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    Isla

    4.5 (108 reviews)
    ModerateFilipino, Desserts
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Isla Photos

    Business Info

    ISLA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Isla

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    Reviews With Photos

    Halo halo
    Jeongmin H.

    Stopped by for some dessert and their halo halo was super tasty and refreshing. It was a good amount for two people. Would love to try out their food sometime!

    Halo halo
    Elaine W.

    Amazing restaurant all around! Food is excellent. Environment is cute and clean. Price is reasonable. Staff is super friendly. We got their Adobo pork, beef noodle soup, and Halo Halo. The Halo halo was best in town, simply amazing and well-made. Lots of ingredients, well worth the price. The pork was initially too salty for us, but they re-made it for us and it was perfect. The pork is super tender and well flavored, no way to make this at home. They also braise their meat freshly, which is good to know. The noodle soup dish is very unique with super tender meat. Overall highly recommend and would return.

    Jann D.

    I've had almost all the food on the menu and I love it! My family has ordered food and dined in. My personal favorite is the Lechon Kawali and of course the beautiful Halo Halo! The food is always yummy and authentic.

    Pork adobo
    Phil S.

    If you are considering Filipino food, this is seriously the best Filipino food I have ever tasted in that even even coming from my own family. The pork adobo I ate was so well marinated and so tender that I did not want each bite to end. This also goes for the halo halo which every ingredient was fresh. Even the bowl that it sits in is in a young coconut, which then you can scrape out and mix with the rest of the ingredients to eat. The service is wonderful, but it does take some time to make the food so be prepared to wait however it is worth the wait! Overall, ambience is very family, friendly and oriented. Very clean. Space you will not be disappointed. This is a must try!

    Pork Adobo
    JoAnne R.

    We drove from Lansing to Sterling Heights for the Isla experience. The ambience is fantastic, and the space is Instagram-friendly. The owners are super friendly, and the service is great. They even surprised my mom with an ube dessert for her birthday. That was such a nice touch.

    Pancit Palabok - YUM!
    Amanda L.

    Isla is genuinely one of my absolute favorite places in all of metro Detroit, as a more or less lifelong resident of metro Detroit! It is also one of those places that I can't believe I haven't written a review yet for, so I am making up for the error of my ways today, once and for all! I first discovered Isla half a decade ago when they were one of the restaurants that operated out of Fort Street Galley in downtown Detroit. I had just started a job in downtown Detroit and within that same week, discovered Isla. Ever since, I have never looked back! I would go to get lunch at least once a week (if not more!) from Isla basically every week before the pandemic hit and we started working from home. And then, for a few years while the pandemic was raging, I sort of lost all concept of time and space and realized quite belatedly that Fort Street Galley had closed during the pandemic, so by the time I went back to work in Detroit, Isla was no longer there. But no matter because from the ashes of the pandemic and from Fort Street Galley, Isla rose again and this time in metro Detroit! They are kiddy corner from H Mart in Sterling Heights on Big Beaver/Metro Parkway, so it is always the perfect place to go before or after a proper grocery shop there - it's truly the perfect afternoon! Everything on Isla's menu is so delicious! For those who don't know, Isla is a Filipino-owned restaurant comprised of truly the best Filipino food EVER! It's a husband and wife duo, with the husband being the chef and the wife being the pastry chef, so you definitely want to make sure to get a meal including dessert here - you won't regret it! They are so lovely and personable, always making sure that you're enjoying your food. Isla sometimes has odd hours or limited times where they'll accept phone call aheads, so it's best to check their websites and social media (which they are good about updating) if you can't get through one way or another. But trust that it's worth a trip, regardless of where you're coming from! They have a ton of indoor seating for you to dine in. I oftentimes will take my food to go and even though I'm located about 30 minutes away, it all holds up beautifully once I get home and reheats really well for the next day or following days too! My favorite items on the menu are their Lechon Kawali (crispy slices of pork belly over a massive bed of rice, which you can pour their dinuguan sauce all over) and the Pancit Palabok (SO much shrimp and crab over a soupy bed of rice noodles with crispy chicharron bits on top for some added texture!). The flavors in both of these dishes, and every dish on their menu, are TO DIE FOR! Their Adobo Rice is also absolutely divine and I have so many friends of mine who always will get their adobo rice meals because it's the best they've ever had as well! Isla is always coming out with limited time specials, both for their meals and desserts, so it's always worth a try because everything they've ever made is so delicious! I love trying new things each time, but I am also so tempted to return to my favorites as well (and often do) because they are some of my favorite things I've ever eaten in the area and I crave them all the time! As for desserts, again...every single dessert is DELICIOUS! A fan favorite is the ube cheesecake, which I love, but my personal favorite is the cashew sans rival! If you love meringue, you will LOVE this! The texture and flavors of the cashew sans rival is out of this world!! I truly could go on for 156 more paragraphs, but I'll try to wrap things up! Bottom line, do not sleep on Isla! You will love anything and everything you order here! I almost don't even want to publish this review because what if you all start selling out of my favorite things haha! Something to note, that I've been really wanting to try, is their Sunday brunch! The menu looks so delicious, but I haven't been able to get out there on a Sunday during their brunch hours quite yet! Hopefully SOON! In the meantime, go any time you are available and make it a priority! And tell them Amanda sent you! You won't regret it!! See you soon, Isla!!!!!!!!

