XQ'S Pizza, Bar, Grill — Restaurant in George Town

You know you’re in for a good time from the moment you walk in to XQs. No matter the time of the day or night, a beaming smile is guaranteed from one (or more!) of the wonderful team, no matter how busy they are. God forbid you’ve been off-Island for more than a week, the hugs make you feel more like family.

This is very much a locals bar, and the clientele are an eclectic mix of regulars at the bar, locals eating and guests from the nearby hotels looking for a truly Cayman experience.

On to the food. Having eating in or taken out likely more than 50 times, I’ve had the chance to sample a lot! The menu is a wonderful mix of local fare with Argentinian / Spanish / Brazilian touches, accompanied by a regularly changing specials menu.

Worthy of note is Sunday brunch, something of a cultural phenomenon in Grand Cayman. Whilst the big hotels do incredibly glitzy and impressive spreads, the menu here is more limited. However, this allows for experiencing local delicacies, perfectly cooked and served buffet items and a hugely competitive price point.

My latest visit was prompted by the manager of another local establishment telling me (in his own venue) that the lasagne at XQs is best on Island. A bold, and self-deprecating claim, but seems on tasting to be entirely true. Cooked in the impressive wood-fired pizza oven, the perfect amount of crispness to the pasta, a rich ragu and a topping of marina for the natural tomato sweetness. Utter perfection.

The drinks menu is comprehensive, all the normals on tap with a local and premium cocktail selection.

However, to return to the team here - they’re an absolute credit to the family business and a clear reason why XQs is one of the top spots on...

I had seen decent reviews for gluten free I was excited to try. Unfortunately when I arrived on a Sunday afternoon, we were first told that it was brunch and the only options were the all you can eat brunch or pizza. When I mentioned needing gluten free because of celiac, I was warned that there would be cross contamination. I understood from the menu warning that the pizza was cooked in the same oven, but was hopeful that safety precautions would still be taken.

This place uses a wood fired brick oven for their pizza. Although the gluten free pizza was cooked on a pan, it is prepared in the same area as wheat pizza, with the same ingredients. The pizza maker was not using gloves, and without washing his hands, he put all the ingredients on the pizza from the same bins that were used while he was touching wheat pizzas (so washing hands or using gloves would not have mattered anyway). Definitely not safe for anyone that must avoid gluten.

I cannot comment on gluten free pasta, since it was not available during brunch. I was just really disappointed that they used the disclaimer on the menu and the warning when ordering to just not take any precautions at all. Stay away if a gluten allergy or celiac and you planned on eating pizza.

For non-gluten members of the dining party, the pizza was very good. The service here was great, and everyone was attentive and very polite. The rating is mainly based on failure to take precautions so those with gluten intolerances can enjoy a meal with others that can eat wheat and because the online menu did not clearly state that it was not available at...

Listen guys, you HAVE to eat here. If you're anywhere on the island and you're craving pizza...get in the car immediately and head to XQ's.

From the moment we got there, greeted outside by a man who I assume is an owner or manager, it was a stellar experience from start to finish. Every single person employed here was smiling, friendly and helpful. We were sat promptly and our lovely waitress (Ivy) came to greet us. She started off by giving us pointers on how to score the best happy hour bang for our buck. We didn't even think about the perfect timing, we were just hungry! We ordered some drinks and a garlic bread appetizer. We knew if that was any indicator, we'd be in for a treat. And they did NOT disappoint! The pizza was delicious, each of our choices had ample toppings with incredible flavor. The crust alone is to die for. The beers and drinks were great as well! 👍

I read other reviews that the place was dated and not overly appealing to look at. We did not agree at all! It is charming, quirky and comfortable. The music is great too. And again, I can't say enough about the service. Absolute top notch service.

We'll be back for sure! Thanks to Ivy and the...