Island Cafe

I suspect that most of the people going to Island Cafe are not going for the food. They are going as a social event, to meet their long time drinking friends, to be seen in their floppy hats and to talk about their new tennis instructors. The food, as long as it is not awful is secondary. And it was not awful, it was not fantastic, but it was not awful. My onion petals were kind of pasty with little flavor, but kind of addictive, like potato chips. They did not offend, nor did they excite. My BLT had so much bacon pressed so tightly, that I could not bite through it. Imagine! A male of the species complaining about too much bacon! But we took most of it home where it graced the next three BLT’s I ate. Other than that, it was rather pedestrian. Now the service was great! They found us a place away from the speakers, opened umbrellas for us, refilled our drinks, and though it was crowded and they warned us service might be slow, they were attentive and kind. It feels, like a different world out there. Not Vancouver and not Portland. A kind of between place, where maybe a lot of people play golf and drink cocktails and aren’t really that concerned about the food. Because if you don’t have to be on the water, there are a lot better choices out there. But it seems this is what happens to places with really great locations. The environment starts to carry the weight. That flavor of tourist starts to seep into everything, including the food. It gets into the spices jars and the walk in freezers and it takes real commitment and some real imagination to break free and find an authentic culinary voice again.

It was a late evening stop on a beautifully sunny warm day. Sat in the bar/lounge window seat so no waiting. My sandwich wrap was great and the curry Mac salad was uniquely flavored. Boats coming and going. Duck families coming & going. Will plan to go again sometime and try something different on the menu.

We love Island Cafe. The food and drinks are consistently delicious. I highly recommend the fish and chips or fish tacos. It's a super fun location on the water. We have gone several times over the last few years and have never been disappointed.

The Alaskan Halibut Fish & Chips was delicious without sauce and with the jalapeño ranch! Yummy! The view is filled with docked boats. There is music in the background and the weather was pleasant.

like coming here because it’s a fun vibe out on the water and my food itself was amazing. Our server straight up said “anything else? this is my last time to the table”. You should never say that to your customers I was very offended. The server should come to the table as many times as they are needed. I think her name was Sam, she had dark hair and glasses. I also felt bad for the people next to us. They ordered burgers but had to send them back because they weren’t cooked enough. They waited an additional 15min to get another uncooked burger back. She ended up ordering something else and I believe she was compensated. My four star is because of the server. I did not want to tip her because of her comment but she automatically added an 18% tip. We did come in on a Sunday at a busy time and had to wait an hour for our table so maybe she was stressed but it’s still unacceptable to say that.

Waited two hours to get seated then waited another hour to receive the fried chicken sandwich I ordered and the chicken I got was raw. We got the check and they made us pay full price for it.

Had the best lunch there! Awesome location, had the club sandwich and my friend had the lobster wrap.. we both enjoyed our lunches very much. Get the onion petals! Large portions. The service was excellent. Had I not had to drive home, I would've definitely been all over their drink menu. I told my husband he's taking me on a date there very soon and he's definitely driving. They have mocktails but I had already ordered something before I discovered those.. They look delicious though! We arrived about 20 minutes before they opened and glad we did since there was already a line to get in. Apparently, waiting a hour for a table isn't uncommon but they have an area where you can chill and a really cool gift shop to check out. Walking around and looking at boats or just looking out over the water isn't bad either.

Hot day but was able to enjoy it by the beautiful water here which kept things cooler. I Had the 2 piece halibut fish and chips and it was excellent. Also a Cadillac Margarita that was tasty. Kind of expensive but worth it for the food quality, personal service and excellent vibe.

This place was the most delightful discovery today. I don't spend much time in this area of town (Hayden Island), and just by chance met up with a friend here. Amazing views, sweet island vibe. Really! I'm like "where am I??" This can't be Portland. This is my new favorite place. I feel like I unearthed this incredible gem, I want to go every weekend. Maybe they don't need to advertise, but I never heard of this place until today. We got there just about 11:45 and every table was full with a waitlist. We had a short wait. Loved the water stations. Mariah was our server, she was very pleasant. In fact, everyone we encountered was very enjoyable. We both had chicken Cesar salads, but everything looked good. Sorry no photos of food or the restaurant, I was just too busy soaking in this heavenly oasis. The only thing to add is if you have any mobility issues it would be a challenge getting up and down the steep ramp to/from the restaurant, unless you're arriving by boat. *They do not take reservations. GO! CHECK! THIS! PLACE! OUT! NOW!!!!

