Islands Restaurant

limited menu but everthing is top quality. Full bar and lot's of TV's. Friendly service

It was the early 80's...

Amidst the intensifying, albeit entertaining, violence of the "Burger Wars," Islands began its silent occupation of Southern California.  (Yeah, I know.  I had no idea either.)  At the time, however, McDonalds had promised the second coming of Christ--the Mc DLT, cool on one side, hot on the other.  With reckless abandon--and streamlined Styrofoam designs--technology was making serious headway, advancing at a rate not seen since the unabashed welcome of the 8-track.  It had only been 13 years since we had put a man on the moon, yet here we were: Hot and Cold, existing side-by-side in harmonious, biologically-inert commune!  And I, brainwashed and feeble-minded, was in Rapture.  Teenage bliss!  I didn't even hear Islands knocking.

Fast forward to the 90's...

My long-term relationship with fast food ends, thank you.  My palate has matured, and my taste for burgers has become much more sophisticated.  I own a pager.  I no longer spend my time entertaining clowns and kings.  I savor blue cheese, guacamole, teriyaki.  I require--no, I demand--choices with respect to cheese!  I am an individual; and, dammit, I will not accept "we don't have that" for an answer!  Yes, Islands was my new paradise, my refuge.  And it was perfect: the Islands closest to where I lived was right next to Wherehouse Records, RIP.   In fact, if memory serves, my first Islands burger shares the spotlight with the night I first purchased "Nevermind"...on CD!  (Late bloomer.)  And the universe, shuddering with the anticipation of what could possibly be on deck, held its breath.

The last 10 years or so...

I have lost interest in Islands...almost entirely.  I've returned now and again, however.  Maybe it's more out of nostalgia than anything.  It looks the same.  The food hasn't seemed to change much.  The staff hasn't aged.  It's a museum...a museum of dinosaurs.  You see, Islands hasn't evolved.  And it needs to.  My tastes have moved on.  Yes, Islands, at one time your cheese fries were considered spectacular, left unchallenged.  But they are on the fast track to extinction.  And so will you.

Now...

It takes one hell of a recommendation, one goddamn tasty cheese burger and five shiny YELP stars to entice me.  I'm not beyond an occasional bout with hypocrisy; but Islands, old friend...  I'm sorry.  I really am.  But you're history.

Kilauea? Burger us the shizz. Super close to home so I overlook a lot.. Service is ok, food is ok, location is great. 'Nuff said.