This is a place we used to go to quite a bit when I lived in the area many years ago. The menu offers a mix of options from burgers to salads and now bowls, the restaurant itself has a surfing theme. It's located in the same plaza as Costco, but is closer to the main road. It has its own parking lot, which you can usually find some parking spots, unless you're coming at a peak meal time or are experiencing an overflow of Costco customers trying to find a spot to park. Plan accordingly. We came back here during our trip for Comic Con and the place looks the same - some updates to the menu, but essentially a lot of it was the same as I remembered it. Staff were friendly and prompt, food came out in a timely manner. I ordered their Shore Bird sandwich and liked it. They have pretty decent fries most of the time as well - I did have some pretty overdone ones, but thankfully not all of them ended up that way. My parents ordered burgers and liked them. Another favorite I love is their tortilla soup - didn't order this go around, but it was always good when I ordered it. This is more casual and not too expensive - it's a good place for families, a casual hang-out, or less fancy date. read more

It actually pains me to write this because Islands used to be a staple on date nights. Hadn't been in a while and boy was it disappointing. I'll spare you every little detail but suffice to say they've really lost any sort of quality. The cheese on the cheese fries clearly isn't real cheese anymore and becomes like plastic after sitting for 5 minutes - This used to be the best part - then my wife's "bowl" was clearly just cheap, pre-packaged ingredients in plastic and microwaved - Honestly a joke for being a reputable sit down restaurant - Last, the ice cream would be better described as "frozen dessert" and not actual ice cream. Islands no longer cares about you or your experience. It's about the bottom line. If read more

Checked out the Lunch Specials so I could use some rewards points at the CMR location. Had a really good experience seated in the bar area....server was very attentive and helpful, food was fresh and a good value and drinks were refreshing. The bar was busy with a lot of patrons and sports on the TVs. Moderate amount of noise but could still hear each other talk. Started the meal with free chips and salsa (Rewards member perk for the month of May) and the Summer Shandy, a refreshing concoction of Islands Luau Lager, Mango Freeze and Mango Agua Fresca. Still thinking about that Shandy and might have to go back for another. Ordered the Lunch Special Pacific Rim Bowl and the Patty Melt with Island Fries and Ranch dressing. The bowl came with grilled chicken, cabbage salad, red onions and edamame topped with a sesame-lime dressing. Good crunch and texture throughout with all the cabbage but thought the chicken to everything else ratio was definitely uneven (I cut the chicken into smaller pieces to ensure there would be a piece of chicken with most bites lol). The patty melt was as delicious and as expected....well-seasoned ground beef patties (yes, two of them), two slices of cheese. caramelized onions on grilled sourdough. Ordered the fries with no salt but asked for Ranch dressing because theirs is the best. Our server checked on us often which made for an overall good experience. read more

See all

Good place to get some happy hour (7 days a week 3-6:30pm). Boneless wings with fries and sliders were both good. Pretty reasonable prices and a little island/fun vibe with sports on tv. read more

Islands Restaurant - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

This place is a stone's throw away from me and since I did not feel like cooking or think too hard about a lunch/dinner snack, I stopped in here on a Saturday afternoon before running some errands. Seems like this part of Cali, SoCal, has HH even on weekends, so that's some serious news to me! I am always down to save money!! I came in here around 4pm and sat at the bar. HH on the weekends are from 3pm -6pm, sweet! There were definitely people here but now crowded. Service was prompt and nice. I felt like a frozen margarita as I walked over and the sun was definitely out heating me up! Margarita is huge, which was nice but I knew I couldn't finish all of it. I ordered the nachitos off their HH menu and this came out about 10 min later. I didnt substitute anything and it was a pretty good nachos. I could even handle the smashed beans and usually I cannot stand having most kinds of beans on my nachos. I think though for next time, I will order some chilli on top! Overall, a very nice laid back local neighborhood spot. I did wish they had some tables outside but the bar area was laid back and comfortable. Id come back again when in the mood for a margarita and a snack and would consider also returning to try other items like their soups and salads when the occasion presents itself! Thanks Islands for a solid experience! read more

