Ya Mon...this place is legit!…read more I am so glad my fellow Yelpers told me about Island Express in Elburn Illinois. Authentic home style Jamaican food with Island Flavor at reasonable prices. Mainly a takeout place with limited counter seating,each meal is prepared fresh. Jerk Chicken,Curry Goat and Oxtails are just a few of their Jamaican dishes. We tried their Veggy Patty and Chicken Patty. Flakey crust loaded with flavor. I didn't care for the chicken patty as it was chicken curry which I'm not a big fan of..wish it would have been listed on the menu in a different way. Ordered a side of their spicey jerk sauce which added additional flavor ....bonus! Also had their Medium Jerk Chicken platter with sides of red beans and rice and sweet candied yams. Everything was delicious. If you want to experience good Jamaican food minus the sand,ocean and Red Stripe Beer,this is definitely the place to go.

Thanks to fellow Yelpers for recommending this place! I haven't had an authentic taste of Jamaica…read morein a very long time. The jerk sauce immediately took me back and the chicken was super tender. The candied yams were sweet but not over done. The beans and rice needed more flavor so I added the spicy jerk sauce. My hubby enjoyed the patties. The storefront is located in a strip center off of Rt 38 and Rt 47 with parking in front. Few seats inside so we took it to go and had a picnic. Ask for extra napkins and two forks if you plan on sharing. .

The jerk chicken was absolutely amazing. If I'm ever back in Gary I will definitely come back byread more

Tiny, mostly carry out restaurant. The food I was able to get was pretty good. They were out of…read morequite a few things. I got a 2-piece dark jerk dinner with plantain and Mac and cheese. The chicken was tender, juicy and flavorful. The rice and peas and plantains were very good too. While tasty, I think they microwave the Mac and cheese because the styrofoam container was melting underneath. The prices are on the higher side. It was $18 for the dinner. Fortunately, you get large portions. I usually get about two meals from one order. The food is better here than other jerk restaurants.

Been many times. They always have stuff going on and it makes a fun environment…read more The food is always delicious. Huge portions (except the cornbread) and never any issues. Service is always good to us. Drinks are fun. The vibe, decor, food is great. I don't really care for their alligator but it's the same as everywhere else- it's chewy / fatty and the batter before looked good and tasted good but I saw someone review it came beer battered and I hope that's not the case. Beer battered is so gross. The only cons I have is how tight and crammed it is year round. It's really small and the bathrooms area smells like pee everytime I've ever gone. They have darts in the back. No pool tables. Summertime they have the patio outside usually I believe. There's a downstairs seating and bar area but it's small.

Food was amazing ! Service was great, 50 points to Katie as…read morekept our drinks a coming and everything she suggested was phenomenal. We Loved the Bourbon Street vibes ! Brought me right back to NOLA. We definitely will be back, we've found our celebration dinner venue. Next time we promise to come when we don't have to be up at 4 am and check out the expansive fun drink menu! "Laissez les bons temps rouler."

We had jerk chicken , dark meat and red snapper dinners from their pop up at Art History Brewing in…read moreGeneva. OMG... the best chicken ever. Spiced nicely that wasn't over the top, I got extra spice sauce which was amazing but again it didn't overpower. The fish was a challenge to get around bones at first but in no time into the flesh and it was so moist and well seasoned. Sides of cabbage and rice were delicious and a great complement. It was pricey but each was easily shareable by 3. Get to the next pop up. It is crazy good.

I've been looking for some good Jamaican oxtails and rice & peas since moving here, this did not…read moredisappoint!!

Alright... it pains me to do this because I don't believe in leaving negative reviews in any…read morecapacity but this feel necessary and earned by the business. My recent visit to this restaurant was the first visit in over half a year. My last visit was quite a bit ago because I was upset at how poorly resolution was for a missed meal I ordered for one of my co-workers. This recent visit as of tonight will be my final visit. I try to see it through and remain a good patron of businesses I appreciate but good service must exist. Do I expect a business to get it correct all the time? No! But I do expect there to be some semblance of competency, grace and determination to find resolve where error was made. Tonight I placed an order for myself and my gf. I received an automated email response suggesting the order would take between 30-45 minutes, which is totally fine. I figured I'd allow some extra time before arriving. When I get to the restaurant, I'm told my order would be ready in another 15 minutes. While I was slightly upset, I didn't let it bother me. I just went back and sat in my vehicle for about 20 minutes. I came back into the restaurant and waited a few more minutes before being called to get my food. Upon stepping to the counter, the lady looked at the receipt for my food almost confused and said "sorry, there aren't anymore beef patties but I can swap that item with another side" I'm not certain if she was aware or not from the kitchen staff that this item wasn't present but it struck me as odd based on her reaction. More importantly, I'm more than upset now but I handle this situation as calm as can be, by pausing to think about how to respond. I choose a side to replace for lack of the beef patty but can't help but notice the price difference doesn't even align. Shortly after making a decision on item to swap, I ask how long ago did that item sell out today. She replies and says, "it's been sold out since around noon" and at that point I just try not to stare or show emotion. While she did apologize for this mishap, it just didn't go over well with me. The lack of communication prior, struggle to find proper resolution for this incident and the previous one. Do you not have a POS system which updates automatically against your live stock? Or being attentive to detail would have helped and a simple phone call would have sufficed had they known this. Btw, the previous incident was an order they forgot to give to a delivery driver, only to blame that driver. I had to drive to the restaurant to pickup my co-workers meal during a busy work day after they realized they messed up and actually left that meal on the side of one of their counters. This restaurant has pretty good food and options for food in general but that alone won't solve your problems running a business if you screw up and struggle severely with customer service. I've come here more than several times in the past but no longer will that happen.

