Ok, I am torn between a 3 and 4 star review. I am going with 4 bc my bisque was delicious but how hard is it to wipe the bowl and bring it out neatly? The server also gets a 4. She was fund and helpful with the menu. Now, for the not so great. The inside is not inviting. It's dated and more casual than you would expect. My husband's "blackened" seafood platter was not blackened at all. The coleslaw had no dressing. It looks like there was no effort at all to make the food look appetizing. read more

Islanders Restaurant & Bar - Fried Deviled Eggs - Southern Near Me - Dauphin Island, Alabama

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Busy place but they do take reservations, which I recommend. The food was flavorful and served in generous portions. There are two outdoor seating areas. I would recommend the outside back bar. Inside restaurant area is a little cramped but that is where they had the live music playing. Even though it was busy both times we visited, the staff was friendly and provided attentive service! read more

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A favorite for locals and visitors. The menu is beachy with fresh seafood and delicious staples. The gumbo is really good. What it lacks in heat (not very spicy), it more than makes up for in shellfish meat! The bisque is as good as any I've ever had. Pretty and tasty drinks. They have a special Moonwalker that sounds like an insulin coma in a glass and it's probably worth it. Locals gather at the bar in the afternoon and evening. They're dog-friendly and have water bowls on the patios. This looks like the place to catch the game, get updates on the local gossip, find out what is being built a few blocks away, and what's biting 1 miles off shore. Service was friendly and prompt. Food was consistently delicious. Prices are island prices, a little higher to account for the great location. A basket of shrimp and oysters, seared scallops, po boys and burgers, pasta, oysters on the half shell, and some of the sweetest and best hush puppies I've ever had. read more

I arrived in a group this evening and once we approached the entrance we saw a sign that said reservations only. We decided to go in and see if there was availability for a reservation later in the evening. The host told us no and that they were completely booked. After leaving, we quickly decided something felt off since the restaurant had so much room. We decided to call and ask if we could make a reservation. The host immediately said yes. We went right back and we were sat immediately. The table smelt awful- like a wet dog. I think they clean with dirty water/rags. The food came out cold. The service was poor. For one example, when we asked our waitress for our missing hush puppies she rudely replied "It is just a garnish but I will ask". I understand it is added as a garnish, but it is listed on the menu. The staff as a whole seemed miserable. read more

Looked nice Short staffed Drinks came quick Food slow Short of help Food was just ok The shrimp dinner had zero flavor Shrimp itself should have been good the seasoning was blah The drinks the Bushwhacker was great Not a lot of choices on the island This was our last nice dinner on island which was a let down We could see they were struggling with help And there were many other parties who looked Unhappy after food arrived Hopefully it gets better Good luck read more

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Appearantly the restaurants software won't adjust the suggested tip when they split a check. What happens is when you split a check 50/50 the suggested tip amount is on the whole check tricking you Into a large tip by both parties. Watch out. read more

Islanders Restaurant & Bar - Dinner check. Read the suggested tip amount. It's double what it should be. - Southern Near Me - Dauphin Island, Alabama

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I thought that the food was delicious, but service is super slow, which is fine when you're just trying to enjoy a dinner with your people. I think it took us 2.5 hours to have dinner for 4. Drinks were fantastic and I thought the staff was really nice. Totally a great way to spend the afternoon outside. read more

It was a little cold on the island, so we stopped in for lunch with our friends instead of cooking outside at the campground. We had very good service, we managed to get seating right away and our server did a great job. I am terrible at remembering to take food pics. So sorry about that. We had a wonderful lunch. Luckily, we visit the island every year, so I will remember to post food pics next year read more

Islanders Restaurant & Bar - a decorated christmas tree - Southern Near Me - Dauphin Island, Alabama

Took 1hr 30min. for our food food was cold and undercooked service was fine good atmosphere read more

