The location of Pete’s Jamaican Restaurant initially might take you out of your comfort zone. However, based on the large number of people coming and going for takeout and the few who dine in; it should not be considered a deterrent, but an adventure worth pursuing.

The Menu

The fare is traditional, well-prepared Jamaican cuisine with an emphasis on what is best described as comfort food: featuring chicken, goat, oxtail and snapper. A variety of sides enhance the menu. These include mac and cheese, rice and peas, plantains, sautéed cabbage and onions, french fries and white rice. 

Critic’s Tip

Go for the food, not the setting ,and enjoy the friendly staff.

On the Table

When thinking about Jamaican cuisine, jerk chicken and oxtail immediately come to mind. I ordered the latter since I hadn’t had it in a long time, and it was identified on Pete’s website as among the “Popular Items.” The platter ($24.72) featured a substantial amount of meat along with peas and rice and mac and cheese. I had meant to order an extra side of plantains, but forgot.

Oxtail may be an acquired taste simply because of what it is: the tail of a cow. The meat, which was attached to 2-to-3-inch cross-sections of bone, required hours of braising to be as rich, tender and full of flavor as what’s dished up at Pete’s. The well-seasoned sauce in which the meat was cooked was almost stewlike with pieces of carrots, red peppers, onions and a lot of spices that provided a little zing to the palate.

Peas and rice is a bit of a misnomer in that there are kidney beans, not green peas as one might expect. The large serving was great for soaking up the juices from the oxtail. The mac and cheese was just OK.

Our jerk chicken platter order ($16.94) also had rice and peas, along with a side of festival, which proved to be a saccharine, tubular-shaped fried bread that tasted like an unglazed doughnut.

The chicken was coated in a dark brown sauce that was slightly spicy and addictive. Elements of hot pepper varieties, which weren’t overwhelming, provided a nice level of heat. The platter came with three pieces of grilled bone-on chicken.

The Venue

Located in a small strip mall, Pete’s is on South Nevada Avenue near the I-25 overpass. Interior space is limited, so when there’s a line of people waiting to order or pick up to-go items, it felt cramped. There are only five tables on the main level with a sixth on a small landing in the middle of a set of stairs. Posters of Bob Marley and Jamaican flags adorned the walls. 

Afterthoughts

Be aware that the menu on the wall near where orders are placed doesn’t include prices. You can always ask. The online prices differ from what we were charged, so I suspect costs vary based on what’s available from the restaurant’s vendors. This isn’t the kind of place where if you have to ask the price, you can’t afford it, because they are in line with most restaurants these days. Prices listed above were what were paid for our recent meal.

Know Before You Go

Pete’s Jamaican Restaurant

Traditional Jamaican cuisine

Location: 1107 S. Nevada Ave.

Contact:719-900-1718; petesjamaicanrestaurant.com 

Prices: Subject to change.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. 

Details: Credit cards accepted. Beer. Wi-Fi. Online ordering available.

Favorite dishes: Oxtail and jerk chicken.

Other: Gluten-free available, but no vegan options.                                 

El Paso County Health Department Inspection: Five issues out of 25 out of compliance August 2025.