The food is amazing! Everyone there is very nice and always has great recommendations. It's a cute spot that's always clean.

This place is awesome! Delicious food, with fresh ingredients cooked to perfection. And the service from the wonderful folks here is nothing short of outstanding! Warm and friendly, and efficient as well. And a relaxed Island atmosphere. If you've never visited, well, you're missing out, big time! Do yourself a favor and check out this fine establishment, sooner rather than later! read more

I love this place! I was surprised they moved further inland but the new place is bigger and has more lighting in store. It is different in that it is not a restaurant/waiter style. You order at the counter now. The employees are very nice and will bring you your order if you are dining in. The food did not take long to get my food but it was during slow time. Their mango lemonade is not too bad. It is not overly sweet but not watered down. The Korean chicken is the dish I go with. It is crispy and moist. The flavor is really good. The pork fried rice is not bad. It is not overly oily making it less heavy. The same goes for the mac salad. It is not overly mayo tasting and doesn't feel heavy or icky after eating it. Overall, even at the new location, the food is still really good and great experience. read more

Island Style Cafe - Korean chicken (non spicy) with pork fried rice and mac salad. My favorite dish here. - Hawaiian Near Me - Santee, California

Aloha, Island Style Cafe... today is sadly their last day of business so I am posting a review for a recent visit. The eatery was temporarily closed when I arrived as a note on the door said they were going to reopen at 4:30 pm. That was only the beginning of the choppiness which I think reflected how they were starting to wind down their operations. It took about 15 minutes to make it to the front of the line which had already formed in advance of the reopening time. I started my order with two pieces of Spam Musubi. I also wanted to get an All Kalbi island style plate, but the lady said they didn't have enough meat left. I thought that was strange because the peak dinner hours had not even occurred yet. I could buy a combo plate so that was what I did with the Kalbi Korean Mix (half kalbi and half Korean chicken). The sides I chose were potatoes and green salad with mango dressing. A piece of Hawaiian Chantilly Cake completed my order. Unfortunately, the kitchen forgot to include this item in my take-out bag which I didn't notice until after I had departed. I called the restaurant when I got home, and the worker who answered did acknowledge the mistake. She said they would reserve a piece in the refrigerator for me to pick up the next day. As for the food itself, that was the basis of my four star rating. I really liked the Korean chicken which was boneless, skinless fried thighs. It had good flavor, and the amount of breading was just right for my taste. The musubi and kalbi were on par with other local Hawaiian cuisine joints I have tried. The potatoes were a nice change-up from white rice which is the typical starch included in a combo plate. The four-layer chocolate fudge cake was moist with a decadent caramel butter frosting and macadamia nuts. read more

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I found island style cafe on a whim and it did not disappoint. The food is definitely the best island food in town and the service is amazing. I highly recommend island style cafe if you are craving delicious island food. read more

I was looking forward to ordering food from here as the pictures looked amazing. I took orders from my coworkers and called it in. This place had the nerve to tell me that since the order is over $100 that they were going to charge an automatic service fee of 20%. This doesn't include the tip. Mind you all, we aren't eating at this place. I was going to pick up the food. This is greedy business practices. My point is this, if I went there to dine in with my family, they were going to charge a 20% service fee of over $100 + expect tip. I can understand an automatic tip of 20% for dining in but not a service fee of 20% + tip. That's ludacris! Business practices like these don't deserve any of the community's business. Try to support and then they try and take advantage of you. read more

The kalbi was like jerky except there was so much grissel that it couldn't be swallowed ~ crew and spit. Very disappointing

I came to this restaurant after a long day at PIFA. Didn't know it existed, right across my apartment! I ordered the kalbi mix, Korean chicken and a smaller plate of bbq chicken for my daughter. I posted just one picture, cause, obviously, my other half couldn't wait to dig in Dinner was great! I had ordered lilikoi tea also, reminded me of the aloha maid drinks from back home. Thank you, for making such great food! I'll be returning for more! read more

