Escape to the Islander!

Just in time for March Madness and St. Patrick’s Day, the Islander Bar and Grille owners Dale Schmitt and Chad Trush have fired up a whole new menu full of unexpectedly delicious and affordable fare. And when you decide to drop anchor at this famous local haunt, expect top-shelf service in a warm and friendly atmosphere.  

By: Ken McEntee
Date: 03/12/2008
Admit it.

As the heavens drop another dreaded dose of Cleveland winter on the area, your daydreams ride a tropical breeze to the white sands of a balmy island. Well, there may not be any actual sand at The Islander Bar & Grille in Middleburg Heights, but they do have a warm and friendly atmosphere. And the menu is flat out tropical.

In fact, new owners Dale Schmitt and Chad Trush, plus their team—including long-time manager Michelle—have introduced a brand new menu that has turned up the sizzle under the “Grille” part of the Islander name.

“The menu used to be just a printed page,” Michelle says. “Now we’ve got a real menu full of great food to go along with our great staff and friendly atmosphere.”

The menu is loaded with appetizers, soups and salads, burgers, sandwiches, steaks and full entrées for lunch or dinner.

“All of our food is outstanding, but the steaks are awesome,” she insists, “and the prices are very reasonable.” The 12-ounce Black Angus, with garlic bread, potato and salad, costs just $11.99, while the 8-ounce sirloin, dubbed “The Captain,” is just $7.99.

“Where’s the bun?”

If you order a chicken sandwich, you might find yourself asking this very question. That’s because the breast prominently protrudes from the bread in all directions.
The burgers are a specialty of the Islander, with choices like the Equator Burger, the Baja Burger and the Latitude and Longitude burgers.

Under the Cabo Melt—a half-pound of beef on rye, with Swiss cheese, sautéed onions and Sour Cream, all for $6.49—the menu commands diners to, “Just try it!”

So I did.

It was unexpectedly delightful.

“I wasn’t sure about putting it on the menu,” insists Kitchen Manager, Kevin McIvor. “I didn’t know how people would react to sour cream on a hamburger, but everybody loves it once they try it.”

The burgers come with a choice of fries, onion rings, coleslaw, potato salad or chips. But before you decide, you should know that the fries are thick, long and freshly cut from real potatoes, not the wimpy little frozen wanna-be’s that most places serve. I’m not telling you what to do, but get the fries.
Along with its regular menu, The Islander offers daily lunch specials like Swiss steak, stuffed cabbage and pulled pork sandwiches. When you can get a relaxing lunch at the Islander, why would you roll through the drive-thru?

They even have WiFi so you can surf the net while you enjoy your lunch.

“When people come in for lunch we want them to forget about the office for an hour and enjoy themselves,” Julie says. “Service here is the top priority. When a regular walks in the door, his favorite drink should be waiting on the bar before he gets to the stool.”

During Happy Hour—Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.—The Islander busts out its free appetizer buffet featuring treats like wings on Tuesdays and tacos on Thursdays.

At night, the Islander is still the same fun place it has always been—only better. Live entertainment, like VJ’s and Karaoke Wednesday through Saturday, keeps things nice and toasty. Wii bowling, Sunday through Tuesday, cranks up the heat another notch.

Every month, The Islander features a Beer of the Month picked by Jason;  a Shot of the Month and a Cocktail of the Month picked by Julie...And the picks for March are: Young’s Double Chocolate Stout for the beer, Pucker Suicide for the shot and a chocolate hazelnut martini for the cocktail.

And don’t forget, The Islander is March Madness Central for all the NCAA tournament games.
St. Patrick’s Day Monday, March 17, will begin at 7 a.m. with the first annual Kegs ‘n Eggs Bash. A bagpiper will be on hand for the all-day festivities and corn beef specials.

Coming soon, The Islander will start its carryout delivery service, but you’ll want to drop anchor inside instead.

“If you can’t make it to the tropics, we’re the next best thing,” Chad suggests with a laugh.
Like Fiji, it’s more fun to be at The Islander in person.

The Islander Bar & Grille is located at 7581 Pearl Road, just north of I-71, in balmy Middleburg Heights. You can call them at 440-243-1292.

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