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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
140 reviews for Dhat Island Caribbean Creole Cuisine
Review Highlights
"I had red beans and rice with it and they were great."
(in 30 reviews)
"Bourbon chicken was glazed to perfection and moist."
(in 45 reviews)
"Her sweet plantains were her favorite item."
(in 30 reviews)
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140 reviews in English
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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!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 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 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 Lisa T.
Apple Valley, CA
2/3/2012
So we finally went to Dhat Island yesterday since we were in the area and I had been reading good reviews.
We were there around lunch time and my husband wanted to order the Creole Shrimp (or Shrimp Creole). The waitress we orginally had told us they didn't make that dish at lunch time, so we were a little deflated. A different lady brought us our appetizer and told us we could have the shrimp. Ooooookay.
I wound up ordering the Bourbon Chicken. It was okay. Nothing to write home about. The red beans and rice that came with my husband's shrimp creole was a little dry and the creole sauce was a little salty, but still pretty good.
We had the beignets for dessert. Now these were GOOD!!! Maybe they can go a little easier on the powdered sugar, but there were yummy. You can't really go wrong with fried dough.
What was a shock is that we were charged $1.95 for an extra sauce for the beignets. This amounted to $1.95 for about two tablespoons of chocolate sauce. I thought this was pretty outrageous. If we had been told about it beforehand, we would have at least had the opportunity to decline.
There's a chance we will return to this place if we're in the area - even if only for the beignets - but this place is in no way worth a special trip. -
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 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 johnathon w.
Long Beach, 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 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 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 crystal c.
Upland, CA
1/1/2012
Word of advice- put your business hours on your voicemail!
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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 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 Mathieu S.
Riverside, CA
Updated - 11/28/2011
I'm a big fan and have been frequenting the restaurant since they opened, and I have left a glowing review before, but I want to update it to complain about one thing: they introduced a split charge which I think is unfair.
My wife and I are on low-calorie diets and a budget. We usually split an entree and dessert, and this has been great for our belts and our wallets, but last time we ate there we were charged for splitting the dinner. The dinner wasn't even split in the kitchen; we did it ourselves. One entree, no extra food portion, but a charge was tacked on.
Look, I know that times are tough, but it makes little sense and is disrespectful to patrons to charge them more for the same. Increase business, not fees. I won't recommend this restaurant until the split fee is removed.
(And then I will remove this post, as well.)1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/25/2011
Simply some of the best food I've had, short of a 5-star steak house in Vegas or something in that… Read more »
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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 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 Julie M.
Los Angeles, CA
11/5/2011
My husband and I have eaten at Dhat Island about 10 times. I am not a reviewer by nature but finally decided I needed to do what I could to help this little local restaurant.
First, let me tell you about our experiences with the food. Every time has been a delight (4-5 stars). After the first visit, we were so intrigued by such an unusual cuisine in the middle of our small town that we decided to work our way through the menu. Neither of us have tried the salads, but someday there will be time. The Creole Meatball with red beans and rice is one of my favorites. I have it with the green plantains and can tell you it is tasty spicy comfort food beyond measure. My husband has had the Oxtail soup and the Seafood Gumbo and both were wonderful. I have had both the Dhat Chicken and the Bourbon Chicken and also give either 5 stars for taste and interesting flavors. Just this last time at Dhat we tried something different and split the Eggplant Creole and a side of greens. The Eggplant was good (4 stars) but not as interesting as our previous choices. The Greens were a work of art. They had the slow cooked slightly vinegary taste of perfection, They were quite a surprise given our real plan with this order which had been to leave room for the Beignets.
Beignets are hot powdery confections that will make you never want to eat a donut again. We have always had a 1/2 order when coming here but we splurged this time on a full order with some raspberry sauce. Beignets melt in your mouth and just make you feel glad to be alive. I am not much of a desert person but I can not imagine going to Dhat and not having the Beignets. The only bad thing I can even think to mention is that they do not save well so you can't take them home and expect that they will be so wonderful when you finally have room for them. If you have nothing else, at this restaurant, have these.