What an interesting place!! I will definitely come back again. It's a restaurant/bar on the marina with great vibes. Open air dining with water flowing by and it almost feels like a mini vacation in Portland. We ordered the special watermelon slushies and they were decent. The flavor was okay, but I don't know if i would order again. The booze all sits on the bottom because it's not premixed - but you choose the alcohol. We got tequila. For a snack, we got the lobster salad stuffed avocado appetizer. It was a strange presentation still in the skin, but in an oval dish. I'm not sure why they didn't peel it. The lobster is finely minced and loses some of its flavor due to that. The mango salsa was okay. All mixed together it tasted pretty good. We only got three pieces of pita while pics show 4. hmmm The fish and chips look good. Think bar menu on the water with tunes like Jimmy Buffett.

When hungry, follow the locals. Top marks in all categories for Island Cafe! Restaurant: An appropriately themed tropical style restaurant with Jimmy Buffet playing on the stereo. Every seat has a view of the water with ample room and comfortable wicker chairs. Even the bar stools are good. Despite being open and floating on the river, everything is appropriately clean. Menu: Small and in keeping with the overall theme. Tropical drinks, and pineapple burgers mingle with locally sourced foods and MARKET FRESH HALIBUT!!!! YUM! Food: Outfuckingstanding! My fresh halibut fish and chips were cooked to absolute perfection. The fish was mild and flaky and the batter was so well seasoned that I barely touched the tarter sauce. My fiancée ordered the Wild Ahi salad and not a bite is left. Portion size is generous as well, but if you're hungry, you can still leave with no leftovers. Service: Friendly and polite. Food arrived as soon as it wad ready and good beer recommendations were given. Overall: If 6 stars existed, I'd give it. Above and beyond!

After recently taking an Alaskan cruise which was less than a positive experience, my brother decided to lift my spirits with tropical vibes and a trip to the Island Cafe. The cafe sits on a dock floating on the water and offers wonderful views of the marina, boats sailing by, and curious duck friends. The cafe is decorated with fishing nets adorned with plastic sea animals, a ship's steering wheel, coconut shell creations, and colorful signs. Jimmy Buffet music and delightful island songs play in the background. The cafe is a perfect escape on a sunny, summer day. We ordered chips and salsa before deciding on our main courses. How can you go wrong? We finally decided on the halibut fish and chips and the chicken bacon ranch sandwich. I also ordered two fruity, tropical drinks, and my Island Vice, a blend of a strawberry daiquiri and a pina colada packed more of a punch than any drink I had on my entire cruise! My brother enjoyed his fish and chips, and my sandwich was good, but there was only a small drizzle of ranch. I found myself dipping my sandwich in the Thousand Island I had requested for my fries. Since we sat at the bar, service was immediate and our bartender was friendly and nice. I look forward to infusing more of my summer with tropical cocktails and a view of the water again soon!

This place was insane. Definitely expected it to be busy as it was a hot Saturday afternoon, but between what was supposed to be a "20 minute" wait, getting seated, and ordering, it was 1hr 40 min from the time that we got there until we got food. The food is SO SLOW. Had a poke bowl and it was dry as the desert, ate it in like five minutes because I was starving. Also had to put in special requests to try and get a side of rice (which they said No to) and side of fries, (also a No). We ordered regular menu items so it wasn't like we were trying to just snack on side dishes-we were just pretty hungry. The only way I would go back to this place is if I was sitting in the bar and only having drinks. The location is dope but overall experience is a No for me.

