I was invited to Isla Grand in Pleasant Hill as first-timer with what I thought was a solid plan: observe quietly, eat politely, and not embarrass myself. The universe had other plans. Because I was introduced to the kamayan feast, which is basically what happens when a table decides utensils are optional, manners get relaxed, and food is no longer "served" so much as presented as a shared event happening directly in front of you. At first, I hesitated. I did the classic first-timer move--hovering my hand slightly above the food like I was trying to ask permission from the rice itself. Everyone else, however, was already fully committed. No forks. No hesitation. Just confidence and garlic rice. So I adapted. Quickly. And suddenly, I understood. The table was covered in a spread of Filipino traditional dishes that didn't feel like separate items--they felt like one coordinated experience. Garlic rice acting like the foundation of everything. Rich, savory meats layered in with bold seasoning and slow-cooked depth. Bright, tangy bites cutting through the richness at just the right moments like they'd been choreographed by someone's very opinionated lola. Every bite was slightly chaotic in the best way because there's no "correct" path. You just build your own perfect forkless (well... utensil-less) combination with your hands and hope the ancestors approve. What really got me, though, wasn't just the food--it was the customs behind it. Kamayan isn't just "eating with your hands." It feels like a quiet lesson in Filipino hospitality. Everything is shared. Everything is communal. You're not isolated in your own plate-world--you're part of a table ecosystem where people are constantly offering, pointing, encouraging: "Try this with that," "No, you need more rice with that bite," "Trust me." And somehow, even as a first-timer fumbling through the etiquette of it all, nobody lets you feel out of place. You're just... folded into it. At one point I stopped worrying about doing it right and just accepted that the correct way to eat kamayan is the way that gets more food into your mouth while laughing with the people around you. Simple enough. By the end, the table looked like a successful mission had taken place--emptied platters, scattered grains of rice, sauces doing their final victory lap. And everyone had that satisfied, slightly sleepy feeling of having actually shared a meal instead of just consuming one. I came in curious. I left a little less formal, a lot more full, and weirdly convinced that all food tastes better when your hands are allowed to participate in the decision-making process. Kamayan didn't just reintroduce me to Filipino food customs from my past. It solidifed my ancestry and up bringing allowing me to experience a whole different way of eating together with...Mahal. Come hungry and Go Big!!! read more

Isla Grand - Kamayan Feast - Filipino Near Me - Pleasant Hill, California

The service was painfully slow, and apparently the head chef messed up our order, which led to us waiting over an hour for our food. To make things worse, our waitress started avoiding our table and barely checked on us because of how bad the service already was, so everything took even longer and we had to get another waitress to help us. When the bill finally came, they charged us incorrectly and still tried to charge us for their mistake. We were billed for 3 orders instead of 2. It took another 10 minutes and a different waitress just to get the bill corrected. The food was good, but the service needs improvement and better attention to detail. With better communication, faster service, and more attentive staff, the experience could have been much better. read more

Dined in for lunch today with my family. We were the first patron to get a table and order. We placed our order, including one sulit bulao. We were told it would be a 20 min preparation wait, which we were fine with. This order was placed around 11:15a We received our other orders, but 30 mins went by then 45 mins, almost an hour and we still didn't receive our sulit bulao. We inquired about our order early on and the waitress mentioned that the bulao was in the works. Another 10 mins went by and then we saw a table that was seated after us received their order(s) of sulit bulao before our table. We then inquired again, and we were told that the head chef was confused and that they were now making our order. We waited longer, inquired again and ultimately received our sulit bulao order around 12:40p. At this point our rice and other dishes were cold and we weren't as hungry anymore. Then as we were wrapping up, it took another 30 mins to update our bill as there were previous issues with a dish (we had asked for a bangus order to be grilled, but instead received it fried.) to fix this bill issue took another 10-15 mins and my family and I were waiting as we watched our waitress attend to other tables. It seemed like she was avoiding us due to the various issues we experienced during our dine in. Ultimately, my family went to the register to sort and pay the bill. We were at Isla for about 2.5 hours. Due to this experience, while the food is delicious, we might not come back due to poor service. This wasn't the first poor service we experienced at this location. Last time they were there an issue with running credit cards was happening so we were delayed in heading out as well. read more

