OKO

Don't come here expecting the traditional comfort of Filipino cuisine, but come here expecting to read a love letter to the Philippines.The atmosphere at Oko is cozy and intimate, with a dark, moody ambiance that invites you to settle in for a unique dining experience. The interior design is a beautiful mix of modern elegance and subtle nods to Filipino culture. If you're familiar with the Philippines, you'll appreciate the small details, like the parols (Filipino lanterns) lining the walls. There's even a quirky touch where no knives are provided, which is a lovely reminder of home.We were fortunate to be greeted by the head chef, Harold, who made us feel incredibly welcome from the start. The service throughout the evening was exceptional. Our server, Jonah, ensuring our experience was smooth and enjoyable.We kicked off our meal with a secret menu item--Tuna Aguachiles. Fresh, vibrant, and refreshing, this dish had thin slices of tuna topped with crisp cucumber and bathed in a citrusy, spicy sauce. It was the perfect balance of cool and tangy with a little kick. It was an absolute highlight that set the tone for the rest of the meal.Next came the Sinigang Wings which paired perfectly with a side of garlic rice. The wings were glazed with a sweet-tangy fish sauce, and each bite had a burst of tamarind powder-coated lime juice to elevate the flavor. For those unfamiliar with sinigang, it's a Filipino sour tamarind soup, and this dish captured the essence of sinigang in the form of finger food; an innovative twist that was very impressive.We also couldn't resist ordering the Kumusta, a non-alcoholic drink that blends horchata, chai, and chocolate. The sweetness from the condensed milk foam complemented the bitterness of the chocolate, the spice from the chai, and the creaminess of the horchata perfectly. It was reminiscent of champurrado, a Filipino chocolate rice porridge typically topped with condensed milk, a comforting and nostalgic drink reimagined in a refreshing way.Then came the Pinoy Mezze, which was absolutely mind-blowing. It included roasted eggplant, acharra (pickled vegetables), mango pico, and roti with roasted coconut. When combined, the flavors created a delightful, unforgettable experience. The earthiness of the eggplant, the tartness of the acharra, the sweetness from the mango pico (and raisins, a traditional Filipino touch), and the crisp butteriness of the roti came together beautifully. Though there are allusions to Mediterranean and Mexican cultures, this dish is essentially a deconstructed Filipino breakfast: tortang talong, pan de sal, mangoes, and acharra. Yet, it was something entirely new and stunning. Hands down, one of the best dishes I've ever had.The chefs' genius shines through in every dish, and you can feel the love and dedication behind every element. As someone with roots in Manila and Iloilo, I can honestly say that Oko is a true celebration of Filipino culture, and every detail, no matter how small, shows the incredible effort that's gone into creating this remarkable space.A special shoutout to Chef Harold and our wonderful server Jonah for making this experience even more special. If you're someone who appreciates Filipino food, culture, and creativity, you owe it to yourself to visit Oko.P.S. Finding parking around Oko can be a bit of a hunt. Street parking is your best bet, though there are a couple of paid lots nearby. Once you've managed that minor hiccup, the experience inside makes it all worth it.

Vibes 5 stars. Food 3.5 stars. I was excited to try this hot spot in downtown east austin. We made a reservation for the bar in advance for Valentine's Day because they still offered a la carte menus. The bar area was super cute and the lighting around the interior set the good vibes and matched the fun music. The food was tough for me to rate because even though most of it was good, I felt like it was quite overpriced in the end. We started with the Kinilaw, which was a little overpowered with spice and it was four tiny pieces. We then ordered the pak pak wings and baboy pork skewers. These were the highlight of the meal. So smoky and tasty. The Lechon was our main and it was a bit of a let down. It was so rich and salty that we could only eat a couple bites. I wish there was something served with it to tone down the salt. We ordered the Umaga and Rock Lee cocktails. Both were really good, but I'd go back just for the Umaga. The bartenders gave great recommendations and were able to thoroughly explain everything on the menu. They really pay attention to detail. Overall, fun experience but not sure I'll be back for the food. Maybe their cocktails. Good to try once.