Now, to the service. Some people have mentioned that it can be slow getting your food, especially if there are large parties also present. I would agree with this, but we have found that talking to the owner or any of the other staff can bring you a workable solution if you don't want a somewhat longer wait. There is a great movie theatre two blocks away and you can order your food and reserve a table for when you are done. You can also go to Dhat knowing that this is not a place you want to try and rush through dinner. The worst time length I ever had was just shy of 2 hours start to finish, but the owner offered us a great little tidbit to help pass the time. Usually, dinner takes something like 1 hour and a bit and in my opinion is always worth it. Remember this is not fast food. Don't go here if you want to be in and out in 30 minutes. Go here if you want great tasting food that was obviously carefully prepared.
Last of all, the look of the place. Here you have to go with your own personal taste. Inside the restaurant, it is warm and inviting...a place you feel comfortable to eat as slowly as you wish with friendly service. As to the outside of Dhat, it is truly hard to describe. If looks and feels deserted, and most people park in a very old auto parts store parking lot around the corner. While there is a great movie theatre a couple of blacks away, this part of the street feels abandoned (as in Zombies might come shambling out), and ff you didn't know better you would never believe that just a few steps away is this wonderful restaurant.
What I suggest if this is your first time is that you scurry from the parking and ignore the street. After you are done eating, you can then feel smug about yourself imagining al those poor fools who drive right by this wonderful restaurant. -
Review from Mary W.
Tucson, AZ
11/17/2011
We visited this restaurant based on Yelp reviews, and were so pleased. Loved the feeling of the place, very personal and unique...not pretentious at all, but with a very nice feel. It is not fancy, but shows alot of personality in the decor. It's not a cookie cutter kind of place.
Knowing that they do not have wine, we brought our own. The corkage is $8. They are applying for their license, so this will not be a problem in the future.
I had the Goat Curry..just delicious. I asked for spicy, and it was perfectly so. My partner had the Creole Meatballs, which were very tasty as well...we would both order the same things again...except for the fact that there are so many other things we'd like to try. Altho we were stuffed, had to try the biegnets,so we got a 1/2 order. Light and tasty.....I dont' think they need any of the sauces offered, they are so good as is.
We had a bit of a wait, but it was obvious that great care was taken in preparing our meal, so it was worth the wait.
This is a great local place to support! Close to a 5 in my book. -
Review from Nick M.
Redlands, CA
11/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
This restaurant is a big part of why I'm moving to Redlands as it seems to actually have good food.
I recently got hire for a job in the IE and when looking for apartments and came here based on the reviews. They were spot on. Flavorful and something completely unexpected in the IE.
I'll be back. -
Review from Gaby N.
San Bernardino, CA
12/27/2011
So for my birthday i had a million and one choices to go out and eat!! I decided on this after much thought since i had been here before and the food was great. I did not write a review then because i thought i only had one dish and how can you go wrong with roasted chicken, But let me tell you something, these people make one of the best gumbos i have ever had!!! So after eating that dish i had to write a review and tell you how delicious this place is!! The people serving are good and friendly, the lady who helped us was courteous and even though she was busy she managed to be attentive to our needs. Now back to the gumbo, they serve it just right, no extra amounts of rice here, just a perfect lil serving to compliment your wonderful dish. In fact, the ingredients were all fresh and never did they skimp on anything, good amount of shrimp and good amount of hot sauce (at my request). This place will definitely be a place i will visit any time i want the best gumbo this side of the states!! yummm
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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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Review from Alex M.
Loma Linda, CA
9/26/2011
Awesome.
Judging from the outside it doesn't look like much, but my wife and I are definitely fans. As several people have mentioned it's truly a hidden gem.
Don't forget the beignets... -
Review from Vandna M.
Redlands, CA
1/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
this place is absolutely amazing. the service is slow, because they are always busy, but they are so welcoming and kind. plus their food is out of this word!.
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Review from philip s.
Fontana, CA
6/2/2011
There's an old saying that "it always tastes better....when someone else makes it". Then there is another saying: "No one else can make it like............".