Seasonal restaurant, only open during the warmer months of late Spring through mid-Autumn, so check their website for hours. This island themed restaurant is located on a pier on the Columbia River, tucked among some marinas and boat/marine sales shops. The island decor & beach music play into the theme in a good way. We were happy to see all the tables on the patio had an umbrella or other covering, so you're not baking in the sun when it's hot out, and covered if there's a rain shower. And there's a nice view of Mount Hood from the patio and a portion of the interior section. They don't take reservations, though, and it's not a huge place, so expect to wait for a table at peak times. Thankfully they have a large waiting area where you can grab a cocktail while you wait, or peruse The Happy Mermaid gift shop next door. We came for lunch on a Saturday and I had the lobster/seafood wrap & the Hubs had the coconut shrimp; both meals were delicious. Of course they have a huge tropical cocktail menu to tempt you as well. Our server was very nice, too. Parking lot parking is limited, but there is street parking on one side of the street if both the parking lots are full (be sure to read the parking restriction signs on the road & in the lots to avoid getting a ticket/towed).

I'll preface this with each individual experience is obviously different, and this review only reflects my own personal experience with our group. This has great reviews and the setting is beautiful, particularly on a nice warm day. It really does feel like you're in a tiki bar somewhere tropical. The drinks are good albeit stereotypically sweet. The food is also solid though not outstanding with a lot of fried food options. It's on the docks and it's right on the water; it offers a bar as well as restaurant seating. My group started in the bar and one of my friends and I each had 2 drinks. Our 3rd friend arrived later, had no drinks in the bar, and then had 1 drink when we got seated. We were having a great time until our server told us the bartender had cut us off. Without further explanation, she then walked off, other than saying it wasn't her call. We were confused more than anything. One person from our group got up and went to talk and/or apologize to the manager if we had done something wrong or offensive. She told us it was our server who made the call, so already we had finger pointing, still without explanation. We were not being loud or disruptive and I assume the manager would've told us if we were. So that was the end of our experience. We felt awkward and uncomfortable and regardless of who made the call, I feel things could've been handled and communicated far better. This is obviously a very popular place however I will not be going back ever again.

It was our 1st time. Had high hopes of a great experience. Nice and sunny. We will not return. We do not recommend. We didn't mind: -waiting an hour to get a table -getting our appetizer and drinks within 10 minutes of sitting We did mind: -seeing 2 families sit 10 & 20 minutes after us and get their food before us. 1 even paying and coming up to us asking why we hadn't gotten our food. The family thanked us for our patience and not causing a scene for everyone else. -our waitress saying that it was the kitchen fault which obviously couldn't have been true (we got a wrap and chicken tenders) - the manager delivering to food with no apologies for the delay. - the fact we got our food 1h15min after sitting at the table -No discount or comps on anything for that terrible experience -spending a total of 2 hours at that table feeling abandoned and lied too with excuses wasting our afternoon for food not worth it. Wish we could have written something other than this.

Very laid back and friendly. Lived here all my life and first time trying this place. Food was great and atmosphere as well. Quick service, hot food and very tasty. We will definitely be back.

I always enjoy going to Island Cafe even though there may typically be a wait. If you're 21 and up, the bar has open seating and you can usually get seated more quickly. It's a fun spot to go to during the warmer season. The fish and chips is good and I absolutely love the jumbo coconut shrimp. They have some good apps too, I usually like the popcorn shrimp or the onion petals. My go to cocktail is the coconut mojito when I get a drink there, it's always tasty!

Island Cafe is always a warm weather favorite of mine. They are only open in the warm months, unfortunately, because they are outdoors on the docks on Tomahawk Island. They have shade, with some seating under a roof and some under shade cloth & umbrellas. The food is good. I always get their halibut fish & chips. The "chips" are better than a lot of fries-seasoned & crispy on the outside & soft & creamy on the inside. The halibut is beer battered, just how I like it! Others in my family got the bacon bleu cheese burger, the BLT & the Turkey sandwich. They forgot the T on the BLT but the server quickly brought some after it was pointed out. They were serving a lot of people and it was an easy mistake we forgave. Everybody liked their food.

