Not to be confused with Jamaica Jerk, in Rogers Park, Jamaica Jamaica sits in downtown Evanston. It's a little bit lounge with faux-marble countertops and leaf wood-carvings on the wall, a little bit restaurant with jet black roll-ups and a way-beyond tapas menu, yet gives a cafe feel with a juice and vegetable bar that rivals the Jamba chain, which competes just a block north on Davis Street.

Obviously it'd be wise to go to Jamaica Jamaica if you want food as well, as it deals in Caribbean grill, meat and fish-heavy specialties like oxtail sauteed in onions, peppers and brown gravy, coconut shrimp and tilapia platters, or infamous jerk options, both chicken or pork, marinated in a house jerk sauce. Entree dishes as such list for $8-$12 during lunch, and shoot to $12-$16 for dinner. There's also a token vegetarian special, usually brimming with plantains and steamed vegetables, for a few bucks cheaper at both meal times. And it does a fine job of rounding everything out with equal handfuls of appetizers, pudding and cake-strong desserts that rarely push $5, the exception being the jerk wings at $6.

Reason No. 2 to side with double-J over Jamba would be booze, as it boasts a full bar. It would be nice to see some more authentically Jamaican options, other than Red Stripe by the bottle and Appleton Rum, though we'll chalk that up to its infant status for now. Otherwise, the vegetable and juice bar rivals anything Jamba makes, at comparable prices – $3.95 for 16 ounces, $4.95 for 24 ounces – in fancy daiquiri glassware and much cooler names (i.e. Rasta Mon, Belly Dance, Doctor's Cave.)

Average cost: $10-$20

Centerstage Reviewer: Gavin Paul