Island Soul - Kirkland (Arleana's)

We visited Island Soul back in December, not realizing they were only serving brunch at the time. I’m not really a brunch person, and their regular menu actually looked a lot more interesting—so I was a bit bummed. That said, while the food was ok, the service was absolutely fantastic. The staff was super friendly, upbeat, and genuinely seemed happy to be there, which made the whole experience feel really welcoming. The space has a fun, colorful vibe with lots of artwork and personality. I’d definitely be open to coming back—next time for dinner—because I have a feeling the regular menu might be more interesting.

Restaurant Review We had a really good meal at this restaurant. The food was well-prepared, and the prices were very reasonable, making it a solid choice for a casual meal. We didn’t try any alcoholic drinks, but the dishes we ordered were enjoyable. The fried green tomatoes were interesting and had a nice flavor, and the chicken patties were tasty. My husband liked his rockfish dish, and I enjoyed my blackened salmon with plantains—the seasoning was great, and the combination worked well. Service was quick, and the staff was efficient. Parking was convenient, with both street parking and a covered garage under the building that they can validate. Overall, it was a good experience with quality food at a fair price. We’d definitely consider coming back!

This place is excellent. We had gumbo, oxtail, curry goat, jerk chicken, okra, mussels, and fried green tomatoes. The cocktails were delicious. Everything was fresh and delicious. The owner Theo is welcoming and so friendly and so very hospitable. Carla was helpful and provided great hospitality. Our waitress (sorry we didn’t get her name) was sweet and helpful. I couldn’t recommend this place more. Next we’re going to try their brunch.

The restaurant is located in downtown Kirkland and it has a very good atmosphere inside. It is a fusion restaurant, the food was tasty and the service was very welcoming. However, the menu is a bit different than what we expected. The options on the menu are limited compared to what we see in the google review photos. And the taste of dishes taste like they add a lot of indian spices as well. The taste was very good, but we were just a bit confused as in the description it said it is a Caribbean and French fusion restaurant. But except that, we had a good time there.

Unfortunately disappointing. I had high hopes and expectations, but the service was TERRIBLE and all the food was missing a critical item. There was only 4 of us sitting at the bar, and even with hardly any people in the restaurant, it was extremely hard to get our servers attention. Also, the food was meh. The gumbo was pretty good but it had a tiny tiny spoonful of rice for the entire dish?!? It was impossible to eat without some starch to soak it up. And there was maybe 4 pieces of sausage in it, absolutely no chicken. We all walked out feeling very confused and disappointed.

Was a wonderful family dinner with tasty food. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Gumbo, wings (we had calypso), and fries are a must try! Two hour free parking in the garage when you check in the restaurant.

Food is amazing. Very happy to find good soul food. Ordered tostones, lamb skewers, island curry mussels, fried cat fish, jerk chicken with side okra and desserts plantain with ice cream. Service was amazing. Will definitely come back and try their brunch.

Easily stole my Yelp heart, this might be a big statement, but I’d name this spot best find of 2023! (Probably will stay my best spot for 2024) Immediately impressed with ambiance upon walking in, immediately impressed with the live music they had, pleased that they prioritized our reservation, and over the moon about the mussels we ordered. Everything was flavorful, unique, and enticing- however if you like mussels - that for us stole the show highly recommend. The owner was out and about walking around, conversing with tables, and was beyond charming. In addition to this, we later saw a chef from the back come out to check on everyone being pleased. Amazing care and pride in the food, and it shows. The social aspect really made this a ten star experience, we are eager to return to try more, and drop in for brunch too. They check off every box that you would ever want in a restaurant, they are a good vibe, casual- yet elevated flavorful Caribbean food in a way you probably have not had before. Portions were fair, price was fair. Easily have won my husband and I over.