Dining date 06/13/2013 11:45 pm, Went back this week and will be the last time. Had a pipeline burger the meat must of sat on the bun for awhile before it was sent out. Bottom of the bun soaked up all the grease while sitting in the window because the chief can get the food out on time. Should have sent it back but was with a group. Sweet potato fries cold and the ice tea was watered down. What else can I say except I give them one star.
Review Source:Islands is a great place to go when you're craving a tasty burger. Â They have a whole bunch of different varieties like teriyaki burgers (amazing), mushroom burgers, and guac and swiss burgers (very tasty). Â They also have salads, wraps, tacos, and other kinds of sandwiches. Â My friend ordered the chicken club wrap and he said it was really good. Â All entrees come with a choice of endless fries, sweet potato fries, steamed veggies, onion rings (they only give you about 4-5), a small garden salad, or a small caesar salad.
They have a full bar and the beers come out soooo cold and icy. I've eaten here a couple times and the servers always seem to be on it and friendly, so no complaints there. The food comes out pretty quickly and I've never had anything I didn't like. And bonus! They have sweet potato fries now and they're awesome. Just a warning for those who care about this sort of thing, they only have 4 low calorie options and everything else is pretty unhealthy and the calories are listed next to everything - but it's all delicious!
First time here in awhile... was very impressed!
Atmosphere is reminiscent of the Tiki Room in Disneyland, so I instantly like it. Service is average, and gets you what you need. We never had to wonder where the server was.
There were a lot of good food selections and the food was pretty quick to get there, no longer than any similar restaurant. When the food came, it looked and tasted so fresh. The sauces are great and you can get bottomless fries.
I got the Toucan Bird of Paradise burger with grilled chicken and pineapples and wow it was amazing. It was a really big burger, so a little messy, but definitely worth it!
The smoothies have a little too much sugar added for my taste, and they top it with whip cream, so keep that in mind. The lava cake is huge (a two-man ordeal) and they slather that with whip cream as well.
Looking forward to my leftovers.
Brought the whole family in one night for an early dinner and hate to say it but was very unhappy. It wasn't super busy, but we waited about 20min to be seated which I was ok with, but took another 15 min just to get our drinks after waiting 10min just to have our server acknowledge we were there! All that wait and my beer wasn't super cold:( once we got our food it was decent. The burger was a bit dry and the fries were crunchy and quantity lacking. Overall it turned out to be a hassle. Not sure if we'll be going back.
Review Source:I don't generally post bad reviews but this place inspired me to make one. We got there about 8:45pm and there were about 5 tables total occupied. I ordered the Bird of Paradise which comes with a grilled chicken breast, lettuce, tomato, your choice of cheese, and fries on the side. Lets start with the chicken breast..NOT moist and very hard to chew because it came out in shreds. The tomato was the end of the tomato with the stem in it. I also ordered the guacamole which was almost brown in color but almost hard to tell because it was dark in there. Finally the fries...probably the worst fries I've ever eaten. They were over fried and below temperature. It looked like they were left over from another meal and then refried for our order.
The service was 2 stars..she came back to make sure we got our order but didnt even ask how the food was. Terrible experience. Oh yes....lets not forget the OD of salt on everything.
This review is based on multiple visits.
I really enjoy eating here. Â The french fries, in my opinion, are the best! Â I really like the selection of burgers and chicken sandwiches. I like to order the Bleunami and the Rincon with avocado instead of guacamole. Â
The menu selection is good, the food is good, the prices are fair, the restaurant is clean and the service is good.
While the on-site manager might not have been very apologetic about the appalling service my friends and I were given, the regional manager gave my complaint a lot of attention and a thorough followup. Â It is evident that Big Wave closely monitors customer reviews and addresses them in a courteous and professional manner. Â I am not exactly eager to return to the Foothill Ranch restaurant, but I see myself returning to a different Islands in the future.
Review Source:I came here for lunch with my friend during our one hour lunch break...
The selection for lunch is fairly good and decent prices.