I heard about this restaurant from my brother, and we decided to give it a try. My first impression walking into it was that the restaurant was surprisingly huge inside, and I loved how well air conditioned it was, especially on a hot day. Overall, the place felt very clean, tidy, and well organized. The service was also great and staff were friendly and welcoming, which was definitely a plus. Now, let's get to the food review. Original Sisig Kapampangan: Absolutely delicious. It was served on a hot plate and had a savory, creamy flavor (possibly from the mayonnaise) while still tasting a bit tangy once you squeezed lemon over it. I'd definitely order this again. Beef Brisket Kare Kare: I honestly thought I didn't like kare kare until I tried their version. The peanut sauce was rich and savory without tasting like peanut butter in a jar like Skippy. The beef was tender, and I also loved the assortment of vegetables included in the dish. What really took it to another level, though, was the bagoong sauce (on the side), which paired so well with this dish. This dish was absolutely yummy. Sizzling Beef Brisket Ala Pobre: We were really excited to try this because we'd heard great things about it, but unfortunately, it didn't really deliver. The flavor was pretty bland, and even though it was topped with fried garlic, it was still missing a strong garlic flavor. The beef itself was tender, which was probably the only good thing about the dish, but aside from that, the sauce and overall flavor were just underwhelming. Garlic Rice: This came in a pretty generous portion enough for three. I could definitely taste the garlic, but I think it could've used a little more. Still, it was good overall. read more

See all

My friend and I came here for lunch and I already can't wait to come back! Our waiter gave us some recommendation and we decided to listen: *Litsun Kawali (pork belly) - the pork belly was perfectly crispy and tender! *TNT prawns - this was delicious! Definitely don't do this on a first date as it gets messy, but man were the shrimp and the sauce delicious! The food was delicious and I'd highly highly recommend. read more

Isla Grand - Filipino Near Me - Pleasant Hill, California

See all

For the food, I wouldn't go more than 3 stars. Maybe it's just not to my taste. I only had Filipino food a handful of times. We ordered Sisig, chicaron, lumpia, adobo rice, chicken adobo. Everything is okay. Good, not returning for more. I can't really say I like the service very much as well. Slow in general. If you are Filipino, you get better service. Not saying they mean it that way, but a very obvious observation. The ambiance was great, we had a friend preforming live on their stage and the whole place was popping. Drinks are good, performances are great. Great place for a party, just not the food and service for me. read more

First time here and we got Eventbrite tickets to see The Jets as it was more intimate seeing them at a restaurant where we could buy food and drink and get a VIP Photo Opportunity, plus free parking in the lot! Once we checked in with the front desk, we whisked to our table after searching for the numbers on the tables which some were not visible. There is a QR code at the table to look at the menu but our server didn't hand us menus right away. It was a flurry of excitement and after looking at the menu which has so many choices, we decided to have Pancit Palabuk and Pancit Canton as well as lumpia. The food was plentiful and tasty. The opening act of the show was a-ok but one of the singers sang a bit loud. However, The Jets made up for it and sang some of our favorite songs, acoustic was great and we sat in one of the front tables. Service was attentive initially but later it got busy and it was hard to get the server's attention. Next time we come, we better look at the menu ahead of time to try something new as they have an extensive menu. read more

See all

So excited to be here for lunch for the first time.This restaurant is conveniently located steps from lamps plus. It's one of the biggest restaurants I've been to.We got seated right away,we like the huge round tables .We ordered Kare kare brisket,meat is tender and a bit watery, sinigang,sisig is a bit too oily ,chicken adobo,lumpia shanghai is too small and halo halo is mostly corn and kaong.Food is good but we noticed everything has extra sweetness to it. We hope that there'll be improvement on service as well,it took a while for our food to come ,for waiting to check out and cleaner restrooms. read more

