Island Taste Caribbean Grill is the go-to casual dining restaurant in downtown San Jose. We serve authentic, made-from-scratch dishes from the beautiful islands of Jamaica and Haiti, along with the distinct flavors and vibes from across the Caribbean.
Caribbean staples like jerk chicken & oxtail tacos in a casual, family-owned place with bright art. Based on 115 reviews, the restaurant has received a rating of 4.7 stars. Price $$
✔️ Dine-in ✔️ Takeout ✔️ Delivery
Address:
225 E Santa Clara St, San Jose, CA 95112
Phone: (669) 899-1097
Social Profile: 
Hours
| Friday | 11 AM–7 PM |
| Saturday | 11 AM–7 PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
| Monday
(Labor Day)
|
Closed |
| Tuesday | 11 AM–7 PM |
| Wednesday | 11 AM–7 PM |
| Thursday | 11 AM–7 PM |
Menu
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Photo Gallery
Reviews
Latina Perry
We stopped by on our day trip to San Jose from Monterey. Thank you to the owner who was quite courteous to us and made the experience more than we could’ve asked. Great conversation. Very welcoming. The food was delicious! Very tender and flavorful meats. I love curry goat so I had to try it first! My brother got the brown stewed chicken. Everything was on point. The beef patties were also scrumptious. We got multiple flavors and I froze the leftover patties so I can enjoy them later. Thank you Island taste for serving us good eats! We will be visiting again.
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Terrill Shelly
This is the best Jamaican food in San Jose and it’s not even close. If you want island vibes and flavors then this is your spot. It’s located right across from city hall. You can get here by walking, train or bus. In the past I have had the jerk tacos which are very fresh and flavorful. Today I ate Rasta pasta, oxtail and cabbage with lemonade.
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Jeff Provost
Tried this new place tonight, really liked it! I had the oxtail entree, and it was the best I’ve ever had! The meat was tender and tasty, and the dark gravy was awesome! Mixed with the rice and plantains, it was very flavorful! My wife had the coconut curry garbanzo bean entree, and really enjoyed it! The curry was very flavorful but not spicy. She loved the plantains too! Big portions, enough for almost two meals. Mark was very nice, helpful, and generous. I ended up getting more rice and oxtail gravy to go! We will be back with more friends!
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Vincent Tan
this new place downtown is simply amazing. Do not listen to the negative reviews here, they are from people with poor taste or unreasonable gripes about tiny things.
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Darius Dyer
Great atmosphere and amazing service. The food is spectacular if you are looking for some incredible Haitian and Jamaican food. This is a place worth going. The owners are really kind and good people. The Haitian goat is mouth watering and you have to try the pepper sauces.
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Max D
Mark’s Island Taste is legit! The most authentic taste of Jamaica and Haiti to be found in the Bay, hands down. I’ve lived here my whole life, and the long-standing competitors around here don’t hold a candle to Mark’s curry goat, oxtails, or brown stew. My Jamaican wife gives them the seal of approval too. The rice and peas are just right on texture, the plantains are not too sweet like other places, the sorrel has the perfect amount of ginger, the scotch bonnets are present, but never overpowering. (Add some pepper sauce if you want to kick it up a notch).
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Ercilia Eugene
They did it again! I ordered online for pickup and was invited to sit and enjoy my dinner. No push to grab and go, even when they were scheduled to close. This kind of service is rate these days. Let me not forget about the amazing food! I ordered the rice and peas, with the griot (fried pork). Delicious to the Max!
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Rikita Garrett
It was my first time stepping foot into this fine establishment. The service was professional and welcoming. Although I just wanted to get a glimpse of what the restaurant had to offer, I walk out with a memorable taste in my mouth….the food was fresh and well seasoned and I can’t wait to go back….
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Justine Martin
I’ve been living in San Jose for over 7 years and have been looking for authentic Jamaican food. I visited Island Taste and it exceeded my expectations; the meals are so rich, authentic and flavorful! My favorite meal is the curry goat, the meat is so tender. Island taste has such a welcoming vibe, with decor and music celebrating the Jamaican culture and the service is unmatched. Thank you, Island Taste!
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L Southard
The oxtail was tender and amazing! The staff is kind, prompt, and they have soda pop from the islands. The music and atmosphere is welcoming. It reminded me of my lovely vacation on Jamaica. They make homemade hibiscus and ginger juice called sorrel.
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