Cha Cha雞是一個聖塔莫尼卡圖標,restaurant that has been a colorful beacon for jerk chicken–seeking diners from all corners of town (there’s also a location in Northridge for Valley residents craving pan-Caribbean dishes). The jerk chicken here is comforting and consistent, as are most of the sides you can eat with it, like fried sweet plantains, “dirty rice” and black beans, and tangy red cabbage slaw. Menu items that are vegetarian and/or gluten-free are clearly denoted, with ropa vieja, salmon marinated in curry and garlic, black bean soup, and jerk veggie wraps rounding out the options.—Nicole Adlman

Warm hospitality and solid cooking keep the crowds coming to San Fernando’s Mojitos. Regulars swear by the vaca frita, grilled flank steak marinated in plenty of garlic and lime. And the best part about dining at a place called Mojitos is that it’s nearly a given that everyone orders one of the restaurant’s namesake cocktails.—Cathy Chaplin

In addition to its classic Jamaican entrees (think: escovitch snapper, curry goat or chicken, ackee and saltfish), Inglewood mainstay Karuba’s Yardy Kitchen also filters hearty, often hard-to-find soups like fish tea and a full slate of vegan plates into its menu. Vegan-friendly items include a Beyond Meat bowl and jackfruit platter served with rice and peas, plantains, and cabbage; meat eaters, meanwhile, can enjoy ripe-for-takeout twists on staple dishes like jerk chicken tacos or wraps.

Inglewood’s Country Style Jamaican Restaurant has quickly risen to prominence in Los Angeles’s concentrated Jamaican food scene for its simple, home-style cooking: here, you’ll find large-format and “mini” plates of jiggly braised oxtails, curry chicken, brown stew chicken, and curry goat, all served with heaping piles of pimento-spiced rice and peas, plantains, and steamed cabbage. Starters like sweet potato pudding and beef or chicken patties never hurt; nor does washing it all down with the restaurant’s pineapple ginger or sorrel juice.

This Inglewood gem prides itself on serving the best oxtails in town, but before diving into all that richness, start with a few appetizers like the garnaches with black beans, diced onion, and dusted with queso fresco atop light and bubbly fried masa tortillas; and the panades stuffed with ground tuna and served with a fiery sauce on the side.—Cathy Chaplin

Started as astreet food stand/catering company, and now a strip mall restaurant in South LA, Trinistyle from Merlin Garcia serves fantastic doubles, stewed oxtails, corn soup, and goat rotis to represent the varied and deeply delicious food of Trinidad.—Matthew Kang

There’s a reason why the regulars keep coming back to this South LA stalwart. It starts with the Belizean specials for breakfast including fry jacks served with eggs and beans. Once lunch and dinnertime hit, it’s all about the stew chicken and oxtails. Don’t miss the weekends-only sweets like cassava pudding, caramel cake, and more.—Cathy Chaplin

Los Angeles’sonly Garifuna restauranthas migrated from its roving truck format (located in Gardena with plans to expand to Exposition Park in Los Angeles) to a stand in South LA’s Mercado La Paloma, where it has been serving customers since July 2022. At Saraba, you’ll find antojitos (smaller bites) like panades, garnaches, and salbutes, as well as bigger dine-in or carryout plates like beefy oxtails, steamed rice, and vegetables, among others.

Founded in 2013, A Beautiful Life serves up “traditional Jamaican cuisine with California vibes” in Downtown LA. From lighter bites to hefty platefuls, the menu has enough variety for all. Hungrier folks will do well with the jerk chicken and oxtail plate that comes with rice and peas, sauteed cabbage, and fried plantains. For something lighter, try the jerk salmon bowl served over rice and peas.—Cathy Chaplin

The patties at Bridgetown, which pull from chef-owner Rashida Holmes’ Barbadian heritage, are about as close as one can get to a cultural phenomenon right now. Add in Holmes’ flaky roti and stewed meats, and it’s easy to see why this Smorgasburg pop-up is one of Los Angeles’s hottest places to dine right now.—Farley Elliott

Rashida Holmes is related to Eater LA’s Mona Holmes, who has no business connection to Bridgetown Roti; this relationship does not impact coverage.

Look beyond the shop’s fresh seafood display and hone in on the small but superb Jamaican menu that includes goat curry, stewed oxtails, beef-stuffed patties, and plantains. But since you’re at a fish market, go ahead and throw in a side of deep-fried oysters or sand dabs, too.—Cathy Chaplin