- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Island Flavor
Category: Restaurants Hawaiian Hawaiian [Edit]
8090 S Durango DrSte 103
Las Vegas, NV 89113
Neighborhood: Southwest
(702) 876-2024
- Hours:
Tue-Sat 7 am - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
180 reviews for Island Flavor
Review Highlights
"I love chicken katsu loco moco and the Chantilly cake."
(in 10 reviews)
"...really made me cry tears of joy was the kona coffee mud pie."
(in 6 reviews)
"Then I ordered the chantilly cake to go."
(in 14 reviews)
Loading...
180 reviews in English
-
Review from Laurie V.
Updated - 1/11/2012 3 photos
So funny. After a day of Christmas shopping, I wanted to bring my mom to a local spot that we don't get to go to before because it's kinda of outta the way of our usual haunts.
Came here and got their misoyaki opakapaka & my mom got their oxtail.
I got the opakapaka bcuz I've gotten hounded by friends to try it; and I loved it but, was not expecting how big the filets of fish were going to be. Granted, I'm an idiot for even trying to complain about the size so I won't complain....it's just a shocker! I swear the fish filets were bigger than my fork. lol
Mom loved the oxtail. She said it made her heart warm. AWWW! lol
She said it's better than the oxtail from The California Hotel because the oxtail was all meat as opposed to The Cal's fatty oxtail. I liked how they had bok choy in their soup. Not something I've seen in other oxtails. Def adds to the specialty side of Island Flavors soup.
The workers all loved my mom and kept asking her if she liked the soup. lol Idk what it is about my mom; whenever we go to these fam local style spots, they always wanna make sure my mom is good. Which is great....adds to the family style establishment they got going here =)
Add this to another "MOTHER TESTED, MOTHER APPROVED" places my mom requires me to take her to in the future!Listed in: Vegas GRINDZ
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
8/16/2011
Whoa, this place is ono! Yummy and/or delicious in pidgin.
For the 2 years, I've lived in Vegas, I've… Read more »
-
-
Review from Lydia S.
Las Vegas, NV
2/9/2012
The food here is wonderful! I had the mixed plate of Kalbi and Chicken Katsu. The Katsu was moist, crunchy and not oily. The Kalbi was tender. The mixed plate had three huge pieces of Kalbi, 10 pieces of Katsu, macaroni salad, and I paid extra to get their pork fried rice. I took home a little more than half my food and it barely fit into the to go box!
The servers were friendly. But the reason I didn't give them four stars was because the service was SLOW! We waited over 30 minutes for our food. Granted they were busy but...
All things considered, I'll definitely be making the drive to try more of their food.
If you are in the SW definitely visit Island Flavor! -
Review from Hong V.
Garden Grove, CA
1/16/2012
Wow, the portions here is HUGE is all I have to say.
I ordered their special of the day which was: Kalua Pig and cabbage, ahi poke, rice, macaroni, salsa, and some kind of coconut dessert and man was it delicious. The Kalua pig was cook perfectly, soft and not salty at all. The ahi poke was fresh and very well marinated, the macaroni was good love the big black pepers in there, and their dessert was the icing on the cake for me. I wasn't the fan of the salsa but that's just b/c I'm not an onion peron.
I also shared the oxtail soup with my boyfriend and it was good, too much ginger flavor for me though but other than that I would totally come back here to eat if I'm ever in Vegas again. -
Review from Lezley L.
1/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
This ain't no L&L, this is the real deal! Every time I've eaten here the food has always been fresh and tasted authentic. I think their oxtail soup is as good as it gets when you don't want to trek to Downtown and visit the Cal. Honestly I feel the oxtail is much better here than the Cal. ;) Portion size is everything here, so you get what you pay for that's for sure.
Now this place is located near Rhodes Ranch. I would say that 90% of their business is take out so the restaurant is never really busy. But if you do decide to eat there, it's a pretty laid-back place no fancy decorations. The owners add their own personal touch but displaying pictures of friends and family on the wall. -
Review from Rae M.