I ordered the chicken sandwich on a wheat bun.My chicken was undercooked and service was terrible- we were the only ones at the bar for awhile too. Only reason for 2 stars instead of one is because the fries were good an he refilled my coke
This place is only good for happy hour...lunch and dinner is mediocre
I've been here many times before, and the one thing that made this visit different was the free maverick burgers they were handing out. Since a surfing competition was cancelled they offered this free meal if you had a picture of a certain wave that they were circulating around.
The wait time wasn't bad considering the freeness of the food. The tables are huge, perfect for three people to sit on each side while still having space. We also ordered spinach dip with cheese and OH MAN, let me tell that was good! I also ordered a tortilla soup, which was alright - not horrible, not awesome.
The burgers are made perfectly, as each bun is toasted to perfection, and the fries are seasoned just the way i like it. You also have a choice of white or what bun which is nice.
We also ordered the big island iced tea i think it was, and i didn't like the start of the drink, but as it got to the bottom and you really mixed in the lime, it was amazing.
I ordered the Chicken Pesto burger and little did I know, it was under cooked. Â Sadly, I found this out when I had food poisoning for two days right after my visit--severe chills with uncontrollable shivers, fever, dehydration. Â Never in my life have I experienced that before and I was scared beyond belief because I was nowhere near a hospital at the time symptoms shot in.
The problem is meat, especially chicken, can be scary to cook when you're trying to make sure it gets to them in a timely manner. Â Technically, when you pull chicken right off the grill and place it on a plate and do nothing with it, it continues to slow cook from the left over heat for a minute or so. Â But the second you throw something cool or room temperature like a hug glob of pesto, cold veggies, and so forth, it stops the post-cooking almost immediately leaving with you with an under-cooked-by-10-seconds chicken breast, which is a really big deal.
I believe that's what happened here as it was the only meat I had that day.
I'll probably visit again in the far future, but... this isn't the only case of food poisoning I've gotten from here. Â All other cases where minor and didn't last long, but this time pretty much scared me off.
I feel that 3-stars is a fair rating that considers their food and pricing, but I think the description of the 2-star rating is how I feel: "Meh. I've experienced Better."
The food is what it is. Â I give them credit for making sure that my food always tastes the same way it tastes at every Islands restaurant. Â Food is good and the prices aren't great but they are still reasonable. Â So that leaves only the service to make this place exceptional.
I have never sat at a table as I usually like to have a beer and watch TV. Â Bartenders are...let me find the right word...terrible. Â They are generally very distractable, unattentive, extremely slow and lack any shred of evidence that they are at least trying. Â I can't tell you how many times I've sat down, made eye contact with the bartenders and then watch them walk by me half-dozen times before they even say hello. Â This has happened multiple times. Â I just kind of expect it now.
If you show up with little-to-no expectation of it being a quality service establishment, then you'll be fine.
This reviews pertains to the Curbside Pickup only.
Dear Islands,
I really do understand that the work you do there is of a level of complexity approached only by the design of laser guided missile systems, nano-brain surgery and hunting down the world's most wanted terrorists.
And I am not unsympathetic to the fact that the supply of Ph.D level candidates for employment is surely small and you can not always get the caliber of employees the work so rightly deserves.
And yet, Islands, and yet... I am deeply unhappy that the Brain Trust working there handed me my take out order of 1 burger and 1 salad and when my dining companion and I arrived at our picnic location I discovered that your fine curbside service did not include a fork or any other utensils with which to actually eat my salad.
Maybe you didn't understand that that was what I was going to use it for. Â
Maybe after putting the burger box in the large bag and then putting the salad container in the large bag, there was a sudden need for an emergency consultation regarding a taco or a side order of fries and for a moment the great brain assembling my order was distracted.
I can only imagine the kind of complexity and stress you deal with on a daily basis.
And yet - take out salad + no fork = not able to actually eat my meal, unless I wanted to pick up bits of lettuce, chicken, avocado and bacon with my bare, dirt covered hands. Â Â Which I did not.
I'm sorry Islands but this is a Zero Stars performance. Â At the very very minimum, before we consider presentation, taste, uniqueness of flavors, Â the very most basic requirement in take out food is that YOU CAN F%##%() EAT IT.
Ehem. Â Excuse me.
I can't actually give you zero stars, so you are getting one star with an extra large side-order of dripping sarcasm.
