Back A Yard Caribbean Grill
1 / 10

Back A Yard Caribbean Grill

,

Authentic Jamaican comfort food served with a cozy backyard vibe. Famous for tender oxtails, flavorful curried goat, and jerk chicken.

Highlights

Highlights

Must-see attractions

Social content

Social

From TikTok & Reddit

Best Time

Wed/Fri 18-21h

Blue hour photography, calmer galleries

CrowdLow
Back A Yard Caribbean Grill

Back A Yard Caribbean Grill

Highlights

Highlights

Must-see attractions

Authentic Jamaican comfort food served with a cozy backyard vibe. Famous for tender oxtails, flavorful curried goat, and jerk chicken.

"The food is always on point, so flavorful and delicious! Life-changing brown chicken stew on Wednesdays!"

TIP

Wednesday Brown Stew Special

Don't miss the popular brown chicken stew on Wednesdays; it's described as life-changing by some diners.

Savor Sauces with Festivals

Pair your entrees with corn festivals to soak up delicious sauces – they're perfect for mopping up flavorful gravies.

Third hero image

Quick Facts

Open·Closes 8PM

Cuisine

Caribbean

Price

Mid-range

Phone

(408) 217-9443

Address

457 E San Carlos St, San Jose, CA 95112, USA

Insta-Factor

Medium

Highlights

Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences

Authentic Jamaican Comfort Food

Authentic Jamaican Comfort Food

Savor Chef Robert Simpson's authentic Jamaican comfort food, with tender oxtails and flavorful curried goat being standouts.

TikTok11 Best Restaurants in San JoseGoogle Review
Cozy Backyard BBQ Vibe

Cozy Backyard BBQ Vibe

Experience a cozy backyard BBQ vibe with charming outdoor seating, perfect for a relaxed meal with friends and family.

The 50 Best Places To Eat in San Jose for Every Meal
Signature Oxtail and Jerk Chicken

Signature Oxtail and Jerk Chicken

The tender oxtail and flavorful jerk chicken are highly recommended, often praised for their rich taste and generous portions.

TikTokGoogle Review+1
Your AI travel agent

Plans like a pro.
Thinks like you

Start Chatting

Insider Tips

from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit

Back a yard Caribbean grill is insanely DELECTABLE 10/10!! Its soo good! #povstories #pov #foodreview #viral #carribbeanfood
@monaeatspov
1.4K likes • 25.4K views

Wednesday Brown Stew Special

Don't miss the popular brown chicken stew on Wednesdays; it's described as life-changing by some diners.

Savor Sauces with Festivals

Pair your entrees with corn festivals to soak up delicious sauces – they're perfect for mopping up flavorful gravies.

📍Back A Yard 1011 E Capitol Expy, San Jose, CA 95121 They have 5 locations around South Bay Area and Peninsula. 🐓Jerk chicken & pork combo - $15.95 🐂Oxtail & jerk pork combo - $18.95 #backayard #carribeanfood #jamaicanfood ##sfeats #sffood #sffoodie #sffoodies #bayareafoodie #bayareafoodies #bayareaeats #bayareafood #sjfoodie #sanjoseeats
@chumperjreats
123 likes • 8K views
You want to try some really good Jamaican food .. check out Back A Yard Caribbean Grill in San Jose 📍 - guava, pineapple juice 1000/10 - curry goat 10/10 -oxtails 1000/10 - Mac & cheese 10/10 #ba#bayareafoodieso#foodieo#foodratingsu#currygoata#jamaicanfood
@tiffyberries
28 likes • 508 views

Convenient Takeout Options

Consider ordering via UberEats or DoorDash for convenience, especially if you're craving Jamaican specialties at home.

Check Your Order

With busy periods, it's wise to double-check your order before leaving to ensure all items are included.

🍴Around the Table🌍: Back A Yard Caribbean Grill🥘🐔🤩 . . Jerk Oxtail Combo Plate: 9/10. Full of flavor, oxtail was tender, rice and peas cooked perfectly. Could’ve used a bit more seasoning but the jerk made up for it. 🍌Plantains 10/10 amazing I had to go back for more! San Jose, CA📍 . . . . . . #LensAndLatitude #AroundTheTable #caribbean #foodtiktok #foodreview
@lens.and.latitudes
569 likes • 15.1K views

Tips

from all over the internet

Wednesday Brown Stew Special

Don't miss the popular brown chicken stew on Wednesdays; it's described as life-changing by some diners.

Savor Sauces with Festivals

Pair your entrees with corn festivals to soak up delicious sauces – they're perfect for mopping up flavorful gravies.

Convenient Takeout Options

Consider ordering via UberEats or DoorDash for convenience, especially if you're craving Jamaican specialties at home.

Check Your Order

With busy periods, it's wise to double-check your order before leaving to ensure all items are included.

