Avenida Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.9 (899) • $$

"I've been wanting to try this place since they opened in downtown San Mateo and my first experience wasn't a pleasant one. Back in 2023, I had emailed them to reserve a table for 12 people for a celebration reunion with my classmates from the Philippines. Thought this restaurant it would be ideal (for obvious reasons), but nobody ever got back to me. Even calls to speak with the manager went nowhere. I had to reserve another venue, and I finally received a response from them after the planned reunion. In a nutshell, the excuse given was they were busy and will use it as a learning experience.Water under the bridge so moving on, I decided to take the Wifey here for dinner back in November of last year with the two dogs in tow. We didn't have reservations, so the only option was to dine on their parklet. We didn't mind the cold, as long as we had a nice heater to keep us warm. We ordered the following:Pork Sisig ($27 with egg +$2) Seasoned pork, chopped and sauteed with spices on a sizzling plate. Looking at the picture, let me state the obvious: the egg yolk was already broken, and it was already cooked. They didn't even allow us the experience of mixing the egg with the rest of the dish, and the taste was mid at best. The texture of the pork was also flossy as it wasn't the typical sisig that I'm used to. Crispy Pata ($39.50) They describe it as crispy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside. All true, but at this price point, I wanted it to wow me. It was lacking in flavor, and it was cooked inconsistently with some chunks of meat being too hard. Nothing too special, and you can get a similar dish at other Filipino restaurants at half the price. Sinigang ($11) Veggies and broth only. This hits the spot as the sourness of the broth was just right and it warmed us on a cold, chilly night. Pinakbet ($23) Stir-fried string beans, eggplant, bittermelon, okra, squash, shrimp, pork, shrimp paste and topped with chicharrones. This was the best-tasting food among the dishes that we ordered. All the ingredients complemented each other as it was well-balanced. As far as service goes, it was also inconsistent as we were initially told that we could sit at a table near the door but then changed it to the parklet as that table was reserved. Our server also changed (understandable) that caused us to wait on a request that we had to repeat. All in all, there were hits and misses and a mix bag of everything else from my very first experience to the most recent one. I'm still giving them 3 stars, and that's being generous since I want them to improve, be more consistent and be better. Hopefully on our next visit."

The Pantry

★★★★☆ 3.8 (915) • $$

"My family and I have been dining here for years, even when it relocated to current location.Service is excellent with an extensive menu of breakfast, lunch, dinner entrees!! Took us awhile to figure out!! Ordered the Filipino Tocino , chili con carne omelet, Truck stop special,Joe's special with an appetizer of Sigsig....! All with a generous portion of hash browns w grilled onions -a "must have" here!Just a typical "hole in the wall" (near Ross and Trader Joe's) but serving up delicious Comfort foods with a Filipino flare!!"

Superstar Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.3 (597) • $

"This is such a hole in the wall coded restaurant. I have never seen such value of a meal exist in SF with portions like these. The prices for the meals here is enough to pay for a boba drink. CASH ONLYService: They're friendly and nice. Rush hour can make you wait for a while, I came right before the lunch hour. Waited about 20 minutes. After I ordered they were out of the pork chops so I am not sure if chops are out on a daily occurrence or it was just short on that dayAmbiance: It's one of those Asian restaurants that haven't changed in looks for over 30 years but it has its charm. There are no sit-down areas Hong Kong Style pork chop $7.50 (4/5): Oh my goodness the portions of this meal were colossal. There are two huge pieces of pork chops, garlic rice, tomato slices, and an egg. The pork chop was nice and crispy, one thing to note is that it had light flavoring so I whipped out my Chinese pepper salt seasoning to help it. Overall, the meal was really good for what you're paying. The rice was deliciousTapsilog $6.25 (3/5): Was pretty disappointed with the portions of meat provided for this meal, it's so small compared to what you're getting with the pork chops. I'd recommend having an extra add-on to this meal if you're trying to eat. It has a vinegar-like taste to it and a little dry. Not particulary fond of this Overall, it is fantastic. Paying a meal that is under $8 and enough to feed two people is unheard of in the Bay Area. It does get super busy during lunch hour so be aware of your timing. Definitely coming back here again"