And you know what would be useful with dripping sarcasm? Â NAPKINS - that's what! Â Â
Which you also didn't bother to put in the bag. Â
Greasy hamburger, greasy fries, no napkins = unsatisfactory dining experience. Â
I gave you a shot Islands Curbside Pickup and I'm not saying you didn't handle the tricky "put the food in the bag" portion of the procedure with skill and subtley. Â But you have completely let me down on the "and then put the plastic utensils and napkins in the bag" portion of the endeavor and have left me bitter, confused and most importantly, Â just as hungry as I was before I picked up your offering.
So it's all over between us, I'm afraid. Â I shall not darken your Curbside Limited to 15 Minutes parking spot again,. Â
Free tip to others: Â check the bag for utensils before you sign the check.
Ok, so this isn't a place for you if you're on a strict diet ...but it's pretty dang good if you want a good fill. Â The only downside now is that the menus have the calories next to each item so you see how much you'll be consuming.... helpful ...but ick! Â On my way out, leaving the restaurant, I heard someone that just sat down complaining how they didn't like seeing the calories on the menu. Â LOL! Â
I ordered the 3 yaki tacos and my coworkers all ordered burgers with fries. Â I know they enjoyed their meals and I definitely enjoyed my tacos. Â It hit the spot!
Diet?! I'll start that tomorrow! This was definitely worth it! Mmmm....
They have the best Greek salad. Very good. I also recommend the Northshore. MMMMMM.
I did notice the put the calories on the menus. Man oh man I won't be ordering the artichoke dip anymore. Too bad it was one of my faves. Still once in a while I guess it's OK.
Great selection of burgers and drinks. Always quick to be seated which is always good.
I have since tried the Cobb burger again and it actually isn't THAT good. I think I must have been starving that day when I went and wrote the review lol.
On my most recent trip to Island's, they had another new item, the pesto chicken sandwich. My bf and I both ordered it, but I got mine as a burger instead. It was pretty good, I hope they keep that sandwich! I'm pretty sure it's my favorite burger here.
omg they changed the fries!!!!!!!!!!!! it'll never be the same...who cares that they're unlimited now when they're not the yummy ones.
I'll be back...I've been going since 2nd grade. 11 years.
it's one of those places that reminds me of my childhood.
the burgers are good. so is their kona pie.
When I said I wanted a burger. Boyfriend took me here.
Totally what the doctor ordered.
Huge, I mean really huge burgers. And unlimited fries and onion rings! Soo good. I defs liked the onion rings better with barbecue sauce on the side. So awesome. And! They taste good the next day for breakfast too. Yummm.
Service was great. Our waiter was super nice. But the hosts all look like they are in high school, which made me feel old. Minus one star. Haha no just kidding.
Food:
Ordered the Mavericks Burger. Â Delicious. Â I'll be upfront in saying that the burgers here at Islands are GREASY!! Â But that is what makes them so delicious. They are huge and loaded with toppings and sauce. Â With the unlimited fries, it's impossible to leave Islands hungry.
Service:
Our waiter was excellent. Â He was attentive yet also friendly. Â Several times throughout the meal, he would stop by and chat with us. Â He joked about his own experiences and told us how much he liked the food as well. Â
Bottom Line:
Islands is a great burger chain restaurant. Â They do have other items on their menu but why would you go to a BURGER restaurant for something other than a good old fashion burger. Â Take it from me, just get it and you won't be disappointed.
The last time I came to Islands was in high school or college. Needless to say, that was a billion years ago and what I remember of Islands... it hasn't changed a bit. I happen to find myself in the area running some errands late a night and we decided to stop here for dinner.
The first thing I noticed of all the patrons of Islands is you either belonged to one of these groups: 1) a high school/college student, or 2) a family with one or more younger children. So it makes sense that they only serve either burgers or soft tacos because you really can't complain about either. In the worst case, if the burger is made with low quality beef and/or its horribly overcooked, the toppings they provide in all their different burgers will drowned it out. Same with the soft tacos, in the worst case, it will taste like one of the fast food chains.
I didn't feel like a burger so I opted to get the Yaki soft tacos which is basically Hawaiian (teriyaki) soft tacos. They tasted exactly like a Taco Bell soft taco down to the tortillas and all. I wouldn't doubt you would find something like this on Taco Bell's menu because it was just BLEH.