In this case, Dhat Island falls into the second category. They've been open for about two years and they have a growing following, a catering business on the side and on Sundays, open their doors to homeless people for a free dinner from 5-6:30 pm.
This is the kind of place that you can "smell" the food a block away before you walk in.
I ate alone; which is too bad for me, because if I had gone with others, I would have been able to taste so many more items than I did.
I started with a house specialty: Griyo (double cooked pork bits) which is served with either red (my choice) or black beans and rice. This is not the sticky, globby goo that is served in most Cajun restaurants. Instead, it's served as a side dish with a red creole sauce which is meant to enhance the flavor of the rice but also works with the pork and is flavorful and spicy but not overbearing and hot.
Sweet plantains offset the spiciness of the dish and are delicious.
There were two items that I couldn't pass up: the "house greens" which were made with smoked turkey leg and not with hamhocks, or neck bones. They were very salty but they're supposed to be. They make a mac and cheese which is in a word: spectacular.
This is the kind of mac and cheese that tastes homemade and if you're like me; mac and cheese with lobster or with truffles just doesn't cut it. Not enough cheese and for that matter, not enough lobster or truffle either!!!!!!!!!
At Dhat Island, they make it the old fashioned way and it also cuts down on the saltiness of the "greens"
I knew from the "get go" that I wouldn't be able to finish everything. My eyes were bigger than my stomach (I wear bifocals which accounts for 4 eyes), plus my own two eyes so that adds up to 6!!!!!!
There was enough for another meal easily and so I was unable to try the beignets which I've heard are to die for.
I'll have to try them next time.........and also........bring a friend !!!!!!!!!
The place is very small (almost a hole in the wall) and seats maybe 30 people.
On Friday and Saturday, they have live music.
One last thing: I've had to drive into L.A. to get food like this and I don't have to anymore............'nuff said. -
Review from adam b.
10/20/2011
Definitely fresh and delicious. Those plantains are better than what I have had in the carribbean! Chicken was super tender and packed with flavor. Strawberry lemonade was sooo good. Open up in the OC PLEASE!
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Review from Albert N.
Garden Grove, CA
8/5/2011
This place is the diamond in the rough for Caribbean cuisine in Redlands. If I could be an apprentice of the cook(s) here, I would hop on board asap!
- The bourbon chicken is very, very good. The chicken is tender and packed with spices while remaining juicy. I like it paired with rice and red beans as well as the sweet plantains.
- The creole pasta with dhat chicken is another solid meal. The creole pasta sauce is very light but very robust. It comes with your choice of plantains as well as peas/carrots/diced tomatoes.
The only downside to this place is the limited dining area but it is worth the wait. I know that food may take a while to come out but the owner is always out and about to answer your every question. If need be, flag down the owner or waitress to ask about the food. Good, quality food is always worth the wait to me. I like the decor inside which definitely gives you an island vibe.
You have to park inside the napa auto store. This place contributes to the community by helping feed the homeless every Sunday. Come support and enjoy Dhat Island Caribbean Creole Cuisine! -
Review from Tal V.
Los Angeles, CA
First time here great food great service Hillary is amazing I will come back
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Review from Grace B.
Fontana, CA
7/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
The food was good here, nothing really blew me out of the water and I don't know if its worth the drive it takes me to get here but I am glad I tried it.
My mom had the citrus marinated chicken and it was good, it wasn't dried out but it didn't leave us licking the plate or anything.
I had the ox tail stew which I was really looking forward to because I am a huge fan of ox tails! This was scrumptious! The flavors were great and the meat fell off the bone. I wish the yucca would not have been diced up so fine, I would have enjoyed it more if there were bigger chunks. Also I am not sure that these were ox tails, they seemed small to be from the tail, I am thinking they were more like neck bones. Either way I enjoyed it. -
Review from Lucian F.
Corona, CA
5/27/2011
So glad we tried this place!
The Creole Chicken tasted like it's been marinating in an amazing blend of spices for days - so tender, it fell right off the bone. Bourbon chicken was glazed to perfection and moist. My husband's Dhat Chicken was so good, he ate it all before I could try it - he described it as having a dry, spiced rub.