Island Style Cafe - Korean chicken - Hawaiian Near Me - Santee, California

So Ono Licious High Quality Hawaiian Food. The Chicken Katsu was a huge hit with all the picky kids. They loved it. Kailua Pork, Rice and Mac is super god too. read more

The very first time I tried a Loco Moco was on the Big Island of Hawaii in the late 80's. It was love at first bite. Ever since I've been looking for the same great tasting food here on the mainland. I've found it at Island Style Cafe. Warm, welcoming lovely people serving up the traditional Hawaiian food I fondly remember. There are numerous versions offered of Loco Moco. The traditional one is amazing, but the over the top one is listed under Family Favorites as Kaloko Moco. In addition to the hamburger patty, eggs and gravy comes; pork fried rice and an amazing crepe including ham and onions. Put them all together and you have the perfect meal! With enough leftovers for a second meal. They are open for takeout only as of June 2020. To view the menu go here: http://islandstylecafe.com/menu/ read more

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It might sound funny but you can honestly taste the love they put in the dishes. The chicken is perfectly grilled with crispy edges and tender enough to melt in your mouth. Hands down the best I've had anywhere. I can easily live off of this and not get tired of it. The shrimp is marinated wonderfully, not clashing with other flavors. Prices are more than reasonable for the quality and amount of food you get. I have zero complaints and will definitely be back. read more

Island Style Cafe - Grilled chicken and shrimp! PERFECTION - Hawaiian Near Me - Santee, California

Love this place, the food is always good and high quality. My favorite is the Kalbi Rib plate. It's a small space though, so we typically order to go. I would recommend calling in the order first, as it can get really busy especially during lunch time. read more

Welcoming and professional staff. Some of the best island style food I've ever had. KALBI BEEF. Spicey Korean chicken. Once a week spot for me and the co workers! read more

Great food and service all around! The garlic shrimp plate and teriyaki beef are top notch

Great service and the food is delicious! They have the best shave Ice plenty of parking and very clean place. read more

Island Style Cafe - Hawaiian Near Me - Santee, California

The food is alright, it's not the best but not the worst. I've tried their Kanak Attack Loco Moco, chicken katsu, and kalbi. I thought the loco moco was okay. I took mine to go so everything was really soggy (as expected) but something was different about it. It wasn't necessarily a good or bad different, just different. The chicken from the katsu was a little dry for me so I had to use the katsu sauce. The kalbi for sure was the best option I've had from there but I don't think you can ever go wrong with kalbi/short ribs. Overall, it fills the void but I do think there are better options. Maybe not in this area though. The service was alright.. I've been here a few times and I haven't had great customer service. There were also a couple of incidences where the guy that was helping me literally ignored me mid conversation to help someone else lol.. read more

I heard a lot of good things about this great islander bbq and breakfast place from friends. First off, the place is playing Hawaiian music in the background with nice, friendly servers at each booth or table. I felt like I was back in a famous mom n pop restaurant in Kauai. Their menu is packed with tons of traditional islander meals from breakfast to lunch such as spam, Portuguese sausage, pork fried rice, grilled bbq meats, loco mocos, islander Benedict's, crepes and much more. It was Hawaiian bbq bliss. I had their famous, custom super loco moco with fried rice, eggs, a fresh bbq burger, crepe, gravy and green onions. It was huge and super packed with a house party of great flavors. The pork fried rice is tasty with fried eggs and bbq hamburger on top. The thick beef gravy adds a savory coat of comfort food nirvana. The crepe on the bottom layer add just a small touch of sweetness with being too sweet. Overall, I loved this exceptional, island style restaurant with great home cooked, fresh ingredients, and caring, aloha service! Come here and get transported back to the comfort foods of the islands. read more

Island Style Cafe - Custom Super Loco Moco - Hawaiian Near Me - Santee, California

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Amazing food, kind service, and it felt like home! Can't wait to come back! Everyone was really nice and this is the best plate lunch I've had in SD. read more

Coming from Guam, this place has the island taste closest to what I had back there. I'm currently going to school in SD, and the food was exactly enough to satisfy my cravings. The service was good, but the repeated playing of "Love Me" by Fia got me a little. read more

