Isaac John Street: The Mainland Foodie’s Paradise
If you know the Mainland, you know Isaac John Street in Ikeja GRA is one of the best places to get a quick meal or sort out your cravings in this Laygurss. Or maybe it’s the worst, because that’s the end for your pocket? 😂 Idk.
The wonder of Isaac John first came onto my radar in 2017 — that was when I learnt it had a very tall reputation for having every possible kind of restaurant, but I never really thought to test the theory until recently. I found myself on the street again somehow in recent times and couldn’t believe how many restaurants were trying to take my money for vanishing (do people still say that or is that too 2020? 👀)
I decided to do some “investigative eating”. In summary, there’s almost no kind of restaurant you won’t find on Isaac John — the count went up to 22. I walked the entire length of the street for you guys TWICE, in case I missed anything the first time — and best believe that’s the most physical activity I’ve had all year. I’ve always wanted to go restaurant hopping and this adventure presented the perfect opportunity; I didn’t have to worry about traffic and I could burn calories as I went.
So, here we go...
#1 Starter at Crack Wings
where: 11B Isaac John Street
Damage > N4500
The Crack Wings building is where Burg used to be, and shared a space with Softs. When I walked in, I could see that they were going for an “effortless, rustic” theme with their decor, but they kind of went overboard because some parts of it actually look like no effort was put into it at all. Like yes, you don’t have to paint your walls completely, but at least make it neat?
The passage to the tennis table area after the sitting area honestly looked like the builders were just too tired to finish it. The way they painted orange over the AC was hilarious too. PLUS their whole nail design on the wall was giving “Safety Hazard – HELP!” Like, who the heck thought that was a good idea to put so close to the seats?
To the food and service situation: The menu had five chicken wing varieties that all came with fries. We opted for the 6 Barbie (short for barbecue) chicken wings package. The food took about 15 minutes to get to us and they had an open kitchen plan that allowed us to watch as they made it. The wings were honestly just decent; I felt like they could have done a bit more with it flavour-wise since this was, after all, their only thing, but it was just mid-spiced chicken bathed in barbecue sauce. Thankfully, their fries were really good — crispy, fresh and well-salted.
Their only drink options were Desperados, Arizona and water — which happened to be a whopping 1k 👀 for bare Eva water! I was expecting my change and it did not come! And that 1k water had the audacity to finish? Crazy.
Their customer service was just okay too. I was a bit taken aback by the fact that it wasn’t table service, so I had to walk to the counter to get the food. It’s not unheard of tbh, so I’m not holding it against them.
#2 Main Course & Drinks at O’shey Bar & Cafe
where: 29 Isaac John Street
Damage > N3500 — N5500
Our next stop was Oshey Bar & Cafe much further down the road from Crack Wings. Their theme was a contemporary spin on the typical Irish pub decor. Once we entered, it was very warm smiles from all the staff and our waiter for the day directed us to the indoor sitting. The ambience was set by some sweet old-school RnB and Hip Hop.
We ordered Chinese Fried Rice with Shrimp Curry, Spaghetti Bolognese and for cocktails, Sex on the Beach and a Mai Tai. The drinks took about 10 minutes to get to us, and the food took another 20 minutes — not too long, in my opinion.
I was very pleased with my Sex on the Beach; it was very flavourful, even though the Vodka content was… what’s the word? Prominent. As for the Mai Tai, I wasn’t really feeling it. The alcohol overpowered the drink, which I didn’t expect, as it was a rum-based cocktail. It also had a nice citrusy element, but I think the drink could have used a little more of that and syrup.
The Spaghetti Bolognese and Chinese Fried Rice were a flop for me. The Bolognese sauce initially looked like it was a good amount, but it didn’t have enough meaty substance and it was a bit lacking in taste. When it comes to Chinese fried rice, I don’t believe long-grain rice should be used, but that seems to be the go-to for most (non-Chinese) restaurants in Lagos. When I saw that it was long grain rice that was served, my expectations were already dashed, but then I had it and it just tasted like dry steamed rice with bits of fried egg.
The chicken curry that came with the rice was surprisingly really spicy, but as a Yoruba babe, nothing do me 👍🏽 It tasted good, so it kinda compensated for the lacklustre “fried rice”. Nonetheless, I was pleased with my experience at Oshey Bar. Their prices were more than reasonable for the large portions we got, and we benefited from the Happy Hour discount (it’s 20% off from 12pm — 5pm on Tuesdays through Fridays).
#3 Dessert at Ice Cream Factory
where: 29 Isaac John Street
Damage > N1200
I rounded up (or so I thought) with dessert at Ice Cream Factory just downstairs, in the same building as Oshey Bar. I had one scoop of their Vanilla Chocolate Brownie flavour and it was divine. I was about to say, “you can never really go wrong with ice cream”, but if that ain’t a LIE. I take it back because some of you are outchea eating subpar flavoured ice chips or worse still, mint and pistachio ice cream. Please don’t carry that behaviour into the new year 🙏🏽
Ice Cream Factory also had a variety of muffins and treats for a little over N1000 each.
#4 Random Craving at Bourbon House Cafe
where: 29 Isaac John Street
Damage > N1000
I really thought I was done after Ice Cream Factory, but then I saw this cafe in the compound and figured they could satisfy my long-time French toast craving. I was really surprised when I opened the menu and saw that it was just N1500 for a serving of French toast, but it kinda made sense when they brought it in. There was no special presentation or flavouring (vanilla, cinnamon, nada), so it was as good as it could be at that price. Plus, the maple syrup came to the rescue, so I did enjoy it.
Bourbon House has quite a narrow space, so if it’s full, I imagine it wouldn’t be very convenient to move around. The times I’ve been there, it’s been close to empty though, which makes it a good spot for a remote work situation.