Kuya's Asian Cuisine

★★★★☆ 3.7 (685) • $$

"Kuya's Asia Cuisine catered lunch for Red and White Fleet's kick off Spring Season, and everything was beautifully presented and delicious.If you want to support a local family-owned Filipino Restaurant, then please support Kuya's Asian Cuisine.Cheers!!!"

Señor Sisig

★★★★☆ 4 (566) • $$

"I was caught but surprise by how much i enjoyed a enjoyed a specific item on this menu - the Tosilog burrito. The first time I tried this burrito, it was delivered while on a night shift at the hospital. On that day, I thought the burrito was really good and scarfed it down but wasn't sure if i was just stressed or super hungry. I next tried recently in an in person pickup order. This time, the burrito tasted just as I remembered but even better! I really appreciate that you have the option to remove egg (i am one of those people who sometimes gets a weird/unpleasant feeling from the taste/texture of eggs). Ordering on toast tab was super easy and it was a quick, seamless pickup experience at the restaurant. The tosilog burrito is and will be one of my favorite san francisco staples while I live here."

Gateway Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4.3 (479) • $

"This place offers take out only after COVID. Tastes delicious and good price as usual.Call and order before you go there to avoid waiting."

Pinoy BBQ ATBP

★★★★☆ 3.9 (535) • $$

"I was passing by for a daily routine and noticed this place took over the previous Vietnamese food joint?It's been a while since I saw another Filipino food place so I figured there is no harm in coming by.I only ordered one pork skewer to give it a try, and just enjoyed it. Taste wise it's about as good as it gets, Filipino food at fair prices is respected regardless."

Karilagan

★★★★☆ 3.5 (651) • $$

"Here's the reality. I was born and raised in the Motherland. They have the best Filipino food around here and anywhere else I've eaten in the Bay. On the flip side, they have the WORST, WORST absolute WORST service I've also experienced. They are consistent with the terrible service. They started charging 15% tip on your bill probably because no one was tipping them from the horrible service. What IF you changed your attitude, and make MORE than 15%? How and why would you live your life being so salty and yet have a customer facing job and make everyone who comes across your salty ass miserable while eating the best food? Post Covid they are down to only 6 hours of business a day. 3 for lunch and 3 for dinner. On Xmas eve we came in at 715 and they said they were only taking to go orders. They do this often. You walk in an hour before they close and they'll tell you you need to hurry up and eat. Please find something else to do with your time that is fulfilling and makes you happy. Owner of this place, please contact me."

Kusina Ni Tess

★★★★☆ 4.2 (335) • $

"Tiny spot in the TL, but one of our favorite Filipino spots anywhere. This place cooks everything perfectly. The garlic rice is the best, fried items are perfectly fried, sinigang is deliciously sour and savory. And now they have beef pares, hard to find outside of the Philippines, super delicious like a Chinese beef stew. Finish off with Turon, fried banana with a candy like coating."

Toppings Tree Restaurant

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (614) • $$

"Filipino food that provides homey vibes and great service. No wait to be seated and quick turnaround of the food once ordered. Pictured: sizzling sisig. Very flavorful pork with great additions of onion and garlic bits that enhance the dish. Love the pieces of lime if you choose to squeeze some on and makes the dish pop even more. Doesn't come with rice but would highly recommend adding the garlic fried rice plate that you can share with others. Was surprised with the quantity of food provided given the price point and had some to take home. Hit the spot when I was craving Filipino food. 8/10 will come again!"

Boracay Garden & Grill

★★★★☆ 3.6 (451) • $$

"came here for mother's day at around 11:30am. Food was delicious i enjoyed the lumpia and the sinigang. Service was ok, there seemed to only be 2 servers for the whole restaurant."

