Impressionz

Two lunch items: a goat curry and a jerk chicken. The former was fairly straightforward, the latter had a distinctive flavor different than other jerk recipes; it’s not too hot for those unacquainted with Caribbean food to try. I’d definitely order it again. I’d recommend it more for dinner than lunch. The husband and wife combo who run the place are very nice.

Preparing for our Jamaican vacation in the coming weeks we decided to visit Impressionz. I have to believe we will be hard pressed to find any place in Negril with a more authentically delicious Jerk. The food was fantastic and made for a spice lover. Your taste buds will thank you while they scream from the heat in hopes of a cooling red stripe. Too bad they don’t have drinks. We will be back.

Impressionz was my first encounter with Jamaican food, and it was fantastic.
The owner was extremely friendly, and treats all customers as if she’s known them for years. It was a very welcoming environment, in a small, cozy space. Everything is very cultural including the food and decorations.
Overall, the food and experience was great for a very casual and well priced dining experience.

I only tried the Jerk Chicken, but it was extremely salty and there wasn’t much flavor to it. I don’t know if the other dishes are better, but I was disappointed with the portions as well.

This place is the definition of a hole in the wall. With that being said, expect to be embraced with exceptional above and beyond service and the feeling that you’ve just been accepted into the family!
Cecelia, the owner, is so joyful and goes out of her way to learn your name and address you by it throughout your visit. Basically, the atmosphere and staff earn this place a 5 star rating alone.
Then comes the food… the food is a whole other story. Talk about an incredible food explosion in your mouth! Seriously, I didn’t know that Jamaican was my favorite food. The meat is slow cooked and tender, with delicious spices and seasonings that will make you already plan your next trip before you finish your dish. I had the jerk chicken and my fiancé has the brown stewed chicken. Both were served with sides of rice and beans, cabbage, and plantains. Seriously, amazing including a ton of food (despite being the small portion) for only $ 10.75 each!
We will definitely be back for the amazing food and incredible hospitality.

HORRIBLE HORRIBLE! I have had my fair share of Jamaican food this place is the epitome of bland, lackluster food. It deserves no stars, the brown stew chicken taste as if it was boiled in a pot of vinegar. I refuse to discuss how horrible the oxtails were, your better off going to Mama Rose or Leon they blow this place out of the box.

Cecilia is the best. You are missing out if you have the chance to grab a bite here and go to a chain restaurant. The food is incredibly authentic, the service is awesome, and the background music completes the experience. Stop here and have a great meal

We were in the mood for something different and decided to have Jamaican food at Impressionz. My beau had the brown stew chicken which was very flavorful and NOT spicy :) I had the curry chicken which had a little kick but was tolerable for me. We also ordered beef patties which were also very good! The cabbage and rice were yummay! The portions were a nice size (I shared my plate with my 9 y.o. son because I wasn’t sure if he would like it enough to have his own plate) and we all left feeling satisfied. The offer bottled drinks which would be my only complaint… very sugary options but that’s not really uncommon in most restaurants.
Cecilia’s service, as others have described, is great! She made us feel welcomed, answered all of our questions about the food and even gave us a little intervention when she overheard us talking to our son about his behavior. She was very personable and made me feel at home. I will definitely be back and hope that plaintains will be ripe/​in season the next time!
OHHH, I can’t forget the music. I love me some dancehall so I was in my glory!

This is my 3^rd time ordering the jerk chicken ($ 11?). It’s so good. It is spicy, it’s bold and dark and falling off the bone. The plantains are even softer and sweeter this time around. The rice and bean soaks up the black sauce from the jerk chicken and the cabbage tempers the heat. While I’m eating people go in and out ordering the meat pies. People tell me the beef pie is really good and makes a great filling snack ($ 2.50 each), I’m going to try that next time. I’ve also had the oxtail and goat and those are less spicy but also very flavorful. They’re about the same price as the jerk chicken. They give you a decent sized plate — for me I always have leftovers.
The place isn’t fancy but don’t let that fool you — best food in East Liberty. Place is easy to miss but it’s actually right around the corner at Highland and Broad, between Boost Mobile phone place and a barber.

I had been wanting to try Impressionz for a long while, since it fits the profile of my favorite type of ethnic restaurant – a little-​known hole in the wall with great food. I finally received the opportunity to do so this Sat. evening, since I needed to make a Target run. Since CM was shuttling me over and was hungry for dinner, I suggested it, and after parking in the garage, we headed a block or two over to check it out.
Although I’d never had Jamaican cuisine before, I did some research on Wikipedia beforehand and learned that salt fish and ackee was a traditional dish. Since I didn’t know how spicy the jerk chicken would be, and I wanted to try a more unique dish, I had to order it when I saw it on the MTO section of the menu ($ 18). CM, on the other hand, decided to stick to what he knows and went with the small jerk chicken ($ 10.50). While we were waiting for our entrees, CM ordered a beef patty ($ 2.50), and I ordered a bottle of Ting grapefruit soda. Although I don’t eat beef, I decided to break my rule for a split second and ate a corner with a tiny bit of the filling. The pastry was quite flaky, and the filling was well seasoned, which helped to mask the flavor of the beef. CM assured me that the rest was quite tasty.
Despite being told that MTO entrees take 20 min. to make, my entrée seemed to come out faster than expected (in about 15 min., I believe, though I wasn’t timing it), and CM’s was brought out immediately afterward. My entrée was more savory than I would have guessed, and had just the right amount of fishiness. The ratios of ingredients seemed well-​balanced, and it was huge – so much so that the sides of rice, cabbage, and plantains came on an additional plate (see photo). Though it came on a single plate with sides, CM’s jerk chicken, which consisted of a quarter dark meat, was also portioned generously. Between the large portion and the spiciness of the jerk sauce, he took half home for later enjoyment, along with some of the left over sides.
As others have mentioned, the only part of our experience that bested the food was the service from Cecilia and her family. Cecilia is very personable, and was very good about answering our questions about the menu. Her daughters were there as well, and were adorable. We could tell that Impressionz attracts regular customers, probably from the local neighborhood, by the rapport that they had with Cecilia.
The quality and amount of food, as well as the caliber of service, at Impressionz lived up to the hype, and then some. (CM agreed, saying it was better than a Jamaican restaurant he frequented in Ann Arbor.) However, I’m not awarding a full 5 stars because (1) I felt the MTO dishes were a bit overpriced, esp. for a cash only place (even in light of the portion size) and (2) I think I would have enjoyed a different dish more (though this was my fault for choosing it…) The only other major downside was that the bathroom’s currently out of service due to a flood that occurred in Mar. Nevertheless, I highly recommend checking out this neighborhood jewel! 4.5 stars.

