La Isla Mexican Seafood

Was a great place until the construction began. I tried looking for. the owners and no luck. We miss.you.

This place was OK but nothing special. I’ve been here about 3 or 4 times. The food was decent but seemed lack a little flavor and the service was a bit slow. There are better places to eat in my opinion.

Seems like this place is CLOSED, just like the other businesses in this plaza and the plaza next to it… Such a shame, as this was a quality Mexican seafood restaurant.
The garlic mixto plate was an amazing plate. Fish, shrimps, and scallops were seasoned well and cooked to perfection, wonderfully moist. Wait… why am I reviewing a restaurant that’s closed… Sigh, I was really looking forward to coming back here!
RIP La Isla Mexican Seafood Restaurant, RIP…

If you know and love traditional Mexican food I don’t recommend this place, however, if you like Tex-​Mex style then you will enjoy the food. I was not thrilled by the enchiladas, the sauce taste like its from a can and a tad bit salty. The rice was dry and a little flavorless. My boyfriend a Texan native loved the food and it’s huge portions, so it’s a matter of taste. As for pricing it’s not expensive considering the portions, however, if you put flavor and quality of the food in mind it’s not worth the price.

I was seriously jonesing for some shrimp enchiladas. But I couldn’t remember where I had had this delciousness before! Bummer. So to Unilocal I went to find the next (or even better) best thing. This was the only one of very few that caught my attention. Plus with all the rave reviews (and not so rave reviews) I thought I would give it a try.
It was a lot farther than I thought it was and possibly not quite worth the drive considering I didn’t even get to see that Dapper Gent! On top of that the food was meh.
Service was great! I was kind of greeted at the front door, as in one (of the 2 guys that were there) stared at me and Der Boif but never asked us to have a seat. Then the second guy appears from behind the scenes when Der Boif and I were already seating ourselves. He graciously gave us permission to sit then wandered off back to his duties.
He returned shortly, took our drink orders, and left to allow my distracted honey (the Euro cup was on) to further peruse the menu past the cover. I already knew what I wanted: Seafood enchilada!
Seafood enchilada: Filled with sweet, moist crab and shrimp smothered in red sauce. Enough cheese for lactose intolerant me to know it was there but not drowning in it. I thank the cook for that one. But the enchilada overall was not soft, a bit on the chewy side. I don’t believe I liked that. On top of the cured leather chewing the taste was a little bland. Not really a lack of salt but just not right. Must’ve been the sauce.
Fish burrito, wet: Der boif loved it. I thought it was pretty good too. The fish wasn’t soft and flakey but the chewier, meatier kind (like Monkfish or Snapper) and worked well as a meat in a burrito. But Der Boif got beans so I only had a few bites. He says he would come here again but wants to try the nachos next time,
Habenero salsa: I was expecting heat! Tang! FIRE!!! My lips barely tingled. I felt some of that «oh so spicy» but it quickly dissipated and left me with a sadness, deep down inside. A dark void left unfulfilled by broken promises.
Ha ha! Overall, the service was good (after the initial lackluster greeting). They made sure we had enough to drink and that our food was good and that we had our check and that we were safely out the door.
I’ve had better but still… I would come here again. Only to try something else. Maybe when the Dapper Gent is here, the food gets more interesting… ^ ~*

So I’ve only ever gotten the carne asada wet burrito here and I gotta say it’s soooooo good. Not good for if you go here for lunch and have to come back to work after wards but otherwise it’s delicious! Like I said, my usual order is the carne asade wet burritos and it’s like a size 7 shoes. It’s huge! If you sit in, you would order at the register and grab a seat and they will bring you chips and salsa and your order afterwards. Ask them for the secret hot sauce bottle, if you’re looking to spicy up your meal. The people here are very nice. I would totally recommend this place. I go here with my coworkers once a month and I always look forward to the burrito everytime.

Tonight was one of those nights I had absolutely no idea what I wanted for dinner. I was too lazy to cook and too lazy to go out. I honestly wish I lived closer to either Little Saigon (Westminster) or Rowland Heights where I could get my comfort food in days like this! I ended up at La Isla Mexican Seafood Restaurant of all places.
I missed it the first time because the sign was not turned on (darn timer didn’t adjust time change!). To be honest, I was a little hesitant to come in because the plaza looked so deserted! I later found out the plaza is being sold and all vendors/​merchant will be relocating by end of the year. They have no idea where they will be moving to yet.
The restaurant is a cross between fast food and sit down restaurant. You can order from the board by the cash register or sit down and order from a printed menu. We did the later. The server was very friendly and explained the different dishes to us patiently.
Like most Mexican restaurant, Chips and Salsa were served. There were 3 different types of salsa. The green one was creamy and a bit sweet and got spicier and spicier as you ate. The regular salsa was milder. The one in the plastic bottle was HOT!
Originally I was going for Enchilada but ended up ordering this ‘Red Hot Shrimp’. It came with salad, refried beans, and rice. The server asked me if I could take spicy and I said yes. OMG, it was spicy. I had to skip the sauce and just ate the shrimp. He later told me he probably should have ordered it 5 out of 10 on the scale instead of 7.
My friend ordered a Fried Fish Dish. I thought it was just OK. The batter was not crispy like I expected. I almost felt that these were not freshly made and just re-​heated before served.
My fiancé ordered a Grilled Fish Taco and a Carnitas Taco, both were just OK, too.
Although I adore the people who work here, I thought the food was average. Wherever they move to, I probably wouldn’t make the drive to it. I know a lot of people actually gave them 4 and 5 stars, so I know they will do fine at their new location. I wish them the very best.