No surprise here. From what I remember Islands way back then, it was just an average place to get average food. I remember their burgers being the same way... plain. To be honest, I probably would have rather gone to Taco Bell because as least it would have been cheaper considering I couldn't taste the difference between them.
I have enjoyed numerous Islands locations across So Cal and have been to this particular location 5 plus times. Â
Service is usually great. Â Food always good, with lot of variety. Â I would say that this one is a little more crowded then others since it's a perfect restaurant for all the families in the area. Happy Hour from 4-7 in the bar on week days has half price appetizers. Â
It's my go to place when I want to eat out but don't want to venture out of Foothill Ranch. Â It has never let me down.
I ate here yesterday- a teriyaki burger. Asked for it medium, it was good and tasty as usual.
The problem came about 3 or 4 hours later. Stomach started hurting, laid down to see if it helped. It got progressively worse until I had to get up. I took an altoid in the bathroom to see if it helped. As soon as that and water hit my stomach it just came straight back up. Full on projectile, my stomach didn't not want anything else in there. The next half hour I hung out with my new buddy the toilet.
The thing that pissed me off the most is that when I called to let them know they treated me like I was bullshitting.
I spoke with somebody, let them know I was brutally sick. He said I must have gotten sick from something else or have the flu. The only other thing I had eaten was poptarts and I was feeling perfectly fine before.
They proceeded to say they were going to get the manager. I put it on speaker and waited for 15 min before I hung up. Complete BS to be treated like that.
I'll never eat there again, that's for sure. I'd recommend no eating there since they do seem to concerned about the welfare of their customers.
I didn't call for any other reason then to notify them, in case there were other cases. My gfs has medical background so nagged me into calling. Wish I hadn't since then I was just mad as well as felt like shit.
I have been going to Islands since the first location was established in 1981 on Pico and Federal. When I would visit my folks in WLA, we would always go there for a good food at a decent price. I moved to South OC in 79' and always thought Islands would be a great fit down here. Islands opened the Unit in Laguna Hills, next to 'Seizure World' and it was nice to have them local, even though you had to deal with the Residents at Leisure World. Eventually they expanded and opened up the Unit in FHR which this review is about. (Let me preface this first. Every time, I mean every time I have always had constantly good to exceptional service and food. I have never been let down nor disappointed, ever. Until the visit I will note.)
I went to the FHR location on a Sunday wanting to have some lunch and a beer, watch a little Golf on the big screen. I always sit at the Bar when I am alone, so I went to the Bar, plunked my Ass down and.....
Just seconds prior to my sitting down apparently a group - Mom, Dad and daughter - (fresh off from her first semester at college and joining a Sorority's and who used to work there...at FHR), sat down on the corner section of the Bar. At this point for anyone and everyone at the Bar area or expecting a drink from this Bartender was 'Shit-Out-of-Luck' for the as long as this 'Reunion' was going to take.
I won't go into all the particulars or what other patrons never got, let's just say any service or attention. I finished up and left.
I contacted the corporate offices via email and first thing the next morning I received a phone call from the District Manager who was NOT patronizing in anyway, understood what I was dissatisfied with and why and told me what was being done to correct the issue(s). What I appreciated about the Customer Service was that the DM was not only interested in my particular situation but he wanted to understand and TEACH his Managers and Employees what had happened and how to avoid the problem in the future. Which I am happy to say has been resolved and I have been continuing to have great service, great food and the establishment is spotless. Islands understands that a successful business is CONSISTENT - Good service, good food, good value, and a clean establishment. They have it and my continued patronage!
Ahh the theme restaurant. Â Some people love them, others wouldn't be caught dead in them. Â Me, I cringe a little, hope no one I know sees me and then focus on the food.
They are really heavy handed with the island nick knacks in here.  Straw, parrots swinging from the roof, TVs with surfing scenes.  Even the customer opposite me seemed part of the scenery with his Hawaiian shirt, pony tail and peace sign earring.  We were seated in a cozy booth and I have to say for a place with such OTT décor the high wooden booths offer a lot privacy.
