I recently visited Isla Caribbean cuisine Restaurant with a coworker, and overall, it was a flavorful and satisfying experience. The highlight of the meal was the chuleta kan kan, which was perfectly cooked crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. It paired beautifully with the arroz mamposteao, which was rich, well-seasoned, and full of authentic Caribbean flavor. The tostones were crisp and fresh, and the cilantro sauce added a bright, refreshing touch. We also tried the majado de yuca, which was smooth and comforting, with great texture and seasoning. The ceviche de camarón was fresh and zesty, with just the right balance of citrus and seasoning, and it complemented the tostones very well. For drinks, I had an apple Crown with lemon soda, which was refreshing and well mixed perfect to accompany the bold flavors of the food. The atmosphere was relaxed and enjoyable, making it a great spot to unwind and share a good meal with coworkers or friends. I would definitely return to try more dishes. read more

Had a great time at a new spot in Syracuse. Thomas and Stephanie crushed it for us. Definitely recommend the smoke show drink and the shrimp ceviche and the paella and the crazy tomahawk pork chop! Great to see another unique restaurant pop-up in Syracuse. We will be back. read more

Isla's is such an awesome new restaurant brought to Syracuse and deserves lots of love! We came for dinner on St Patrick's Day to celebrate my birthday and had the place completely to ourselves! The decor inside is beautiful and super clean with lots of seating. Our waitress was so kind and great all around. She also knew a lot about the menu and the background of the establishment. The menu was delicious as we tried a few appetizers, shared an entree which was a huge serving size, and our drinks came in super fun cups! I couldn't recommend the empanadas, crispy pork belly, and steak over yuka potatoes more everything was super flavorful and filling. They have happy hour from 4-6 during the week that I would love to come during that time to try more of the menu! read more

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Me and my partner stopped into Isla on a weekday to grab lunch. We've never been to this restaurant so we decided to give it a try. We got to the restaurant about 20 min after it opened, so we were the second couple to come in, so yea on not having to wait. When we first walking in, we noticed the interior was giving very jungle/tropical vibes, but in an intimate, get close kind of level. The music was jamming but not too loud, which made me like the atmosphere even more. We were seated at one on the table in the front window which was cute and comfortable. So already they have the vibe just right which had us looking forward to what the food and drinks would present. We ordered our drinks, my partner got wine and I got the "in the jungle" mojito. It was not bad a bad drink, it was strong, not too sweet and muddled mint like a proper Mojito should have. I personally wasn't a fan of the flavor profile because it had strong Black licorice notes and I hate black licorice. I finished it though, cuz we don't do wasted drinks over here. Lol While looking at the menu we noticed there was a lot of gnat in the window and flying around us. I killed at least 3 and swatted away a fly. So we asked could we move to another table hoping that they'd just stay in the window, but no! Some of the gnats followed us over. This point was the indicator that the experience was about to lose its luster. The appetizer: ceviche with plantain tostones. Rating: 5/10 The ceviche had a good base of pickled onions and lime juice, so it definitely wasn't dry, however there was a pinch of the peppers, which made it more like eating a whole onion that a mix of veggies. The shrimp was overcooked, but the tostones were cooked to perfection. Like soft but not too much that it would crumble. They only gave 3 which didn't equal out for the large amount of ceviche. Main dish: CHURRASCO CON CHIMICHURRI, ACOMPANADO DE UN MAJADO DE YUCA Y AJO ASADO. Rating: 4/10 The dish smelled and looked good. Never having Yuca before, I didn't know what to expect and I was pleasantly surprised that it was like a thicker mashed potato with a bit of chewy. I really liked it! Then I moved to the meat and first piece was super done with no pink, which is fine cuz I know some stakes you'll see the pink more towards the middle. I was still hopeful at that point, but moving some of the strips showed that the pink was nowhere to be found. I continued on hoping that the larger pieces would still be tinder but to no luck, it was chewy and needed a bit more seasoning. Trudging through 1/4 of the meal, I figure I'd to-go box it and work some magic at home, cuz the yuca was really good. My partner got the snapper and said it was ok when it was really hot but the more it cooled it was low on flavor and dry. They said 4/10. Service: 7/10 Our server was very nice and was attentive at first but after we got our main course she swung back around early after she gave it to us then they went MIA. Mind you at that point it was only 1 other guest and they weren't in our waiter section. We were pretty much done with our food at I kept trying to get their attention. First was the stare in their direction, then it escalated to waving like a 5th grader who really knows the answer. I almost yelled out to them but figured I'd just keep waving my hand and eventually they'd come. I had to do this for about 5min more cuz our server was having a good ol' time chatting. I wanted to order dessert and looked at the menu after finally getting our server attention, but I passed on the idea cuz I didn't want to look like one of those blow up fan dolls outside the used car dealership for that round of the service. I get it, it's a slow service time but don't be slow with the only table you have. All in all, would I come back...maybe for the apps and drinks, but was it worth $174 which included automatic gratuity $26.60, which I've never seen for a party of 2,....absolutely not! read more

