Whadda jerk

Restaurant · Lawndale

Whadda jerk

Restaurant · Lawndale

3

1600 S Kedzie Ave, Chicago, IL 60623

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Highlights

Jerk chicken, rum cocktails, patio, DJs, karaoke  

Featured in The Infatuation
Featured in Eater

1600 S Kedzie Ave, Chicago, IL 60623 Get directions

whaddajerk.com
@whaddajerk

$$ · Menu

Information

Static Map

1600 S Kedzie Ave, Chicago, IL 60623 Get directions

+1 773 541 0293
whaddajerk.com
@whaddajerk

$$ · Menu

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Last updated

Oct 17, 2025

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@infatuation

Whadda Jerk - Review - Wicker Park - Chicago - The Infatuation

"Whadda Jerk is a Caribbean spot in Wicker Park that started out as a roaming food truck, but now has a permanent location in the neighborhood. The menu is full of tasty fried things like jerk egg rolls, jerk wings, and an absurdly good jerk chimichanga, all of which go very well with one of their rum cocktails. The restaurant has a large front patio, and DJs playing dancehall and reggae. And letting the music wash over you while you relax with a drink and some sweet and spicy jerk chicken is a great way to unwind after a hard day of, well, pretty much anything." - Adrian Kane

https://www.theinfatuation.com/chicago/reviews/whadda-jerk
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@eater

Taste of Chicago To-Go Food Festival Returns - Eater Chicago

"Whadda Jerk is another food truck and vendor at the Pullman City Market." - Naomi Waxman

https://chicago.eater.com/2021/7/7/22560695/taste-of-chicago-to-go-goose-island-big-mich-crust-fund-portillos-strike
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@eater

Upcoming Chicago-Area Restaurants and Bars to Know, Spring 2021 - Eater Chicago

"Jerk-centric food truck Whadda Jerk is taking over a space with plenty of restaurant history at 2015 W. Division Street. The Divison Street address most recently housed Clever Rabbit, a vegetarian-friendly spot that opened in 2017." - Naomi Waxman

https://chicago.eater.com/2021/3/16/22332032/new-chicago-restaurants-bars-spring-2021-coming-attractions
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T Reese

Google
I want this place to do a major overhaul because it's black owned and deserves to make the same money as the other brunch spots. I think the problem is that the restaurant is bit dated & old/ratty and the food is just not appeasing. We did not eat when we went because the appearance of the food was not it. For $55/person, the quality should be there. Now, the mimosas were good. Not super strong but I enjoyed the different flavors. The karaoke is the draw and could be a big money maker on the weekend if only these improvements could be made. My friends and I enjoyed the owner and staff very much.

Ed Li

Google
Great staff, great food, great drinks. The frozen margaritas were wonderful and they come in peach or strawberry. The soft tacos seemed a little small, but they were filled all the way up with chicken and toppings. The whadda bowl was very generously filled, the fried egg is under the jerk chicken. Their in house jerk sauce used on the jerk tenders is sweet and spicy and it's better than any Mango habsnero I've ever had. And the tenders are grilled not deep fried. The fries are fresh cut and their not breaded so they will get a little soggy with all the sauces. It was a little pricey, the margaritas were $15.50 each and you can go through those pretty quickly. There's indoor and outdoor seating

kendra mccabe

Google
Big Brother premier party with Thee DJ Showtime, Daniel Durston, and LNC's Shay partied and entertained as the place watched the 1st episode of BB 25. Excellent sound system for Karaoke.

Rolo

Google
These are good wings but for the price, you get only 4. There is heat on these wings but unlike traditional jerk seasoning, the wet sauce is not jerk, its too sweet and not orange colored. The fries were a bit soggy from the sauce dripping off the wings. I would have preferred the fries in a separate bag. Was not really what I was expecting.

Nikki Vaughn

Google
The Jerk Nachos, wings and chimichanga were delicious. The jerk sauce was flavorful and sweet. The vibe was cool. The karaoke was hilarious. I had a good time and will most definitely be back.

