Tropics Island Grill

Today was our first time and it did not disappoint. We originally planned to make a to go order but the vibe was so welcoming we decided to eat in instead. I enjoyed the decor and the music. We love Jamaican culture and it felt like we were back visiting the island.
We ordered curry chicken and jerk chicken. Both were cooked to perfection. I had the curry chicken and the spice level was perfection. 10/10. I typically travel to Richmond to get my Jamaican food. I am elated to find something closer to me. I will be back and 100% recommend to others.

We ordered the oxtail and fried chicken meal with a side of rice and beans with cabbage, patties and coco bread. Everything was DELICIOUS!! And I don’t say that lightly. We’ve tried 4-5 other Jamaican restaurants since moving here 3 of which were highly recommended that were NOT anything close to what we’re used to. This oxtail was well seasoned and had a nice amount of spice!! (if you like spice) Every establishment we’ve tried here in Virginia in the past has tasted watered down and even by just looking at the color we could tell it would be a disappointment. We ordered the fried chicken just to be safe in case we were disappointed with the oxtail… but even the fried chicken was good with a nice spicy sweet sauce added to it. It’s safe to say WE WILL BE BACK SOON to try the snapper based on the other reviews. I hope this place stays in business, it’s nice to have a local spot with flavor!! Lastly the beef patties were ok and coco bread was good, nice and soft!! The only thing I’d change is a little more oxtail to the plate BUT we did order a small…

Stopped here for the first time on a Friday night. They were jumping with orders and I waited there for a bit but it was a nice wait in the sense that the atmosphere seemed very peaceful and inviting, almost like you had left America and stepped into a real Jamaican neighborhood chill spot. The owners (I’m assuming) were so nice that there was a sense of community to the place even though most of the people waiting were there for the first time.
As for food we got the chicken tenders (amazing- flavorful and perfectly crispy- 10/10), beef Patty (really good, fresh- 8/10), and curry chicken, which was my least favorite of the three. It had a decent amount of flavor but definitely could have used more flavor, and the chicken was tender but it was a bit dry. It definitely could have used more sauce. The rice was solid, as was the cabbage for the most part but it did feel like it was just a touch too dry. Overall, I would rate the curry chicken dish a 7. My overall experience with the place was great and I will be trying some of their other dishes in the future. Only thing that could make this place better would be sprinkling in some karaoke nights!

Heads up, there will be a wait- would recommend ordering ahead of time, especially on a Friday/ Saturday.

So glad this place opened up, we need more great places like this to eat!
I ordered Jerk Chicken, which was served with rice and beans and cabbage. The jerk chicken was cooked perfectly, hot and spicy but sweet and smoky. The meat was the highlight, but the sides were amazing too. The rice and beans mix caught the sauce from the meat and it was such a great flavor. The cabbage was even delicious and perfectly cooked. I got 2 sides: coco bread, which was like eating a cloud. It was soft and delicate, but perfect for sopping up excess sauces. And the plantains were delicious, served piping hot and cooked perfectly.
The place was packed and they seemed to have a little difficulty keeping up with orders, but the food was worth the short wait. The staff was all welcoming and friendly