Island Jerk Shack

The curry goat, served alongside fragrant rice and peas, was an explosion of flavors that danced on my palate, leaving me wanting more. The setting itself is a hidden gem, offering a fantastic atmosphere that enhances the entire dining experience. Each bite of the golden, crispy fried plantains was a delightful treat, perfectly complementing the main dish. With ample parking space and the option to enjoy a meal outdoors, this spot truly offers a charming and enjoyable dining atmosphere.

Whenever I have ordered from him, Customer Service has never let me down, but I haven't had any luck with his Oxtails either. They haven't fallen off the bone nor have they been soft enough to bite directly into the meat. So I guess chicken dishes will be my go-to. Luv tuh support mi local businesses or my Caribbean People…. 🔵Rice & Peas Good 🔵Vegs w/Cabbage amazing 🔵Could portion the Meat & Rice a little better at times rather than giving too much rice. Oxtail was too tough 🫤!!

This place is fantastic. We’ve driven by it so many times and finally tried it today. The service was friendly, quick and efficient and the food was absolutely wonderful. The portions were large and filling. Both the jerk chicken and the oxtail were fantastic but the oxtail was our favorite. Lots of flavor but not overpowering. Although it is a food truck, they have done a great job of providing outdoor seating with shade. It feels like a restaurant. As we drove home I kept saying… man, that was good! We will be back.

I was not expecting much but I was shocked when I stepped out of the car only with the jerk smell, the deliciousness was in the air. I ordered the oxtail and it was good, a little pricey but delicious, my favorite thing was the ginger pineapple juice omg that was amazing 👏 . I'll keep trying the menu once I'm back in the area.

Excellent Authentic Caribbean Food!!! Great Taste, Great Price, and Great Service!! (On a Personal Note; My Netflix account was Hacked and the Reps at Netflix really Sucked, when it came to rectifying the situation and making me 'whole'. I wouldn't subscribe to that corrupt streaming service again!!).

The experience is just like the food… bland . We are in an era where vibes and creativity is part of the business image and this shack isn’t it. I ordered curry chicken with rice and beans and a side of cabbage . Too much fat on the chicken and what made matters worse every time I thought I found a piece of chicken to eat it’s filled with crushed bones . The young man who took my order seemed like he wanted to clock out , coming from a background of customer service I couldn’t help but to think he didn’t want to be there ! Maybe that’s why my food was poor . I wouldn’t dare spend another $16.12 with the company . I give it a thumbs down .

Great authentic jerk chicken with rice & peas. The food was exactly what I wanted out of a Jamaican spot, reminds me of home. Thoroughly satisfied, definitely will be returning.

I feel like home here!!! Omg so glad my homegirl brought me here. It was a quick pleasant experience. Food hot and ready smelling & tasting delicious! I will be back.

So this good is so fresh and amazing !!! The flavors and seasoning is everything. The people here are friendly and we were greeted with a smile. The vibe speaks island. The decor and setup sets the tone. They have sitting areas outside for you to enjoy there or to take home. I absolutely recommend this place !

Stopped for a Jerk Chicken plate. VERY FAST service and very friendly owner. Jerk Chicken was very good, lots of Rice and Peas, and the stewed vegetables wasn't just all cabbage. Will definitely eat there again next time I'm in the area.

My sister and I decided to try this restaurant out. The staff were welcoming. They are set up like a food truck and have a small seating area if you'd like to enjoy your food there. This restaurant has a variety Caribbean food options available. Unfortunately I didn't get to take pictures, but I had to come talk about the delicious food. We decided to get the jerk chicken meal with rice and peas, cabbage, and plantains. The portion was huge, so we decided to share. They had the food prepared, so we didn't have to wait more than 5 minutes to get our plate. It was absolutely delicious! The chicken was the perfect amount of spice! I definitely plan to go back soon!

Great food with a nice seating area. We got the medium jerk chicken (which came with rice and steamed cabbage) with a couple of beef patties and a passion fruit juice that isn't pictured. The jerk chicken was delicious and very tender, you can smell them cooking it from the moment you walk up. The medium was a generous amount of food as well. The sides came with the jerk chicken and were delicious as well. The passion fruit juice had a slight kick to it from what I think was black pepper, which was really nice. Definitely will be coming back to try some other dishes.

Food is always fresh and hot. Very generous portions and the service is excellent. I barely made it out of the parking lot before having to taste it!