We loved this restaurant! Visited on a Friday night in May and needed reservations but they were thankfully able to squeeze us in because of a cancellation I would recommend calling ahead and making reservations. I don't understand the lower reviews because we really enjoyed the food, atmosphere and the service. Ate the grilled chicken Alfredo and the shrimp platter. If you don't want the big appetizers, try a side dish of sweet potato fries with their jalapeño ranch. read more

The food came out luke warm. Fish was overly cooked. Server was not great and had a terrible attitude the whole time. overall food took 45 minutes to come out ( one of which was a sandwich) read more

What a shame, glimmers of greatness with insistent service from table to table. We sat at a table around 6:00 on a friday night. We were only given one menu and by the time we realized it, the hostess was long gone. Our waitress came after a while and saw us sharing a menu and asked for a drink order. We ordered a beer and wine. When she came back with waters we ordered food starting with the seafood bisque only because they were out of gumbo. The bisque arrived around 25 minutes later. It was very hot, the styrofoam cup it was served in, left a lot to be desired. But, it was tasty. Next she ordered the fresh fish of the day, mahi mahi with the vegetable of the day and sweet potato fries. I ordered wings, hot buffalo, with celery and a side of onion rings. Her fish was not hot and slightly overcooked when it reached our table. We also ordered peanut butter pie to go and a check. She brought the check and forgot the pie, I reminded her and she went to get it, that was fast because it looked like it was hurled into the container. While we were waiting several people in our area were commenting on the service or lack of it. The service shortcoming seemed to be one or two waitresses, a training project for sure. Given the amount of restaurants out on the island, we will likely try the others before returning here. The windows in this place could use a cleaning. Missed opportunities: Maybe offer up a 2ND menu. OR state when we were seated, hey we are out of gumbo. OR See if we wanted a second drink. OR perhaps assigned stations as the waitresses were all over the place. OR check on us after the meal was delivered, just the basics. I hope they figure it out. read more

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Tried to make reservations three nights in a row, not enough staff to keep the full restaurant open. Closed down a full day because they didn't have e enough staff. read more

We go to this place every summer when we're on the island. This summer we called to do a pick up order and were told to call back in .7 minutes. Called back and were told they weren't taking orders then we asked to be put on a list. We were told no list, just too busy. So we loaded our group of. 8 up to go somewhere. Drive by islanders and only two cars in the lot! The girl answering the phone is a liar!!! read more

Slow service and overpriced for the quality of the meal. Atmosphere is either loud or full of the elderly from the island. Waited fifteen minutes for a tea refill after asking twice. read more

They said they had all 4tops reserved and sat us at the bar then one came in right after us and they sat them what the hell!

Sunday night. The wait for a table was reasonable- the wait for our food was long. When our food arrived it was cold. Three people - crab claws, shrimp and fries, crawfish, baked potato, Thai shrimp and a Cesar salad. No alcoholic beverages. Grand total of $150. Ridiculous. Attempted to speak with someone about the cold crawfish and shrimp. Difficulty tracking someone down- plus we had waited and waited for food. Ended up boxing part of the meal to heat up at our nearby condo. Second time eating at this restaurant. First time food was okay- a walk from our condo which is nice. Second time really disappointed. Will not be back. Not that good and wayyyy overpriced. read more

Islanders Restaurant & Bar - Crawfish and a few oysters. :( - Southern Near Me - Dauphin Island, Alabama

Pretty neat place nice views and good ambiance. We went for lunch and dinner while on Dauphin. The bar area after dinner service seemed like it would be fun. The seafood bisque was the highlight so good! The oysters were fresh and mild tasting. Had the salad with tuna and it was good. The blackened shrimp po boy was also good but a little salty. Drinks were great. If your a sweet drink like the lava flow was good. The blood orange martini was great! read more

Islanders Restaurant & Bar - Blood orange martini and a view! - Southern Near Me - Dauphin Island, Alabama

