Jerk At Nite, A DC Favorite From Two Howard Alums That First Started In A Dorm, Gets Major Tip From Keith Lee

Jerk at Nite, a Jamaican , Mexican and American-infused food spot, celebrated its 10th anniversary in May. The eatery has become a household restaurant in the DMV area, particularly in Washington D.C.

The business was birthed on the campus of Howard University in 2012. Denville Myrie Jr. started selling authentic Jamaican jerk chicken sandwiches to his peers due to the lack of healthy options after 10 p.m., FOX 5 reported. Despite not having access to a fancy kitchen, Myrie utilized his college dorm room to bring his idea to life. His signature plates became popular and word spread fast around the campus.

When Myrie moved into a townhouse, he recruited people he knew to help his business flourish. They worked as delivery drivers six days a week to meet consumer demands. One of the people who assisted Myrie was Kadeem Todd, who attended Howard at the same time. Myrie’s dedication led to co-ownership.

A food truck was purchased in 2014 to level up the business, and they added a second and third food truck with the vision to transition to a brick-and-mortar. Five years later, they found a building in D.C., which opened a year ago.

Recently, the H Street location (their second storefront) caught the attention of Keith Lee , who left a $2,000 tip and paid for 200 meals during his visit.

“Thank you @keith_lee125 @ron.geezy for supporting local restaurants like us in the DMV showing our team love. 10 years ago we were selling food out of our dorm room at @howard1867 and now we’re here,” the caption of an Instagram post read. “We recently took a huge loss with our H street location having a fire. @keith_lee125 heard about us being a Howard University and DC community staple so we made sure he tasted our perseverance and passion on every plate. Big up ya self Keith!!”

Shortly after Lee’s visit, the original building was destroyed in an electrical fire. The co-owners stated that Lee paid for 200 meals for patrons and that his $2,000 tip would be used toward funding the necessary repairs.

The third location is set to open in September.