Every time we've ordered from here we've come away with happy bellies and tastebuds!…read more What we get: Jerk Chicken - So good! The sauce is bright and tangy--obviously spicy, but so, so good. And there's really no place similar in this area. Paired with the rice and beans and cabbage helps tone down the spice. Goat Curry - So spicy but so flavorful! The meat is tender and it's addictive. Beef patty - This is different than others, and it seems deep fried where I'm used to baked. Always love a beef patty and our kids enjoyed it. Plantains - Our kids love plantains in whatever form. Plus, these aren't spicy so they eat them all. Mac and Cheese - I'm usually wary of getting mac and cheese for kids because it's bland and watery (my child's words not mine), but THIS mac and cheese was SO good! So much flavor and gooey cheese sauce. Both our kids loved it and said it was delicious. Easy win! Candied Yams - Of all the tasty things, this is probably my least favorite. Everything on the menu is packed with deep, rich flavor. But candied yams are just too sweet for me. I think people who like sweet things will love this, but my preference tends to lean less sweet and more savory. So if you're not huge on sweets either, maybe skip this and go for the other items. The staff here are so nice--we ordered with the high hopes of ox tail (one of the non-spicy items) but they were all sold out! My husband was so disappointed that she took pity on him and just gave him the sauce and bits and bones that were left because they couldn't sell it anyway. It was SO good. Almost better than the first time I remembered it. I could be entirely too full and still want a taste of these ox tails! Please never go out of business or change hands--this place is a gem.

Stopped in a couple weeks ago. I had wanted to try fufu and egusi for a while now. Once this local…read moreplace popped up on my TikTok I had to try it. Of course we ordered fufu and egusi, we also ordered chicken and jollof rice, side of spinach and fries. The man was very kind. It did take a while for our food. I think he may have been preparing it himself. The fufu and egusi (vegan) was good. I'm glad I finally had the opportunity to try it. The jollof rice was dry along with the chicken. The chicken was so dry we didn't even eat it. I would not recommend that meal unfortunately. The spinach was very spicy but good. Of course the fries were delicious. Our total was $75 including two drinks and tip. For that reason alone I would never come back. I love to support small businesses but unfortunately the price was higher than the value. I didn't get a printed receipt so I'm not sure how my total ended up that high.

This was such a pleasant surprise from the moment I walked in. The owner of Jungle Plate is…read moreincredibly friendly and welcoming, which immediately set the tone for the experience. I didn't realize beforehand that it was an African restaurant, and since I have limited experience with Nigerian cuisine, I was excited to try something new. I ordered the beef with jollof rice, and while I wasn't expecting the level of spice, the flavors were bold, rich, and truly enjoyable. It's one of those meals that leaves an impression--comforting, flavorful, and different in the best way. I'll definitely be returning, and next time I plan to bring my husband so we can try some of their goat dishes as well. Overall, a warm, welcoming spot that's worth exploring if you're looking to step outside your usual and experience something new. Perfect for anyone looking to try something new in a welcoming, approachable setting.

The food was pricey for what you got. The jerk was a jerk interpretation and there was hardly any…read morechicken in the bowl.

Super nice people and amazing food. Best Jamaican I've had in a long time. Dirty rice and Mac n…read morecheese on point and oxtail was delicious and literally fall off the bone. Will definitely hit them up any time I can

Amazing authentic Caribbean food. Everything was so good! The staff were friendly and helpful…read more Hidden gem!

The food service atmosphere was energetic, upbeat, clean, and pleasant, contributing to a positive,…read morecomfortable, and memorable overall dining experience for everyone.

Great staff & good food, would def go again especially to eat on the waterfront back patioread more

Unfortunately this place fell flat for me. We took a trip during the week after someone recommended…read moreit and I'm not sure we'll be back for anything other than the drinks, the plantains and the sautéed crab appetizer. The coconut curry shrimp lacked the depth and really any flavor you'd expect for something curried, the jerk wings lacked that quintessential smoke flavor and smell and at opening when we went they said we're out of rice and peas and substituted it for overcooked jasmine rice and the pineapple upside down cake was also unavailable. Again, maybe a place for appetizers and drinks only.

Outstanding Caribbean food! This place is an absolute must for anyone looking for an authentic…read moreCaribbean meal!

The food looked wonderful, but was very dry and tasteless, also very pricey. After the first one I…read moreput some Thai chili sauce on for moisture and taste. The taco truck in the same lot is much better.