A home run — and a swing and miss!!!
If my wife and I only had the seafood enchiladas — La Isla would have gotten more stars! As Nick H. described in his review — they were 5 stars all the way. Great flavors, fresh seafood, and good size portions. Highly recommended.
Salsa — also freshly made, very enjoyable — gave us plenty with our to go order. I would have liked it a little bit thicker, but otherwise good.
Tacos — the chicken was blah, but the rest of them ranged from good to excellent– of course I had try as many as possible. Maybe I missed something, or messed up my order but all the taco’s had guac on them — the guac was good, but I am not a huge fan of of guac on food — I just like it with chips! I need to try some of their meats again, without the guacamole.
Scallop burrito — my wife ordered this, which (to me) seemed like an odd item at the outset. This was a big miss — my wife took a bite or two, then gave it to me for a couple of bites and the rest was thrown away. No flavor/​seasoning on the scallops– we like scallop sushi — but not in a burrito — most of the scallops were very undercooked — mostly raw and some completely raw. With no flavor, and off putting texture from the raw scallops it was just terrible. It originally would have had beans on it as well — we didn’t have them on there — but refried beans on any seafood burrito doesn’t seem like a good combination of flavors to me. I will say that it was a big burrito with plenty of scallops — which made wasting it seem even worse!
I also did not care for their chips — heavy (thick) chips, seemed over cooked to me.
I prefer a thinner, lighter chip.
Started this review, and ending it with some positives (known in coaching and teaching circles as a compliment sandwich). Service was friendly — and Nick H’s «Dapper Gent» brought out my to go order and warmly thanked me for coming in.
Also they had Sol Cerveza — one of my favorites! 5 stars for both of those things!
Will be trying La Isla again — given the quality of the meat and the seafood — I am pretty confident once I learn my way around the rather large menu they will move up a star and have a fan!

***“Sweet Cheese”, a «Habanero», and «The Dos Equis Guy»!!!***
Holy Shizzel and Sweet Cheese! Don’t need matches because this salsa is ON FIRE!
Entering the shop, my eyes were drawn to a dapper gent, who I believe to be the owner, waiving me in. Mr. Suave greeted me with smooth words of friendliness. Yes, this guy could pass for the gent on those «Dos Equis» commercials.
~The Dapper Gent-​5 Stars!
Yes, That’s Right! This man can open a piñata with a wink and a smile. His mom has a tattoo that says, «Son». Pandas want to cuddle with him. When this guy gets pulled over by the police, he lets them off with a warning. He can make orange juice from apples. Yes, this guy is «The Most Interesting Man in the World!»
~Burns «Oh So Good!”-Salsa 4 Stars
He gave me three types of home made salsas and explained them in detail, including the habanero salsa. Oh, my friends, this was a delight. This is the pepper movies are made of. The salsa is what my salsa dreams are made of. The most tantalizingly hot salsa that mixes pain with pleasure and pleasure with pain. It burns oh so good and I could not stop eating it.
~Cheesy Enchiladas (with Shrimp and Crab) 4 Stars!
Cheese layered upon cheese with delicious seasoning and salsas galore! Yup, that is the only way I can describe their enchiladas! The cheese is superb and the seafood is fresh. Crab and shrimp. Cheese and Habanero
The shop is small and cozy. I took my order to go. It is hidden in a strip mall with a store front that is not larger than 6 feet wide.
I am a fan.
La Isla Mexican Seafood in the City of Anaheim… another reason the OC is the best place to live!

