For what it is, this is a fair place. The burgers are good and the salads are great. I think the salads are a little overpriced...more than the burgers for a salad? I like the Cobb salad myself.
Also, you can get turkey burgers that are really pretty good. It's not beef but they aren't bad at all.
I have finally gotten to try Islands for the 3rd time and I have to say I like it more and more everytime I go. I have gotten lunch, dinner, happy hour and to go. Â
I Finally utilized another great component of Islands awesome business model built on the successful restaurant recipe which simply embraces great food, great service & a delightfully relaxing atmosphere..... back to the another great component part, Free curbside service for "To Go" orders! It is great for those days/nights where walking into anywhere is prohibited. Â Oh yeah theres a special number to call to get them to rush out; thats only necessary if your the impatient type but i just pull up and by the time im done yelping they are already at the car door ready to give me my fantastic meal!!
Suffer no longer, Islands has your back.
We had SUCH great service here last night. The kind where the server brings you new mugs of water before you even know you're running low. Extra napkins for the kiddos before you ask. A plate of fries to share because your son ordered an appetizer as an entree. And it was fast, everything was cooked just right. My daughter says Islands has the best chicken fingers of anyplace (and that's all she orders, anywhere, so she probably knows). Woot for Islands!
Review Source:I've enjoyed Islands food for a long time, but I haven't been to one in years. Â When I was with my friend in SD and helping her look for apartments in Mission Valley, she wanted Islands for lunch!
There wasn't much of a wait on a Friday afternoon. Â The staff was friendly when we walked into the door. Â
I went for the lunch special, which was a Big Wave burger and french fries. Â I asked for mine with only lettuce, tomato, and ketchup. Â It came out hot and was very good. Â Just like I remembered!
Overall, a good experience at Islands. Â I will be back when craving a burger.
Xie Xie!
Was craving a really tasty restaurant burger after getting off work Saturday night. Got here right at 1030 at night and when we walked in we could tell the place was winding down and we were the last customers of the night. We were seated and our server took our order. I was really craving a chili cheeseburger and my wife got a weird salad. Great atmosphere and really good food. We live in El Cajon and will drive down again for good grub.
Review Source:Aloha, Islands! We found you on accident the other evening when we were at Ikea. Man, it is so good to have a taste of some of the islands we miss so much! I'm not much into reviewing chains, but I feel like you all could use a little love because it seems like you're still a relatively new location.
I went traditional with the Hawaiian burger, Coke, fries, and some veggies. Everything was spot on. You all don't have quite the same atmosphere I'm used to at the Ala Moana location in Honolulu, but it made me feel home again as I watched the surfing competitions on your TVs.
You all do such a great job with burgers. I just hope you know not to take offense from Californians who swear up and down that In N Out burgers are the best, because clearly they are not even in the same league as your burgers. You have to understand with Californians, they grow up eating In N Out, and then they drag everyone there to try it when they visit. And visitors will try them, because we are open-minded. I myself tried them, and politely excused myself, puked behind a fire hydrant, and kept a smile. But when Californians visit other states, they refuse to try other burgers on account In N Out is the best and there is no point trying because it simply cannot equal In N Out. If it sounds ridiculous, it's because it is. But hey - it is their loss.
Anyway, now that I know there's an Islands in these parts I will be back any time we're in the mood for burgers. You can count on it! I'm so happy to see you here! Mahalo!
Learning more all the time. Like many restaurants, Islands uses a grill oil/butter substitute called Phase. It contains a number of very unhealthy ingredients (google), which is why we should be concerned about eating it. So now I have to specify that they grill the veggies for the guiltless taco on a dry grill (that will still have some remnants of Phase on it). The good news is that they will do it with no complaints, so I'm still a fan.
Review Source:I came in for a late lunch. I ordered their Maui Burger with guacamole, lettuce, tomato, onion, swiss and mayo, but I axed the mayo. I had my burger on wheat with a side of onion rings. (<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/islands-restaurant-san-diego-4?select=Ewyv9px_nl4i4iV7KJB8iQ#FQMdYS_Xr-nlaNUJu7d30Q">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>)
The burger was quite good. The Swiss was melted down and the guacamole fresh and well seasoned. (<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/islands-restaurant-san-diego-4?select=Ewyv9px_nl4i4iV7KJB8iQ#NUnKAV-beNb829lKvP7acw">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>) The beef patty was prepared medium as I requested, so two thumbs up for that. (<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/islands-restaurant-san-diego-4?select=Ewyv9px_nl4i4iV7KJB8iQ#YBC8m4Ge8jKyQ92EiuCswg">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>) It was very flavorful and juicy. The whole wheat bun was moist and soft and the lettuce and tomatoes fresh. A great burger all the way around and I've could of eaten two.
