Jamerica - Madison

This is a bittersweet review. Jamerica has been a fixture in Madison for as long as I can remember, and now they are closing. The owner, Martin, is a familiar smiling face on Willy Street as well as just about every event in Madison. He's got great grandchildren and has earned the right to retire but I'll miss him and his food. Like a lot of locally owned restaurants, the food varies sometimes based on who's in the kitchen. On a good day Jamerica has held it's own with any Jamaican food I've ever had, anywhere. If you're going to be going before they close, do yourself a favor and try any of the Run Down dishes. I dont think any other restaurants in the area serve Run Down, and not only is it my favorite thing on the menu, it's the most consistent. Recently I had the jerk chicken and jambalaya, both of which were a little bland for my liking. In other visits they have been plenty spicy. Thanks Martin, for your years of great food!

Take your friends, family, spouse. The Jerk is superb, be it chicken, pork, tofu or fish. The Mango rundown wonderful! The menu includes BBQ a few more choices. Reasons to go back! It might take a few trips. Go hungry the portions are generous, enough to trade samples. Very satisfying food at reasonable prices.

I was craving some straightforward, delicious food, so I headed to Jamerica on Willy Street. I was seated immediately and a pitcher of water was brought to my table, along with a tempting selection of bottled imports and domestics for beer and soda. I ordered the fried plantains from the appetizer menu, and they arrived hot and crispy, paired with a dipping sauce that I didn’t even use because I loved the plantains just as they were. I enjoyed taking in the collage of celebrity photos on the walls while watching March Madness on one of the TVs. For my main courses, I had a vegetarian dish and a flavorful, hearty jambalaya, both of which were fantastic. I had enough leftovers to take home for another meal. I eat jambalaya frequently, and I can confidently say this one was exceptional. I can’t wait to return—definitely worth the $11 I spent!

It wasn't terrible. I ordered the catfish rundown, which tasted more like a mango coconut sauce rather than the traditional version. It was a bit too sweet for my liking. The rice, unfortunately, was not good, but the jerk chicken and vegetables were tasty. I had requested a piece of catfish and also asked if I could get a small piece of chicken. The waitress agreed, but then brought out two full servings, saying that was the only way it could be done. I had only asked for a piece of chicken, so I feel like that was a bit excessive.

Fantastic food! The owners are really wonderful people. I’ll definitely be eating here again. The food is well-seasoned and hearty. My plate was so loaded that it took me almost two days to finish it. The only drawback is the parking situation in the area.