What a fun place this was to eat. It was our first time on Hayden Island by boat and we discovered this floating cantina by the brightly colored umbrellas and the happy chatter coming from the customers. After tying up, we were all seated at a riverside 4-top for dinner. The weather was perfect (July) and we ordered up food and drinks. The wait staff was very friendly and the setting was amazing. The casual, beach-like vibe reminded me of Florida or Mexico. We all ordered something different and were pleased with our selections (except for the lobster mix wrap that could use some TLC). I'm kind of a fried calamari guy and was happy with what they served. It's not fancy, just good food on a floating dock. Hard to beat when you're in a boat. Trust...

Always a must during the summer. We usually visit right when they open to ring in the beginning of summer. Best pina Colada I've ever had. Fries are always delicious. And they have a really good Cesar salad. I don't do seafood so I can't speak on that. Their teriyaki burger is so delicious.

They were suppose to open the beginning of May 2023, but now it's been pushed up to mid May I believe, apparently because they can't find enough cooks :( I love this place! But I don't love they are open a mere, what, 3 months of the year? By September they were closed. But it's still warm. Get some strong heat lamps and open up even in October :) I mean, it's outdoors and covered against rain because there is a roof. Perhaps it's not cost effective for them? :( Service - Most employees are friendly. 4 stars Atmosphere - You're outside and literally on the water all around you, you can feel it move beneath your feet, there is nothing to complain about ;)  5 stars+++++  Fries $4.95 - Crispy, not too greasy, flavorful, OK portion  4 stars Lobster island wrap $14.95- So much mayo, couldn't taste the lobster 2 stars Halibut Fish Tacos (3) $17.95 - Pretty tasty but kinda spendy for the portion 4 stars  Teriyaki Island Bowl $12.95 - Really tender chicken, perfect amount of teriyaki, brown rice cooked to perfection, veggies  4.5 stars Pulled pork Island Bowl $12.95 - Same dish as above, but different meat 3.5 stars Please note that the bowls have been discontinued :( I do not know what the latest menu will be since my experience was last year and they're closed most of the year.

as far as alcohol, don't waste your money. We had a table of 6 and ordered margaritas and tequila sunrise. ($10/$14) Tasted like juice. I am very sensitive to alcohol and there was certainly no discernable alcohol in them. When I mentioned it to the waitress she argued with me in front of my 5 friends. Then charged $14 for the drink.

Wanna get away? Need a tropical vacation for an evening? This is your place. The ambiance, the vibe, totally makes you feel like you're in the tropics. The boats going by, the music, the bar while you wait for your table, it's all so fun. Then you're seated and the menu is terrific. I haven't had a bad meal there, everything is fresh and delicious. I wish it were closer, but it's worth the drive for me. The wait staff is friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. Highly recommend visiting the Island Cafe for your staycation.

It's a bitter sweet time of the year. The food and service are always excellent. But as I say goodbye. I am very enthusiastic about the reopening date in the spring of 2024.

Upon arrival, we had about a 20 minute wait for a party of 4. Wednesday at like 1pm during the summer so I could see why they'd be so busy! The wait was no bother cause we just browsed in the next door gift shop and then looked at a menu to decide what we would order. We were soon ushered to a cute table above the water. I knew that I wanted a virgin Strawberry lime daiquiris but the waitress told me their frozen drinks weren't frozen, the machine wasn't doing its job. I was disappointed! Ultimately I ordered a water with a cheeseburger, my friends all ordering the California chicken (sandwich), BLT, and Hawaiian burger. They all loved their meals, however my BLT friend complained they went light on the tomatoes while the Hawaiian burger friend said he had too many. Sharing is caring Would go back, the view was amazing, the service fast, and food delicious.

They are doing great. Pretty much back to normal and great service again. Seems to be plenty of help & the food and drinks are excellent. Keep up the great work! I like the 3 extra boat slips reserved on the inside now too. Helps a lot.

Nice fun on the river restaurant with excellent food! Our favorite is the coconut shrimp. They're so tasty! The halibut tacos are huge and worth you having. Be aware that on warm sunny days yellow jackets can be a problem. They're not a problem for me. Nice friendly people works here. They're closed now for the winter. See you in the spring!

Showed up on a sunny day at lunch hour. As expected , it was busy. The service was excellent, food was good and well worth the wait. If you're looking to get immediate seating and service on a busy day, probably not going to happen. You're on the river , it's a little colder and there is usually a breeze so bring a light jacket! The service was excellent, food was good and enjoyed our time Gladly be back.