Come for the food, stay for the people, and leave feeling full in heart and body. I picked this place on a whim to meet a friend for lunch, and I’m so very glad I did. I ordered the oxtail, which I’ve never tried before, and my friend ordered the jerk chicken. We both got the small sizes and still had enough to share so that we both had a chance to taste each dish. I loved the oxtail — tender and perfectly seasoned, and the jerk chicken was spicy but not painful — my friend noted that it was that perfect point of spiciness where you still taste all the flavors. The meal came with rice, fried plantains, and steamed cabbage — very home style, which fit the surroundings — bright, clean, and cheerful — as my friend mentioned to Cecilia, it felt like we were sitting and chatting in her kitchen. Not to be missed — definitely on my list of places that are what I love about Pittsburgh.

Authentic Jamaican food in Pittsburgh, me and my husband were thrilled. I wish I had known this place years ago. We ordered beef patties, jerk chicken, brown stewed chicken. Portions are generous. The food is incredible, I was so upset because I was full, wanted to try the fish (Oh well, surely there will be a next time). Cecilia and her husband are the owners. We got the chance to talk with her and I just need to say this, the world is a better place with people like her in it. Cecilia, you are a treasure! Impressionz is a secret gem.

The experience was certainly a memorable one. As others have mentioned, Cecilia goes out of her way to provide personalized service and get to know you. She even introduced me to her husband when he came out with my order. The friendliness here is a major reason that I will be coming back to this place.
Food was quite good as well. I had the small curry goat, but it was anything but small. Came with lots of meat and some side vegetables, and it was very obvious that the curry was infused with lots of herbs and spices – definitely had a great kick to it. The only slight modification I would’ve liked is probably a bit less sauce – other than that though, it was delicious. Can’t wait to try other things like the jerk chicken or oxtail next time.

We had a great lunch. Frankly I was not interested in driving to East Liberty for lunch, even though it is only 5 minutes from where I work. I was pleasantly surprised. The food was really good and the atmosphere lovely. Cecelia came over and introduced herself. She was so warm and welcoming. I was glad we supported this family owned restaurant and the food was great. I had the jerked chicken. It was spicy but perfect! I will surely go back.

Woohoo!
love this place. it is NO HOLE IN THE WALL. it is perfect. the food the atmosphere and the service. I have had everything on the menu and I have nothing but great reviews. the meat and chicken are great quality the spices are fresh and perfectly blended.
I love the family for bringing the best part of Jamaica to pgh. themselves!!!

The food here is amazing. So flavorful and hearty portions! I’ve never had chicken so tender.

Disclaimer — this is hole in the wall. However, the food is authentic and to-​die-​for! The place is staffed by Cecilia and her husband, two of the loveliest people you could ever meet. We ordered the beef patties (delicious!), jerk chicken (better than some we had in Jamaica), stew chicken (falling off the bone), Ackee & salt fish, BBQ Ribilicious (my husband made indecent happy noises while eating it). The island cake is out of this world.
Get yourself over here ASAP. They only take cash as other reviewers have mentioned.

This is an unassuming hole-​in-​the-​wall buried on a little side street in East Liberty, and the food was surprisingly tasty. There are bright yellow tones in the décor, with ample sunlight flowing in, making for a pleasant lunch experience.
I ordered the small portion of the jerk chicken, which actually ended up being quite a large portion (two very sizeable chicken thighs) and came with rice, plaintains, and cabbage. The chicken seemed to be slow cook and smothered in a VERY tasty jerk sauce — I was impressed! It was super authentic. The sides were good as well, though I wish the plaintains had been fried. I would definitely come back and have this dish again.
My friend had the oxtail entrée. He liked it but says next time he would opt to try the fish.
Our server was very nice and the food was served speedily. At the end of the meal, the owner came and introduced herself and learned our names. She was super kind. Come here if you want to feel like you are literally being welcomed into someone’s home and eat a delicious home-​cooked meal! Don’t forget — they are cash only.

The large Curry Chicken plate is great! The rice and beans soak up the curry juices and taste wonderful. And the cabbage and carrots are a nice light delight. I’ll be back soon!

This is just a couple doors down from AlphaLab Gear and I’ve passed by many times without thinking much about it. But one day, I said «Let’s try that random Jamaican place,» and I’m happy I did. We met the entire family and they chatted us up for a while as we were deciding what to get. Really such lovely people!
We got the jerk chicken and it was a HUGE order with a side of cabbage and plantains. It was nice n spicy hooohaaa, my mouth is watering just thinking about it. Definitely give this place a chance if you’re looking for something a little different in the Pittsburgh neighborhood! Also I love the name of the place… ~Impressionz~