I love the cabbage and rice with some curry sauce on top! My partner loves the oxtail. The salmon is amazing too! Please be sure to get the cucumber juice. It tastes like it was sent from heaven! I've always experienced genuine customer service

The food is really damn good! This food truck has been here for years. The cabbage is tastily steamed and still has some crunch. The rice and peas is lovely with the gravy from the chicken or goat curry. The jerk pork was good as well. I haven't tried the beef patties because they're all sold out when I go.

This jerk hut has been here sometimes. I have their bookmark for long time. Finally I can visit them. This food truck has nice outdoor seating area. The Jamaican color is attractive for restaurant spotting. We were here for their Oxtail. Unfortunately they are out. We got the jerk pork and jerk chicken. The jerk chicken is white meat with chop to piece. The jerk marinate is good to the bone. The jerk pork is just so so. We do like the Jamaican patty. It fill with ground beef. The food side come with cabbage and rice. It is good enough to fill your stomach. The wait from order No too long.

I decided to try this place based on the reviews but I should have trusted my gut especially because no one revering blatantly said they were Jamaican. I am Jamaican and this place is not one I would recommend. I ordered the oxtail with rice and peas and my friend got the jerk chicken with rice and peas . We both ordered patties which had a doughy consistency. The oxtail and jerk lacked seasoning and my friend couldn't eat her chicken because it was not cooked properly. The rice was parboiled and looked mushy and watery. Parboiled rice does not go well with red peas. The cabbage had no seasoning as well. We did not finish our meals nor the patties.

Jerk chicken, curry goat, curry shrimp is fire!!!! Highly recommend. My 4th time back. Earned a new customer

The fish, veggies and chicken stew were delicious. Tasty and fresh cuisine. Friendly service. Will definitely return!

Eat here every Thursday food is always fresh and consistent. Chief is very friendly ! My favorite Jamaican spot in the bay !

We ordered jerk chicken and jerk pork combo. Even they were medium size ,there were good amount of meat and rice . The jerk flavor was intensive and delicious. Plenty of rice and beans and were cooked to perfect. Steamed veggies were also good. The beef patty -large size for two dollar a piece, filled with pleasing jerk beef and with a crunchy shell, so good. This is a yummy jerk food truck and friendly service, affordable price!

Here for work....found this awesome place excellent chicken curry.......Got the medium size.... Enough for two meals Can't imagine how large........"large" is thank you

This is another Hidden Gem especially if you are looking for some good lunch. I took some take out here for jerk chicken and oxtail! No I'm not a huge Glutton they actually have a two-meat combo on the menu. My favorite thing about it is that they give you such huge portions! Usually, (almost always) Jamaican places are little bit more on the expensive side with the meat. But this actually is worth it because they give you so much. The food itself was delicious however the jerk tasted more like barbecue chicken but it was kind of spicy so I'll give them that. Now it is a food truck(so mo indoor seating) you can choose to sit outside but the decor isn't all that great. So I would literally just get it for takeout. the staff is very nice. P.S. don't play yourself you must get the pineapple ginger juice!!

Great food, friendly service. Have had the jerk chicken, ackee and saltfish, curried chicken, and oxtail and they've all been outstanding. Great selection of West Indian drinks, too. Seating area decor is fun and bright.

Lunch special was decent price. I got the jerk chicken and peas and rice with cabbage added on plantain for additional price. The food was full of Caribbean flavor just not a big fan of the brown stew gravy.

They get 5 food truck stars from me. I visited for lunch with a coworker. We were actually going to Popeye's but their ordering system was down. That was fortunate for us because I had been wanting to try the food from Island Jerk Shack for some time now. Mainly because of the great scent of BBQ that we get from them each time we stop at Popeye's. Well, today was the day. It's a stationary food truck off of MLK (corner of MLK and Oak St.) next to Popeye's. The ordering process was very smooth. The nice gentleman was very helpful in answering our questions and gave us the menu. He was very patient with us because it was our first time there. We placed our orders for takeout. They use the Square Up POS system so paying was a breeze. The receipt was texted to my phone. We got the goods within 5 minutes of ordering it. As we were leaving, we noticed that they have a large decorated patio area with plenty of concrete seating. This would be a great place for family gatherings as well. Anyway, the food was absolutely delicious. Every part of the meal had flavor. I had the Brown Stew Chicken which was super tender (fell off the bone). The sauce was so good. They put it on the rice and peas too. It didn't need it because the rice was flavorful as well and had little pink beans. The veggie side was a mixture of buttery cabbage, carrots, green peas, corn, and other stuff that I can't remember off hand. My friend had the ox tail and she was so happy with it. I tried it for the first time and it was really good. Lots of meat and so tender. I may get that next time for myself. I haven't had Jamaican food much at all so I don't know about the authenticity. All I can say is that it was a great experience and we will be back many more times in the future. I can't wait to try that homemade pineapple ginger juice that everyone raves about. Looking forward to more visits.

