David's Jamaican Cuisine - Jamaican restaurant in Monona - 5696 Monona Dr, USA

We have enjoyed eating here several times over the years. Casual setting, family locally owned restaurant. Our favorite is the Jamaican curry chicken which you can taste was marinated for hours. The key ingredient to know about this place is that you will get a nice portion and delicious food but don’t expect the restaurant to be fancy. It’s a small family owned business that’s hard working and you can taste the love in the food. These types of restaurants are becoming rare in Madison. I rather overlook some of the physical imperfections to have the beautiful experience of real food. Comfy soul feeding food. 😋

When we walked in, we were told by a solo woman that we'd have to wait a bit, since there were 3 orders ahead of us, and she was alone. Well, this PRO got the food out in under 10 minutes, and it was hot and generously portioned. We got plantains (again, HOT), veggies and rice, jerk tofu, and jerk chicken. The tofu was not spicy, but really flavorful - and we got plenty of jerk sauce on the side which IS spicy (scotch bonnet peppers). We spent $50 and got enough food to feed our family of four for a week. We all LOVED the food. Easy to eat gluten-free and vegan. We will be back for sure.

Short version: I don't regret trying this place, but I probably won't return. Long version: My small group arrived for dinner and there was nobody around; we eventually found a woman who begrudgingly took our orders at the counter. As we sat waiting for our food, we noticed there was no music, the decor was faded and boring, the building was falling apart, and we were listening to the sounds of a microwave. Yep, it seems as though most of our food was just microwaved. As for the food itself, it was fine, but nothing special. I enjoyed my entree (fried fish, so cooked fresh), but the rest of my group weren't wowed by their entrees. Between the mediocre food and the uncomfortable vibes, this wasn't my favorite meal. Overall, we agreed that this place was worth a try, but probably not worth a return.

David's Jamaican Cuisine is an excellent choice for anyone looking for something off the beaten path. The food is perfectly seasoned and comes in absolute heaps! They've been in business since 2002 and their long run in well deserved. If you're looking to support black-owned businesses, they are a fantastic choice.

This was my first time trying Jamaican. I ordered the jerk papaya sesame shrimp, pineapple salmon, and fried plantains. This food is delicious and the portions are huge. The only reason I'm giving three stars is because I got sick to my stomach and vomited after eating it. I'm not sure if it was because of bad food, or because my system isn't used to the new bold spices.

What a delicious surprise!! We ordered the jerk pork, jerk chicken and the fried plantains. Huge portions!! More than enough to leave full and enjoy another meal at home!

I very thoroughly enjoyed the jerk chicken. It was so light and simple and the chicken was falling off the bone- so tasty. The thing that really made it special was the spicy sauce that came with it. I sadly do not know what it is called but has a rich Smoky flavor too it and it makes the dish very good. I can’t wait to come back and try more!

Excellent Jamaican food, flavor is very authentic. Owner is very friendly. Update 10/11/2019 - Food is still excellent at new location.