My son likes coming here we've been here on several several occasions. Plus it's right in our neighborhood. I remember that the first time I ordered it was a Hawaiian Burger which I thought was not bad. Â The second time I ordered the Toucan Sandwich on wheat bun, the chicken was good but too much teriyaki sauce for me, I should of ordered it on the side, perhaps I will if I order it again. Â The third time I ordered the salmon fish tacos,( this time I asked for the teriyaki sauce on the side), so they brought me halibut tacos instead, I brought it up to our server and it was corrected but of course everyone else had already started eating. At one point the manager came by apologized and made sure it was taken care of and that we were satisfied. Â I am disappointed with this dish, it is not tasty at all, Â plus the tortillas weren't warm, no bueno. Â I would go again since my family likes it and I can order something other than burgers since I do prefer fish and chicken. BTW the kids don't get to eat for free anymore, bummer!
Review Source:This is one of my favorite sit down burger restaurants when I want to take the family for such a craving and atmosphere. Â Reasonably priced for a sit down burger and all their styles of burgers are good, what tops it off is the endless fresh fried french fries accompanying their mouthwatering burgers. Â My favorite burger is the Kilauea, but other times I go for the Bluenami. Â I'd like to come here for a beer and burger at the bar to catch a game on their bar TV, have yet to do that one day, or for happy hour.
Review Source:Today is 6-22-13 I was very hungry and  want to have a  BIG  Kilauea  burger  with frys  the burger is still pretty awesome still the best burger I think they have there hands down. My Service was not that bad  she had 5 tables  including mine..  Just had to ask for a. Refill for my drink a few times. Other then that  had no problems will  come back again soon....
Review Source:Came here just right before the dinner rush. Service was prompt. Tried the Point Break burger with the Gruyere and Bleu cheeses and caramelized bacon - tasted great and cooked perfectly. Combined with bottomless seasoned fries and a cold 25oz draft beer, made for a perfect casual Saturday evening meal.
Review Source:Islands has some of the best burgers in san diego. i used to love Trophy's but now that theyre gone i think this is my favorite burger in town. now that fries come with the burger and have refills you def get your fill. full bar, catch whatever game is on on the tv bars, or watch the extreme sports video looping on the other tvs. never had the fish tacos personally but a friend orders them often and loves them. or if you want to get it to go simply go to the bar to place your togo order. less than 15 mins youll have your food (also got a complimentary soda from the bartender while waiting)
Review Source:This place creates a fun environment by placing you in a beach theme. Â The decor, tables, and menu items all add to the atmosphere. Â
The Yaki Tacos are really tasty. Â They are basically chicken soft tacos that have pineapple and yummy teriyaki sauce.
They also have lots of TVs around to keep you entertained. Â Usually they have Happy Hour specials during SDSU ball games as well. Go Aztecs!
I love Islands!!! Every time I am in San Diego....I have to go to Islands. There are plenty of burger places in Texas....I mean we are the land of plentiful cattle....but I always catch myself thinking of Islands' mushroom swiss burgers.
I always sit in the bar area....and I order the mushroom swiss burger, cheese fries (the biggest plate of fries ever) with ranch dressing (fat on top of more fat), and of course an ice cold beer. The burger comes out juicy and tasty...super fresh and hot. The cheese fries.....I am craving them now while I type this up....gobs of melted cheese and ranch dressing!!! To die for! The fries alone could be a meal. The service is always great....its also a good place to take the kids to.
Its a good place to get the friends together and catch up when I am in town. I hope to be back soon!
Always a safe bet. Went here with my brother, his wife and daughter. The place was packed with families, kids (lots of kids), and young couples on dates. A little bit of everything.
The food was good, the hamburger was cooked just right with good fries.
I will most likely be back since I love spending time with the fam!
I have been here twice and had the same experience both times.
Reasons to go:
1) Quality food. Â Fresh ingredients with good burger options. Â Very tasty!
2) Atmosphere. Â The surf videos coupled with the islander furniture and staff clothing = genius. Â Pretty cool idea and they have ESPN on some TVs.
