Bahama Island Steakhouse

I went to get a steak. Since the name of this restaurant has the word «steakhouse» in it — I assumed their steaks would be delicious. I ordered the top sirloin. It came out cold and pre-​sliced, which was strange. There wasn’t a lot of meat for the price.
Service was ok. There was some hold up in the beginning and it took a while for the waiter to come and get our order. However, he apologized. We ordered dessert and coffee, but the coffee didn’t come to us when our dessert was served, and we had to flag down another waiter to bring us the coffee. However, since it was my birthday, they comped the coffee and dessert — so that was nice.

Great place!!! The couple who owns this place couldn’t be more friendly.
We stopped in on a Monday afternoon while we were wandering through the Carmel Crossroads shopping center. HH started at 3 pm so we decided to come back and give em a try for Monday Night Football.
It was dead when we returned, but we stayed anyway and ordered a couple of $ 2.50 draft ales, adding some appetizers so we could check out the menu. The $ 5 pair of coconut fried prawns were crunchy outside, yielding on the bite to a tender and moist prawn. The dip was just the right blend of sweet and sour. $ 4 crab cake, on a bed of fresh greens and served with mango salsa, was excellent and had me jonesin’ for fresh dungeness.
We left at half time, but the sparse crowd was friendly and game enough to join us in a stadium-​style wave before we said goodbye. All in all, a great place!

I recently hosted a luncheon for 22 local folks of all ages and genders. Raves all around on the food and the service. I asked Tony, the owner, if we could have a special menu at about $ 15/​pp including gratuity. He and Sarah came thru w/​flying colors. RAVE comments from most — especially on the crab cakes and fish & chips.
Sara was very clever in setting up a table with little chess pieces, stones, tiny spoons and even toy cars for each diner to place in front of them. The waiter did not need to ask what the patron wanted, he just checked the icon… Terrific idea. Our waiter was good — he appeared to be a bit nervous, though. However, another owner/​partner Mo pitched in easily.
The restaurant is going thru some changes but the food was great. Their bread is much loved for the regulars… YUM. There’s a very clever use of an older upright piano in the bar area — a glass table top and it could easily seat 8 – 12 folks.
Lots of great feedback — including. «Can’t wait to go back»!
Thank you to everyone for making this lunch a true delight!

Been here a few times. Our latest visit was yesterday night. When we got there we found out that there was a change in ownership since our last visit. We were greeted at our table by a female «staff» member which we later found out was the new owner. I didn’t catch her name, but she was really nice. She recommend a nice drink for my wife and we had a nice little chat. There wasn’t a lot of people there. Maybe because it was Sunday afternoon.
I ordered the Hoisin Glazed Salmon. It had some wasabi sauce on there also. It was very delicious. Their crispy calamari was also very good. ***RECOMMEND***
My wife ordered Blackened Mahi and it did come blackened but because it was a little on the burnt side. Her potatoes were scorched.
Overall it was a good meal. I would come again.

Very friendly management/​owner.
Wait staff very very professional and courteous.
Loved the outdoor patio for dog guests.
It was chilly that night and fire pit was extremely appreciated.
We ordered a seafood appetizer, coconut rice bowl, perfectly grilled steak, a cocktail and deliciously flavored ice tea (non alcohol type). Bill was under $ 70
The only suggestion I’d appreciate is a doggie menu. I’ve been to a few offering burger patties, chicken breast etc. it’s a Great way of increasing revenue and doggie parents will appreciate the extra touch.
It is now our Hidden new must go to steakhouse while in Carmel.

Our brother and his family were visiting from out of state and had come here in the past. I think they would give this place 2 stars for service and 4 for food.
We, on the other hand, think a 1 star is appropriate as our lunches and the service were terrible.
SERVICE; First, the place was fairly empty. There were people sitting outside but there was only one other couple inside when we sat down for lunch. Menus came quickly but that’s all that was fast.
We had to find the waitperson and ask for the drinks we had ordered when we were seated. We asked for appetizers as we were all hungry. I asked if they could make their garlic bread without Parmesan cheese as I’m allergic to dairy. I got an abrupt NO in reply. Really??? They couldn’t omit the cheese???
We waited and waited for the waitperson to return, while eating the appetizers (food review below) and finally had to go find someone to bring the drinks and take our orders. This took at least 20 minutes… and we were now the only ones seated inside.
The fellow who took our orders was very pleasant and courteous. The lady who seated us was neither.
FOOD; I ordered the chopped chicken mango salad. The chicken was dry and tasteless. Really… tasteless. It looked like maybe one slice of mango had been chopped up as I could hardly find any. Very little lettuce, lots of cabbage, way too much cilantro. The nuts were good but also tiny. I don’t recommend this salad.
My husband’s hamburger was cold, dry and no dressing at all. Garlic fries were ok but cold. There wasn’t any mustard or ketchup on the table, either.
I was offered some of my sister in law’s fish taco when she realized I couldn’t eat the salad. It was tasty but, to me, greasy.
The best part of this lunch was the sweet potato fries we ordered as an appetizer. I can’t comment on the garlic bread as I was unable to eat it.