Delicious Food excellent customer service Could ask for better thank you for your food is always on point read more

Must have been the wrong day to try a fish sandwich. Fish was not fresh and over cooked. The fries were very good. The mac salad was different, with potato and fish added-----but good. Very clean and friendly service. read more

Big portions... i ordered the Portugese sausage breakfast with rice and egg white scrambled. Wish they have garlic fried rice, though. Pleasant and attentive staff read more

Island Style Cafe - Hawaiian Near Me - Santee, California

A pretty quaint eatery. You go in and order at the front first before getting a number and seating yourself. Craved Hawaiian breakfast and decided for their special loco moco. Spam, sausage, pulled pork, and two eggs over pork fried rice with gravy all over. Absolutely delicious. Service was attentive for lunch hour on a Saturday and the staff was very friendly. Would recommend. read more

Island Style Cafe - Specialty loco moco - Hawaiian Near Me - Santee, California

I ordered the Kalbi and Korean chicken plate. I felt they skimped on the Kalbi rib because it was all bones and a thin strip of meat on it. I was expecting more than 1 slice of rib but maybe I read the menu wrong. It had good flavor though. The Korean chicken had great flavor but soggy. Mac salad was missing some flavor. I felt like the plate was all Mac salad and rice with just some chicken and 1 Kalbi rib. When you are in Hawaii, plate lunches are stacked, overflowing. Didn't feel like it this one occasion. Willing to try them again though. They were friendly. read more

Their ingredients taste more fresh than your fast food L&L. It is always nice to support a small business. Ordered the chicken katsu & bbq plate. Average was about $12-$13 per plate. Their Max Salad has potatoes in it. Mac salad is already delicious, but add potatoes... out of this world! We ordered to go & would definitely order from here again. read more

Food is great and the staff is amazing.. definitely going to recommend and coming back to island Cafe.

Had such a great experience with the Hubby today ! Staff was so helpful with explaining menu and giving great recommendations. The food was fresh and very delicious. The spicy chicken was our favorite of everything we ordered and my Husband has already set the date for our next visit! read more

Island Style Cafe - Spicy chicken was the favorite! - Hawaiian Near Me - Santee, California

No one was happier than us when this family owned Hawaiian restaurant re-opened in Santee, after closing their highly successful location in Tierrasanta. However, today was the first time we patronized them since it was only open for takeout during the pandemic, and we really wanted to dine-in if we drove all the way here from the South Bay area. New changes include: ordering at the counter then seating yourself, food served in styrofoam to-go containers, plastic flatware provided instead of silverware, and you bus your own table prior to leaving. Basically, it's self-service, other than staff bringing your food from the kitchen. Good news: the owners are still just as friendly as before, the food portions are just as plentiful AND Delicious, there's no issues finding parking like many other places, and the restaurant complies with all the COVID distancing guidelines. We ordered the Spicy Korean Chicken Mido, and the Korean Chicken entree w/ salad & papaya dressing. We absolutely love their Korean Chicken! Take a look at our photos, you can almost taste how good it is by their photos! There's breading on the chicken, but it's not overwhelming, heavy, or greasy. The chicken moco eggs over easy were cooked to perfection. You also HAVE to try their papaya salad dressing, it's oh so good! We love supporting small mom & pop restaurants, especially during these times when businesses are struggling to stay in business. If you like great Hawaiian food, you must try Island Style Cafe! read more

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Island Style has amazing food and super friendly staff. I recommend the Korean fried chicken. read more

Spicy Korean loco is so good! My gf really enjoys the California Musubis (imitation crab) and she's pretty picky but she really enjoyed this one that she asked me to pick up some for her. I've been here more than enough times to rate this place five-stars The workers are very friendly. I'm not kidding. They go above and beyond. In one of my visits they gave a drink to a delivery man (idk if they were Amazon or UPS). Above their pay grade. Today in their restaurant I experienced a customer who was complaining about everything. She was saying the food here was burnt. This was this and that. But from the start it seemed like she was trying to get a refund when she ate more than half her plate. I over-heard her say it's because she was really hungry. She had her kid sitting on top of the table. That's where people eat. So if she does give a negative review, please know that I was there and she was being very unfair to the owners and restaurant. The owner (I think she's the owner) was very apologetic but stood her ground. She defended her food and restaurant (as she should) and the price (as she should). Edit: her name is Hannah L. The food is great. It doesn't need change. In fact I'm grateful because I think this place deserves more stars. They sure beat L&L Bbq in my books. Anyways. Please come to Island Style Cafe. I am not endorsed by them. None of the workers know me. But I thought I should share my thoughts from what I experienced. read more