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We bumped into it while walking and it was fabulous. Thomas, Mariah and Stephanie were the best. read more

Presentation is excellent but not so much the food and prices. Paella super expensive and with just tiny bits of seafood; even the rice wasn't the "real" rice, more like quinoa and very salty. For such high prices, they should absorb the percentage of the credit card charge. Unless there's improvement in food and prices, not returning read more

In March 2025, Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant owner Luis Colon Torres bought the rights to the name & recipes of a group of Rochester based restaurants/bars/clubs called "809 Lounge & Restaurant". The intention was to offer the same as what 809 did - Latin Caribbean food by day, with a bar/lounge/club by night. Due to some creative differences between Torres and the original owners, Torres changed the name to Isla Caribbean Cuisine, cutting out the club aspect and putting more of a focus on offering a family friendly Caribbean dining experience in a more upscale presentation than anywhere else in the Syracuse area. The food menu features items from across the Caribbean, with a specific focus on dishes from Puerto Rico and the Dominican. I've been following Isla since they opened as 809 and have been waiting for a chance to give them a try and decided to with some friends this weekend. We called when they opened to make a reservation just incase - got no answer the first couple times we called, but we did eventually get through and were able to book a party of 4 at 6PM that day. We arrived at 6 - didn't really need a reservation at the time, as there were only 2 other tables sat. Took a few minutes to be acknowledged and then sat, but we were sat pretty much immediately. Our server came over and explained a couple things and took our drink order. Took a couple minutes to get just waters, but they got there eventually along with our ordered drinks. Everyone enjoyed their drinks - as a non-drinker, I always appreciate a place that has mocktails, so I was happy to have 4 options and their Sunrise mocktail was tasty. We ordered an order of empanadas & mofonguitos for an appetizer. They were brought a little later than we expected, as our server explained they had run our of the garlic cream sauce for the mofonguitos and had to get the ingredients and make more. We did enjoy both appetizers when they were brought, but felt like the sauces were doing a lot of the heavy lifting, as both the mofonguitos & the filling of the empanadas themselves could've used some more spice. The empanadas were huge as well. My friends ordered the churrasco and camarones as their main dishes, while my wife and I went with carne frita mofonga rellano and arroz frito with chicken and steak. Our dishes were delivered in an acceptable amount of time and everything was very beautifully plated. My and my wifes dishes were also huge portions. We all liked our dishes, with small complaints. My buddy with the churasco felt parts of his steak were tough, and my mofongo was served in a very nice wooden chalice-type dish, which while nice to look at, was very impractical to eat out of. My side of Isla sauce was never brought with my dish, which in turn made the mofongo more on the dry side, and while my fried pork pieces had good flavor, they had a lot of connective tissue in them and were very chewy. Our server was extremely friendly and attentive. Our bill, with an 18% gratuity added - which they do mention on their menu, came to $275. We obviously knew this was a more expensive dinner so the price wasn't a problem, but we did not feel we would go back again at those prices. The food has a ton of potential, but there are lots of small issues that need to be fixed, and moreso, while an upscale Caribbean restaurant is not a bad idea, Isla is mostly selling Caribbean comfort food at upscale prices, and what we were served simply was not worth those prices. read more

