Jennys and Jackos Favourite Cakes and Restaurant has been in the same spot on West End Road in Negril Jamaica for 30 years. Jennys and Jackos should really be called Dorothy and Jackos. Ms. Jenny passed on many years ago now but that spot was made famous as Jennys so when Jacko and his wife Dorothy took over they ripped down the old building and put in the new place while adding Jackos name to the sign and Mrs Dorothy now answers to the name Mrs Jenny far more often then her own name. Must be kinda weird for Tayon and Jennys other children who still live in the neighborhood to hear mommas name still used so long after she has passed on. I suppose thats a legacy of sorts.
Jennys is famous for its “special cakes” but popular for being the best value restaurant in all of Negril. It’s a locals restaurant that feeds the neighborhood and tourists alike. You’ll most often find the place packed with Jamaicans enjoying such island favorites as Ackee and Saltfish for breakfast and Brown Stew Chicken for lunch or dinner. Jennys has not only some of the most delicious food with generous portions but is down right cheap for the quality. The $200JA plate of Brown Stew Chicken is a heaping helping of vegetables, rice and peas and a chopped chicken quarter smothered in the delectable brown stew sauce. Not into brown stew? It’s all good cause Jennys does a mean Curry Chicken also.
Jennys is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with something on the menu for everyone. I have actually eaten more menu items but I always forget to take pictures for the blog. I know I had the Oxtail Stew and Curry Goat both of which were fantastic but no pics. I do have pics and write ups on each of these below though so enjoy. If you’re in Negril on the West End you should think about stopping by a real Jamaica eatery and dining with locals for the day at Jennys and Jackos. It’s located at the beginning of the cliffs just past Heartbeat Seaside Resort.
Ackee and Saltfish
I have no idea why but I never ate ackee and saltfish until this trip. Now that I think about things it may have been the idea that saltfish would not taste good for breakfast that kept me from ever trying any. I knew it was supposed to be the Jamaican national breakfast and everyone ate it but it was not very appealing to me at all. I forced myself to try it this go around and lo and behold it has become my favorite breakfast. I simply love the flavor and texture of an ackee and saltfish breakfast. The best deal on the menu is you ask me because for $250JA you get a heaping pile of ackee flecked with saltfish that has been deboned as best they can and the rest of your plate is covered in the most delicious steamed vegetables and dumplings. The breakfast plate comes with a mixture of steamed vegetables like green bananas, yellow yam, dasheen, plaintains, dumplings and of course a pile of callaloo. Soak it down with a glass of orange juice and its so sweet. Saltfish for breakfast is a unique flavor and you may better enjoy just a plate of ackee and callaloo if you’re not into fish.
Fish Tea Soup
I just love a cup of fish tea. It’s a spicy fishy broth usually laden with fish bones and odd fish parts that makes a simply scrumptious soup ato me. I really like a well made fish tea and Jennys is a great example. I do wish they would dice the vegetables smaller but thats a personal preference. I like to dice vegetables in a soup and stir it heavily to break up pieces and thicken up the broth. Jennys Fish tea tastes great and has a thicker consistency than most but its still kinda light for my tastes. I like to taste the fish in a fish tea and not have the overbearing peppers and spice flavor. Jennys fish tea is a great balance between spice and fish.
Conch Soup
I’ll start by saying I don’t prefer Jamaica style conch soup but I like it. I grew up in the Florida keys where we had Cuban style conch soup and I prefer the taste and texture of that. Cuban style or Key West Conch soup normally has loads of small bits of diced conch meat and a much different broth and flavor to it. Jamaican style conch soup has much larger and more flavorful pieces of conch meat in the soup but a lighter/waterier broth. I like the Jamaican conch soup and the larger pieces of meat but I think again I personally would prefer smaller pieces of conch diced into the broth and a long slow cook to thicken it up.
Brown Stew Chicken
I had never had brown stew anything until this trip to Jamaica. (I know, no ackee and no brown stew until now) I had also never eaten at Jennys until we arrived at Heartbeat Jamaica and our first lunch on the island together as a family was here. The first meal I ordered was the curry chicken because it was safe but my next meal was the brown stew and its been my favorite ever since. I love brown stew chicken and brown stew fish. I especially like the chicken though as I think it just works better that way. I have had rice and peas before but rarely tasted the coconut milk in the rice until I ate at Jennys. Now I understand how rice and peas are supposed to taste and I love it. I can actually eat brown stew chicken, rice and peas every day and save a fortune over cooking at home while eating better.
Here is the takeout order Brown stew chicken dinner from Jennys and Jackos
Brown Stew Fish
The brown stew fish dinner meal is much the same as the chicken except that the fish is not fresh cooked for you. The brown stew dressing is added to the fish already cooked for that day. It’s the way many Jamaican restaurants do fish, they cook the fish early on in the day and then put it on display for you often in a glass case. This makes the fish dry and hard most often but heating it up in some brown stew sauce actually helps it out. Brown stew is not my favorite way to do fish and I much prefer it steamed. Brown stew is better with chicken I think.
Steamed Fish
What’s not to like about steamed fish? That’s right nothing. What makes a good steam fish? I like the coconut. I prefer steamed snapper to begin with and yellowtail if possible. A steamed yellowtail snapper sounds good even right now. The steamed fish meals are prepared fresh and a great meal for lunch or dinner. Here is the fish I had for dinner just last night. Yes it has taken me over a month to finish writing this article and collect all the pictures of Jamaican food from Jennys.
Jennys Cakes
They say Ms. Jenny made the best cakes and you can still get a great slice of cake from Jennys and Jackos. I have noticed that Jamaican cakes are a bit more dry then I am used to but maybe that’s how Jamaicans like it. Almost every slice of cake I have had here was very dry but it could just be me and the heat during summer. I don’t care much for sweets in the heat but I choked down a couple slices of cake with the kids and enjoyed it. I was told Jennys has the best “special cakes” and you could find a nice slice of ganja cake if you asked nicely and didn’t look like a cop. A likle bird told me for $600 Jamaica you can buy a bigfat slice and have a great trip in Negril. ya unnastan mon? 
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