Islands In the Pines

Great tasting inexpensive authentic Jamaican food. clean restaurant. Def recommend to try it if you love carribean cuisine

The customer service rep. was very rude. We ask her about some breakfast food, she began to yell, go check the menu.

After getting my hair done, I was starving. Since this Jamaican restaurant was a few steps away, I decided to grab something to eat from there. Islands in the Pines is a casual restaurant adorned with wooden booths and Jamaican décor. Patrons can enjoy a variety of Jamaican cuisine such as curry chicken/​goat, jerk chicken, brown stew chicken, oxtail, etc. The restaurant also offers breakfast, daily lunch specials, various soups, seafood & vegetarian dishes.
I ordered the brown stew chicken lunch special and waited a few minutes for it to be prepared. I couldn’t wait to dig in once I received the food, and man was it delicious. The plantains was sweet, the rice & peas and cabbage was cooked to a soft consistency, and the chicken was nicely browned, tender, and full of flavor. Found another irie Jamaican restaurant that offers good food at reasonable prices. Will definitely be back again.

I was in the area so needed some inexpensive quick lunch after working out at La Fitness. I found this on Unilocal and seems pretty decent and I’m a big jerk chicken fan.
I walked in and was sure that this was a hole in wall. Very dated fixtures but place was clean. The counter lady seated me in a booth and handed me the menus.
Lunch specials for less than 10 bucks… I’m in. Jerk Chicken w/​rice & peas plus plantains for 6 bucks… even better! Plus a Jamaican beef patty to start… still less than 10 bucks for the entire meal. The patty was just ok. The chicken was pretty good and tender although the jerk sauce could’ve been hotter.
I’m giving this place 4 stars because of the bargain prices, decent portions and fast service.

So after getting my nails done with a friend yesterday, we think of where to get lunch & we see islands in the pines a few doors down. We figure why not and stop by to try it. I’ve only tried Jamaican food when I went to Jamaica 5 years ago & I loved it. My friend had never tried it. I knew I wanted some jerk chicken so I ordered the lunch special which came with rice, plantains, veggies, and the jerk chicken. When the lady brought out my plate, I was shocked at the huge portions. The Chicken was flavorful and spicy. My friend ordered the curry chicken lunch Special and she loved it as well. Oh I almost forgot the lunch specials are only $ 4.99 and for a lot of food! I would definitely come back.

Stopped in to grab a lunch special. Restaurant was clean and personal very friendly and accommodating. Will be back. Perhaps to try the oxtail dinner

Great place, I enjoy their brown stew chicken and oxtail. Go for lunch to save a couple of bucks.

A friend who works near me told me about Islands in the Pines. It’s about 5 miles from my office (a little far for lunch). But, I decided to try it. And, I am hooked!
I go there for lunch, often. I have tried all the lunch specials (they average $ 5). I love the stewed pork, the curry is almost as good as mine, and the jerk chicken is moist and delicious. While their soups are good, I find that from one day to the next, they seem the same. The pepper pot soup is not spicy (like it should be), and the gungo-​peas soup tasted like the pepper pot soup with some gungo peas thrown in. Don’t get me wrong, the soup is still a thick, savory stock with dumplings and such, and it is delicious. But, I expected a decided difference in the flavors.
The festival they sell is crunchy and yummy. I have not tried a patty yet. But the homemade pineapple/​ginger juice is good (and very sweet — too sweet for this diabetic). On the day I wanted some liver and onions, they did not have it.
I know food well. Especially Jamaican food. I was born there, I am from a family of chefs, and I am a cook and freelance food critic. After about a week of not having some food from Islands in the Pines, I find myself hankering to go there for lunch. And, I keep driving the 10 miles round trip during my lunch hour!

Islands in the pines −6−19−15− lunch? — brown stew chicken coconut rice peas steamed veggies, Go online for special daily, by 3 pm — early bird, happy hour, ½ half off
Arrived at 3:05pm 5 min past lunch special RBF woman would not extend courtesy, chicken cut terrible small & weird pcs about ¼ chicken worth of meat, cabbage not steamed enough, no coconut taste to the rice, pineapple /​ginger drink good but sweet & $ 3.50 & NO refill 3.0

Been coming here for years and is amongst the best jamaican food in the area. The curry chicken is amazing and the jamaican beef patties are to die for! Must come early because they only make them til a certain time or til they run out.