Turo Cafe and Grill

★★★★☆ 4.3 (283) • $$

"Turo Cafe and Grill is one of the few places in the Bay Area to get good quality, Filipino food. Turo serves the same dishes that I grew up with at home.In the past, I've ordered popular dishes, including: pancit (noodles), silog (breakfast combos w/egg), pork sinigang (tamarind soup), BBQ skewers, and of course, LUMPIA. It's rare to order lumpia shanghai (finger food pork egg rolls) at such a girthy size. And there's is kinda girthy for a shanghai. Believe me, I've had shanghai in other places which were either "too skinny" and/or "too short". There's one place I know of that tends to roll their shanghai in extra wrappers to almost deceive customers that it's actually filled with enough meat! LOL. In any case, Turo's Shanghai is "fat, tasteful and meaty" for the discerning lumpia lover in you!Turo Cafe deserves 4.5 stars!!! @feastyle approved! The Turo Cafe storefront makes the store look as if it's heavily busy because of outside traffic, but I've developed a "system" on how to work with here. LOL Otherwise, everything has been great since the food is so tasteful they bring back memories of the quality Pinoy dishes I know and love."

Tapsilog Cantina

★★★★☆ 3.9 (334) • $$

"Great service-great food! Wish they had this in Sacramento. Was just in the area visiting family and was craving Filipino food and early enough for Tapsilog. Had their sisig silog and it was the bomb. Kuya (behind the counter) I think is the owner is super nice. Place reminded me of a "beer house" in Manila. Plenty of seating, outdoor seating as well. Parking in the back and street available."

Max's Restaurant - South San Francisco

★★★☆☆ 3 (529) • $$

"The lunch special was really good! I got the Sisig for under $20. This is a classy place to bring relatives :) food is good and affordable and cooked by Filipinos!!! I also like their pancit and people love their chicken but for me I never get it because I eat so much Costco chicken!! lol"

Ongpin

★★★☆☆ 3 (502) • $$

"Ongpin Restaurant is a gem in the heart of the Bay Area, and it unquestionably earns its status as one of the oldest and most cherished Filipino restaurants around. Ongpin feels like a warm embrace of home, with aroma of authentic Filipino dishes that have been around since 1994.Beyond the exceptional food, Ongpin is a haven for the community. It's where people come together, celebrate, and create lasting memories. The atmosphere resonates with the warmth and camaraderie that make Ongpin more than just a restaurant; it's a home away from home.The staff's hospitality is unmatched, embodying the spirit of Filipino warmth.For anyone seeking an authentic taste of the Philippines this is the go to place"

Max's Restaurant - Daly City

★★★☆☆ 2.7 (555) • $$

"Easily one of my favorite Filipino restaurants around the area. The food is always top notch. My personal favorites are the chicken adobo, crispy chicken, garlic rice, kare kare, and sinigang! Then for dessert--halo halo! They even have a house special drink which is calamansi mixed with raspberry. The dishes are excellent and the service is absolutely wonderful. The staff always make me feel right at home. During our recent visit, the staff was super accommodating for our party of 10. You can make reservations for parties of 6 and up. Sa susunod ulit! Maraming salamat, Max's Daly City!"

Tastebuds

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (398) • $$

"I'm sad that i only have one little picture, which doesn't even show everything we ordered. I ordered catering trays for my baby shower, and the food was all delicious. Also, i paid extra to have everything delivered, and the person that delivered was so nice and told me how to handle the food.We had:Pancit Miki BihonLumpia ShanghaiRiceLechon KawaliBbq Chicken Bbq porkBangus SisigFish Fillet EscabecheChopsuey (seafood only)Everyone commented on how good the food was. Special shout out to: the pancit miki bihon, bangus sisis, bbq pork, but everything was really good. We had plenty of leftovers, and mostly everyone took something home for a second meal. Thank you, Tastebuds!"