I wanted oxtails and after doing research last evening, I decided to try Island Jerk Shack. It was the best decision. The oxtails, rice and peas, and cabbage are amazing! I am a food snob and will pay top dollar for good food. This was so good. I will definitely be back!

Got the mixed jerk chicken and oxtail. About 80% chicken and 20% oxtail. Surprisingly, they don't sell any diet sodas here. Food was good and well flavored but I got no hint of habanero flavor or heat which is what I believe defines jerk. Was given a fork but no knife to eat with so I had to use my hands to tear the food which was awkward and messy - made worse by the single napkin I was giving. A pretty solid 4

I thought it was very good, but lacking an authentic taste of Jamaica. But otherwise if you want a taste of the Caribbean that's the right place to go in that area.

First off this place was a little hard to spot while driving down MLK. The place had very very little parking. Now as for the food it was ok. The rice was very plain and the veggies tasted unseasoned. The curry chicken was ok but nothing to brag about. My buddy ordered the jerked chicken which by far was better. Now the one thing I will praise is the portion size. You definitely get a good amount for your money. Unfortunately, I think this will be the only time I visit this establishment. As usual I'll leave pics below.

This food is delicious. I'm very particular about my Jamaican food because it's my favorite type of Caribbean cuisine. The homemade pineapple ginger juice is very fresh and the ginger isn't too spicy, but present enough to get the flavor it and enjoy. The patty is hot, soft and warm and there's plenty of beef in the middle. Unlike some beef patties I've tasted where they're a bit stale, have been sitting too long and there's way too much breading. The curry goat was a winner. The goat meat was the most tender I've tasted. It's seasoned to perfection and I didn't need to add any hot sauces or salt for flavor (I'm big on flavor). Even the rice had a good taste to it, when I'm used to rice and peas being somewhat bland. This is definitely a hidden gem of Seffner. They're closed Monday and Sunday, but definitely worth a try when they're open. The best part is that my food was ready as soon as I ordered it AND it was still fresh and didn't taste like it had been sitting all day. I yau have to wait a while for my Jamaican food and that wasn't the case here. Kudos!

Best spot in Tampa hands down!! Food is fresh and flavorful service is fast, helpful and polite and the scenery is a vibe nice outdoors spot with shade and good music! I go here almost every weekend nothing can beat this!!

Had the oxtail, Food was flavorful and portions were good. People were friendly and they have seating which was nice.

Not sure I'll try again. 2 strikes for the flavor and portion that they tried to get over on me. Check your food before you leave for carry out.

This place is a HIDDEN GEM. Get there early because the patties sell out first! Everything I've had here is delicious and consistent. Jerk chicken, ox tail, omg the fish is amazing. Must try!!

Love this place I've been going for about 2 years now good food, and the spot is nice a little hard to park sometimes tho.

Great spot with great food and energy! My buddy and I are new to Florida and came across Island Jerk Shack while working. Quick service, got the Jerk Chicken which was phenomenal and Ginger Pineapple drink was delicious. Playing music and have awesome outdoor seating. Ambience was perfect. Highly recommend!

The jerk pork was good, I really loved the cabbage and the hint of ginger that was put in the cabbage. Also, since I relocated to Tampa there is a lot of Jamaican/ Caribbean restaurants in the city. BUT I must say, the rice was the best out of all the places I tired here so far. Almost on my NYC level of good rice.

What can I say but delicious and amazing!!!! I recently had a birthday party for my son, and I allowed Island jerk shack to cater not only were they professional, reasonable in price and on time but the food was flavorful and delicious. My son's party was about a month ago and I am still getting compliments from parents that the food was so delicious. I can't wait to host another event, so I can allow them to do the catering thanks again Rick!!!!

Just like I like to get my Jamaican food it's authentic real island vibes , love a good oxtail rice and peas and cabbage plate . They were quick with it at lunch time as well . Oxtails are good tender , rice is fresh cabbage is fresh .

The picture of the Jerk Chicken says it all. Amazing feel to the place also. Just like in Jamaica.

Originally Came for either jerk or Brown stew Chicken, tho they only had oxtails left, not that big of fan of oxtails but they were pretty Danm good considering last option

Love Caribbean food here: from the jerk shrimp skewers to the jerk chicken n rice n vegs meal n of course the beef patties w coco bread!!!