The onions rings were excellent in my opinion. They were perfectly fried and very crunchy with great color (<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/islands-restaurant-san-diego-4?select=Ewyv9px_nl4i4iV7KJB8iQ#KgdmV9Q2Ldt8fGcdnR7Xug">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>),  yet the extra large white onion inside remain whole and moist. (<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/islands-restaurant-san-diego-4?select=Ewyv9px_nl4i4iV7KJB8iQ#BgMIYyVzSJsFfjTRjTV_Jg">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>) The only bummer was that they only served me four of them. What is up with that?
The girl who served me was very nice and kept my unflavored ice tea filled. (<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/islands-restaurant-san-diego-4?select=Ewyv9px_nl4i4iV7KJB8iQ#GlH-nGdUABPia2pZmav9Vg">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>) Great service, but please give me more onion rings please!
More onion rings...
So I like this place, but the last time I went in for a burger, it was definitely not great. The bun sucked, and the burgers are not cooked to order. The toppings were solid, but it just masked how crappy my burger really was. I'd come here for drinks and pass on the burger next time. I'll have to explore the rest of the menu.
Review Source:Best location in SD. Â Never had a bad experience here as the staff is friendly, welcoming and willing to accommodate.
Love the veggie burger with teriyaki sauce and pineapple (Hawaiian?). Â Be sure to ask for "no butter" otherwise your buns will get slathered before hitting the grill. Â If you wanna go crazy you could ask to sub veggies for the fries but the fries are the best part IMHO.
Not good for groups!! Our group of 10 and 2 children went here on a Wednesday evening and while we were waiting for part of our group, the hostess tried to sit us in a corner booth, saying it's supposed to fit 10 people. 6 of us tried to sit there and it was not going to work! Plus we still needed room for 2 high chairs! The only option was to have 2 tables next to each other, separated by an aisle, not moved together. That worked except half of our party wasn't able to talk to one another.
1 star for the order coming out quickly and correct.
1 star for the food being pretty good.
I think the only people who were asked if they wanted refills were the ones drinking water and tea.
One of the burger orders came with onion rings and it was 4 sad onion rings that were way overcooked.
This eatery is located within a large shopping center. The vibe inside is calm and average as most typical American eateries comparing this to TGI Fridays and Coco's. The service was average. The food selection is average. The hosts greeted our party right away upon arriving and thanked us upon leaving. I ordered a burger which was nothing special. Simply average.
Review Source:I'm glad they had a $10 burger and beer special. Â The burger was average. Â The beer was cold and good. Â I also ordered their onion rings. Â They were overcooked. Â I was glad that they did cook my burger the way I asked, which was med rare. Â The bartender was alright, but nothing great. Â The food came out very quickly, which was nice (I had been traveling for 8 hours). Â Cheap food, but don't expect too much.
Review Source:Okay ill start by saying I LOVE islands food. It always tastes delicious, but ill also say this I'm not sure why on earth I keep coming back. I always say because it just tastes so good while you're eating it.
With that said, I have had 4 issues with islands. NOT all at this one but all in the San Diego area. First I was eating my salad and I noticed a long black hair (I have blonde hair) as I'm pulling this hair out of my food it keeps coming and coming. I never send my food back buy that made me sick to my stomach. The second time I'm almost done eating my salad and I see a big black thing I was thinking it was maybe a huge chunk of pepper, nope it was a FLY. Yes a fly right in the ranch dressing. The 3rd time I swore I'd be done eating there well after I left I was throwing up almost the whole night. I figured maybe they didn't wash their lettuce or something. Well I went Friday night to this islands the waitress was just horrible but the food as always was delicious but about 30 minutes after leaving I started feeling sick again and my stomach is still recovering. I always get salads there because I think they are tasty minus flies, hair and sickness.
Yes I'm sure ill go back don't ask me why and I guess I'm setting myself up for failure.
Island's has really upped their game. I've always thought of the food as just ok, and their one saving grace was their Golden Ale, which is so perfectly crisp and delicious and quite possibly the coldest beer I've ever had the pleasure of tasting. My boyfriend and I stopped at this location because we wanted something different and couldn't decide where to go, and this was close and we were hungry.