Plantains are wonderful, too - if you've been scared because plantains usually equal a soggy, wet mess, these are NOT those plantains. These are flash-fried perfectly, and they come in green or sweet.
Candied yams side dish were some of the best ever, but they're VERY sweet, so beware - could be served as a dessert.
Mac n cheese was a bit 'meh.'
Table next to us had the beignets (sp?), and they smelled amazing. If we weren't stuffed, we'd have gotten those based on smell alone.
They don't sell booze, so that's a bummer. They've been claiming they're working on a liquor license for a long, long time, but none yet. Corkage fee if you bring your own wine is $5.
Customer service was fine - friendly, overall. Manager/owner was very nice and thanked us on our way out. Mentioned live music on the weekends.
Parking sucks, and I can foresee it may get a little hectic when it hits their peak hours. -
Review from Amaya S.
Redlands, CA
8/14/2011
Who would have known, Redlands is part of the Caribbean? That's what it felt like at Dhat!
The building is in a odd location, but the food is my concern. Once you walk in the staff was very welcoming and nice. More then on the islands.... they can be kind of rude there. We were seated promptly and began our journey to the Caribbean. Our waitress was very nice and so was the host. The music act they had..... well, let's just stick to the food.
Creole Pate - Mmmmm delicious. Ground meat with tons of seasoning in a puff pastry. Very delicious, only problem.... there should be some sort of sauce to accompany the pate's.
Bourbon Chicken, Red Beans and Rice and Sweet Plantains - wow, what a wonderful dish. The Chicken was very tender with a sweet and spicy glaze. Not a hot sauce spice that burns your tongue, but this heat was subtle but kept your mouth jumping for joy. The Red Beans and Rice and Sweet Plantains round out the meal.
Beignets - if you've ever had Beignets at Cafe Du Monde you know what to expect. Eating beignets is like a event.... the event is you trying to not be covered in powdered sugar. Delicious.
All in all food was authentic and scrumptious, gotta come here and try other options. -
Review from Rosadra W.
Palm Springs, CA
9/25/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Decided to go to Dhat Island Caribbean Creole Restaurant as I checked Yelp before I left the house. Once I read the reviews about plantains and bourbon chicken, I was SOLD on going here. Drove from Palm Springs just to try this place. Thanks to the other Yelpers I knew to park in front of the Auto parts store. This is a hidden restaurant that you don't want to miss! I noticed that they closed at 9:00 p.m. on Saturday. We arrived at about 8:30 p.m. The waitress was able to seat us right away! Dhat restaurant feels like a comfy type of restaurant...makes you feel right at home! The owner came to talk to us, which we thought was pretty nice. I actually read about that from other yelpers.
For the food, I ordered the Bourbon Chicken with white rice & sweet plantains. We also ordered a small bowl of the Seafood Gumbo. Man was that yummy! My BF only gave me a spoonful just to taste it, because it was so good that he did not want to share LOL! We both finished our entire meals! I almost NEVER eat all of my food when I go out to eat. It was so flavorful that I had to eat it all. Great portions and great prices for the entrees!
Drinks - they don't sell alcohol, but you can bring your own bottle of wine with a corkage fee of $8. I just ordered water, plus we were going to the Vault afterwards.
Dessert? Come on, you have to save room! I ordered 1/2 dozen of the Beignets w/ caramel sauce. Beignets pronounced Ben-yay. They even put an extra Beignet in the box, so it made a total of 7 :)
Service and suggestions - qucik service, maybe because there were only a few people in there when we arrived & we were the last ones to order dinner. Since I work in the Hospitality/Service Industry, it very easy for me to notice service improvement areas. The waiter asked if we were going to order dessert (few minutes after we ordered dinner) because the kitchen was going to close. Normally I can't make up my mind until after I am done with my meal. I asked if she could put 2 of the Beignets on a plate once we were done with dinner and box the rest. The waitress brought the entire box out. They turned off the music, which made it kind of awkward because you're having a conversation then all of a sudden, it's quiet. She brought out the check while we were still eating. So we felt rushed. We're paying customers just like anyone else, we expect to receive the same service. Note: Don't let this prevent you from trying this restaurant! Food was great!
