Though I love the food at Islands, they fail miserably at packaging food to go (at least as it applies to burgers). In their effort to be "green" food to go containers are paper or thin cardboard, which absorbs the moisture coming off the burger, as a result (1) the container disintegrates due to moisture, (2) the bottom bun sticks to the disintegrating container leaving you with only the top portion of the bun & the remainder of the burger exposed in your hand, (3) a big gash/hole is left in the container's base. An easy solution would be to wrap the burger before placing it into the paper container/box. Easy, right? Nothing worse than trying to pry your food loose from paper it's stuck to. read more

Islands Restaurant - Burgers Near Me - Pasadena, California

So, I decided to come here because me and my daughter were out spending the day together. I ordered a Bleunami wrapped in lettuce with bacon, and a Caesar salad instead of fries. My daughter ordered the Big Wave with cheese. Our food was great and our waiter was the bomb. He was on of. We didn't have to ask for more drinks, or our check. I'm giving three stars because I looked over where a family was just seated and under their table was disgusting. I then looked under mine and it wasn't any better. Please do better Islamds. It takes no time to get a broom and sweep under each table after someone leaves. read more

Ana is an amazing server ! She recommended the best foods. I always have the best experiences at Islands but Ana made it even better. Nacho's With the Chicken & a side of a Tall Beer on Tap Samuel Adams OctoberFest 10/10 read more

I was disappointed with this establishment, to be honest. From the very start, the double doors in the entrance are not wheelchair friendly and they make it very difficult to enter. It's almost as if Islands is trying to let the disabled community know they are not wanted. Anyways, the host seated us at the very first table and I knew that was going to be a bad idea. I suggested a table at the back where I would be out of the way of people passing by, but I was ignored and people kept bumping into my chair...annoying! Our food was okay, nothing special or worth bragging about. In fact, my fries were better than my burger. But the restaurant looked like an old-school 90's dusty pit stop on the side of some highway in the middle of nowhere. Our original server was covering for someone so when our actual server came to tell us he was taking over, he brought us napkins and that was our only interaction with him until he brought our bill. He never checked in on us, we didn't get offered refills on our drinks, and we didn't even get asked if we were interested in dessert. With all of the other places to go eat in the area, I would avoid going to this particular location. The employees all look like they do not want to be there, the food tastes like it doesn't want to be there, and after a few minutes, you won't want to be there either. If you like Japanese food, go check out Kabuki a few doors down instead. For the price you're going to pay, might as well pay for something you'll enjoy. read more

This was my first time eating at Islands. Our waitress was Haley and she was extremely attentive. Her disposition was very pleasant. Dominic was very professional and hospitable. The food was so good and very tasty. I would recommend Islands. We will return in the future. read more

Hamburger patty was cooked perfect, onion rings delicious , service was better than average.

You know when you were 14 and you and your friends got to hangout at the mall with the $20 your parents gave you for doing your chores? This is where I used to spend that $20. Back then we would load up on cheese fries and chicken strips and some sugary smoothie and cat call boys at the mall. Good times.... but the point is this food and those memories belong back in 2004, not 2021. This food is mediocre as fuck. I would save the nostalgic desire to nibble on some food from the past and eat elsewhere. Everything tastes meh and looks meh. Just all over blah. Deep fried nasty. 2 stars for ambiance bc that shit looks exactly the same as it did in 2004. read more

Shortly after my review a district manager contacted me to ask questions about the person and situation. I was informed a couple weeks later the person has been asked never to return to their restaurant. And they offered me a gift card to return, I appreciate this but i turned the offer down and I will NOT be returning. The staff in the bar and at the restaurant had no problems with that guys behavior and it wasn't until they where on full blast on yelp did they change this. read more

Maybe it was just my experience on the evening i went, but the service was just so slow or inattentive. I've been to other Islands in burbank and glendale, etc. but i think maybe this particular location is understaffed. All good: The food is standard and like any other Islands I've been to. I have no complaints whatsoever with that. There's free parking and the parking lot is huge (in front, behind, and around it), and it's in a complex with stuff to do -- other restaurants and a bowling alley (to bowl, play games, or grab a drink etc.). Meh: The service here was meh. Maybe it was a busy night? Again, maybe it's understaffing, but we had to get up from our seat to get our server or another server who said they'd get our server a couple times... whether it was to order, ask for more fries, get our check, etc. A very convenient location though and a spacious restaurant. They have happy hour and whatnot at the bar in the front of the restaurant. I'm a fan of Islands normally! read more

