The ambiance and service were amazing. The restaurant is decorated beautifully and has a dimly lit intimate vibe making it perfect for date night and small groups. Our server was very helpful with explaining the menu and the food came out quickly. Overall the food was a little underwhelming. The snapper and oxtail patties were the highlight of the choices but they were both too salty. My friend had the chicken and she would not recommend. It's worth trying but not somewhere I would revisit. read more

Isla - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Private dinner for 13 and a private room upstairs. everything was savory and delicious. the chef came in to speak to us. really pleased with the offerings here all dishes were authentic strong flavors read more

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Loved the ambiance, service, and the food was pretty good! The crudo was one of the best apps. Oxtail patties were exceptionally good! The grilled octopus was a bit chewy, but the blend of flavors made up for it. I had their take on an espresso Martini and a spicy margaritas and both were enjoyable. Our server was absolutely delightful and had great recommendations. I will be back! read more

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Isla brings the feel and ingredients of the Caribbean, a touch of plantain and tropical flavors complements each dish I tried. The Mille feuille had the fundamentals of French pastry making, with a tropical touch of guava and strawberry making it a refreshing summer or spring time desert, perfect for after a meal. After hour the lounge in the back has a DJ and is perfect for a night out lounge feel. the decoration is well curated, the dining room, the lounge and the art all show attention to detail in a beautiful way. read more

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Omg! Ok so I came here on a rainy Friday evening after work. It was one of my friends birthday, and I wanted to take her to something different that we haven't tried before. And this restaurant was close to my job. We came in and we immediately sat at the bar which we requested. My friend and I joked about the sexy lighting. Because I definitely had to use my cell phone's flashlight to read the menu. It's a really cute and nice restaurant. I love the lighting and the bar area. Our waiter was very nice. And he recommended a couple of things off of the menu. We tried the I think it was the oxtail patty. It was so good and filled. I mean, packed with meat. With a nice crispy, flaky crust on the outside. I cannot remember the name of the drink that I had lol but I think it was some kind of pear flavored drink. I'll definitely come back to try some more things off of the menu this time. I really was just there for the drinks. read more

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This was quite an experience. So new they didn't have signs up, but we were lead in through a velvet roped door. So fun and unique. The peanut butter twist on espresso martini was one of the best cocktails I have ever had. The snapper crudo was to die for... but personally some of the other food options, like the rock shrimp, left much to be desired. Our waiter was so kind and service was great. I would say try it for yourself but not if you aren't an adventurous eater. read more

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Joined several friends for dinner here on a Friday night. It was a great atmosphere and energy in the restaurant. We received great service from our server - we enjoyed the drinks, split some small plates, and each got a larger dish. The channa bara was delicious and I loved the cook up rice and the plantain. The mushroom patty was also a table favorite among dishes we shared. The manager stopped by the table and kindly chatted with us about our experience. The service was seamless so I was surprised they had only recently opened. I would recommend Isla for a group outing - especially if you are a fan of excellent Caribbean cuisine. read more

If you want tasteless Caribbean food, this is the spot. The venue is sexy and really a vibe, great staff. Unfortunately the food is a 2/10, and that was disappointing. I recommend coming in to sit at the bar and have a cocktail and an appetizer just enjoy the vibe. read more

We ordered the tempura okra, curry goat, fried snapper, bbq greens, and brown stew mushrooms. The fried snapper was fried hard and reminded me of a southern style fried fish this was a must try. I would skip the tempura okra, unless you're into okra with sweeter flavors.   The service was great! There was a little bit of a wait despite us having a reservation, but our waiter took great care of us through the night. Overall this place is go to for great food and a cute night out. read more

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Food and service were good. The ambiance was nice, but there is a need to offer more entree options.