Islands Restaurant - $9 Nachitos - pretty good! - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

I do not know why we do not go here more often! Always fresh and clean and everyone is always friendly! (However, a walkway between us and the window seats are not window seats!) that didn't change the service and food though. When it comes to margaritas, they have it spot on. Not too sweet and not too tart. Yummy! Now I'm going to level with you... I'm a burger girl. So a place like Islands has got to get it right! And they do. The stand out is the onion strings. EVERYWHERE else you get these, is no bueno. Islands is the first place I've been to where the onion string are actually crispy! That's what makes them 5 solid stars, no half about it. read more

Islands Restaurant - Island burger, onion strings added. - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Everything was fine EXCEPT the Mojito was almost all ice. At almost $12.79, it didn't seem like a cocktail. read more

Islands Restaurant - Still 2./3 ice after 45 minutes. - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

Might be my favorite happy hour in Carmel Mountain Ranch. M-F 3-6:30 thankfully. $5 wells may be your best Bali menu item. Tried the Blue Island Iced Tea. A little sweet (as expected) and kinda like a pina colada without too much booze. No need to revisit. $8 for a large 22 oz craft beer is a good deal. The house mango IPA is good, but I went with the yummy Bewery X Slap and Tickle. On the food side, went with the Chili Cheese Fries ($8.25). A nice meal for one. This place is known for fries, and they delivered. Service was friendly and efficient. Couple games on TV. Recommend and returning! read more

See all

All of the food is really good. I truly enjoyed the Cobb salad because they put all of the ingredients around all the plate scattered unlike other places where every time I get a Cobb salad they have every item grouped with each other so you have to mix your salad yourself. My husband got the fish tacos and was thoroughly impressed. I also have to say that the server was extremely attentive to every single table that he had it looked like he was working really hard. I didn't get his name though. I also really enjoyed that they had baseball playing on one of the TVs. The ambience is casual and very clean. read more

See all

My fathers favorite place to dine after a doctor appointment. We ordered the fried green beans and artichoke dip. Then I ordered the usual Cobb salad and he ordered the Hawaiian burger. The only issue I have is that I noticed the salad seems to be shrinking. In other words the portion is much smaller than usual. Oh well. Anyway, ordered some chicken teriyaki bowls to go. The food is decent here and since it brings joy to my Dad we will keep coming here! read more

See all

Hubby and I went to Island Restaurant in Carmel Mountain Ranch for lunch today, and we were lucky enough to try their two brand-new protein bowls on the very first day they launched. He ordered one, and I ordered the other whichwere packed with fresh, vibrant flavors that left us impressed. It's always nice when a restaurant takes a healthy option and makes it just as delicious and satisfying as their other menu items. What truly makes this specific location stand out is the service. Every time we sit in the bar area, the staff goes above and beyond. Friendly, attentive, and genuinely welcoming--they make us feel like regulars even if we're not there every week. TLDR: Go. Sit in the bar. Try the new menu items. read more

Islands Restaurant - Protein bowls! - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Best happy hour in town 7 days a week! Bar staff is amazing (that's where we sit) and I've watched the crew accommodate even the toughest of customer complaints / attitudes (these people seem a little crazy) which is odd because the people who work the bar bend over backwards to make sure you have a great experience or address any issues. Gotten to know several folks and want to call them out. Jeff (manager) is incredible at what he does making you feel like you're in the best place on earth. Travis! Nicole! Cass! Rachel! Shelby! Robbie! and the rest of the crew are simply amazing. Take the time to get to know the staff and they'll make you feel like family. Always a great time out! read more

