Restaurant

St. Bess Jerk

Name: St. Bess Jerk
Address: 4838 W 79th St, Burbank, IL, 60459, US
Telephone: (708) 634-2057
Price range: $$

Chicken Wings•Chicago•$$

St. Bess Jerk is one of the best chicken wings restaurants in Chicago for cheap eats, especially if you want a strong option in Chicago.

Editorial review updated•Jul 28, 2026

St. Bess Jerk Kitchen operates as a counter-service Jamaican spot on Chicago's West Side, and what distinguishes it from the broader category of Caribbean restaurants in the city is a reported commitment to technique over approximation. The jerk chicken here is consistently described by diners as the kind of preparation built around allspice and Scotch bonnet in proportions that reflect how the dish is actually made — slow-smoked, properly spiced, and not the diluted, oven-roasted shorthand that passes for jerk at many North American kitchens. The rice and peas, a dish where the dividing line between attentive and inattentive kitchens is simply whether coconut milk or water goes into the pot, is reportedly made the right way. That detail recurs in accounts of the kitchen and it matters. The oxtail rounds out the menu's case for itself. A preparation that demands a long braise and has no shortcut available to it, the oxtail at St. Bess is known for the depth and tenderness that come from giving it the time it requires. Across customer accounts, these two dishes — the jerk chicken and the oxtail — are described as cooking that reflects someone who learned it rather than researched it, and that distinction tends to be legible in the result. Portions are reported as generous and the price point sits at the accessible end of the scale. St. Bess runs as a focused, cash-friendly operation with no frills around the food itself. For anyone tracking Jamaican cooking in Chicago with any seriousness, it warrants attention. Come with an appetite, and make the jerk chicken with rice and peas the anchor of the order, with the oxtail alongside if the occasion allows.

Amara Osei, Food & Culture Writer

Methodology•Chicago guides•Editorial team•Report outdated information

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Taste Score 7.4/10

Rating (Google) 7.6

450 reviews

Chicago

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The fastest read on whether this place fits tonight.

7.4/10

Taste Score

Google 7.6 from 450 reviews

Best for

Cheap Eats

Price and pace

Moderate spend

Neighborhood

Chicago | 4838 W 79th St, Burbank, IL 60459, USA

Price

Moderate spend

Taste Score

7.4/10

Phone

(708) 634-2057

Inside the restaurant

Photos of St. Bess Jerk

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Menu and ordering

St. Bess Jerk menu: what to order

Start with the dishes below, drawn from the restaurant details and TastyPals notes available on this page. St. Bess Jerk is listed in the Moderate spend price range. Menus, availability, and prices can change, so confirm current details before visiting.

Jerk chicken

Oxtail

Rice and peas

Why go

What makes St. Bess Jerk worth the move

St. Bess Jerk is a strong chicken wings option in Chicago when you want somewhere that already has a solid public track record. Jerk chicken and Oxtail also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 7.6 rating across 450 Google reviews.

What to know fast

Public rating

7.6 from 450 Google reviews

Best for

Cheap Eats

Style

Chicken Wings in Chicago

Spend

Moderate spend

Best for

Cheap Eats

Know before you go

Google rating: 7.6 from 450 reviews

Price point: $$

Popular dishes: Jerk chicken, Oxtail, Rice and peas

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TastyPals Reviews

What diners are saying

0 diner reviews · reviewed by Amara Osei for St. Bess Jerk

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Google snapshot

7.6 from 450 reviews

TastyPals notes

Editorial review by Amara Osei

No diner notes for St. Bess Jerk yet.

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Plan the visit

Quick details

Visit Website Directions

Address: 4838 W 79th St, Burbank, IL 60459, USA
Phone: (708) 634-2057
Price: $$
TastyPals score: 7.4/10
Google rating: 7.6 (450 reviews)
Cuisine: Chicken Wings
Neighborhood: Chicago

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Frequently asked questions

What cuisine does St. Bess Jerk serve?

St. Bess Jerk is a Chicken Wings restaurant located in Chicago, Chicago. St. Bess Jerk Kitchen operates as a counter-service Jamaican spot on Chicago's West Side, and what distinguishes it from the broader category of Caribbean restaurants in the city is a reported commitment to technique over approximation. The jerk chicken here is consistently described by diners as the kind of preparation built around allspice and Scotch bonnet in proportions that reflect how the dish is actually made — slow-smoked, properly spiced, and not the diluted, oven-roasted shorthand that passes for jerk at many North American kitchens. The rice and peas, a dish where the dividing line between attentive and inattentive kitchens is simply whether coconut milk or water goes into the pot, is reportedly made the right way. That detail recurs in accounts of the kitchen and it matters.

What is St. Bess Jerk best for?

St. Bess Jerk is best for cheap eats. St. Bess Jerk is a strong chicken wings option in Chicago when you want somewhere that already has a solid public track record. Jerk chicken and Oxtail also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 7.6 rating across 450 Google reviews.

How much does it cost to eat at St. Bess Jerk?

St. Bess Jerk is in the Moderate spend price range ($$). Google rating: 7.6 from 450 reviews

What should I order at St. Bess Jerk?

Start with Jerk chicken, Oxtail and Rice and peas. These dishes are shown from TastyPals notes or restaurant data on this page.

Is St. Bess Jerk worth visiting?

St. Bess Jerk holds a 7.6 Google rating from 450 reviews. St. Bess Jerk is a strong chicken wings option in Chicago when you want somewhere that already has a solid public track record. Jerk chicken and Oxtail also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 7.6 rating across 450 Google reviews.

Where is St. Bess Jerk located?

St. Bess Jerk is located at 4838 W 79th St, Burbank, IL 60459, USA. Directions are available via Google Maps.

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