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Island Soul

4.3 (131 reviews)

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ISLAND SOUL ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Classy
Outdoor seating
Happy hour specials
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - Island Soul

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Menu
Patricia A.

First of all, this place is in downtown Kirkland in an unassuming residential/business building. Don't let the lack of street parking deter you, there is a parking garage in the building. The staff is energetic and friendly. We were celebrating a friend's birthday and they really made it special. We had champagne bottle service and the service staff went out of their way to split it into 11 glasses. I was impressed. The food, don't snooze on the Sunday brunch. I had the most delicious meal, as did my companions. This island Caribbean soul food was so flavorful! I bought some hot sauce to go. This was our first time here, and we will definitely be back!!

We loved how the plants were hung
Wendy K.

Beautiful space we particularly loved the mural, wall paper and how the live plants were hung. Food came out quickly as we were the first ones seated for the day our reservation was at 10am. Generous portions. Loved my Callaloo and they let me switch out the sour dough toast for a biscuit. One of the others in our group had the chef's breakfast sandwich and ate hers so fast. Another had the French toast with strawberry jam that she said was fresh almost more of a compote. My sister had the Benedict hollandaise sauce on the side think the only thing about it was that the sauce it wasn't hot. it was a little too cold and made for a thicker texture. but the flavor was good and the eggs were cooked well. Staff was friendly and helpful. Parking was free for two hours which was nice.

Shrimp and Grits
Renate H.

Food: excellent portions Shrimp & Grits (4 shrimps) and plenty of grits! Ful of flavor...didn't have to add salt or hot sauce!! Chicken & waffles: light crispy crunch! Service: Friendly and attentive Ambiance: Great way to start off a Sunday with 90s /early 2000 R&B music! Upbeat and inviting. We'll be back to check out their dinner!

Short, but excellent wine list.
Oliver G.

The cocktails are fantastic. Each has their own twist. The Sazarac paired Michter's rye with dark rum, while the Pop Smoke added an aged Calvados to Laphroig Select cask. Both had absinthe. I don't see fried green tomatoes on menus around here much, but these were the best I've had. The mussel curry was slurped up passionately. The halibut had an incredibly thick crust that wasn't burned, and to get it, they didn't overcook the fish. The gumbo was so satisfying, featuring loads of large shrimp. It was spicy, but that cut the richness of the sauce. Definitely come for cocktails as the bar is lovely, even if that's all you have time for, but stay for dinner if at all possible.

French Toast
Alex S.

Much needed a restaurant on the East Side. It's a combination of Soul Food, Caribbean, and American. It's one of the few Black-owned businesses in the entire area, and its right in downtown Kirkland. On the weekends for lunch time they only have their brunch menu, so I was not able to try the dinner menu dishes. The French Toast was incredible and the Shrimp and Grits were very flavorful and packed some spice. Lovely establishment and they were so friendly and welcoming. Great for groups as well. I hope they continue to keep seeing more business. The food is delicious!

Pink Corral Drink
Carly C.

Easily stole my Yelp heart, this might be a big statement, but I'd name this spot best find of 2023! (Probably will stay my best spot for 2024) Immediately impressed with ambiance upon walking in, immediately impressed with the live music they had, pleased that they prioritized our reservation, and over the moon about the mussels we ordered. Everything was flavorful, unique, and enticing- however if you like mussels - that for us stole the show highly recommend. The owner was out and about walking around, conversing with tables, and was beyond charming. In addition to this, we later saw a chef from the back come out to check on everyone being pleased. Amazing care and pride in the food, and it shows. The social aspect really made this a ten star experience, we are eager to return to try more, and drop in for brunch too. They check off every box that you would ever want in a restaurant, they are a good vibe, casual- yet elevated flavorful Caribbean food in a way you probably have not had before. Portions were fair, price was fair. Easily have won my husband and I over.

Earnie G.

Lovely and inviting space. Great food. Wonderful service. Comfort New Orleans food elevated to superb levels. Flavor galore and so many choices. A wonderful addition to Kirkland.

Regular menu
Ememabasi I.