My best friend for life and I had an impromptu date night on Wednesday night, which is rare during the work week. I had been bugging her for several weeks about wanting to experience Island's Happy Hour. We've eaten at several of San Diego restaurants' Happy Hours and we're fans of Yard House and Gravity Heights. We now can add to our list of fave Happy Hours by adding Island's. What I love most about Island's version is its value for your money for most of their items on their Happy Hour menu. All of the food was delicious and the young lady server, her manager, and coworker provided noteworthy customer service. Island's Carmel Mountain is located on Carmel Mountain Road specifically within the Costco shopping center. It is located across from the Costco gas pumps, next to the Costco tire center, a short jaunt from Panda Express, and it's across the street from Home Depot and Shell gas station. There is plenty of parking at this Island's. If you've never dined at this chain restaurant, the decor matches its name. The Hawaiian island vibe is readily apparent with a Mahalo sign, surfboard propped up at the top of a wooden slated roof, bamboo fencing, a fake wooden pelican, Island inspired masks, and televisions around the joint showing surfing videos. It's a spacious restaurant with booth seating and there is seating close to the bar. The young lady waitress was friendly and provided quality service; her manager brought out our food and also was friendly; and the female coworker who took away empty dishes was hard working. It's evident management values teamwork. When I visit a restaurant specifically to enjoy their Happy Hour specials, I'm expecting discounted prices on food and drinks that would cost more if I ate the food outside of the Happy Hour timeframe. The main reason we consider Yard House our #1 Happy Hour restaurant is because it's half price on most of their appetizers and it's the same amount of food that you would get during normal hours. I'm an aficionado of value for your money. I don't know if the food we indulged in at Island's would be the same quantity if we ordered these appetizers during non-Happy Hour times. I suspect they're smaller primarily based on our order of the Spinach Artichoke Dip, which was one of the pricier items on their menu, but we got a small amount of artichoke dip and salsa. That's the main reason I would rate Island's 3.5 stars. Please don't misunderstand me. Island's Happy Hour menu and its food is worth experiencing because every item we ordered was yummy. It's Happy Hour is from 3-6:30pm Monday thru Friday. We ordered $7 Cheddar Fries, the $7 Beachside Sliders, and the $9 Spinach Artichoke Dip. Make sure to add bacon to the cheddar fries for an additional charge. The cheddar fries were the tastiest item we ordered, it was hearty, and make sure to ask for ranch and mayo to dip those satisfying taters. Pay the extra price to put cheese on the sliders. Enjoyed the caramelized onions, the fried onions, the pickles, and the burgers were delectable. The spinach artichoke dip was flavorful and a little watered down, but I wished we had more artichoke dip, salsa, and chips. I'm blessed that my girlfriend for life and I finally got to experience Island's Happy Hour. Reading their menu, it does say "Happy Hour sized", which means smaller than normal. Despite this, I would visit again to eat what we tried for the first time and the other items we didn't because the food was tasty. read more

See all

We have eaten at Islands may times granted it's been about a year. The only good thing was the server, she was nice but........ food was horrible! chicken taco were dry! fish tacos had that frozen taste and dry! chips and salsa, chips stale. burger had no seasoning was to be pink but looked like it was left on the grill. could be because we waited a long time. 2 tables came in after but were served before so all food that was dry could have been sitting for a while. expensive price for ehat You get. disappointing how they lost it! read more

We had a great experience at this Islands. As someone who's been coming to Islands for 15+ years, it is truly so nostalgic and never disappoints! I love that they still have fan favorites on the menu. This time around, I got the Nachos which were pretty good. The french fries and onion rings are my absolute favorite of any restaurant - you have to use the table side garlic salt and dip it in the ranch. Delicious! Our service was also fantastic and the restaurant was clean. read more

See all

Went on a Friday night and still as popular for as long as I can remember. Had the Jungle Caesar this time and it was just fine with all crisp lettuce and a light Caesar dressing and croutons. Also had the bottomless strawberry lemonade, which of course is always great. Just waiting for the ice cream Sunday, but I'm sure nothing can go wrong with that one, right!? All in all, everything went fine, very pleasant and attentive service, and the surfing inspired decor is always relaxing and laid back, which is just right for me. read more

Tried and true neighborhood restaurant. This Islands has been in CMR for a very long time and continues to be popular with families and large parties. The prices are still reasonable . Causal dining with attentive staff. Menus are at the tables that resemble surf boards. TVs are often playing surfing and skiing clips. Ordered the burger bowl, and it was a good healthy option (burger patty on top of salad with red onions and pickles with Ranch dressing). The only downside is that it can be rather noisy with music overhead and crowds at the bar. read more

