Isla Grand Restaurant — Restaurant in Pleasant Hill

Review: Isla Grand Restaurant - A Taste of the Philippines with Room for Improvement

Stepping into Isla Grand Restaurant feels like a nostalgic journey back to a traditional Filipino eatery in the heart of the Philippines. With a diverse menu featuring infused Filipino dishes, the flavors are vibrant and unique, offering a delightful culinary experience for those craving a taste of home or an introduction to Filipino cuisine.

We opted for the boodle fight style, a communal dining experience that's both fun and immersive. The kawali lechon was a standout, with its crispy skin and flavorful meat, satisfying any craving for this Filipino classic. Another favorite was the bisket brisket, rich in flavor and perfectly complemented by the sweetness of caramelized onions.

The pancit palabok, while decent, leaned too heavily on the sauce for our liking, overshadowing the delicate balance of flavors usually expected. The crab fat with prawns was visually appealing but fell short in execution. The sauce didn't cling well to the prawns, making it messy and difficult to enjoy. The dish's strong fishy smell detracted from the overall experience, leaving it as an "okay" option rather than a must-try.

Service was the most significant drawback of our visit. We faced long waits before receiving any attention from the staff. While the servers were friendly once they arrived—one even lightening the mood with a recommendation for a Filipino movie—the delays were hard to overlook. The halo-halo, a beloved Filipino dessert, was underwhelming, lacking the authentic touch that makes traditional versions so cherished.

The atmosphere was bustling, reflecting the restaurant's popularity, but also underscoring the need for more staff to handle the crowd efficiently. On a brighter note, the separate bar area with karaoke adds a lively element for those looking to extend their evening.

In summary, Isla Grand Restaurant offers a good selection of Filipino dishes with some hits and misses. With more attentive service and slight adjustment to a few dishes, it could easily become a top destination for Filipino cuisine enthusiasts. As it stands, it’s a promising spot that needs refinement to earn a perfect rating....

Isla Grand – Outrageous Corkage Fee, Arbitrary Pricing & Deceptive Business Practices

Feb 22, 2025: We recently dined at Isla Grand, and while the food was decent, the experience was completely ruined by their dishonest corkage policy. We often bring our own wine to restaurants and are well aware of standard corkage fees—typically around $20-35 at fine dining establishments. Isla Grand, which is not fine dining by any stretch, charged us an absurd $60 for corkage!

What makes this even worse? They didn’t disclose this fee beforehand. They opened our bottle without mentioning the charge, and to our shock, we only found out when the bill arrived. Nowhere on their menu was this fee listed, making it clear they were making up the price as they went. This kind of arbitrary pricing is completely unacceptable.

To top it off, Raphael, the manager, clearly has no clue about standard corkage fees in the restaurant industry. When we questioned the outrageous charge, he was dismissive and unhelpful, showing a complete lack of understanding of what is reasonable and customary.

Not only is this deceptive business practice, but it also violates consumer protection laws that require businesses to provide clear and upfront pricing for services. This will definitely be reported to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and the local consumer protection agency for unethical and unfair business practices.

If you plan on bringing your own bottle, beware—or better yet, take your business elsewhere. Isla Grand’s shady practices aren’t worth the headache.

Corkage Fees in fine dining restaurants in the area:

Vada Vie Bistro and wine bar in Walnut Creek - $15 LB steakhouse in San Ramon $30 Benvenuti Ristorante in Walnut Creek -$15 Havana in Walnut Creek -$20 La Sen Bistro -$20 Vic’s in Martinez - no charge Dead Fish in Crocket - no charge Ruth Chris in Walnut Creek - $25

ISLA GRAND -...

This is a Filipino (Kapampangan to be exact) restaurant with popular filipino dishes. Most food were served in a creative traditional manner like the container of the rice brings back old memories of the Philippines, the sizzling sisig is really sizzling hot in the plate just like the ones I used to eat at sizzling places long time ago.

Food tastes good, most portion is right for the price, live band is also available on the other side of the place. It is easy to see staff as they are wearing the same uniform and everybody is polite and helpful.It is our first time to celebrate my mom's birthday. We went on a busy friday dinner. We had pansit bihon, sizzling pork sisig, lechon kawali and kare kare. My mom's order was originally Crispy kari karing pata, however we got one bowl kare kare vegetable and one plate crispy pata (2 different dish istead of 1). I may be wrong but that is how we perceive it. Waiting for the order also takes a while, like the person who just got there after us got their order right away (also sizzling).

Pork sisig- sizzling! the pork tastes different i can't describe, small portion Pansit bihon- mom loved it, good portion, not salty not bland Kare kare vegetable- small portion in a bowl, but sauce is delicious you can eat the rice just with the sauce itself Crispy pata- truly crispy and good portion, however extra payment to get a vinegar. Do people eat this without vinegar?

Spent $80 for two people with a lot of to-go boxes. Before you go out they have a bell you can ring if you are satisfied with your visit. This place is good for groups, family and friends, or even a date. Plenty of tables and chairs, parking is full and limited, not sure if all the time or only on busy times and days.

We will come back again as this place offers authentic filipino...