sometimes get the call. The gig itself is nothing to write home about although the pay is fair. But the food... Worth every mile of the 90 minute drive from Lawrence. If you go: - Yes, the owner and cook really is Jamaican. - Sizable bar, a drink slingin' kind of destination. - Outdoor seating/tent for the warmer months. - Walls decorated with odd bric-a-brac. - Gravel/dirt parking lot. - If you think you're lost on the way there, that's the correct way to feel. - Very casual. Nothing fancy. The way it should be. read more

The Little Grill - Jerk chicken, red beans and rice, fried shrimp. - Caribbean Near Me - Manhattan, Kansas

See all

We were welcomed to the restaurant by the live music and the friendly staff. The bright cheery decor really made it feel tropical. I ordered the jerk chicken with red beans and rice. It was SO good! Spicy, but didn't burn your tastebuds. The flavor of the jerk was spot on and not overly salty. We also tried the jerk potato chips, which were obviously homemade and perfectly crispy and spicy. Everything was just spot on. read more

The Little Grill - Caribbean Near Me - Manhattan, Kansas

See all

The Little Grill is an awesome Caribbean restaurant just outside of Manhattan, KS! It's a great place if you're looking for something out of the ordinary and want to try some new food. The atmosphere is very laid back and they sometimes have live music on weekends - I haven't been for the music, but plan to go back sometime to check it out! The food isn't out of this world (we ordered chips and salsa as an appetizer and were very disappointed, but that's on us for ordering that at a Caribbean restaurant), but it's worth checking out if you're looking to change things up and try something new! read more

The closest thing that this place has to Jamaican is the flagrant abuse of Bob Marley references in their menu. It's like a beginner chef just discovered jerk seasoning for the first time and thought "YEAH, I could make an entire RESTAURANT around this!!" and just went with it and thought it was a good idea. My husband got the jerk chicken, and when he looked down at that pallid grey pile of meat, the look of actual soul crushing disappointment that crossed his face filled me with the sort of rage I rarely feel. We paid 40 dollars for some overcooked chicken, greasy, undercooked fries, and a chicken wrap so dry it could pass as 40 grit sandpaper. The real crime at The LIttle Grill is that the majority of people in Manhattan are so culturally numb they may actually think this place has authentic food. That right there is a tragedy. I have been cooking for 22 years and I have never felt like an establishment's menu was offensive both in taste, presentation, and naming choice. Congratulations, you broke a few of my personal worsts today. read more

The service was pretty awful. We sat down and didn't get our drinks ordered for 20 min. We all three ordered waters and then had to ask for our waters a second time from another waiter to finally get them. The food was pretty average. Gumbo was the best of what we ordered. Atmosphere was good there was live music, however do not sit close to the stage if you would like to talk to the people at your table. read more

See all

Always a great place to go to. Plays Live music almost every night. Service was great and very attentive. My go to is the gumbo or their specials. A bit of a drive, but so worth it. read more

The Little Grill - Educating others on the greatness they're missing out on ! - Caribbean Near Me - Manhattan, Kansas

the drinks were good and the service was good, as well as the chocolate rum cake, the fried portabello mushrooms were a different taste but also good. but this isn't authentic Jamaican food I got the jerk chicken and it was more of a baked chicken with just spicy jerk seasoning the chicken wasn't seasoned , and the red beans and rice were bland, the Rasta pasta was just regular chicken Alfredo and the chicken was a baked taste wasn't really grilled if you are used to authentic Jamaican food then you won't get it here but if you're looking for good drinks and some desert this is good for that read more

You wouldn't expect to find a good Jamaican restaurant in Kansas, but The Little Grill knocks Caribbean food out of the park! The queso covered burrito is amazing! The chicken is to die for! Although, I wouldn't recommend the chips and salsa....tasted just like Tostitos! (Not fresh and tasted straight from a jar) Overall a good vibe and ambiance! If you're looking to be whisked away to a Caribbean island with a great staff, good cocktails, and better food this is your place! Plus they also have live music some times! read more

The little grill is a lake staple in Manhattan. The atmosphere is always very open and friendly. The wait staff has a smile every time. Live music can be found in the back and they love audience interaction. The jerk chicken and pork chop dinner called the double trouble are my favorites they both have great flavor and heat. It's a place that you can go to to kick back and enjoy yourself. read more

The Little Grill - Menu back March 2018 - Caribbean Near Me - Manhattan, Kansas

See all

This was the worst food. Seriously not good at all. No flavor and the meats were really dry! Like inedible dry. We ordered several dishes for a small family gathering. Four adults and two children. We wanted to try different items from the menu. Nothing was good. read more

This restaurant is a huge disappointment overall. I'm speechless. This is NOT REAL Jamaican food, not even close to it. No flavor whatsoever You know the saying "Better late than Never"? Now's probably a good time to introduce Salt amd Pepper to this place ‍ read more