What Travellers Say

4.6
(491k reviews)

Reviews Summary

Back A Yard Caribbean Grill is celebrated for its authentic Jamaican comfort food, with generous portions and excellent flavor, particularly for dishes like oxtail and curried goat. While many diners rave about the taste and value, some mention occasional issues with dryness or saltiness, and suggest double-checking orders during busy times. The guava pineapple juice and sangrias are also highlighted as delicious accompaniments.

"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!"

Liz Noone

"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."

Felice

"The food was really good. I was not a fan of some of the desserts. The only thing I wished was, the rice came with some sort of sauce on it. It was slightly dry for me. I know you can purchase extra sauce but that’s just me personally!!! OHH the Sangrias are amazing. Other than that I’ll def come back!"

Kiera Williams

What People Like

Flavorful Oxtail and Curried Goat
Generous Portions and Good Value
Delicious Guava Pineapple Juice

What People Dislike

Occasional dryness or saltiness
Can be busy, double-check orders
Some desserts not to everyone's taste

Frequently Asked Questions

The restaurant is famous for its authentic Jamaican comfort food, with highly recommended dishes including oxtail, curried goat, and jerk chicken.

11 Best Restaurants in San JoseGoogle Review

Yes, daily specials often feature Jamaican specialties like escoveitch (grilled whole fish) or saltfish and ackee.

11 Best Restaurants in San Jose

Diners frequently praise the generous portion sizes, noting that the plates are heavy and plenty of food is provided for the price.

The 50 Best Places To Eat in San Jose for Every MealGoogle Review

Yes, Back A Yard Caribbean Grill offers takeout and is available on UberEats and DoorDash for delivery convenience.

The Best South Bay Takeout for Any OccasionGoogle Review

Corn festivals are highly recommended to soak up the flavorful sauces from dishes like oxtail or curried goat.

Google Review

Yes, the restaurant has a cozy backyard vibe with limited outdoor seating available.

The 50 Best Places To Eat in San Jose for Every Meal

Mentioned in

Featured in these publications

Time Out

11 Best Restaurants in San Jose

Back A Yardserves chef Robert Simpson’s authentic Jamaican comfort food. While downing Jamaican Ting (grapefruit soda), fill up on tender curried goat, jerk chicken and sides like plantains, coconut rice and beans and honey-sweet festivals (a Jamaican staple somewhere between a doughnut and cornbread). Daily specials feature Jamaican specialities like escoveitch (grilled whole fish) or saltfish and ackee, Jamaica’s national dish.

Visit Source →
The Culture Trip

10 Great Restaurants In San Jose, California

Back a Yard is a term most Caribbean nationals will be familiar with. The term references the lifestyle, culture, spirit, cuisine and festive mood of welcoming visitors into your home, which Back a Yard aims to do with its visitors. By attempting to do things the way they are done ‘back home,’ many people flock to this restaurant to identify with the cuisine of the Caribbean.

Visit Source →
Nightflow.com

San Jose Nightlife • A Complete Guide [2025 February Update]

We can enjoy its delicious food with our family and friends. Back a Yard serves Chef Robert Simpson’s authentic Jamaican comfort food. While downing Jamaican Ting (grapefruit soda), fill up on tender curried goat, jerk chicken and sides like plantains, coconut rice and beans and honey-sweet festivals (a Jamaican staple somewhere between a doughnut and cornbread).

Visit Source →
BayArea.com

The Best South Bay Takeout for Any Occasion

With locations in Menlo Park, East San Jose, and downtown San Jose, Back A Yard’s food is just as delicious on-site as it is at home. Pick up some jerk chicken, beef oxtail, or goat curry with sweet plantains and fragrant rice and beans on the side. The tender and juicy meat falls right off the bone, and the Caribbean flavors are sure to please the entire family.

Visit Source →
city-data.com

Bachelorette Party Ideas in San Jose and Mountain View CA? (Fremont: to rent, house) - California

I'm partial to San Jose ones such as Nemea (Greek), La Foret (French), Fogo and Taurinus (Brazilian steakhouse), Arcadia (steakhouse), The Table (American), Dynasty (Chinese dimsum), Jubba (Somalian), Back-a-Yard (Jamaican), Minato and Gombei (Japanese), and Krung Thai 1 & 2 (Thai).

Visit Source →
Spoon University

The 50 Best Places To Eat in San Jose for Every Meal

Picture this—a super generous and flavorful plate of a jerk seasoned protein of your choice, rice, and plantains. Definitely super filling and a great bang to your buck.

Visit Source →
Stacker

Highest-rated Barbecue Restaurants in San Jose, According to Yelp

- Rating: 4.5/5 (87 reviews)- Price level: $$- Address: 638 N 13th St San Jose, CA 95112- Categories: Caribbean, Desserts, Barbecue- Read more on Yelp

Visit Source →
Cozymeal

San Jose Restaurants | Top 27 in 2025

Back A Yard is a little take-out and dine-in spot that serves a big flavor punch with its authentic Caribbean cuisine.

Visit Source →
costumecon39.org

Restaurant Guide – Costume-Con 39

Visit Source →
Back A Yard Caribbean Grill (2026) – Best of TikTok, Instagram & Reddit Food Guide