I love Filipino food - ever since I was younger when I would go to my friends' houses and their moms would cook amazing homemade dishes, on to some of my favorite restaurants like Jeepney in NYC (which has since closed). In Austin, the offerings are few but Oko is a really welcome addition to the Austin food scene.Located pretty centrally on East 6th in the old Ah Sing Den space, it features an intimate moody interior great for dates and a more casual covered addition in the back with a long communal table.I came back in December with a group of 4 and was seated at one end of the communal table. We were able to try a good chunk of the menu:Baboy and Manok Skewers - we tried both the pork and chicken, and we enjoyed both of them. The sweet and savory notes shine here.Lumpia - Good, solid version that are packed with meat and less fluff. These are also much larger than the thinner ones you usually see.Pancit Canton - This was my least favorite. I am used to the vermicelli version but regardless, this didn't have much flavor. I did have it again recently and it had more of that sweet and savory flavor so it either was an off night or had to be adjusted due to a friend's shellfish allergy.Adobo - a solid savory tart version but does not stand out among my homemade versions. Especially given the price, I would opt to try something else and save the adobo for home.Whole Fried Fish - I love a whole fish, definitely get this if its on the specials. It comes with a sweet savory tart sauce that pairs really well with fried fish.The desserts are not to be skipped. With only three on the menu, you can't go wrong with any of them. We opted to get two, since the Halo-Halo has pieces of the third dessert (flan) in it.Calamansi Pie - Basically a lemon or key lime tart but with Calamansi, which is sweeter than the average lemon or lime and has mandarin orange notes to it.Halo-Halo - A very playful dessert served in a tall sundae glass. It has shaved ice, coconut jelly, fruit, flan, and topped with creamy rich ube ice cream speckled with fruity pebbles. I would never leave a meal at Oko without ordering one of these.I also tried a few cocktails, which are on the pricier side but are very playful like a tiki menu, and well crafted with uncommon ingredients. I tried the Zazu, which has strawberry popping boba at the bottom, and the Rock Lee (a nod to Naruto fans) which was a clean slightly tart drink garnished with lavender sparkly glittery coated dried plums.Oko is going to roll out Kamayan dinners soon, which is really exciting. Kamayan, meaning "hands" in Tagalog, is a big smorgasbord of food beautifuly laid on banana leaves for the party to feast on with their hands as utensils. I used to do them at Jeepney (pre-Covid), and it was always a crowd pleaser. It is a great way to sample a lot of the menu and a unique way to celebrate a birthday or any other special occasion.

Oko is an absolute must--Filipino flavors, killer cocktails, and a team that makes you feel like a VIP from the moment you walk in.Let's start with the drinks because wow. The 1000 Miles North was a smoky, mezcal-kissed dream with a breezy Pacific twist, while the Filipini Myth took the classic Painkiller on a tropical joyride. Honestly, I'd come back just for the cocktails.But the food? Equally drool-worthy. The chicken wings? Crispy, perfectly seasoned. The pork belly? Think thick, bacon-y perfection topped with an egg--absolute indulgence. The chicken skin chicharon? Crackly, salty, and addictive. And the meat skewers? Juicy, charred just right, and packed with flavor.The MVP's of the show are most definitely the bartenders. They're passionate, engaging, and mix a mean drink. They made the whole experience unforgettable. Can't wait to come back!

I've never had Filipino food and so had no clue what to expect. But this place is absolutely incredible and we loved everything we ate. We started with the non alcoholic island allegory drink per the bartender's rec. he did not lead us astray. It was beachy and fun but not too sweet, a perfect combo.We then tried the baboy pork skewers which were phenomenal. The 3 sauces pair so well, my fave was the anatto oil.Then we had the Pak Pak chicken - it's the best chicken I've ever had in my life. The caramelized crispy chicken wings are roasted to perfection and I'm just sad I can never make chicken as good. Truly the star of the show. And pretty big in my opinion.Then we had the oxtail dish. I would almost describe it like a curry or sorts. I did not care for the marrow but the whole dish was very unique and delicious. Definitely a fattier meat and hearty dish. We finished with the canton noodles which I saw from another table and looked so yummy. I was so full at that point I couldn't touch it but ate it the next day and it was super tasty. That speaks a lot to the flavor. I thought it was nice and fresh and a nice contrast to the other meaty dishes.Overall amazing experience, great bartenders and just a beautiful cozy space.

Had to try OKO since it took over the Ah Sing Den space and I had fond memories of it. I reeeeeally want to hate on the cost of a meal here but I'll be honest... my food, drink, and service were all incredible.I started with the bartender's recommendation for a cocktail, the Rock Lee, for $19. I couldn't pronounce half the ingredients but it was one of the most incentive cocktails I've had in awhile. Amazing recommendation.Had a chat with Alberto behind the bar and he was so passionate about their menu. I had to turn down his recommendation for the wings because I wasn't that hungry, but I saw them come out left and right and they looked stellar. I'll come back to try those.I ended up with the Lechon for $24 and absolutely loved it. The pork belly had a crispy side and a soft side and came with two different unique sauces. Even the garnish or salad was delicious. I'm not a big eater so over $60 after tax and tip for a single plate and a single drink stings, but like I said, I loved it all. I'll have to come back on a Treat Yourself Day again.