A French-Carribean spot that breathes life into New Kirkland. We learned about this restaurant from a their Operations Lead, Kat! This was the probably the best dinner decision we made this year. Please follow me as I walk through the food, the ambiance, and the service Service There must have been an event happening tonight, because we were greeted with Marci Gras beads and masks at the door from the hostess. The whole restaurant staff was friendly and communicative, which is rare in the PNW(all my Seattleites know about the "Seattle Freeze). Throughout the night, the owner Theo, our waitress Erica (sp), and the Operations lead, as well as a few others checked in to make sure we were taken care of! Hands down the best service I've had in this city Food What can I say. My compliments to the chef all around! You cannot go wrong with anything in the menu. My fiancée and I ordered four items, which I will rate below Oxtails (10/10): These oxtails literally fell off the bone. There were the exact opposite of tough, and the sauce they used the carefully lay over the white rice made this meal perfect. You only get two oxtails, HOWEVER, one of the oxtails was fairly large. The price was fair for what you get. Friend Okra (9/10): Self explanatory. I could do without the dipping sauce, but the friend okay itself was cooked to perfection Collard Greens (10/10): Self explanatory Jambalaya(10/10): I only had a few bites of this since my fiancée ordered this, but that first bite was hitting! The assortment of meats meshed well with the rice to perform a delicate dance on my taste buds! Drinks I had a cognac cocktail that snuck up on me! I don't remember the name of it but if you ask they'll know. I hi highly recommend it. Ambiance The music was jumping and was a great addition to eating here. The whole table was jamming while we are. With that said, there was a small portion of the night where we couldn't hear each other during dinner conversations. All in all, this restaurant was the perfect dinner spot for those who want to dress up a little and have a great time while they eat. 10/10 recommend, and we will surely be back soon!

Crab cakes
Smrithi S.

A new French-Caribbean in Kirkland, we had to try it out. It's a cool place with friendly service. We got Crab cakes, Curry Mussels, and Blackened Salmon. I got the Water Lily Kirkland and loved it. I loved the Crab cakes, it was all crabmeat, lightly breaded. Curry Mussels were delicious, lots of flavor, loved the bread that came with it. Blackened salmon was good, I loved the corn soubise that came with it. Finally, we got beignets, and loved it. It was a great end to our meal.

Shakshuka made with spinach and green chiles. To die for!
Mandy L.

This place ROCKS! Some of the best food I've had on the East Side! I tried the delicious shakshuka with a southern / Caribbean twist. It was so amazing. My buddy had a chicken biscuit sammy with onion jam and home fries that all was to die for. Do not sleep on this place! Chef was out & about and chatting with customers. I always love it when that happens! Check it out if you are on the East Side. Plus, it's black-owned!

Oxtail Pepperpot
Monica C.

A friend of a friend recommended Arleana's and we intended to come here for brunch but we would not have made it before the afternoon closure so I'm glad we came back dinner. Service was fast, and we got our drinks pretty quickly. It seems like there are regulars that return often as they were pretty friendly and knew customers by name. Noticed another guy at the bar wearing VR goggles just having a ball, what a vibe! We ended up sharing our plates all around the table, We had Rasta Pasta and Oxtail Pepperpot, (not pictured) crab beignet, fried fish, and coconut corn muffins. The filled crab beignet tasted fresh and from the sound the fried crab was crunchy. Fried fish was balanced in flavor. The oxtail was very saucy, meat was tender. Personally I think the Rasta Pasta was the best thing on the menu. I opted to add shrimp but I felt the Cajun shrimp was slightly overcooked. The melted crispy cheese gave the pasta a nice variation in texture. Penne is not my favorite pasta as it tends to be cooked al dente but I really enjoyed this dish! Also not pictured are the coconut corn muffins which came highly recommended by our waiter, only because they were devoured so quickly. Honestly the coconut really elevates the humble cornbread and the plaintain butter gives it a bit of moisture. The Rasta pasta and coco corn bread will be my go-tos next time!

Prime Manhattan
Gregory C.

My best friend brought me here for the first time while I was visiting WA state. I was excited because I heard so much about their sister restaurant, Island Soul, and let me tell you, they lived up to the hype. We were greeted with a friendly person, Erica, who ended up being our host. She took care of us--gave us recommendations from the menu, made sure our water glasses were filled, and answered all of our questions. Admittedly, it took a little longer for our food to come out but everything we ordered wa a tasty. I ordered the black cod and yucca root mash--highly recommend and everyone I was with enjoyed what they ordered. The space was welcoming and we found out they had private rooms and a rooftop. We had a chance to meet the owner, head chef, and bartender--all who were so welcoming and kind. I'll be returning and hope you check it out!

