Island Soul Restaurant

Much better improvements compare to five years ago. I have been in the neighborhood for 22 years and frequent the Caribbean. Jerk chicken originates from Jamaica, and the jerk chicken here carried some flavor, but a bit dried. Another standards that Jamaica has was meat falling off the bones, but here due to volume maybe it’s not possible. Overall, the highlight are their Corn muffins, BBQ sauce, plantain, and cheesy fries.
Good: Friendly service, and food doesn’t take too long to come out. Their homemade ginger beer is worthwhile!
Bad: Meat should be more tender and falling off the bones.
Suggestions: more pictures on the menu and lowering the prices of the side dishes to $ 3 – 4
The last question is would I come back.
Maybe, brunch will be a different experience, but I will come back to read or write. It’s a good bar and place to get focus.

The food here is excellent, especially if you like soul food, catfish, chicken and waffles. Great vibe in here overall.
But the service is pretty sub-​par. I think they are severely understaffed. It took us 5 minutes to get seated, 10 minutes to get a waiter at the table, and over 30 minutes for our food to arrive. No reason a waffle should take this long.
The food was good enough for 4 stars, but I hope a manager reads this and considers hiring more staff.

Really great food, fun place, great service. About the best catfish I’ve ever tasted. A great choice.

I ordered the jerk chicken she said you are what you eat! This place was great! Nice location happy hour specials friendly staff. It took a little longer for my food to cook up than expected in guessing because they just opened but totally forth it. Go check this place out!

EXCELLENT service! First time here and I was impressed with the atmosphere and service. I went for brunch and the resturant was full. Our food came out quickly and the food presentation was great. I ordered the fish and grits. I can’t say that I enjoyed the fish. While the fish was well seasoned it had a fishy taste that I could not get beyond. The grits where okay. They had a chess sauce on them. I substitute home fries for the eggs. The home fries where hard and had no flavor.
My daughter ordered French toast and it was great!
Overall this is a great local restaurant with excellent service!

Takes you back to the Caribbean with the best rum selection and reggae tunes. Brunch was delicious. First time so anxious to return to try their full menu.

Today I came here with some girl friends… I will be back… we all got different things and kinda shared, Gumbo was excellent I will be back for that and the hush puppies with some really great sweet butter that the waiter brought for me. Mojitos were made perfectly… and the jerk chicken wings were also really yummy. We got some cream based dish with tofu which was not good, way to sweet. Also the rib tips were just okay but super cheap on happy hour alot of 3 $ selections. I want to try their chicken and waffles on hh and they had a good looking lamb burger on the happy hour menu too. Mac and cheese very rich 1 is more than enough to share I am glad we did not order too. The greens were a little sour for my liking and I love greens but wont be getting those next time. My only complaint would be that their should be more than one server with a full restaurant. We had to wait to order our food and drinks took a little long… our server was nice and seemed very knowledgable. But owner should know better letting one server do all of those tables and also playing the host as well.

3.5 Stars. The customer service was great! Habanero Wings are good but spicy! Only recommend to those who can eat spicy. There BBQ chicken was overly sauced and inside chicken was dry. But overall, decent place for food/​drinks.
Free coconut muffin if you Check in :)

Still our favorite spot for catfish! Unfortunately, they changed their menu around where the good sides don’t come with the plate and instead it’s either white (basmati) rice or rice and beans but the food is soooo good we can’t say no. Haha.
The wait staff are so friendly! We have definitely become regulars and they remember! Lol We will continue to come here for as long as their opened. We just wish they were closer (since we leave in Tacoma).

It’s amazing! The ox tail stew is amazing! I love it so much. I will definitely go again.

Amazing food!
Been here twice and both times we all order sides and appetizers so we can sample everything ands we always leave full and happy.
Definitely have the corn muffins, collard greens, seafood fritters and little islands.

Awesome atmosphere, food, feeling of great Soul Food definite found a gem in Columbia City! We thoroughly enjoyed our food and waiter «Jared» all in all a great time and we will DEFINITELY be back again! Thank you Island Soul Food for that awesome sampler plate and sweet tea mix!

