Isla Cuban-Latín Kitchen & Rum Bar

Celebrated Valentine's Day the day after with the bf to avoid all the crowd and busyness of a Friday night Valentine's Day.Isla Cuba-Latin Kitchen & Run Bar is located in a small plaza with neighboring cafe and other restaurants. It seems to be centrally located within an industrial business are, trust your navigation!The restaurant is a wide open spaced with a tent outside if you wanted to dine outside but not totally in the elements. The vibes were fantastic, chandeliers hanging provided intimate mood lighting. Dark wood across the seating area, to the bar, and a large picture taking up a good portion of the wall in the back center.We arrived right at opening (4pm Sat), and there was only one other couple dining at the time. It definitely gets busier as time goes in so reservations are the way to go. Staff and waiter were very friendly, it was our first time so asked the waiter for recommendations on the starters. We went with the Papas Rellenas, which are similar to Portos potato balls, but I loved how Isla made them. Perfectly fried potato mash forming a thin crust. It was stuffed with deliciously seasoned ground beef, the perfect bite. The cilantro cream dipping sauce only added more flavor to this great starter. For the main entrees we went with the Lechon Asado (pork) and Rabo Encendido (oxtail). The Lechon while initially we didn't think had enough flavor, actually did the more you chewed the pork was marinated well and released more flavor (if that makes sense. It was also topped with a lot of grilled onions and rice. The Rabo Encendido was delicious. The oxtails were so tender and fall off the bone. The savory sauce it was stewed in was amazingly tomato-y. The rice for both dishes were nice and fluffy almost buttery. Both meals also came with caramelized plantains, sweet and minor crunchy from how they were cooked. They also start you off with complementary plantain chips with a garlic dipping sauce.The only minor thing was that as it seemed to get busier, the staff really didn't check up on us but again it wasn't an issue. I think I would've liked our waters refilled more instead of the once near the end of the meal, but that is also on us to get a waiters attention.Overall a great place for Cuban-Latin quisine.

**LARGE GROUP EXPERIENCE**Came here with a large group of 10, but we were told they couldn't guarantee us reservations when we called days prior bc they already had a large group -- so they told us just show up early at a different time. * I highly recommend you having a reservation ahead So we showed up in person and they told us we'd be on a timer for 90 mins so we'd be seated in the outdoor section. They have heaters so we were OK.** Keep in mind that parties of 6 or more you get 20% service fees added to your bill already. ** they allow up to 3 credit cards for bill payment. Drinks and food menu prices were decent but honestly the plate I came here for was ROPA Vieja and it was the most disappointing meal ever at a Cuban restaurant. The meat was NOT tender at all, and it was so tough to eat. The MOFONGO dish presentation was very nice though. But I've never had Ropa Vieja so tough to eat that I literally left 75% of it uneaten. This gets 2* in my humble opinion. The Ravi Encendido was actually delicious. 4*I tried their mocktail bc had to drive - this mango juice looked like canned but also so sour. Needless to say, I'm not a fan. Better get your true spirits. The Isla sample platter was tasty - this gets 4*. The place plays Latin music overhead and it can be really loud. So be prepared to yell. But in all honesty, they didn't make it so welcoming so I'm unlikely to come back in large group.

BOMBLOVE that it comes with plantain chips and a (garlic?) aoli, compared to bread or chips & salsa. it was pleasant and different! the drinks were perfect. strong but sweet and flavorful. my bachata rosa was fire. the ceviche was also delicious. the mangoes were ripe and the shrimp & sauce were flavorful. my boyfriend tried to order the pollo asada but they were out :( he got another dish which he said was "good". the vibes were great, and they had live music! the only thing is that it was pretty loud and super dark "how dark was it?" it was so dark that i had to pull out my iphone flashlight, and im 22!the server was nice though. id probably come back for the drinks and plantain chips. for sure a fun and unique experience!

