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Mon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Mon-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sat. 12:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
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When I come here to get my jerk chicken fix, I am incredibly careful not to spill any of the jerk sauce. You may be thinking this is because I want to conserve it. Sort of. More importantly, I don't want anyone to see me licking it from wherever it's fallen. It's that good. What I tell my friends who have yet to try it is "they could put that sauce on a shoe and I'd probably eat it."
Everything I've had here is pretty damn good. Hands down. Their rice and beans side has a little bit of cinnamon in it. Yum!
And for all of you who call this "the hood"...you really need to get out more.
Oh, and they cater. Woohoo!
Great food and decent prices! we had a takeout order of the bbq chicken and the salmon Jerk.
The flavors are very strong, and the fish was too spicy in my opinion. But the fish was done perfectly. the rices and beans are good as well, not the cheap ones you get in Mexican joints.
It's a very small space and parking is an issue. I think it makes more sense to order the food and pick it.
The portions are good and the service was fine, nothing fancy
Rib meat falling off the bone
Hot link, grilled and spicy
Brave the hood
Eat here
My husband and I were driving around Menlo Park one day trying to figure out where we wanted to eat. I pulled out my phone, got on Yelp and searched for restaurants in the area. When I came across this place, I couldn't believe all the good reviews and we had to try it for ourselves.
Verdict??? Hands down the BEST jerk! All the meats are so tender and fall off the bones. This is the type of place you take out of town visitors that you want to impress. Everything is good...everything!!! Jerk chicken, jerk pork, jerk salmon, greens, cornbread, mac n cheese, corn festivals, oxtail, the RICE...EVERYTHING!
The only downside is the parking...and no alcohol!
G'damn it this place is the best. I cannot believe there are people out there who don't believe a higher power gave us this beautiful place.
From the rice to the lamb and of course (drum roll) jerked chicken! Exquisite cuisines.
A++++++++++++++++++++++
Looking for some awesome jerk chicken? Sure there is a little bit of a sketch factor here considering the neighborhood is not the nicest, but as many of you know that is where you will sometimes find the best eats. The moment you walk in and step up to the counter and order, all those concerns just melts away like a daiquiri left out in the warm Caribbean sun. When you walk in you are warmly greeted from behind the register by the friendly staff who work here and the smells of grilled sizzling meats and spices waft into the room, easing whatever reservations one may have had. Ill be blunt, this isn't a place you take a vegetarian or an atkins diet person, it's all about the meats and starches. (This could be part of the reason why im not a friends with any.)
I loved the plantain chips, the jerk chicken was moist, (I'll recomend you always go for the dark meat. ;) ) it had a robust flavor and an almost all out attack on the tastebuds. (That is a GREAT thing!) The rice and beans were good, not exactly something I would crave, but Im asian, and I can't pass up on rice. In this little hole in the wall, seating is very limited, so either be patient, as most people will eat and move on pretty quickly, but most of the customers coming in when I was there were mainly just doing take out. The jerked pork was decent, but I gotta say the chicken is probably one of the best jerked chickens I've ever had... The Corn festivals were pretty good they kinda reminded me of hushpuppies. (Deep fried Corn Bread.)
I'll say this much, I ate this meal a few weeks ago, and even as I write this and think back about this meal, my tastesbuds vividly remember the flavors and my stomach is starting to rumble, great, I managed to make myself hungry WRITING about food!
The food at this place was pretty tasty, although it's not in the nicest part of Menlo Park. The exterior looks pretty run down but the inside looks a lot better, which was clean and brightly painted.
There were 3 of us and we all ordered Jerk Chicken or Pork. Both were nicely seasoned and tender. The Jerk sauce that come on the side for me was what really made the difference. It was very flavorful with lots of garlic, spices and chili peppers.
The portion was huge. For the Jerk Chicken, you get 2 full legs, which comes in 4 pieces, 2 thighs and 2 drum sticks. It also comes with 2 scoops of rice and beans, fried plantains and salad. All the sides were very good. I will be back to try their oxtail dish other Yelpers have been raving about.
Yummy jerk chicken and pork were tender and bursting with flavor. We poured the little container of extra jerk sauce all over the meat and it was even more amazing. The meal came with salad, fried plantains, and rice and beans. The plantains were so good, kind of caramelized on the outside, and the sweetness really complemented the spicy, savory jerk sauce on the meat. The red rice tasted a little bit like coconut to me, and it was mixed with soft kidney beans. Everything went together so well. Even the fairly standard green salad with ranch dressing complemented everything else with it's coolness. In terms of flavors, it was a perfectly balanced plate.
