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Dhat Island Caribbean Creole Cuisine
Categories: Restaurants Cajun/Creole Restaurants Caribbean Event Planning & Services Caterers Cajun/Creole, Caribbean, Caterers [Edit]
509 N Eureka StRedlands, CA 92374
(909) 792-1717
- Hours:
Tue-Fri 11:30 am - 3 pm
Tue-Thu, Sat 5 pm - 9 pm
Fri 5 pm - 9:30 pm
Sat 8:30 am - 12 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
164 reviews for Dhat Island Caribbean Creole Cuisine
Review Highlights
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"I had red beans and rice with it and they were great." In 29 reviews -
"Bourbon chicken was glazed to perfection and moist." In 44 reviews -
"Her sweet plantains were her favorite item." In 30 reviews
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164 reviews in English
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Review from Michael L.
Colton, CA
5/7/2012 2 Check-ins Here
This place is fantastic! We got here at about 7:00 pm on a friday and it was already full. Had we arrived another 15 mins later the wait would've been over half an hour. As I'm writing this review at my table while waiting for my appertizer to be served I noticed there are probably over ten people waiting to be seated. Naturally, our food was slow to come out but I didn't mind because I've been here before and know their food is pretty great. I had the Turkey Leg dinner, which can be found in the Specialty section of the menu. Needless to say, I was pleased with my meal.
However, I'm so bummed they stopped serving breakfast on Saturday mornings. I enjoyed their breakfast offerings and choice of music. It was the best way to start off the day. Oh well, all good things must come to an end sooner or later. -
Review from S R.
Redlands, CA
5/19/2012
The food was pretty good, but didn't live up to the hype on Yelp. The ox tail was moist and tender. The creole chicken was tender also and fairly flavorful.
They need to improve on the service a bit. We waited too long to get drinks, but the owner showed up and got our drink order.
The dessert menu looked pretty good but when we inquired about dessert, they only had two items, neither of which sounded appealing so we passed.
We will give them another try because of the food. -
Review from D K.
Sacramento, CA
4/25/2012
I have had the unfortunate opportunity to go here only once while visiting family. Since, I have been looking for anything that compares in the Sacramento area to NO AVAIL! If I could transplant this place I would.
I ordered the Dhat Bourbon Chicken which was fabulously flavorful. Since it was my first time I was delighted to try each of their 2 plantain choices and sauces. Of course we had to get the beignets afterward- and let me tell you I have not forgotten about those puppies. They're worth ordering to-go, and the only reason not to eat the whole box at once is because you're full.
If you have never tried Caribbean food before, I suggest making this place the target of your debut. -
Review from ruggy j.
4/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
Wow, what a little find off of Highway 10 in Redlands! There were plenty of Carl's Jrs, Bob's Big Boys, and Del Tacos to stop off at for a quick nibble... but why settle for mega faux food when you can dine like a local at Dhat Island?
Who knew there was a spot for Caribbean Creole in the middle of Riverside County? Certainly not me, and it was quite the lovely surprise. Red beans + rice, jerk chicken, and other regional staples abound, and the amount of food you receive for the price is absolutely absurd. I could have eaten the loaded baked potato for 5 days straight and been satisfied.
Their lunch menu only has about 1/2 of what the dinner menu boasts, so prepare to have many of your desirables turned down if you're dining before the sun sets to the west. -
Review from Stephanie S.
Redlands, CA
5/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Terrible service. Good food. The food makes up for the service. The owner is great and smooths things out but service is incredibly frustrating. With that said I will be back on a week night when it is not so busy. The food is that good.
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Review from Marly F.
Loma Linda, CA
4/13/2012
I do not even know where to begin.
I grew up in a Caribbean household (Haitian), so I had this type of food pretty much every night for dinner growing up. Since moving out here in August for school, I never had time to cook it for myself, and was definitely missing my mom's food. The only place that I knew of that sold Caribbean food was in LA, and I wasn't too keen on driving an hour just for food, no matter how much I craved it.
Well one fateful day in November, I made a wrong turn on my way to pick up my friend from her hair appointment. It must have been divine intervention, because I saw the Haitian flag hanging on the front of their building and I could have cried. I immediately came back home and looked it up online, and lo and behold, they did serve Haitian food!
Now I must admit I was a bit apprehensive when I walked into the restaurant. There is a large Caribbean population back on the east coast where I'm from, so I did not think this place could even live up to my standards. After all, I did eat this food a lot as a child, from my mom, my family, friends, and the other Haitian restaurants.
