Taste of the Island Caribbean Takeout

This is a magical little lunch spot downtown. You probably have driven passed it many times. Next time, stop and grab some jerk pork or chicken. Fantastic flavors. Fall off the bone tender and juicy. The red beans are a nice compliment to the spiciness of the meat. I’m always a fan of simple menus and this place is king of that. Do a few things and do them well. It’s why I go to this little hidden gem. You should too.

Great customer service! Food was good. I had the jerk chicken, rice &a peas and cabbage! Two thumbs up!!!

Just ate here and I love it!!! I’m surrounded by Jamaicans. It’s like I haven’t left their nation. Authentic Jamaican dishes full flavor. Definitely a must eat when in downtown Jackson, Mississippi!

It’s ok. It’s a little diner downtown. I went there for lunch. Had 2 Jamaican fellows in there nice as could be. Pleasant guys who got the food ready very quickly. If you are not familiar with West Indian food you may think this is ok, but if you are looking for authentic Jamaican food this is pretty weak. The food was very short on flavor, spices, & pepper. Didn’t even have enough salt. Rice was a little overlooked, oxtail was very short on seasoning, curry was so weak I was disappointed, plantains were to soggy. Nice to see D&G drinks as those sodas are hard to find. Overall nice little place, real nice staff, good service, food is… meh.

I was soooo disappointed and I so wanted to like this place. Unfortunately, it was not worth the $ 12 I paid. The food was cold and the oxtails were sliced to «maybe» ½ inch thick. They were accompanied by two small half slices of carrot and two small slices of burned plantains. My feelings were so hurt because I love plantains and have enjoyed this cuisine stateside from Jamaican and African joints and abroad. I’m still traumatized about my little burned plantains. My plate didn’t measure up to the photo online and sadly the taste didn’t quite measure up to that which I’ve enjoyed elsewhere. I wish them the best, but it’s not for me.

Ok. I’m of Jamaican heritage. Grew up the delicious food. I must say the food is authentic Jamaican cooking. I had the oxtails which were delicious. They weren’t as good as my grandmothers but it was still good. I will def be back. I’m looking forward to trying the curry goat and the escovitched fish. I just thought the portions could be a little bit bigger compared to what I’m used to back home in NY.

Another of my regular lunch spots in the Jackson downtown area. The Jerk Chicken along with red bean rice is as good as it gets. I stay in the Tampa Bay Area which has many Caribbean restaurants due to the proximity and taste of the island matches up. Get in there around 11:30 or 12 and you might be lucky enough to lay your hands on the fried plantains.

I ate all of my food before I could take a pic. I’ll get it next time because I’ll most definitely be back. I had the jerk chicken with the rice and peas. My side was steamed cabbage. Everything was delicious! I was a tiny bit disappointed that they didn’t have any beef patties but when I ate my meal I forgot all about the them. The jerk chicken reminded me of soul food that my grandma use to make. I also had a Ting soda. In my opinion It taste Similar to sprite. The service was pretty okay. I’ll be back soon for beef patties.

I got the jerk ribs the other day and I recommend them heartily. The meat comes clean off of the bone with just a plastic fork. The ribs were seasoned wonderfully — very spicy, just the way I like it. You get a very large portion with rice and peas for just $ 9. Once again, the plantains were a nice complement to the spice of the ribs. Great food! Eat here!

This place is right up my alley. It is a dive with a corner diner configuration with a bar that runs the length of it. I never expected to find Jamaican food in Jackson. Specially this good. I have had everything except the snapper. After reading the reviews here I will definitely do that.
The place is owned by a guy named Richard and he is good people. I won’t go into details because some of the other reviews did that already. All the food is good and the portions are generous. I have been in Jamaica and eaten at the Intensified Inn in the ghetto in Jamaica amongst a few others… so I know a bit about this food. And this is not close to the real thing in intensity and punch. Yeah, I know… I am just a spoiled brat. But this is as good as any food you find in any big metro area. The curry might actually be better than most. One has to be realistic… you HAVE to tone things down for the American palate.
If you aim to make it here after 4 pm be warned. They do close early sometimes. And I don’t blame them. It is dead around there after this. So call them up ahead of time if you are running late and they will wait for you.

My travels took me to Jackson, MS this week and I had lunch at the Taste of the Islands in downtown. I had the fried snapper and it was Awesome! Great spices, great taste. Very good restaurant…
Kind of limited seating inside, many people just take out.

Curry Chicken and Curry Shrimp both get my thumbs up. Served with the obligatory rice and peas and stewed cabbage, this place is worth finding a parking spot downtown.
I tried the oxtail, and the flavor of the meat and sauce was worth pushing my collagen boundaries. Ting washed away my fears. The menu lists things that they MAY have cooked that day, each time I’ve been there were 3 choices for meat and one optional vegatible to go with rice and peas.
Funky vibe, service on styrofoam, limited drink choices and good music makes it easy to imagine you are sitting in Charlotte Amalie rather than on E Capitol.

I know that we’re a people that like to travel, but I never thought I’d find a great Jamaican restaurant in Jackson, MS. The food was atmosphere was pure island vibes, the location was just right and food was so good, that my mom would be proud!
I recommend the Curry Goat, Jerk Chicken, Oxtail, Rice & Peas… Just eat the food! Wash it down with a ice cold Red Stripe or Ting!
I’ll be coming back here every time I visit Jackson, MS — Yes, you read right, I said Jackson, MS!

My grandmother is west indian and the cuisine at Taste of the Caribbean comes as close as it can get!
Ox-​Tail, Curry Chicken and Curry Goat are staples that you can easily find in places like New York City, Miami, Florida and Chicago — due to the huge west indian population in those cities, but to have something like that in Jackson speaks volumes!
The only downside, the operating hours! If you got a taste for some REAL curry goat or chicken, they are only open Monday thru Fridays from 10am until 6pm! So if you miss it, you got to wait for the next week day.
The Kola Champagne, coca bread, peas and rice are true west indian comfort staples. I highly recommend!

The Oxtail and the Brown Stewed Chicken are the two non-​spicy items on the menu. The Stew has a nice stew flavor.
The Jerk Chicken and Curry Chicken and Shrimp are as good as you’ll find. They get their curry from a special importer and it’s really stand out. The Red Snapper grilled takes 25 minutes and worth the wait. You have to ask for them to serve it with no head, as it is the whole snapper. The grilled snapper is amazing. It’s not a bad idea to call ahead and get them to start on it since it takes time. The spicy flavors in the snapper are close to jerk but not exactly. Get the straight-​up «jerk» dishes if you want that. Try to go when the owner’s Aunt is cooking. You can get the snapper stewed or grilled. If the Aunt grills it, it’s the best there is. With one bite I heard angels singing. Get the grilled snapper.