Christophe D

Google
Worst chicken ( super dry and overcooked) and tiny overpriced drinks. The Martini on the picture is how it came before I even start to drink it. I spent $80 and still am hungry. Food is just very bad, don't go there. Also took 45 min for food & drinks. Nice waitress though.

Kimberly White

Google
Everything about this place was amazing from the ambiance to the food, drinks and service. We went on karaoke night and it was definitely a vibe. I can’t wait to go back 🥰

Its Tniaaa

Google
0/10 for me. Only good thing was the music. Our waitress had an attitude and turns out she was the manger. Food was not that good at all it tasted more sweet than anything. There was a 20% service fee no matter if you use cash or card.
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Rob Snow S.

Yelp
Taste of Chicago super sample short review: I am grading on what I had, the sample provided...and what the vendor thought would be the catch/draw for their restaurant. What a joke is more like it... These were the worst "jerk" tacos I have ever had. These were poorly minced chicken tacos, with store bought cheap shredded cheese. This was an absolute joke, and equally the worst thing I had at the Taste of Chicago. I'm not sure why you would choose this as one of the items to represent your establishment. Time to get serious guys...
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L L.

Yelp
Is this place ever open?? There are no business hours posted on their front door or website. I understand they are a food truck operation but should post their limited hours so customers will know when this location is open.
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Milly G.

Yelp
The food was great, good portions for the price too! The sauce was amazing, it managed to be spicy and flavorful. The cashier was patient while we made up our minds. I recall them playing reggae on tv keeping up with the ambiance of course.
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Latrice A.

Yelp
My group and I were able to take part of karaoke nights. Also. I'll check the website and noted that it was happy hour as well. I got that pretty early because I wanted to get a parking spot on the block which I did. I stayed parked there from about 5:45 to 10:00 at night and it cost me about $10. The menu here is pretty much composed of chicken items. A lot of items like the beef brisket sliders that in half and a couple drinks they didn't have either so that was disappointing cuz it's on the menu. It definitely needs to be removed. They do have a lot of specials like karaoke, night specials and Thursday night specials and happy hour specials so that's pretty cool. The drinks like the rum punch regular prices for $14 but on the happy hour menu it was seven and that's the cost of that actually. Should be 14. Would definitely be too much for the size pore. Nice atmosphere, black owned and operated food. Pretty much to order didn't come out fast but it was hot and fresh when you did receive the item I did something kind of like a taco bowl with head like jerk chicken on the top cilantro. I asked them to add lettuce and tomato on there for me and had cheese and underneath was fries. I was explained that it came with bacon and egg which I opted not to get. It was okay. My girlfriend got the chicken wings and I think she gave it from one to five a strong three. The true star of the evening was karaoke and the DJ or the host. He made it very interactive. Very likely that I will be coming back
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Madam W.

Yelp
Listen, I don't know how their ratings are so low, because that jerk burrito I had was too on point. I'm about to order it again. I ordered on DoorDash so it wasn't hot hot but that's what I got an air fryer for lol
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Alana D.

Yelp
I've never had the food here and unfortunately, I won't be back. Me and a friend were here on a Saturday night and the service was just plain bad. When we walked in there was a cluster of ppl standing at the hosts stand and 2 hosts. No greeting or acknowledgment. When we made our way to the bar we were finally stopped by a host and seated. From there the water is $2, the server was slow, inattentive and got our first round of drinks wrong. When we tried to get her attention she ignored us till I screamed at her. It's too bad cause the food looks tasty but I'll never know.

Angela H.

