Jamaica House

WELL - We tried this "new-to-us" JAMAICA HOUSE restaurant, on Saturday and had a PHENOMENAL REUNION! As it turned out, Chef Simba Puma and my daughter go way back from his days as Chef in the Hollywood Hills serving LA's elite in the Hip Hop music era! We had a shout-out and reminisced to past PDX Caribbean Chef, ICONS, Grenada Caribbean Chef Regis, & Jamaica Homestyle, Chef Ka-sia! We had the Jerki-akhi Chicken, Curried chicken, and Oxtails with rice n peas and cabbage AND an order of THE MOST, ORIGINAL, SUBPURB, Mac n cheese and Coco bread! WOW!! You've definitely got to try some! And, as we live in Salem, I ordered the curried, Goat, meal to go! JAMAICA HOUSE is like eating at home with your family & FAVORITE company!🖤🇬🇾💚🇯🇲❤️🇬🇩 10/25/2025 **Dad's B-Day!

We left fat and happy. What more is there to say? The jerk chicken was a flavor explosion and the beef patty hit just right! The owner is kind, welcoming and his food is on point!

I’m so disappointed in the quality and lack of flavor! This was $25 meal and that’s what I got. The only thing curry about the chicken was its color. The plantains weren’t ripe. The rice was just rice. The cabbage wasn’t seasoned. It felt thrown together, and likely was considering they finished “cooking” it in 10 minutes. The restaurant had music going and open signs but their door was locked. I should have taken that as the initial sign to leave! This was my second time coming but thought maybe the first trip was a one off. Naw! 🥴

Truly the worst Jamaican food I've ever had. The people were friendly, that's the only pro. I ordered oxtail dinner and two beef patties; $42...fine. After I paid he says he doesn't have a lot of oxtails and would I be fine with half oxtail and half curry goat, I said okay. Then he says the goat isn't done but he would "hook me up". He gave me some random chicken that was overcooked and one oxtail. Btw, the one oxtail was the actual tail (see pic). They have no idea how to cook. How do you sell someone the tail? I should report them to the health department...disgusting. Then the beef patties were not homemade, I heard him microwave it. I was told before I came here the food was horrible, they weren't lying. This was a waste of time and money.

The jerk chicken was perfectly spiced. Good amount of heat. I only like platanos when they are cooked right and these were delicious. I really loved the drink options as well. Lots of juice drinks and CBD. Will definitely come back anytime I'm up north.

The food was amazing, very kind owner, such an amazing space, felt like I was invited to someone’s home to have some delish heart warming food. Perfectly seasoned, perfect portions, perfect vibe! I had also very delicious dessert!

This is by far the worst Jamaican food I’ve ever had, as a Jamaican myself, I felt like I gave away my money, my rice was hard and felt severely undercooked, my oxtail was hard as well but edible, it was almost like it was pressured but not cooked down with the authentic Jamaican herbs and spices. I can say this Jamaican restaurant caters mostly to foreigners who don’t know authentic Jamaican food as it is very bland. The service is very personalized as it seem the owner serves and cooks as well, and he have a good personality, only thing is he just needs to actually hire a cook, the atmosphere is homey made a little too homey for my taste as I am not huge on how close together chairs and tables are unless you get that one far spot in the corner that everyone takes anyways.

Wow! First time trying Jamaica house and we were blown away. Such unique flavors and tasty aromas coming from our plates. We want to come back to try the sweet chicken next time. The gentleman running the shop was very kind and friendly. I will definitely be back for the jerk chicken 😳🔥. Newfound respect for this hidden gem in the neighborhood !

Stopped by with my son after reading reviews on FB. It was amazing the Jerk Chicken was spot on, the best I've ever had. Nice little place with great tunes playing in the background. We will be back!!

Food was phenomenal. The jerk chicken was one of the best plates of Jamaican food I've ever had. My partner got the jerk tofu, which was also delicious. My only gripe was we had to call to have them open the door even after coming an hour after opening. But once we were inside the service and food were great. Highly recommend.