Boy, was I happy we did! The sizes of the burgers are HUGE now. Almost too big, according to the calorie counts, but so much more fulfilling than I remember. I had the Paradise Pesto chicken sandwich and it was incredible. The fries are so different now. They're natural cut and taste fresh and delicious. The service here was also way above par compared to my other experiences with Island's.
I'm not sure when all these changes came to pass, because I hadn't given Island's a shot in a long time, but I'm happy to see how much improvement was made and I'll definitely be back sooner than later!
My husband and I were excited to try Islands because we both love a good teriyaki burger.
Normally at restaurants the waiters take the lead (how do you want your burger cooked? Onions? Are fries ok? Anything else?) but our waiter wasn't very helpful to say the least. We had never been there before so didn't know you get a choice of sides with your burger and if we had been given a choice neither of us would have ordered the fries. Also there was something green and slimy on the bottom of my burger (I'm guessing avocado but there wasn't supposed to be avocado on my burger).
The food was ok but not great and no better than Red Robin.
This is one of my go-to places when I'm in town. The food is always delicious and the service is consistent.
The Yaki Tacos are a favorite of mine, but I discovered they have a "Grilled" section of their menu. There aren't too many things in it (mostly grilled fish entrees), but they're significantly lower in calories than their fried counterparts. I had the Grilled Fish Tacos. They weren't as delicious as the fried version (duh.), but they were still good!
I like coming here a bit later in the evening, since the service tends to be better when the restaurant is closer to empty.
I believe Island's to be a damn fine burger joint, in more ways than one.
The first? Versatility. You pick the bun, you pick the pattie (try the turkey, you'll love it!) you pick the cheese, etc. etc. etc.
Condiments are in your control. Various side options, including onion rings and sweet potato fries.
The second? Service. Prompt, friendly, and incredibly consistent. I don't think I've ever had a bad experience with the staff and servers here. Also a nice thing? If you're ordering take out, they'll bring it out to your car for you, so if there's a lunch rush you don't have to brave the crowd.
The third? Ambience. I like the lighting, the bar (though I'm not fond of TVs in restaurants as a general rule) and the whole tiki theme. I'm a sucker for tiki crap.
The smoothies/shakes are really good as well, I should add. But the main course should always be the Big Wave with cheese. Turkey pattie. It's never too chewy or dry; always melt in your mouth moist and with the perfect amount of seasoning. And you can pick your cheese!
One gripe, and it is enough to knock off that last star - the price. It adds up so quickly, and before you know it you've spent $40 on lunch for you and your pal.
When you compare that to the few bucks you spend at In-N-Out, it does create a bit of a dilemma.
Everything was fine, but the biggest deal was one of.the staff directing a comment to me about my tshirt being a SDSU shirt and then scamoering off. Atleast give me an opprtunity to talk trash back or to learn your position on the matter.
This made me very uncomfortable and made me think that that guy may be doing something to my.food. I did order anything and left. I know it js a small thing but shit, we have all sedn the movie road trip, right?
I will not be coming back to Islands now. I used to like it here, but they dont seem to like or accept me here. So sad.
Anyone that knows me well knows I'm all about burger consumption. Â When it comes to chain burger joints, I'm usually not interested. Â However, I've got to give Islands a solid 4 stars for a few key reasons:
1. A delicious assortment of burger options (I recommend adding extra-crispy bacon always and choosing the wheat bun option)
2. Fast and consistent service (e.g. food comes out very quickly every time, sodas refilled before they hit bottom without asking, menu items taste the same each time)
3. Laid back and comfortable atmosphere for a quick bite
This place is family and kid-friendly which can be either a plus or minus depending on your mood or situation. Â Their China Coast salad and tortilla soup are always very good as are many of their non-burger options.
Tip: sit at the bar for fastest food and drink service.
Love Islands, but what was up with the surly hostess the night of 4/26? Some thin, brunette gal who clearly needs an attitude adjustment. Yikes! How hard is it to smile?
Aside from that, good experience at Islands as always...had the Big Wave burger (basics...ketchup, mustard, pickle, onion, lettuce), nothing too fancy. Love the passion fruit tea...not sweetened or overwhelming, so it doesn't taste like that cheap Nestea crap.
Burger was great, came out fast, server was nice and the manager came around to check on us, which I think says a lot.
Been here many times and will continue to come back...esp. for that evil Kona pie. ;-)
My daughter and I had a date on Valentine's Day...she's the best date ever!
It was a bit more crowded than we thought it would be because you don't think of Islands when you think of V-Day. We were seated in about 15 minutes.
We ordered the Tortilla Soup, as we always do and it was delish as it always is.
