Blue Island (Aug 31, 2023, Thursday, ~ 2p.m.) Blue Island is located in the Lexington Market in the heart of Baltimore City. I first went to the Lexington Market pretty early mid-morning on Aug. 30, 2023 before I headed to the B&O Railroad Museum (A MUST-SEE when visiting Baltimore.) and was expecting a food market selling fresh produce, unprocessed foods, confectionaries, flowers etc. I was totally wrong. It is instead a two-story structure carrying many different types of cuisine. Blue Island is located on the second floor. After climbing stairs of many steps right in the middle of the structure, Blue Island is located on the left side towards the back end of the second floor. There are a few tables and chairs set up so you can "dine-in". I was way too early, and the store was not open yet. I decided to come back the next day to try out the food due to my tight schedule that day. If you do some research, some of the other sites claim Blue Island offers Malaysian cuisine. Being born in Singapore, a very close neighboring country of Malaysia, I can tell you that it is most definitely NOT Malaysian cuisine. Their food, however, may have some Malaysian spices incorporated into it, and I taste that in the "spicy" dishes (Not spicy enough for my taste though. Way too Americanized.). The high quality ingredients are also part of the Malaysian heritage. What impressed me most was the pretty large sized shrimp that was part of the ingredients in the fried rice and fried noodles. In my many decades living in this country, I've eaten a lot of what I call "fake" Chinese/Asian cuisine, and I have never encountered shrimp of that size with any of those rice/noodle dishes. What stood out even more was that shrimp was FRESH - a double bonus. As in many places, you can order the combos, but there is a catch. My past experiences with these places is that when you order a 2-item combo, that means either a base rice and/or noodle PLUS 2 entrees. At Blue.Island, the rice or noodle IS COUNTED as one item (No half and half either.) in the Combo. I ended up ordering a 3-item combo with fried rice and two of their spicier entrees. The food was very delicious, and a definite cut above the rest. I also had time, while in line to order the food, to have a quick chat with one of the servers. I discovered that the owner and some of the servers were originally from Hong Kong. The two I spoke with also spoke Cantonese, and I was provided with a little discount off the total price, which was totally unexpected and appreciated. If you decide to eat at this place, please be prepared for a constant line of people doing the same. I was there for about 90 minutes to rest my tired feet after long hours of sight-seeing, and the line never ceased throughout that time. Do yourself a favor and patronize this place. I don't think you will regret that decision. Ah, those large tasty shrimp! For the taste, quality, and value. I rate this place a full 5 stars. Happy Eating !!!! read more

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It serves lomein, beef and broccoli, orange chicken and other American Chinese food favorites. Be warned that the food tastes overwhelmingly sweet. Portions are ample and the service is prompt. read more

This is a pretty decent Chinese food stall located upstairs in Lexington Market. The service was quick and food is affordable. I got their Bourbon Chicken and Shrimp Fried Rice. The bourbon chicken had great flavor but I did notice they skimped out on the shrimp as the staff member packed on the rice and added some shrimp on top to make it look full with shrimp but it wasn't. For the price and portion of this meal in general, it's still a great deal. read more

Blue Island - Bourbon Chicken and Shrimp Fried Rice - Malaysian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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For the value, Blue Island is a good mall-style takeout restaurant. The cuisine is Malaysian, however, you'll notice many of your American Chinese dishes such as shrimp fried rice, protein and broccoli, lo mein, bourbon chicken, etc.. The portions are incredibly large and a stark contrast from the customary portions served in most mall food courts and fast food restaurants serving similar dishes. Considering the portion size, note that the food isn't seasoned like that of American Chinese cuisine. Depending on your experience, that could be good or bad as some Asian American cuisine is overly seasoned with soy sauce and MSG. The customer service was what you'd expect from fast food. Overall a good experience. I will try them again when in the area. read more

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Tried out Blue Island on the second floor of Lexington Market, and it did not disappoint. There was a long line when I got there, but they moved fast and I got my food pretty quickly. It's Malaysian food served buffet style, which makes it easy to mix and match. I went with the shrimp lo mein and orange chicken, both were fresh and flavorful. Everything tasted good, and the portions were solid. Definitely worth checking out if you're at the Market and want something tasty and quick. read more

Another Lexington Market Staple. At lunch time, the line is long, but the service is quick. The people behind the counter are heavy handed and friendly. Your plate comes out overwhelmingly full at the end of the counter. We got a couple of medium sized 2 entree platters and had to take the leftovers home. Beef dip was good. Curry Chicken was best. Orange chicken and pepper beef were ok. My favorite drink was the half and half. The portions were very generous and the price was so cheap! I can see why this is the place to go to for lunch. read more