Yelp
The worst food truck experience ever! The young lady taking the orders was very nice and pleasant and that's where the good ends at! I decided to try the jerk chicken nachos, why did I do that?! The nachos had a drizzle of COLD NACHO on top with a sprinkle of shredded cheese and well! Let not talk about the nonexistent chicken they put on it! It was crumbled "chicken crumbs", it didn't even equal out to a chicken wing worth of chicken! Now I went back because there wasn't any cheese nor chicken and the gentleman on the truck said it's cheese on the bottom and top, I guess I'm Helen Keller because I didn't see or taste it! The man proceeded to put cold ass nacho cheese on the nachos! It's always BLACK PEOPLES THAT SCREW THEIR OWN KIND OVER!! And that sweet sauce they put on there, just ugh. They should put it in the side cause it doesn't do anything it's actually off putting!!! Never again in this life or another! I wish I didn't have to give a star! Worst jerk ever!
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Joneice B.

Yelp
Came to opening weekend of the brick and mortar of this food truck restaurant. This This waz a total accident but we are glad that we got to enjoy some of their food. Both my husband and I were satisfied with our meals. The jerk restaurant is really kind of cool in the way it is decorated and I am sure that once they get settled itll be a very vibrant place. On this evening The restaurant wasn't packed but it was starting to get more patrons. Which is a big accomplishment for a newly opened restaurant on Division! At the time we were at the restaurant they did not have their liquor license but they did partner with the Mexican Restaurant next door and we were able to get some cocktails with our meal. Our server and service in general was really nice. Patrick helped us out and informed us that he was a relative of the owner and that he would be working the bar in the future so we should come back to try some tasty drinks! This evening we ordered the chimichanga and the whatda jerk fries. Both were really guide I would say the only negative part of the fries is that they were not very hot. I was really hungry so I just ate it but normally it's something I probably would send back to the kitchen and ask for them to heat it up. Overall fries had good flavor and enjoyed my egg. I would recommend putting the egg on top versus burying the egg. I kinda forgot about until I found it under some chicken. My husband's chimichanga with jerk chicken was delicious and there are no complaints about that dish.
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Marissa P.

Yelp
I would sell my soul for their chimichanga and jerk rolls! Ordered one yesterday and it was incredible. The best burrito type thing I've ever eaten in my life. Why aren't burritos always fried? TRY THE CHIMICHANGA ALREADY. I ordered another one today. The place is really cute during the day and has an outdoor patio too. Servers were nice. It was literally hot and ready in 15 minutes and we picked it up to bring home. The jerk rolls are soooo good too. The wings are good and fries are ok but I think the best things here are the chimichanga and jerk rolls hands down. Will be coming back multiple times!!!
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Richard N.

Yelp
Food was really good ESPECIALLY THE small ass chicken wings, and the expensive ass Rum Punch $14 per small 8oz cup, but all must have been good since I gave them 5 stars. May have been the service - THANKS EMILY!
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Rie U.

Yelp
I saw them on Chicago's Best and had to have one!! The outer shell was super crunchy and flaky, and not soggy or dripping with grease. I was impressed bc they had wrapped it in foil and I thought it'd be soggy by the time I got home. There's definitely that kick of heat of the jerk sauce but not so much so that it's uncomfortable to eat. Loved the little pop of cilantro too! Would definitely eat another one. Like, now.
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Krystal H.

Yelp
I've only been able to eat from here once cuz they're barely ever open. It was delicious though
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Jordan D.

Yelp
The experience was better has a food truck, it took an hour just to get a drink. The Dj was cool, had the place jumping it was just hard to get any service. They only had wings, tenders or ribs and we ordered jerk wings (their jerk is a mango jerk not spicy). It took forever to get our order and the skin of the wings taste undercooked, couldn't finish it. I know they're understaffed however they shouldn't allow so many people inside if their experience will suffer, hopefully they get it together.
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Kwality T.

Yelp
This is easily one of my new favorites. They would have 5 Stars if they had an actual menu, reason being the place is so good it makes you not want to check your phone lbs. The waitresses and bartenders were cool and chill. The music here is great they also have a outside patio. Drinks are reasonably priced and they have Bottomless Mimosas 3pm-6pm for a very great price if you ask me. The food was excellent and lastly they have Karaoke nights 2 times out the week so be sure to definitely give them a chance. I will be back soon and very soon. Everything else is great nothing less from the prices of the food to the drinks.
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Lissette S.