See all

We've been here twice now and the food is great! This time we ordered the following for pickup through DoorDash -Kaldereta Brisket: I really liked this dish. The beef brisket was tender. The sauce was flavorful, and I liked that the potatoes had a bit of char. -Chicken Halang Halang: Reminds me of a very mild curry. This was great with rice -Palabok: This is usually my favorite dish, but I would have preferred a larger noodle, more lemon, and bigger pieces of chicharron! They gave us extra sauce. Otherwise, it is a solid dish. -Garlic Rice: Loved their garlic rice! Last time we ordered sisig, bangus, pakbet, and lumpia Shanghai. I remember the sisig and lumpia Shanghai being so addictive! It is a bit on the pricey side for portions, but delicious! This does seem like a pretty popular restaurant. It is very spacious. They seem to host many events, and they also have a weekend brunch (wish I had seen this earlier to have tried it). Service was friendly both times we were there. Overall, I'd totally come back here! read more

Food was great good thing we made reservations. Great Boodle fight service. A little chaotic since it was real busy but very good. We would come back again and again. We had a blast!! read more

Isla Grand - Before we touched the food. It was so good I'm too embarrassed to post the after picture of what it looked like. - Filipino Near Me - Pleasant Hill, California

This place is huge. You would never know it from the outside, and it didn't feel like the best neighborhood. There were some interesting characters outside, including a dude trying to clean my windshield. Oh well. Walked in and specifically went on this Saturday so I can see a live band. And boy was it amazing. First the eats. I opted to sit in the bar area where the music was blaring. In hindsight, it might have been a little too loud for the kiddos to enjoy their food. We ordered the standard stuff. The food was just ok. I was unimpressed by the pakbet, it was way too oily for my taste. And the lumpia was burnt and overpriced for what came out. The other location in Newark is leaps and bounds better in terms of food. But we came for the music. And boy it didn't disappoint. The stage was perfect, the layout was nice, and the energy was great. I love live music and sipping on some San Migs. Chatting with some of my peeps from the P.I. It was great. I'll def be back for the vibes. read more

See all

Ordered to go.... Bangus sisig-- Very small portion and not worth $25. The box was so light I thought it had spilled. First time at this restaurant and now my last. Waste of $$ read more

Isla Grand - Bangus Sisig - Filipino Near Me - Pleasant Hill, California

If you need that quick fix but don't want to buy the ingredients for a full family dinner, then Isla is for you! The food is pricey, especially when the portions are so small. That said, I would still come here again for the dishes that we don't already cook at home that often, namely sisig, puso ng saging, and kare kare. We tried all of these today and they were all pretty good! The pusong saging was vinegary and I loved that. The kare kare was probably made with smooth peanut butter (so no whole peanuts, which is how my family makes it) but that's not a deal breaker for me. The sisig tasted how I expect sisig to taste like. No calamansi tho, which was a bummer. They did have a lemon instead. The white rice is unlimited as long as you bought entrees, but they have specialty rices as well. Isla is a Kapampangan establishment, whoch is a specific region in the Philippines. I'm a kapampangan, so this menu is typical at my home. It gets busy here on the weekends but not so much during weekday lunches, in my experience. read more

See all

We came for the breakfast buffet on Saturday morning and had a decent experience. The buffet runs from 8am-11am; Sat and Sun at $25 pp. The food options were good with a whole range to choose from. My issue was, the flavor and taste of the food itself. Being a buffet, I think the food is rushed and not really given full concentration so most of the food either lacked flavors or just wasn't good. The garlic rice was a bit too moist, palabok tasted old and raw, the pork sisig was way too wet, the fried chicken wasn't cooked all the way so it had some pink, and more. Literally the best things was their grilled pork belly, longanisa, chicken adobo, fried fish. I wish they had sinigang to cleanse the palate and add would be a great soup selection. The condiments should've been separate at another bar and not at the very front with plates and utensils. The food wasn't refilled quickly so people had to wait a pretty long time for food. I think the next time we come back, we'll just order regularly because the food tastes different and more flavorful. read more