The restaurant itself is kind of a hole-in-the-wall. There are a few tables, but we usually get take-out. Service is nice, and the prices are very reasonable for such delicious food! Definitely recommended.
Very good!
It's in a bad neighborhood and is very small, but well worth it to support the community and a locally-owned place.
The people were nice and warm, and so was the food! I recommend looking at their website first to read about the food and get a good idea of what you want before going. They have their food written above on white boards on the wall behind the cash registers, so when you walk in you're just standing in the middle while you look at the menu. So it's easier to know what you want before.
I will go back--I am curious to try the veggie patty. Yummy--please support local businesses!
Wow! You must go here immediately. You will not be sorry. Nearly 500 yelpers are NOT wrong about this place.
A couple things. I didn't really know what jerk was before going here. Now that I've experienced it I still don't know what it is, but I can tell you this is an amazing example of it.
The meat is cooked and seasoned to perfection. The food is mouthwatering. I can barely wait to get it home before eating it. It's pretty bare bones and flourescent lighting inside, I definitely recommend take out. I am not one of those people that loves spicy food, so I have them do a mild version of whatever it is they do and put the sauce on the side. Still, it's incredibly flavorful. Thinking about it now is making my mouth water. My husband is equally thrilled with this place. He is a spicy food lover and he can't get enough of the sauce. We will be going here for as long as we are anywhere near it.
I am not in love with the sweet potato pudding dessert, but the key lime pie is to die for. I look forward to eventually branching out and having something other than the salmon. OMG, so good! I might die if I don't have it again soon.
FYI, note their hours. They close at 8 pm. Make sure you get there before that! Also, you can ask for all white meat or all dark meat for your jerk chicken depending on your preference.
Apologies for being a Caribbean food virgin, with perhaps the exception of the jerk chicken at chachacha's in the haight ashbury. So, rated in that manner, i found the jerk chicken to be absolutely delicious, and comparable to the jerk chicken at Cha*3. They even give you extra jerk spice sauce, which I would put on virtually everything, if I could
We also had the oxtail beef, which was great. The meat was tender like shank meat, in a very yummy stew like sauce similar to that used in pot roast. Also, the mac and cheese had yummy crusty bits of baked cheese, and reminded us of Luby's mac n cheese.
The location is a tad hard to find, but had great "hole in the wall" charm. Service? Very friendly. If you live in the peninsula, you gotta try this place at least once!
Both the fiance and I read about this place separately and when we came together one day while talking about places to try out, we both agreed this was a spot we *had* to try out. After hearing a friend talk about this place, I knew it was in a sketchy neighborhood on the border of Menlo Park and Palo Alto, but the food was anything BUT sketchy. On a weekend, you'll be lucky to find a seat in the "restaurant" if you don't come early or later than usual. For us, we got lucky, as a group decided they were too big to fit in the restaurant and moved outside. Don't come here expecting a restroom, you won't find it. I had to turn the corner and ask the neighboring haircut place if I could use their ladies' room. If you can get over the fact that this is a hole-in-the-wall which is turning out to be quite the popular Jerk place, then you would love this joint!
Chicken Jerk Plate - this is what they're famous for, and I can see why! The spice was just the right amount of kick (and they even offer you some extra sauce in case you want even more kick to it). The portion are nice and generous - 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks, along with beans mixed in rice, salad, and some fried plantains. If you come here, this is a must!
Pork Jerk Plate - because we wanted to try out something else besides the chicken, this was the default other plate we decided to order. Same exact spice as the jerk chicken, pork was nice with just the right amount of fat to it. If I were to pick a favorite, I don't think I would be able to decide between the chicken or the pork.
Fried wings - comes with 2 scorching hot and soft Hawaiian like rolls. Normally I'm not a fan of buns, but this was a keeper! If we didn't over order, I would've scarfed down that bread like there was no tomorrow. The batter was unique, a good kind of unique. It was a bit puffier than your normal KFC wings (oh wait, why am I insulting this place by comparing it to KFC?!). I'm normally not that big of a fan of wings, but this is different. In case you're into more flavoring, they also give you some extra sauce on the side... kind of reminds me of sweet and sour.