Chef's Sandwich, coconut corn muffins
Kevin N.

I was surprised to find a new Caribbean spot open up in downtown Kirkland, so I decided to stop by on a Saturday for brunch. I didn't have to wait at all before getting seated at the bar, as there weren't many parties dining in when I arrived. I ordered a Chef's Sandwich, a side of coconut corn muffins, and an orange juice. You'd think that the orange juice would be served up immediately, but they actually only remembered to give me an orange juice once they delivered my coconut corn muffins. Within 10 minutes, the sandwich came out as well. I'll start with the sandwich. The coco bread was sturdy enough to hold its integrity while holding together the entire sandwich. The andouille sausage was extremely flavorful - salty and slightly sweet. The fried egg did have a slight crisp from the fry, and the yolk was somewhat runny, though I would've like it a bit more runny as some of my yolk was cooked through. The melted American cheese that covered the egg added a creaminess that I enjoyed as well. Lastly, the arugula added a bitterness that helped cut through all of the savory ingredients that helped to balance the whole thing. My gripes with the sandwich were that it was small and it's very easy for it to slip apart as you're eating it due to the melted cheese. The house potatoes that came as a side to the sandwich were standard breakfast potatoes. I would've liked to see them provide some sauce to accompany them, whether a garlic aioli or sriracha mayo of some kind. With so sauce provided, your only real option is to use any runny egg yolk that drips onto your plate as you eat the sandwich. The coconut corn muffins were unique in that the coconut really came through. I'm a fan of a good corn bread, so a corn muffin with coconut to add a unique sweet element was nice to see. They are dense, as you'd expect. Looking at the brunch menu before the food, the prices looked okay. However, once I got the food, I realized that the prices are relatively high given the portion sizes, despite being in downtown Kirkland. My sandwich was $20, and I think a price point ~$13-15 would be more appropriate. The fact that a side of bacon, potatoes, or biscuits is $7 is wild. With tip included, my total bill for one person exceeded $40. Perhaps the dinner portions are better, but looking at the dinner prices, those also look fairly high. Parking is available underneath the restaurant in a retail garage that is shared with the Parque Kirkland complex. There are signs saying to pay for parking, but there are also signs saying that it's free for 2 hours, which is confusing. When I went, I didn't pay for any parking, and the garage was fairly empty so not sure how much it's being monitored. The service was decent - I'm not sure if because this spot is new and they're still trying to work out the kinks, but I noticed instances where the waiters were casually talking to each other while neglecting parties that looked ready to check out, including me. Overall, not a bad spot. We need more Caribbean food around. I'm all for it. But this place slightly confuses me with it's price points that teeter towards three dollar signs ($$$) but the atmosphere is very casual, at least for brunch. Either the portions can get slightly larger, or the price points should come down a bit.

Chicken and Waffles

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Ask the Community - Island Soul

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Bottle & Bull

Bottle & Bull

4.0(531 reviews)
0.3 mi
•$$$

What a great dining experience for my birthday! Loved every minute of it. We were greeted…read moreimmediately, found our reservation and seated very fast, and very friendly. Teresa was our server, excellent service and very friendly, providing valuable details about the menu, etc. My wife ordered a surprise birthday cocktail for me, which was their version of an Old Fashioned (To The Bitter End), which was really good, large ice cube! My wife had the rum cocktail (Death in the Tropics), which was good, not her favorite. We dined slowly as we were not in a hurry, but were advised we had a 90 minute dining window. We overstayed by about 15 minutes, but it was their fault as they provided a complimentary dessert for my birthday, nice touch. For food, we started with the bread with black garlic spread, Along with the Rain Dog Chop salad, which were both delicious. We could not decide on an entree to share so we ordered 2. The Moroccan Chicken with cous cous (was AWESOME) and the Mushroom Pasta (Good but not great). After finishing, we agreed the Moroccan Chicken would have been enough by itself. Ample portion, wonderfully prepared. Draft beer and glass wine selections were excellent. I really enjoyed the No Boat Brewery beer. Thanks for making my birthday dinner a special one.