Reasons to avoid:
1) Pricey. Â Unlike the majority of the Yelp! reviews, I did not start with a $20 voucher. Â Food was good, but the price knocked the experience down from a 4-star to a three.
2) Parking. Â Good luck.
3) There are too many other options that I will be satisfied with in walking distance that I can pay half the price that an average meal at Island's offers.
-Out of the 2 times I visited, I had better than average service once and got the feel that good service was the norm here.
-This place has consistently good food, it just doesn't equal to the value I would hope to get from a high-quality burger place.
I like this place for a decent veggie burger. Their fries are delicious and their beer is always cold. I got a lukewarm beer once and they immediately fixed it. They also seemed absolutely horrified that it wasn't icy. Kinda comical. A fun place to meet the whole family for a fun dinner night!
Review Source:I've always wanted to try this place and since I recently got a $20 voucher from my credit union and I was hungry, today was the day. I wasn't sure what to expect price wise since their online menu doesn't list their prices, but a restaurant entree + dessert under $20 is a steal in my eyes.
The service was great!
I ordered a Rincon Burger on whole wheat with a turkey patty. I'm not crazy about burgers, but of all the turkey burgers I've eaten, this was hands down the best. Very moist. I ate the entire thing! (they're pretty big). I didn't want to leave any for fear that it would be ruined reheated at home. The fresh cut fries it came with were way too hard though so I only ate a few which was a bit of a bummer. My iced green tea was delish!
Ordered a fudge brownie a la mode for dessert that tasted generic (gag). The size seemed perfect even though it was jammed pack with calories that they list on the menu (extra star for that ). Perfect place for a cheat day - and mine it was!
Unless you're a huge burger fan, I'd say just go to in-n-out for lunch instead and be just as happy if not happier. Healthier too!
The bf and I got two $20 vouchers from our bank for Islands and figured we'd give it a shot. So. Disappointed. We get there, didn't have a long wait to get seated, and get placed in a booth with the blinds open and the sun blaring into the bf's face then we were told they were broken and couldn't be closed and were not offered a different table (although others nearby were open). Ordered drinks, no appetizers. I asked for lemon in my tea, wound up with an orange. Figured it was a slip and ignored it. Ordered our food (bf got a burger, I did fish tacos) and without even asking if that was all for us (it wasn't, I wanted a salad) the waitress took off. Then a different lady (the manager I think) brought us our drinks.
Then a second waitress was introduced to us, and our original waitress went off to other tables after the bf asked to add bacon to his burger and asked for a small salad for me to be brought out before our meals. Food showed up, no salad and bf had nothing but tiny butts of fries, not a single "normal size" fry on the plate.
20 minutes later as we were finishing our meals yet another person (someone from the kitchen, not waitstaff) brought out the salad, that mysteriously had bacon added to it. Waitress came back, got it put in a to go box.
Manager came over on her own accord, obviously noticed we weren't exactly stoked, and apologized and took the salad off our bill (her concern is pretty much the only reason there are two stars here, she was very kind and apologetic), also apologized about the weird fries and a variety of other things we weren't happy with. The bf mentioned to the manager that we had four separate people handling our stuff and she said it's because they work as a team, neither of us have ever experienced that before and I think it did nothing but add confusion to the whole process. I never did end up getting the refill on my tea that I had asked for 10 minutes earlier either. We left the vouchers and a tip on the table and left with no intention to return.
So, breakdown: two stars for a concerned manager and edible, average, well portioned, but not amazing food. It's TGIFridays with a surf theme.
I'm so sick of their menu changes. Â For a burger, fries and a drink it's over $12 before tip on their new "special lunch menu". Â They've gone back to having everything a la carte, charging what they used to charge for a burger and fries for just a burger... and drinks are $2.65. Â I'm done with them.
Review Source:The staff was super cool, we walked in off the fly and kind of took over after a football game. They quickly made space for the 15 of us. That was an automatic 4 stars.