Corn festivals - I did my research before coming here, and didn't read much about corn festivals (I didn't even know what it was walking into this place). This was not on our original order, but after sitting in the restaurant and glancing around at pretty much 75% of the tables with this puffy fried fish shape looking like thing, we *had* to ask what it was. I went down the list of fried foods and couldn't figure it out, so the server told us it was corn festivals. Oh what the hey, there was no description of it, but if everyone and their mama's were ordering it, we were going to do it too. For less than $3, it came with 4 freakin' large corn festivals. My best description of it is sort of like hush puppies but better, it had a mix of corn meal inside and it was crispy and slightly sweetened on the outside. For all you Chinese folks out there, it's like a Chinese donut (perhaps even better tasting). HIGHLY RECOMMEND ORDERING THIS.
4.5 stars. -5 stars for no restroom and you don't really come here for the service.
Yum Yum Yum...
This jerk chicken is absolutly the best!
I am not sure what to say other then this place is the bomb. If you are craving BBQ, this is your place.
Enjoy!
I've never had Caribbean food, but if this is an accurate representation of the cuisine, then I'm coming back for more.
New to the Palo Alto area, my friend and I decided to try this place instead of paying an arm and leg in the snotty Palo Alto/Menlo Park downtown. The outside of the place didn't look the most inviting, but you can't judge a book by its cover. We were greeted, and the lady taking my order even complimented my Halloween costume. I had the jerk chicken meal and my friend had the jerk pork meal. We sat outside and soon the restaurant started filling up fast.
The chicken was tender, juicy, and delicious. The pork was just the same. I haven't had juicy pork in a LONG time. the rice and beans were really good, and the plantains were nice and crispy.
Why four stars? Because I've only had this type of food once, and can't compare to other Caribbean places. I'm surely coming here again, though.
Was I trying to watch my youthful figure! Yeah right, who am I kidding?
It felt like I was on a liquid diet today. I had a soy white mocha from University Cafe this morning and a Blender with plain yogurt, mangoes, banana and kiwi from Red Mango for lunch. I definitely needed something solid in my stomach before the night's end. After reading a rave review from my new found Yelper, Kababble K., I was convinced that Back A Yard Grill was my next calling for dinner. Not to mention the 456 other Yelp reviews, this place looks very attractive to try!
After work I drove through stiff traffic determined to get my grub on. In the same corner as the restaurant were two Palo Alto Police cars parked on the median. I thought someone robbed a store and cops were surrounding the area, but after I parked in the lot behind, I noticed there is a Palo Alto Police Community Center. I had a sigh of relief knowing there was a small station if I needed some assistance in this rough neighborhood, Upon entering the brightly colored restaurant with Jamaican cultural colors, I noticed a nice and clean dining area. I felt like I was inside a homely diner. Painted pictures that looked like murals graced the walls along with framed cutouts of articles about the restaurant and its owners. A wide cashiering desk stretched the width of the place creating a barrier between those dining in and the kitchen area. I had the pleasure of making the cashier's acquaintance. I asked him if he was related to the owners and he said he was a good family friend. This polite and patient young Jamaican man's name was Ritchie. I introduced myself to him and told him it was my first time there.
After scanning the menu and mouth watering pictures on the wall, I decided on trying a BBQ platter for my first experience. I ordered the BBQ Pork (5pcs) Spareribs for $11.75 and it came with fries, a warm bread roll, and cole slaw. The guy asked me if I wanted something to drink and I declined, but he kept asking me like he was suggestive selling. After asking three times, he gave up and I paid a total of $12.84 for the meal. As I waited for the food to come out, Ritchie gave me a glass of ice water, straw, and metal utensils wrapped in a napkin. It only took 10 minutes for the food to arrive and when it did, the presentation was very simple and nice. The oval plastic plate was just the right size to hold the 5 stacked ribs with a good amount of BBQ sauce, crinkle fresh cut fries were light and fluffy inside, a warm roll tasted just baked, and a small bowl of tangy coleslaw completed the meal. My first bite into the ribs was OMFG! You know the feeling when you eat something spectacular and your eyes roll back in ecstasy? Yeah, that's the same feeling! I was in heaven with the flavorful BBQ sauce and succulent meat falling off the bone action. I've never been able to find a rib place as good as PF Chang's ribs in tangy sauce. As I was trying to savor every rib bite, I found myself eating them faster than it took to prepare them. A rib in one hand and a french fry in the other made me feel like a Geico caveman, but I was hungry dammit! The rolls were warm, fluffy and not overbearing with sweet taste. The coleslaw wasn't half bad either. I was full and more than satisfied when I finished this grand meal.