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Ambiance was incredible,service outstanding,very attentive and pleasant staff ,I am from South America came here to this town for business work and the food was amazing, very authentic I was so happy to find it because my birthday happen to be in this trip . I was able to celebrate not feeling away from home , Food is delicious Well done isla Caribbean read more

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I'd been looking forward to going to this place for awhile and it didn't disappoint. The service was very good and the food was excellent. The whole fried snapper is enough for 2 and was cooked very well. The flan is also yummy. My only complaint is that we were very cold. They seated us right near the door on a very cold and windy day. I think they did turn up the heat eventually. read more

Isla Caribbean Cuisine - BACALAITOS CON SALSA CRIOLLA ( 5) - Caribbean Near Me - Syracuse, New York

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Had a fabulous experience dining at Isla. We were doted on by the fabulous server Ewell, who ensured we always had everything we needed. We started with the calamari, which was perfectly cooked, served really hot and came with delicious dipping sauce. We also ordered Maduros which were piping hot and sweet and served all four of us. I have read earlier reviews where the food took a long time to arrive, but our experience was that our starter came out right away and there was a little wait for our main courses. I opted for a shrimp dish with creole sauce, one of the options, which came with a nice salad and a side. I selected Tostones. Our main courses were served beautifully. I've never seen a mofungo served in a tall wooden bowl, but it was very pleasing to the eyes. The whole atmosphere is beautiful and tropical. Staff are very obliging and friendly. Prices are a little on the high side because you want to try a little bit of everything, but well worth it. I also appreciate paying the bill tableside, which is common outside the US and should be mandatory. Thanks Ewell for a Splendid experience. read more

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really fantastic. our second time eating here and we were just as blown away as before. highly recommend!

Amazing menu, excellent cocktails and phenomenal customer service! The owner, Luis, is genuinely the nicest individual you will ever meet. The energy he exudes is incredible and refreshing.... it's no wonder why his restaurant is top notch! If you haven't tried Isla all I can say is what are you waiting for? read more

Thomas and Stephanie did a great job!! Will definitely come back!! And the food was fantastic!!

I had an amazing experience at their happy hour. I went with my sister and we tried four of the appetizers and felt the portions were really good and for a good price. Our server was very attentive and honestly the food didn't take long to come out but you could tell it was fresh. The ambiance and vibes of the place were on point. From what I could tell there was one person in the kitchen, a manager, bartender, and one server. Everyone on the floor stopped by the table to ensure we enjoyed our drinks and food and that we had everything we needed. I am Puerto Rican so I make some of these dishes at home. I would say this menu has a bit of fusion on it being the shrimp is served with a jalapeno sauce that has a bit of a kick. Their mofonguitos stood out to me because many places I go serve very dried out mofongo and this was nice and moist with a delicious creamy sauce. read more

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Food was very good. Lots of flavor! Our waitress Mary was great; checked on us throughout the meal and helped with a birthday surprise :) the location is cute, the decorations and music are a vibe, very relaxing. I'm glad they have the small light on each table especially when the lights dim. I will definitely be back! read more

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Good food and great service. Opened up in the old Otro Cinco spot for those that know. Love that different cuisines are beginning to explode onto the SYR scene. We sampled just about everything on the menu. The sampler is definitely a must - we added the pork belly which did not disappoint, as was the empanadas. For our main meal, we did the Chuleta kan kan, CHICHARRONES DE POLLO, and the special grilled red snapper. Everything was delicious and served on time! read more

Isla Caribbean Cuisine - grilled snapper - Caribbean Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Ambiance and drinks were beautiful. I feel the food lacked flavor especially the mofongo. It also took long to take our order we were a party of 5 and this was about a month or two ago. read more

First time here, a group of five people. Great food. Service was great , you should also get the chocolate mousse.

