I have been to this Islands location a handful of times and every time I have been blown away. The service has been amazing every time and the food is always good. I have tried many things on the menu but some of my favs are any of the bowls and you can never go wrong with a burger, fish tacos are delicious and I can never get enough of those fries. We have celebrated team parties at this location, celebrations, meetings. The manager Bailey was very helpful when I have set these things up which made it very easy. Service is always great, drinks are always filled. And speaking of drinks the bartenders are very kind and great at making a drinks. islands is a top pick for my kids when we go out to eat. And great place to watch World Cup right now :) read more

What fabulous burgers and the have gluten free buns or lettuce wraps. I had an Maverick burger, I need to ask for no island reds next time they are like French onions not gf, my husband likes them. He had the wave burger, he added an extra patty thinking it would be a small burger, was he surprised!! He removed the extra Patty because the burger was so big. Great burgers they have good fries too. We will return read more

Went in on a Sunday and received a warm greeting from the hostess. We were seated right away on the outdoor patio. Our server Chase was super attentive and cracked a couple of funny jokes. We really enjoyed our interaction with Chase. We were a party of 5 and ordered the big wave, two Kilauea burgers, the chop chop salad and chicken tenders. Everyone felt the burgers were delicious. The chicken tenders left much to be desired. My salad was great and I love they were able to accommodate my request to use all romaine lettuce instead of the premix bag salad. Great service ( thank you, Chase) and pretty decent food. I wouldn't hesitate to come back if we're in the area, we'd just avoid the chicken tenders. read more

I love the Hawaiian burger but the burger get very wet from the sauce. The onions did not have a bite to them. I like that there is a wheat bread option but strange that the veggies were below the patty instead of on top. I love the sweet potato fries. Pretty satiating. Fast service. They took our orders and got our food out fast. I was starving. Lots of people at 5pm on a Tuesday night. Lots of families but not very crowded. We were sat down immediately. read more

Islands Restaurant - Hawaiian Burger - Burgers Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Went to Islands tonight with one of my best friends and our waitress was simply the best! She was so sweet, personable, thoughtful, and overall amazing!! She's destined for greater things in life and I hope the restaurant knows how lucky they are to have her while they still do! My friend ordered the Happy Hour Sliders and Cheese Fries, and I ordered the Happy Hour Quesadilla with no green chiles and a side of sour cream. We both got chocolate milkshakes as well as ice waters. My quesadilla was so yummy, but the chocolate milkshake was the true star of the show (besides our waitress). It was SO GOOD!! My only complaints were the multiple screaming/crying toddlers at different tables and the horrible B.O. coming from a man seated near us which hindered the ambiance a bit, but neither are faults of the restaurant. We truly had a wonderful time and got to catch up for awhile. It was so nice and I look forward to coming back again soon! (Also I need to figure out the waitress's name - she deserves a raise!) read more

Islands Restaurant - Chocolate Milkshake - Burgers Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Ordered the sandpiper sandwich, and the chicken was borderline raw, and yet disgustingly tough. The burger buns were also horribly soggy, almost mush. When I called the restaurant to let them know, they hung up on me. Disastrous sandwich and even more disastrous customer service. If you want a decent sandwich that's actually edible, and worth $20-$40, I suggest looking elsewhere. read more

Islands Restaurant - Burgers Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

Came down for our anniversary and decided to eat on the patio at our hotel. When I was almost done, I found a piece of bone in my salad! I almost broke my tooth! Couldn't finish it, it made me gag. But the burger was so good!! The salad was too till I found a bone in it! Gross! Idk how that even happened. read more

Islands Restaurant - Brian got the volcano burger and I got the Hawaiian burger, both with Caesar salads. Messy and delicious! - Burgers Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

Great place to watch any kind of sports hockey football and baseball! Always a friendly atmosphere lots of televisions everywhere comfortable atmosphere good place to watch a ball game ! read more

Islands Restaurant - Modelo with chili on the rim - Burgers Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Service is excellent! The food is pretty good. I give it a solid 8.5/10. The kilauea burger is one of my favorites with the black pepper it's very tasty. Fries are yummy but a bit on the salty side! Otherwise it's all pretty good. read more