Finally tried Island Soul, and everything I tasted was delicious. Started with a caipirinha, followed by the catfish and coconut corn muffins. The drinks were mixed just right, like the caipirinhas I had on the beaches of Brazil. The fish was lightly breaded and perfectly seasoned, but a little dry on the outside. The accompanying coconut rice and beans were moist and flavorful. But the coconut corn muffins really sealed the deal. I could tell they came straight out of the oven, and the flavor combination was brilliant. I want those every day of my life.
I do want to note that the restaurant can get pretty loud and sometimes the server can be difficult to catch. The food is also a bit pricy for the portions, but worth it overall. I’ll go for happy hour next time so I can try the other appetizers.

Ate here for brunch on a Saturday morning with a friend. With it being in Columbia City, there was only street parking so we had to walk a ways to get to the restaurant. Luckily most of the people in the area were more interested in Geraldine’s Counter so we got seated right away. The dining area wasn’t so big, which could’ve made it seem like everyone was talking really loud because I felt like I was yelling at my friend the whole time.
The first thing my friend and I did was check in on Unilocal for their free coconut corn muffin. It was so yummy! I love cornbread but adding coconut to it added a taste of sweetness to the whole mix. For a drink, I ordered the hibiscus tea mimosa. I felt like my drink was strong but it actually wasn’t too bad. I loved the sweetness of the tea though! I ordered the buttermilk waffles and fried chicken and my friend ordered the biscuits and gravy dish. The waffle felt like it was missing something, the powdered sugar it was sprinkled with helped a bit but still tasted bland. The fried chicken made up for it though, it was really hot and crispy! I love the flavor of the breading. I also liked that my dish came with oranges. My friend’s dish seemed like it was high in sodium, especially in the sausage. There wasn’t much gravy in his dish though.
I don’t know if this was because I was wearing new shoes but when I was walking to the bathroom, the ground seemed more slippery than in the dining area. I was being really careful about how I walked because I definitely didn’t want to fall but felt like I was going to. So that’s just something to look out for if you eat here.
Overall I had a pretty good experience here. Our waitress was nice and always checked up on us. I would try this place out again if someone I know really wants to try it out since this is out of my way. I do want to see what it’s like eating dinner here. I would give this place 3.5 stars if I could just because everything was okay, but for Unilocal I will give it 3 stars.

The menu has increased by 20% and you are now forced to pay for additional sides even with the already pricey entrée.
Island Soul you are driving away your core customers.

I am a long time Columbia city resident and frequenter of island soul. I LOVE their food, which is why it pains me to write a bad review. I went there with my mom last night because she was craving ribs. We got there and I had noticed they had revamped the menu prices and options (but no change to the offerings). Previously you could get your entrée of choice with 2 sides. I love the Mac and cheese and the collard greens. Now, you get a choice of plain rice or rice and beans. For 18 bucks. 18 BUCKS! And the sides are now 4, 5 or 6 dollars for the same portion. I asked the bubbly pleasant waitress about the menu change nicely, although as someone who works in the service industry, I was aware that she had probably been asked that question a bunch. Her attitude flipped instantly and she rattled off how «The prices of catfish have gone up, the prices of shrimp have gone up, the prices of crab have gone up, basically everything in the gumbo is more expensive and we haven’t raised prices in a year or more sooo… ill give you a minute with the menu.» And left us.
I brushed off the attitude change, because it’s annoying to answer the same negative question a million times, but her answer explained why the seafood selections were more expensive.
Here is where they lost me… I was ordering no seafood, nor was my mom. We are both highly allergic.
So now she has explained how we are paying more for things we will never eat, and we’re getting less than we ever did previously.
The 3 (yes, 3) ribs were good, the rice and beans were burnt and dry and inedible. It was a very expensive bummer meal from a restaurant I really loved.
The coconut corn muffins are TO DIE FOR. Do yourself a favor and go there and just get those ($ 4 for 2 mini muffins… insert eye roll here…)
Save your money, the prices just don’t make sense there anymore. I’m all for small local businesses, which is why I love frequenting them, but this felt like a thumb in the eye for years of loyal patronage.