Party of 2 went on a Saturday at around 2pm. Had to wait a couple of minutes by the door as there was no hostess in sight. We were told to wait a couple of minutes for a table but it took more like 5 minutes. At least our order was taken promptly and the food came out after about 10 minutes. We ordered sisig, pig ears, and sinigang na boneless bangus, rice is free and unlimited. Everything tasted amazing (as expected). I wanted to order dessert but it was so hard to flag down staff. It took us another 10 minutes just for the bill. The place is great for huge groups. They also have function areas for private events. They have live bands some evenings (but I haven't attended). I deducted a star because there's always nobody around to seat us. I saw a Caucasian couple walk in, wait for a couple of minutes, then leave. They missed out on great food but who can blame them for leaving? It would have been better if someone at least acknowledged their presence and asked them to wait a few minutes. Anyway, we will still return and maybe try their other dishes. read more

See all

Okay Isla, as a pinay you do quench that Filipino food craving! Isla has it all - tasty authentic food that hits, super spacious dining and entertainment rooms, friendly attentive service and an authentic fam vibe from a ton of Filipinos dining there. Also they give unlimited rice! Some faves: - crispy pata - chicken inasal - beef nilaga - bangus sisig - kare kare - pinakbet Docked a star due to some of the items being a tad too salty like the pancits. Hope they can work on that! read more

See all

What an amazing graduation! The service was great and so helpful especially with big groups, we we're a party of 40pax and Sean was so help with our Bilao recommendations! So yummy! Definitely going back here for another celebration! read more

Isla Grand - Grad party! - Filipino Near Me - Pleasant Hill, California

We were in the area, looking for something to eat for dinner. Being Filipino, and craving some Filipino food, we found Isla Grand, solely by accident. We rolled up on this hidden gem! My beautiful wife and I were surprised how spacious it was and very, very ADA friendly! The service was great and gosh damn the Sisig Silog, was amazing! My wife and I shared some of her Sinigang, and it was also delicious! Great service and great food! I'll definitely be back to try more, Filipino cuisine, from my Filipino folks! read more

Isla Grand - Sisig Silog - Filipino Near Me - Pleasant Hill, California

See all

Impressive ! Went there for after a service reception and I was amazed how nice and modern the restaurant is ! The Food looked, smells, and taste so delicious. It was presented with class! Salute to Raj who took care of all my requests ! I can't wait to party with my son and family, Bday in two weeks with dinner and live band. Partay 0n, people read more

Isla Grand - Pilipino cuisine for all world class travelers ! - Filipino Near Me - Pleasant Hill, California

I've been hearing good things about this place and finally I made my first visit. First when looking for directions to get here you have to type in Isla Grand not restaurant because Isla restaurant is a different place. Isla is pretty big. There's lots of seating and there's different sections in the restaurant. There is a separate spot where entertainment happens with live bands and karaoke. Food: It is good but it does not quite hit the aaaaamazing level. For our first visit we ordered the following: Sisig pork and bangus, Litchun Kawali, Lumpia Shanghai, Calamari (free item), Kare Kare Seafood, and Sinigang Baka (beef). We also received a free Halo-Halo because it was someone's birthday in our group. The Kare Kare seafood was actually not too bad. I was skeptical but the seafood actually went well with the peanut sauce. We weren't really a fan of their version of Sinigang. Also, the calamari looked pale, was chewy, and not crispy. Everything else was on point especially the Sisigs which was the best thing we ordered that night. I am not sure if the halo-halo we got is the way they usually make it, but it was really plain. (See picture). Service: was ok. The Kuya's that helped us were nice enough but they rarely came back to our table to check on us. We had to call on them a couple of times. But I did like that they mentioned we earned a free item since we ordered a certain amount of food. And something free for the birthday celebrant. Hoping next visit will be better. read more

See all

Came on Halloween night to celebrate a few birthday celebrants in the family. First off, it was my first time there and I personally did not enjoy eating there. All of the food that was being served was extremely salty. I was soo excited for the egg drop soup since it was cold outside and needed something to warm me up, but even THAT was too salty! I added water from my drinking cup to try to water it down, and it was still so salty.. Then, the place was covered with disco lights which made me dizzy while trying to eat. If you have light sensitivity, I probably wouldn't recommend dining here at night. To top it off, the music was way too loud. You know it's too loud when you can't even hear the person sitting NEXT to you. I felt like it would've been more enjoyable for everyone if they turned it down to a level where we can still talk to people around us and enjoy the music at the same time. Service was okay, nothing good or bad to say. Other than that, I enjoyed the pineapple drink, and KRMA the band, entertained us with good music, thank you! read more