The service here was kind enough and I liked the music/decorations. It felt so nice when I stepped in. My issue was the food I ordered which was a beef patty, coco bread and a side of plantains. The beef patty was obviously microwaved...I'm really wondering if some of the Jamaican spots in Portland know that we know when patties are microwaved? I stopped going to other spots due to this but what also surprised me was opening my bag on the way home to see a slice of kinda dry hard dough bread instead of the coco bread I ordered. Why not just say it wasn't available? Paying for something you didn't get is overall a disappointment. I know other people love this spot and I actually still tell people to check it out cause maybe that day was an off day? Who knows. Unfortunately It just isn't the restaurant for me when I need my Jamaican food fix.

Great food + good people, and a sweet cat I've tried this gem several times and never disappointed. The jerk chicken is amazing. Perfectly spiced chicken cooked to perfection. There are a few small table and chair to sit and dine in or take out. Give them a try and you will not be disappointed.

Large portions of the MOST delicious food. Jerk chicken and cabbage was perfect and the atmosphere is just lovely. The service is out of this world. We can't wait to return.

I like this place. Casual atmosphere. Good food. I really enjoyed the different entrees it has to offer

Went a few days ago with my Jamacain homie been thier a few times the owner and I beleave that was his daughter are real cool people. And the Jerk chicken had great flavor. I will be going here more offten . You should try this place

Stopped in for a late lunch and was just delighted with Jerk Chicken. I am a huge fan of Jamaican cuisine and in my travels I like trying the local offerings when I can find them. That chicken was absolutely perfection as was the cabbage and peas and rice. We were in a bit of a rush and didn't stay long but the dining area was very cool and inviting. The service spot on. If you love good Jamaican food and are in the area this is one of the best I've had in my wanderings. Great food and great people.

Favorite Jamaican in Portland! Super friendly and Amazing customer service! The vibe inside is very calm and mellow and I love the bob Marley painting!

Good food, good atmosphere and friendly service. I've had the Jerk a chicken and the fish and the oxtail. I look forward to going again.

The food and the service are the reasons that I'll come back again and again. Don't miss it!

Absolutely DELICIOUS! The food was well seasoned and the service was excellent. We went in on a sunny, but cold fall day and were greeted by the owner who was watching the smoker in the outside dining area in front of the restaurant. We were warmly ushered into the restaurant to order our food. The young man who took our order was kind and attentive. We ended up getting the Jamaican Jerk Chicken, Curry Chicken, and a small Beef Patty. The food was delicious! My mouth is watering just thinking about it... Both chicken dishes were fall-off-the-bone tender and so well seasoned. The Jamaican Jerk Chicken was my favorite: smoked to perfection! The beef patty was slightly spicer but the meat was still tender and the pastry was flaky. All in all would 100% recommend this small business!!!

The food was incredible! Felt like home cooking in the most charming neighborhood location. what a gem!

New to Portland and we stopped by Jamaica House this past weekend. I usually don't take the time to review places often unless I'm completely let down or completely blown away, but this place deserves the 5-star. The atmosphere was cozy and comfortable. I ordered the "Jerk and Bread" (my bff got the oxtail), and it was literally the best meal I've ever had. In my life. Period. The chicken was moist and flavorful through every bite, and the coco bread was so good it hurt my feelings. The service was warm and welcoming. I'll absolutely be back as often as I can.

Constantly out of items. Hours are completely random and unpredictable. Maybe you'll get someone on the phone, maybe you won't. Placed an online order for pickup, drove all the way here to get it (I'm out of the delivery area), to have the place be closed and locked - with no answer on the phone. The food might be great if you can get it, but who knows?!

Hmm. I thought it was good. I had ox tails and curry goat. Some kinda way I didn't get the planants but I was still good. My rice tasted old and hard but cabbage was great. I should've gotten it spicy but over all its good

Delicious. Wonderful ambiance and the owner, Sikba, is fabulous. The jerk chicken plate is everything you want jerk chicken to taste like. There are lots of Jamaican sodas for you to choose from there. They have coco bread, plantains, and a super tasty chicken pattie- if they're out of the beef patties.