After my meal, I went to order some takeout for my better half; BBQ Ribs (3pc) w/ Rolls @ $6.25 and a side of Fried Plantains @ $2.00 totaling $9.01 Their Hot-Quick-Eats are well worth it. As I waited, I observed the condiment bar closer and saw an arsenal of wet wipes, toothpicks, and plastic utensils for takeout. Ritchie and I passed time by talking some more and I told him I went there because of all the Yelp reviews. He said "Yelp loves us," as he pointed to the door where they had a red Yelp sticker. This was definitely a no brainer to choose Back A Yard Grill for dinner. It was well worth the drive to eat something new. On to it's sister restaurant, Coconuts! I'm having high expectations now. But I know I'll be back soon to try me some Jerk....chicken and pork!
Wow. This place is amazing as the reviews tell! We came here on a Saturday night and was greeted by the sweet lady at the register. She recommended the jerk chicken (full order with salad, rice, fried plantains and beans) and corn festival (side order). We also got the mac and cheese and one diet coke. The meal with two sides and the diet coke was $17.21 pre-tip. Very worth it for the taste and generous portions. The corn festival is a fried bread that looks like a very large piece of fried fish (but bigger). It was $2 something and came in 4 VERY LARGE pieces. I highly recommend sharing a side of this with three other people.
The rice and beans were surprisingly good. You get two scoops. They look like Korean purple bean rice but taste sweeter. The hot sauce that looks like dark green salsa was very good (even though we put it on the salad instead of the chicken).
BF and I enjoyed our dinner very much. Next time I want to try the key lime pie! Will be back soon!
Truly delicious. I got the jerk chicken/jerk pork combo. So there was rice and beans (beans mixed into the rice. There is a slight sweetness to it) and lots of peaces of really deliciously seasoned and moist chicken and pork. The chicken tasted great and the pork was delicious. If you know what cha siu is, the pork is the same cut of meat as that. There was also a salad on the plate but I quickly chowed that down with some of my favorite packaged ranch dressing so I can indulge in the meaty goodness. There were also fried plantains which were pretty good.
The lady kept trying to sell us those Jamaican Sodas. To be brutally honest they weren't anything special but that just makes you want to tr it more and see how unspecial it is so I guess I helped them sell a few sodas.
But the meat was delicious. Only complaint was that my sister got the oxtail and the oxtail seemed a little bit on the cold side.
I will definitely eat here again. I have found my new place for a meat fix.
Best Jamaican food around. Hands down.
What a jerk!
Every single one of these jerks are great!
What else can I say about these Jerks?
Jerk Chicken and Pork Combo is to freakin die for.
This place is so damn good! I can't think of a single person it won't appeal to. A good hole in the wall joint is ALWAYS a treasure and Back A Yard doesn't disappoint. The jerk sauce is awesome and every dish I've ever seen anyone order is a hit.
I'm a veggie and their jerk tofu is to die for! Non-veggie eaters with me have had the jerk chicken, fried catfish, fried shrimp, oxtails, jerk pork and I think we've tried all the side... AND IT WAS ALL DELICIOUS! If you are ever in the area for lunch or dinner, try it. You will be glad you did.
Incredible! I have been twice in the past week. The food is delicious, the service friendly and I can't wait to go back! I've tried both a plate- with the fixin's and the Chicken Wrap.....can't wait to work my way through the menu.
As Guy Fieri would say, "This place is off the hook!!!" This tiny little place which shares the building with a laundromat is bright and clean. We got here around 730 last night...they close at 8 and we were worried that the food would be scarce or not good since it was so close to closing time. Boy were we wrong. Kitty had the oxtail, she said it was OMG YUM...the portion was generous...the meat was juicy, saucy and tender and FULL of flavor . The beans and rice were delicious and the fried plantain were crunchy on the outside and MMM tender on the inside...TASTY and the Kola champagne completed this flavor extravaganza.
Chris had the Jerk Chicken - very tasty and juicy "The best jerk chicken I've ever had - even better than The Real Jerk in Toronto".
And for dessert, we traveled 30 years back in time and had Jamaican Patties. We both have fond memories of hitting the nearest convenience store in Scarborough back then and grabbing one of these bad boys, always way too hot in the heater but damn spicy (if you got one with the red dot) and always TASTY!