See all

This place gets very busy especially weekends, so I would highly recommend calling ahead to make reservations if you have a large party. I had a party of 20 & we had no issues getting 2 tables reserved ahead of time. Our server was Jane & she was amazing! I told her that we were celebrating a retirement & she did her best to ensure we were taken care of. She made suggestions on what to order knowing we had a lot of people to feed & had so much patience dealing with everyone. At no point did we ever feel rushed out & the food came out quickly. For having a large party, the whole experience was a breeze! 10/10 - Chicharon Bulaklak & Lechon Kawali: crispy, delicious classic dishes. 10/10 - Black Gulaman & Banana Con Hielo: chef's kiss on textures & flavors. 9/10 - The Original Sulit Bilao #4: lots of variety of choices plus it came with some soda & desserts; there wasn't enough sauces provided so we did have to keep asking for more. Fan favs: Crispy Pata, Misua, Grilled Jumbo Squid 8/10 - Sulit Ala Carte #2: portions were a bit small for the price; potatoes & carrots in the Kalderetang Liempo were hard not fully cooked; the fish in the Bistik Bangus was dry; Palabuk was yummy. 7/10 - Sisig: the grilled char on most of the pieces gave it a bitter & burnt flavor which was too overpowering. read more

See all

Food was definitely delicious. Worth the wait. They were a little busy on this sold out show. But they didn't take too long to deliver our food. The music is very loud so if you're trying to have a conversation, either talk loud or maybe stay in the restaurant side then go dance at the bar side if there's no tickets for purchase involved. There is 2 versions of this restaurant: the bar side feels like a night club & the restaurant side is a cultural Filipino with a family style welcome. The staff is definitely fun, friendly, & nice. So if you want to experience the Filipino culture, definitely come here. Explanation on the food: Pork sisig - pork chopped up into tiny pieces mashed up with sauce & seasoning. Came out sizzling Banana con helo - banana on ice with milk or cream & syrup Bagaong fried rice - Bagaong with fried rice and pieces of lechon (crunchy pork) & also with mango & tomato slices. This will taste salty. read more

See all

2/13/2026 Wanted to go out to eat this evening and searched through my saved Foodies list. Asked the man if he wanted to try this Filipino restaurant I had saved for a while and it was a go. So happy we came from Vacaville and hit this place up. PARKING // 3 stars Eh, small parking lot and by the looks of all the cars it seems like this spot was pretty litty. We ended up finding a parking spot right in the front. #score FOOD Sisig // 5 stars Chicken Adobo // 5 stars Steamed Rice // 5 stars, fire duh Brisket Sinigang // 5 stars Be aware - their menu is like a filipino dictionary from all parts of the island. Impressed but overwhelming at the same time. I liked that they had the picture, filipino name AND english name of each dish along with a description of the dish. SERVICE // 5 stars Everyone and I mean everyone made sure our rice pot was filled, napkins were plentiful and we were good, good. ATMOSPHERE // 5 stars We ate at the main dining hall, which was fine. The bar area though, holy sh** it was litty AF! Had music, I mean no juke box or nutting, instruments, mics, speakers the whole nine. Had the lights on tilt and the bartenders were busy making those dranks. read more

See all

Came here for a Sunday family brunch right when they opened at 10am. Great parking in the plaza and the restaurant is huge. They can easily accomodate large parties. Host sat us right away. We ended up ordering so much stuff to try and everything was amazing, rice was unlimited. Sad we didn't get to try any dessert becuase we were so full. I would definetely return. read more