Las Vegas, NV
2/6/2012
Really good poke! I like that they offer fried poke too :-) I ordered the Kalua Pig, but it was really dry :-(
Overall, this place is more legit than other "Hawaiian" places I've tried :-) -
Review from Janel s.
Coming into this joint, and expecting to eat healthy is a definite no no. Small portions? Forget it. The Hawaiian moral code to eat plentiful, and well is sure to meet those standards here. I did decided to get the chicken teriyaki salad. One word. AMAZING! The portion was huge!!! It had these huge slices of purple yams which were fresh, sweet, and oh so delicious. The sesame dressing? To die for! And it makes a great combination with the greens on the salad and the chicken teriyaki on it.
The service was great, and our waitress was very friendly. Our waitress did slide a few witty jokes here and there. She also enganged in starting small talk which I think was very nice and hospitable of her. The place is small, but I feel that the envorniment and homely atmosphere makes it appropriate for the place to be small, and decorated with very small and simple paintings and decoration.
I see why it's a five star dine in experience. Can't wait to go back and try the rest of the menu! -
Review from Glenn A.
Long Beach, CA
1/5/2012
I love this place! My local friends introduce me to Island Flavor and I have to say, the grinds = AMAZING! Plus the aunties are wonderful. The best in the mainland!!!
My favorite dish is the Loco Moco. They're very generous with the gravy and the hamburger is enormous!
LOVE LOVE LOVE Island Flavor! -
Review from Theresa C.
Henderson, NV
12/18/2011
What is that you hear upon walking in.....locals speaking pidgin (FYI if you don't know what this is, google it!)..yup this place must be the real deal =) Having lived in Hawaii for a brief period of time...the food here definitely compares to the plate lunches from the island.
My personal favorites are the korean chicken wings/drummettes and the fried poke plate! Now, how do you fry poke...isn't the point for the fish to be raw?!....normally that is true but they serve a seared poke that I would describe as mini ahi tuna steak nuggets...served with a huge portion of rice and mac salad. They offer to cook the poke all the way through, but don't do it unless you want to ruin your meal...just a light sear is all you need for the fish to have a melt in your mouth feel =)
I've also had the katsu loco moco (katsu covered with a fried egg and copious amounts of gravy) and this is not for the faint of heart....I believe my take out box felt like it weighed 5 lbs...this order quickly puts me into "droopy eyelid mode".....in other words food coma...so be forewarned. -
Review from Faye G.
12/6/2011 3 photos
Only in a Hawaiian restaurant is it endearing (and not tacky) when your server comes around, holding her baby while taking your food order ;)
Seriously though, Island Flavor is legit! True Hawaiian food at its best!!! I found this restaurant through Yelp and it is worth the (less than) 20 minute drive from the strip.
My boyfriend & I split the Furikake Poke, while he opted for the Fried Rice Omelet with Portuguese Sausage and I got the combo with KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) and Teri Beef.....Omgaaaah, so delicious (or should I say "ono"!) The portions were monstrous, but most importantly, the food was amazing. I have been craving REAL Ahi Poke and I'm so glad I got to have my fix here! Huge chunks of fresh Ahi Poke sprinkled with Furikake mmm, it was perfect. I have also been on a Korean Fried Chicken kick recently, and Island Flavor definitely got it right. So crispy, juicy and garlicy! The Teri Beef was great quality (not thin or stringy at all) and the sweet sauce was the clincher. No lie, everything we ate was amazing....even the Mac salad and Guava Juice!
I am definitely going to try to come here next time I'm in Vegas :) Now seriously, can we get a Hawaiian joint as good as this in So Cal? Enough L&L, I want an Island Flavor haha! -
Review from Soo H.
San Diego, CA
1/26/2012
I gave this place a try on my way home from Las Vegas. Awesome kalbi short ribs! The staff was nice and efficient.
-
Review from Vicki C.
12/5/2011
We ordered take out from this place, so I didn't get to experience the ambiance, but we were pleased with the food.