    Halo halo x Turon.
    Alyssa S.

    The food was all very good! The palabok was my favorite. The sauce was flavorful and it came with a lot of shrimp and chicharron on top for an added crunch. The calamansi juice is the cherry on top to make the palabok the best. Both the owners are very friendly and attentive.

    Inside
    Christal P.

    Isla is not nearly as good as it once was when it first opened. It was always overpriced but I was willing to pay to get quality Filipino cuisine that could not be found elsewhere. My favorites were the Lechon Kawali and the Pinoy Baked Spaghetti and Wings. The prices have slightly increased and the quality has gone noticeably down. The Lechon Kawali has a lot less meat than before and the lechon slices are thinner and drier. Not worth the price or, for me, the drive. The hours are also inconvenient and sometimes the restaurant is unexpectedly closed. I don't see myself returning anytime again soon.

    Pretty good Halo-Halo. Excellent presentation.
    Bella B.

    Pictures share the story. Had to try because it is the ONLY Filipino restaurant in the Detroit metro area. Food. Interesting. Different. But good flavors and textures -- varied from cruchy lechon, savory diniguan, hot soup, to cold Halo-Halo dessert. Everything were in to-go containers with plastic ware. PRICEY. Service was counter service. Kind. Not "extra" Filipino hospitality. A bothered by the "RESPECT" signage on tables. So, tips may not be expected. Ambiance. They call your number when your order is ready. So, it is a little impersonal. Small restaurant. Seats less than 30? So, make a reservation or do takeout. Overall, I would come back for the lechon.

    Cashew Sans Rival
    Christopher T.

    I was beyond ecstatic to find a Filipino restaurant here in Sterling Heights, Michigan! Being a Bay area native, I am no stranger to amazing Filipino restaurants and home cooked meals. There was so much on the menu that I wanted to try! I decided on getting the Pork Adobo and Cashew Sans Rival for something sweet. Both were amazing, the combination of soy sauce, vinegar, pepper and garlic was very well balanced. The portions were generous and the meat was very tender. PJ and Jacquilyn were very kind. It was nice learning that PJ had Bay area roots like myself. I can't wait to try the Lechon Kawali and Chicken Inasal next! Also, they do silogs (Filipino breakfast) on Sundays!

    Pork Adobo
    Sofia M.

    The food here is so good! Great introduction to Filipino cuisine and I need to re-visit. I had the pork adobo, and it was so flavorful, and perfect with the rice. I couldn't stop eating it, but still had leftovers for a couple days. Read: prices are worth the portion sizes you get here. Halo halo was also amazing, and refreshing. The ube and other flavors are so interesting, and it's like exactly the dessert you'd want on a summer day. Main complaint, which the restaurant can't control, is when they're busy, the remaining seating for solo diners has a big window facing the sun, so you're really in the sun when you eat. Bring your sunglasses! If you don't have sunglasses this could be very annoying but wearing mine sort of added to the ambiance, like I was on a tropical beach eating. They also must not get a lot of solo diners, since the host seemed confused at first at me walking in to eat.

    Amy B.

    Every time I hear the name of this restaurant, I immediately think of the song "La Isla Bonita" by Madonna. Anyway, my friend wanted to come here and check the place out and has heard good things. I've never formally had Filipino food, so I thought, why not give it a try. Walking in, the place isn't very big and has limited seating. The menu's pretty simple, in regards to only having a few dishes to choose from. We studied the menu, and I went with the Chicken Adobo and my friend went with the Pork Belly. When the food came out, the portions were HUGE, and was more than enough for two separate meals. (I still have leftovers.) I didn't try my friends dish since I don't eat pork, but my dish was absolutely fantastic! Best food I've had in a while. I was hungry anyway, but I couldn't get enough! So why 4 stars instead of 5? First, everything's plastic here. Silverware, bowls, and cups are paper. No formal settings. Secondly, they don't have fountain pop, only small cans and a juice or two. Also, there was barely any napkins at the table and we had to ask for more. Small and minor? Yes, but still annoying. I will be back here when on this side of town. Foods excellent and well worth the money. It's not cheap, but it's easily two meals and done really really well.

    Crispy Pork
    Vy N.

    Went in here for the first time around noon on a Sunday. Immediately noticed that the restaurant is pretty small. Had four tables and then a few seats at the countertops. Half the tables had a reserved sign when we got there. Might be good to make a reservation if you can since it's limited seating. Food was very good. Got the crispy pork and then ordered off the brunch menu the beef and egg with garlic rice. The desserts looked very good so would have to come back and try those out.

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    1 month ago

    Delicious food and great service. The batchoy is really good, and has a really yummy soup.

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    2 years ago

    Isla chicken is sooooo good. Will definitely be back. Dessert was also delicious. Staff was very friendly.