Via Mare Of America

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (286) • $$

"The family splurged on Filipino food today. You best prepare yourself for some amazing home hooked meals. The flavors were amazing, my favorite dish was the pork belly and the bitter Melon curry dish. Def will be coming back to this spot. So close to home and Def need to be more cultured in how amazing Filipino food is.They also have live performances, some locals, and some who even fly all the way from the Philippines! Def a mabuhay spot!"

Tindahan Pinoy

★★★★☆ 4 (202) • $$

"Tindahan Pinoy is located in a strip mall that has Pho Dao, Đại-Thành Supermarket, Popeye's Louisiana Chicken, T4, etc.The parking isn't too bad. Small place with a couple of shelves full of merchandise for sale. They have a steam table for some food and a kitchen in the back to quickly cook other foods.I came in here to try their breakfast meal of two scoops of garlic rice, a fried egg, tomato & cucumber slices and one meat (Tocino) (3.5/5). It was prepared in about 5-6 minutes.It's usually crowded but not at the time I visited."

HI City

★★★★☆ 4.1 (115) • $$

"If you love garlic, this is the poke place for you!! I was excited to see so many garlicky options to add into my bowl. I got a regular "build your own" bowl, which came with three scoops of protein.I tried the furikake salmon and Hawaiian tuna! Both were pretty good. The salmon was VERY buttery and fatty. The tuna was classic lean fish with sesame, green onion, ogo seaweed, shoyu, etc. I was pretty satisfied!For garlic options, I got the garlic crab salad, garlic mayo, and garlic bread crumbs. There were also seared garlic albacore and garlic shrimp options!"

The Mochi Donut Shop

★★★★☆ 3.8 (130) • $$

"I love that this Mochi Donut Shop has soo many food options. They have mochi donuts, Korean corn dogs (one even covered in hot cheetos!), filipino rice plates, filipino banh mis, and more! I also love their flavored tots. Their mochi donuts and corn dogs never disappoint and the staff is always friendly!"

The Original Kadok's

★★★★☆ 4 (117) • $$

"I have mixed reviews about this place. There's been times where the food is good and there's been a few times recently where I question the quality of their food. I mainly get their lumpia and years past it used to be piping hot when I order. They would freshly fry it and I didn't mind the wait. Lately, when I come here, they give it to me right away. I understand they want efficiency, but my lumpia was more like room temperature when I got it. I don't know if it's even fresh or was it from the previous night. I wish there was an option for me to ask for freshly fried ones."

JT Restaurant

★★★★★ 4.5 (70) • $

"Rly nice experience! We had no idea what anything was since we hadn't had Filipino food much before, so the owner kindly and enthusiastically explained what all the options were, it was very cuteAnd we chose our dishes and she gave us heaping portions, filling the bowls with the entree and then also plates full of riceThe food itself was really good and well flavored! Wish there were more veggies but the pairing of the rice meat and sauce was greatSmall little restaurant tucked inside a building, a mini cafeteria vibe with lots of character A really solid meal!"

Mestiza

★★★★☆ 4.3 (54) • $$

"I just wish we got to sit outside with the cool mural but because it was raining and it was uncovered, we were ushered into their sister restaurant Little Skillet for the indoor seating. My review is for Wednesday, Nov20. It was pretty empty when we got seated so my 3 coworkers and I had it all to ourselves for a while until a couple trickled in later. The service was quick and friendly. Our server gave us dinner portions for the lunchtime price! What a generous offer. What we ordered: +lechon bites: enjoyed this dish the most!+shrimp gambas+mushroom sisig+garlic riceI love the concept for this restaurant in that it's plant forward. Most Filipino dishes (ever since I was a kid) had always been meat-heavy, specifically pork heavy. I remember one Thanksgiving my stomach had a hard time digesting all the heavy meats (mostly Filipino dishes) so I had to lay off the meats for awhile until I recovered. All I can say is I didn't feel that after this meal. Everything tasted fresh and full of veggies which I think was what I needed. Would love to try more dishes at this spot and looking forward to sitting in their outdoor patio with the Mestiza mural (:"