In order of yummines, must eats in BOLD:
CHICKEN KATSU LOCO MOCO - Breaded chicken over rice, under sauce and egg. Very tasty. Large portions.
Chicken teriyaki salad - We ordered this just to get some greens in the mix. The salad part was just OK. But the chicken was super tender and flavorful.
Ahi tuna poke - Basically a huge mound of tuna sashimi. I liked it, but sure what makes it so special.
===
Would I come off the strip for this place? Probably not. But I might hit it up again if I'm visiting family in the area and craving Loco Moco. -
Review from Jedi H.
Las Vegas, NV
2/2/2012
Took my 7 year old to Island Flavor after picking him up from school yesterday. Overall have to say I was pleased. Having been in Vegas for ten years, I've seen 'local' food places come and go, and I hope this place sticks around awhile. Friendly island folks in the front of the house AND the kitchen (which is a rarity). Had the sweet & sour spare ribs off the daily specials menu. Didn't know what to expect, but first bite left me nodding in approval. Son liked the mini chicken katsu plate he ordered. Mac salad was good as well. We both shared an order of the coconut-pineapple ice cream, served with whip cream. Will definitely be back even if it is a bit of a drive from Summerlin.
-
Review from Alexandra C.
New York, NY
11/26/2011
5 stars for portion size. If you like to eat a lot, this is the place.
However, found it to be quantity over quality. The teriyaki chicken dish was good but could have had more flavor. Loved the portion size though.
My bf I think ordered the wrong dish. Laulau I think it is called - with all of the leaves and meat. I tried it -- and perhaps it is just not my thing- but what a strange flavor! i could tell he didn't like it either and was almost forcing himself to finish half the meal.
We couldn't even touch our macaroni salad the portions were so huge.
Fun/different for us to try since there isn't anything like this in NYC. Perhaps other certain dishes really are better, but ours were just average. -
Review from Angel K.
Las Vegas, NV
10/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
I really needed to just say that their chicken Katsu loco moco with fried rice under neath and a sunny side egg.. Is definitely my death row last meal.
This place is over 20 miles from my house BUT it's so good!
I got here at about 8 with a friend and after seeing the help pictures, I had to order this dish. And after my cousins recommendations,
The portion is huge! It's a huge bowl, think pho bowl, with real quality pork fried rice on the bottom. This fried rice is so good! I'd eat it by itself.
Then there's a heaping portion of chicken Katsu, the light brown gravy, and the egg on top.
I like the option of having the egg cooked how you like, although I'm sure a true hawaain may correct me on the style the egg should be cooked.
Everything was such good quality and although my mouth was willing, my stomache was not and I had to take half to go.
The service was super fast and super nice and I overall loved this place.
I'll definitely be back whenever I'm on the south west side of town. -
Review from Rod U.
9/8/2011
Whoa, a good plate lunch place in the desert!
Its not exactly Hawaii's plate lunch but nothing wrong with some reinterpretation for mainland taste (mashed potatoes as an option instead of rice, or chicken katsu with brown gravy; huh?)
The teri steak, teri chicken, and kalbi are just as good as any back home. All are deeply marinated, lightly charred, cooked well done, and served messy over rice and mac salad. Win! The Portuguese bean soup and oxtail soup are also both good but can't top the best back home.
The plates are large.
Prices are EXTREMELY high. At around $10 per plate, its even more expensive than most Hawaii plate lunch restaurants. Unfortunate since you can get so much more for your money elsewhere off the Strip.Listed in: Off the Strip
-
Review from Mike H.
When that craving for some food from the island hits, there's no escaping it.
It's a hunger like no other. Luckily, over at Island Flavor, they give some of the largest portions that I have ever seen. It's like Hash House A Go Go-portions for Hawaiian Cuisine, except the food here is actually good.