Now going through the menu, I did notice that the food wasn't only Haitian cuisine, but there were more options that were named by their traditional Haitian names.
So after all that back story, let me get to the point. Their food is the bomb dot com. I was extremely impressed. I had the goat curry with red beans and rice, and I nearly died from pleasure. Goat was nice and tender, and seasoned well with the right amount of heat. My friend had the chicken with white rice and black beans, and it was really good too. The staff was really nice, and the owner came over to talk to us. I think he thought we were on a date because we were dressed up and had our hair done, but it's only because we were going out later that night haha.
We also had the beignets. OMG heaven in some fried dough. There is a lot of powdered sugar, so be careful because it gets everywhere.
This place hands down deserves 5 stars. Yes parking is horrid, but I'm judging this place based on quality of food, not how convenient parking is. -
Review from Amy H.
San Leandro, CA
5/10/2012
I went there on a recent trip. I had the bourbon chicken, which was awesome! I really liked the red beans and rice. I preferred the green plantains that my boyfriend had over my sweet plantains. The beignets were the perfect way to end the meal!
I was really nervous after reading about the wait time for meals, but I was there when it was very busy, and that wasn't a problem at all. -
Review from Melani S.
Loma Linda, CA
4/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
I didn't know what to expect because it looks like a hole in the wall, but it's actually really cute and the food is so good! I got the Dhat chicken which is a grilled chicken breast that was so tender and flavorful. It came with red beans and rice and a combo of green and sweet plantain. I literally cleaned my plate it was so good.
For dessert I tried the cake with banana and coconut with cream cheese frosting. It was just ok; the flavor of banana really overwhelmed the cake and the frosting was not the best cream cheese frosting.
Overall the ambiance, food, and friendliness of the staff was great and I'll definitely be eating here again. -
Review from Stephen K.
Redlands, CA
5/15/2012
Definitely an underwhelming experience as this place is extremely overrated. The goat curry I ordered featured more bones than meat--I don't think there could have been more than two ounces there. Service is also disorganized and glacial in pace, taking nearly a half-hour just to deliver the first course. The waiter/owner offered blandishments instead of informed advice in response to our queries. This place reminds me of an overpriced Caribbean tourist trap unleased from its moorings and left marooned in the heart of the Inland Empire.
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Review from Ethan N.
Colton, CA
2/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
I came here when this place first opened and have been back periodically over the last couple of years. They've added some new menu items and changed up the vibe a bit. Neither for the worse, but not necessarily for the better.
So first of all, if you haven't tried this type of food before I recommend going for that reason alone. It's delicious, hearty, soulful, and has a lot of unique flavors. This restaurant is a great example of the craft and you owe yourself the chance to try it at least once.
The best food I've had here are the staples.
-Dhat chicken: Well marinated, though sometimes dry. Comes with amazing sauce. My usual go to dish.
-Bourbon chicken: Different spin, different flavors. More robust to be sure. Some people like this one better.
-Oxtail: If you like oxtail this dish is awesome. If you don't like oxtail ... "steer" clear (See what I did there? I'm so clevar).
-Goat curry: If you haven't tried goat, this is a great opportunity to do so. It's a bit like lamb but quite unique and certainly flavorful.
Every dish is served with red beans and rice (recommended) or white rice and black beans. You can get sweet plantains (recommended) or green plantains which are quite like potatoes really.
The desserts overall are just okay with the exception of beignets which are damn good. They really push you to get them, but I say just give in. They're warm, fluffy, and soul-satisfying. The only problem is that they come with a metric ton of powdered sugar on them that gets everywhere on your face and pants and creates more than a few opportunities for immature jokes to be made at your expense.
One thing to note, parking is tricky and you have to park down the street a half block in a Napa auto parts parking lot. The fact that they have stayed in business with such an awful location should tell you something. -
Review from Tom W.
Yucaipa, CA
4/6/2012
My wife and I ate here last week and we absolutely loved it. Everything we tried was awesome - especially the sweet plantains! Definitely come here.. you won't be disappointed with either the food or the great service!
...however, it's a shame for this business that they are located in an undesirable location without nearby parking.. so be prepared for that. But, again, the food and the service is worth this not so minor inconvenience. -
Review from Brittany C.
Loma Linda, CA
5/3/2012 2 Check-ins Here
What's not to love about this place? The food is out of this world and it's nice trying new things. Our usual server (Hillary) is always fun and helpful when it comes to picking items to try. The atmosphere is so cultural and fun. The meatballs and bourbon chicken are to die for!!! And the food makes even better left overs. Try this place! You won't regret it.