One of the worst restaurant experiences I've had. We ordered the seafood sampler, smoked tuna dip, and fried calamari. The hush puppies were burnt, the "smoked" tuna dip tasted like plain canned tuna, the fried oysters were saturated with grease, and the fish of the day was completely inedible. The calamari was served on a bed of old, slimy lettuce, and somehow even the French fries were disappointing. The cleanliness was just as concerning as the food. There were large shards of glass on the floor, and a hair tie remained on the floor the entire time while employees repeatedly walked past it. The restaurant wasn't busy, so there was no obvious reason these issues went unaddressed. The biggest mistake I made was not reading the reviews before making a reservation. Had I done that, I never would have chosen Islanders Restaurant and Bar. We skipped dessert and left because we didn't trust anything else coming out of the kitchen. read more

We been here several times and they always say the kitchen is closed. It was before time and people had to leave complaining.

Service is horrible, waited on food for 2 and a half hours for it to be cold, got no refills and the prices ain't worth it

Went to Islanders on a Wednesday at 6:15. The place was less than 50% full. When we checked in with the host we were asked if we had a reservation (for a place than was only half occupied). With no reservation, our wait as going to be at least 15 minutes or more. We found someplace else that was much more customer friendly read more

If you like waiting an hour for a club sandwich and a burger this is the place for you. I'll never be back. I'd give them negative stars if it was possible. read more

When we arrived there was a sandwich board sign out front that said "HIRING IMMEDIATELY." Terrible low class environment poor mgmt untrained employees! I ordered an appetizer and two dinner salads and the server brought one salad and I thought she'd return with the other but I had to get up and go ask! She never came to check on us for drink refills or to ask how the terrible Spinach Crab dip was or if we'd like to order anything else (and we wanted two Po'Boy's)! She approached our table holding a large "STYROFOAM CUP" that she used to refill our waters with! I asked her if they served pitchers of beer here and she said "I'm only 19 so I don't know but I'll ask." She came back and said "yes" and started naming off the 3 beers they served on tap. I asked her if she was new and she said "No, I've been here for 4 months." I guess that's long term for her! I then said, "You don't have to be 21 to know if they pour pitchers of beer and since they do why did you refill our waters with a STYROFOAM CUP if you have pitchers here?" Dumbfounded look Then she was in a hurry to collect the check! 1) Got our order wrong 2) Had to go straighten out the order 3) Never checked to see if we were going to order an entree 4) Refilled our waters out of a Styrofoam Cup 5) Was hawking our table wanting to collect the bill 6) Was made to feel rushed to leave when my wife was in the restroom 7) LASTLY I MESSAGED THE BUSINESS ON MESSENGER AND SAID I'D NEVER RETURN AND THEY'D ONLY GET ONE TIME VACATIONERS AND THE MGMT ASKED "CAN YOU TELL ME WHY?" I RESPONDED "I JUST DID!" I TOLD MGMT THE EMPLOYEES ARE A REPRESENTATION OF MGMT AND THIS 19 YEAR OLDS LOOKS AND CUTE LITTLE SWEET AND POLITE VOICE MIGHT GET HER DATES BUT IT DOESN'T GET THE JOB DONE THAT SHE'S BEEN HIRED TO DO! NO MGMT, POOR FOOD QUALITY, LACK OF EMPLOYEE TRAINING IN REGARDS TO SERVICE AND LOOKING AROUND NO UNIFORMS OR DRESS CODE FOR EMPLOYEES. Anyone who thinks this dive deserves anything above ** was under the influence and has never "dined" anywhere with 4-5 stars! Substandard food, service and ambiance! Awful! I left a $0.50 tip because I didn't have any change in my pocket! read more

Not one to normally provide negative feedback; but honest feedback is good for all parties. The tuna dip had no Smokey flavor, we did not really enjoy it. The waitress was honest, "she doesn't like any seafood".. couldnt answer some questions about the enteees/fish. Part of the food was overcooked and margarita was watered down and not enjoyable; they did replace it and it was better but still not as good as I'd appreciate. Bathroom was dirty. Overall it was a 2 star, average but not somewhere we would be in a hurry to return. read more