OKO in Austin is an absolute gem and provided a truly outstanding dining experience. I recently had dinner there with friends, and it was a night to remember. We had the pleasure of chatting with Chef Harold, who was incredibly welcoming and made our experience even more enjoyable. His passion for the food and his welcoming demeanor truly enhanced the evening.We ordered a fantastic spread, starting with the chicken skin, lumpia, and kinilaw. Chef Harold was particularly enthusiastic about the kinilaw, and as someone who judges kinilaw by my Lola's (grandmother's) standards, I can confidently say it didn't disappoint. It was fresh, flavorful, and perfectly balanced - a true testament to Chef Harold's culinary skill. For our mains, we indulged in the Kare Kare, Sinigang na Pak-Pak, Pancit Chami, and a special off-menu treat: their Crispy Pata. Each dish was expertly prepared and bursting with authentic Filipino flavors.To finish off the meal, we enjoyed Halo-Halo for dessert, a perfect sweet ending to a delicious feast. We also sampled a couple of their signature cocktails, which were equally impressive. From start to finish, the food was incredible, the service was exceptional, and the atmosphere was vibrant and welcoming. I highly recommend OKO to anyone looking for an unforgettable dining experience in Austin. It's a must-try!Shoutout to their playlist curator that night! The music was fire

Wowza! Insanely unique yet approachable and flavorful dishes - have never had anything like this before. Parking - was fortunately able to park on the street nearby Service - waiter was incredibly friendly and checked on us plenty, our waters were always full. Ambiance - cute and cozy interior.Food - sooo incredible. We were a large group so we ordered just about everything. I'm vegetarian so I had about 2 veggie based dishes that were so flavorful and the roti/garlic rice was incredible as well. Don't skip out on drinks or desserts - we tried all 3 desserts and loved them all. Really incredible flavors and dishes.

OKO is a bright new flavorful destination. Always cool to see a place open and expose diners to a previously unfamiliar cuisine.The cocktails were exciting and well done (which I'd hope for at $20 a pop). The kinilaw (hamachi) was a beautiful and complex opening bite. The manok (chicken skewers) were nice and charred. Tried the pancit special and it tasted like ones I've had in Manila. Also ordered the oxtail kare-kare and it was so rich, but the potatoes and squash were unfortunately undercooked.Dishes were cleared VERY quickly, I appreciate the hands-on service but I had to quickly swipe sauces, or last bites/sips before plates were taken away prematurely. The music (Usher, Mario, etc) was on point. In Da Club by 50 Cent was played to celebrate a diner's birthday which created a lighthearted communal moment.Overall, a solid addition of modern Filipino fare

Feeling split on how to review OKO as service was generous and attentive, but a few points of experience could use some definite improvement. Note that OKO is going to be a splurge for smaller "shareable" as has become quite trendy for Austin. The interior that once hailed Ah Sing Den has since been transformed to a less flashy (I really do miss those tassel trimmed lanterns...) and dark to be a more illuminated space with some luxurious splashes of gem tones. There's bar seating, interior dining room, and a newly updated enclosed patio space. Despite requesting dining room on the reservation, we ended up in the patio space for our 5pm res. It was a little humid and there was an abundance of fruit flies that would land on us throughout the evening. This was concerning as I had to wonder why there were so many and where the source was, but we stayed anyway.We split the lumpia (two short, chonky rolls, not the traditional thinner with more length) that were fresh from the frier. Succulent meat was incredibly tender and juicy. It did remind me more of an egg roll (sans crunch veg) due to the thickness, but it was still a great bite.Next, we got the ox peanut butter based stew. The peanut butter was lovely and subtle adding to the collagen rich base. There were some veggies including bok choy and radish to help cut through the heft of the bone marrow and ox. We ordered a roti ($5 for one 4" diameter roti, btw) to split and clean up the remnants of the stew with the side of garlic rice it is paired with. Delicious, but wish there were more veggies to balance with each bite. As for drinks, I ordered their ube cocktail that was $20. It was filled to the brim with crushed ice, and while tasty, the alcohol seemed to be lacking. It reminded me of the ube cocktail featured down the street at Whisler's for a few bucks less with a great whammy of alcohol content. If I were to return to OKO, I would definitely get drinks elsewhere beforehand, and stick to my water. At the end of service, our table was cleared and wiped down (appreciate this detail for sure!) and we were served dessert. We had the ube ice cream which was lush and had fantastic ube flavor. Overall, lovely ambiance, great service, and I love to see Asian food being highlighted as luxury with the price point to match. I just wish the environmental experience and cocktails could get on the same page. 3 for the goods, 5 for the service, and 1 for the obnoxious supply of fruit flies landing on me during my $$$ meal.