Tonight, we craved for something new in our stomach, so the vote was to go trying out Soul Food since I’ve bookmarked every good place I’ve found on Unilocal.Thanks to fellow Unilocalers
We drove to Island Soul, which was a pleasant drive. Parking would have to be on the street because it’s part of Seattle, so what would you expect from Seattle? Parallel parking !
Anyway, the restaurant is located in a downtown-​ish area in Columbia City, Seattle, and this area consists of other restaurants and bars. We went inside and enjoyed the restaurant vibe right away. The atmosphere was quite loud, but the service was prompt. We ordered:
1) Habanero prawns for appetizer: woot! Those prawns were just spicy! Get ready to breathe fire through your mouth.
2) I ordered jerk chicken with regular white rice. He ordered BBQ ribs with rice & peas: the meats were perfect and tender. The white rice was so soft! I loved the way the grains just melted on my tongue.
3) Side orders of collard greens and mac&cheese: collard greens were yummy with the tangy taste. Not sure what happened to the Mac & Cheese because the noodles all broke and we could see butter extracting at the bottom of the bowl. You usually don’t see this unless you heat up the Mac & Cheese in the microwave.
4) I got a free corn muffin for check-​in! Yay! It was tasty! I let him finished the rest of the bread.
Will I come back? Sure! I may not want to order the Mac & Cheese again though! Definitely will want to try the cat fish and ox tails next!

Another great find in Seattle! This place is pretty happenin’ so expect to wait 20 – 30 min depending how many people you are with. The ambiance is great! The restaurant has nice décor that totally gives a Caribbean feel. But let’s cut to the chase ;)
FOOD:
Must try the Oxtail stew! Just do it you will be happy you did. Meat is tender and full of flavor! One friend ordered it at our table and 3 of us made sure to eat those leftovers! Oh and just a tip: the entrees are big enough for two depending on how much u eat.
Tostones were great! Not dry or too oily, they were fluffy on the inside and crisp outside. Oh and it comes with an awesome onion and garlic topping. I ate like half the plate and were supposed to be sharing … Oops: p #noshame
Calypso wings: flavor of the sauce was good and chicken was good, it wasn’t a star dish for me but it was still good
Goat curry w/​basmati rice: delicious. It comes with the bones so just make sure you are careful when eating it but I really enjoyed the dish. The flavor was good and meat was cooked well– nice and tender.
Corn/​coconut muffins: another MUST TRY. It’s like a hybrid of cornbread and coconut cake. The muffins are fluffy and moist you won’t regret the decision to order.
Rum Pound cake: I wish it were more moist and «rummy» it was ok. Not bad but nothing amazing for me either.
I’m totally gonna come back to try their fried chicken and waffles and fried Tilapia

Love, love love love me some Island Soul! Where to begin…
Food: Exceptional. A little piece of the Caribbean that makes my soul cry! Seattle doesn’t have a strong Caribbean food scene, however Island Soul represents very well. The food is hearty and full of flavor, with decent size portions. Once it’s all gone, you’re left wanting to try more with the little room you have left in your stomach. I’m a HUGE fan of their catfish– the fish is breaded and seasoned perfectly and is paired well with their macaroni and greens. Oy, the macaroni and cheese… too good. I went their for brunch once, and was satisfied with their waffles and Rasta bowl– delicious! The happy hour menu is legit too– lots of options to choose from. Overall, the menu does not disappoint with its wide variety of dishes, so whatever you decide, you’re leaving full and happy!
Drinks: Great rum selection! My go to drink is the Sister Nancy– not too sweet, right amount of citrus, and a solid amount of booze. The bartenders know their stuff, and are more than willing to make any modifications to your drink of choice. For those take prefer other drinks than rum, they serve a decent menu of beers/​wines.
Service: I am very impressed with the overall service of Island Soul. I’ve heard in the past their were some issues with customer service, however that doesn’t seem to be the case now. Staff are friendly and attentive, making sure your experience is top notch. The owner will sometimes come out and greet the patrons, or even better, if it’s your birthday, he and his staff will have the whole place singing to you (it puts the Red Robin birthday chant to shame). Always a great time with the Island Soul crew!
The space has a cool feel to it– I recently went in and saw that they remodeled the place– the bar is now longer (whoohoo more seating!) and the restaurant area seats a tad bit more than before. Depending on what time you arrive there, parking might be complicated– it’s street parking, so whether you arrive right at the opening, or towards closing time, parking can be hit and miss. Other than that, you’re in for a good time!