See all

My family and I ate here and were the FIRST party to arrive. We were seated and ordered our food at 11:15am. We ordered a sulit bilao, was informed from the waitress that it was about 15-20 mins for it which was fine, but we DID NOT receive the sulit bilao until about 12:45pm. We inquired with the waitress TWICE on it at around 11:45 and 12:15, and she could not be honest with us and stated toward the end that the head chef mixed up our food orders with 2 other tables. After that, with the bad service already well known, our waitress was INTENTIONALLY avoiding us instead of trying to make up/compensate for the bad experience. We tried to pay for our bill but we were still overcharged for a couple items that we did not order and yet it took another waitress to help us out. The staff are not helpful, they cannot own up to their mistakes, and yet they cannot provide compensation for the bad experience they have instead given to their customers. I would NOT come here again until their staff are better trained, have better time management and better communication with their customers. read more

I really enjoyed the food here. It was interesting to see all the different cultural Filipino foods. I came with a coworker who's Filipino so she was able to explain the menu to me and we were able to try different food that we normally wouldn't eat. The interior is very spacious and it's great to come with a big group. They have nice round tables where you can sit with a big party and another back area as well as a bar area so a good place to go with your family members. The food portions were stellar. We ordered a lot of food and we were shocked at the final bill because it was so low and tip was also included and we felt like we got so much food. We ordered the big banana leaf plate with different meats and vegetables. don't ask me what we ordered because my coworker who is Filipino did all the ordering, but I really enjoyed the different marinated meats and fish. I also really enjoyed the egg soup that came with it even though it was a bit salty. We also ordered a different soup that had tamarin flavors and shrimp. I'm Vietnamese so it reminded me a lot of a soup that we eat called cảnh chùa. Of course we also got the classic pancit, which was also very tasty 9/10. But my coworker does say that she could make it better of course homemade is always better. The service was not so stellar. It was hard to flag down our waitress, and when we needed to utensils and other things, it was harder to find her and we ended up flagging someone else down. read more

See all

Isla Grand is must visit for Filipinos! We were here for a group dinner, with about 20 or so guest. Staff were great getting the food out and helping us with any issues. We had so many dishes that were wasn't enough room on our table! Food was pretty good. We got the Sulit Bilao which was huge! Some things were pretty salty but not too bad. Someone in our party had a seafood allergy. Some of the seafood items in the Sulit Bilao were touching other items, so it be mindful of that when eating. The restaurant itself is huge! There are 3 dining areas, several with huge tables. Definitely a place for big groups. They also have live music playing in the back area near the restrooms. It was very, very loud but fun to watch and listen. Surprisingly you couldn't hear the band from the other side of the restaurant. Only downside is the parking lot. It's big but it gets really busy. read more

See all

Food was good. But poor service. 2 server with full of people. We have to wait for 20 min to get out bills. read more

Isla Grand - Crispy pata. - Filipino Near Me - Pleasant Hill, California

See all

Really good, authentic Filipino food. Ordered lechon, chicken adobo and their popular pork sisig with rice. Service was fast and it's a pretty casual restaurant. I would try to avoid the weekend crowds or at least get there early so you don't have to wait. read more

See all

We had breakfast buffet on a Sunday. It's a big pricey. Sisig was very good. I had to put some hot water on my congee to make it less salty. I was surprised that they didn't even have any traditional Filipino dessert. Most of the dishes are salty for me. Still, the food was good and the variety kept things interesting. read more

Isla Grand - Filipino Near Me - Pleasant Hill, California

Very first time I went w my family just to experience the great filipino food. It was great tasty filipino food. I love how friendly the staff is, even tho' theyre tired they still manage to stay up and stay friendly. Over all food r great and so delicious. Put u guys on my 1st options! read more

This visit was better than my last visit. It was Friday night at 6:30. Great service and the food was really good. Crispy Pata - moist meat and the skin was crispy and crunchy. Perfect perfect perfect! Sisig - we ordered it spicy this time. Canton - large serving of flavorful noodles. Love that there are a lot of veggies (and protein) Bistek na Bangus - delicious and bursting with tangy flavors. So good over piping hot rice. Halo Halo - lots of toppings. I wish the ice was shaved more. It was a little too chunky for me but it was good! read more