We've been looking for good, inexpensive Caribbean food in the Bay area for a long time. Coming from Toronto, where there were Caribbean places everywhere - we are craving a good chicken or goat roti and doubles, but alas there is nothing to be found in the Bay Area. But for Jerk and Oxtail, this place is awesome.
Will definitely be back to try the rest of the menu.
I love this place! I always am tempted to try something new but I can't get passed the fabulous jerk pork! The meat is always cooked JUST right- this coming from a picking meat eater! The extra sauce on the side is delish! Yummmm!
Yes, the location seems a litle sketch at first but the food is well worth it! They are very fast and get you in and out (I have only ever picked up at lunch time). Call ahead first!
The jerk oxtail is to die for...fall off the bone yummy goodness! The jerk chicken is great as well. The fried seafood is good too. The breading is light, not overly soggy and greasy. The plantains and rice sides were good. I haven't tried much else because I can't break away from the oxtail!
Only downside, but worth it...Must order ahead if coming by for a weekday lunch. Otherwise, be ready to wait in line to order and for a table.
What a JERK! Wait no, the service is fine, but the Jerk meat here is fantastic! Jerk Chicken is highly recommended. Came here for a late lunch and ordered the Jerk Chicken/Pork combo w/ a meat pie and a slice of sweet potato pudding. Chicken was amazingly tender. Pork was a bit dry - probably cooked in an earlier batch that day, but still tasted fantastic. The pork kind of reminds me of chinese bbq pork in consistency and flavor, minus all the sweetness. Good stuff!!
Beans and rice kicked the hell out of popeyes and left them a black eye in the flavor and moisture department. Fried plantains were some where between a really really giant french fry and sweet banana. Not too bad.
The meat pie was interesting - the empanada comparison is pretty dead on. The outside crust is a bit dry and heavy on the flour I guess. Not very flaky, but the meat inside is fabulously spiced.
PS: GET THE GINGER BEER! It reminds me of ginger candy, with it's sweet spicy bite. It had around 56g of sugar so it packs more sugar than a Coke, but MAN it tastes great with the carribean food.
I love the food here. Tiny place but good service. Every dish I've tried so far is mouthwatering. The oxtails are my favorite. Completely tender and the meat just falls off the bone. They've added tables outside which is great. I'd definitely recommend this place to anyone who can handle spice!
O M G Why are you even reading this? You must just go and try this place; a nearly hidden gem.
This relates to the whole package that make a hole-in-the-wall place outstanding.
Great looking and tasting food.
Delicious authentic flavors.
Tremendous value.
Friendly service.
In addition to the most excellent juicy jerk chicken and tender tasty slices of jerk pork and fall off the bones ribs we also tried the Corn Festivals (a deep fried dollop of sweetened corn dough--a guilty pleasure of crusty brown fried goodness over a moist doughy center) , Collards (perfectly done), Mac & Cheese (Very good) and the sauteed veggies (Perfection). The sides of plantains were beautifully browned and sweet. The beans & rice was flavorful with the Jerk seasoning well integrated into the flavors.
All in all huge portions of Caribbean wonderfulness for not a lot of cash and just a little extra looking to find the place.
Just a couple points of interest -
- Their oxtail and jerk pork combo platter will tingle tastebuds that even dentists never knew existed.
- Every single person that I've took here has had mouthgasm's and then went back on their own for seconds, fourth's, tenth's, etc..
- I'm seriously planning to come here for lunch....... and I work in SSF.
- I tell a coworker or a friend about this place and then after they eat here I suddenly become their resident go to person for "places to eat" suggestions.
- Even though the quantity of the oxtails in their order has decreased over the years, you still don't need any teeth since it's just that tender.
Food Porn :
During the day, the jerk pork is super fresh and at it's best. This is from dinner so it wasn't as fresh but it's soo money.
http://static.px.yelp....
This is my Picasso.
http://static.px.yelp....
"Oxtails sooo tender you don't need teeth "
I'm bringing my denture-less gramma here Sunday and…
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aruba, jamaica oooo i wanna take ya
bermuda, bahama come on pretty mama
key largo, montego baby why don't we go...
TO BACK A YARD CARIBBEAN AMERICAN GRILL!!!
i just wanted to sing and dance after wolfing down my jamaican jerk pork plate! I can't have enough of that pork. MMMMMMmmmm. The fried plantains on the side were great too. It gave the dish just the right balance of sweet and savory.