A few days ago, I brought my son in for what we hoped would be a simple, enjoyable meal. My son has celiac disease and cannot consume gluten. When placing our order with our server, Rachel, I very clearly requested that his cheeseburger be served on a gluten-free bun. I ordered the Malibu Cheeseburger for myself. When our food arrived, neither of our orders was correct. I was given a completely different burger than the one I ordered, and more alarmingly, my son's burger was served on a regular bun. Thankfully, I caught the mistake before he began eating -- had I not, the outcome could have been dangerous. Rachel told us a manager would come by to address the situation. The manager who approached us not only failed to apologize but also deflected responsibility and inexplicably blamed me for the burger mix-up -- focusing on bacon of all things -- while completely ignoring the serious dietary error made with my son's meal. This experience was unacceptable on every level -- from the service to the lack of accountability and basic customer care. The disregard for a serious dietary restriction like celiac disease is not only careless but potentially hazardous. It is beyond concerning that your staff failed to take appropriate action or even show basic empathy. This experience has ensured that I will not be returning to Islands, and I will be sharing this incident with others to caution them -- especially those with dietary restrictions -- about the risks of dining at your establishment. I hope you take this feedback seriously and take immediate steps to ensure no other family has to go through something like this. read more

Cheese fries are always good. I got the Maui burger with avocado, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, and onion. It was very good. They cook burgers to medium temp. If u join their rewards program you get free rewards. Service was great very attentive at lunch hour. The ambiance is island feel. read more

Happy Hour! The #BeachsideSliders so much better this time! The #TempuraGreenBeans were crispy and the #TikiTenders were as well. The #PassionParadiseMargarita was good for a happy hour drink . The servers were attentive, and didn't seem to mind how long we were taking to catch up with one another. read more

See all

Islands is a great spot in Carmel Mountain Ranch that I've frequented for business meals, catching up with friends, and spending quality time with family. The vibe here is pure SoCal, with surfer decor and tiki wall hangings that transport you straight to the beach. I love how there are so many booths dotted around the large room. The restaurant even accommodated our request for a bigger corner booth table, ensuring the five of us had ample space to enjoy our meal without feeling too squeezed. Kudos to the staff for that! One of the menu highlights for me is the Tiki Tenders. Technically they're an appetizer but they're also pretty big and actually perfect for adults to have as their own meal. (It's so nice to find a place that doesn't limit them to just the kids' menu). Every burger I've tried at Islands is always good. Although I miss the days of unlimited fries, I understand that times change and companies need to adapt. We opted for the Cheddar Fries tonight as an appetizer, and they were a crispy, hot, and vanished quickly from our table. Our waiter deserves a special shout-out for keeping up with our tidal wave of Diet Coke requests. I don't know if it's just me but I swear there's something about the mugs they use here--it's probably just psychological, but I feel like the shape and material makes the soda taste better? And they're really cute with the theming too. With the sports games playing on the screens, it's always kind of fun to raise a glass and cheer on the teams. Despite feeling full, my crew convinced me to sample the Tres Leches Buttercake for dessert. I'm so glad they did! It was so moist and bursting with flavor--a perfect sweet ending to the meal. Then, I couldn't resist indulging in some of the Chocolate Lava Brownie too, which is so rich and well-paired with the vanilla ice cream, it was worth waddling out over. Once again, Islands has reminded me how blending fantastic food with a lively atmosphere and stellar service can create the perfect place for memory making. read more

See all

We decided to go here for lunch since it was close to the AMC theater . I love the ambiance of Islands ... a relaxing, tropical vibe ! Service was good , food came out at a decent pace . We had one issue , my grandson is allergic to dairy and a different server came out with a kids burger and said " here you go " . We always check before we let him eat and sure enough it had cheese on it . What happened next surprised me . Our server came back and said the other server grabbed the wrong burger and she was extremely apologetic. She also said she would send the manager ( we didn't ask for one ) . The manager came over and was super apologetic as well . She said she would take off the burger from our tab. I then thanked her for coming out and speaking with us , we are so used to places not caring about his allergy , this was refreshing to know that there are some that actually understand the seriousness of what could happen. Again, thank you for caring ! If we are ever in the area again, we will definitely visit this location! read more