Genuinely nice people, great service, and delicious food. Chicken was unbelievably tender and the plantains were perfect.

Great food, piping hot. Fresh taste and great company! Had the curry chicken and a beef patty with Watermelon drink.

Friendly & welcoming staff. Relaxing & homey setting. Jerk chicken was the best I've had by far. The cream soda was very tasty as well. Lots of veggie options if that's your preference. If you love Jamaican cuisine there's no better location in Portland.

I will never forget the smile I was greeted with in a place bursting with colors that makes you feel like you are on vacation! And the food? Soul soothing! Thank you for sharing your love and bringing a spark back to the day I visited! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2nayJFcXU2A&list=RD2nayJFcXU2A&start_radio=1

Super cute place! I happen to just drive by the location. We stopped in just to try something so we could have a little taste of Jamaica! So we shared the Chicken Curry. The Chicken was delicious! Flavorful, juicy and very tender. It came along side with rice and veggies! The rice was a tad bit dry. So I added the juices from the chicken to help out that rice! Vegetables: Cabbage and carrots just okay. The waiter was nice. He was pleasant to be around. I will be back for sure to try that Jerk Chicken and a few other things! Oh the decor and the color scheme here... I just love it!

I'm being generous with two stars ... my food was barely edible to be honest. The rice was undercooked and the oxtail was sweet like it was smothered in teriyaki sauce. I won't be returning.

Underwhelming to say the least. The rice was bland and the cabbage was undercooked. In all honesty disappointed. The jerk chicken alone was okay and that is it. The rest was trashed. Totally wasted time and money.

service was good but the best part of my meal was my drink. I ordered oxtail with rice and beans as they call it and the rice was hard and the red beans were harder. The oxtail was ok but needed to be cooked some more and the gravy had no consistency......it was like water. My partner ordered jerk chicken with rice and beans with brown stew gravy on the side. Of course the rice was hard and the beans harder. The jerk chicken was good, well seasoned and had flavour. The gravy was horrible, it was like brown water. Will I ever eat there again, NO!! If you're looking for authentic Jamaicandood, this is not the place.

Didn't know my girlfriend was part vulture! She picked apart those bones until there was nothing left. Owner is super cool and has a super cool cat too

Flavor was ok but everything was microwaved. Owner didn't even say hi, the server was really nice and I didn't like the cats running around.

Was craving jerk chicken today and decided it was worth the drive to try this place out. No regrets! Not only is $12 for a big plate of jerk chicken an amazing deal, but the chicken was perfectly juicy, smoky, spicy, and flavorful. The cabbage cooked in coconut milk was great too. The rice and beans were a little bit lacking but honestly I feel like that's partly because I went there at like 3:30 pm when nobody usually eats.

Will forever stop by when I'm in town, homie working was such a gem, and I can't wait to go back, was everything I needed and more

DELICIOUS and WELCOMING! We went in the summertime, and there was plenty of outdoor seating available, where you could enjoy the delicious food and also smell the smoky fresh grilled Jerk Chicken while you were waiting, and eating, the food and eating. The owner and chef was extremely friendly and welcoming. When we asked for recommendations, he gave a really thorough walkthrough of popular items, and was pretty spot on in regards to spiciness level of the foods. We got a Jerk Chicken plate (a must!), and per the owner's recommendation, a Curry Chicken plate and a Patty. The Patty was well seasoned, and was probably the "spiciest" thing on the menu. The breading had a slight crunchy/chewy texture, and kept the meat inside very very hot. Be careful to not take too big of a bite, you might burn yourself! The Jerk Chicken and Curry Chicken plates were also phenomenal. Bursting with flavor, and just overall a great home-cooked meal. I will definitely be going back!

The owner was so friendly & funny! The jerk chicken was very good & only $12. My bf got the cbd blood orange drink & he said it was good! Food. And out pretty fast too

We stopped in here randomly looking for a bite to eat when visiting Portland. The service and staff were beyond fine and kind. We loved both tofu based option we got! The flavoring and sauce ‍ The ting grapefruit soda we really delicious too! Would go back if I was in town again!