The place was a bit on the empty side around 11am on a late Saturday morning. Seeing an empty place on a weekend always leaves me a bit hesitant to eat somewhere. But, I had a gut instinct telling me to eat here anyway. I'm glad I did. Here's what we went with:
Fried Rice Omelet - When this dish is served to you, it looks like a majestic mountain pile, capped at the peak with a generous amount of scrambled egg. Along with it, comes three giant pieces of Portuguese sausage, nestled around the edges of the plate. The fried rice, packed underneath, has to be some of the best fried rice that I've ever had in this town. It had a bit of a unique sweet flavor to it, mixed in with some small bits of diced pork. I'm pretty sure this serving was good enough to feed 3-4 people. I stared at this modern marvel for a few seconds before I dug in. It was beautiful sight.
Loco Moco - Another heavily portioned dish with a likewise amount of brown gravy, to boot. I sampled a bit of it. Not bad! the hamburger patty included with it was humongous, as expected. Loco Moco is much too heavy a dish for me to conquer on my own. I'd probably come back for this if I wanted to drown a day of depression in gravy.
Huge portions, great flavors, friendly staff.. there's isn't much more I could want in a restaurant. -
Review from Susan C.
Las Vegas, NV
1/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
Decided to try out this place after reading so many positive reviews. After inputting the address realized it was much further than I thought... Just under 10 miles from my house. The storefront had blacked out windows and I thought they were closed. Went inside and was blown away by the heat! It had to be over 90 degrees in there! Oh well hope my order doesn't take too long. Decided on Kalbi ribs and Teriyaki chicken. Also got an order of banana bread pudding and haupia cake. The portions were large. Both plates came with 2 scoops of rice and macaroni salad. Rice is rice and Mac salad was okay.. Kind of bland though. The Kalbi had great flavor ( I should know .. I'm Korean) but could've been a little more tender and was a little too fatty. I think the highlight was the chicken. They were super flavorful , tender and so juicy!!! The bread pudding was enough for 4 people and pretty yummy. The haupia cake was to die for !!! All in all I was pretty happy and would go again and try some other items on their menu. Just too far to go regularly.
-
Review from Hootie B.
Las Vegas, NV
9/15/2011 1 photo
Me being Japanese/American my peers would always assume that I would be knowledgeable when it comes to Hawaiian food. In reality nothing could be further from the truth. Occasionally though I will frequent an Hawaiian eatery.
On to my experience: I ventured down to Island Flavor after work, boy is this place on the other end of the world for me. Friendly reception, glancing over the menu it did have I wide variety of dishes. I tend to stay away from the Japanese style dishes because I have old, entrenched opinions how those dishes should be prepared.
I opted for the Ahi Poke appetizer (furikake style), and the Hawaiian Style Roast Pork. With the arrival of my Poke appetizer I was not disappointed! Portion was huge, perfectly cut ahi with that fresh deep dark hue that I love in Tuna!! Topped with some sesame seeds and furikake!! Did I mention that the portion was humongous!!
My main course was similarly portioned, huge!! A generous portion of sliced roast pork with two scoops of rice and some macaroni salad. Entire plate covered in a roast pork gravy and topped with some scallions. It's gonna take a couple of round to finish this!!
One slight let down was that the pork gravy had great texture and color but was rather bland. I would hate to have to add table salt to any gravy. I notice that the white rice also seemed a little starchy, not a big deal though.
Island flavor, what a great find, I'll probably be back just for their super-fresh poke!! -
Review from James M.
Las Vegas, NV
1/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
Very good, the short ribs are awesome. I wanted to order a dessert but was to full. I also had the roast pork also and it was good. The only problem with the roast pork was that it was on the same plate with the great short ribs.
-
Review from Christopher M.
Las Vegas, NV
8/29/2011
This family run locals spot is a gem!
Nothing at all like the Hawaiian barbecue chains with boring mayo noodles and canned brown gravy on frozen fries. This is home cooked island fare with a touch of love and happiness....in a portion large enough to put you in a coma!
I've actually converted 2 Hawaiian barbecue nay-sayers in their 1st visit here.
Mmmmmm summarizes.Listed in: Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives
-
Review from virginia L.
Las Vegas, NV
Came here for Nelson's B-day UYE, got here rather late so i figure i'd order something quick to save my beloved fellow friends the agony of watching me slowly eating the same dishes that they have just finished eating.