See all

Islands was a staple for me growing up - we'd always go there for celebrations. There's booth seating and also a bar area. The decor is so fun and has always been one of m favorite parts. Chips and salsa were good and very crunchy. The beer selection isn't huge but great options! The bowls were bigger than expected and were newer to me. The fish tacos were okay but didn't have a lot of flavor. I wish there was just a little something more. The burger with the grilled Jalapeños were delicious. read more

See all

Server bartender was sweet and helpful, but burger was just average at best and too greasy. Happy hour is your best bet here.

Mary was honestly the sweetest server ever!! She was so patient, attentive, and genuinely kind the whole time. She constantly checked in on us, made sure everything was perfect, and had such a warm energy that made the experience even better. She absolutely made our night and is a huge reason we'll be coming back to Islands Restaurant :) read more

Still love their tiki tenders and fries! Also tried the sweet potato fries for the first time today and they were good. Our waitress was very friendly. read more

I met my other half for lunch with the kids just as Islands opened up. We were seated quickly at our booth and noticed they had returned a lunch menu they hadn't offered in a while. Just like the name of the restaurant, this is very much Island-themed. Plenty of booth seating is available and also a bar area that has happy hour times! The lunch menu was reasonably priced as it offered several sandwich choices, salad, soup and a couple of cocktails. The prices were much friendly on the wallet which is always nice with prices going up all around these days. My husband ordered their double stacked burger, son ordered off the kids menu with the Jr Wave burger and fries, while my daughter and I both ordered their Islands Classic Patty Melt. The jr wave burger kids combo was the perfect size for my 12-year-old. It comes with a jr wave burger with cheese, fries, and milk but instead of milk, he opted for a soda. He said his burger was juicy and cheesy while the fries were nice and crisp. Hubby thought his burger was surprisingly a good-sized burger for its price. It was also juicy, large and he also enjoyed his fries. Both the daughter and I thought the Islands Classic Patty Melt was a winner. As described on the menu, it has double patties, American and Swiss cheese with caramelized onions on buttered sourdough bread. The grilled carmelized onions were sliced thick and every bite was a little bit of buttery, beefy heaven. It also came with a generous serving of their crispy fries. Customer service at this Islands was fantastic. Our server was friendly, quick, and on top of her game when it came to filling up our drinks. The restaurant is always well taken care of and those we come in contact with are friendly. Always a pleasure coming to this restaurant and it won't be our last. Two thumbs up! read more

See all

The decoration inside this place is super cute and tropical. We had a fun time looking at their drink menu so many choices. Hoping to come back and try other flights next time. Service was good and they served the food pretty fast. I enjoyed the nachos & burger. The onion rings tasted pretty "healthy". Tacos were ok. I wish they would add more desserts to their menu. Looking at the list most of them have nuts in it so if you are allergic there are not many options to choose from. read more

See all

Come on... It's an order of "Sliders" during Happy Hour and it takes almost 45 minutes to cook it and serve.

Went there over the weekend for dinner Service was good, that's the only good thing happened. Food was boardline terrible, the chicken patty is way too salty, the wings used to be good(4 years ago when I last visited) not this time, it was too salty and dry. The fries not good at all, one the worst I had. The price I paid over $100 for family of four feel like a ripoff. I rather pay the same amount for much better quality of food. Or just go to In N Out for a way better burger and 1/4 of the price. read more

Overall we had a good experience at Islands. We sat at the bar on a Sunday afternoon and it wasn't too crowded. Very chill laid back place. The service was ok, where we had to flag the bartender/server down if we needed anything. Seems as though they only had one person working the entire bar area. We each ordered a burger and both were good. Minus one star since I ordered the Kilauea burger and asked for it well done, seemed like half of the patty was cooked wrong, as it was more of a medium, since it was still very pink. The second burger we ordered was the Longboarder and it was cooked to the ordered liking of medium. The onion rings and fries were crispy and not soggy. read more