Someone tell me why oh, why I have never been here before! Probably because it is a little off the beaten path in a cool marina. This place was so great :-) starting off with a little gift store that has such an island vibe with music to boot. Great little gifts in there and some clothing. There are unique gifts as well as jewelry. Really nice owner. Reasonable prices. I felt like I was somewhere completely different on an island :-)Good stuff My friends and I shared the halibut, fish and chips. Very light tempura batter that was beautiful with the halibut fish. We chose the three pieces which came with fries and we shared. Fish was fresh and excellent. Fries were tasty. Came with a small side of coleslaw, which I must say, was Really good We shared Caesar salads as well. Homemade salad dressing and croutons Had some cocktails. Very refreshing. You must save room for the key lime pie. This is the real deal. Not too sweet with a delicious crust. I mean come on The service was really excellent. That is saying a lot these days, I believe. We were well taken care of, and enjoyed a lovely luncheon w outside venue with some great surroundings. Wonderful views.

A close friend has been telling me about this place for a while and when we heard it was open we decided to go to celebrate her birthday. Upon arrival I was super excited to find this hidden gem! Such a cool spot for hot summer days. There were three of us, and 2 of them arrived about 45 minutes before me and each had two drinks in the bar, and some apps. When I arrived we asked for a table and were sat quickly. Everyone was super friendly and I ordered a drink, and my friend ordered a third. We ordered some appetizers and after about 1/2 an hour in I ordered a second drink and we all ordered entrees. Our server was super sweet and we had let her know we'd like dessert for our friends birthday. I was about 1/2 way done with my second drink and wasn't feeling anything at all and had just remarked that the drinks were delicious but very sweet and must not contain much booze. That isn't a bad thing, just an observation, but I was getting cold and asked if they had any warm drinks, and my two friends misheard it as 'worm drink' and we all laughed along with the server and then moved on. A few minutes later, our server returned with our dessert and said there were no warm drinks and that she didn't realize we had been in the bar and we were cut off. We legitimately thought she was kidding because over the course of 2 hours my two friends had each had two cocktails and a beer, and I had 1.5 drinks plus appetizers and full meals. It was super awkward. The server said it was the manager and my friend went to speak with them because we were genuinely confused. The manager said the server was brand new, it was her second day, and she thought we were slurring-we absolutely were not-the only thing we could think of was the worm drink comment. The manager said it was important to support her server (which I actually totally agree with) and we were told it was a family establishment-we are all in our late 30's/40's, definitely not there to get super drunk. It completely threw a wet blanket on our evening and we all felt uncomfortable and embarrassed. I just wish the manager had come to our group or perhaps sent a more senior server over to make an evaluation before any decisions were made. Or just could have been handled so much better. They then rushed us to pay our bill and we left. I had been super excited to return to Island Cafe a lot over this summer, but after this experience I will definitely not be back. Such a bummer because of the location and general vibes.

Whenever we are looking for casual outdoor dining in a beautiful waterfront setting, we make our way to Island Cafe. The menu is a nice mix of burgers, fried foods, and island inspired appetizers with consistently good quality and perfect for a leisurely summer lunch. Parking is adequate (but we shoot for late lunches) and the wait on a nice day is often 40 minutes to an hour, but they have a bar, friendly staff, and plenty of seating while you wait. Or you can do what I do and take a little time to browse the shelves of The Happy Mermaid while we wait.

Food, service, ambiance - good vibes all around! Getting here was really fun by boat if you are out for the day and wanted to stop for lunch, or wanted to experience waterfront dining, or meeting your boat friends for lunch by car and hopping into the boat after. So many options! They have a big waiting area with long benches attached to a bar shack so you can get some drinks while waiting. The floating bathrooms are surprisingly clean! Hostess was friendly and helpful and our waitress was attentive and gave some great suggestions! (The hummus was garlicky for sure! She warned us haha) You expect great seafood selections and they did not disappoint! You can't go wrong with fried seafood or onions rings and they were both crispy and flavorful that came with yummy dipping sauces. I thoroughly enjoyed my lobster salad wrap - super fresh and huge! The fries were the perfect accompaniment. Not pictured here was some island meatballs that were also bomb. Recommend coming here for a waterfront lunch or dinner. Oh and doggos are allowed too!