On that notion Lynn warmly recommended the hawaiian Ahi poke, the one with sesame, she suggested. Ahi poke it is, big chunks of deep red and raw goodness nicely marinated with shoyu, green onions, sesame oil and more sesame~ To keep the ahi entertained, i also ordered some french fries along with a side of macaroni salad to satisfy my secret urge to eat fries with mayonnaise. This combo initially raised a few eyebrows but after some effort on my part to promo the mayo-fries duo, there were empathetically accepted.
Although this joint does not fall on my normal route of commute, i will not hesitate to go back and try out a few more items on the menu. -
Review from Fred J.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
1/23/2012
Love this place. I keep wanting to try everything, but I can't get past the loco moco, way too good. and my daughter always orders the poki, very fresh and tasty.
-
Review from Tony T.
7/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
Finally tried Island Flavor for the first time today. Been hearing only positive comments and recommendations for this SW Hawaiian eatery in a relatively undeveloped part of town, and the experience lived up to expectations.
The portions are way more than generous. Sides? They can serve you a "side", but it will still be entree portion. Just about everyone who dines here, leaves the restaurant with the tomorrow's lunch pre-packed. The desserts are just as big as the big island, and the ones I tried (Banana Bread Pudding) was delicious.
I tried the mixed plate with the Kalbi Ribs and Hawaiian Style Roasted Pork (serve with gravy), plus the Ahi Poke (Shoyu) and sampled the sesame and furikake ones as well. I personally really enjoyed the sesame ahi poke. But I think the Poke Salad (entree sized salad) also looks very delicious, and I will most likely try that in one of my future visits.
Besides the good food, the price is reasonable. You are definitely not going to leave this restaurant feeling like you can have a Big Mac Combo. It is perfect for a family or hungry & growing teenager, football team, etc.
It is perfect for anyone that wants good food, generous portions for a reasonable price! The friendly service is added to the package for absolutely no additional charge.
Are you an ahi poke fan? This is the best value and taste for the money in all of Las Vegas. Sesame flavor is probably the best, but everyone's preference is different, so try them all (just not all at one time, unless you have an army to help you finish it). No joke!
Food: 4/5 Some misses, but most are hits. Definitely worth the drive to this part of town if you are in the mood for Hawaiian food "local" style.
Portion: 5/5 How many different ways can you say the portion is huge? Each plate is enough to share for two regular people.
Service: 4/5 Friendly service.
Location: Can be a long trek for some, considering the location, but I think it is worth it. If you are visiting from out of town, unless you have your own transportation, I would suggest passing this one up (trying to get a cab out here back to the Strip would be a hassle and costly).
Price: 5/5 For the portion, it is definitely worth it.
Ambiance: 4/5 Hawaiian inspired art works adorned the walls, but I didn't pay it much attention when I saw the plates of food at the pick-up window.
Easily a solid 4 stars! -
Review from Judd L.
Updated - 7/21/2011 18 photos
THIS REVIEW IS ONLY FOR LAST NIGHT'S UYE...
To be in the restaurant business is many times very unforgiving. Last night it was Nelson Q's UYE & birthday. He & Sylvia made arrangements for 25 crazy easy go lucky Yelpers to dine together like back home.
To cut to the chase: they were absolutly unprepared for us. One server and a worthless assistant for the entire restaurant didn't cut the wasabe. I was talking to a very nice Hawaiian and we happen to talk about our cultures and how we don't complain plus take it. Last night was different for me.
I love the food here and not so much the truck load of MSG. Fortunately, not all 25 us showed all together. Kitchen got the break, but not our only server.
Mai iloko mai (That is within matters) Hope things get better.
Kau Kau remains perfect "5".Listed in: "Good As It Gets Eats!!"">My Vegas Fives, Aloha ! 5 Star Hawaiian Kakau…
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
-
12/7/2010
I came back for my Chantilly cake, but that wasn't the only thing on my wish list. This time I have… Read more »
-
-
Review from Nelson Q.