It's 2025. There should be at least one item on your menu that a vegan can safely consume. To say that you don't know if the chef can remove the cheese from a salad is bizarre of course he can. For you to have still proceeded to bring the salad with the cheese on it is even further bizarre. I just clearly stated I'm a vegan. Manager at this establishment please educate your staff regarding veganism. Vegans cannot consume meat or dairy, educate your staff have some items readily available safe for vegan consumption. To offer plantain chips that have been deep-fried in animal fat is bizarre. I just explained to you that I am a vegan knowledge truly is power. Furthermore, regarding service, we had a 9:15 reservation and was not seated until 10:15. Service was lacking and very slow additionally, to say no flash photography in a darkly lit space like be so for real who's gonna take a picture in the dark of course we're gonna use the flash. Huh? The location is very difficult to find there is no signage. You all are a new location. People are coming from the first time obviously have some clear signage indicating where you're located. I don't recommend vegans to patronize this establishment as the servers will act as though they've never heard of what a vegan is they will bring you items with cheese and meat and act confused it's truly bizarre. read more

Isla - The salad, the waitress said that the chef could not remove the cheese from. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My sister and I grew up in the Caribbean, she now lives in DC and we were anticipating this restaurant opening with all of the hype. She made reservations for her birthday and I tagged along. When we could actually find the entrance to get in (no signs) we found the ambiance to be lovely - great vibes, decor, lighting and music (music is a little loud at times) but this place definitely feels intentional, cozy, inviting and luxurious, like a stylish place to come chill. You can't chill for too long though- we had 4pm reservations (since we were trying to go to a 6:30 p show after) and the first thing our server said to us, before we were even seated was "we have a 6pm seating at this table". Ok, thanks for letting us know, way to make a girl feel welcome. Service was fine, there is a coat check, waiter friendly and knowledgeable, no issues there although we had not done all of our homework because we didn't realize that the fare was more fusion and "Caribbean inspired". You're not going to find your traditional Caribbean favourites here but keep an open mind (and the chef is open about this in all of their media). Wine list is decent, good selection of mocktails. Of what we ordered, the bara was the standout - absolutely delicious. I preferred it with the channa (I did not try the oxtail), the curried goat was underwhelming. The snapper was also great, pork chop was ok. I'm not sure what I was expecting with the rice and peas but what I got was rice that seemed overcooked with peas that seemed a little undercooked in comparison. It was still enjoyable and to be fair, the server tried to warn us because she did mention "risotto". What was not enjoyable was the rock shrimp, felt like biting into an oily sponge (worse when they cool down to room temp, and even worse when reheated). The roasted plantain is also not what you would expect, I liked them ok while my sister wished she had just ordered the plantain chips instead. They brought some mango sorbet for my sister for her birthday which we appreciated and she looked appropriately mortified while we all (including the server) sang happy birthday. So all in all, it was an enjoyable experience. I might return but might just sit at the bar instead. read more

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I was so excited to visit Isla for the first time. I was very disappointed. The decor is beautiful and the service is pretty good. Besides that, there is nothing that would make me want to return. The food was severely underwhelming, and some dishes just flat out bad. We had the grilled octopus and oxtail patties to start. Both were pretty good. Actually they were the best things we had. The octopus was tasty, but a little chewy. The patties tasted like beef patties that I could've gotten from the corner store. On to the entrees. I had the pork chop, my date had steak, and we shared the "macaroni pie". Macaroni pie is in quotes because as someone with Caribbean parents, it was an abomination. I've never seen pie that looked like this but I still kept an open mind and gave it a try. It wasn't good at all. I took 2 bites and was done. My pork chop also wasn't good. It tasted super charred and I couldn't get past that taste. My date's steak wasn't cooked to the right temperature and he didn't enjoy it. I know this place is a fusion, but the chef really needs to go back to the drawing board. One of the experience managers (that's probably not her correct title) did come around and asked for feedback. I believe her name was Nikki. We asked if she wanted us to be honest and we went for it. She did give us a round of drinks, which was nice. read more

