Mira Nabulsi holding her jerk chicken at Chubby's Jamaican Kitchen.
This Opinion article is part of a Narcity Media series. The views expressed are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
DJ Khaled is no stranger to Toronto. The famous producer and DJ has a reputation for hanging out at local restaurants and shouting about them on social.
He's checked out a popular Jamaican patty joint and even tried Drake's favourite restaurant in the city, Yorkville's own Sotto Sotto. But one restaurant recommendation really caught my attention, so I decided to give it a try.
During his visit to the 6ix back in 2020, DJ Khaled dined at Toronto's Chubby's Jamaican Kitchen, and the spot got a major shout-out on his Instagram.
"Real yard man ting! @chubbysjamaican love the energy and the food is amazing!" he shared on Instagram. "I love Toronto I love the Toronto people and I love yard man food in Toronto I feel like I'm at home 🏡 . Toronto always show me love Grateful for dat. BLESS UP ! 🇨🇦."
"The food here is incredible, I love this spot," he can be heard saying to the camera.
I feel pretty ashamed that it took me this long to try Chubby's, even though I've lived in Toronto for nearly a decade and am 10 minutes away. But I'm so glad I decided to check it out.
Narcity reached out to staff to find out what he ate while there and was told he ordered the Saltfish Fritters, Likkle Jamaican Patties, Curry Goat, Jerk Chicken and Rice and Peas. He also purchased some of Chubby's Signature Mango Hot Sauce to take home.
The Restaurant
Exterior of Chubby's Toronto.Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
Chubby's Jamaican Kitchen is located at 104 Portland Street in Toronto, right in the heart of the entertainment district. With a super fun and pink exterior, you can only expect the interior to be just as cheerful... and it was. In fact, I went on a solo date with myself and felt like I was on vacation.
The music was so vibey, giving customers a feel for that island sound, and the decor helped with that. At some point, I sat in my seat, sipping my drink, listening to the music and conversations around me, and thought, "Wow, I'm having a great time."
Interior of Chubby's Toronto.Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
"Inspired by the warmth and vibrancy of Jamaica's culture and people, Chubby's Jamaican Kitchen is a take on traditional Caribbean cooking balanced with relevant culinary twists," the restaurant's website reads. "Chubby's boasts two floors of seating, two bars, and two outdoor patios. It melds old and new, inside and out to create a transporting dining experience complete with delicious Caribbean cooking, eclectic design and soulful hospitality."
Getting a table for lunch required no effort at all. I showed up and was seated immediately. But, during dinner time, I wouldn't bank on finding a spot when walking in because it can get pretty busy, especially on the weekend.
Customers can make a reservation on OpenTable and bigger groups can send in a request on Chubby's website.
Also, I can imagine the space to be a great place for big parties and groups because it's huge, airy and offers some forms of privacy. In fact, when I was there for lunch, there were three big parties and I wasn't overwhelmed by their presence or their noise levels at all.
The Food
I asked the server what she thought I needed to order and listened to her advice, but I must warn you that if you can't handle spice, maybe this shouldn't be your go-to.
Pepper Shrimp from Chubby's.Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
The menu had many delicious options, but the one that was a no-brainer to the server was a spicy seafood dish. So, for my appetizer, I ordered the Pepper Shrimp for $19.
The waitress did warn me that it was spicy, but I felt as an Arab, I'd be able to handle it — I was wrong.
Chubby's Pepper Shrimp is smothered in garlic butter, scotch bonnet and comes with a side of house-made hard dough bread.
The shrimps were so juicy that the flavour kept me going back for more, but I'm not going got lie, I got a natural lip plump by the end of it and chugged a lot of water between every bite. The server described the dish perfectly and said it was one of those "hurts me so good" kinds of vibes.
Next, I obviously ordered what the server told me was a part of DJ Khaled's must-eat dishes, and that's the jerk chicken for $16.
Jerk chicken from Chubby's Toronto.Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
When I received the plate, the skin was barbequed to perfection and coated with a generous amount of spice. Having just returned from the Cayman Islands, where Jamaican foods are quite prominent, I can say, I'm experienced in the jerk chicken realm.
But let me tell you, the jerk chicken at Chubby's was so much better, and I can see why DJ Khaled loves their food so much.
According to the CN Traveller, DJ Khaled said, "Caribbean food is one of my favourites – I always try to find joints that serve it. It makes me feel at home. Chubby's was recommended to me by friends. The jerk chicken and oxtail stew are so good. There is nothing like Caribbean spicing to warm you up when it's freezing outside. Man, winters in Toronto are brutal but it's all love – and I'm grateful for the love I get when I visit."
I asked the server, who is from Jamaica, how close the flavours were to the real thing and she said if you were visiting Negril, you wouldn't know the difference.
Midnight Magic drink from Chubby's.Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
I also got a side of their mango dip, and wow! If summer tasted like a dip, it would be this one.
To cool down my mouth from the spicy food, the server suggested I order the Midnight Magic, $15, which has El Dorado 8, Brooklyn anchor mulled cider and coconut syrup.
The creamy coconut was seriously a tastebud saviour.
Final Thoughts
Mira Nabulsi sitting at Chubby's Jamaican Kitchen.Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
Overall, even though I had doubts about what DJ Khaled says is great because of my experience with his chicken wing place, which, spoiler alert was not great, I was seriously impressed.
The service was delightful, the food delicious and the vibes immaculate. I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend my lunch break.
The space is filled with joyful and vacation energy, which in a busy city like Toronto is a great place to take a pause, enjoy a meal and chill.
As DJ Khaled might say, I'll definitely be going to Chubby's for "Anotha One" very soon because the level of flavours is seriously hard to achieve at home.