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Review from Randy N.
Loma Linda, CA
4/3/2012
Hey guys, this is a great little spot in Redlands. Unique cuisine that I have found very flavorful each time I have been. Friendly staff and owner walks the floor interacting with customers. Bring your own bottle of wine for a small corkage fee. Finish your meal off with their most excellent beignets. Enjoy.
Parking is limited doubling with Napa Auto Parts... -
Review from Jacquelyn P.
Los Angeles, CA
3/6/2012 9 Check-ins Here
The only place in Redlands and it's surrounding areas that offers truly unique and delicious food. When people visit from out of town, this is the only place I take them too, as it is the only place I feel offers EXCEPTIONAL food in the area.
I've had every single vegetarian item on the menu, with nothing that comes up short in any regard. Everything is so good in fact, that this is one of the few places on earth where I really have to rotate what I get because I cannot choose a favorite, they are all so so well prepared.
The desserts are all phenomenal as well, with the Beignets and Caribbean cake being my favorites.
On top of offering some of the most flavor dense food I've had, the value is incredible. Every time I get the bill I make the shocked face, followed by the pleasantly surprised face, and always finishing with a happy face. :) Sometimes a sad face when I realize it's all over, but then a happy face again when I realize this is the only place that makes me this happy without having to drive an hour or more back home. Yes I drive to LA to eat.
Oh and Bob Marley's sweet voice gracing your ears during it all doesn't hurt either. -
Review from Wendy B.
We have been here once before, in 2010 for lunch. And today it was lunch again. A great decision, since it was late enough for the lunch crowd to be gone and we had the owner serving us. Cool. My only sadness was that lunch menu was missing a couple of interesting entrees that I was interested in. That was quickly quelled by our ultimate choices:
Caesar side salad: Excellent. Yummy croutons and a really good dressing. $4.95
Creole Salmon: Fresh, tender and moist. The pieces were maybe a bit small (i.e. none to take home) but still the best parts of the fish - i.e. Belly - with a delicate herbal marinade, grilled to perfection, and a side of creole sauce. Yum. I chose a side of white rice and black bean sauce. Good choice! $14.95
Oxtail: A beautiful, fall off the bone stew with a flavorful gravy. Definitely a winner. Mr. B's side was red beans and rice. $14.95
Caribbean cake: a nicely moist spice cake with a cream cheese, coconut and pecan frosting. Large enough to share with no regrets. $4.95
So, the only thing that I can even come up with as "not perfect" is the parking situation. Not the most desirable of locations for a restaurant since they do not have their own parking lot. And you cannot easily pull up to the curb and let someone out as you will be blocking an active lane of traffic. You must park half a block away and walk. And.....so what? It ain't gonna kill you. You've parked further to go to Costco.
But don't even let that discourage you. There is talk of moving to a more spacious, customer friendly place sometime in the near future. That's great, and it means this 3-year-old restaurant has done an excellent job of surviving against the odds. Meanwhile, don't hold your breath! Go with the flow, OK? Your patronage can help make that happen!
Sorry it took so long to return. The food is great here, service was attentive, the owner is a prince, and we hear the evenings are lively with entertainment. Guess we will definitely be returning for the dinner experience.
This place comes highly recommended!Listed in: Pastries to die for, Fresh Seafood, South of the Border
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/23/2010
My husband and I wander the map for good places to eat, and oftentimes point our noses in the… Read more »
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Review from Jacqueline G.
Westminster, CA
3/7/2012
I was curious about this place and decided to give it a try. Boy was I happy I did. I had the Dhat chicken and it had lots of flavor and I wanted more :). My boyfriend had the curry lamb. I had a few bites of his food and the lamb was very moist and tasty.
We ended it with beignets and they were too die for! -
Review from Brent J.
Perris, CA
5/4/2012
Party of six, waited for about 7-8 minutes to be seated, no problem. Seated and then sat and waited for anyone who worked there to even acknowledge our presence for 15 minutes before the entire table walked out. I don't care how good your food is, in a service industry that is completely unacceptable. Oh well, their loss, went to Eureka burger about 100 yards away and dropped $125 and a fat $35 tip for the good service and an incredible Bison burger. Will not go back to DHAT MESS.
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Review from Kelvin C.