Prices - dinner for two, iced tea, and dessert was less than $40
We will eat here again! It's thebombdotcom -
Review from coopthecook e.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
7/7/2011 2 Check-ins Here
((BEST CHICKEN SANDWICH EVER)).
I Just accidently drove by this spot. 2hrs previous I was asked by my boss,what was my fav food. I told her carribean & creole. I get lost in redlands. & saw the sign off eureka. Did a uturn, went in to order the "BEST CHICKEN SANDWICH I'VE EVER HAD!". I'm so serious,so basic but it soooo works. The spices, texture...the balance was off the chain. You will not be disappointed!!! -
Review from Shannon K.
Highland, CA
4/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Just thinking about this place makes my taste buds whimper for another go. I discovered this place on the way to the movies (right by the Krikorian in Redlands) and forgot all about seeing a movie after dinner (thats how good it was!) I went with my bf and sister. We ordered the Bourbon chicken (orgasmic), oxtail (best I ever had), and the creole chicken (huge!). For our sides we got sweet plantains (crispy and sweet), black beans (juicy), and red beans and rice (finger licking good). My bf's dad owns a soul food restuarant, so we had to order the mac n' cheese and yams as additional side orders to compare. Three orders of mac n' cheese later...I was sold. My favorite part of the meal though was the Beignets (powdered donuts that melt in your mouth and make your eyes water because they're so delicious!)
All in all...your life will be incomplete if you don't eat Daht Island's delicious food. After the meal I seriously considered dumping the bf for the restuarant owner (who came by our table several times to chat and make suggestions) -
Review from Chris A.
Tried this place with a friend after reading the reviews about this place. Sad to say, I don't think it lived up to the hype. If I hadn't read reviews, I would never have stopped at this place because from the outside, it looks sort of ghetto. When we entered, we were the first customers at lunch. Some other parties trickled in after us, but not a bustling place. The service was really good though... the manager even came by to give his personal recommendations and explanation of the menu.
I ended up getting the 1/2 creole chicken, which was a lot of chicken. For the sides I got the red beans and rice and the sweet plantains. The chicken was moist and tender, and even enough to take some home, but I wasn't wowed by the seasoning or the sauce. The fact that I took some home and didn't lick my plate clean says a lot. I didn't find the taste addicting to the point that I had to finish the whole 1/2 chicken. The sweet plantains were prepared well without being too dry, but you only get 3 pieces and the beans and rice weren't anything to tell the whole town about. It was just an ok dish, but I prefer the rotisserie chicken from California Rotisserie Chicken in Pasadena. I got to try a bite of my friend's Dhat Chicken pasta, that she thought was spicy. The chicken was a little dry and the sauce on the pasta didn't blow me away either.
Overall, I probably won't venture back out to come here, it was just something to try because I was in the area. -
Review from Elwood S.
Los Angeles, CA
7/6/2011
We came here on the recommendations of some good friends and boy are we glad we did. We had always wanted to try it but the exterior kind of turned us away...lesson learnt: don't be fooled by how it looks on the outside!
We had the Bourbon Chicken, and the Mahi Whole fish...we also shared a Coconut-Pineapple smoothie. Everything was superb! Our taste buds were definitely doing some kind of Caribbean dance that evening. The ambience was great! A little cozy, but definitely had a sunny island vibe to it. Our waitress was friendly and helpful with the menu, but unfortunately she was the only one--so be prepared for a some waiting as it does seem to get a little busy!!!
*****I have to mention that this restaurant helps to feed the homeless every Sunday evening, so by dining here you can feel good about doing your part for the community as well. -
Review from willis s.
Loma Linda, CA
9/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
cool little hole in the whole spot in redlands. never expected to find caribbean restaurant, especially where this spot is located. its a stand alone building near the movie theaters. its quite the hidden gem if you get a chance to eat there.
my only negative to say is that the service took FOREVER. took almost an hour and a half last time, but the servers were quite friendly. when i was there i sampled the bourbon chicken and the ox tail, and it was fantastic. im hoping the service was one and done, cause the food itself is definitely a reason to return. i mean, where else in redlands can you get your fix for dirty rice and ox tail?
