After shutting down its Short Vine restaurant at the end of 2024, Island Frydays is firing up the jerk grills again, this time in a much larger College Hill home that pairs its Jamaican comfort food with a new nightlife lounge. Owner Leo Morgan has kept the brand afloat this spring with a catering-only food truck while the new spot is finished, reviving a long-running local favorite and giving the neighborhood a fresh evening hangout in one move.
What Is Opening In College Hill
The new Island Frydays will fill a 5,200-square-foot space at 5920 Hamilton Ave in College Hill, combining a full-service Jamaican restaurant with a nightlife lounge dubbed the Paradise Room. According to CityBeat, the Paradise Room is slated to feature indoor and outdoor seating, a self-pour drink system and live music and events, along with special weekly Sunday brunches. In a statement to CityBeat, Morgan called the new venue “the evolution Cincinnati has been waiting for.”
How The Owner Is Bringing It Back
Island Frydays closed its Corryville dining room on Dec. 17, 2024, after nearly 16 years on Short Vine, a shutdown that was reported last winter. The business pivoted to a catering-first model and has been operating a food truck in College Hill. The restaurant’s website lists the truck at 5835 Hamilton Ave and notes ongoing catering service, reflecting the post-closure shift that WCPO also reported and that is detailed on the Island Frydays site.
Paradise Room And The Nightlife Play
The Paradise Room is being pitched as a neighborhood entertainment hub that will match Caribbean cocktails with DJ sets and live acts aimed at late-evening crowds. The concept arrives in the middle of a wave of new restaurants and redevelopment along College Hill’s commercial corridor, part of a broader push to strengthen the district’s nightlife and retail offerings. R&B Cincy notes that the Island Frydays comeback lines up neatly with that ongoing investment in the area.
When It Is Expected To Open
CityBeat reports that a grand opening for the new Island Frydays in College Hill is expected in the coming weeks, with exact dates still to be announced by the restaurant. In the meantime, the food truck continues to operate on a limited schedule, Thursday through Sunday, according to Island Frydays.