As I sit in the restaurant finishing my cocktail, I'm moved to write about my experience. Overall we enjoyed Isla Caribbean Cuisine. We came in on the later side but was pleasantly given a table with a window which I didn't mind at all. The atmosphere is nice with upbeat Cuban music playing in the background. We were served drinks almost immediately and everyone kept checking on us to see how we were doing. Our dishes took a little while to come out - but we came for the experience so didn't mind. I also liked that the staff is diverse but if I could give my feedback on one thing, it would be more seafood on the paella read more

Drinks and food were amazing! highly recommend the Churrasco and the tuna, they were so good and looked beautiful. The bartenders and servers are super nice and attentive, specifically Steph was our bartender and did amazing! read more

Stephanie was the best bartender ever! I would recommend the empanadas and the pollo guisado!

Amazing restaurant with the most Gluten-Free items . The food was outstanding and everyone should visit it, if you don't it's your loss

Love Chelsea fast & good customer service and always smiling and bery good customer service

The food is great, has good portions for its price, and the service is well and quick. The music is great and it gives a good vibe, the whole place. Especially the corner with the campfire on the tv. The seats are comfortable, the lighting is nice, and the tables are beautiful and clean. read more

I felt like I was on a prank show... My husband and I tried this out for his birthday, I feel awful I chose this for his bday. We walk in and get seated with some utensils. 15min go by so we ask if we have a server. The server comes over and takes our drink orders. 30min later we get our drinks and she takes our food order. She said they were out of the two steak options my husband tried to order then ran back to the kitchen for 10min to check. She then said they do have it. We ordered wings as an appetizer. 5min later our server comes back and says "you already ordered food right?"... we were very confused because she is the one who just took our order. 1.5 hours later we still didn't have any food. They said they gave our wings to the wrong table but they were coming. After over 1.5 hours we finally got all our food at once. The owner and staff seemed more interested in making sure his family next to us were served over all the other guests. Gratuity is already built into the check fyi***. Food was sub par and not worth the $180 we spent. Seems very unorganized and maybe the servers are new to this. I'm sad I tried this place I was looking forward to trying a new place it was 3 days open when we went on a Friday. read more

very nice restaurant! all the employees were pleasant and professional food was great! will recommend

It's a beautifully decorated place. The service was very slow. We were a party of 5 and the only ones in the restaurant on a Thursday night. Soon a couple of other patrons arrived. The place was deserted otherwise. The bartender/waitress Chelsea was sweet but not very efficient. The food was decent but not great. The cocktails were awesome. Overall, the place has a lot of potential. read more

We were really looking forward to trying this place, but ended up with a diabolically poor experience. We never actually got to try any food because after almost an hour and a half we still hadn't gotten our appetizer. Waitstaff were trying their best, but they definitely needed more help on the floor. The kitchen looked to be a disorganized mess. They stopped seating people and still couldn't catch up. It took them almost 15 minutes just to greet us and then another 5 to bring water. I guess that should've been our first sign. Now to the shocking part. A customer approached the manager to confront him about the poor service and the manager punched him in the face after a verbal exchange. It almost hit my partner in the head as he was right behind him. I was also a bit displeased that said manager did not seem to be assisting staff much nor did he come around to apologize for the extensive wait. He owns and manages another local restaurant that seems to be in great standing so I don't know what happened here. I understand they just opened, but he should have the experience to deal with this appropriately. I am astounded by what we witnessed tonight. This was the worst experience I've ever had at a restaurant. read more

Great food and ambiance, the service was fantastic as well. Definitely recommend. Glad we're finally getting Caribbean cuisine here!

Great service, Melanie is amazing. Food was great. Great music, the place looks very nice and cozy.