Food is ok although I only have the soups and brown stew chicken. Many people would agree that the service takes a lot of time and one waitress in particular is very rude. I am not sure if she is racist but I am not Jamaican and always get treated nasty. Like they automatically assume I want my food take out when they didn’t even ask me. Only reason I go there is because I work close by and don’t eat much fast food. Nothing special here.

Well me and my boyfriend got the jerk chicken lunch specials… let me just say AMAZING. the food was fantastic. Steamed veggies were awesome rice and peas great and the jerk chicken omg seriously so tender perfect taste and flavor. My one con is that I wished they had the choice of a milder jerk sauce. Granted jerk is Spicy but I like it a bit lighter. But over all excellent! This will be my usual spot

Can I put zero stars? This place is horrible! I’ve been here a few times and every SINGLE time they take forever. The people are rude, the food takes 35 – 45 minutes to come out and today my boyfriend ordered the brown stew chicken and it was cold on the inside. The lady admitted she just microwaved it. (!!!) So what took them 40 minutes?! She didn’t even offer him an apology or a drink to make up for it! Don’t waste your time here. Go to Donna’s down the street.

Omg.
Now I don’t eat Jamaican food very often but when I do. I need my oxtail. Coconut rice and peas with cabbage and plantains. May I just say… Damn… That food was soooooo good. Everything was good. I love their brown stew chicken too! Yummy yummy yummy! I just wish they gave free refills. :-/

I love this place! Been eating here for years and never had a bad meal. Oxtail delish! The soups are always great and full of flavor! My favorite place for Jamaican cuisine

Yummy food — shitty service: rude & unwelcoming. My money is better spent at restaurants that APPRECIATE their customers. Sad. Sad. Sad.

Service was extremely slow! I mean waiting in line to get to the front. The place wasn’t even packed. I even waited to pay. Luckily the Heat Parade was in tv and kept my attention for a little.
Now the food. Simpy terrible. The curry was just gross. I ate it becasue I was hungry, but I wont be back. Taste like someone trying curry for the 1^st time.

They serve wonderful Jamaican food. This restaurant has a very casual ambiance. Families are more than welcome as they are very family friendly.
The food is all you desire in terms of authentic Jamaican cooking. You can have your choice of a wide assortment of Caribbean foods. You get traditional foods that will whet your appetites and leave you wanting to order even more. Portion sizes are generous and the food prices are reasonable.
I don’t regret finding this gem in Pembroke Pines. Its among my favorite Jamaican restaurants in Pembroke Pines and is worth repeated visits. The food is that good.

Jerk chicken ugh tasted like american chicken with peppered brown gravy, I could not believe it. I am going to stick with the brown stew and curry chicken. I have noticed that sometimes the food is not as well seasoned all the time, so it can be a hit or miss. Most of the time the curry/​brown stew is great, but a couple of times it was eh. I also found out the fat uncouth girl works only on friday and sunday night, so I will avoid those nights.

I have been eating at Islands In the Pines for years. Although I no longer live in the area, any chance I get I head over there to get my Caribbean food fix. They are the epitome of what a great Jamaican restaurant should be. Not only do they serve delicious lunch/​dinner (Jerk Chicken, Oxtail, Gungo Peas Soup), they also serve scrumptious breakfast (Ackee & Saltfish, Mackeral Rundown). As great as the food is, they also dish up a dining experience. You can always order take out but it is a nice place to dine-​in. As the restaurant is aptly named, you may physically be in the Pines, but dining here you will be cast away on a island adventure. With ambient reggae tunes playing in the background it sets the mood.
With the many food options it may be difficult to decide what to eat but I will tell you this whatever you choose will be an excellent choice. My personal favorite is the curry goat. Very spicy and extremely delicious!!! Their fresh lemonade is amazingly refreshing too. Prices are reasonable especially during lunch and best of all you get nuff (plenty) food.
This last time I went the food was a bit off from what i am used to expecting. The curry didn’t have the level of spicy I am used to (they may have toned it down to better suit the general public) and it was a bit on the fatty side. I am definitely not saying it was bad, it just was not up to the level I have been spoiled to love but since it was still good and not bad by any means, I will let it slide this time. Truly, I have been here far too many times without issue to complain about one time.
To sum it up, Islands In the Pines is just that Islands In the Pines.