-parking wise, its a tad confusing, you can park at in front of the auto parts store, its the building connected right to it south of the restaurant. -
Review from James G.
San Bernardino, CA
3/13/2011
My wife and I had dinner here with friends a few weeks ago. Just went back last night with our boys (both under 12).
This is my first five star rating here on Yelp. As a point of context for my rating, you should know my family and I will drive 130 miles to San Diego just for fresh tortillas at the Old Town Mexican Café, or 90 miles to San Juan Capistrano for flan, or 120 miles to Malibu for calamari. Up until now, though there are restaurants in our area that we enjoy, there has never been a restaurant within a 25 mile radius that has so impressed. As we were leaving last night, we were actually forming a list of friends we want to take with us on subsequent visits.
On our first visit, I had the Red Snapper. It was presented whole (head, tail, teeth!) and seasoned perfectly. My wife ordered the Creole shrimp. She was born and raised in southern Louisiana. Her grandfather was a chef and owned a number of restaurants over the years. Needless to say, she knows well what Creole shrimp should be. She was not disappointed.
Last night, I had the seared salmon. Again, the fish was well seasoned; strong, but not so much as to overpower the fish. A very nice balance and well paired with the red beans and rice. My wife ordered the Creole turkey. It was moist, tender and well seasoned. It easily fell apart.
Perhaps our favorite food items, however, are not main course fare. The fried okra appetizer was a hit with our boys. Kids eating okra! Both the sweet and green (savory) plantains are outstanding. You are given a choice with many of the entrées. We find it impossible to choose and make sure we have a sampling of both at our table.
Finally, the beignets are divine. The perfect indulgence at the end of your meal.
I would be remiss, however, if I didn't comment on the service and atmosphere. Dhat Island is a small, unassuming establishment connected to a Napa Auto Parts store. If you're not paying attention, it could easily be overlooked. Even so, once inside, it is not at all difficult to forget everything outside. The decor is by no means fancy or pretentious. It is fun and relaxing. I overheard a young woman at the table behind me say, "I feel like I'm on vacation in here."
The staff is very attentive and seemed genuinely interested in our satisfaction and the quality of our experience. This was particularly impressive when we were eating with our kids. Often, I find we receive less attentive service as a family than when we are out as a couple. This was not the case. In fact, a man I believe to have been the owner checked on our table multiple times throughout the evening. On more than one occasion, he made a point to strike up conversation with our boys.
All around, we only have good things to say about Dhat Island; a new favorite just around the corner. -
Review from Joanne L.
Pasadena, CA
4/30/2011
My friend recently moved to Redlands and I decided to visit her. We were looking for a place to eat and resulted in coming to yelp for some suggestions. Dhat Island came up as one of the first top rated ones and so we decided to try it out, especially since we found out they served beignets!
The place is super small from the outside and shares a parking lot with the auto parts place next to it. Could be a little difficult to find if you're not looking carefully.
So we found our way in to a really cute, clean, and Carribbean-esque decorated restaurant. Not crowded on a Wednesday afternoon, so we were happy.
We were given the lunch menu and ordered the Creole Pasta with Dhat Chicken and the Seared Salmon.
Creole Pasta with Dhat Chicken was really good. The chicken was a little bit on the dry side.. but I expected that from a seasoned blackened chicken. The seasoning was what made the chicken super tasty. It was paired with a light creamy pasta salad which balanced out the strong spiced chicken flavor.
The Seared Salmon was just as delicious! The salmon wasn't overcooked and dry, but also had a dry rub on it that made it very savory. It came with beans and rice which was a nice addition to the salmon.
Then the beignets came.. it doesn't matter that we were already satisfied with our meal, when those little suckers came out our eyes were practically popping out of our sockets!! It was about 8 square pieces fresh out of the fryer with a ton of powdered sugar on top. and that was an awesome $3.99 compared to the 3 mickey beignets for the same price at disneyland.
Overall we were happy with this hidden jewel in Redlands. Can't wait to visit again and come try something new from here!!