We absolutely loved the food I had the Ahi tuna salad, it was delicious our guests were so happy with the food and beautiful sunny atmosphere with the view of Mt Hood & all the sail boats. Shawn & Tracy you have a beautiful restaurant for everyone to enjoy, when you're son came to wait on us I knew he was yours he looks just like you Shawn. (Remembering when he was a little guy and now such a handsome young adult. Daw & Shane Johnson

The service, food and drinks are just mediocre but the setting makes one feel like they're on vacation. So it makes it almost worth it, since I didn't have to pay for a flight. I keep thinking if they upped their game on the drinks or food it would be almost impossible to get a table too! So...I give it a 4 in general for its unique ambience for Portland.

Love the scenery, the staff, the food. Had wonderful cocktails and lunch was perfect . Very clean!

love this place the food, drinks and friendly staff. I wait fir summer every year for them to open!!

Great food. Great service. Great ambiance. Right on the water. The popcorn shrimp and French fries are phenomenal! Will definitely be back.

First off the things we liked about Island Cafe...the ambiance of being on the water on a nice day was great and we also received excellent service (from the guy who took our name for the waiting list to our waitress=super nice people, all of them) But then there was the food...it was really NOT good. I had a salmon salad and for 18$ I got a small, dry and basically tasteless piece of fish on lettuce with some parmesan. My friend ordered the lobster salad and it was bland and pretty awful overall (and the fish didnt taste fresh either so I'm now glad she didn't eat it!) Insult to injury-all of this bad food was also $$$. And then there were bees EVERYWHERE on our table (we spent 3/4 of our time trying to brush them off our food and pray we didn't get bitten) I'm not saying they should put bee poison on the table BUT i have been to other restaurants by the water and never experienced such an unpleasant amount of insects. IF (and that's a big "if" ) I were every to go back i would go at sunset (i.e. hopefully no bees then) and just order a drink, nothing more (and hope they do that well vs. their awful food) BUT this restaurant doesn't need me as it was packed with a waiting line today so may all those patrons enjoy this place-me, I am taking my dining dollars ELSEWHERE.

We arrived just after they opened. We were seated and no one seemed to want to wait on us. Two of the Wait staff looked at us and kept walking on by. A few tables were taken care of that were seated long after us. One finally came up and apologized saying that there was some confusion on who's table it was. We ordered the coconut shrimp and chicken strips. Shrimp was good. The chicken tasted fishy. Obviously done in the same oil as the fish. Live the setting but everything else fell short again.

Such a cute spot on the dock! My family and I got a table right near the water and had delicious seafood, burgers and sandwiches. So many options! Our waitress was very sweet and attentive. Definitely will be back.

Great food in ambience. A very special restaurant. Great fried clams and seafood and a few of the water.

This floating restaurant is an icon on Hayden Island. The food is good and reasonably priced. Thesrvice is prompt and friendly and the setting I'd hard to beat.

The view is nice, food was strictly Sysco and not well prepared. We had horrible service, ignored because there was a large party seated next to Us, and the server didn't have the skills to balance her time

I brought two of my girlfriends to have lunch, I got the Blue Cheese Bacon Burger, and it was Devine, the bun was soft with crispy edges, just the way I like it (rarely find it that good-bcuz, who cares, it's just the bun right)? the meat was top notch and the blue cheese still had little chunks of cheese - not all completely melted - which I prefer and nice big thick pieces of crispy - done just right bacon. The service was impeccable; and of course the nuance, atmosphere is like being on an island far away...love being there, always transporting! They have this down to an art-

Island Cafe is a hidden escape! We loved sitting right on the water and enjoying island themed food and drinks. It was the moment I realized, "It's summertime, baby!" The margaritas were pretty bad. All of us felt like they tasted like salt water and couldn't finish them. So that was a huge letdown, but the food was okay. It was good, but nothing exceptional. Ultimately, I would recommend you try Island Cafe for the island vibes not necessarily for the food and drinks.

