Islands Restaurant

3 ratings
$ • Restaurant
Reported to have a gluten-free menu
Reported GF menu options: Bread/Buns, Burgers
Safety Rating
2 ratings

As rated by the community

240 South Melrose Drive
Vista, CA 92081

Most Recent Reviews


Symptomatic Celiac

Overall Rating

Review


This establishment is not celiac safe at all. I spoke with the manager and they said there is a high risk of cc with their food and she advised me to eat somewhere else. Apparently, they no longer have a gf fryer etc.

Safety


How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Not at all

Quality & Quantity


Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Some

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Poor

Updated 1 year ago read full review

Celiac

Overall Rating

Review


I called ahead to confirm prep procedures and the manager assured me they had good protocols. when I got there I asked for a gf menu, not too many choices but I went about my way asking questions like normal especially because my server didn't know what gluten was. NO dedicated fryer so the fries and the chips were out. which meant half the gf menu wasn't actually gf. I ended up getting a lettuce wrap patty with tomato and guacamole. I did not have a reaction. But it might have just been luck and the fact that it was slow. But it was very sad to see that they didn't seem to know much about cc. mixed drinks are fantastic tho, good price.

Celiac friendly?

No

Updated 8 years ago read full review

Overall Rating

Review


I have been there twice now and had great experiences both times. The manager even came to our table to assure us he would make sure our food was prepared correctly.

Updated 10 years ago read full review

This establishment is NOT a dedicated gluten-free facility and may not be safe for those with celiac disease. Please contact the establishment directly to inquire about safety precautions.

Gluten-Free Features

  • Bread/Buns
  • Burgers
  • Gluten-Free Menu

Categories

  • Dinner
  • Lunch
  • Restaurant

Photos


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Reviews of this Chain

Symptomatic Celiac

Overall Rating

Review


went a few months ago and forgot to write the review. don’t do it. they swore up and down they took precautions but I still got violently ill. friend who’s asymptomatic was fine but still not safe.

Safety


How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Not at all

Quality & Quantity


Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Gluten-free items are marked on the main menu

Symptomatic Celiac

Overall Rating

Review


Lots of gluten free options on the menu. Had teh bacon cheese burger and fries which were both fantastic.

Went here on a busy Sunday night. Seated right away and rapid service for the order. Then nothing, took 15 minutes for the drinks to arrive. Food arrived on time, but we had to ask 3 times for drink refills before they arrived. We felt like we were on an island!

Great food and we had a great time otherwise.

Safety


How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Very

Safety Feature Ratings
  • Staff is knowledgeable and can answer questions
  • Dedicated gluten-free space in the kitchen
  • Dedicated gluten-free fryer

Quality & Quantity


Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Gluten-free items are marked on the main menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Good

Other


Other Characteristics
  • Good for dinner
  • Good for kids
  • Good for lunch
Symptomatic Celiac

Overall Rating

Review


Most excellent grilled chicken sandwich(bun ;-) opening time is 11:30am, not 11 as indicated by this site, will keep an eye out for this chain.

Safety


How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Very

Quality & Quantity


Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Gluten-free items are marked on the main menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Some

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Gluten Intolerant

Overall Rating

Review


Please PLEASE do NOT eat the specialty fries available even if it says GF on the menu. They’re in fact not. The waitress confirmed that they fry the fries in the same fryer they use for all other foods (including gluten). I did get a chicken sandwich on a gluten free bread. It was ok, but was just really disappointed about the fries.

Safety


How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Not very

Quality & Quantity


Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Gluten-free items are marked on the main menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Not Much

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Average

Celiac

Overall Rating

Review


I’ve eaten here multiple times without having issues, and I am quite sensitive. They continue to confirm that they have a dedicated fryer for all types of fries - regular and sweet potato. They once made a mistake with the GF bun on my burger, but the runner noticed before bringing it to the table and had them remake it right away (not just trying to swap out the bun). I had to wait 10 mins for a new sandwich, but they gave me fries to nibble, and I could tell they were remaking the whole thing, not just slapping a GF bun on the cross-contacted burger in order to be done. It was nice that they noticed their own mistake and just took care of it. Overall it seems like the management takes celiac seriously and trains the staff well.

Safety


How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Somewhat

Safety Feature Ratings
  • Staff is knowledgeable and can answer questions
  • Dedicated gluten-free fryer

Quality & Quantity


Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Gluten-free items are marked on the main menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Some

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Other


Other Characteristics
  • Good for dairy-free
  • Good for dinner
  • Good for keto
  • Good for kids
  • Good for lunch
  • Good for takeout
  • Good selection of healthy options
  • Good vegan options
  • Good vegetarian options
  • Offers outdoor seating

More Info