Island Grill — Restaurant in Houston

I receive many recommendations as to where I should eat a hamburger. While most point me to a likely burger spot, occassionally one comes out of left-field. A recent random suggestion was Island Grill Mediterranean Restaurant. With several in town, I chose their Bellaire location.

This unassuming strip-center family cafe offers 3 burger options - Certified Angus Beef Burger, Buffalo Burger, and Turkey Burger. I walked up to the counter, placed my order for the "Certified option", and went to my table to await its arrival. Unsure of what I would be eating, how it would look, feel, or taste, my expectations were not high. After all, how good could a burger taste from a restaurant focused on Mediterranean specialties, smoothies, and juices? Well, I was surprised that the burger was much better than my low-expectations.

The burger was brought to my table by one of their friendly staff. As usual, I cut it in half, and I immediately encountered steam coming from one of the juiciest looking hamburger patties I had ever seen. The cheese melted evenly over the patty, with leafy lettuce, sliced onions and mayoniase gracing the nicely grilled whole wheat bakery bun. This looked quite good, and as impressed as I was with the steam from the heat, I wondered if the taste would match.

First bite taken - quite good. Hot, juicy, and nice flavor. This was just a good simple burger on quality meat, prepared cooked-to-order. The bun, while grilled/toasted, was soft, fluffy, and full of sweetness. And, I enjoyed every bite that followed. While I do not consider this a burger destination, I would not discourage you from ordering one at...

I tried Island Grill for the first time today after seeing rave reviews on TikTok, and I can confirm the chicken pita lives up to the hype. It was light yet filling, with tender, juicy chicken, perfectly sautéed mushrooms, and a savory garlic sauce that wasn’t overpowering. It was honestly one of the best pitas I’ve had in a while.

Unfortunately, the front counter experience soured the visit. The cashier who took my order (curly hair, glasses) was surprisingly rude and curt—so much so that as soon as my partner and I sat down to wait for my food, we looked at each other like, “What just happened?” It was a weirdly hostile interaction for no reason, which left us both feeling uncomfortable. The entire time she was taking my order she glared at me without looking away. If looks could kill, my family would be planning my funeral right now. Her attitude was so odd and out of place, I’m not sure what caused her hostility as I just said “hi” and placed my order.

Food-wise, this place is a gem. I’d happily come back for another chicken pita, but I hope management can address the service experience to match the quality...

Island grill is a beautiful restaurant, but the food just doesn't live up to the hype or its pricing. The smoothies are great though!

Vibe: The interior and patio area was really nice. Service was great. Parking was tough as there are not a whole lot of spots dedicated to the island grill.

Food: If you have never had Mediterranean food before and/or are a picky eater, this could be a good introduction to the cuisine as they have the dishes but with only about 1/4 of the authentic flavor. If you have had legit Mediterranean food, do not come here as you will be sorely disappointed. We tried the gyro platter, reuben sandwhich, and caesar salad. The pita was dry and stale and the gyro was bland. The pastrami was also bland, sauerkraut did not have any real acidic punch, and the thousand island sauce was weak. Fries were good. The caesar salad was basic romaine with caesar dressing - kinda small and nothing special, but cost about $13. We did try a smoothie and it was great! The free soft serve is...