I ordered a bbq chciken plate with white rice and I upgraded to steamed veggies. The veggies tasted very fishy so if you don't like fish I would not recommend the veggies. When we arrived we said we wanted to take out but while we waited we changed our minds and asked if we could dine in instead they said that wouldn't be possible so once we got our food we were told we had to leave and could not eat there. That was very unfortunate because there is no outside seating. The whole situation just seemed very strange would not recommend. read more

Very friendly staff and even though you order at the counter, I appreciate the staff offering to renew my Kona coffee at my table from time to time. Portions are generous and the prices are reasonable. If you come during lunch on the weekends, you can tell this little place is loved by the locals. read more

Island Style Cafe - Chasiu Spam Scramble with Fried Rice - Hawaiian Near Me - Santee, California

This place is like walking into a spot in Hawaii. The food is authentic and the tastes like you were on the island. Their menu has plenty of options, included plated lunches. Typically, I call in my order and it's ready in 10-15mins. The parking lot has plenty of spots and it's never hard to get in and back. Highly recommend the Korean chicken! read more

Island Style Cafe - Menu of plate lunch - Hawaiian Near Me - Santee, California

After you order and pay for shaved ice they make you sit outside. That is information that should be give PRIOR to ordering. All other customer's are able to sit inside except for customer's purchasing shaved ice only. It is fine if that is the rule but you should say it AHEAD of time. Their customer service is terrible. The lady working the counter was rude. read more

This place has really great Hawaiian food. Probably the best I've had outside of Hawaii! We always order to go, so I can't speak on a dine-in experience, but we really love it. I would have given 5 stars, the only issue is they've messed up our order on more than one occasion, so we most likely won't be going back. Other than that, I highly recommend! Just be sure to double check your order. I never have because they double knot the bags, so the only way to check is by cutting it. read more

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We had 2 dishes. Mine had a crepe with friend rice hamburger patty and eggs. It had the right balance of sweet, salty and savory. I opted out for the gravy. Prices are very reasonable Dinner: can't go wrong with the Korean fried chicken read more

Island Style Cafe - Korean Chicken or Spicy Korean - Hawaiian Near Me - Santee, California

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Easily one of my favorite meals in San Diego! Great customer service!!! Half Spicy Korean Chicken and BBQ Chicken! Highly recommend! Tried LL Hawaiian which was also good but not like Island Style Cafe! read more

Island Style Cafe - Half Spicy Korean Chicken and BBQ Chicken - Hawaiian Near Me - Santee, California

Finally made it around to try this place! The Mac salad was just okay, it was very thick! The pork fried rice was very good and had a lot of meat! The Kalbi grilled mix came with kalbi rib, island bbq chicken, and teriyaki beef. The teriyaki beef was my favorite as it was very tender and flavorful! The bbq chicken was perfectly cooked and had good flavor. I was most excited for the kalbi rib, however it was pretty over cooked. I'm glad I tried the mix as I was able to try three different meats! Staff was very friendly! I would try again. Lots of seating and parking! read more

Island Style Cafe - Mac salad, pork fried rice, grill mix! - Hawaiian Near Me - Santee, California

Delicious. I had the Kailua Pork and Teriyaki Beef plate. Both were tasty. I even liked the mango dressing for the salad because it wasn't overly sweet. I'll definitely be returning. read more

The workers were very nice and accommodating for my family and I! The food was delicious and quick! I got the spicy Korean chicken and the Mac salad and it was amazing! The chicken was cooked to perfection. read more