The Little Grill is definitely my favorite place to eat in Manhattan! First off, the atmosphere is great, clean, welcoming. The live music is one of the essential parts of the greatness of this place. It's perfect for any one of any age. You could be with co-workers, on a date, with your family, anything. Let me run you through this. First off, you're going to want to grab a Jamaican Rum Punch and an appetizer at first chance, trust me. Then relax, if there's music, enjoy that while you look at the menu, talk to your company, etc. If you're dining alone then you might want to start off with two of the rum punch's. But the food is great, look around, ask a server, ask the owner if you want, if he's not too busy strumming the guitar. Yes folks, he is playing music when he's not roaming around helping and making people smile. Great place, FIVE STARS, ANY DAY BOMBACLAT! read more

Fantastic place with great food and music! Watch for their specials! Tonight's was Lobster Montego and it was amazing! read more

The Little Grill - Caribbean Near Me - Manhattan, Kansas

This place has the most friendly staff I've ever seen. Their food is very delicious. The price is right on target. A perfect out of the way place to go to get away from the troubles of main town living. read more

See all

I've experienced much better service and Jamaican food elsewhere. I do give them props for bringing some diversity to Manhattan, but I'm disappointed, especially after all the talk I've heard! First off, if you're driving here and end up driving down a dark road... yes, you are heading the right direction. This place is slightly out of the residential Manhattan area stuck in the middle of a field by itself. After hearing the live music, I can understand why. It's quite loud, but it looks like the locals have some good fun chatting each other up. Meals are decently priced, but the taste doesn't seem truly Jamaican. Like Adrian has mentioned below, it's done Kansan style. The gumbo didn't seem like real gumbo, more like an odd mushy stew, and the Jerk Chicken was spicy and super salty on the outside. I do give them credit for keeping the chicken super tender. Our server was a new kid... but he never really smiled, spoke in a low murmur (which didn't help with the loud music), and accidentally added on an extra rum punch to our order. The rum punch was ok... a tad too sweet and kind of tasted like kool-aid. A place to try if you're tired of the typical burgers and bbq in town, but don't get your hopes up super high like me. read more

Truthfully I really wanted to like this place. I had been told by many friends that this place was very good and everyone was or friendly. So naturally being the foodie that I am was super excited to try this place and made plans with a friend to try it for our first time. We got there on a "Game Day" this is the day that the college nearby is having a football game, so their menu is smaller and has less of a selection. I was really let down by that due to the expectations that had been set in my mind. We proceeded to order. We ordered some chips as an appetizer and they were hard as a rock, burnt. They gladly swapped out the chips for us and we continued to wait for our food. 30-40 minutes later our food was finally brought to us. I ordered the Gumbo and was instantly disappointed. The presentation was poor, it was literally a soup. It tasted like they literally emptied a can of Campbell's Chicken Soup into my bowl and added some rice to it. It wasn't terrible, it just was not gumbo as I've had gumbo many times in many different states and have even made it homemade with a friend who is from Louisiana. My friend was pretty unimpressed with her meal as well and we decided we wanted to eat somewhere else. We let the staff know we would pay for our drinks but we would be eating elsewhere. We were very polite and discreet about it. At first all seemed well until I started to notice they had their whole kitchen staff come out and stare at us. As I was signing my receipt I heard a cook yell "Fuck you, get those Divas out of here" I did not respond, moments later the owner of the place approached my friend and I and asked what we didn't like about the food. We gave him out honest opinion still remaining respectful and he laughed in our face and said "we have never had real Jamaican food before" as he assumed we ordered the "Jerk Chicken" as if Jerk Chicken is the only type of food they eat in Jamaica lmao. He laughed and walked away and we will never come back to this place and I will share my experience with anyone who ever mentions this place. The owner truly feels he has all the white people in Kansas fooled thinking he's serving "Authentic Jamaican Food" LOL This place is nothing but a sad excuse for Caribbean cuisine, which has been extremely white washed. Do not waste your money here. They can't take any sort of constructive criticism and don't care a single bit about customer service and are clearly incapable of maintaining any sort of professionalism. Truly sad read more

"This place is out in the middle of nowhere. Don't worry, I'm not going to rape you." The above (or something like it) was said to me on the drive to The Little Grill. Not sure how that has any relevance to my review, but I just thought you should know. First off, the Rum Punch is delicious. Not alcoholic beverage delicious, but delicious delicious. You can't taste a single drop of liquor, but trust me, there are several drops. I had some new pasta dish because the waitress really sold me on it with her excitement. It was good, but for that kind of excitement I was expecting much better ... let's be honest. The Jamaican Jerk Chicken did get high marks from my dining companion/potential rapist, though. Just found the relevance of my first statement. read more

When I am back in Manhattan, this is the one place that I always have to eat at. The Jamaican jerk chicken is the best chicken that I've ever had. I typically pair it with the jerk potato chips, but the read beans & rice are also good. The Jamaican Style Gumbo is also very good, though it is not a traditional dark roux Louisiana style gumbo if that is what you are expecting. I also applaud The Little Grill for having $1.50 Keystone Light cans on the menu. It makes me feel like I'm back in college. The place is very casual and fun. I look forward to it every time I'm back in Manhattan. read more

This little gem was discovered as I took the back roads to my hometown an hour away. Down home cooking like at your grandma's house. Live bands at times, dj, etc. Worth the trip for a different place to eat that's not along the main streets of Manhattan. read more