Los Kuyas

★★★★☆ 3.9 (58)

"A Mexican-Filipino fusion truck that seems to be Mexican in format, but with Filipino flavored meats. So tacos, burritos, nachos, etc. Since the Filipino meats have so much personality, it really was quite a wonderful combination.Sisig Nachos: I like that they didn't try to be fancy and just used that kind of bowling alley nacho cheese sauce. However, no chips from the bag here, they used fresh made tortilla chips. Fried up thick and crispy so they didn't get soggy on the journey back to the office. The standard nacho toppings, but with some deliciously spiced sisig. I especially liked the chips in the corner that soaked up some of that yummy vinegary sauce.Tocino Burrito: Slightly sweet pork gives this otherwise normal burrito a nice upgrade. Tocino is pretty intense so all the carbs of the tortilla and rice carry it well. I like that they toasted the sides of the burrito, for a little texture contrast.Ubechata: I like ube anything, so this was hit. Creamy and quite sweet. Very rich, so I actually preferred drinking this a little later in the day as an afternoon dessert "milkshake"."

Russ Fam Kitchen

★★★★★ 4.7 (36)

"Stumbled across this place nestled in the back of the Exxon gas station I love supporting small business. I'm all about it and the quality and the service didn't disappoint limited menu which is great because you know the five or six things you order are gonna be awesome highly recommend all of it. We're actually using them to cater our Super Bowl party and everything was top-notch"

Grill City

★★☆☆☆ 2.1 (121) • $

"This located within the grocery store - Seafood City.Perfect location when you are doing a grocery run around meal time and you are getting hungry.Order and Service is similar to Panda Express, except it is definitely a lot slower than I expected. Everything was made and ready to grab but I somehow waited 10-15 mins waiting for the line to move. I only tried the chicken skewer with sauce and I think the flavor was pretty good. The only downside is that it was already at room temperature or slight cold which is not what I expected"

Rita's Catering & Eatery

★★★★☆ 3.8 (28) • $

"I've just had the lumpia and cheeseburger from this place after just discovering last Monday. Even though they are located near the notoriously bad neighborhood of 6th street. I still come for the lumpia. Oh and BTW. The cheeseburger was a great change of pace from fast food"

Pampanga's Cuisine

★★☆☆☆ 2.4 (69) • $

"Went for some bfast Phillipine grub. Found myself in a small strip mall in Daly City choosing some authentic dishes behind a shield of glass in a divey cafe. Yelp says it's closed today, but it's not. Food is average but decent tasting and filling. Lots of options to choose from. They serve the usuals; Beef Caldaretta (beef stew w/veggies),Sisig (flavorful choice chunks of chicken, pork or beef), chicken and pork adobo, BBQ chicken and pork skewers, rice, noodles and so on.. But today.... They had Embudito! As an American, I can describe it as a Philipinno meat loaf. So obvi, I grabbed a loaf of that. Yumm.Definitely a 'cheapy go-to' resto."

The Sarap Shop

★★★★★ 4.5 (13)

"I came here with a friend one day for lunch (we had been looking forward to coming to Sarap Shop for a while and were finally able to align our schedules for a weekday, since the hours here are somewhat limited). I ordered the lechon carbonara since all of the dishes here with lechon appeared to be a popular choice online and this seemed like interesting take on dishes that were familiar to me, a fusion of Italian carbonara and Filipino lechon. To be honest, the dish was a tad too oily and salty for my preferences, but also so tasty! I ended up finishing most of it and bringing the rest home since it was a generous portion and a good balance of toppings/mix-ins and noodles. I'd look forward to ordering it again in the future.The location was a bit... uncertain at first. Sarap Shop is located down a side street off of 4th St which is convenient if you're heading down to a game or concert. I went there from 3rd St and was a bit confused since it just looked like a residential area, but there it was! The red garage door (see other people's pics) was open so the business was indeed open, but my friend and I were confused at first since there was no one inside and it took a moment to realize we needed to order by QR code online. That was all fine, just a bit unexpected. (Other customers and delivery drivers that came in after us looked similarly confused by all the closed doors and closed serving windows inside, so perhaps they just need better signage for these cases?)Overall a good experience and I look forward to another visit here and the chance to try something new :)"