The Caribbean food here was pretty decent. The chicken, rice, and beans I had were smoky and flavorful, definitely a good dish to eat. The seafood gumbo was overall okay, although it had so much heat to the dish that it kind of took away the natural smoky flavor you're supposed to get from a gumbo. The crab they used was not very fresh and didn't appeal to me at all...kind of like chewing on rubber.
Service was good as the chef even came out and asked us how the meal was going. One bad part is that the outside of this restaurant is pretty ghetto. Make sure that you've got eyes on the back of your head in case someone decides to rob you.
3 stars for a solid restaurant. -
Review from Elise P.
Redlands, CA
1/13/2012
I am a fan!
Good things: Goat Curry, Dhat Chicken, black bean sauce and white rice, red beans and rice, Sweet plantains, I also give them a plus for offering Coke products! The beignets were out of this world, with rasberry sauce. They could give Cafe du Monde in N.O. a run for their money. Will def be back for them!
So-so things: Slow service, terrible part of town, no parking lot. I parked in the Napa car parts place parking lot next door (which is allowed after 6pm). Other than that, I would have to park on the street. We are talking sketchy area, complete with train tracks, tumbleweeds, etc.
The atmosphere was clean, and had cheery paint, wall decorations, birds of paradise/palm tree decor, reminiscent ot the carribean. Minimal, but clean and pleasant. I would upgrade the music to match the decor (bring in more steel drums, or Harry Belafonte).
Will be back to taste other menu items. This is an easy, breezy, charming restaurant! -
Review from Lindsay B.
Riverside, CA
1/23/2012
We had the wonderful experience of eating at Dhat Island on Saturday. We were looking forward to it all day long. I'm glad we caught the Groupon for it when we did, otherwise we would have missed out on a gem of a restaurant in the IE.
We started with the Haitian patties for our appetizer. They had that wonderful filo pastry texture and the ground beef was wonderfully seasoned. We were sad when they were gone. In fact the family next to us thought their appetizers, the plantain patties, was so delicious that they ended up ordering a second serving.
My boyfriend and I were strategic in our entree ordering XD We both got the entrees that we wanted (I chose the bourbon chicken while he got the griyo - both of which were delicious!) but he got the red beans and rice and the green plantains while I got the black beans and rice and the sweet plantains. I think we figured out the best combination of the sides for the entrees: red beans and rice and the sweet plantains are the way to go ;) My chicken was wonderfully moist and flavorful, but I think my boyfriend made the better choice with the fantastically seasoned griyo (a double-cooked pork dish). I would definitely recommend both dishes, but even more so the pork.
And, of course, we couldn't leave without trying the much-talked-about beignets. I have to say that I enjoyed them more than those at Cafe du Mond in New Orleans and I liked those quite a lot. Definitely leave room for them. Next time we're going to try the Caribbean cake ;) -
Review from johnathon w.
Palm Springs, CA
1/12/2012
Way overrated.
Chicken was good, the red rice and beans were undercooked and the rice was hard. The waitress was very ghetto, dropped check and didn't say a word. The mango tea was bland, and the desert wasn't that good.
The decor is awful. The food is alright for what it is. I won't be back. -
Review from S W.
Yucaipa, CA
3/21/2012
-friendly atmosphere
-owner came out to greet us at our table
-recommendations were good (strawberry lemonade, hatian patties, oxtail, dhat chicken, dhat bourbon chicken). very unique flavors
its a great place to experience some new tastes and comes highly recommended! -
Review from Josie H.
10/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
I honestly have to say I gave four stars for the Beignets! They are simply delicious!!! However instead of the 4.95 listed on the menu, it cost us 10 dollars for the beignets!
Anyway, the downside to this place:
1.) limited parking spots
2.) the horrendous wait time. We had a reservation and we saw lots of empty seats and YET we still had to wait 15 minutes. Our orders took 20+ minutes.
Okay, enough complaining, onwards to the entree.
We got Dhat Bourbon Chicken with red beans and rice and the Creole Shrimp with black bean and rice and sweet plaintains.
Creole Shrimp, shrimp was good, but the spices overpowered my palette to enjoy the content of this dish. I am not a fan of the black bean and rice combination, however I truly LOVE the sweet plaintains. The only thing about is I wish it was a bit crispier.
Dhat Bourbon Chicken- I love the honey glaze on the chicken, however I was not sure if the Chicken was supposed to be a bit on the warm/cold side. It was definitely not hot and warm, and tasted like it was out for a bit before it was served. I enjoyed the red beans and rice a lot more because the it didn't overpower the senses, and matched greatly with the chicken.