Yelp
Went to an event here. Was supposedly a "sneaker ball" it was whack. The sneakers were whack. They treat you like CRAP HERE - WHADDA JERK IS RIGHT but not Bc the jerk is good- the food is mediocre at best. The treatment is crappy & sad. No service with a smile here. the worse part is we were the only people tipping for the open bar - when it ended they tried to charge $24 for a BOTTOM SHELF DRINK! I was appalled by the price. For Smirnoff ? There was no mixologist- nope- just a rude woman in tacky lingerie making crappy drinks serving it with a stank attitude & then attempting to over charge. My husband & I looked at each other & left. I refuse to pay $24 a drink for a terribly made bottom shelf cocktail Served with a stank attitude. They treat their customers like potential SUCKAS here. They got the wrong one. Will NEVER recommend or go back! Rude & whack.
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Jill O.

Yelp
Had the pleasure of trying this food truck at the Taste of Chicago, where my sister and I had the jerk chicken tacos. They were unexpectedly good. The chicken was juicy and well cooked and seasoned.The jerk spice was spicy, yes, but more importantly it was flavorful. It all balanced together really well, and it was one of the best bites of the day. If I see this food truck out and about outside of the Taste, I'd definitely pay them a visit.
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Pariss G.

Yelp
Free champagne!!! Enough said, love the food. Friendly staff. Love the vibes. We'll definitely come back.
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Kendra M.

Yelp
This food truck came to my office for lunch this week and I was really impressed! I had wings and tacos because YOLO and I can't decide which I liked more. The chicken marinade itself was spicy and flavorful, and the jerk sauce had more of a spicy-sweet taste, which surprised me but I was not mad about it. You can tell that the owners/workers care about the flavors. It was more expensive than I would have liked but what food truck isn't? I would definitely order from Whadda Jerk again if I come across their truck. I'm dying to try the egg rolls!!
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Carlton J.

Yelp
I'll give em another try but I didn't care for the menu. Some food we were charged for we never received. Great atmosphere though. Great spirits.
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Shaunta E.

Yelp
I have been wanting to try this food truck for awhile. I was doing some late night Uber eats scrolling and this popped up. The truck was located about a mile from my house. I was excited so I ordered the jerk wings and egg rolls. It's arrived fresh and hot. Both items were delicious, so delicious I had to go back the following day. This time i went to the location of the truck on 76th Stony Island. I ordered the egg rolls again, and a jerk chicken quesadilla. The apple jerk sauce was amazingly sweet and spicy. I would just like to say this food was exactly what I needed during this quarantine. The wait was minimal for the food which was also a plus. I definitely suggest finding this food truck.
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Jason M.

Yelp
Came for Thursday wing special. They were great and the drinks were good too. It was a slow night and the staff was attentive. Will try more food next time

Prince P.

Yelp
I thought highly of u being military navy like me but i was sadly mistaken i just tried to help n slide u pointers on making money from military once u out.
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Shequira A.

Yelp
Nice atmosphere, good food and drinks! I loved the wall art too! You can never go wrong with the chimichanga & egg rolls.

Madicyn S.

Yelp
Whadda jerk we beyond amazing. I went with my friends a few times. You can tell there was a lot of love put into making this food. I would definitely recommend and go again. The vibe of the place was lovely, and aesthetic it's absolutely beautiful inside.
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Yi Rong T.

Yelp
One of the newer food trucks that sits on Wacker Drive with a humorous tag line "Who hasn't dated a jerk before?". Went during off-peak lunch hours at around 1PM and there were two customers ahead in me in the line ordering, but ended up waiting for a substantial amount of time. I ordered both the jerk wings dipped in sauce and the jerk burrito. Jerk Wings - Came with a kick in taste with that space but the meat on the wings was limited and the fries that came with it was minimal as well. Score of 2.5/5. Jerk Burrito - Had just the right amount of spice and didn't leave a heavy bloated feeling after finishing the burrito. The size of the burrito is on the smaller end as well. Score of 3/5. Overall and the food didn't taste bad but the serving size and also long wait of 20 mins for a lunch truck makes me have some reservations from ordering again.
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Beverly C.