When visiting in Portland, I found this quaint water front cafe with outdoor seating. This restaurant gave me the best piece of key lime pie I have ever eaten. We enjoyed our dinner watching the boats roll by with drink in hand. There's plenty of options for shopping local right on the pier. Food came out fast with excellent flavor. The lobster wrap was stuffed with succulent lobster and potato salad on the side. I even ordered a salad to take with me. Added bonus for boaters, you can pull up and dock right at the restaurant.

This is a fun place to go to. And I recommend it on a warmer or summer day. It is a little way out but overall lovely, and the food is good. It is a bit expensive for its size and quality, but it is more of a fun social place than anything else. The workers are friendly but a little slow.

Was so busy, rolled up in the boat sat at the bar got our drinks and food atmosphere was amazing would definitely go back!

When the experience at a local restaurant makes you feel like you've been transported to an exotic location, you've found a truly magical place. I'm sure the sunny, 80° weather had something to do with it, but everything about the Island Café's aesthetic and cuisine furthered the illusion of being swept away to a vacation destination in the Caribbean! Somehow, in my 40+ years living in and around Portland, I had never even heard of the Island Café until last month. Ever since the slow, painful death of the Jantzen Beach mall, Hayden Island was a place to be passed over, on the way to other locations, with very few exceptions. That changes forever, after this weekend! There was a 45 minute wait ahead of us as we strolled up to the gangplank that descends down to the marina, so we took the puppies for a walk to kill some time. When we were finally called, we were escorted to a table smack dab in the middle of the riverside platform. The gentle rocking was almost undetectable to me, but my wife was a little more susceptible to it, but not enough to be distracting or nauseating; quite the contrary, it was rather pleasant. So complete was the illusion of exoticness, with the sun reflecting off the surface of the water, the crystal blue skies above, yachts and schooners sailing by, and local water fowl waddling up to beg for table scraps, that we quickly forgot that we were still right here in Portland. We ordered a couple of cocktails (and Island Mojito and a Painkiller), fish and chips, and halibut fish tacos, all of which were absolutely delicious, and among the best fried fish entrees we've had anywhere in the PNW. Each and every component maintained the wonderful escapist experience by which we were enraptured, and my wife and I agreed that the Island Café was one of our absolute favorite restaurants in all of Portland. Personally, I can't think of a single other restaurant where I would rather dine outdoors on a warm, sunny summer day, meaning that every other, formerly-unchallenged favorite now has to compete for my attention with this rookie contender that punches WAY above its weight class. Yeah, COVID-19 squashed international travel, so if you're in desperate need of a Caribbean vacation, the Island Café makes for a pretty awesome proxy.

Great good during peak season. Late in the season the food deteriorated significantly.

they have the best drinks here. very cool set up on the docks, you seat yourself. the only odd thing about it is how limited and disorganized it can be when you're walking up trying to order your drinks and there's a ton of people/tourist not knowing where they're going. this is mainly due to how small the place is. still would come here again and again in the summertime

One our favorite places to eat. The food, service and view are always great. We love watching the water and looking at the boats while we eat.

The staff is organized and friendly, the food is amazing! My wife and I enjoy Island Cafe and have always had a great experience. Look forward to our next visit soon!

We love the setting- on the water with lots of boats around. The Caribbean Island motif is complete with Jimmy Buffet being played. The BBQ pulled pork sandwich was excellent and huge. It came with nicely crispy French fries and a little cup of tasteless cole slaw. The clam chowder was just average. Most of the tables are outside but under cover. Masks no longer required. We will return.

Food is great but the service is even greater! Highly recommend to anyone on and off the water. The manager is super kind and caring as well

Great location and service! Would highly recommend trying their clam chowder! It's a cute hidden spot - perfect for a nice summer date.

Until next season...Well known to Portandians as thee "go to" spot during summer months. Go down the ramp, or take your dinghy to an "island" vibe spot. Open aired ambience, comfortably trendy yet casual restaurant bar, surrounded by water. Truly one of a kind experiences. The halibut is some of the best!