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Greeting's ISLA Team, I first wanted to start by saying that I absolutely love ISLA's concept, food, atmosphere, and overall dining experience. I have dined at ISLA several times for both business meetings and happy hour at the bar, and prior to this experience, I have consistently spoken highly of the restaurant and recommended it to others. Unfortunately, my Mother's Day visit was very unlike any previous experience I've had with your restaurant, and I felt compelled to share my feedback. To begin, I want to acknowledge that the initial reservation confusion was completely my mistake. I mistakenly arrived for what I believed was an 11:00 AM reservation, when my actual reservation was for 1:00 PM. Your hostess team truly did everything they could to try to accommodate us earlier, though understandably they were unable to due to the holiday reservation commitments. I completely respected and understood that. Although I could have chosen to dine elsewhere and forfeit the $50 reservation hold, I decided to stay because I trusted the quality of food and service I had previously experienced at ISLA. I was especially excited because this was my mother's first time dining there on Mother's Day. When we returned and checked in for our actual reservation time, we were seated around 12:45 PM in an unusual section near the stairs. We also were never greeted with the complimentary mimosa that was being advertised for Mother's Day guests. From there, the service unfortunately continued to decline. We sat at the table for approximately 20 minutes completely unacknowledged by our server. Another associate eventually brought water around 1:10 PM. Around 1:15 PM, I stopped you while you were walking by to ask if you happened to know who our server was, and you kindly mentioned you would grab his attention. Shortly after, our server, I believe his name was Kyle, approached the table and asked if we wanted our complimentary mimosa, while also mentioning that additional glasses would be at cost, which was perfectly fine. However, after that interaction, he disappeared again for an extended period. During that time, my mother and I actually watched our drinks get delivered to another table that had only recently been seated. Once my mother made eye contact with another manager, I believe a female manager, the team quickly realized the mistake and brought our mimosas to our table. By this point, it was already approximately 1:25 PM, despite us having been seated since 12:45 PM. Kyle eventually returned to take our order. My mother and I ordered identical meals, including burgers specifically requested to be cooked well done. Another detail that stood out was that Kyle removed our preset table plates and left us with only one spoon and the original silverware/napkin. When bread arrived, we had no plates to eat from and had to flag him down again to request plates. Later, when our second course arrived and required spoons, we once again had to stop another associate for assistance. The repeated lack of attention to detail unfortunately continued throughout the afternoon. There were unusually long gaps between courses with little to no table check-ins, though the menu was preset, no updates regarding timing, and no effort to ensure we were enjoying the experience or needed anything. By the time the final course approached, my mother had become so frustrated that she asked for the remainder of her meal to simply be boxed to go rather than brought to the table, which we clearly communicated to Kyle. When our entrées finally arrived, both burgers were cooked medium rare instead of well done as specifically requested. At that point, neither of us felt confident enough in the experience to even send them back for correction. We again reminded Kyle to box my mother's meal to go. Once we paid the bill, we sat patiently waiting for the dessert course to be packaged, assuming it was already being prepared. After approximately another 15 minutes, Kyle happened to make eye contact with my mother from across the dining room and visibly realized he had forgotten our carrot cakes entirely. We watched him rush back toward the kitchen to finally prepare and box the desserts. I want to be very clear that I am not writing this email simply to criticize Kyle individually. I understand holidays are extremely busy, and everyone can have an off day. However, the overall experience felt noticeably inconsistent compared to the level of hospitality I have previously experienced at ISLA. What made the experience even more disappointing was observing the table next to us receive incredibly attentive and polished service throughout the afternoon, seemingly because they knew either the chef or ownership. As guests sitting directly beside them, the contrast in service was unfortunately impossible not to notice. My intention for Mother's Day was to bring my mother into the city for an elevated and memorable dining experience. Instead, we both left disappointed read more

The space is gorgeous. The food was tasty and the service was great. It is a little pricey so not some where I can frequent, but I will be back. read more

It was a great experience, food was good and ambiance was amazing. One note, we expected just a little more with the service and my husband was not a fan of the curry goat read more

I went to Isla because of all the hype, but for me it was just okay. The service was a bit slow during my visit. One thing that stood out was the bathroom setup. There isn't a trash can or a sink inside the restroom, so you have to leave the bathroom to wash your hands. That felt a little inconvenient and not the most sanitary since you have to touch the door handle before being able to wash your hands. The food overall was just okay, but I did really enjoy the oxtail empanadas. They were definitely the highlight of the meal. read more