Very authentic Nd very good everything here on the menu is very solid customer service 10/10

Came in after seeing this on my move into Portland and realizing how local it was to my new neighborhood. The cute little converted house with the business name out front was an easy draw. While I'm kind of a dork and worried about opening the gate to the yard to approach the restaurant, it wasn't enough of a deterrent to walking up the stairs and inside. It was a hot day outside but the owners have a massive, powerful AC unit and it was really nice inside. My wife and I took our food to go so no beautiful photos to show, but dang, the food was GOOD. I got the curried goat and my wife got the jerk chicken, plus a side of plantains to share, and fresh ice-cold watermelon juice. I drank most of my juice on the way home: it was both sweet and tart, so fresh. The jerk chicken has a complex layer of flavors; while it was the mildest jerk I've had in terms of heat, it had some lovely all-spicey flavors with just a touch of heat at the end of the bite. The goat was fall-off-bone, salty and steeped in a classic curry flavor without being heavy like a stew -- which paired perfectly with the plantains and rice & beans. Yum! Will definitely be back, especially to enjoy the lovely outside dining after the summer heat dies down a bit. So good! Thank you for bringing full and robust flavors to this neighborhood!

This is a restaurant in a detached house, giving it a cosy vibe. I arrived with friends who had never eaten there either. So I asked the patron whether I should get the jerk chicken or the curried goat. A customer suggested the jerk chicken, so we all ordered the jerk chicken. A good recommendation. Jerk chicken is spicy, if you are expecting a tasteless, boneless, skinless piece of chicken breast you are going to be disappointed. You will get a plate full of parted chicken that is truly delicious. It is served with delicious cabbage and rice. Quite a large meal and worth every penny. Wash it down with Jamaican ginger beer, Outdoor seating is available.

I cannot believe that we have this hidden gem in St Johns!!!! One of our most memorable trips as a family was to Jamaica. So, to have a local representation of the family style, comfort food of the Island is just wonderful! The location is in the front of a house. The seating is limited but perfect for a cozy-up experience. The menu is limited BUT has all the favs like jerk chicken. The meals are a bit on the spicy side so brace yourself! The plantains were crisp and perfect in flavor. They were out of the dessert, so we will have to try that next time. Ya' mon, no problem!

This place is amazing! The food, the service and and vibe in this place is unmatched. Greeted with a smile when getting in this restaurant. Thank you so much for an amazing experience! Highly recommend!

After a very long time in the cold, Jamaican food seemed perfect. It took awhile for the lone waiter to get to us as he was helping three other tables to finish up. At first I was disappointed that they were out of curried goat, but I was thrilled to find out they could give me some along with the ox tail. It seemed perfect. The curried goat was great, but the ox tail was very tough. My daughter asked how I knew it wasn't braised long enough and I replied that it should be tender, almost falling off the bone. My daughter's jerk tofu was fantastic! It was better than what I had. We both loved the ice cream at the end. Very rich and tasty. The service was very slow, but extremely friendly. The food was worth going back to try the jerk chicken.

Per the sign on the door, I called my order in and arranged for pick-up in 5 mins. I walked a couple of blocks and knocked on the door for pick-up. The service was friendly and food was ready. I walked to enjoy the meal outside and the food was still very hot, which was nice. The chicken was super tender and the flavor was delicious. The coconut cabbage/carrots were so good--I've never had anything like it. Red beans/rice and plantains were also delicious. I wasn't able to hold back once I opened the box--hence, the photo is not the whole meal ;)

This is a great setting, in a nice house with outdoor garden seating as well. That said, I hit it on a bad day for service, and found the dish I ordered to be mediocre. The waiter was filling in for a friend who is sick. She and the chef were at odds, and at one point she told me that she wasn't going to get yelled at and was going home. The chef and owner had just had some sort of surgery and was certainly in pain, so I cut him some slack on that, though it certainly didn't make him win any moral approval from me for his behavior. I ordered the jerk tofu. It was extremely disappointing and very expensive for what it was. So I can't recommend this place for vegetarians, but the people having the jerked chicken looked like they were enjoying their meals.