Have been coming here since it opened as Bahama Billy’s. I liked it then and continue to like it as new owners, who have had it awhile now pretty much kept the original theme and winning menu in place. Staff have come and gone, but still enjoy the place. Had dinner there the other night with family from out of town and we all had great meals. Our waiter was great and food was served prompt and hot. Being in the Barnyard shopping center is tough these days, but I hope locals as well as visitors keep eating here as it is really one of my favorite spots eat in the Carmel area.

May 3, 2013
We came for happy hour after a day at the beach, and everything was great. We sat outside, ordered a bunch of appetizers and a few drinks. The crabcake was one of the best I’ve ever had! The service was a bit slow, but our waitress was very friendly when she was there. Definitely a good happy hour spot!

This place will always have a special place in my heart, being as it is where I took my wife on our first wedding Anniversary. Both the menu and the atmosphere have changed since then (it’s more of a bar and grill now than a steakhouse or restaurant) but the food is good, the staff is friendly, and prices are reasonable. If you want to go have a burger and a drink and watch the game at the bar, this is not a bad place to go. If instead you’d like to have a casual romantic dinner by the fire, you can do that too! Also, they have a pet-​friendly patio, which is cool.

Bahama Island Steakhouse gets a 3 primarily for 1) good, flavorful food 2) big portions 3) reasonable prices for the Carmel area in a «nicer» setting
We came for a wedding rehearsal dinner (came straight from the rehearsal at the Holman Ranch — not nearby, per se, but not ridiculously far either), so we were a bigger group and had arranged a set menu before we got there, which was probably helpful for the staff, but apparently not helpful enough… getting there.
Hard to find the actual restaurant within the plaza. We drove around in circles around the main plaza thanks to Google Maps, but what we should have done was just park and then walk around – it’s easier to figure it out by foot since almost everything’s within the same big building/​complex. Not their fault, but good signage could always be more helpful.
I don’t remember all of the menu options, but will list off some of the things I do remember:
*Paradise Platter appetizers– sweet potato fries, calamari, crab cakes, prawns– all good!
*First course options were the Crab Mango Bisque soup or a salad — I tried both and they were both good.
*There were more main course options than I recall. I got the BBQ Pork Ribs which were awesome! I love, love, love ribs and couldn’t resist these on the menu.
*Others got the Jerk Chicken rice bowl (which they said was a little over seasoned, but okay) and probably a steak, which I didn’t hear any complaints about.
*Desserts were great as well– lots of mini treats like cheesecakes, brownies, etc.
So yes, why only 3 stars if the food was so awesome? THE SERVICE. I would say the service wasn’t BAD or rude or anything offensive like that (that would merit 1 or 2 stars, mind you) but it was SO. SLOW. I think they were understaffed that night, though the restaurant didn’t seem that busy outside of our big group. Initially we kind of let them handle things at their own pace, but eventually pulled aside our servers to ask them to speed things up because people were tired and we were just sitting around waiting A LOT. I’m not sure if there was some kind of misunderstanding about expectations, but it was pretty ridiculous, tbh. Even after we asked them to speed things up, not much changed – maybe the kitchen was backed up and that was the real problem? Don’t know. If I was in the area again, would be happy to go back for the food, but would probably recommend being upfront about things that bug you like this. I don’t see other reviews complaining about this issue, so hopefully it was just a fluke.

I was here for a baby shower, not a full lunch or dinner, but the snacks they provided were good.
The sweet potato fries were thick and delicious! The dipping sauces were also very good. The toast slices and crab salad was also very good, and they provided tabasco if you need to give it a boost. The coconut shrimp was also good, but the sweet fries were the stars.
Beer was $ 5 a pint. A decent array is available — Monterey Wheat, Longboard Lager, Fat Lip Amber, Fire Rock Pale Ale, Stella, and some other American beer like Bud Light.
The staff was great. The shower was for a coworker of theirs, so they were there and made sure it went well. David was the bartender and he was On It! Great guy! Tony, the owner, was behind the bar at points too, making sure everything was okay.

I little slice of the Bahamas outside of Carmel, CA. The Hawaiian Style pulled pork is a must here complimented with the coconut prawns. The grilled jerk chicken over rice was not bad at all either. :)
What I really enjoyed was the Calypso garlic bread which has a fantastic spread on it and the crab cakes which had a ctirus aioli flavor to it.
We were seated outside and the weather was nice along with the service from the staff who provided honest recommendations on food we should eat.

Stuffed to the gills. Say yes to the hot buttery garlic bread. Not super garlicky but good just the same. Bahama Mama drink was perfect. Not too sugary.. Serving’s are generous so come with an appetite. Vegetarian husband liked his tofu and mushroom bowl. One of the owners, Tony was friendly and welcoming. Would definitely return again.

I ate here for dinner a few weeks ago while on a weekend trip and thought I lost my camera. I called the next day as soon as they opened to see if I had left it there on accident, which I did, and the staff was nice enough to FedEx it back to San Francisco for me. Talk about great customer service!
It seriously made my day. So yes, in my complete biased opinion, I am giving this place 5 stars.