Yelp
So I love jerk chicken and happy to see a different resturant on Division. The food was good but the presentation was horrible. Our bill came $86 and they use very cheap paper products. The owners kids were running all over the place inside and running back and forth from outside. Even though they were cute, it was a little distracting. I will go back but they really need to improve on how they represent their food - does not come close to the photos they post.
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Neha C.

Yelp
Ordered ahead on the app. Went to pick up food when it said it's be ready. They lost my order. Had to wait another 20 min for food (they said it would only take 5). After I got my food and left, I noticed they had forgot the fries. Called them and had to go back to get the fries. Had to wait another 5 minutes for fries. When I got home, noticed the fries were plain. Did not have any of the toppings mentioned on the menu on the fries. Also ordered a second chimichunga vegetarian. All they put in it was cheese......that's it. Nothing else. Ridiculous. Total for two chimichungas and fries was 50 dollars. Waste of money. Want a refund for getting my order wrong TWICE and making me go back and forth multiple times.
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Yumi T.

Yelp
SO GOOD! I came here twice, two days in a row after trying it. Highly recommend the tacos with extra jerk sauce - so juicy. Also have tried the chimichanga and will be trying the bowl next time so happy that this place opened in Wicker!
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Clarence S.

Yelp
Loved this place, great place to go hang out after work and watch sporting events, music is hip hop, everyone is really nice.

Lori G.

Yelp
No way to reach by phone. Either busy repeatedly or if rings nobody answers. love the food but has no way to reach for adding or updating order.
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Viviana K.

Yelp
What a great new place. The jerk chimichanga was delicious, the staff super friendly and accommodating. Love new spots that are authentically local, and this spot is that. They were still working out their liquor license but I was able to get a drink from next door and bring to the spot.
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Victoria S.

Yelp
They came to cater at NBC Tower. They took my order, then after I realized so many people that came after me were getting their orders filled I went up and asked what was going on. They lost my ticket and said that they would make my order now. They filled at least 10 orders after me and every time I came up and asked where mine was they said they were going to make mine next. I waited for a HALF HOUR on my lunch break for some jerk quesadillas and ended up not getting them because they RAN OUT OF MEAT. By the end of all of this my lunch break is over and I have no lunch.
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Kevin L.

Yelp
The experience here is amazing. We had the owner come out and hang with us while we had the daily special of the brisket chimichanga. It was the best food and service we've ever had in Chicago. Great people, great food.
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Natasha C.

Yelp
Came here for lunch today and had the jerk chicken sandwich,fries and a rum punch. My lunch date had the jerk chimichanga. The sandwich was chicken thighs. Moist goodness!! I wish it came with a small side of jerk sauce. That would have set it off. The rum punch was tasted but lacked the alcohol kick that rum punch is known for. Food came out within the time it was quoted from our server. I will be back!! Happy to support black business.

Afrika A.

Yelp
So Whadda Jerk is now a whole entire restaurant. Yes. I said it. A restaurant in Wicker Park. I tried it out after a friend's recommendation and let me just say that I was not disappointed. I had the jerk chimichanga and boy was it good. They use some type of sweet-spicy jerk sauce that sets them apart from the other jerk spots. Next time I'm going to try the egg rolls. So looking forward to it.

Jasmine H.

Yelp
Food was pretty good! The vibes were definitely there BUT if I wanted to be around kids at the age of 6-7 I would've stayed at home. Not appropriate at all sorry...

Nicole M.

Yelp
1 waitress for the entire establishment poor drink selections. The food is a NOOOOO it is stuff with a lil jerk seasoning not jerk chicken in any way shape or form. Jerk sauce was a mix of Mild Sauce and seasoning. Most things sold out. Vegan options sold out so that only left fries. Note if you don't smell smoke outside it is not Jerked!!!