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    Farhat Sweets - Cakes

    Farhat Sweets

    (188 reviews)

    $$

    If you love desserts, this place is an absolute paradise. I drove 30 minutes to get here, and I…read morewould happily make the trip again -- the selection is unreal. Food & Sweets The dessert case is massive and filled with some of the most beautiful pastries I've ever seen. Here's just a sample of what caught my eye: * Pistachio Turkish Shells * Pistachio White Chocolate Fingers * Pistachio Turkish Squares * Cannoli dusted with powdered sugar * Fresh Fruit Tarts piled high with kiwi, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries * Classic Fruit Cake * Creamy Mocha Cake slices * Rich Black Forest cake with chocolate curls * Oreo cheesecake bars * Stunning purple mousse dome cakes topped with gold leaf * A dramatic chocolate drip cake perfect for celebrations They also serve ice cream and specialty Dubai chocolates, making the whole place feel like a global dessert market. Everything I tried was delicious -- flavorful, fresh, and clearly made with care. Ambiance & Decor The shop itself is bright, cute, and beautifully decorated. You can tell they designed the environment to match the beauty of the sweets. The displays are spotless, well-lit, and truly picture-perfect. Service Everyone was friendly and patient, even with the constant flow of customers staring at the dessert cases trying to decide what to pick (because choosing just one is almost impossible). Location Notes Parking is manageable, and the area is easy to access. The shop feels like a special treat destination -- the type of place worth going out of your way for. Overall This is a must-visit for anyone who loves pastries, pistachio desserts, high-end sweets, or just beautiful food in general. Totally worth the drive. I'm already planning my next trip.

    This review is based solely on the viral fruit pastries . We ordered the following favors: mango,…read moreraspberry, lemon, pineapple, coconut, strawberry, and coffee. Unfortunately, we disliked most of the pastries. The mousse/jam filling in the middle in the pastries were too sweet and tasted overwhelmingly artificial. However, the issue might have been the favors we selected. We really did enjoy the raspberry pastry!

    Cotton Cake Japanese Cheesecake

    Cotton Cake Japanese Cheesecake

    (128 reviews)

    Been here a few times already but I love coming back with new people to try it. We got the classic…read morecotton cake and the ube cotton cake. The ube is my favorite and the flavor blows me away every time. The cotton cakes are so light and fluffy. We got a cotton candy frappe and a cookies and cream frappe to go with the cotton cakes and those were a bit disappointing. They weren't really blended well and tasted like a melted vanilla ice cream with a hint of the flavor. Not frozen at all. They looked pretty though. Side note to mention that the bathroom door button lock had fallen off and the employee helped me find it and put it back on but they are aware it needs to be fixed. I plan on continuing to come back to this place as the cotton cakes never disappoint

    Would be cool to offer a flight of different cheesecakes from here, so you can try different ones…read more Nice interior, very gilded, the plasticwares are gold gilded. The to go cups are gold as well. Ordered a cookie butter latte, a build my own small cotton cheesecake with half Nutella and half caramel and some Biscoff topping. $22.25 The small cheesecake looks so fluffy. The decorated cake is $9.50 The cookie butter was $8 It's light and airy. Don't eat the wax paper at the bottom of the cake. The Biscoff gives it a nice bite of crunch. Mixing the Nutella and the Biscoff sauce (didn't end up getting the ordered caramel sauce once it was packed. I actually prefer the toppings more than the cake itself. The cheesecake tastes eggy. Service is good. Glad we tried the fluffy cheesecake. Not sure would be back for the cake. My husband said the butter coffee is average. The green tea is the Rishi, which isn't string at all.

    Percent Coffee - Cool cup; matcha latte is good.

    Percent Coffee

    (79 reviews)

    Very nice relaxing place to have coffee great vibes and very helpful when trying new coffee. I love…read morea great coffee spot.ill be back again.

    I was recommended this coffee shop by a family member since they know how much I love coffee. They…read moresaid, "the best coffee, I've ever had." A bit of background on my obsession on coffee, I am not an individual that drinks a cup of joe with 500 syrups and 80 cups of milk and say "this is the best coffee EVER!" If it's my first time getting coffee from a coffee shop, I will get a plain black coffee. Therefore, I ordered black iced coffee, which had a good balance in flavors. As for a second coffee, I ordered the Iced Cafe Miel Latte with oat milk. This drink was very good and there was an even ratio between coffee and milk, not too sweet too. Originally, I wanted to grab my coffee and sit inside the coffee shop (from the view outside, the shop looked pretty and modern) but there was no parking spots and the parking lot is beyond small but I did see folks park in the establishment next door and walk over. The drive thru is narrow but the wait time was a bit long and the person at the drive thru didn't seem enthusiastic. Overall, I did enjoy the coffee but I do not see the hype. It basic coffee, nothing that stands out from the rest. I must say the coffee was a bit overpriced, it did not match the quantity. Would I recommend this place to others? I would, only if you're in the area. I wouldn't drive out of my way (20 min) to grab a coffee from this spot.

    Isla - filipino - Updated May 2026

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