See all

went in for sunday buffet and the $49 deal imo seem steep. On the photo they have the whole crabs but when i went to their buffet there was not a whole crabs but crab claws and arms. Some of their food offerings not even taste same as ala cart. like sisig and kare kare. Overall, not satisfied. read more

Isla Grand - not a whole crabs but legs and claw and some crab meat. - Filipino Near Me - Pleasant Hill, California

Came here for lunch with a big group this morning. I have never been or seen the place so I was worried about long wait times, but I called ahead and they were able to put us on a waitlist since they didn't take reservations. Luckily we were totally fine at 11:00 on a Sunday and we beat the lunch rush! Place was packed by the time we left a couple hours later. Service was great, always servers walking around so it was easy to flag someone down. They accommodated our two tables easily. And our food came out incredibly fast! We ordered so many things but I enjoyed the binagoongan, original sisig, and longanisa. The bangus bistec was also really good, something I've never seen before. They also give free noodles if your birthday is within 15 days so we got to try their pancit bihon. I'm not typically a big fan of pancit but I loved their version here. The noodles had flavor and weren't too dry. Also love that they do unlimited rice here but I personally preferred the adobo rice! Very happy with our experience here, may just be our new family meet up spot! read more

See all

We love coming here when we want Filipino food nearby. The ambience is like you've stepped into a restaurant in the Philippines. There is a Kamayan option which they lay out banana leaves on the table and pile the rice and bbq'd dishes on top. You can eat with your hands and gloves are an option. They have flavorful dishes and although some portions are a bit small, it is still good for sharing. Our faves: Kare Kare with Krispy Pata Pork BBQ read more

Good Filipino food! I come here with my coworkers sometimes on a Friday. I brought my family here as well. I love crispy pata! read more

If I were driving through the Bay Area, 45 minutes out of the way on a cousin's tip, I'd expect something decent -- maybe even memorable. But this place? This was something else. The kind of joint that doesn't just serve food -- it tells a story. Loud, proud, and absolutely Filipino. The menu? A beautiful, chaotic onslaught -- like Manila traffic during fiesta season. Dishes rolling out one after another, each more unapologetically flavorful than the last. It's the kind of food that doesn't ask for your approval. It knows where it comes from -- Pampanga -- the culinary nerve center of the Philippines, and it brings all that tradition straight to your plate. Service? Fast, friendly, and -- here's a rare one -- accountable. They fixed a mistake before I could blink and did it with grace. That's not just good service. That's pride. Multiple locations, same experience -- and that's the magic. Consistency in a world that rarely offers it. If you're looking for a taste of the Philippines, the real stuff -- the soul food, the comfort food, the celebration -- this is it. You don't just eat here. You remember it. read more

See all

Huge place. There's a dedicated area that can host a large party, maybe a wedding with a Karaoke and live band to boot? Menu was expansive. My favorite was their sinigang soup. Yummy. Lots of choices for sure. Great place to dine in for Filipino cuisine. It's good for 2 or large groups. Service was nice, many decor that will take you back and make you feel like you're back on the Island. A must try. Mabuhay!! Cheers! read more

See all

This is my 3rd time visiting Isla but the 1st time coming in the morning. The evening visits have been jam packed with diners, great energy but felt understaffed and food took over 45 minutes to arrive. This morning visit was a much better experience - for service and the food! We ordered the grilled pusit, pinakbet, lechon kiwali, fried bangus, and halo halo. We appreciated the bottomless bucket of rice. Grilled Pusit: good texture, almost a liquid smoke flavor, 7/10 Pinakbet: Small portion but flavor was delicious! The few slices of lechon kiwali was a good touch. 10/10 Lechon Kiwali: Well done! 10/10 Fried Bangus: Never had it prepared this way; with a crispy thin corn starch crust. small portion for the price but very memorable in a good way. The vinegar dip was a perfect compliment. Would def have this again. 10/10 Halo Halo: This was not a traditional halo halo - had a mais base, no red beans, langka, macapuno, or red beans. It was okay. 6/10 Overall, really good to see a Filipino restaurant do so well! read more

See all