I ordered clam chowder and some garlic bread. Bread was great. Had bits of corn and herbs. The clam chowder was oh-​so-​rich. Mm…
The spouse ordered a burger rare. Wow! It WAS rare, but he liked it. The fries were REALLY good.
We sat out on the patio so we could have our two mutts sit with us. Well, they sat on the ground. The server brought a bowl of water for the dogs and at the end of our meal, a couple of dog biscuits were also brought out as well. Nice!

Bahama Island Steakhouse is just OK. It could be so much better. If I was the boss this place would be the plus to go.
But I’m not the boss so basically the food is fun and entertaining. The food although unique and tropical feeling lacks flavor and has some sort of identity problem.
I have heard from friends that absolutely love this place and others who feel is just blah. I’m more on the blah side. It’s a nice try but not nice enough.
A bright spot was the Caribbean garlic toast with pieces of corn in it.
Thanks for trying, come again…

Cute, cozy restaurant tucked away in the Carmel Barnyard. I love the Island feel, vibrant colors, banana-​leaf plants and outdoor patio with stone firepits and heating lamps. Had dinner here with my boyfriend the other night. It was too cold to sit outside but we got to sit by the indoor fireplace, which lent a nice touch.
Started things off with the calamari and the garlic bread. The garlic bread here is amazing. It is my favorite garlic bread! The calamari is good but still doesn’t make my top 5 Peninsula calamari list. Was a little disappointed they brought out the calamari and garlic bread at different times. The garlic bread arrival came closer to our meals (which paired beautifully with my fish), so it all worked out.
For entrees, we ordered the macadamia encrusted halibut with mango butter and mashed potatoes ($ 26) and the rib-​eye with mashed potatoes ($ 23). I really enjoyed my halibut — it was very fresh, clean, light, flaky and beautifully presented, complete with an orchid.
My boyfriend didn’t like his steak. He said it «tasted like leather and was almost inedible!» He also did order it medium-​well and usually orders his steaks medium temperature, so he said that might have played into the toughness of his steak. He liked my halibut, garlic bread and brownie dessert and Barnyard setting, so he’d be willing to try Bahama’s again. I told him we’ll come back again for lunch and order some of their delicious mahi mahi fish tacos (only served at lunch) and he will love them.
Casual, Island-​inspired restaurant tucked away in the Barnyard with lots of sizzling selections.

Okay – so they changed their name from Bahama Billy’s Island Steakhouse to Bahama Island Steakhouse – do we really need separate Unilocal listings?
Here’s what I mistakenly posted for «Bahama Billy’s:»
Our very late lunch/​early dinner was successful from a food perspective. The service (or lack thereof) brought things down from a high 4/​low 5 to a low-​medium 4. We had two very good spinach salads, an outstanding calamari appetizer (light, crispy, seasoned batter, tender squid), and a very good blackened mahi mahi sandwich. (The mahi may have been a bit overcooked, as the edges had a bit of a jerky-​like consistency.) My rum & pineapple juice packed a nice wallop.
We were there during a shift transition, and it was not a smooth transition. The stereotypical artist-guy-from-I’m-guessing-Big Sur-​who-​just-​wanted-​ice cream-​and-​brought-​his-​own-​teabag-​and-​wanted-​unlimited-​hot-​water & his equally frugal lady friend seemed to get much more attention from the wait staff than we, who were there for a full meal, did. Go figure. Finally – the non-​stop reggae feed was a bit much.

When I arrived in Monterey, I grabbed a Dining Guide book from the hotel and saw this restaurant, with a really nice picture of seared ahi tuna. Was really hungry after the hike, and wanted burger, this place just popped out in mind, just drove directly there!
This place looks cute outside, decoration inside is pretty good too, but the
food is really disappointing…
— Seasame ahi tuna that showed on the picture, doesn’t look like the picture at all, the taste is okay, but the tuna is not very fresh.
— Coconut Prawn Rice plate: didn’t expected it to be so fried. Tastes kinda oily, and don’t taste much coconut either.
— Grilled jerk chicken: Tell me why I ordered this when I wanted a burger?! I was gonna order paradise burger, but when I saw this, it reminded me one of the very yummy grilled jerk chicken I had before, so I was hesitating if I want to get this rice plate instead. I asked the server for recommendation, he said the burger is just a burger, but this chicken was really good! Sauce is special and outstanding! So, I decided to take his recommendation. BUT… that was the worst decision I’ve made ever!!! The chicken was the worst chicken I’ve ever had! Seriously… Any restaurant that can make chicken worse than my cooking, I really have nothing to say. The chicken is not jerk chicken at all, and the so-​called grilled is mostly boiled and put on the grill for couple of minutes to heat up or something… It tastes old and not fresh at all!!!
The service was not bad, even if he didn’t give me good recommendation, but he was still pretty nice.

New owners; not to be confused with the old ownership. When visiting Carmel and you want a fun and entertaining happy hour try the Island. We had scrumptious Hawaiian ribs, sliders, fish tacos, Mai Tai, and Blue Boon for a reasonable price. The atmosphere is just what you would expect from a place with the name Bahama Island.
Service was better than average as well.
Dog and people watching is most excellent.