Beignets- There were 10 of them in a basket, and we finished them ALL after our entree. Yes, we are two people with big appetites. We got the coconut creme and caramel sauce. The coconut creme tasted a bit like rum, and I could hardly taste the coconut in the sauce. However, the caramel sauce was a perfect compliment to the beignets. I have to say that the beignets is perfectly delicious without any dipping sauce. Beware, dipping sauce cost 1.75 extra after the first free one.
Overall, this is a good place to try, the Beignets were so good that I would just COME and eat the beignets lol. -
Review from Corrisa M.
Riverside, CA
1/20/2012
I was really surprised at what I found at Dhat Island..
The food was really pretty good.
(Side Note) If it wasn't for Groupon I would've never stumbled upon this great find in Redlands. The good reviews on Yelp pushed me over the edge to buy that Groupon special...and boy I'm glad I did!
*TIP*: If you come for *lunch* you'll have to find street parking or park a block a way and walk to the restaurant. This is because Dhat shares the lot with Napa but Napa claims the parking lot in front of their store.
If you come after 5pm or 6pm you can park in the Napa lot because the store is closed.
Now this restaurant isn't much to look at in the daytime and is easily missed just driving down the street. However at night the building is majestically pretty and hard to miss.The biggest blessing is that it's right off the freeway.
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Ambiance
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This restaurant captures the spirit of the Caribbean with its decor and Caribbean music playing in the background.
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The Service
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We were greeted immediately by the hostess who turned into our waitress (Hilary). She did a great job explaining the menu to us. An added plus was that one of the owners was there and he took the time to talk to us and other patrons. And yes he says he DOES read the Yelp reviews.
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The Food
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I heard so much talk of the beignets being so good that I made it the first thing I ordred off the menu. Problem is that I ordered the WRONG beignets! I ordered the Marinad beignets from the appetizer section. This is a chicken fritter served with some kind of sauce and spicy cabbage on top.
It was a little too doughy for me and wouldn't order it again.
For our main course I got the Creole Chicken which was melt-in-your-mouth delicious. The chicken (and even the bones) are real tender. I'm talkin' about chicken that is so moist and juicy that it just falls off the bone. It was very well seasoned.
I haven't been a fan of black beans or plantains...until I had them here. Dhat turns the black beans into a sauce and serves it with rice. Mmmm good.
They give you a choice of the sweet or green plantains when you order an entree. I got the mix of both kinds. The sweet plantains were good...I actually enjoyed eating them.
Now the green plantains on the other hand were plain tasting. It had no flavor at all. I definitely would not choose that again.
For desert I got the REAL beignets...the ones everyone was raving about. It's basically small donuts with powdered sugar sprinkled heavily on top. I really didn't care too much for them. It tasted funnel cake-like
The main reason we went to Dhat was to celebrate a friend's b-day. One of the cooks (possibly an owner?) came out of the kitchen to sing "Happy Birthday" to her in French no less. It was really sweet.
They gave her a piece of cake with a candle in the middle. I just had to taste the birthday girl's cake and when I did my mouth just exploded with a supreme deliciousness I could not ever express in words.
It was very soft and moist with a lemony taste to it. Looking at the menu it must've been the "Citrus Pound Cake". If I could taste heaven it would taste like that cake!
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Overall
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This was a very pleasant experience and can't wait until I return again and get some more of that Citrus Pound Cake:-) I recommend this restuarant especially if you're in the Redlands area. If you're outside this area, I would say this Dhat is worth the drive. -
Review from Jose T.
Loma Linda, CA
3/11/2012
Only place in redlands that serves good gumbo. I come back again and again for the gumbo. Strawberry lemobade also good. Good ambience. Definitely hit this place up.
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Review from Paul L.
Blue Jay, CA
Updated - 2/6/2012
Really excellent food reasonably priced and served efficiently by a friendly server in a nice surrounding.
Whenever I get a chance to eat at a restaurant that offers a different kind of menu, especially one that features an ethnic variety I have not had before, I relish the opportunity. This place, Dhat Island, was a treat! The food was plentiful and delicious. I had a stew or soup type dish which combined a little spiciness with lots of ingredients to make a wonderful meal.