Service was average, maybe a tad slow. Â We arrived at 6pm on Sunday which seemed to be the beginning of their busy period. Â I'm not much into the fruity sugary drinks, especially not with a burger, so it was Hefeweizen for me, fresh from the tap and delicious. Â Although no lemon wedge. Â Oh well. Â
I ordered the Bluenami cooked medium. It came with bleu cheese dressing, lettuce, tomato, red onion & crumbled bleu cheese. Â It arrived perfectly cooked and pink throughout and was very tasty with a strong but not overpowering bleu cheese taste. Â My husband had Kilaeue - Jalapeno & black pepper crusted burger w/pepper jack cheese, chipotle aioli, lettuce, tomato & seasoned red onion strings and he added bacon to it because, why not? I took a bite and yum! Â Our burgers come with bottomless fries and their fries are really good! Â Just how I like my fries without too much pesky potato but with a strong potato taste - does that make sense? Â They were crispy and seasoned well and were some of the best fries I've had in a while. Â
I was pleasantly surprised. Â I have to admit I wasn't expecting much but they actually impressed me. Â Their pricing is on par with Chilis, for 2 burgers, lots of fries and 3 big beers (two 25oz, one 16oz) it was 40 bucks. Â I would totally go back.
On a previous outing to Islands a month or two ago, my honey ordered up the tortilla soup which just looked so good that I knew I would have to come back one day and try it for myself. That day finally arrived.
When we showed up we had a short wait, they were cleaning up some of their tables still so we couldn't be seated right away. We took a seat and it wasn't long before we were lead to an empty booth. We ordered our drinks, a Cherry Coke for me and ice tea for her, as well as the chips and salsa appetizer with guacamole. The chips and salsa were good but I'd have to call the guacamole rather average, there wasn't anything to get excited about with the guacamole. I would easily have them again minus the guacamole which carries an additional charge. Or I might be tempted to try one of their other appetizers.
Not too long after we get our chips, we place our orders. I had to try the delicious looking tortilla soup so I opted for the endless bowl while my honey went with the Wiqui Waqui salad and a bowl of tortilla soup to start. My honey's bowl of soup arrived first and seeing her dig in made me impatient for my own bowl. I munched on some more chips while I waited and next thing I know our server arrives with this big bowl of tortilla soup and a big heaping salad. We look at our food with an appreciative eye before diving in. The tortilla soup is as good as it looks. I love the tortilla chip strips and the flecks of cheese. The soup has a very good taste and I'm soon finishing it off. This being the endless bowl, I feel the challenge of only having one bowl without being able to take on a second bowl of this marvelous soup. I eat as much as I can but before I get to see the bottom of the bowl, the server comes along and takes it away and quickly returns with a fresh though smaller bowl. The second bowl of soup does me in and I can only finish about half before I have to call it quits.
We sit together for a minute or two and agree that a little dessert is in order. We order up the ice cream sundae that comes complete with whipped topping, crushed nuts, and a cherry on top. Its meant for one person, but we share it and with a little bit of help from me, my honey finishes it off.
I was very pleased with the service, I had just barely finished my first Cherry Coke when a second one was brought to me. I love that! Overall Islands makes for a wonderful dining experience, one I will be glad to enjoy again some day. I'm very happy with the quality, quantity and flavor of everything that I've tried at Islands.
I became a fan of Islands three years ago when a co-worker took me out to lunch for their endless tortilla soup and we went through four hearty rounds. Â That was back in Irvine but every location is consistent in service and quality.
I have tried the Wiqui Waqui BBQ Salad (with a side of avocados), Grilled Veggie Tacos, Chicken Club Wraps, and of course the Tortilla Soup.
On occasion we've also come here for a round of beers and they seriously do have the coldest beer. Â Their glasses are chilled and the hefeweizen has a cold crisp taste. Â Yum!
This location is usually quiet and I was surprised that we weren't seated right away because the tables were dirty but in five minutes that was resolved and we got started with the passion fruit iced tea and cherry coke and the chips and salsa appetizer. Â I would also recommend the spinach and artichoke dip. Â
Our lunch consisted of my favorite BBQ salad with the tortilla soup to start and my partner in crime got the the endless bowl of tortilla soup. Â We finished off our meal with the $1.95 ice cream sundae. Â The sundae was fantastic!