The fish tacos were solid. I went with the flour tortillas instead of the corn and got the chips and guacamole. The fish was prepared well but the guacamole was kind of slimy, I prefer the chunky stuff.
The waitress schooled us a bit and let us know that it was California law to put the calories on the menu. With that said, considering the portion sizes the calorie counts were actually pretty low.
Came here last weekend because it was close to where we were at. Let me just say that the turkey burger was the <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2FBomb.com&s=716853a54974befb18bd2a2079d876386c9ebd876290947c699fc1e3eaccf129" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://Bomb.com</a>!! I was nervous at first to get a turkey burger cause they always seem dry at some places, but not here. It was supper yummy, my husband also got the Hawaiian turkey burger and also loved it. I didnt get fries so i cant base my review on the fries but i did get a side ceasar salad and it was yummy. Customer service was also great, super friendly and attentive!!! To bad i dont live in Chula Vista or i would be coming back to this one in particular!!
Review Source:We Never Eat out in Eastlake so we Decided to Try Something different besides The usual-Burger King, Carls Jr, McDonalds, Rallys, Mexican Food and So on.........Anyways, We Really Enjoy the Atmosphere, The Quesadilla tasted Great and The Rincon Burger with Double Patties and Endless Fries and Soda was  Really Super Amazing Totally Awesome. WE DO RECOMMEND TO DINE IN. FOR OUR FIRST TIME EATING IN EASTLAKE-THATS OUR SPOT-----THANK YOU
P.S. The Onion Rings have a Good Taste
    Easy Parking
I got invited to a kid birthday party last week. Â First it was a 40 minutes drive just to get to Otay Lakes from downtown San Diego due to traffic and finally made it at 6pm, parking was okay. Â I am newbie at Islands . Â It was packed to the gills, so I was wondering the burgers must be delicious. We were seated, got the menu browsed through it and nothing was appealing. Â So, I ordered a turkey burger Hula - nope the burger was not in a Hula dress. It was disappointing because; Â
1. Turkey burger did not have the sautéed mushroom. A Maui turkey burger was served to me with guacamole and mayo.  Well, it was ok- I didn't want the kids to see me whining.
2. Burger was bland (tasteless) and did not taste like a turkey burger at all. Note: Carl's Jr Teriyaki turkey burger tasted better for $3.89.
3. Fries  SALTY
4. Drinks not refilled
5. Good thing all the kids ate FREE because it was Tuesday! No wonder the place was packed that day.
Not returning to any Island Burger any time soon.
Not a big fast food burger fan, besides In-N-Out. Â But I really like resturant burgers. Â Islands is pretty decent. Â Haven't been to a lot of burger joints but I say decent because after eating here I don't really crave to come back anytime soon. Â Clean spot. Â Friendly waiters. Â I felt bad this visit. Â At the end of my meal I needed to go to the bathroom and on my way there I saw my waitress eating at a table. Â After I came out she was still eating and when I sat down I was ashamed to ask for my check. Â
Order:
*Maui burger (3 stars) was very happy with my order
*Sweet potato fries (2stars) ok but on a avergae I've had better. Â Theirs was a little over cooked
Overall ok spot.
There are not many choices for light-night weeknight dining in Otay Ranch, but Islands shines as the one large, well-known casual dining restaurant where one can get a burger, fries and a beer (or mixed drink) until 10:00pm.
Tried the "Shipwreck" cocktail made with Cruzan Coconut, Grendadine, and a  few other ingredients.  Thought it tasted OK although a bit weak in the alcohol department.
The Spinach dip was good until it started cooling off and congealing. Â The Buffalo Wings were good and came with carrots and celery on the side. Â The Mini Burgers were good and served with fried onions and pickles. Â
A decent place to get some munchies but a little generic if you are looking for unique or higher-end fare.
While some of the other menu items (e.g., non-burger stuff) are not so great, I can always count on the following to leave me full and satisfied:
Start yourself with an Islands Golden Ale. This is their special brew and the beer itself is light and smooth. But the best part is that it comes in a frosted glass that's so cold that sometimes chunks of ice break off and make little islands on the surface of the beer. This comes in a small or large... depending on how my day went determines which size I go with.