FOOD
Flavorful and delicious. Can’t go wrong with any option. You just can’t. The jerk chicken and black beans are especially tasty.
DRINKS
Large selection of rums! Don’t go home without a few tastings. It’s rad they have more uncommon alcohols (like cachaca) too.
SERVICE
In general, the servers seem pretty average. The bartender, however, is exceptional! He knows what he’s doing and gives individualized service with a smile. Above and beyond. He’s quite possibly the best multitasker I’ve ever witnessed.
AMBIANCE
Sitdown is close to others but I’d be comfortable alone, with friends, or on a date. At the bar, there are TVs that the bartender will change to the station you’d like to watch.

It was our first time me and my friend came here. I had the sweet tea, Caribbean jerk chicken with collard greens and smashed yams. My friend had the island BBQ chicken with macaroni & cheese and collard greens. Everything was delicious!
We came in at 1:30pm on a Saturday and it wasn’t busy until we were finished! More people starting to come for dinner but worked out for us because the wait for the food was great! We didn’t have to wait long and the free coconut corn muffins for checking in was also a plus!
Parking: there’s lots of street parking but there’s also a parking lot which is the Columbia City Public parking that is $ 1 an hour that is located between Rainier and Ferdinand and 39^th ave and Ferdinand. Literally across from Rookies Sports Bar!

This restaurant is superb.
Street parking only, sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don’t…it’s worth it.
Staff has consistently been friendly and helpful. You are made to feel very welcome here.
Seafood Fritters are an EXCELLENT way to start the meal, they are light and delicious.
I have eaten the oxtail stew, the gumbo, and the Island Soul BBQ chicken. All the food has been flavorful, spicy without being «hot» and tasty as all getout… can’t pick a favorite.
Check it out and see for yourself why this is a highly rated restaurant and has a long list of regulars.

There aren’t too many Caribbean restaurants in the Seattle area and our brunch here definitely hit the spot. I had the shrimp and grits and my friend had the ham and eggs.
The shrimp and grits were a great mix of buttery, spicy goodness topped with perfectly cooked shrimp. Additionally, the prices here are good and it’s nice yet down-​to-​earth. I would definitely come back here for brunch!

Caribbean food isn’t usually my thing, I think it’s because I never really had it and from what people have told me that Caribbean food is spicy. I can’t handle a lot of spice so I just never shown interest.
Boy, I’ve been missing out big time! I went to Seattle for a little vacation to visit my cousins who live here. They took my husband and I to this place. We waited for 20 minutes and I was starving!
I checked in on Unilocal and received my free famous corn muffin! Holy canoli! That was delicious. It was light and delicate. It also had a hint of coconut. After eating that corn muffin, I ordered a couple more!
We ordered the Jamaican parties, an order of chicken and an order of beef. Man! That put my mouth on fire! It was so spicy. Good, but spicy. It’s just not for me.
My main entrée, I ordered the oxtail stew with a side of Mac & Cheese and a side of rice. The oxtail was so tender that it just fell off the bone! The rice with the stew had a ton of great flavors. Great combination! As for the Mac & Cheese, what can go wrong? It’s Mac & Cheese!