Isaac John Street had a LOT more to offer though. Here’s a round-up of all the other 18 spots on the stretch:
QUICK BITES:
Kobis
where: 23 Isaac John Street
Damage > N1000 — N10000
A menu highlight is their 10k Seafood Okra Special which has crab, periwinkle, snail and comes with 2 servings of ‘swallow’.
The Place
where: 45 Isaac John Street
Damage > N1500 – N5000
I’m a sucker for their honey barbecue chicken and village rice, and I love that they have asun.
Sweet Sensation
where: 62 Isaac John Street
Damage > N1000 — N4000
Yo, Sweet Sensation still has a few decent things on its menu. Their Top Up combo includes rice, chicken and a small drink at just 1k.
Fast Casual Spots:
Golden Eagles Spur
where: 56b ISAAC JOHN STREET
Damage > N2500 — N15000
Spur is a bit of a step up from your regular fast-food joint. They actually make proper burgers (with occasionally stale buns 🙄) and they serve steak, pork ribs and gourmet pizza. Plus you can have red wine there.
It’s one of my go-to places when I don’t want fast food, but am also minding my pocket.
The Yardstick Lounge
where: 62 Isaac John Street
Damage > N2500 — N10000
It’s located in the same building as Sweet Sensation. They have a mix of local food and some “intercontinental” options as well. There was a bit of a weird smell when I went there, though, but maybe I caught them on a bad day.
Casual Dining:
Ocean Basket
where: 58c Isaac john street
Damage > N6000 — N20000
Craving any kind of seafood (including sushi)? Come here! Ocean Basket also has quite a number of dessert and drink options, which I appreciate.
Rhapsody’s
where: 53-55 sobo arobiodu street (AROUND THE CORNER FROM ISAAC JOHN)
Damage > N5000 — N25000
Rhapsody’s is a contemporary-style lounge and bar with a popping nightlife situation. They say they offer a fine dining experience, but it’s actually more casual dining. Either way, it’s the place to get lit while enjoying quality food.
The Orchid Bistro
where: 58A Isaac John Street
Damage > N5000 — N25000
The Orchid Bistro tries to merge a garden experience with a casual dining experience, and some might say they succeed at doing it. I personally found the abundance of greenery in the outdoor sitting area quite overwhelming, though and watch out for their crazy high service charge if you choose to eat here.
Iyeru Okin
where: 38/40 Isaac John Street
Damage > N11000 — N20000
Iyeru Okin is a buffet-style restaurant on the first floor of Radisson Blu in GRA. Their menu includes typical Nigerian and foreign dishes, plus a couple of complimentary drinks!
Chinese Food:
Shu Garden
where: 46 isaac john street
Damage > N7000 — N15000
Their food menu has typical Chinese food options at fair prices. Weirdest thing: When I got in, I walked into a room filled with only Asians, whose stares almost cut through me – like hellooo, what are you doing here?? The waiter frantically directed me to a separate (mostly empty) room. It was giving racism and I have heard of the Chinese restaurant in Lagos that doesn’t allow Nigerians in, so maybe these guys are halfway there? I could be wrong though. The other room I was directed to had a massive TV screen for watching the World Cup matches.
Zen Garden
where: 60 isaac john street
Damage > N5000 — N25000
These guys were a lot more welcoming and their decor was much prettier. Their menu options were also a bit more exhaustive — guys, I even saw a shark dish on the menu!
Both “Gardens” had a separate 10% service charge, 7.5% VAT and 5% Consumption Tax, plus very limited drink menus (just juice and soft drinks). It’s clear which Garden will be seeing me in the future, though.
Fine Dining:
Cut Steakhouse
where: 38/40 isaac john street
Damage > N10000 — N35000
Cut Steakhouse is on the ground floor of Radisson Blu. Their signature “3 B’s” service style is made up of freshly baked Brioche bread, “Succulent Beef and Stunning Bordeaux Wines”. As you can tell from their name, their major thing is steak but their menu range is actually quite broad. They also have a fine selection of dessert options.
Bonus points for the elegant decor and soft ambience 👍🏾
Local Food Spots:
Jevinik Restaurant
where: 21 Isaac John Street
Damage > N3000 — N10000
Jevinik has all sorts of local meals set at moderate prices — not buka-level pricing, but decent enough. The sitting arrangement is very much canteen-like and their portions are notoriously quite large.
Dessert Spots:
Softs
where: 46b isaac john street
Damage > N3000
Softs offers soft serve ice cream at their SUPER CUTE spot on Isaac John Street. They don’t have a wide range of flavours (only 4), but it’s really good ice cream nonetheless.
Hans & René
where: 58c isaac john street
Damage > N2000
Hans & René reigns supreme when it comes to the frozen desserts range — so many flavours of quality sorbet and gelato. Beside these, the baked goodies are always a good reason to stop by.
P.S.: Check out the scoop (see what I did there? 🙃) on essential ice cream spots in Lagos here.
Cakes by Curry’s
where: 23 isaac john street
Damage > N600
This is the cake outfit of Kobis. They sell a pack of 3 slices of marble, chocolate and vanilla cake for N600 each, so it’s great for a cheap and cheerful sweet treat. They also make large cakes for occasions.
Choco Latte
where: 38 isaac john street
Damage > N1200
Choco Latte is a small café in the lobby of the Radisson Blu Hotel on Isaac John. Their dessert options include tarts, English pound cake, marble, vanilla and chocolate cake. They also have different types of sandwiches, coffee and pastries on the menu.
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Oyinda is a writer and lover of knowledge. When she's not reading random stuff on the internet, or putting finger to keyboard, you'll find her chopping the life of her head.