Ambiance was beautiful along with the service and excellent food. It was my first time there and because of all the above mentioned I will visit there everyone I'm in Washington DC and that is often. read more

Someone told us about this wonderful restaurant and I quickly sought out a reservation for this hidden jewel. I say hidden because it's a bit hard to find. Nestled in a dark hallway with a simple signage that reads ISLA. We were welcomed in by a wonderful host that took our coats. Coat check nice gesture. Coats can be so cumbersome at a table. Next we met the delightful Selvin our server. I forgot to tell you it was my husband's 66th birthday. The atmosphere is very simple however their is this amazing chandelier in the center of the room. It's really comfy and cozy. I ordered the red snapper, Mac and cheese and barbecue greens. My hubby had the jerk chicken dark meat , barbecue greens and we shared the Mac. Everything was excellent and pure perfection and I love the way they fixed the snapper making it easier to consume. It was pretty too. The pickled veggies weren't to my liking. It just didn't seem to belong with the dish. I told Selvin that it was my hubby's birthday and he bought out some really delicious mango sorbet with a candle in tow. Isla for the win. Thank you for making his night memorable. We noticed that they are working on a possible brunch. We will definitely be back. read more

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Food is amazing and ambiance is spectacular. Definitely the place to bring a date. I recommend getting the patties and the fried fish

Their food is amazing but service leaves much to be desired. The waiter literally spilled two glasses of the courtesy champagne on the birthday girl (shocking and sad accident) and then they comped us ONE DRINK. Pure insanity. Her shirt was soaked. The service is very slow (every step of the process was slow). They need to get this part together. I would not recommend based on the the experience overall. read more

First, shout out to ChimaEats for his great restaurant content and style!! If it's woman led top tier carribean inspired fine dining food experience, I'm there!! Where do i begin?? Salute to a great Shef and her amazing staff. What an experience curated by her awesome, Experience Manager Nikki Murdoch!! Brava!! Dreamy, super classy dining spaces, the bar staff was phenomenal, cocktail acumen is stellar (hey Chrissy and Pablo) and the FOOD!?!?!? Outstanding!! Scallion bread, snapper crudo, goat, waygu patties and the oysters slapped!! The sorrel granita is genius!! It was a dinner with a dear friend that turned into 3 hours of joy with the whole staff and restaurant. Go for the food and cocktails, stay for the LOVE!! Brava!! -- aka Oyafemi read more

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The food, service and atmosphere are all 10/10. If you like martinis, get the peanut butter one.

Last Wednesday, I visited Isla with friends for an early Galentine's celebration. Upon arrival, I was immediately struck by the restaurant's ambiance, stylish, inviting, and well-suited for a festive evening. The setting set high expectations for what was to follow. We began with cocktails and appetizers. I ordered what I believe was titled the "Isla Daq." While pleasant and well-balanced, it lacked distinction, earning a respectable 7 out of 10. For starters, our table sampled the oxtail patties, crab patties, and fried rock shrimp. Unfortunately, my oxtail patty was served cold, which detracted significantly from the experience. In contrast, the crab patty was notably enjoyable, well-seasoned with a pronounced kick of heat (guests should note it leans toward the spicy side). For my entrée, I selected the 12oz strip loin prepared with the house rub, accompanied by a side of pomme purée. Regrettably, the dish fell short of expectations. While competently prepared, it lacked depth and memorability. Overall, the meal was underwhelming and not one I would choose to revisit. Service, however, proved to be the evening's greatest disappointment. Although our server was courteous, attentiveness was noticeably lacking. We frequently had to flag down other team members to request drink refills and even to obtain menus. For a newly established restaurant, one anticipates polished, seamless service; unfortunately, that standard was not met. A refresher in hospitality fundamentals would greatly enhance the overall guest experience. While the atmosphere shows promise, the culinary execution and service leave room for improvement. At present, I am in no rush to return. That said, I hope future guests enjoy a more refined experience. read more