Kusina Ni Javen Jesel

★★★★☆ 3.8 (10)

"The good:I tried the Ube Cheesedesal from a food festival and thought they were great and fresh. I liked the appearance (purple, round and cute) and the fluffy interior. These are great as gifts or for catering events. They offer a lot of authentic Filipino dishes for catering as well.The bad:Ube desserts were something I had during my first pregnancy that led me to not be able to eat ube things again because I now associate it with the nausea I had during my first trimester. The interesting:I love how Filipinos use cheese in their desserts because it adds a creamy savoriness."

Isla Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.7 • $$

"Met with family and friends here on a Sunday. We were a party of five, and it was the first visit for a couple of us. Despite the crowd, we were seated immediately.The menu is extensive, which was overwhelming, but our server was incredibly helpful with recommendations, even suggesting options that offered a better value.We ordered the Pancit Bihon, Chicken Wings, Lumpia Silog, and Longsilog. Everything was flavorful and absolutely delicious! I found myself sampling from everyone's plate.Service was terrific. I wish I could remember our server's name, but he checked on us often and was so friendly, as were the rest of the staff. We felt completely at home here.I'm very much looking forward to returning. There's plenty of street parking as well as a small lot in the rear."

Chibog

★★★★☆ 4.1 • $$

"When it comes to Filipino food, chibog is my go-to spot. When I have friends who've never had Filipino food, this is where I go. It's solid, tasty, and big portions.Chibog has my favorite pork sisig, it's a good mix of crispy and soft pieces. The crispy short ribs, unmatched, especially with the soy sauce/vinegar sauce, chefs kiss. On my latest visit I stopped in for a quick lunch. I got the lechon kawali silog. It came with a generous serving of deep fried pork belly, hefty mound of garlic rice, and two over easy eggs. For $22 after tax and tip, it's well worth every penny. The staff here is so nice, and treats you like family. It's a smaller restaurant so there can be a wait, but during lunch time it's usually easy to snag a table. Long story short, if you are craving Filipino food, this is a spot worth checking out"

Patio Filipino

★★★★☆ 3.6 • $$

"The space was clean and well decorated. It smelled delicious too with the scent of sizzling sisig coming from the next table!The food was phenomenal! it tasted exactly right, and was beautifully plated. All the servers were friendly and helpful and made nice comments about my toddler. They even brought her a plate of orange slices when she wanted fruit. We had the Kare kare, lumpianitas, pancit bihon and caldereta. I can't wait to visit the Bay Area again just to have a meal here!"

Kalesa

★★★★☆ 3.6 • $$

"Service was excellent. Gigi was very personable and attentive to our needs making sure our drinks were always toped off!! Ambiance was nice. Tables were not too close to each other and noise level was tolerable.Food:1) Crispy Dinuguan - very tasty and pork was not fatty. 5 of 52) Pancit Miki Bihon - flavor was slightly bland 3 of 5. Seemed like it was missing something but could not figure it out3) Pinakbet - kind of soupy and we liked as it was not too salty. 4 of 54) Chicken Inasal - flavor was spot on so 5 of 55) Crispy pata - excellent 5 of 56) lumpia shanghai was slightly over cooked 3 of 57) calamari was also spot on so 5 of 5We know what to order at the next visit and we look forward to having Gigi service us. She is great and we really enjoyed interacting with her!!"