Blue Island - Beef dip and curry chicken on white rice. (Medium combo) - Malaysian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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A Malaysian twist on standard American-Chinese food staples. On a recent visit to Lexington Market I stopped by for a taste. Though the line was long it moved very steadily. I ordered a 3 item combo platter for 11.00. The items were fried rice, shrimp lo mein and bourbon chicken. I asked for some of the bourbon chicken sauce on my fried rice, delish! They gave a huge portion for the price and none of it lacked in flavor. 2 people could easily split what I ordered. My only gripe is the bourbon chicken could be more consistently cut. Some pieces made it awkward to bite. Outside of that, I'd definitely go back. Maybe try other combos. read more

Blue Island - 3 item combo plate. Fried rice, shrimp lo mein and bourbon chicken. - Malaysian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Lexington Market has a variety of locally owned vendors to try. For me, when it's lunchtime I NEED Blue Island Mylasian Cuisine. Whether it's lunch or dinner time, there is always a line in front of the food stall. The fish, fried rice and spicy chicken are my favorites. Keep in mind, if you want a fish option it costs an extra $4. Keep in mind, Lexington market closes at 5:00 pm. Some food stalls may be open later, but just to be sure call ahead of time to get accurate hours. read more

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My about, all-time favorite! Been going there since they were on the old side. Almost 20 years.

This is my go to. Love this place!! It was the first store I tried at Lex market and been back several times. Even brought my friends and coworkers, everyone loves it! I've had the shrimp lo mien and orange chicken, delicious. The price for quantity is so generous and fair. Only negative - don't come during crazy hours cuz the line gets ridiculously long. I'll be back soon! read more

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Blue Island is a food stall that's located in the Lexington Market, serving up Malaysian eats. There was such a huge line, so it definitely piqued our interest in trying them out! We ordered shrimp lo mein and chicken fried rice - the noodles were thick and had a slight chew to it, and I was pretty impressed with the generous servings of large shrimp; the fried rice was okay, but I think one would have to request some extra soy sauce and chili oil to amp it up. Note that this is Malaysian-style, not the typical Americanized Chinese fare. The line moved along quickly, and the staff were friendly! Extremely generous portions, so be prepared to have tons of leftovers to share with a buddy! Located inside Lexington Market. +generous portions +friendly staff +located inside Lexington Market read more

I go there at least 4 times a week and I always order the same thing Fish with Shrimp & Broccoli Fried Rice extra Fish $15. It's ABSOLUTELY delicious . Enjoying some now . read more

Great lunch spot in Lexington market! My $10 box was packed to the brim with delicious black bean pork ribs and fried rice. Excited to come back and try some new sides! read more

Blue Island - Black bean pork ribs and fried rice - Malaysian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

For price (and wide selection), it is hard to beat. The smoothies are also very good. The rice is sweeter (and more succulent) than with other Asian cuisines. read more

This was my first time at Lexington Market. Blue Island was one of the few places that had a line. The service was fast like any other Chinese takeout style place. My box was $12 for 3 items since I got the noodles with the beef. Overall the food is ok. The beef and pork ribs are tender. Everything is really saucy. I was hoping the orange chicken would be crispy but it's just not great. Worth a try and if you're craving some Chinese takeout food. read more

Service was good, food looked good. Large shrimp in the lo-mien, but wished it had more flavor. Customer service was friendly.

The food was soooo good! Better than I expected and very fresh with great service. I got the shrimp lo mein with veggies, everything was so pleasing to my tastebuds. Also, I was able to choose the fruit I wanted in my smoothie so I got a mango, pineapple, and kiwi smoothie. Delicious! I will be coming back. read more

Longest line I see during lunch hours for Chinese food vendor. They're known for their shrimp fried rice. The fried rice is good and little different from usual Chinese fried rice. Has that toasty taste to it. Not a big fan of shrimp but had to try because of all the hype. Next time I probably just get the fried rice and ask for other topping like chicken or fish. Also tried their shrimp lo mein it was ok. Has sweet and tangy sauce to it. I rather have the traditional lo mein sauce/seasoning. Will try other items on menu. But still don't understand why the long lines. read more

Blue Island - Shrimp lo mein and shrimp fried rice - Malaysian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

My go to spot every time I'm in Baltimore. I haven't tried anything on their menu that I didn't like. Good prices too. Friendly.

Really good Malaysian food, and I think probably pretty authentic based on the number of Malaysians who always seem to be enjoying the food there. read more