Got a chance to check it out. The Scallion Bread, Oysters, Smoked Chargrilled Chicken, Pomme Puree were all tasty. The service was great and they were attentive. Love the spaciousness and that it's not TOO dark and loud. I'd def go back. read more

We loved the entire VIBE For my GFs big birthday!! To the Chef, the food was great and being of Caribbean descent, we loved the inspired dishes. There were many interesting fusions, twists, etc. The ambiance was everything, it's a beautiful restaurant and venue! Our Event Planner Nikki and her team were wonderful. Great service all the way, sooo..... Thank you. We'll be back soon! read more

Great ambiance, great food. Great place for a date night or for a girls night. The drinks were delicious and the vibe was 10/10. Parking was bad but all parking in DC sucks. read more

During a recent visit, Isla once again delivered a dining experience that is both impeccably refined and effortlessly welcoming. The cuisine was exceptional beautifully executed, well-balanced, and deeply satisfying while the atmosphere struck the perfect note of upscale sophistication without pretension. The service was engaging, informative, and genuinely enjoyable. Nikki, the manager, exemplifies elite hospitality; her commitment to customer delight and to creating a memorable experience clearly sets Isla apart. My wife, Lakeisha, and I truly love this restaurant. First introduced to Isla during a friends' wedding dinner, it has become one of our favorite places to dine and a restaurant we proudly return to time and again. read more

I was planning to have my bday dinner that I planned weeks ago Two friends surprised me to join us and the hostess who answered the phone just didn't seem interested in accommodating my party. I even asked if we could get two tables and she just wasn't interested in helping me resolve a slight issue when I'm coming to patronize this establishment. I was super excited and told everyone at my work ( White House staff) about this place and I'd let them know the reviews I'm going to call and cancel my dinner soon as I hit submit. i want to go places that want me and the money I work hard to spend. truly disappointed read more

It's been a while. Compliments to the chef. In general everything was great so I'll focus on the stand outs. The Okra was the best item I had. The unique take on preparing okra was the best I've ever had. The drinks were tasty and very well balanced. The seating is spacious and wait staff great. Note to anyone coming, Isla is a RUNWAY! Do like the rest of us, put on your best and come to eat! read more

I have been to Isla twice and have thoroughly enjoyed each visit. As a Jamaican, it has been hard to find authentic Jamaican food . Isla does just that with an ingenious twist on flavors and presentation. Service has always been excellent and Chef Lonie is a gem who cares that all customers have a tailored experience of true fine dining . My tastebuds have been thanking me . 10 outta 10 ! read more

Isla - Scallops - spectacular . Give me 14 of them right now - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I recently visited Isla with my friends & family and this was hands down one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. The food is extremely overhyped and honestly not good (red snapper,bbq greens, crab patties, shrimp cocktail, ox tail patties, mashed potatoes, all bland to me and needs more flavor. (Only the steak was good to me), Nothing matched the price, the quality, or the hype this restaurant tries to live off of. I originally ordered the snapper and had to return it because it was not edible to me. The manager, Nicole, came over afterward, but instead of being helpful or professional, her tone was dismissive and condescending. Later, when I decided to order the chicken, what I wanted from the beginning, she made it clear nothing would be adjusted or comped, even though when she came over the first time that is what she offered, the situation started with her attitude. Good management sets the tone, and she set a terrible one. Because of that interaction alone, our table decided not to leave a tip. The restaurant also only allows the entire table to split the check, which is outdated and inconvenient. But the worst part of the night happened as we were leaving. Our server, Matthew, chased us toward the door, shaking the bill in his hand, visibly angry and even turning red, demanding to know why we didn't tip. His hands were shaking, his voice was raised, and his coworker had to intervene and tell him to calm down. It was aggressive, unprofessional, and genuinely threatening. I have never in my life had a server approach me like that. We were scared and considered calling the police. No one should ever feel unsafe walking out of a restaurant. Tips are NOT mandatory. Even the receipt lists them as "suggested." Nothing about the service we received warranted one. And to be completely honest, based on how we were spoken to, we strongly felt that we were treated differently because we are women of color. That's unacceptable on every level. This restaurant failed in every single category, food, management, and basic professionalism. I will never return, and I will absolutely be sharing this experience with others. The food is overhyped, the service is disrespectful, and no one deserves to be treated the way we were. I do not recommend Isla to anyone. read more