Hula burger on white. The mushroom swiss combination can't be beat and the messiness of the burger just makes it taste better. Get a side of ranch so you can dip the burger in the ranch. Scratch that. Dip everything (including your fries) in the ranch. I would dip my beer in the ranch if I could.
The onion rings are good but they are pretty scheisty with them and last time I was there, they told me that they discontinued the endless onion rings. So unless you just want a taste of the onion rings without the volume, I would just get the fries (with ranch!).
The tortilla soup here is delightful. What I love most about it though is that they float pieces of avocado in the soup. The creaminess of the avocado balances out the saltiness of the soup.
The buffalo wings here are also very good... spicy and delicious.
Besides the above-mentioned menu items, I can't vouch for anything else. And in terms of entrees, I would avoid the non-burger items all together. Had a couple of those that went south on me.
The service is great. We always have a refill already waiting for us on the table before we finish our drink. Sometimes these beverages just materialize on our table without us noticing... and I'm like awesome - Ninja waiters!
Also, I can't lie. I love the Hawaiian theme that is border-line cheesy. Nevermind... it is absolutely cheesy.
My son's favorite burger restaurant.
I have him trained well! No McDonalds for this kid!!
TV's displaying surfers are entertaining, the scattered birds hanging around are very cool for the kiddos!
I must admit, now that I saw their Nutritional Information sheet, I always order the greek salad w/ chicken. It is SOO good though!
I also either start with chips/salsa or spinach/artichoke dip.
I don't sweeten my tea, so I'm happy they offer "Unsweetened Passion Fruit Tea" It's perfect for my taste!
I know it's a burger place, and i'd LOVE to try them all but I am restricted cause of allergy reasons.
My son always loves his Jr. Wave Hamburger w/ fries.
And the occasional brownie sundae is yummy!
They're always very prompt and friendly!
It's just always hit or miss with the parking...
Walk into Islands, and you can immediately feel the "Hawaiian" vibe that they're trying to go for. The TVs that replay surfing, skating, and snow boarding videos are entertaining as well.
If you're going to eat here, I'd suggest ordering a burger. Last time I went here we had the Island Fish tacos and the quesadilla appetizer. The tacos were okay. They weren't amazing or anything. And of course, the quesadilla was pretty standard. Definitely not as satisfying as the burgers there, but I wanted to try something different. The fries are yummy though! The Big Island Iced Tea (alcoholic beverage) was good too and the rest of the drinks on the drink menu sounded pretty tasty. You can expect to pay about $10 a plate. Eh, worth it? Maybe you can decide for yourself.
The service at this location is on point. Waitresses with a smile and a nice warm welcome and good-bye at the door.
Damn. I've eaten at this place numerous times and never wrote a review? My bagel.
This is a cool little spot to grab a burger, a beer, and a booty. Ok, maybe not a booty. (unless you don't mind getting slapped in the face and being escorted out.)**
Every time I eat here I always go for the burgers. I've probably tried all their burgers but I do have some go to ones. They have other food items but it's a burger spot. Gotta go with what their known for. It's almost like someone who goes to Pizza Hut to eat anything but pizza. Weirdos.
GOOD:
-Pipeline burger: chili and cheese. Loves it.
-Bleunami: if you like bleu cheese crumbles, try this out!
-Endless Fries & Rings: if two people order burgers, have one order fries and the other order rings.
-Bar: various beers and cocktails.
BAD:
-Mavericks burger: they drenched this bad boy with BBQ sauce. It was like 70% sauce 30% burger. I know I've heard, "if it doesn't get all over the place, it doesn't belong in your face." But damn! More napkins please!
-Shysty on the rings: It is unlimited, but be ready to keep waiting. They bring out 4 or 5 rings at a time. Patience is a virtue, but not when I'm hungry dammit!!
-TVs: I noticed only the tvs at the bars had the games on. All the other ones I kept looking at were of some surfer or wake boarder.