This place is listed as a cocktail bar, but has great food options as well! I had the halibut, and…read moreit was perfectly cooked and delicious. The service was great and the waitress made me a special Manhattan. It's a little dark and intimate spot to enjoy a cocktail and eats right on Kirkland's waterfront. Looks like they have a great selection on their Happy Hour menu until 5:30pm daily that I'll be back to check out soon!

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Ristorante Paradiso

Ristorante Paradiso

3.9(463 reviews)
0.2 mi
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We had a fabulous meal and experience. Great food and service, and a cozy environment. It was…read morerestaurant week and I didn't know. The special menu looked so good we all ordered off it. Everything we had, from bread to dessert was wonderful. The pasta was cooked perfectly. The swordfish was tender. The osso buco was made with pork and was outstanding. The salads were colorful and well made. The spumoni was rich and flavorful. My friends loved the tiramisu. Can't wait to go back!!

The nearby Von's in downtown Kirkland was full with an estimated hour wait when we asked around…read more6:50pm, so we went here instead for about a 10-minute wait for our party of four plus an infant. This place boasts outdoor seating that fits well for the sunny days we've had back in summer, and an okay number of two- and four-tops, some which were empty but looked like they were reserved. Napkins, plates and utensils were laid on our seats so well, and there's actually a ton of noise, both from the inside and outside. You just hear a lot of chatting that vibrates around the inside, the clattering of the utensils and footsteps bringing dishes back and forth. Their menu has a ton of pasta dishes along with other entrees and pizza as well. We started off with what felt like bottomless bread and went from there. I ordered the farfalline al Salmone with sausage for myself, and wow I actually regret putting extra sausage in it because the dish as a whole was already overly salty. By themselves, you can taste the smokiness but not the seafoody aftertaste from the smoked salmon; the salty but tender sausage is cut into smaller pieces and spread throughout the bowtie pasta; the bowtie pasta itself is cooked al dente, so not too hard on the teeth. Combining the salmon and sausage together was not my best idea, and I needed a ton of water to nearly finish this dish. Servers thankfully refilled our waters often, almost like they know their dishes are really salty and can dry our throats up. I'm also not too much into pasta dishes lately as a lot of them are cheese- and/or fat-heavy, so that made me even more happy for the service here that keeps up with the crowds that stayed throughout our stay. I don't see myself coming back here for another meal but I'm happy to have gotten to try this place, which is in an area where I still have many other places to get food from!

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Le Grand Bistro Américain

Le Grand Bistro Américain

3.5(621 reviews)
1.5 mi
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We entered Le Grand with reasonably high expectations, and the restaurant exceeded them at…read morevirtually every level. Every dish at our table was outstanding; the meals were substantially better than I expected. We shared and tasted across the table, and there wasn't a weak dish or nuance among them. The service was equally impressive. Our server had an exceptional knowledge of all menu items as well as the wine list, and she was patient and genuinely cheerful while helping me work through four separate wine tastes before I made my final selection. At no point did I feel rushed or as though I were creating extra work for her. She seemed genuinely interested in helping me find a wine I would enjoy, and, in the end, I really did. What impressed me just as much was the overall service culture at Le Grand. When our server was occupied elsewhere, other members of the staff regularly passed our table and often asked whether they could help in any way, and that was so helpful because, as I recall, we did need more butter at one point and more water at another. I never heard "Sorry, that's not my table" or any other such attitude that sometimes appears in restaurants. Hospitality clearly seems to be a shared responsibility here. It Le Grand expensive? Yes, moderately so. But you will not leave this restaurant with any sense that value was lacking. And I cannot say the same for other expensive restaurants nearby (I will leave out the names of those places). The combination of excellent food, knowledgeable and gracious service, and attention to detail made this one of the most satisfying restaurant experiences we have had in quite some time. Our server deserved every penny of her gratuity, and Le Grand deserves considerably more recognition than it seems to receive here. We will absolutely return, and repeatedly.

Unfortunately this past experience was not as good. They have a great menu, great produce and an…read moreamazing location but the food preparation doesn't always stand up. Tonight's risotto with grilled chicken added on had obviously sat under the salamander for far too long-the chicken was absolutely hammered. For the prices customers pay, you just can't send that out. Otherwise it was fairly good. Service was also good and the vibe and view of the place is just amazing.

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Promising menu, disappointing restaurant!

Island Soul - caribbean - Updated October 2026

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