I'm extremely disappointed with the customer service at Isla. I first contacted the restaurant on November 24th to arrange a birthday dinner for a party of nine on December 6th. The hostess told me I needed to email someone named Nikki for large-party reservations. I emailed her that same night and never received a response. Since then, I've called the restaurant on at least three separate occasions. Each time, I'm told the manager is "unavailable," I'm redirected to contact the same person who never replies, or the staff takes my information with the promise that someone will follow up. No one ever has. If you're planning to celebrate a birthday or bring a large group here, be warned: they do not follow up, they do not communicate, and they seem completely uninterested in earning your business. It's extremely frustrating to be ignored after multiple attempts to book a reservation. I would not recommend relying on this establishment for any special event. read more

The food was good, but it was overshadowed by our rather negative experience. The restaurant is overrun by rude and overdressed social media narcissists, oxygen vampires, and other annoying "influencers." They were literally crowding the restrooms, taking pictures of themselves in front of the bathroom doors. If this place wants to be taken seriously as a restaurant, it needs to start to act like one and manage the crowd. These "influencers" will not return to patronize your restaurant because that's not what they they are there for. There are serious foodies in this town who want to support this restaurant but will turn right around and walk right out with this nonsense and we are among them. Our server also kept pushing us to order alcohol and didn't explain the dishes to us very well, so we ended up over-ordering. Then we saw the owners/head chefs walk over to specific tables to greet customers and it seemed very exclusionary. We came here for a celebration and felt uncomfortable, and will not return. Three stars for the food only. read more

Isla was a big disappointment. They attempted to make elevated caribbean but it was not good. Oxtail patties tasted more like empanadas versus patties. The curry goat needed more flavor and the flatbread should have been roti. Would not recommend. read more

The food is very overrated. It's not giving Carribean. Very underwhelming flavors & the collard greens were literally undercooked. The ambiance of the restaurant is amazing with beautiful chandelier. If you enjoy great photo ops, that is the only thing the place really has to offer. read more

Booked the second seating 4 course NYE experience, our reservation time was 9:30pm. To keep things short, we still had not received our main course by 12:45am. Beautiful restaurant, but they were extremely underprepared for the volume and the menu they offered. We were seated for 20 minutes before even receiving water, ordered two drinks which we had not received until 45 minutes after being seated, and within 3 hours of being there, we had only received the first 2 courses small plates. We cancelled the remaining courses as we were not certain when we could expect food - considering the ability to make it to the other plans we had for our evening and 1am approaching. We expressed our disappointment and frustration. The manager discounted the check however we still paid over $200 for this extremely horrible experience and left hungry. Unfortunately will not be returning. read more

Got there before grace period and still was not seated for another 45mins. Kellen should not be the manager once so ever, no leadership in his role and the attitude is at an all time high. Not impressed for my first time coming BUT the food was amazing. read more

I celebrated my mom's birthday at Isla DC, and the experience was exceptional from start to finish. The contemporary Caribbean menu shines--highlights included the scallion bread with yuzu honey butter, flavorful wagyu oxtail patties, perfectly smoked jerk chicken, and beautifully crisp fried snapper. Cocktails and wine were balanced and thoughtfully paired with the dishes. The service was outstanding; our server Ceasar was warm, knowledgeable, and attentive, and Chef/Owner Jonie Murduck personally stopping by made the evening feel truly special. With its stylish art-deco design, lively atmosphere, and genuine hospitality, Isla DC is a standout addition to the city and a place I look forward to returning to. read more

Food was bad. Service at bar was terrible. Tyler. I would not recommend eating here as you can get the same food from a Jamaican spot