My wife's meal was also a bit spicy, but she is very sensitive to spiciness and usually can't take much, and she found this was just about right for her tastes. She also had ample portions and left some on the plate when we finished. We also shared a dessert--beignets with chocolate on the side--and these were fantastic. I mean FANTASTIC! I first had beignets in New Orleans and have not since then had ones which were anywhere as good as the I had there in New Orleans, but these were even better. They come is one of two sized portions, and even though we shared the smaller portion, it was plenty for us. If you have never had beignets or have only had the ones you ate in New Orleans if you were lucky enough to visit there, these are exactly what beignets are supposed to taste like. The meals are wonderful, but be sure to save room for these when you eat.
Combined with a great main course and the opportunity to enjoy a type of ethnic experience not found in too many places, eating beignets here makes for a perfect dining adventure.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/7/2011
Well, of course, I have to start by saying that the Beignets (8 for $4.95) were at least as good as… Read more »
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Review from Meena N.
9/27/2011
Random restaurant on the street and it's open at weird times but this place is amazing. Expect to stay a few hours here because the food takes FOREVER to come out. The service is excellent, I mean, they're nice but they take a long time for the food..which I don't mind because the food is THAT excellent. Sure you might get mad waiting an hour for your food but once you take in that aroma and take your first bite of heaven, I guarantee you that all would be forgiven.
Every time I pass by here I tell people that it's hands down, my favorite restaurant in the area and the best food in the inland empire. Not only is their food excellent, the portions are big too so you're either stuffing yourself or you're paying for 2 meals.
I don't think there's anything that's bad on the menu but what stood out to me was the bourbon chicken, oxtail and the fish (the whole cooked fish..it's GIANT). I'm drooling as I'm writing this review.
I personally like the sweet plantains that they have, but the other ones are kind of like yucca. So bottom line? Come. Plan to spend a few hours here, and get your tastebuds ready to be slapped with deliciousness. Trust me, you'll jizz in your pants.Listed in: I don't want to cook!
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Review from Theresa B.
Colton, CA
2/18/2012 4 Check-ins Here
This place is a hidden gem in Redlands. Its too bad the location isn't better, because they would be packed if it were. I love the Saturday breakfast menu an the music is wonderful. I'm constantly pulling out my phone to tag songs i want to download on itunes.
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Review from Nadine O.
Redlands, CA
3/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
Tonight I enjoyed the salmon and Tilapia. Absolutely delicious. Definitely the best carribbean cuisine in the area. Since I'm from the island I know the true flavors of island got. Love it!! Perfect for a date. You also BYOB. Cozy place great food!!
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Review from Edgar S.
Redlands, CA
8/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
1st Review!
Poppin my YELP cherry with IMO the best restaurant in redlands.
There isn't much to say that other people haven't already said but this place is a gem. Dhat Island is dhat place dhat people will be talking about for years to come. Its dhat good. Especially dhat Dhat Bourbon Chicken is perfectly cooked. It is so tender and goes amazingly with the black beans and rice. Also, the sweet plantains.. i mean goodness. Respect. Dhat stuff is primo. Oh and don't forget about the beignets. Dhat stuff is.. slap yo mama good. (no i did not slap my mama and no i have never slapped my mama but I'm not gonna lie, after a bite of dhat beignet my hand twitched) If you are in redlands and looking to try some good Caribbean food.. wait, scratch that. If you are in southern California and looking for some good Caribbean food, Dhat Island is the place to go.
Ambiance: 5/5
Food: 5/5
Service 5/5
Dhat count: 10 -
Review from Heidi B.
Cherry Valley, CA
8/17/2011
We made our first visit to Dhat today based on the fact that it is the highest rated restaurant on yelp in Redlands.
The reviews are correct!!!!!!!! It was a wonderful experience.
I had the Bourbon Chicken and my friend had the Dhat sandwich.
The chicken was awesomely moist and so flavorful. I had red beans and rice with it and they were great.
We also had the Beignets which were insanely good. So soft and yummy. We had the Carmel sauce which was divine.
We came in at lunch time and were promptly greeted and seated by Ashley who also turned out to be our waitress. She was friendly and attentive. We told her it was our first time and she was very helpful explaining menu items and helping us decide. We both thought she was a great asset to our experience.
The owner also came and checked on us which I thought was very customer service orientated.
We can't wait to go back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -
Review from Noelle M.
Riverside, CA
8/31/2011
Discovered Dhat Island on yelp on our way to the Redlands Farmers market. I must say it was definitely a good random find. I had the bourbon chicken with rice and black bean sauce.. Hmmmmm soo good, the chicken was moist it had a sweet creole glaze on it with a spicy dipping sauce on the side. My bf had the steak with the same sides, the steak was perfect and the seasoning was delish! The owner came out and talked to us and he was very nice, he told us we were sitting at the romantic table :)
OMG i almost forgot to say try the beignets!! we had the coconut sauce (i forgot the name).. but they melt in your mouth.. and the powdered sugar dust is inevitable lol -
Review from Regie T.