Loved eating here! Great service, good drinks, delicious food, and we had our pup with us :) outdoor seating area is super cute, too! read more

Islanders Restaurant & Bar - Chile shrimp appetizer - Southern Near Me - Dauphin Island, Alabama

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I truly give this place a 4.5/5 bc the calamari was lacking but everything else was absolutely perfect and delicious. The burger, the fries, the ribeye, the fish (triple tail & mahi mahi) were all cooked to perfection. I went there 2 times and both times the waitresses were both great. They were very sweet and accommodating for my large dog. The ambiance was as good as it gets for the island. Price is nice. Highly recommend. read more

Took over an hour to get the food. They had a man playing a guitar and singing. Was incredibly too loud but the food was good once we got it. The buffalo shrimp and calamari were great ! I really loved the Cadillac st. Style oysters. Would return again but hopefully it would be a little faster service and the music wouldn't be so loud that you could hear the person beside you. I know it's a bar but there is a such thing as it being too loud. read more

We dined here twice during our stay. Possibly the best restaurant on the island, and while it is good, it showed a little inconsistency from day to day. Seafood was fresh, good sides. Fish of the day (Mahi Mahi) was better blackened than fried. Baked potatoes were good one day, very good the other. Cole slaw the same. Hush puppies were good. Service was very good both days. Folks there are friendly. Nice dining areas both inside and on the back deck. Enjoyed our dining and recommend Islanders to all. read more

Just had dinner there and definitely would not recommend. My wife and I tried to eat there for lunch earlier today but left. When we entered we were met with a quarter full restaurant. When the hostess greeted us she promptly apologized and said "I know it doesn't look like it but we're on a hour wait. The kitchen is backed up." We thanked her for the info and left. When we arrived at Islanders for dinner it was my parents and my wife and I. We were seated within 10 minutes. Our orders for drinks were taken promptly. We placed 2 appetizers. We ordered the smoked tuna dip and the crab/spinach dip. Both were bland and needed to be salted and peppered with each bite. The oyster pricing was unconventional and confusing. We were told cooked oysters were priced at $17 for 6 and then an additional $33 for the other 6 for a grand total of $50 for 12 cooked oysters. We had 6 of the St Cadillac oysters. Our dinner order is as follows - My father ordered a bowl of gumbo - My mother ordered the assorted seafood platter with slaw and a house salad. - My wife ordered the Chicken Alfredo and a side salad. - I ordered the Ribeye with loaded baked potato and a small cup of gumbo. The gumbo was bland. It was just not enjoyable. The steak was ordered mid-rare. It was delivered medium well to well done. We asked the waitress for another steak and she said it would be anywhere from 45 mins to 1 hour for the kitchen to have it ready. We said we'd eat it. The seafood platter was fine. The chicken on the Alfredo was cooked appropriately. While I was eating my baked potato I noticed a large black spot. I thought initially it was just a little crispy but upon further inspection it was rotten. I waved for our waitress and showed her. She immediately went and spoke to who I assume was the owner. She came back and said they removed the potato and 1 of our drinks but would still be charging us for the steak since it had been half eaten. We were agreeable. She brought our check. When reviewing our check we noticed the oysters were not priced what she initially said. When we asked about this she went and asked the kitchen. She informed us that the prices had been changed and staff had not been updated. We were under the impression oysters were $17 for 6. We were charged $24 for 6 oysters. Our waitress was amazing. She provided prompt and courteous service. But the restaurant was bad. We will not dine here again. read more

Islanders Restaurant & Bar - Rotten potato on my fork. - Southern Near Me - Dauphin Island, Alabama

Really good drinks!! Best burger I've had!! My husband had the grouper he said it was delicious. Sat by the owners at the bar and had a great time!! read more