Anna at Islands is such a fantastic server! She is friendly and provided us with a great experience. Definitely would come back again! They have a new roasted chicken rice bowl which was very good! Very fun night out! Very fast service too! read more

We used to love coming here pre-pandemic with the kids and decided to return last week to celebrate a special occasion. The great food, reasonable prices, and bottomless fries were always a family favorite. No more. Something changed within the past year and Islands suddenly decided to raise their prices considerably and remove the fries always included with their burgers. We were told that the prices of the burgers had been reduced to make up for the lack of fries. Hard to believe since the burgers we ordered were still a whopping $15 each. Had the burgers been $18 before with fries? We went ahead and our family of four ordered four of the same burgers along with an order of fries to share. After tax and tip the grand total was close to $90. Yikes! I am all for supporting local businesses like Islands especially during a pandemic when places like this are struggling, but $90 for four burgers and fries, without any drinks, enjoyed under a plastic tarp tent is plain ridiculous. The lack of value and getting fleeced left a bad taste in my mouth. No thanks Islands, we won't be coming back. read more

I have included this picture of the Tiki Tenders. They are not just for kids they also work for hungry moms! read more

Islands Restaurant - Tiki Tenders - Burgers Near Me - Pasadena, California

Horrible service!!! Went for dinner tonight, had to ask our server 3 times for a soda we ordered right when he took our drinks order. Our food took forever, when it finally came they were missing our fries, when we were able to flag down our server he said the kitchen was behind and they would bring them soon. Twenty minutes or more after we asked again and he acted like he knew nothing about missing food & looked at our table as if to see if we were hiding the fries, ridiculous!!! My husband & my son had finished their burger when they finally brought their fries which were almost not even halfway full. Totally upsetting!!! We are regulars there or at least used to be, after today's bad experience, we will look for a better place to dine. We noticed a lot of the friendly staff has moved on to other restaurants in the area. Sad to see this place go down. read more

Came to dinner after not having been here for a while. Lovely service by the waitress. The meal was so so. The baja bowl had an odd smoky taste to it. Friend got the yaki tacos which she loves and found them only passable. She left one behind. Very skimpy, not flavorful. We mentioned to the waitress who just sort of shrugged her shoulders. Fabulous tres leches cake. read more

We have been visiting this location on a near-weekly basis since 1986. The menu is limited - primarily burgers (including vegetarian), chicken sandwiches, soft tacos and salads, complemeted by a full bar. If you like these items, there is probably something on the menu for you. What Islands has almost always done well at, is good food, fast execution and reasonable prices. read more

I used to come here a lot during grad school but ever since post COVID, this particular restaurant has gone down hill. DO NOT COME AFTER 7:00 p.m. (they close at 9:00 p.m. but the sign outside is still posted as 11:00 p.m.). The food and service are beyond mediocre. Last week, the fries were soggy and they ran out of iced tea after my very first order but yet proceeded to charge me for it; had to drink water thereafter due to no other unsweetened drinks. Today I came for wings; they were out. I ordered the Huli Huli crisp sandwich (without any of the sauces) and all I could taste was the cooking oil that it was fried in. A very young waitress asked if she could take my full basket of fries, hinting they were closing soon. Never coming to this location again. read more

Islands Restaurant - Burgers Near Me - Pasadena, California

Okay! This is going to be a pretty long one. Hold on tight. So I decide to order a family meal and as it turns out it was horrific. I just don't understand why Islands restaurant would do this.... ugh I'm so upset with this meal! Ive added pictures for your entertainment. Tonight i decided to order some islands thinking about a succulent burger and fries and sides and drinks yum! But once I recieved my order I had a bad feeling about this. Specially because it was a $50+ order . But alas, I was hungry. I rarely eat here (thank God) , and as you can see in the pictures below, I had a hula burger meal. Ive split the burger and split fries and hot wings . And as I got to my fries I noticed a black crisp on the tip of a fry I was about to munch on and when I touched it to see how bad it was, I broke it off and it was HARD as a roCK! I decided to inspect this black object on my fry. And low and behold! there laid a basket full of rotten, molded fries. I believe that these fries were very much rotten to have a texture and feel like that. Unfortunately, I wwnt no further with the meal. The sautéed mushrooms were bland and tasted of water. But because I hadn't eaten i had to eat something out of this expensive meal! I will NEVER order from islands. IF THEIR FRIES LOOK LIKE THAT UPON ORDER THEN I'D HATE TO SEE THEIR KITCHEN. Also the wings were very old they are black on the inside and dry as fuhhh. I know I've had better once many years ago. But I hope they get inspection because this is totally unsanitary and unfair for customers. read more