If you're expecting high end, it doesn't quite hit the mark. But it's a great strip mall restaurant. Good, authentic, flavorful Cuban food. We had the Pollo Asado and Masitas de puerco. So good! Cocktails are on the sweet side. If you are like me and hate sweet cocktails, order the La Patrona. It has gin, cucumber, pineapple juice, and lemon. Such a refreshing cocktail. Food: 5 stars.Drinks: 3 starsAmbiance: 4 starsService: 5 stars

This restaurant has been on my list for a long time. We finally went last weekend and we had a wonderful experience. Live music, loud atmosphere like a home feeling. The food was DELICIOUS. The drinks were amazing as well. They have live music after 8 pm on the weekends. Definitely a place for date night or night out with friends.

Isla in La Palma offers great, authentic Cuban food with delicious drinks to match. They start you off with complimentary tostones and a tasty spread. The Bistec Encebollado and Salmon Habanero are flavorful highlights. The staff are kind, friendly, and attentive, creating a welcoming atmosphere. With cozy, warm vibes and flavorful dishes, it's a perfect spot for anyone craving great Cuban food.

We called them before our arrival, and they said they closed at 9 pm and no need for reservations. So we got there around 8 pm and were told to sit anywhere we liked. They were playing Latin music, and it wasn't too loud.We were given water, and our waiter gave me suggestions for cocktails. For drinks, we got the Bayahibe and the Viejo Cubano. Both were great and refreshing drinks.We were still deciding what to order, and our waiter said their kitchen closed in 15 minutes. She dropped off some complimentary plantain chips with this creamy dip that had a little kick to it. When we ordered the entrees, we told our waiter we also wanted the tres leches for dessert, so she mentioned she was going to save it for us later. For entrees, we ordered the Lomo Saltado and the Chicharron de Pollo. The Lomo Saltado was amazing, sad it didn't come with plantains. The Chicharron de Pollo was a bit dry. We were halfway into eating our entrees, and our waiter brought out the dessert?? I felt like the timing was so off; we mentioned that we wanted the tres leches so she would know for later. Our cake was sitting there for 15 minutes on the table before we started eating it. We also wanted to order espresso martinis but our waiter said the bar was closed already?? We did not get any warning, and it was still around 8:40 pm. We got the Tres Leches, and it was a bit dry. It would have been better too if it had more strawberries. The presentation was nice though. We were still eating our dessert, and the bartender was stacking up the bar stools already. I felt like we were being rushed out.Overall, I think we came at the wrong time... but also the service could have been better. The only good thing was the Lomo Saltado.

Parking was busy - Went to see the Dominican band and it was wonderful. Place was packed, well organized. Food as usual was great. We had the Pork Mofongo and the Sample Platter. Forgot to take pics I was too hungry You have to make reservations with credit card #. Little room for dancing but it's understandable because of the comercial zone it's located at. We had a great time! Good job isla

Mum wanted to take us to show us this place because she had a nice experience when she had gone before, so we were up for it.First off the place is really nice inside and I enjoyed the aesthetic but would say that was the best part of the entire experience.The food is on the pricier side so expect to spend about 20-30 bucks a head. The service was alright. There was just about no one else eating at the time we ate. For some reason it took a long time to get our bill once we were done, even after we got our to go boxes.Our initial server disappeared towards the end so we had to flag, what I assume is a lead or manager to get our bill.The food was alright, nothing crazy. The presentation of the food was nice. We got the sampler platter which was good but was $50 and quite overpriced. I mean if you want to compare it to Porto's, which you get the same quality for a lot less. You are essentially just paying more here but for a shorter wait time.The Mofongo was forgettable. I enjoyed the Mofongo at Señor Big Ed more than the double price of this one.All in all my experience was forgettable and would pass on coming back. Like I said the look of the restaurant was nice and it was the only good thing I enjoyed. I'm sure other people will enjoy the food more, but feel I can get similar things and enjoy it more than I did here.

First time here with my lady. Awesome atmosphere. Food was great. Drinks were phenomenal. Great vibes. Date night attire for sure. Live music. Bring your dancing shoes for sure. Enjoy. Jesus was a great bartender. Very responsive. Will definitely come back. Ever in the Cerritos area highly recommend.