Even on a recent chilly evening, we all sat outside on the patio around the firepit/table, and it was a great meeting spot. With such a big menu, lots of appetizers, burgers, and salads to choose from, our server Tadhg was spot-on with his food suggestions. And he was there for the whole evening checking in on us to make sure we all had the best possible dining experience. And also a very impressive cocktails and beer lists. We all shared a couple Islands House Beer flights, and then moved on to some delicious tropical cocktails. Have to say the Mojito was our favorite. Was a toss up as to our favorite burger. Both the Malibu and Maui Burgers were pretty tasty, and paired perfectly with the Onion Rings. Located in the La Cumbre Plaza. Plenty of parking, and right across from Bristol Farms. Thanks again Tadhg for your excellent hospitality. We will definitely be back. read more

I really do love Islands restaurant. Not the best with to go items but great for dine in!

We have a family get together at Islands. It's easy for a bigger party here. The staff are all super nice and attentive. Love the beach vibes. We came on a Saturday night but it wasn't busy. We ordered some burgers and sliders. They are all tasty. The fries are really good. I got a beer flight and it's great. Only complaint is the beer can be colder. read more

See all

Great surfer vibes complete with surfing network! Big indoor and outdoor seating. Service was great . The menu has a lot of choices and even protein bowls. Yummy yummy read more

See all

Clay is a phenomenal person and server. It is a pleasure every time walking through those big Islands doors and seeing his beautiful smile from across the restaurant. Food came out hot and with love! Will be coming again!! read more

Stopped by after being on the road for a couple hours. Let me start out by saying the service was very impressive from the moment I walked in the door. I was politely greeted and when I asked if I could sit at the bar, they happily obliged. The bar top looks like a cool vintage surfboard which fits the theme of this place. The bartender was very friendly, fast, and promptly poured me a tasty Topa Topa IPA. This hit the spot! They have several burger specials - which I had the Big Wave burger with fries. I didn't expect to be asked about burger temp, and was amazed when it came out as I ordered - perfectly medium rare. The fries remind me of a larger cut size of In & Out, which I loved. The best part - the manager, a super nice and friendly young lady named Bailey, told me about a "special" basket ball game and if I wanted a try! Shoot the hoop, spin the wheel, and win! Scored me some free fries! I'd definitely come back and will stop by when I'm in the area. Thanks Bailey for the awesome experience! read more

Islands Restaurant - Here's the hoops game! Won some free fries! - Burgers Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

We had such a fantastic birthday brunch for my best friend. Brandon was so welcoming, attentive, and fantastic! Deserves a raise immediately!! Mahalo Brandon!! read more

Stopped by here for dinner and really enjoyed ourselves. We were worried how few people there were, but once we started eating, we really enjoyed ourselves. Service was fast and friendly, and the portions were solid (the side of fries that came with the burger is at least 2x the size of french fry orders at most other places). I'm not sure why Islands isn't busier - clean restaurant, good service, nice ambiance, and lots of indoor and heated patio seating. * Malibu burger (beef burger w/ bacon): Good taste, cooked to a perfect medium with an ever so slight pink center (which is how we ordered it). The bun was great as well. * Moa Crisp (fried chicken sandwich w/ bacon): Tasty chicken - I would say more like a Chick-fil-A level of batter and frying, vs. a thick / salty / crusty exterior. I really enjoyed this and felt all the flavors worked well together. The bun (more like a burger bun than "sandwich") was really soft and nicely prepared * Kalua Pork Tacos: Our son said they were fantastic, I didn't get to try any. He doesn't like everything he eats (and we just had authentic Mexican food the evening before that he really liked), so I will take his opinion at face value. The amount of pulled pork on the tacos was a good amount. The beer and drink selection looked great, but none of us were in the mood for alcohol and felt parched from being out all day. For what it's worth, the water was ice cold and tasted great. I drank two full mugs of it myself. Service was present and friendly, but not overbearing. I would say the perfect amount. My only complaint is that they changed channels from the NBA All Stars skill challenge to WWE. Half joking as we weren't really watching, and I'm sure they would have changed it back had we asked. :) read more

