Back A Yard Caribbean Grill

Delicious, good prices, and good portions. Good wholesome food served in non-fussy plastic containers came out to us hot and delicious in 5 minutes. Staff were friendly, though it was a shame there is no bathroom for customer use. Still, a lovely little spot.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 4

Authentic Jamaican food, nuff said.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

I ordered through DoorDash, and it was my first time trying this type of cuisine. I was absolutely delighted by all the flavors and seasonings! Everything on the plate was delicious, and it was so good that I felt compelled to leave a review. Highly recommend this place, it’s definitely going to be a regular spot for me from now on!

By the way I got the Jerk Salmon & my husband got the Jerk Salmon & Beef Oxtails. I wish I would have taken a picture before we eat it lol!

Food: 5

Recommended dishes: Jerk Salmon

The jerk chicken is straight up amazing! Great food and great people working there. I’ll be back to try the desserts out

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

The best Caribbean food you’ll find in San Jose. Last year they even catered at my graduation party. So glad I made stop here.
Good food, good people.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

If you are looking for authentic West Indian/Caribbean food, I am sad to say that this is NOT the place. And I was so looking forward to trying this spot but it was a disappointment. I ordered a jerk chicken plate and a beef patty. I asked the cashier if the patty was mild, medium or hot spice and they said it was “all one flavour”. Red flag #1 because anyone who loves a good patty knows they come with different spice levels. They also offered a white meat or dark meat option for the jerk chicken. Red flag #2. I have never been asked what kind of chicken for JERK CHICKEN. What is this, Swiss Chalet!?! The chicken was not cooked and the sauce was NOT jerk sauce. More like some green herbed spiced concoction dashed over the chicken to make it appear like jerk chicken. The rice was coconut flavour…. Why? The only okay food was the plantain. Also a ting for $4!? I think not!! Also, is this place black-owned?? Where were the black people working in the store!?!!
Try somewhere else if you’re looking for authentic Caribbean food y’all.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 1

Service: 3

Really good food, I enjoyed the oxtail and chicken the only downside was the rice a clump of rice with beans and zero flavour.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 4

Service: 4

Back A Yard is my favorite spot! Their food is ALWAYS on point. I’ve tried several items from the menu and everything was so flavorful and delicious. If you’re lucky to order on a Wednesday, you must try their brown chicken stew. It was life changing for me! I also love their oxtails and curry chicken. I recommend getting the corn festivals if you are getting an entree in a gravy — they are perfect for mopping up flavorful sauces! I’ve also tried their corn bread, beef patty, collard greens, and mac and cheese. Everything is sooo good! You can’t go wrong at Back A Yard!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Key Lime Pie

I ordered via UberEats. I was pleasantly surprised with the oxtails. While they were too fatty for my taste, the flavor was 🔥 The guava pineapple juice was 🔥 as well. The jerk chicken that came with the oxtails was extremely dry. I'm not sure how this happened as both my pieces were dark meat. The pineapple upside down cake was okay. Overall I think I'd order again if I was in town and skip the chicken and cake.

Great service and food

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I've ordered here many times in the past. This week I've ordered twice over the phone asking for the "jerk tofu rice plate." The first time I received what I always get, which is jerk tofu with plantains and rice/beans. The second time I got almost sauceless tofu over a salad. I called and let them know, and the manager blamed me, because apparently the salad also comes with rice/beans so is a rice plate. Not sure if that's the case, fine, but my salad didn't even come with rice/beans. As shown in the picture it's just lettuce, tofu, and a few cucumber slices, as well as a tiny cup of ranch that I can't eat since I'm vegan. Seems like other reviews have had problems with this location taking accountability for messing up orders (they didn't even make the thing they thought I ordered correctly), so order at your own risk.

Edit: the chat-GPT response from the owner below sours me even more on this spot's customer service. Weird reply that doesn't address anything in the review.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 3

Service: 1

Food is smackin! The curry tofu is delicioso

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Curried Tofu with Vegetables, Fried Plantains

Very small portion compares to the other locations. Other caribbean food chains are better.

The district manager moe for Backayard Restaurant is incredibly nice and accommodating, making every visit feel welcoming. They genuinely seem to care about customer experiences and have a great attitude that reflects positively on the restaurant as a whole.

That said, there are some areas where improvement is needed. Calling to place an order or inquire about menu items can be frustrating because staff often don’t answer the phone. It makes it hard to make special requests or ask questions, which can be a big inconvenience. Additionally, I once received my drink in a container meant for food items, which felt a bit unprofessional.

As for the food itself, it’s consistently good, but I do wish the goat curry had more meat and fewer bones and fatty pieces. I know it’s possible to get boneless goat meat from markets like Indopak Halal Market, but I understand Backayard has its own suppliers and preferences. I'm not suggesting they change their sourcing, but a better balance of meat-to-bone would really elevate the dish.

Overall, Backayard is a great spot with lots of potential, thanks to its fantastic management and flavorful food. A few tweaks in customer service and menu execution could make it even better.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 3

Service: 3

Been coming here for a couple years, kind staff and chill vibes, but I don’t usually leave reviews. Leaving one now in honor of the FRIES I had tonight. Hello??? The fries have always been good but these were some of the best fries I’ve ever had. Golden and crispy outside/crunchy inside and salted to perfection. Whoever was in the kitchen I love you. I swear their other food is good too but wowowow.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5