Best meal on the island! We had reservations for a group of 12, and upon arrival, we were sat quickly outside on the back patio. Let me add that our server was completely attentive from when we sat down to until we left - this alone could be one of the reasons we'll return! Our food was hot, fresh and plentiful. We had everything from cocktails, island time gulf oysters, spinach crab dip, sautéed craw claws, gumbo, to fried fish, and steak. I readily admit that I wasn't sure if I wanted to try any of the gulf oysters, but I'm glad we did - they are small, sweet and juicy. We were so full that we didn't make it to dessert, which was sad on my part since their dessert menu looked on point. I highly recommend this place if you're looking for a nicer sit-down place on the island with attentive service and amazing food! read more

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So, probably the nicest restaurant on the Island at least in terms of atmosphere and decor. We were perhaps under-dressed as we thought we were headed to a different spot when we walked over, but they were friendly and seated us right away. A very short wait the night we dined. We started with the seared Ahi tuna--a favorite beach/vacation order for me, and we really loved it. Perfectly seasoned and seared. I had the Southern Fillet, which is a filet mignon with blackened shrimp, fried green tomatoes, and two sides (oven roasted potatoes and cole slaw for me). I asked for the steak medium rare...but it arrived just a touch under "well done". There may have been a spot or two of faint pink, but that's it. However--I didn't send it back or ask them to prepare another so that is partly on me. Double however--it was still an excellent steak full of flavor and well seasoned. Everything else on my plate was top notch. My wife had the chicken Fettucine and loved it (I enjoyed a bite or two myself). Note--I mentioned this on my review for another great bar+restaurant we dined at while on vacation here, but for some reason signs say all drinks contain only 1.25 oz of alcohol so opt for beer or wine at that price IMO. Great service, fair prices, nice dining room. read more

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Literally the worst restaurant experience I have ever had. The service was terrible. The food delivery was slow. Our server only saw us 3 times; never offered refills, napkins, or plates for our appetizers. Never brought silverware, thankfully he Brought some for my wife. I however had to eat my entire meal with my hands. Will never return and not recommend it to anyone. read more

Very good food clean restaurant drinks are great. The only issue is takes too long to get your food even if they're not busy. read more

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The wait for the food was definitely worth it. Highly recommend their blackened fish tacos and homemade chips.

They were out of potatoes, so I got broccoli as my 2nd side with my meal instead. More than an hour after we got there they brought me out a chicken so dry it was hard to eat that was cold, kept telling me the broccoli would be out soon, and then once i was done with my entire meal brought out asparagus that I didn't want nor order and told me that they were out of broccoli. I told them I didn't want it and to keep it but they left it on the table. Not only did they not comp me for the food that they didn't actually give me, but they tried to leave the up-charge for the broccoli on my check on top of that. I had to complain to get them to remove that since they never served me any, and they still charged me full price for a two side chicken meal that they didn't serve me a side for. Poor service, inconsistent kitchen, and pretty shady business practices. Would recommend to avoid it if you can. read more

We recently visited Islanders on Dauphin Island with a party of 13, and unfortunately the service really took away from what could have been a great experience. We called ahead about 3 hours before arriving to make a reservation, but when we got there they didn't have a table ready for our group. Instead, they tried to say we had changed our numbers, which was frustrating right off the bat. After finally being seated, it took about 35 minutes before our waitress even came to check on us. We ordered drinks and Rockefeller oysters, but it took another 15 minutes just to get our drinks. From there, the wait only got longer--about an hour for the oysters and around an hour and a half for our meals. Now, to be fair--the food was VERY good. No complaints at all there. But the service was extremely slow and disorganized. Just a heads up: if you're hungry or on any kind of schedule, this may not be the place for you right now. If they can get the service side figured out, this place could easily be a 5/5. read more

Didn't even get to eat before we got up and left. Took forever to get in even with empty tables and even once seated nobody ever came to even get our drink order. We just got up and left read more

Terrible restaurant. Went here at lunchtime. The monte Cristo sandwich meat was 50% fat. Ended up taking out half the meat. The waitress seemed rushed, handing us our receipt before we were done eating and we still wanted to order more drinks. read more