Updated - 7/25/2011 37 photos
We came, we ate, we conquered.......well, we tried! A mix of familiar faces and a couple of first-time UYE'ers and even one that was in town for business from Cali...The food as always was very delicious, and aside from a hiccup with someones order, service overall was good.
almost everyone had doggie bags due to their massive portions, but a few of us had to have dessert...I had a couple bites of the kona coffee mud pie and made the mistake of turning my back and it "mysteriously"
disappeared...The bread pudding was comfort food at its finest, and so was the haupia cake.
Mahalo to all of those in attendance and also to the gang at Island Flavor
for a great evening...ALOHA!!!Listed in: UYE-Unofficial Yelp Event..., Stellar Service!!!, Just like home, Winner,Winner Chicken…
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
-
2/25/2011
We sat up at the counter and it was just like you were in aunty's house...we shared the Hawaiian… Read more »
-
-
Review from Jen S.
9/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Be careful if you come here, they have HUGE PORTIONS! I ordered the chicken teriyaki for lunch. Two to three chicken breasts, two scoops of rice and a scoops of macaroni salad all for less than $10.
The chicken was well cooked, not dry, but the homemade teriyaki sauce was really salty. The rice helped, but only so much. The macaroni salad was a little bland, but there was a peppery finish. The white rice, was white rice, not too much you can say about it except it wasn't Uncle Ben's. I do wish there was more of it to help with the teriyaki sauce and I wish there was an option for brown rice.
The waitress was very attentive and made sure my ice tea never stayed empty for too long. The only other drawback other than the salty teriyaki sauce is the location. I wish they had a location closer to where I live! -
Review from Jessica T.
Las Vegas, NV
6/30/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Seriously, I have hit the jackpot of all Island gourmet!
I cannot even begin to explain how good everything is that I have had here.
Even the regular chopped salad is amazing with that dressing, those freshly fried wonton chips, the slice of TARO! Yes, fresh taro. Ughhhh, I have been back multiple times and they are on point EVERY time.
I have had the hoisin baby back ribs (TWO RACKS OF RIBS, SO TENDER THEY FALL OFF THE BONE!), sweet & sour spare ribs (JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF TANGY-NESS AND SWEETNESS), the Korean Chicken (DRUMETTES WITH A LIGHT SAUCE), the Furikake Shrimp (DEEP FRIED AND SIMPLE)... and my boyfriend is extremely fond of the Hawaiian Style Roast Pork. He also bragged about how juicy their laulau was, and oh, i almost forgot, the portions are HUGE.
They have great daily specials. The Smoked Meat is amazing. NOT Pipikaula, but it's DEEEELICIOUSSSS.
MAKE SURE YOU'RE HUNGRY and don't plan any heavy activity after you eat here. You will probably have to sit for longer than you were eating in order to make a safe exit! -
Review from LJ R.
I don't know why I waited so long to try this place out. The portions here are huge. The plates could feed 1 maybe 2 families. The desserts give u one sugar coma just by looking at it. I dunno how I made it out the door I was so full. Lol. Definitely gotta try this place out. Prices are little higher then most Hawaiian restaurants, at around $10+ a plate and around $5 for desserts, but the portions are huge and very good and is as good as it gets. Worth the drive out. They did a excellent job on service for a UYE.
I ready for put my order in for their Aloha plate, served only fridays, forgot what's in there but heard it runs out like that.Listed in: hawaii grinds in vegas
-
Review from Jeraldin A.
Woodland Hills, CA
8/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
The poke as an "appetizer" is very filling. You can actually have this as your meal for only $9.95. As for the lunch special deals for about $10 is also very filling. It's really "Big Island" style portions where you can share one meal with two people. My boyfriend and I tasted the chicken katsu loco moco and the short ribs. These two choices are superb.
I'd definitely would come back to this place when I head back to Las Vegas again. This is the spot to go to if you're missing the island flavors and you want to eat someplace away from the strip. -
Review from Charlie L.