*SMACK!!!* …HOME RUN!
This place is freakin awesome! We got this book that has a ton of coupons for restaurants in Orange County. Being a Unilocaler, I checked out most of the Anaheim coupons. I came across La Isla. I read all the reviews on Unilocal and decided to try it with my wife Yesterday night. I ordered the Shrimp Wet Burrito (Crispy shrimp). I also ordered a Tamarindo. (Tamarind Drink)
The Tamarindo was really good and refreshing; just the right amount of sweet and sour. We also got some fresh chips and salsa. I read about a reviewer saying to ask for the really hot sauce… –_​_​– You weren’t kidding… that must be made from straight Jabanero extract! Only try that sauce if you have a high tolerance of spicy food. lol
When my burrito came out it was sooo huge! Probably bigger than my hand. I bit into it and I was in heaven! It was an explosion of taste and textures in every bite. The softness of the Tortilla, the tangy-​ness of the sauce, the crunchiness of the breaded shrimp, and the individual kernels of rice! Then everything is so well seasoned. When they say Shrimp Burrito, they really mean Shrimp Burrito! There was shrimp in every single bite I took from that burrito. So fresh, so Good, so satisfying… La Isla you are my favorite Mexican food place! …I think I wuv U… lol

I was extremely excited to try this place after seeing the great reviews– there are no «awesome» Mexican restaurants in Yorba Linda, so I was hopeful that this place would be good, as it’s just a few miles down the road.
While everyone else in my party seemed content (and with good reason– the chicken taquitos were indeed awesome, my wife thoroughly enjoyed her beef burrito, and the kids were given a huge, gooey cheese quesadilla), they’re not the ones writing this review.
We were sat and not given menus for nearly 5 minutes, and after drinks were delivered we waited another 10 minutes before he came back to take our order. (The place was empty except for one other person…)
The chips that everyone here is having an orgasm over were not impressive. Sure, they were thick, and had more «heft» than your typical chip, but they also lacked salt or much flavor within.
I ordered a seafood burrito, wet, with no cilantro and salsa inside. Unfortunately, it was stacked with it. I ate a quarter of it, thinking perhaps it was just the sauce, but no, there it was, all over the place.
I called over the owner/​manager (who indeed was very nice, and solicitous) and he apologized, and made a new one. Unfortunately, by this time, everyone in my party had finished eating, so I asked for a box to go. I figure I’ll try it for leftovers tomorrow.
Just finished a half of the replacement burrito. Whaddya know? About a ¼ cup of salsa in it and a fair amount of cilantro. Not to mention 2 pieces of seafood in the entire half. 2!
So, everyone else may have loved this place, and every other Unilocaler here may have had a great experience, but for me, basically, it sucked. I personally give it 1 star, but since everyone else with me was satisfied, I say we have to give it a 2.
But I am completely disappointed. Every now and then, you get some shitty food luck, and today Fate decided to bugger me.
I will probably return to give it another try (as stated, the chicken taquitos seem a safe bet from the taste I got) but I am not really enthused to do so.

Ugh… the chips alone fill me up they are so addicting. Very nice owners and just wondering where they will locate since everyone in that center is being asked to relocate.
I vary my order depending on my mood but just make sure to take it very easy on the chips and salsa

This place is still awesome and they are incredibly nice here! We were waiting for a friend to join us for dinner and while we hung out, we were well taken care of with plenty of chips and salsa, drinks, water… It was so refreshing to have such attentive service. I got the shrimp burrito again since it was so delicious last time, and also added a shrimp taco. I guess the menu experimentation will have to wait for another day!

So… I love Mexican food and most of the time I am happy to just eat at a Taqueria and such but tonight when my honey came home, paycheck in hand he said, «Let’s have Mexican but you know like I want to sit down and stuff.»
As I got ready I couldn’t think of anywhere in the area that I knew of that would be good. Just chains and stuff like El Torito or Don Jose or the like. Not knocking them, just saying we wanted something different. So I told the boy to check out Unilocal.
Unilocal brought us to a really nice little strip mall and a cute ten table restaurant. We notice that is about 20 mins to closing and almost leave. The owner comes out and welcomes us. We apologized for being so late and he said…“oh no you are fine, have a seat and enjoy.” Sufficed to say he won points right there. We went over the large menu seated at a comfy booth and even with an extensive menu with GREAT prices they still had a daily special board. Which I ordered from. The boy had fish tacos and I had a Carnitas Sopes plate.
We ate thru almost 2 full baskets of chips and salsa while we waited. Not because it took forever but because it was delicious!!! The chips were warm and crispy and the salsa was chunky, flavorful and just the right amount of kick.
Our plates arrived and they were huge portions. I got 2 big sopes with rice, beans and orange wedges. My honey received 2 gigantic fish tacos just the way he prefers they cheese, crema and hot sauce. And let me tell you their hot salsa (which the owner recommended with the tacos) was crazy hot, like burn your tongue hot but still had flavor to it. I was extremely impressed. Despite being there right before they close our food was fresh and delicious. And the service, as Hazel pointed out, was worth coming there for alone. The owner talked to us throughout our meal, made sure our food was exactly like we wanted and even asked us to return sometime soon.
Oh and for people who like deep fried fish tacos my boyfriend made sure to take the time and check this review just so I could say this on his behalf, «BEST FISH TACO I HAVE EVER EATEN, ANYWHERE.» Which he also told the owner about 5 times or so.
We will return, probably on the regular. You should too!