Dennis K.

Yelp
Ordered $41 in food at riot rest and never received our food and employees would not help to receive our order. I would not recommend this place. Hopefully they have better service in their regular restaurant.

Lisa B.

Yelp
Went here today and received the worse service. I had to flag down a server to put in my initial order and the server with the long dreads had the worst attitude as if we were bothering her. Keep in mind they were not crowded they barely had any customers. We didn't even get water. No one checked on us and we had to flag down the server again to order another drink she was too busy talking to her colleagues. Than to top it off I was over charged. I will never come back here again and will let everyone know my experience
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Jessica B.

Yelp
I remember seeing this truck at the Thortons Gas fill up on Harlem in Forest Park. I was excited...even tho i didnt try their food. I FINALLY DID TODAY!!! FYYEE FYYEE FYYYEEE BIZNASSS!!!! I had their wings! Fried PERFECTLY! AND THE Sauce=YUMMAHLICIOUS!!!! Ima KEEP coming back for more!! Lookn forqaed to their 'Jerk Rolls' and dem Jerk Nachos!!! Yeah these MEN, know how to THROW down!! #FlavorPartyOnDemTonsils

Marie S.

Yelp
The food was good but the service was terrible. The waitress never came to the table to see if we wanted by to order anything else. I had to go to the bar and get our drinks. The table was never cleaned. The worst part about this place is they charge a "Service Fee" which they don't tell you up front. I found out when I got my bill and the waitress couldn't explain why my bill was so high. She had to get the manager. I will never go there again.
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Darnyieh B.

Yelp
The food was really good I had the jerk chicken chimichanga, the server was really helpful in explaining to me what foods were my allergen friendly

Kendall L.

Yelp
a Thursday night heading to this place just for them to close at 9 30 pm when they site says they close at 11pm

Dee H.

Yelp
Was here on a Thursday night, amazing vibe, great music, and wings were a hit. Good service, waitress was attentive. Crowd was laid back, parking was also accessible on Division street! Will return!
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Shawndel B.

Yelp
I had the Whadda Fry w/ jerk chicken ... over easy egg ... cheese & the jerk sauce is OFF THE METER You have got to try this food truck ... its my new go to
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DJ S.

Yelp
15 min wait for a burrito at a food truck is too long for what was inside of the burrito - meat, sauce, cilantro. They make the same item but in a jar without the tortilla and many of those were done before mine, even after they placed 10+ minutes after I did

Johnathan B.

Yelp
If I could give this place 0 stars I would. The service is awful. It takes forever to get your order taken and then once it's taken it takes forever to receive it. I came here last night and after finding the location on eventbrite. We walked in and we're instantly seated which was good. We scanned the QR code and the waitress came over to take our drink order. We were told there was a 2 drink minimum. We waited 20 mins just for the first drink to come back. I'm guessing the waitress had too many tables because I had to flag down another waitress after sitting there so long to order food. We were told after 10:45, only wings and tenders were left. We got the food and it was cold and bland. Typically I would have sent it back but I was starving and I figured it would take even longer to get it reheated. By this time we had already finished our first drink because it came in a small cup and it took even longer to receive the second drink. On top of the bill items, they charge you a 20% service fee smh. I don't blame the waitress. She was setup to fail. The bar and the kitchen are slow. The hostess was sweet and she did a good job of checking on us. Overall if you just want to enjoy good music and an intimate scenery go here but if you're expecting good service in the process. Make other plans. I won't be back.

Khandi S.

Yelp
They had a food truck at a conference I attended in Chicago. Selections were limited but the food was good! I got the jerk chicken soft tacos! They were spicy but not too much.

Dylan L.

Yelp
Why are people sleeping on this place? Was here at noon on a warm Sunday and no one else was here. Tons of outdoor and indoor seating. Food is AMAZING and the service was great too. Highly recommended.