Desmond's Island Soul Grill

Typically I have a photo of the food for a review but I couldn't even wait to take one. This place is incredible! The entire staff was nice and helpful with ordering. They were playing great music and serving some bomb a** food! I got the Rasta pasta with bbq jackfruit. It was a large serving and sooo flavorful. I've had some Rasta pastas before that we're very oily but this one was perfect! It had fresh veggies in it that made the whole dish taste fresh and less heavy! My husband ordered the BBQ jackfruit plate with yellow rice and candied yams. While the entire dish was a symphony of flavors, colors and spices, THE YAMS stole the show. Holy shit, those yams were the best thing I've ever tasted. Candied yams are usually thanksgiving trash, not these. These yams were sweet, with some spices and not as mushy and typical candied yams. A REAL TREAT! We will be back to try many many more dishes.

I had Desmond's a few years back while visiting VA beach and fell in love with their lentil empanadas. I was so excited they would be a vendor at the Soullful Vegan festival so I could finally have them again. I know sometimes places raise their prices at festivals but $6 for one empanadas is crazy to me especially since it's filled with something as cheap as lentils. However, I did not let that stop me. I stood in a 20 minute line for the empanada, which was unfortunately extremely overcooked. The crust was soo hard and the filling was so skimpy (although tasty) definitely not worth $6.

This place is so good! As a vegan it can be hard to find good quality food with flavor! Desmond's Island Soul Grill delivers!! The food was so delicious, flavorful and hot! I love when my food hits the table and the steam is coming off of it. I tried this place while visiting the area for homecoming and every time I come back to the 757 Desmond's is going to be my first stop! My husband and I got the crab cakes and the pumpkin curry--both out of this world !!

If you don't eat here, what are you doing with your life? Trust me on this one....that JACKFRUIT RASTA PASTA will elevate your taste buds to a new level. I took one bite and ordered a second one to take home. Vegan what? That BBQ jackfruit, taste, smells and goes down like it's actual BBQ. The flavor explosion with that pasta coupled with the tang of the sauce on the BBQ jackfruit makes you lean your head back, close your eyes and say, "Lawd!"The chef is knowledgeable and he encouraged me to select the RASTA PASTA--and that choice was spot on. My husband had the oxtail mushroom with callaloo, and rice and peas. He is NOT a vegan; he is strictly a meat eater...well, he was JUST a meat eater, Desmond's made him rethink how he looks at vegan food now.

I had the jack fruit and mushrooms Rasta pasta. It was good. The veggie Mac and cheese was good however if you not use to the cheese you may not like it. But I quite enjoyed it. The service was a tab bite slow, compared to the 20 mins she stated the food will be ready. The ambiance and decor was great. I will be back to try other items on the menu.

** came back home to my second home to check on my grandmoms and get her out the house. thought id check out the vegan restaurants in va.beach, since the vegan wave seems to be in and ive been dabbling in it from time to time here in nyc.came in nice outside seating in front of restaurant. we were seated, tables a lil sticky ((menu sticking to it )). but other then that the hospitality was there. food was ok, not bad..... they didn't have the rasta pasta nor oxtail mushroom or jasmine rice that my grandmother wanted. we then ordered started w/ strawberry kiwi juice w/ ginger in it. ( ginger wasn't over powering #yum ). my grandz got the yellow rice w/ krabcake sandwich. she enjoyed it although shes not big on onions that she kept taking out she enjoyed it for most part ( guess next time shell know lol lol ). i myself ordered the 2 krab cake w/ callaloo and sweet plantains. delicious i enjoyed. they also sell many different flavors of sea moss. ive seen but never had, received sum good info on it and how to use it. and i winde up buying a jar. 1st vegan restaurant that ive tried in va. and compared to the thousands of restaurant in nyc and hundreds of vegan ones. i can say this place can definitely hang in there for the long run in va. come get yall a piece. ill be back for the rasta pasta signed, i love to eat, and i do it out consistently!!mr.von teese & familyxoxox **

I was looking for vegan food today. So i stopped by Desmonds... My vegan friends rave over this place. So i figured why the fork not!! When i got there they had just opened and i was the only customer. I walked up and ordered the $9.99 bbq jackfruit lunch special with collards and cabbage mixed and plantains. It smelled really good in there as i waited... They have booth seating and a small waiting area in the front with some plants. Green was the vibe!! The restaurant was clean inside.. The gentlemen who took my order was nice. My order was up in about 6 minutes and i was on my way... I'm not vegan but i hope to be one day so i try different things to get my taste buds used to the food. I will say the jackfruit is pretty close to the idea of pulled chicken or pork, and it was very tasty with a good texture. The bbq sauce was tangy and good. The greens and cabbage were pretty good also. I also enjoyed the plantains... You only get 2 small pieces. I wish they at least gave you enough to finish the whole meal. I am the kinda person who wants a lil of everything in each bite.. They were gone in 4 bites..I like the sweetness of them.. They also put the jackfruit on top of your choice of yellow rice, white rice, or rice and peas. Its a smaller lunch size portion but its filling. I took a serious nap after eating it.. Out like a baby!! Lol.I will return to try other things on the menu... 4 stars!! Check them out...

Hands down the best Rasta pasta I've had. Vegan and all. Tried them at the Vegan fest. The staff was super friendly!

The food was super delicious! You can smell the flavorful aroma of their well seasoned foods as soon as you open the door to the restaurant! lolMy friend and I dined here and I was very content because Desmond's was my friends recommendation...I'm a vegan so being at the restaurant was soo satisfying because I had plenty of dishes to choose from. My friend is not a vegan and she still enjoyed herself and ate a flavorful and well portioned dish.The service was fine. The ambiance was descent, plenty of seats inside and outside.

10/10!!!!! Even if you're not vegan you will LOVE this place and not miss meat at all!! Had the jerk jackfruit and pumpkin curry, sides and appetizers are all incredible. Everything is incredibly flavorful, fresh, and comes out piping hot. Best vegan food I have ever had and definitely one of the top restaurants in the 757!