Seems like a fun place. Lots of surfing motif; surfing on large TV's and great old school booths. Service was great, greeted with a smile and server's attentive. That's why I did give three stars; but they fell down on the food department. I ordered Cobb salad, husband ordered chicken sandwich and our granddaughters ordered nachos and junior burger. Well, my husband sent chicken sandwich back because the chicken tasted tainted, my salad tasted like a pre made on the shelf of convenience store type, nachos tasted stale, and our youngest granddaughter junior burger was dry and bun stale tasting. We did enjoy the strawberry lemonade and beer. We usually stay away from chain restaurants and this is the reason why, usually lacking in flavor. So I guess this is on our do not return list. read more

Islands Restaurant - Happy Hour - Burgers Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

Islands consistently nails it! Solid all around!! Delicious quality food and drink options (burgers, salads, fries, appetizers, desserts, tacos, substitutions, kids meal options, etc), endless summer vibes, welcoming staff, happy hour specials, and plenty of indoor and outdoor seating! I'm a huge fan and have been back many times! The service is top notch - responsive, accurate, and speedy! The casual and fun ambiance is wonderful. See you again soon! read more

See all

I brought my younger siblings here because they'd completed the summer reading program at the local library. They all earned a certificate for a free kids meal. They were excited to come in and chose to sit at the high booth. They excitedly ordered their kids drink, meal and at last... dessert! My siblings were a little distracted by the tvs everywhere so it was a bit difficult to have a conversation with them. Staff were friendly and kept checking in on us. I ordered the unending chicken tortilla soup, the first bowl is huge. Then each bowl after is a small bowl. Good food and big portions. It wasn't too busy, overall chill vibes. read more

Islands Restaurant - Only photo I took... our dessert lol - Burgers Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Amazing place for lunch/happy hour! Lunch Patty melt with onion rings were delicious. Plus they have Topa Topa on tap! read more

Islands Restaurant - Lunch Patty Melt with onion rings - Burgers Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

This is a primary go-to for my friends when we want consistently well-prepared food and excellent service. There is ample parking, indoor and covered outdoor seating. Manager James goes out of his way to make sure we are happy. If something needs to be tweaked he takes care of it PRONTO and with a smile. Tell him Ruth sent you if you go. Pictures are of the China Coast salad. After writing this review and seeing my pictures again, I have to order it now! It's great for two or three meals... well, at least 2! read more

See all

Usually not a fan of chain restaurants, but man this one's legit. Food is good, service is great, and ambiance is the beach vibe that can put anyone in a great mood. The GM, Bailee, came out to check on us and was she INCREDIBLE. As a business owner, I know people like that are hard to find. Idk what comes after GM but she should be IT! read more

Catch a wave, catch a wave, when you're dining in Santa Barbara. Borrowed from The Beach Boys, Islands has many Hawaiian and surf inspired burgers and entreés that brings the tropical energy to your dining experience. Never miss a chance to dine and celebrate at Islands. read more

Good place to go to for a burger/sandwich and fries! Service was really nice and accommodating. I ordered the huli huli chicken sandwich with a gluten free bun and onion rings. Sandwich was good, I just found a hair in my sandwich and they gladly remade it. Their onion rings are nice and crispy, and the ranch is really good here. Love a good ranch! For anyone gluten free, they have a special separate gluten free menu! For anyone that remembered Islands for their bottomless fries, they discontinued that unfortunately. read more

Islands Restaurant - Moa Crisp - Burgers Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

Vegetarian friendly options! I go for the china coast salad without chicken. but my new favorite is the Kiluaia with a veggie patty. I love the black pepper patty and onion smalls Inside! I top it off with onion rings. Clean and easy place to eat. read more

Islands Restaurant - Truffle fries - Burgers Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

Great food, even better service! Owen was great, accommodating all our various needs and answering every question patiently. We enjoyed the background music and decor. read more