I ordered the Kilauea Burger which is the spicy one with the Island Reds on it, jalapenos and pepper jack cheese...sooooo good! It was juicy, cooked to perfection and very flavorful! I think about it every once in a while...
I don't remember what my girl got but I know she like it...I think the chicken tenders which come with that yummy ranch, yeah, that's what she got. Yum.
We never have a bad experience at Islands and I hope that never changes. Well, once they scraped the barrel when giving me my fries and I had to send them back and request fresh ones but other than that, no problems!
I came here for the first time last year with my co-worker. She raved about the fajitas. We got there during lunch time and the place was pretty empty. It took about 10minutes for anyone to notice that we were standing there waiting to be seated.
Our waitress was kind of a b****. She didn't offer to take our drink orders first. And when our drinks were empty, she didn't offer to refill. She just walked pass by.
The fajitas were tiny. There were like 3 pieces of meat and full of bell peppers. I also ordered fries and the fries were soggy by the time they got to the table.
I'm not sure if I want to try this place again.
I give this place 4 stars not because the food is spectacular but for my overall experiences.
We usually go here for lunch because they offer pretty good lunch specials.
Even though it shares a paking lot with Costco and other stores parking is usually not a problem.
On my last visit I ordered the sliders and forgot that I wasn't supposed to eat meat that day. Although the order went in and was about to come out, our server and the manager changed my order without making it a big deal. They even joked about it.
I like that the fries are bottomless when you order their burgers.
Complete garbage!
Apryl and I had a $25 gift card for Islands -- This being the only reason why we'd order anything other than a water.
Let me begin by saying, $25 at Islands is 2 ugly-ass burgers and two fries. Where the f*ck do they get off?
While I would not be caught eating here, we phoned our order in for pick-up.
We got home and opened the shitty little boxes they put your burgers in. My patty was charred to near black color. The lettuce was yellow-lime green and wilted. The fries (which should actually be called 'cries') were ice cold and limp. The bun was soggy and dented.
I bit into the burger to discover the inside of the patty was blood red. How the eff does one burn the outside, yet leave the inside three degrees above freezing? Bravo to you scientist/line cook... A modern day magician in cryogenic cooking and destroying meat! I could barely take more than two bites of this 'burger'
This place is a disgrace to America and our version of a carne asada burrito!
If I had to describe Islands: ipecac.
Came here after watching a game at Qualcomm Stadium and found it rather surprising that there was no wait. Our party of 11 was seated promptly and our server came to greet us and get our drink orders right away.
Food was decent. But service was great. Our waitress actually split up all the checks so that we could all pay individually and that made everything work out very easily.
*Not a solid three stars, more like 2.75*
This place has always been consistently okay. Over the years, the food has always been okay. Service is okay too but the one thing I have notice is this place place is very inconsistent with is when it comes to getting the food out to the patrons. Some days, within a decent amount of time. Some days like today, 20 minutes for grilled fish tacos and a small caesar salad. And when you have your 90 year old dad with you.....it's close to leaving  the place!
The hamburgers at Islands are huge, juicy, and really delicious. Their other entrees like the chicken sandwich, the salads are yummy as well. The fries are a meal in themselves and some of the best I've ever tasted.
When we introduced an out-of-town friend to this restaurant, she loved it so much that we went there almost every night during her stay. Do yourself a favor and try it.
Good burgers and fries. Â Staff is friendly, smiles, beautiful. Â Great place to eat. Â Try it.
Eating here makes me think of the movie "Pulp Fiction", Big Kahuna Burger - This IS a Tasty Burger! Â Actually there really are 8 Big Kahuna Burger places, none near San Diego. Â Their motto at Big Kahuna Burger:
"We want to take your money"
So lunch specials for $7.95 with a drink from their endless mug selection.
I usually get the Maui burger since it comes with guacamole and cheese fries.
My friends who were already there ordered chips and salsa, bottomless I might add. Eck, their first batch of chips were cold and old. The second batch, over salted. Yum, sodium.
I ordered the CA Flyer a chicken burger, which came with fries.
It was good...however..
What I thought was a piece of hair my friend said it came from the french fries. I boxed the remaining half of the fries and burger.
Warmed it, ate a french fry and pulled a string type substance out of my mouth. EW. I thought maybe it came from a potato again. HAH! Negative.
No it was not my hair, I have black hair...and the piece I found was long and blonde/white. I threw away the rest after that.
I rarely go to Islands and aside the hair in my fries everything else was okay.
I'd rather get a burger elsewhere for just the same price, hold the hair.
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