See all

I've been to this location a few times. I've never had to wait, which I find astonishing. Islands tend to be super busy, so to not wait is a joy. The outside of the restaurant is highly themed, which I like. Some locations are a little more generic. Ample parking, too. Inside, it is very much like any other Islands restaurant. Service at this location is always top notch. All of the waitstaff is on top of their game. Some have extra "personality." (I'm an old guy, I don't need all the extra pleasantries and small talk.) But, they are quick to keep you with full mugs. Never had an error on my orders. There is a separate entrance for takeout orders. If you're seated near there, you're going to see lots of movement. They make a good amount of money on takeout sales. read more

Servers are super friendly and nice Good place with games on Food is alright I guess but overall would recommend this place. read more

Went for dinner and Hulu burger and chicken bowl tasted great. Great service and good ambiance. The blonde (male) bartender that looks like Top Gun Gooses son Bradley was great and gets our recommendation for someone to hire him for the booth in broadcasting! Great voice read more

Food was okay the burger was a bit over cooked but decent the soup was good the fries where ok was a bit pricey for the food quality

I was in the area to go to the movie theater and decided to grab something to eat...still had some time before the next showtime. Luckily, Islands was right there...very convenient. I'm always drawn to anything Island-related since my family is from the Caribbean. I found out, once inside, it was happy hour which made me smile. I was immediatly engulfed in the beachy tropical vibe. I felt laid-back...exactly what I needed after a long work day. I ordered the popular items and knew I wouldn't be disappointed. O-M-G, those mini burgers were off the chain! Sooo tasty and juicy!! It's all about Islands now!!! read more

Islands Restaurant - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Tried to leave this review on the Island's app but it wouldn't post. I ordered burger without cheese but it came with cheese and I was charged for the cheese. The default for burgers should be without cheese especially when I order a hamburger, if I wanted cheese I would have ordered a cheeseburger. Fries seemed like they were in the hopper for an extended amount of time read more

Before the pandemic, I always enjoyed Islands. The vibe is beach and surf cool, and the food was always good. Unfortunately, I believe COVID took a toll, as some Islands have closed, both in SD and up in Orange County where I now live. The one closest to us has closed and reopened as another brand. We were back in Poway for a memorial service and wanted to have lunch before the drive back up. I lived in Poway for 27 years and was glad that this location is still open. We went in before noon and were sat at a booth right away. Our young female server was working hard and did a pretty good job of taking care of us. My strawberry lemonade took a little while to get refilled but I did eventually receive it after the food arrived. My wife had a Big Wave with onion rings and I got my favorite, the Maui burger, with fries well done. I do love their fries and my burger was good. My wife liked hers as well. The only unfortunate thing is that, since COVID, their burgers are smaller but still cost the same, call in shrinkflation. I used to take half the burger home but now can eat it all in one sitting. I don't think the patties are the same quality as well. This is just my perspective about the chain; nothing against this location. We had an overall nice experience today. read more

I have been going to Islands sporadically since I was a child. My mother wanted to have a fun, nostalgic dinner, so we came to Islands for an early weeknight dinner. The food and the service are both good but nothing remarkable. The tacos are pretty good, the appetizers are usually solid, and the burgers are prepared well. I think they'd benefit from some unique menu items, to set them apart from other regular dining establishments in the area but overall I had no complaints. read more

This review is for an online order. The burger was a disappointment, especially for the price. The meat was very thin and tasteless. We received a Malibu instead of the Hawaiian we ordered. It wasn't wrapped in paper, like other restaurants do, so the burger and french fries were cold when we brought them home. The desert, lava cake and ice cream, were very nice, although lava cake was really a brownie with ice cream. The cona cake was good too. read more

Islands Restaurant - Malibu burger - Burgers Near Me - San Diego, California

See all