While there is some overlap in the dishes that make up Caribbean cuisines, there’s no mistaking the fare and atmosphere at Grilling Jerk Island as anything other than Jamaican.
Deep basslines from popular reggae tunes can be heard down the block, from the business, at 2231 Bruce Randolph Ave., and the aroma of jerk chicken, always grilled outside, can be smelled well east of York Street with even the slightest breeze. Jamaican flags form makeshift curtains in the front window, and there is Bob Marley iconography from the bar to the bathroom.
The restaurant opened in November 2025 and is a two-woman show run by mother and daughter Tammy and Royalty Braziel. Tammy glides between the grill, the kitchen and the bar, while Royalty welcomes guests, manages the kitchen and produces the hundreds of chicken and beef patties Jerk Island churns out on a weekly basis. Itap Royalty’s restaurant, but the duo serves up oxtail, snapper platters and heaping plates of plantains as a well-seasoned team.
This is the first time Royalty has been running the show, but both she and Tammy have been working in similar operations since 2003, back when Tammy and Royalty’s father, Randall Whyte, first opened the Island Grille in Colorado Springs.
“I started working in the food truck when I was 10,” said Royalty, whose knack for hospitality demonstrates a lifetime in the game. Whyte and Tammy opened up Jamaican Grille on 8th Avenue just off Santa Fe Drive in 2013, where Royalty continued to serve Jamaican mainstays until the spot closed in 2023, citing high overhead and a changing community.
Jamaican food is hard to come by in Denver, and the closure of Jamaican Grille left many devotees out without a paddle. “I do the real deal, Rasta style,” said Tammy. “Thatap why no one can duplicate my taste.” Whyte was from Hanover, Jamaica, and many of his recipes still permeate Jerk Island’s menu. Royalty says she counts on serving stuff that is tried and true, with plenty of the dishes having been perfected over the course of two decades. “We’re not new to this,” grinned Royalty.
While Jamaican Grille featured a longer list of items, Grilling Jerk Island’s pared-down list has all the essentials. Royalty has added items of her own, including jerk chicken wrap and the Rasta Pasta, which she describes as a supreme alfredo with a scratch-made sauce. The recipe, which she keeps under lock and key, she inherited from her great-grandmother.
While the unctuous oxtail is a strong contender, and the patties are a must, the jerk chicken is still the star of the show. Classic oval diner plates are served piled high, and sides include cookout staples like mac and cheese, cabbage and potato salad. The whole place is homey, Royalty always addresses her mom as Miss Tammy, and both observe a strict code of ethics. “If you order spicy and itap too hot, I’m not going to take it back,” Royalty said. The atmosphere is kind, but there are rigorous principles.
When Royalty decided she wanted to revive the family legacy in the summer of last year, her initial plan was to open a food truck. After finding a site with a working kitchen, which formerly housed Nola Voodoo Tavern, Royalty realized that the community wanted a place to hang out, drink sorrel margaritas (made with hibiscus and spices) and enjoy leisurely lunches and island escapes. It was only in late February that Royalty decided to completely scrap the plans of a mobile concept to focus solely on the brick and mortar.
In order to turn the rather sparse room into a tropical oasis, Royalty tapped local interdisciplinary artist Grace Noel to do the mural. Noel, who has a studio not far from the former Jamaican Grille, was responsible for much of the art and iconography of the original restaurant. The 15-by-20-foot piece evokes island sunsets and is inspired by Noel’s time living in Hawaii.
“Itap a deviation from my true style, but it shows that I can do whatever the commissioner wants,” said Noel. “I’m so grateful to be part of that community of people and for the chance to be able to work with them again.”
