In 2000, Faysal Haddad purchased Smoothie Island Juice Bar on Woodway near Chimney rock. He added a grill to the juice joint and rebranded the eatery as Island Grill. Fast forward to now, 17 years later, Haddad and his wife Maria have just opened their fourth location in Rice Village, taking over the spot that was formerly occupied by Little Liberty.

In addition to the original location on Woodway and the brand-new Rice Village location, the Mediterranean-American restaurant has outposts at 4024 Bellaire Boulevard near Weslayan and 979 Bunker Hill just off Katy Freeway in the Memorial area.

The menu features family recipes that Haddad brought with him from Damascus, Syria. If you’ve been to an Island Grill, you know that the menu is huge. Sections include appetizers, salads, pastas and pizzas, entrees, pitas, sandwiches, burgers and a “kiddos” menu. Island Grill classics include the falafel balls ($4.49, photo below), grilled chicken pita with garlic sauce ($7.99) and the Hanover entree ($13.49 chicken/$14.99 angus beef) that includes hummus, tabbouleh, avocados, walnuts, onions, mushrooms with your choice of chicken or beef. We were also impressed with the hefty kabobs, especially the chunks of juicy, seasoned filet.

Falafel served with pita and tzatziki sauce

Island Grill has also held onto its original juice bar concept, and it boasts quite a large juice and smoothie menu. They know how to execute a dense, fiber-filled juice here, so pick your favorite flavor profiles and let them do the work. Not quite ready to be back on the grind after a long weekend, we enjoyed the Tropical Slide ($5.99, photo below) made with carrots, ginger, pineapple and strawberries for a taste of the island life.

The Tropical Slide juice

This Island Grill in Rice Village also has certain menu items that are unique to this location – shrimp étouffée has made the menu, along with gumbo, a kale salad and a breakfast fried chicken honey biscuit.

The new Mali Kale salad ($10.99, photo below) is a heaping serving of kale topped with pine nuts, avocado, parmesan and strawberries. An added serving of grilled shrimp ($6 for six shrimp) really pumps up the flavor. The light lemon dressing is served on the side, so dress the greens to your liking. We recommend dipping the strawberries into the little ramekin full of citrus flavors.

The new Mali Kale salad

Breakfast is served daily at Island Grill – Monday through Friday until 11 am and until noon on Saturday and Sunday. We know Island Grill can do healthful meals, so a fried chicken biscuit sandwich (photo below) available during breakfast really sparked our interests. For $9.99, you’ll get two fluffy biscuits filled with a piece of fried chicken and a light smear of honey. Add a fried egg for $1.50.

Little Liberty was an attractive restaurant, but Haddad and crew have done a nice job revitalizing the space. The decor is toned down, with soft, neutral colors. It feels a bit more relaxed, just the place you’d want to come after a strenuous morning workout or a midday break from the office.

Island Grill, 2365A Rice Blvd. just east of Morningside, 713 527-8070, islandgrillhouston.com
Hours: Mon. to Thurs. 7 am-9 pm, Fri. & Sat. 7 am-10 pm, Sun. 8 am-4:30 pm