Las Vegas, NV
The staff: I wish I caught her name, she was incredibly friendly, especially towards the end. It wasn't busy so I think she was actually the only server working. But she was able to tend to our table and a few others, very efficient.
The goods: AMAZING. I got the mixed plate with teriyaki chicken and furikake shrimp. i was in heaven. The meat was so tender and I could just pull it apart with my fork. Sounds of food ecstasy kept coming from the other side of the table; my friend was really enjoying her meal as well. And the portions were huge! We ate a good amount and still had to get a to-go box for the rest of her Kalbi and my chicken.
The atmosphere: It reminded me so much of home. They had satellite radio playing Hawaiian tunes; a very nice touch. It wasn't done up all crazy, just a few pictures here and there, a wall fixture of the islands. It had a very personal feel to it. It reminded me of places we would eat when I was younger in Waianae; the same fading color scheme and plants, same kitchen layout. It actually made me quite nostalgic.
After Aloha Grill closed down and Aloha Kitchen kind of went downhill, I thought my only hope for Hawaiian food would be the Marketstreet Cafe at the Cal, and I only go there for the saimin anyway. But my "haole" friend as he refers to himself, instructed that it was CRUCIAL I check out Island Flavor. I am so happy that I did. Amazing food, and great quality for the price. I was afraid it would be more on the pricy side because of other reviews, but that wasn't the case at all. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the bill.
First experience there was brilliant, it definitely won't be my last. -
Review from EJay D.
Las Vegas, NV
8/20/2011
Authentic Hawaiian food. Style, flavor and gargantuan portions will take you back to the islands.
*Korean style chicken wings - crispy, sweet and spicy. Very nice.
* Kalbi - big portions and nice flavor.
* Teriyaki beef - good flavor on tender pieces of beef.Perfect with rice.
* House salad - super good dressing!!!!!
*MAC salad - tasty; it's coma time!!!!!!
*Oxtail Soup - If you're in the mood to slurp. Go for it. Fall of the bone goodness.
Places like this will always be a crowd favorite due to the excellent value for your money. To the owners of Island Flavor...I love this place. Keep serving it up. -
Review from Ben G.
5/22/2011 2 photos
I have to admit...I've been to Hawaii, but I never really ate hawaiian food until I moved to Vegas.
And until I had Island Flavor I never really knew just how good it could be.
I actually stopped in without knowing anything about this place and just went for lunch with my roommate Mason, who has been to Hawaii numerous times so I figured why not give it a try.
As a southerner I am fundamentally pre-programmed to like most of these dishes because they have the same principals of many southern dishes. Slow cooked pork, greens, rice, gravy, fried chicken steak, and a mayo heavy pasta salad as a nice foil to the abundance of savory flavors.
I had the pork lau lau combo which came with 2 scoops of rice a side of the ceviche style ahi poke salad and that coconut pudding that I could happily eat every day for the rest of my life. All of this was $10 and the portion was too much for me to finish and made for great leftovers the next day.
This place has the typical kitschy interior that you would expect with any small hawaiian joint. And the staff was incredibly friendly and helpful with making suggestions based on my limited experience with the cuisine.
Although this place is now a bit of a drive from me, and for anybody else who is not in the extreme SW, it is beyond worth the drive.
I would have to pass 3 different hawaiin places on my way to Island Flavor, and to those who have been there...you know why this makes total sense. -
Review from Randy P.
San Diego, CA
Came here with my future bro in law. He highly recommended this place. Its kinda far from the strip, but food was decent. Its kinda nice to venture out of the bright lights of Vegas sometimes. The inside was open and very welcoming. Place was packed so we sat at the bar.
I ordered the roast pork & kalbi combo with the gravy on the side. The kalbi ribs were some of the best I've tried! It was thick and flavorful. Juicy and not dry at all. The Mac salad though, had way to much pepper in it. The roasted pork had little flavor and the gravy wasn't that appealing either. I probably would not order the pork again. My bro in law ordered the kalbi ribs and chicken katsu combo. He let me try some katsu and it was good. Nice crunch but moist inside. Pretty darn good.