San Bernardino, CA
4/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
Dhat bourbon chicken was so soft and flavorful, but surprisingly not filling enough. The warm sweet plantain is a great complement. Also ordered champagne kola which reminded me of the Filipino gulaman drink, but carbonated. For desert had 6-pack of beignets which are large. Yummy!
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Review from maximus d.
Redlands, CA
12/30/2011
this place is waaaaaaay overrated...redlands is not that big of a town, so i guess this is probably just a trendy new concept for small town redlanders before they find something else more shiny and sparkly to rave about.
I have dined here twice, my first time i came in with my significant. It was pretty empty. We sat at a table for two near the window. The decor and ambience was very cute and intimate. Our server was a nice young lady. We ordered the conch but they didnt have it. So we ordered the goat stew w/ rice and black beans and the bourbon chicken as recommended by fellow yelpers w/ red beans and rice. And a couple of champagne colas. The goats stew was a total disappointment. Over spiced and undersalted, hardly any meat just shards of bones big ones, small ones...everywhere. The fried plantains were good and crispy though. The chicken tasted like frozen " tyson" chicken i once bought from costco. Kind of dry, nothing special. The sweet plantains were good though once again. Food came out slow and was a little less than warm. No worries, i was still optimistic and hopefull for this place. The second visit would be the true review...its either gonna be a hit or miss.....unfortunately........
The second time i came was with some friends before a movie at the theatre a block over. Again it was pretty empty aside from 2 other tables. We were greeted by the owner (im sure) but not with. Hello how are you how many in your party? But with a " do you have reservations?" ok...i said " no, i didnt know we didnt one"
He rambled on about somethi g like " we only take reservations, or open reservations, so next time we should make one" we glanced around at the bare empty restaurant now because the other tables have left. The he said"
I can go ahead and take you anyways though, how many?" ...there were 3 of us.
Kind of confused i followed him to the table. And after realizing how stupid that whole front he put on was...i wanted to get up and just leave. But my friends have never been here before so i kept that in consideration and we ordered.
The creole chicken with redbeans and rice...wow...ive had better 4 day old leftover roast chicken From albertsons. The sauce on top of the chicken was like a chicken broth with tomatoes and the rice tasted like it turned a little, like leftovers that wasnt refrigerated.
We also had some kind of beef something...not worth remebering, it was strips of beef and peppers. Meh...dry. our server ...he tried, he was polite. The owner came by a few times after but he just gave us the heeby jeeby. Weird! Anyways....
The only decent thing ive had here so far was these little chicken beignet appitizers that were fluffy and soft. And the champagne cola which reminds me of a creme soda/ vimto/ pakola all mixed together, that was good. Ordered the dessert beignets, served traditionally in a paper bag...cute but not tasty...burnt, not fluffy . I make better ones at home.
I really wanted to like this place because its so close to home and it quaint and cute
and all i could deal with a cocky owner maybe he was having one of those days or maybe its because people have discovered this little place hidden in redlands to be something different and now hes getting more patrons as a sit down restaurant rather than before as a caterer, so he wanted to play the head hancho. But at least serve me some fresh food please! do it right. Fresh! Brush up on the definition! -
Review from Moe T.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
12/27/2011
You can taste some unique flavors here which makes it interesting. We've been here twice and it's true that the orders do take a very long time which is why I'm knocking off a star. Restaurants should realize that simply putting SOMETHING on the table to munch on while you wait for your order is pretty much a requirement. Otherwise we liked our meals. We got better Caribbean food here than we've gotten in the Caribbean. The goat curry was quite good as was the chicken and the beignets were fluffy and melt in your mouth.
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Review from Jared N.
Redlands, CA
1/28/2012 3 Check-ins Here
One must try the creole chicken and beignets for dessert. The chicken was amazing! It was just how I like my chicken, juicy, flavorful, tender, and not dry. I've never had beignets before, but I am now a major fan, especially when dipped in the caramel sauce. This is definitely going to be one of our favorite places to eat at now.
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Review from Marq Q.
Riverside, CA
2/23/2012
Ouch! This place was so well reviewed that we were expecting good things, but the food was terrible.
