08/23/08

Good food , but not authentic

by fl_doc

I have been searching for a Caribbean restaurant in Chicago and this one came highly recommended. Being from the islands I was looking forward to a real taste of home, but I was totally disappointed. Firstly, they had the audacity to call their soup appetizer Bahamian ... obviously these people have never experienced real Bahamian food. The Jamaican chicken was good, but not as flavorful as traditional Jamaican chicken ... they were fried/baked and not grilled. The main course was not memorable. A poor representation of Caribbean food.

• Pros: great ambience, good music, and service
• Cons: Parking meters, not authentic food

08/19/07

Great Food

by taut123

This is the second time I've been to Chicago, and both times Citysearch has delivered a great Caribbean food restaurant. I took a group of twelve hungry hombres looking for some jerked chicken and Calypso delivered bigtime. The jerked wing appetizers could have been a little hotter for my taste, but they had a great flavor, and the conch & shrimp fritters were awesome. We sipped on our Calypso Ritas, mojitos, and Red Stripe beer, while waiting for the second course. The jerked ribs, blackened tilapia, and Ropa Vieja were all perfect. Perfect meal before going out to listen to some great Chicago blues. Thumbs up on the food, service, prices, and the location. I'll be back the next time I'm in the windy city.

• Pros: Great Food, Service, Drinks, and Location

05/12/07

Best Meal Ever!!!

by payam_s

We have been to this restaurant three times and we are always satisfied with the whole experience. I am no expert on Caribbean food, so I do not know how authentic it actually is. However, the entrees I have tried have all been delicious. The appetizers are also great. My favorite is the plaintain chips with guacamole and black bean dip. My second favorite is the coconut shrimp (don't listen to the other people-- they really are good). Usually in this city when you order shrimp, you get those little bitty frozen things, but theirs are jumbo & delicious. As for entrees, they are known for their jjerk chicken, which is really good. I have tried their tilapia and grouper, which are excellent. You usually a few fried sweet plantains with the food, which are great. The sides are really good, too. I do not know how good the dessert is, since I usually fill up on the delicious entrees and appetizers. I would highly recommend this place for dinner. The prices are very reasonable & the atmosphere is great. This is one of the best places to dine in Hyde Park.

• Pros: food quality, price, service, atmosphere
• Cons: none

06/06/06

Caribana!

by mojoyinola

This is place rocks. I'm african so the spices always work for me, but I took my caucasian pastor there too, and he LOVED it! The setting is very welcoming, the food is finger-licking delicious and affordable too, and I enjoy the music.

You have to go there.

05/29/06

Great food

by 900kgirl

I was in search of a Jamican/Carribean restaurant, so as usual I came to city search, I never go wrong with it. I ran across Calypso and a couple other restaurants and saw that the reviews were really old so I was skeptical. But I took and chance and I was not dissapointed, our waitress was awesome and I know a thing or two about Jamican food so I knew what ?'s to ask. She was very helpful though. The Jerk chicken dinner was awesome and full of flavor. It is great eat with great prices.

• Pros: Jerk chicken, Price, atmosphere
• Cons: Meter Parking

Jerk-seasoned cuisine and colorful, kitschy decor transport South Siders to the tropics.

by Contributor

In Short
Steel drum music, Caribbean-inspired decor and spicy island fare appeal to a diverse crowd of families celebrating birthdays, students from the University of Chicago and couples sharing cozy booths. Dishes include fish and jerk chicken, tomatoey conch chowder and sandwiches on soft Cuban bread with nutmeg-spiced cole slaw. Other notables include blackened tilapia with lime-cilantro mayo and ample chicken kabobs with pineapple and spicy marinade.

• Pros: colorful atmospherefun, tropical food

09/17/03

I Love Calypso!

by illchick

This is one of my favorites restaurants in the city. The waitstaff is always friendly and the wait is never too long. The drinks are great. Everything on the menu is good, but I recommend the Coconut Shrimp and the Shrimp Pasta. This is a nice place for a date, but the are good with large groups too.

• Pros: Service, Ambiance, Food
• Cons: Parking Meters

07/26/03

Decent Spot

by eboni1

This is a decent place to eat. The food is fairly authentic. The prices are ressonable.

• Pros: Parking, Cool Decorations
• Cons: Slow Service

05/09/03

Worst meal ever

by zorkahn

I don't say 'worst meal ever' lightly. I have eaten the best, the worst and everything in between. However, for the life of me, I have never understood the apepal of this place. The food is just plain bad. For some reason, I have been there twice (had to give it a second shot). Most people I know that have been there have done so only once and were smart enough to stop there.

• Pros: Not going back, mojitos
• Cons: conch fritters, coconut shrimp

05/31/02

Great Food

by jaye_shaw

I enjoyed the jerk chicken and the sides were great! I also had a cup of black bean soup and my friend had the conch soup, both were great! Nice waitstaff and reasonable prices.

• Cons: parking meters