We have been on the hunt for a great Mexican food restaurant and we found it in La Isla!
Amazing food, seriously! The ensenada fish taco’s are the bomb! The chili relleno is amazing and their homemade guac is to die for… Try it!

This place is MUY DELICIOSO! So far, I’ve never had a single bad dish or experience. My personal favorite is their fish tacos, get them ensenada style! BEST FISH TACOS OF MY LIFE, NO JOKE! Lightly battered fish in a corn tortilla topped with not only the usual cabbage, tomato and sour cream but also their tasty homemade guac! Also love their free chips and salsa, as all mexican restaurants should have!
Jesus the owner is soooo nice! He’s like the owner, server, busboy all in one and is always making sure to give my boyfriend their house blend habanero sauce every time we come in.
Definitely worth checking out!

This place is really good. Being half Mexican, I have a VERY picky palate when it comes to Mexican food. Primarily because I am from New Mexico, and the cuisine is EXTREMELY different from the Mexican cuisine found here in California. I had NEVER had Enchiladas Suizas in my LIFE before moving to CA. The idea of a sweet and spicy enchilada would make most New Mexican’s say «ew??» HOWEVER, it truly is a savory dish. It’s made with tomatillos (little green sweet tomatoes) so that’s what gives the sweet flavor, and usually spiced up with Jalapenos of some sort. For the daring, habaneros or serranos give it JUST the right kick.
At La Isla, it looks like typical «hole in the wall» Mexican joint. I am VERY skeptical about these places because OFTEN they just aren’t good. However, my friend HIGHLY recommended this place and well, my friends don’t lie to me, so there ya go. :) Complimentary chips and salsa are ALWAYS a plus. Wait, I take that back, if they SUCK, they aren’t a plus. LOL. However, I find it very odd that not EVERY place does it. It’s pretty typical in New Mexican restaurants to always have chips and salsa on the house.
The salsa was great! It had lots of flavor, garlic, tomatoes and a satisfying kick to it. If it’s «salsa» and just tastes like tomatoes, that doesn’t work in my book. Salsa MUST BE HOT. La Isla delivered. The first batch of chips were a little stale, but I overlooked this because the salsa was
. The second batch showed redemption because they were warm and fresh, so I won’t hold it against them, but MANY would.
I ordered the Enchilada Suizas with chicken. They were great, spicy and sweet, the beans and rice were amazing. They were ooy gooey cheesy and everything was made fresh and made WELL. I was impressed. My friend’s taco plate looked amazing and must have been because I didn’t even get a taste of it. LOL.
This place SHOULD definitely have MORE reviews and hopefully more visit.
I must also mention that the restroom was SPOTLESS. I LOVED feeling this sense of peace when I went in there. To me, a clean restroom is a HUGE reflection on the restaurant. I really feel skeptical if I eat a meal and the restroom looks and smells like death. Is there really love in the food if the establishment looks hideous? Just saying…

If it weren’t for my occasional hankerin for a bean and chese burrito, I’d never have earned that Mexi-​can check in badge. What I’m trying to say is — I don’t go out for Mexican much. Not that I don’t like it, I just usually don’t think of it… other than the drunken bean & cheese burrito.
But, i’m glad I made an exception for La Isla. The fish was tasty, the ceviche was delish, and salsa was hawt — but was really made me a fan of La Isla was the service. For what appears to be a hole in the wall, order at the counter place — it has awesome service, and doesn’t have to be an order at the counter place, in fact the waiter service was really great. Even refilled our sodas when the soda fountain was just a few feet from us.
Highlight of the night? The garlic seafood combo plate — gooood stuff.

I’m not Hispanic so I wouldn’t know if this was authentic or not. What I do know is that its realllly good.
The owner was such a doll. He was attentive yet wasn’t overbearing. It also helped that the chips were one of the best I had along with the tacos beef asada style. Definitely will try more places as I get my hair done at Salon 9 next door. (ASK FOR EMAN!)
good work La Isla!

On a recommendation from a friend, my family and I stopped by La Isla for fish tacos. I owe my friend!
We ordered grilled fish tacos, shrimp tacos, tacos al carbon, and sopes. Our meals came with rice and beans. Mmmm… good… The food was fresh, plentiful, and a solid value. Our favorite Mexican beers were chilled in the ice box waiting for us. Service was fast and friendly. There wasn’t a dinner crowd, just a few families, which meant that we were seated immediately and were eating not long after.
The menu is extensive enough to keep us interested but not so long that one wonders whether they can do it all well. We’ll be back to sample more of La Isla’s tasty fare.