As far as I'm concerned, Islands can do no wrong and I'll always be back.
I ate here on a Friday night and got seated in about 10 minutes, no fuss. In Orange County, on a weekend, a 10 minute wait at a family friendly joint like this is almost unheard of. Very nice.
Servers here are all extremely friendly. Drinks came fast, as did the food. I like the chicken sandwiches here since they are healthy and reasonably priced. I get the Toucan (chicken, pineapple, teriyaki sauce, lettuce, tomato, whole wheat bun) with no cheese or mayo. I know it's sacrilege to dismiss cheese on any food, but most of the stuff in these restaurants is processed crap. I like some good quality cheese if I'm eating it. Besides, the teriyaki sauce is so overpowering that you'll never notice what's missing. The fries that it comes with are also relatively healthy (for fries), so the meal as a whole won't pack on the pounds.
I like this location because they are located right next to a movie theater and a Golden Spoon, thus giving people a fully-encapsulated evening within this strip mall; there's no reason to drive anywhere else. Price was totally cool. I think mine came to about $10, $12 with tip. If you can get in and out with little effort, this is a good place to stop.
They now have bottomless fries with the burgers, and a free beverage at lunch! Â Overall, the burgers are better than average. Â The bacon is pretty weak, but the fries are very good. Â
$7.95 for their burger, bottomless fries, and a drink is a great deal.
This location usually isn't very busy even during peak times so it's a good place to go if you don't want to wait 30-60minutes somewhere else.
I've forgot how much I love this place. Â How can any American not love it. Â Fine burgers? Â Great burgers and even better fries. Â You can get the fries, but I recommend the cheese fries or chilicheese fries (my personal favorite). Â Consistently good service and food is hard to find.
Review Source:I had an interesting experience at this Island's location last week. Â We came here after watching a movie at the Foothill Ranch Regal theater. Â It was a Friday night, so there were quite a bit of people there. Â We had about a 20 minute wait before we were seated. Â I've eaten at this location in the past, but the experience I had this time around was sub par. Â You know the service is slow when the table next to you has finished their dinner and dessert before your food comes out... and we ordered first! Â I ordered soup and salad, because I had munchies at the movie theater earlier. Â I couldn't tell which was colder.... my salad or my tortilla soup... very disappointing. Â Well, I think that's all I need to say. Â I typically have a pretty good experience at an Island's, but I guess you can't win them all.
Review Source:This is my go to place to meet up with friends and family when back in the OC. Â My best friend worked at both this and the Laguna Hills location in high school and we still can't get enough. Â The food is simple and appropriately priced. Â I like their fish tacos, carnitas tacos and baja tacos. The chips and salsa are always plentiful and I dream about their skillet of cheese fries with bacon and ranch. Â I love that they serve Paradise Iced Tea. Â I think all places should serve Paradise Iced Tea.
Now I know there is something to be said for nostalgia but even though the decor is cheesy and it annoys me to no end seeing servers in skimpy shorts (aka dress code) and hawaiian shirts in the middle of January, Islands is a place of comfort for me. Â Good food, good prices, good memories. Â Thank goodness there is one coming soon to NoCal, about 15 minutes away! Â I can't wait!
What we like about Islands is the never-changing taste of the Hawaiian Burger (with teriyaki sauce & pineapple). Nothing Hawaiian about this burger, really, but it is tasty nevertheless. Wheat bun is better. Reason why I prefer Islands rather than In-n-out Burger? Umm, at least they serve beer & some other cocktails. A bit larger variety in the menu? A vegetarian burger is available (argh, the so-called vegetarian burger at In-n-out is an "empty" burger- a burger without the beef patty! Booo, what a shame!)
Anyway... It is a bit higher class burger joint. We feel their fries sides are too big (even if we share one side between 4 persons, still really difficult to consume such a quantity) which means a LOT of waste... and come on guys, isn't it time to get a little bit healthier somehow? Offer just one healthier and tastier alternative to the fries, and you will get 5 stars from me.
In 1 year, I will maybe visit Islands once or twice maximum. Maybe not. Let me think about it. Well, that's better frequency than Mickey D's, where I haven't eaten for 3-4 years now...