Conclusion: The place looks a bit shady but don't let that deter you!
this may be geographically in menlo park, but it's still verrryy East Palo Alto as far as i'm concerned. That didn't bother me, and if you're worried about safety they have a police station around the corner so it's all good!
The jerk chicken platter was perfectly spicy, and for under 10 bucks you get a lot of food. I think there were four or five chicken pieces on my plate (i forgot to count them because i was so excited when i saw my food).
fried plantains...drool
What the eff??
So, i'm not from this area. I'm from the East Bay, so when my co-worker was talking about ordering lunch from here for the office one week, I wanted to go try it out for myself. Reason being, I have had horrible experiences with "Carribean" spots. Undercooked food, especially chicken. Too spicy. Gross. Not enough spice. Week old food. So yeah, I was concerned. and Carribean in Menlo Park sounded suspect. But they sure shut me the f up. OMG..hands down the BEST Jerk chicken I have ever had. Cooked all the way thru, flavorful, plentiful. Well worth the trip alone. And the value was supreme. I had the chicken and an added side of Mac N cheese. Ladies and gents, it tased just like homemade mac n cheese, not some wierd science experiment like some places (not saying any names). I also had the Pineapple Orange juice (delish! and refreshing). Entire bill less then 20 dollars. Place was packed for lunch, however note it is small and not much dining space, so you might wanna get it to go or eat in your car. Me and my boss raved about the place the rest of the day, I can't wait to go back. And yes, my work will be ordering out weekly lunch treat from BackAyard. So stop reading and get on the phone and order you some food fool!
Hey mon! (with a Jamaican tone)
I've driven by here numereous times in the past and avoided this place, because one of the hottest businesses on Yelp in the Penninsula is always crowded. Especially coming here after 2pm on a weekday where everybody should be working...go figure.
And this past weekend, I was daring enough and finally made it back here. There were nobody here at 12:30pm, but me. And according to the friendly workers, every Saturday, sinced the restaurant has been opened, is by far the busiest and insanely crazy of the the week.
With Palo Alto having a street fair on University Ave., as one of the bigger events in the Bay Area, I picked the most perfect day to get a taste of the Carribean.
From the menu, I got the popular Jerk Chicken meal. For $9.25, the plate comprised of two leg and thigh pieces spiced, seasoned and grilled the Jamiacan way. I also get two scoop of rice and beans, Fried Plantains and side of green salad. My goodness, the meat fell right off the bone and melts right in my mouth. I've never had a Plantain-Banana of any type and that fried banana had a very unconnected sweet taste. I also quench my thirst with their version of fresh home-made and tangy fruit punch for $2.25. The meal and drink combo is the leader of the pack.
My meal: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The drink: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Wait, I'm not done. I still have enough room for dessert. In which, I got the Sweet Potato Pudding Pie for $3.00. That dessert was glazed and drizzled with a warm Caramel sauce. I was severely comatosed by the silky-smooth taste of the southern dessert. That treat is the best way to complete my meal. And if you love sweets like myself, the Sweet Potato Pudding Pie is definitely a must have. (I accidentally deleted the dessert photo, sorry!)
All payments are accepted including cash, in which I used to pay.
The restaurant also serve Southern and Soul food too. I hope I get lucky with no crowd next time when I come back to the East Palo Alto/Menlo Park area.
Busy, busy, busy! Be smart and call in your order ahead -- don't hesitate and get the jerk pork. I had only previously had the chicken (which is good), but now I know, the pork is awesome. Lots of tender pieces which were melt-in-your-mouth delicious with a kick right there at the end! Hoo-weee!
And next time I'm getting an extra side of the plantains - I just love the caramelized outside and soft creamy interior, it's a great way to cool down your mouth after the spicy jerk meat. They only give you about 2 or 3 with your jerk meal.
Back a Yard, you're awesome.
Caribbean food in Menlo Park? Who knew?
Back a Yard is a bright spot on the EPA/Menlo Park border…
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I went here for lunch and I ended up eating too damn much. =)
I came here having never eaten Caribbean food so I had no idea what to expect aside from jerk chicken I've seen cooked on TV. The restaurant is cozy and the staff is super nice. The meals are hearty (forget your diet) for the reasonable price and service is really fast. I ordered the jerk chicken wrap and my friend ordered the jerk chicken meal. He was happy with his meal and so was I.
My one con is there were a couple annoying flies in the restaurant.
Other than that, I recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for affordable Caribbean food in the south bay.