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Shorebird chicken sandwich is pretty good. The filet is not seasoned very much but at least it is healthy and filling. read more

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Hannah S. Was very kind and accommodating! Great food and will return! Thank you Hannah ! Love the sports they show on the TV as well

Good and service was awesome! Anna recommended the sweet potato fries and they were amazing! $2 off margarita were good but recommend getting them on the rocks. read more

I when with my family order a Hawaiian burger not flavor pineapple not cook not teriyaki salsa . My kid hamburger was to dry burn on the side not good quality food . Service s ok . . For the price they should do a better gob with food. read more

The absolute worst manager and general manager I have ever experienced in the food industry. Welp, my assumption is that the GM trained the Manager. They equally had a ridiculous approach to guest relations. Your customer is what keeps your business thriving. Hopefully you do better. read more

I don't know why, but it's been about 17-years since I've been to an Islands restaurant. My boss wanted to go and eat lunch at this one, today, so sure, why not. Got there just before noon, and we almost didn't go in, because it really looked like it was closed. I'm glad that we checked to see if the door was locked, because they were open. Got greeted right away and the guy asked how many in the party, and then he wanted a cell phone number. Something about contact tracing? I'm not a QAnon twat, so I was like whatever and gave him my cell phone number. Got seated immediately. An incredibly cool waiter showed up within a few seconds to ask if we'd like anything to drink (he also made suggestions). Ordered the drinks and he came back like two minutes later and told us to take our time with the menu (it's one of those phone camera scan things, but they also have standard paper disposable menus). We were ready and we ordered. I had the fish tacos, and the boss had a turkey burger, as he can't eat red meat. I was going to get the grilled fish tacos, and the waiter said that those are really good, but he likes the fried fish ones better, so I got the fried ones. Fricking delicious. I was expecting three, small, anemic tacos, and I got three massive tacos that covered the whole plate. They were really, really good. I got a side of guac, per the waiter's suggestion, and unlike other places, this guac was 90% avocado and 10% filler (you know, onion, lettuce, tomato, etc). Went great with the tacos. My boss said that was the best turkey burger that he's ever had. Drinks were refilled without even having to ask. Note that it seems everything is ala carte, so if you want fries with your burger, or maybe beans of whatever with your tacos, that's extra. We got a standard order of fries, and to be honest, they were dry and I ate one and that was that. My boss said that ya he's had better fries elsewhere, but they weren't that bad and he ate them all. The food was was fantastic (albeit I didn't care for the fries), and the service was beyond stellar. There is a 100% chance that I'll be back with friends and family. read more

Honestly... idk what happened maybe it was this time but it definitely will be our LAST time here. Service: SO SLOW. it wasn't even crowded and it took forever to get our food, or check, or anything for that matter. Food: I remember it always being HUGE and delicious but this last time.. the burgers got tiny and nothing too flavorful about it. The fries were decent and I like that they give it in a sharing basket rather than in each individual burger basket. We use to go to islands as our guilty pleasure and would always leave extremely full and satisfied but idk if i can say that anymore.. Ambiance: Haven't changed for years. still same decor as any other islands.. nothing special. Honestly, with the amount of variety out there and new restaurants.. save your money and go somewhere else. read more

My review is specific to the drop in quality and value, specifically burgers. Tonight I ordered the Malibu and was disappointed. First of all they have stopped including a side with burgers and sandwiches. I don't think I would mind that so much if the quality of the burgers were what they used to be. The burger was small and the bacon was sparse. I've had this before and have always been more than satisfied. I get that businesses are trying to recoup from this pandemic and lockdowns, but to increase prices and actually get less for what you pay for is frustrating as a customer. The appetizer, sides and dessert were all delicious and worth the money. Paying $14 for an underwhelming burger, well I will not be back to Islands any time soon. Oh, service was great. read more