I wouldn't mind coming back to try some other items on the menu. I'll read some other Yelp reviews to see what's good and what's not... -
Review from Steph P.
10/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
Seriously yummy Hawaiian food with very large sized portions. So much fresher than other local competition. I love chicken katsu loco moco and the Chantilly cake. The poke is really good too. I always do take out and my order is ready and waiting right on time.
-
Review from Wil Y.
Las Vegas, NV
6/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
I have been coming here for a while since this place opened up a few years ago but finally got around to writing a review. Everything I've had has been delicious and the servings are huge even for me. This last visit I had the Chicken Katsu Loco Moco. I was very good but the brown gravy need a little more flavor. Downside they ran out of Spam Musubis and they are closed Sundays and Mondays.
On a previous trip I tried bringing some friends from out of town here but they were closed Sunday :(Listed in: 9th Island Grinds
-
Review from Arvin T.
Las Vegas, NV
4/6/2011 ROTD 4/30/2011
Aright so I moved to Vegas recently, but so far this is one of my favorite places to eat. I came here for lunch yesterday with My T. and Thao T. and I have to say it was pretty dang awesome. I haven't had lunch yet, so I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.
Aright, I'm going to give you the low down. The portions are big here, so I would suggest you go with a couple people, and you guys all try each others' stuff. These are the 3 things we got, and I'll probably get them again.
1. Korean Chicken - I have had wings like this once before in my life, and it was called Dry Fried Chicken at a restaurant in San Francisco called San Tung, and they are legit. I wouldn't make a meal out of this, that's why I'm saying share. Juiciest wings ever, and that Korean sauce is wicked
2. Kalbi Short Ribs- Again, it's a lot of food, so most people would die if they had this whole plate. They are so tender, you can pull them off the bone. I want it now.
3. Baby Back Ribs (can't find on menu for some reason, maybe new item) - My least favorite, but fantastic in the least. It just doesn't compare to the top 2 items I mentioned.
Owner served us, he's a great guy. So humble, very chill vibe in the place. You can tell it's really Hawaiian. I will come back. -
Review from Brian H.
Fishers, IN
11/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
So great to find a taste of the islands in the middle of the desert. Shoyu ahi poke and spam musubi. Da Kine!
-
Review from Diana T.
10/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place may be small, but their portions are HUMOGENOUS. I order the loco moco chicken katsu and I only ate about an eighth of it. The prices are reasonable when you consider how much food you're actually getting. Can't wait to go back to try some other things bc everybody's dishes looked amazeballs!
-
Review from Trina T.
Las Vegas, NV
When it comes to island flavor, they sure have it. This restaurant is small, quaint, and fast. Frank and I stopped by here on our way to check out our new home nearby, and when we walked in it felt as if we were back on Guam at some mom and pop restaurant. The staff is friendly and helped a lot when it came to choosing lunch.
I grabbed their ribeye steak with white rice. It comes smothered in grilled onions and mushrooms, just how we make it back home. It was delicious, but I have to say that they have this adobo-like chicken dish that Frank ate, and the sauce was CRAZY GOOD. I poured it over my steak and rice after tasting it!
Love the food, love the people, and I will stick with the local fare rather than their American choices, because they do their food the best. '
Oh, and save room for dessert. Their haupia cake is HUGE and can feed four people, or two hungry islanders like Frank and I.
Stop by, say hello, and chow down at island flavor. -
Review from Lawrence C.
Las Vegas, NV
4/18/2011
Everything about Island Flavor is great.
Reasonable prices, friendly service, excellent food, and great atmosphere. People dine here reguarly and for good reason.
I enjoy the poke (furikake style) and I usually get the oxtail soup. You can get a 2 meat combo for under 10 bucks. Tonnnnss of food. The qualiy of their food is really good. Kalbi short ribs, katsu, shoyu chicken all very good.
I believe on Friday nights, they have specials such as Lau Lau, etc.
I also like how they play Hawaiian music in the background.