Good food, great staff. I just wish portions were smaller. I also wish they didn't use mixed field greens in their salads - cause I have an allergy. read more

So glad I tried it here. Best burger I have had in a long time! Looking forward to going there again next time I am in SB

This place is awesome!! Went for the first time and was really impressed by the service at the bar. The bartenders were both very attentive and made great drinks! The drinks were very reasonably priced and were well made. The only food I had were the french fries and they were hands down some of the best I've had! Very cool neighborhood vibe with a tropical theme. Check it out! read more

4 for lunch today, 3 burgers and a patty melt. Hawaiian Burger with teriyaki and grilled pineapple was great...large and messy, but very good flavor. Fries were a little oversalted. Decent beer selection. Two of us had Firestone DBA. Service was excellent and attentive. Parking is easy, atmosphere is clean and pleasant. read more

We went here for a birthday party. I did enjoy the wings and regular fries. I would not recommend their burgers. The service was great. It was cool that our whole group was able to fit in the large corner booth. I think the kids menu is great. So if you have little ones I think this is a good place to take them as they also have like coloring pages and crayons which not all places have. read more

See all

Another yummy meal @ Islands after watching a great high school baseball win! Sophie took great care of us -- make sure she's your server

Good variety the burgers and fries were so good. The service so friendly. The seating was right away .

I love this place!! The prices cannot be beat and the food is great if you know what to order (the China Coast Salad is awesome). Even though it is a "corporate" restaurant, the employees (i.e. the bartenders) are the best. They are friendly, as accommodating as they are allowed to be, and they are GORGEOUS!! Wonderful personalities and cute butts!!! read more

I had some issues ordering on Door Dash and called Islands for assistance. I spoke with the manager, Bailee, and she was SO kind and SO helpful. She went above and beyond to make sure I got my order and that it was correct & warm. Very thankful! UPDATE: I actually wrote the first part of this review before my order even got here- I trusted Bailee that much. Not only did she come through with my order as expected, she gave me EXTRA FOOD FOR LEFTOVERS! (Context: Door Dash cancelled my initial order for an unknown reason after Islands had already started making it. Bailee called me back to update me and suggested I reorder). She had the kitchen re-make my initial order so the food would be warm upon delivery. This queen went to BAT for me VS Door Dash and then gave me EXTRA food. Sending all the best vibes to the team at Islands read more

Islands Restaurant - Burgers Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I liked the chili cheese fries onion rings I I think they have them. IWatch Rocky Kanaka!!on YouTube

I came out here to do a repair and found the manager very friendly and generous. First off, the restaurant is easy access from the 101 freeway and once you come in it becomes scenic. I wanted something somewhat healthy, so I ordered a BLT. Wow, the best BLT I've ever had, came with a wheat bun, cheese, thick bacon, lettuce, tomato and I didn't pay attention to the dressing but wow, really good. I also had freshly made onion rings, another wow! Its rare to find great tasting onion rings. All I can say is I wish we had a Islands Restaurant in out town. read more

See all

Islands is nostalgic for me because I grew up going to the original location in West LA, but I remember it being so much better!! You can always count on getting seated right away at the La Cumbre location which is one of the pros. It's a fun environment and very clean. Service was wonderful - our server consistently checked on us and the manager also was going around to tables. Unfortunately the food lacked flavor. The artichoke dip and chips were a bit bland; we asked for an extra sauce for the wings and they could have been crispier; the tacos also could have also used extra sauce and were missing flavor (these were my favorite at the original location and packed with flavor). Probably won't come back for dinner but I have been here for happy hour which is great - delicious drinks at great prices! read more

See all

We've given them a try several times, and we always leave with the same opinion: This is just an overpriced burger joint. You pay more for the atmosphere than you do for the food. On our last visit the fries were cold and bland, and the burgers were average. The salads are good, though, and the drinks are decent. The service was polite and attentive, no complaints there. Santa Barbara is full of places serving a gourmet burger, so I doubt we'll give Islands any more chances to impress us. read more

See all