UGLY:
-- Service was ehh: our server kept walking by back and forth. Looked more like a creeper instead of a server. He saw my empty ice tea glass, offered me a refill and never came back. What the eff?? When he brought our food out he was like "your food came out first and I put it in waaay after the other table." Dumbass! We were here before that other table! Only cool thing about him was that he looked like Jason Statham from Crank, well maybe a cracked out version of him.
I'll still come here to eat. Just don't sit me in Jason Statham's section.
** this didn't happen to me, I swear!!
Islands never disappoints me. I can always depend on them for a burger fix. What is even better is they now come with fries! Yes it does get busy on weekends but I have never had a problem with long wait times. Have always been seated in a respectable amount of time. Service is prompt.
Best thing to do is start with the chili cheese fries. They are really good. I suggest the Hula, Maui or Rincon burgers. Meat is cooked to your liking and they are fairly big.
I enjoy eating at Islands and always go back. I highly recommend them.
This is the go to place my boyfriend & I go for cheap burgers and fast service. We go randomly, so of course the weekends are packed but it's not that nonetheless, service wise.
I've ordered the Tortilla Soup, Buffalo Wings, Cheese Fries, a Hula burger, Kona pie, plus a little more and they've all been great. Big amounts/servings are cool so you can bring some home to snack on later.
I've always been a fan for Islands, even when the only restaurant was in Clairemont!! Always great service + great food. You can say it's sort of like a securtiy blanket.. to know that when all else fails, this place will not let you down!
Had a house salad (w/ balsamic vinaigrette and no tomatoes) , mango/strawberry smoothie, chili cheese fries (chili on the side) and split the nachos topped with chicken appetizer with my MB. I loved everything, but the chili.
Service was great. Received my smoothie first, then the nachos, then the rest of my food.
Smoothie: Very sweet and topped with whipped cream and a cherry on top.
Nachos: I was a little disappointed for how little guacamole and sour cream was on them. It also included salsa (looked like from the can), cheese, refried beans, onions and chicken.
Salad: It was a regular garden salad. I was not too impressed with the dressing. It had a funny after taste.
Fries: Soo good! I really enjoyed my fries, but I now know that I do not like chili and I really did not like the chili from here.
For about $43 you can get 2 smoothies, Nachos w/chicken, mini burgers, chili cheese fries, and a salad.
Note: I almost fell at least a half a dozen times due to the type of tile flooring used inside and the type of shoes I was wearing. Don't wear heels is all I can say.
I like Island's a lot, but I can't quite pinpoint why. Their burgers are good, but not great. Their prices are reasonable, but not cheap by any means. The atmosphere is friendly and casual, but nothing spectacular. Yet, when it's time to take the family out for a meal, Island's is frequently at the top of my list. I suppose the extreme kid friendliness is a large part of it. Where else can you take 2 loud, active toddlers, get a good meal and not drive everyone in the place crazy?
My favorite burger is the Sunset with BBQ sauce, bacon and cheese. The tortilla soup is not bad, although not authentic. Fries are good and my wife likes the soft tacos. The service is generally pretty good and they seem to go out of their way to cater to the kids, not something you run into at too many places.
If you are looking for a decent burger it is a good place to go. Â It is neither exciting or particularly interesting but they are consistent in both their delivery and presentation. Â
Positives:
Decent selection.
Every burger comes with the wheat bun, and you can get a non-beef/vegetarian version.
Negatives:
I honestly find the very aggresive island theme a bit much.
Its a chain.
Be careful ordering the cheese fries, they come out on a full plate - hopefully you will have help choking them down. Â They make attempts at creativity but since they are a chain there are still limitations.
MMmm... they do burgers good. I come back for the terriyaki style burger and their cheddar fries (french fries, cheddar, and green onions yummm). Their food is simple and tasty, and the joint has casual, island decor.
Kids can color on their tiki man placemats while watching the surf videos that are playing throughout the restaurant. Keeps mine occuppied.
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