This place is a hidden gem. The best jerk we've ever tasted. Chicken is coated in a seasoning mixture dominated by spices and chiles, then grilled. Oh so wonderful! It is fragrant, fiery hot and smoky all at once. Try it yourself!

The food was amazing. You can taste the authenticity within the seasoning. 8.7/10 rating. The service was "mid" would recommend an better display of what's available or out of stock.

I went here while one a work trip. I passed by here on my way to another spot to eat . I cam in for some Coco bread and Beef patties . Of course he was out of Coco bread , so I ordered some Beef patties . I heard beeps like a microwave . I thought nothing of it . I get my food to go it was wrapped in foil like it was put in the oven . I got back to the hotel and took one bite damn patty was hard as a rock like it was over heated in the microwave. I do not know who is giving this place 5 stars. This is no Jamaican food like I remember from growing up n Ny . save your cash and your taste buds.

We were a big fan of Jamaica House. Great food, atmosphere, and service. The decor was fun as well. We had the curried goat and jeraki (forgive my slaughtered spelling) chicken, both of which were delicious. The meat was fall off the bone tender, and the sides were yummy as well. No bad things to say - check it out!

I visited Jamaica House for the first time today. I like the setup and the decor. The atmosphere was Jamaican for sure! The owner's personality is positive, upbeat and welcoming. I had the jerk chicken, beef patty and a Ting! I haven't tasted a Ting in so long! The jerk chicken was ok. I say ok as I am used to a much more spicy version of it from NYC's Jamaican communities. However, for what I have experienced as far as restaurants in Portland, it was good. Now, the beef patty was flavorful and spicy but it was heated from frozen and the crust wasn't flaky. So, if you are used to the Jamaican bakery fresh out the oven kind, you might be a bit disappointed. I don't like to judge off of one visit so I will visit from time to time and different days and see what's up. I have a feeling that it will be better and that Jamaica House will deserve a 5-Star rating from me.

Ordered curry chicken and it was very filling and delicious! Did not disappoint. This definitely took me back to the islands.

Oh my dear and fluffy lord this place is amazing. I wish I could actually give it 6 stars. We just moved into the neighborhood and have been walking past this place every day for the last two weeks. Today we went in for a bite and I'm so glad we did. The owner, Simba, is really warm and friendly and I loved the relaxed vibe. Y'all this was the best jerk chicken I've ever had in my life and I've had a lot of good Jamaican food over the years. This food was a revelation, though. This was pure love on my plate. The holidays are hard this year and we were feeling a little cold, disconnected, and sad when we walked in, but when we walked back out we were feeling fat and happy, with full bellies and open hearts. There's a whole bit in the old kids book, The Wind In The Willows, the part where Mr. Toad is in jail and someone kind brings him some buttered toast. As he eats it, he begins to remember all that is good in the world and slowly, to feel like himself again. Eating here felt kind of exactly like that. The food has love in it and the owner has created a really inviting space. If you're having a rough day, I think coming here for your meal will make you feel better. It sure won't hurt! We had the jerk chicken and the owner's variation which I can't remember, but it's jerk chicken with a kind of sweet component to it. I loved both. It was perfectly cooked and served with a side of beans and rice and some veg. I didn't​ think I would be able to eat it all but it felt like sacrilege​ to leave even a morsel on my plate, so I ate it all and rolled myself out of there, no regrets. 10/10 customer for life. So glad this place is in St. Johns!

The smell of your Outdoor grilling always grabs my nose. And my tongue is a happy camper when I pull over and dive into some Jamaican goodness. Thank you so much for having vegetarian options with your super tasty flavors and spices. My partner enjoys your jerk chicken. We love your food and the outdoor seating is perfect.

The Jerkiyaki was quite amazing and the sweet bread was so yummy. I have been eating here for years and had to leave a review. I enjoy the vibes, the music and the FOOD! St. John's is a great place to visit for some food and drinks. Don't miss this place if you are in the area!