It has been a few years that I have been to Islands. It has been a family favorite for a long time. The big wave has been my favorite along with tiki tenders. Well this time is different. Having to sit outside in the cold was not my idea of eating nostalgic food. The food was cold and the fries were tasteless. I am in a wheelchair and there was no room. That is not their fault but I expected more... Maybe next time it will be better, sans covid and the cold... read more

This is my local watering hole. Not sure how the rest of the restaurant won't about but the bar holds it down especially with Alex, Lauren and Christian. Extremely attentive and never miss a beat. Not sure what else I can say except that you won't be disappointed. Also it's happy hour all day when there are NFL games. So it's hard to beat those prices. read more

Islands Restaurant - Burgers Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Ana our waitress was amazing and well informed making our lunch a memorable experience. We will definitely be returning for the food and wonderful service!!! Thanks again!!! read more

We ordered takeout for my moms birthday today and it was so disappointing. I picked up the order at the time listed when I ordered online but despite that the food was cold and unappetizing. I had a few orders of fries and they were so hard and inedible, seemed like they had been out for hours. The burgers were also pretty cold but we at least were able to heat that up to make them a bit better. My family was excited about the food so I'm disappointed about the subpar experience. read more

Islands Restaurant - Fries - Burgers Near Me - Pasadena, California

One of my favorites when I was little. Went back the other day and still love it! Yummy burgers and fries. Loved the guacamole. The patty was not as juicy as before though. Drinks were a bit too sweet. But the waitress told me they couldn't adjust it. It's okay. I'll get beer next time! read more

Anna was our server and she was AMAZING! Kind, helpful, professional, knowledgeable and very thorough. She knew just what to offer our grandsons and offered us great suggestions. Our order was perfect. She had a great sense of humor as well. While the food was delicious, without wonderful service I don't come back. I will definitely be back. read more

What's with the huge cheese upcharges? It's not like you've got Jacques Pepin back there creating miracles, it's sliced cheese from a Sysco truck, let's not kid ourselves. Almost $2 for a piece of cheese, I guess the owners are allergic to fun or something. read more

Something's changed over the last 6 months with the burgers. They are smaller and less tasty than last year at this time (although more pricey for what you get.). Our chicken wings came "hard" so we sent them back. The 2 stars is just for the food. The waitstaff gave 5 star service, but I know they don't control the food quality. We really liked coming here over the years, we're going to miss this place. read more

Previously came in for the lunch menu, and was hoping to order from this menu again. We came in at 2:20 pm, and they indicated that they don't serve off of the lunch menu after 2:00 pm. So we can't have lunch at 2:20 pm? What is that, dinner? This is really lame. Islands can do whatever they want with their menu, however, I will be limiting our family and business visits here in the future. Disappointed in the lack of customer focus here. read more

I ordered carnitas tacos... I got carne asada but didn't realize it. I asked the bartender "are these carnitas tacos?" He's like "no, I screwed up, sorry." I told him they were awful, I only ate a half of one. Oh and they were cold, that doesn't help. He didn't refund the tacos, I had to pay for them. $17 Unbelievable. read more

Review for Pasadena, CA location: food is decent enough. However, every time I've ordered from this location through Uber Eats, they forget something, and that is unacceptable. Despite due diligence and checking order is correct beforehand through the app, they forget items. The order is even correct on their sticker label on the container, but the food is missing. Will not order from Islands again at all. read more

Usually don't like to complain, but this left a bad taste in my mouth. Some of the burgers we ordered well done were sent pink inside. Ordered a chicken sandwich and it came out undercooked and rubbery. Told the server and he said they would whip up another and was very polite. We paid, tipped, and left without checking the receipt which was our mistake. After checking the receipt we saw that they charged us double for the chicken sandwich despite it being raw and rubbery and charged us for an extra order of onion rings despite nothing being wrong with them and us not asking for them. Never coming back and cannot recommend anyone to go here. read more

I'm so pleased with Ramon in the bar area all I can say is he is great And pleasant all the time read more

Decided to try this restaurant during lunch time. Had a really attentive, friendly, and helpful waitress. Jessica G made it feel very welcoming. Lunch special was offer. Overall very pleased with the service, food, and time spent bringing out the food. read more

Our server Anna was absolutely wonder. She was attentive to our needs and was sure to check in regularly. Her food suggestions were spot on. I would visit again just for her service! read more