This tiny place has some awesome food worthy of five stars. I've tried jerk chicken at a few other places and they pale in comparison The meat here is tender and it's soaked in the jerk sauce that is to die for. I like the rice that they serve it with and the fried plantains. My husband loves the oxe tail. Don't expect anything fancy - this place has a handful of tables and they close pretty early around 8pm on most nights. The staff has always been friendly and even let us order takeout when we got there at 8:02. :-)
I'm giving this place four stars ONLY for their amazing beef patty. It's really one of those places that has high reviews and raves and I was expecting, like everyone said, the best jerk chicken of my life ... and instead I got the best beef patty I've ever tasted in all its deliciousness.
I have to say the food here definitely is not bad and I can see why everyone raves because the BBQ and the Jerk chicken, especially the sauce, smells amazing and tastes delicious. However ... it doesn't actually taste like jerk chicken to me ... jerk chicken to me is this saucey gooey almost BBQ kind of smokey goodness that is smothered in flavor ... the jerk chicken here is dry rubbed and of course is great chicken, but just tastes very seasoned.
The BBQ sauce here is pretty good and their ribs definitely make them one of the better BBQ places I've eaten at, but you **have** to get the beef patties if you decide to try this place.
Had jerk chicken for the first time here!
It was a long drive for me and seating is hard to find in this small joint (we had wait around long enough for 3 tables to finish as we had 8 people in our group), At first, I was a bit sketched out because this place is a hole in the wall in the middle of a residential area, by the highway. But...
...the dark meat jerk chicken was super juicy and flavorful. They also serve a ton of sides including plantains, salad and rice & beans. However, for those in the South Bay who would like a taste of the carribean, I would recommend going to Coconuts in Palo Alto (supposedly they share owners) as there is more parking, more seating, better flavor and better ambiance.
Overall though, it was a great "first" jerk chicken experience.
A little hard to find...but worth it! It's about the size of a mom & pop dry cleaners. So if you GPS it you will "have arrived at your destination" while you're sitting there wondering where the heck it is. (Across the street from the oil changers.) Not much for ambiance so you may want to take it to go but there are a few tables.
I tried the salmon salad. The jerk rub on the salmon was good. Next time I'll get the plate that comes with red beans & rice and fried plantains. We had a side order of hush puppies - warm, fluffy goodness. Got to love the fried plantains.
Hells Yeaaaah!!! Two Words: Jerk Chicken. It is so bomb. Always cooked to perfection. It also comes with a dipping sauce, which makes the best chicken in the world taste better. The meal also comes with plantains, rice, and a salad. The plantains and rice are soooooo delicious. Also try the fresh juice (Mango), which brings me to the white sandy beaches of the Caribbean. The workers are really chill and nice, too. 5 Stars all the way.
OK, I'm going to cheat a little bit on this review. I have never actually been to this place but a friend made a lunch run for me and the food was so damn good I just had to write a review!
I had a jerk combo of pork and chicken along with the corn festival(or is it corn fiesta?) Anyway, when I opened up the container that the food came in, I thought the color of the food looked really bland. Don't let that fool you.
The beans and rice are killer! The pork and chicken combination was unbelievable. I was thinking what does 'jerk' mean? What sort of cooking process creates food that tastes so good? We don't even need to discuss the plantains. They were screaming and I loved them.
The only way I can describe the corn festivals is that they almost seem like fried cornbread. I love cornbread anyway and this festival item is just as good.
My friend happened to order the ginger beer. Now I've never had the stuff and I don't know if it has alcohol in it or not but it tasted like nothing I've ever had in my life. I'm gonna make sure I order one for myself next time.
A word of caution about the sauce they provide. I don't know if it comes in mild, medium or hot but go light on it. I just poured it all over my food and it definitely brought the heat! A little too much heat for me but you might enjoy it.
As I said earlier, my co-worker went down to pick up the food and he emphasized two things: First, the place is not very big and secondly it is quite popular(i.e. it can get crowded). He did the lunch run around 12:30 on a Friday if that helps.
All I can say is if you like to try new dishes I think you'll really enjoy the food at this joint. And BTW, the price is definitely RIGHT! You get a lot of food for not much $$.
Palo Alto, CA
Category: Sandwiches
Palo Alto, CA
Category: Caribbean
Palo Alto, CA
Category: Caribbean
Mountain View, CA
Category: Meat Shops
Menlo Park, CA
Category: Turkish
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