Irie Foods

Good Bye Alberta Numbered Company
For all the Unilocalers who loved this place and for some who didn’t care for the high priced foods and inconsistent food delivery service– say good bye.
They appear to be closed, for at least the last 2 weeks-​BUT in contrast the Vietnamese sub place (right beside it) seems always busy and making $$ the old fashioned way– providing quality food for a price that the customer is willing to pay for! take some lessons IRIE and get back into the game.

Was there about a month ago.
Walked in and the waitress was on the phone. She didnt acknowledge us, we were sure if we were to just sit ourselves or not. After a few mins we decided to just sit wherever. We were the only one there. Took awhile till she came to out table.
I ordered the Jamaican fiesta burger. Have I admit that I was very tasty… Towards the end of my burger I noticed something sticking out. I pulled a 2 inch long black hair I was very disgusted, I don’t think I ever had hair on my food before. I told the waitress right away. She didnt seem to care; I don’t even know if she had told the cook about it.

The food was great. I had the Rasta Pasta, and my friend had the Jerk Chicken. The drinks were great too– I can’t fault this place on its food.
The problems were the price and some people in the restaurant at the same time as me.
First, the price. It was EXPENSIVE. Way overpriced if you ask me. Meals were around $ 15 – 20, but the place wasn’t as fancy as prices like that would warrant.
The second problem was that hobo sitting at the table next to us. I wouldn’t have cared, I mean, hobos have to eat too, but this guy reeked. It’s hard to eat food when you’re overwhelmed by the smell of urine. Just saying.
I realize that this isn’t 100% the restaurant’s fault, but still…

First time here, I was under the impression that it was something of a fast food resto but no, it’s a great cozy little sit-​down restaurant, very simple inside, but welcoming. Service was very fast, perhaps partially due to the fact that we showed up an hour before closing.
The food was good, soup was hearty, the fried broccoli was a very good starter. Mains were great, very tasty curry chicken. They only had one red wine to choose from, but not a big deal, I didn’t come here for the wine. Overall very good, I’d go back!

Love the atmosphere… seriously really relaing. I went in not knowing anything about Jamacian food never even tasted it. But if this is what Jamacian food is suppose to taste like then mmmmmmmm. The jerk chicken is awesome, try the ting, grapefruit drink. Great atmosphere, great location.

Irie foods serves a decent jerked chicken and soup deal on Thursdays and that’s what I ordered yesterday. It’s about $ 10 for jerk chicken with a side of chicken and dumpling soup. The soup was pretty tasty and the jerk chicken was super succulent with pieces of meat just falling off of the bone. I think it was totally worth the price I paid for it. We also started our meal by sharing a beef patty which was rather delicious, I must say.
The ambience is simple with some decorations and artifacts Caribbean in nature that ornate the walls. Medium volume of music, mostly reggae, playing in the background (and from a boom box). Furniture nice, but not high end. They have a small refrigerator with a few choices of beers. I got the red stripe along with a couple of beers on tap.
I’m going to sing the same song that’s been sung about Irie and that is that the regular menu is too pricey. I don’t know if it’s really a $ 18 – 20 per entrée kinda place. I enjoyed the deal of $ 10 for jerk chicken and a wholesome soup, but apart from that I wouldn’t necessarily spend about 30 – 35 bucks a person out here. Or put in words that Unilocalers might understand, I don’t think it’s a ‘$$$’ range restaurant.
Also, bear witness to the fact that I’ve only had the jerked chicken, so I’m not sure how good the other food is. I do believe it will be good but may never find out because I’m only going to show up out there on Thursdays :-)

I like Caribbean food and having been a Scuba Instructor on many of the islands I have been lucky to have eaten some of the best.
The food here is good, not the best but a very good representation, along with the Grace ginger beer which is a must. Food is fresh and you have to wait as they cook to order.
The problem is cost, for a dinner for 2 with soft drinks and coffee it is over 50.00. This may not be much for a dinner out, but for Caribbean I can get the same dinner in many other cities for much less.
Go and enjoy, but if you are familiar with the cuisine you will not feel you get value for your money.

great Jerk Chicken and Patties

I love Carribean food and since I moved to Edmonton from Toronto I miss it. UNtil now there have been two or three places in the boonies, way out of town.
When I arrived at centrally located and still under construction Irie Foods on Whyte ave, I walked in to an obviously Ikea fashioned bpring little place with Reggae blasting out of a crappy little boom box (this part gave me hope) The waiter came over and handed me the menu, literally, put it in my hands, like a drug deal! The menu was boring beige with very little on it, the usual appetizers, ackee salt fish, patties etc. I looked for the roti on the menu (caucasians love ordering roti, sad but true) I order Roti cause its usually a bit cheaper and plenty for lunch but basically this menu was appetzers and mains all which wre in teh neighborhood of 12 to 16 dollars. Well, I was already there, so I ordered the Jerk Chicken with Rice and Peas, oxtail gravy on the rice please! The waiter asked if I would like soup or salad to start, I said,“any coleslaw?” Jamaicans make great coleslaw!“no slaw” he said. okay, I took the salad, iceberg lettuce with some peppers and tomatoes with some kind of creamy cucmber dressing that was definitely out of the bottle. I ate it, it was fine but whatever. Tehn the main came, they had poured The Oxtail gravy on the Jerk Chicken and the rice was naked,.The waiter said, he poured the gravy on your chicken instead of the rice so I brought you gravy on the side for your rice. If the atmosphere hadn’t been so drab I might have sent it back but I wanted out of the place. So I took it, despite being buried in too many flavors because of the gravy the chicken was tender and fell off he bones and the jerk sauce was excellent but I swear on Bob Marley’s grave the rice was instant rice, it tasted like Uncle Ben’s instant rice and the peas were right out of the Libby’s Kidney bean can.
Over all except for the chicken it was boring and crappy, restaurants that are remotely exotic see to open up in this town only to make money, typically the prices are twice what they should be and the quality is half. I dream of the day when some real food critics come to this city and let er rip for a week or two. I really miss the Jamaican food in Toronto and I was hoping this would be my substitute, at least ince in a while but at 16.80 (remeber no pst even) for a meal of instant rice and iceberg kettuce and chicken (good chicken) on Ikea dishware in a restaurant fashioned with Ikea art, no drink, except for the water I had to ask twice for, plus tip (3-​), why would I go back. if it was 6 or 8 dollars (there is a 3.99 lunch special at the Ritz on Yonge everyday that is twice the size and twice as good in Toronto) I would come back, caus ethe chicken was good but forget it. Every restaurant opens up and prices itself so that all the people that work in the are have to pay three hours of wages t get a decent meal, no wonder standards are low and people don’t go out to eat here. I am sad to say it was a dissapointment, aside from the chicken, but no coleslaw? no roti? too bad.