Albert's Real Jamaican Foods — Restaurant in Toronto

Albert’s is a Toronto staple for home-style Jamaican cuisine. The flavors are rich, bold, and full of heart—just like the man behind the counter. Dishes like jerk chicken and oxtail are crowd favorites for good reason: deeply marinated, cooked to perfection, and served in generous portions.

Menu Highlights

Jerk Chicken Lunch Special – Tender, smoky, and spicy with perfect rice and peas. A go-to for regulars. Oxtail Dinner – Fall-off-the-bone tender with rich, savory gravy. Comfort food at its best. Curry Goat – Well-seasoned and hearty. A bit milder than expected for some, but still full of flavor. Homemade Ginger Beer & Patties – The ginger beer packs a punch, and the patties are flaky, authentic, and satisfying. Atmosphere & Service The vibe is no-frills, casual, and welcoming. The decor is simple and a bit dated, but the energy is warm and authentic. Albert himself is often around and known for chatting with regulars. While the staff can be direct and service occasionally slow during peak hours, the food is worth the wait.

Pricing & Value Excellent value for the quality and portion sizes. Most lunch specials are in the $14–15 range, and dinner combos like oxtail or curry goat are around $20–26. You’ll definitely leave full.

Convenience There’s a small parking area nearby and great access via public transit. They now accept debit and credit cards, but cash is still common, so it's good to bring some just in case.

Tips & Considerations

The spice level is well-balanced, but if you're expecting very hot, be sure to ask. Lines can get long at lunch, especially on weekends. Occasionally, dishes may vary in consistency depending on the day or time. Portions are large—perfect for sharing or leftovers. Final Thoughts Albert’s is more than just a restaurant—it’s a piece of Toronto’s cultural fabric. Whether you’re craving soul-warming oxtail or that signature jerk chicken, Albert’s serves up honest, flavorful Jamaican food with personality and heart. Highly recommended for both locals and visitors.

Must-try dishes: Jerk Chicken Lunch Special, Oxtail Dinner, Curry Goat, Ginger Beer,...

Mediocre and expensive. Having lived in this area since 2013, I've eaten my share of roti, curry and jerk at Alberts and its time to finally call it out for what it is, which is OK caribbean cuisine that's overly expensive. I grew up in a Trinidadian household and this doesn't hold a candle to that, and I don't expect it to, I just want it to give me a quick fix for when that craving kicks in at a reasonable price.

That's where it all falls down for me.

Last night, the craving hit for a chicken roti on the way home from work. You can only pay in CASH at Alberts and there's a $3.50 service for when you use Alberts or any of the nearby ATM's, my Chicken Roti costs $12.50, so I pay with a twenty and dump the change $2.50 into the tip jar for the hard working staff (it's usually busy in there). That brings us up to $18.50 for a chicken roti. I'm walking out the door when I notice theres something missing... Coleslaw.

I turn and ask if there's any coleslaw since it usually came with the roti's. I'm then informed that it's extra now. Holy cow man, seriously?!? You want $2 more for a tiny little cup of coleslaw? I honestly felt like reaching into the tip jar and pulling out the toonie I'd tossed in there and slapping it down and saying "Fine, 1 small dressing cup of coleslaw please!"

So, Alberts figures $20.50 is reasonable for a Chicken Roti and a small 1/4 cup serving of coleslaw that cost .30 cents to make? Somethings not right there. Caribbean food is always pricey, but Albert has been nickle and diming its customers for a long, long time. It's just not worth it anymore.

Again, the food isn't bad, it's decent, but it won't blow you away either, but at these prices it really should be closer to what I get at home.

There used to be more competition in the area, but we lost the other caribbean place just south of Alberts, although I have always heard good things about Gerry's Fast Foods which is just 2 blocks east of Alberts on Spadina near Wychwood.

Maybe it's time to switch...

Was craving patties one day, so I did a quick Google search to see if I could find a Jamaican restaurant nearby, and that's how I found this place.

The first thing to know is that it's cash only. This always annoys me, but I digress.

Second thing: One of the reasons I chose this place is because from what I could tell, it is black owned. Yes, I do my best to support black owned business any time I can. So I was surprised because while the lady working the front, as well as a man whom I assume is Albert, are both black...I noticed the employees in the kitchen are Asian. I've never seen Asian chefs in a Jamaican restaurant, so I was a little taken aback by that because I had to ask myself if this is actually a black owned business or not.

Anyway! I ordered 2 patties and a soup. The patties were good, but the soup was very watery. It also took at least 20 to 30 minutes just for a soup and 2 patties. Not because the food wasn't ready, I could see the patties sitting right there. And I'm sure the soup was also already made. It took so long because the service here is horrible. Nobody asks to take your order. You will be ignored if you don't speak up. Even if you're standing directly in front of the cash, obviously waiting to place an order.

But the worst part for me was waiting for like 20 minutes, and finally, I was next in line. A customer came in behind me, and I guess he knew the owner because his son went right up to the counter in front of me and started speaking with whom I believe to be Albert. Then Albert proceeded to ask what he wanted to order! All while I'm standing right there staring at him, waiting to see if he's really going to ignore me after I'd been standing there for 20 minutes! I guess he felt the energy from my stare because he then turned to ask me what I would like to order.

Smh! If I wasn't craving those patties, I would have left. After reading many of the other reviews, I see I'm not the only one who left there with a bad taste in my mouth. I won't...