Jerk Up Central Inc. — Restaurant in Toronto

I'd been looking for a new jerk spot for 2 reasons: #1) The larger incumbents to me have been getting lazy with sub-par food, sub-par service, and a sense of entitlement. One popular spot in the Tam O'Shanter area has an extensive menu and is always super busy. But the chicken is not of high-quality, and the jerk is not the real 'back-a-yard' jerk. They don't do anything really really well anymore. Another vendor (known as "Mr.") stopped caring long ago. The love and attention is gone. #2) The smaller more numerous places are a coin toss. Some really care and try their best, while others don't care, and they survive only because they're the local hang-spot or the only option.

Decided to scour the internet ratings to find somewhere that I could trust. This place had good ratings that felt real i.e. not written by the owner, an employee, or a digital marketing agency. The location is not great, and if you're not paying attention you could miss it. Admittedly, I'd passed by it many times but didn't even bother because I was thinking how good could it be? Well...it's good. It's really good.

I spent some time talking to Easton (the owner) to get a sense of his philosophy on cooking, nutrition, food quality, and the importance of customer service. He checked all the boxes and is the real deal. He offers a simple menu that focuses on core Jamaican take-out specialties. Then I ate the food (2 orders of jerk-chicken). You can taste the difference with the pasture-raised chicken, and the seasoning is low-salt SO THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY TASTE THE MEAT, instead of just getting a mouthful of spices (anyone can do that). The rice & peas were on point (light-tasting, fresh tasting beans, and not overcooked), and the coleslaw was creamy and light. The portion size was 'Jamaican' as well i.e. if you have this for lunch, you might not have dinner.

Rating J.U.C. a '5' on the jerk chicken experience, and will be going back to try out the other offerings. I've finally...

I recently visited Jerk Up Central Inc., and I was absolutely blown away by the incredible flavors and quality of the food! This place takes authentic Caribbean cuisine to a whole new level. From the first bite, I could tell that the team at Jerk Up Central knows their craft.

Their jerk chicken is perfectly seasoned, juicy, and cooked to perfection with just the right amount of smoky heat. The spices are balanced so well, and you get that genuine Caribbean flavor that’s hard to come by outside of the islands. The sides were also delicious—rice and peas, plantains, and their slaw all complemented the main dishes beautifully, adding richness and a refreshing contrast to the spices.

One of my favorite things about Jerk Up Central Inc. is that they don’t shy away from delivering bold, authentic flavors. Every bite transported me straight to the Caribbean! The portions were generous, making it worth every penny. Their team was also super friendly, and you can tell they are passionate about what they do.

If you’re a fan of jerk or Caribbean food, or if you're just looking to try something new, I highly recommend Jerk Up Central Inc. This is a true gem, and I’ll definitely be...

let me tell you about my experience, this was my first time in Scarborough and for an event! I wanted to get some jerk chicken and peas and rice and looked at places in the area this one had amazing reviews. I got there this past Saturday (February 22nd, 2025) and ordered a large jerk chicken with rice and peas…and oxtail gravy ON TOP, and vegetables, and a likkle patty on the side. First of all, I paid more than $20 for that, which is crazy to me. Second of all, I was on my way home and decided to try the patty.. it was STALE, had dried up beef, and the bottom of the pastry itself was burnt! I ate about half of it and had to throw it out because I was nauseous. As soon as I got home (an hour after I bought it) I opened the container to find that there was barely any oxtail gravy on the rice, the chicken did not even taste like jerk chicken (trust me I’ve had my fair share of Jamaican food!). Anyhow, I put the rest of it in the fridge and proceeded to eat the rest about two hours later BUT I had to throw out half of the rice because the vegetables that were on top spoiled the entire thing and smelt RANCID ! AND I WAS SICK FROM THE FOOD THE...