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Kirkland, WA

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Island Soul

4.3 (131 reviews)

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ISLAND SOUL ATMOSPHERE

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

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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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Island Soul - caribbean - Updated October 2026

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