Ordered the plantain fritters and seasoned beignets to start, and they were basically the same thing with different fillings. They were greasy, heavy and seemed like they were dropped in the deep fryer straight from the freezer. The same sauce was served with both, which was completely overpowering and didn't match the flavors of the dish anyway.
For the mains we has the goat curry and seafood gumbo. First thing my GF pulled out of the curry was a bone, so was the second thing and the third We pulled out five bones that were all small enough to bite down on and chip a tooth or worse before we gave up.
The red beans and rice on the side were absolutely disgusting. Ever leave something uncovered in the fridge? That's exactly what it seemed like. Old and dried out.
The seafood gumbo also seemed as if it was made the week before and heated to order. It was served with shrimp, andouille and crab that I would bet anything was frozen, cooked, stored and then reheated. The dish had a funky smell and I pulled big strands of inedible wheatgrass out of it.
We asked for the check about five minutes into our entrees an turned down togo box, but not once did anyone ask is how the food was. The service was slow and impersonal, and we were one of two tables in the whole place. The decor was old and worn out and the restaurant was sectioned off in a way that made it stuffy We won't be back to say the least. -
Review from crystal c.
Upland, CA
1/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
Word of advice- put your business hours on your voicemail!
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Review from Richard M.
Riverside, CA
8/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
I hate to give a bad review to a restaurant that has such a good reputation, but I'm not sure if we came on a bad night, or if we just ordered the wrong things.
Started with the fried okra and the marinad. There was just too much batter on the okra, and the okra itself was a little rubbery. The marinad, which are chicken/veggie fritters, were pretty tasty, but lacked chicken.
Then we had side salads: the avocado salad was good, and had a nice spice to it. But the caesar salad smelled like a dirty rag! Seriously! My b/f said it was the cheese, but whatever it was, it ruined my appetite for the salad.
Finally, for our main dishes we ordered the Creole 1/2 chicken and the gumbo. I read some other reviews that said the chicken was so tender they didn't need a knife. That was true for this dish, but there's a fine line between tender and mushy. I've never tasted a texture like this unless it was in a stew. It was mushy and dry at the same time, if that's possible. And sadly, the spices and sauce really weren't that interesting. Overall it was a mushy, flavorless chicken.
And the gumbo... it looked nice and appetizing, but as it was set down in front of me, it smelled like fish! Granted, there were some tiny shrimp in the dish, but it probably shouldn't SMELL like fish. The sausage was okay, but the worst thing were the chicken bones hiding in the gumbo! WTF??? There weren't supposed to be pieces of chicken in the dish, so why were there bones in there?
Unfortunately, we won't be going back. I guess I have to be a little more cautious when trusting reviews on yelp from now on... -
Review from Dillane E.
Calimesa, CA
I'm so sorry to do this BUT I have to. I've been a HUGE fan of Dhat for a while now, frequenting often. On my last trip back in May, I was there in a party of 7 celebrating a graduation dinner and oh How disappointed we all were in the service. It was quite embarrassing because I actually recommended this place. Three of the party of seven had never been there before. I found myself saying "It's never like this, I swear".
We arrived early, before they opened. We all waited outside the front door & a line began to develop. I would guess about 4 parties total, including ours. Smaller parties of 2-4 people. As we were let in (the first ones in) & seated we noticed that we were the last to be serviced. Weird, but okay. 20 minutes went buy until we were finally given our drinks. The Graduate had a balloon that said "Congrats Grad" and the waitress asked "Oh is it your birthday?". Weird, but okay. We told the waitress we were ready to order (because we had 20 minutes while we were waiting for our drinks.) She said oh, let me go drop off these drinks to the other table. She left & proceeded to take an order from another table. WOW!
After all of the orders had been processed, she came to us last, yet again. Five of the seven people wanted the meatballs. The waitress told us they were out of that item. So we ordered our second choice. Another 10 minutes goes by & our waitress comes back to tell us that one of the items that one of our guests has ordered is also sold out. Strike six.
How does this happen if you are closed between 3pm & 5pm. One would think the manager would run off somewhere to stock up on some things...or simply ORDER enough to begin with.
Long story short, Everything took forever, people were leaving the building because they didn't want to wait any longer for their drink order. Some people left because we over heard them saying they were out of things they wanted to order. Lastly, in the end of everything terrible, I was over charged. Remember that item that was ordered & then was told to us later that they were out of that item? Yep, that is the item that was still on the bill. Consider that your last tip from me!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/17/2011
Found this place thanks to yelp. I drove by it twice, it is hidden and so small. It shares a… Read more »
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