I'm a Jamaican White Tampa Cracker, 62 yrs old. Traveled for 30 years, Jamaica being one of my favorite. Having eaten at every West Indian restaurant in Tampa, Island Jerk Shack in Seffner is by far the best tasting, most flavourful, well seasoned, Caribbean food for hundreds of miles. The owner, fantastic chef, this man has it. Ox-Tail is the best, His Jerk Chicken is even better than that. So far in 4 yrs, I haven't been able to order anything else because those two items are that sensational. So trust me, "Try it, you'll like/and/love it" Please order the Beef Patties if he has any, they run out all the time. ARGH! You'll thank me. And don't forget to load them up the "Grace Hot Sauce" shipped directly from Jamaica.

Tried this stationary food truck on the advice of a coworker. Outstanding jerk chicken and pork. I ordered with sauce on the side to test the spice level. Tasty and delicious without jerk sauce. Add the sauce and the flavor is outstanding too. Consider trying with sauce on the side for your first visit. Rice and beans were also excellent. You also get a side of steamed veggies. Good portions for price and option of medium and large dinners. Many other meat and seafood options. Don't be turned off by location since off street parking. Friendly and great service. Highly recommended.

The food was flavorful and the fish was pretty big. I thought price for meal for escovitch fish was pretty steep, $17 but at least the food is cooked in a timely manner. I highly recommend to call ahead to ensure that there is fish already prepared and fresh. Luckily I did call ahead and there was no wait. I do highly recommend this restaurant as it was referred from my aunt just be prepared for the pricing and the great flavors.

Island Jerk Shack is phenomenal. Everything about this place warrants 5 stars. You get large portions for great prices and the food is excellent. I had the jerk chicken and ox tails and they were amazing. Definitely my new go to spot when i come to town. On top of the great food the homemade juices were the icing on the cake. Perfection!

When I visit Tampa I usually go to another spot but this time I wanted to try something new & this place did not disappoint. When I drove up to the I was immediately in awe of it's appearance, very bright, inviting, playing, like in . Near the truck are places to sit but unfortunately it was & the seats were wet up. I walked up to the truck, was greeted & told what they had left. I got there around 7:00pm & by that time all the oxtails and patties were gone, I would suggest you come earlier if you crave those items. I ordered curry goat & my son got curry shrimp. The food was and authentic, I'm very anal about my Jamaican food for real! The guy in the truck was friendly & accommodating, he even took this pic lol. I think I found my new spot! WalkGood

It's a food truck with a sweet little garden area to eat in -- they've planted fruit trees around a fire pit and picnic tables. It's quite charming. Most of the customers were Caribbean when we visited early on a Friday evening, which we took as a good sign of its authenticity. We weren't wrong. We had the jerk chicken -- amazing food, huge portions. The jerk chicken was unlike any I've had -- a wet sauce instead of a dry rub. The flavors were deep, complex, spicy with just enough heat and a taste of sweetness that worked well with the heat and the fall-off-the bone tenderness of the chicken. Eating here, you really feel like you're eating a home-cooked meal from favorite family recipes. The steamed cabbage, carrots and peas still had a nice crunch and were a good foil to the deep rich spices of the chicken. I could eat the tender savory peas in rice every day. They do ackee and salt fish on Fridays, which I wish I'd tried. Can't wait to come back.

This little place has one of the most tasty food in town, if you like island food and love oxtail this is the right place to go. They also have jerk chicken and natural juices, pineapple ginger it's the best. I truly recommend it. You will love it !!!!

Came to Brandon to visit my sister with my family. After a day of shopping this restaurant really hit the spot. The food came out quickly and everything was hot and fresh. All of our food was flavorful, authentic Caribbean. We left full and happy. We were a big group but they were very accommodating. Excellent and friendly service, great atmosphere. They even gave us all samples of the sugar cane they grow. We will definitely make it our tradition to stop here on every visit.

So good! Jerk chicken was sweet and had a creeping spicy heat. Ox tails were great. I can't stop eating it. Parking kinda is weird but nice atmosphere. NEED more reviews. This place was packed and only had 4 reviews

Love Caribbean cuisine! Hope we can come back and try more. Love that the menu has certain items on certain days.

Always great food from here, you can't go wrong with anything from their menu. Definitely a hidden gem.

Food is amazing and service with a smile, atmosphere feels like you are really back home

Was in the mood for some island food and he didn't disappoint. I will be back to try something else soon maybe the curry goat.

Authentic Jamaican food. 1st time there and will definitely not be my last!! Keep up the good work Bro!! Respect.