The Best Filipino in San Jose

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"

Toppings Too Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.5 (889) • $$

"The food from toppings always comes out sooo good. Java rice, porkchops & gravy is the best!!"

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!!!"

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."

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"

Tribu Grill

★★★☆☆ 2.6 (697) • $$

"Craving and looking for some comfort & sit-down Filipino cuisine in Union City that's just off the Nimitz?! Don't trek too far from the exit, as this location is as convenient as it can be - with ample parking & an ambient/spacious dining atmosphere that awaits you & your loved ones!Order the crispy pata ($19.99) -- deep-fried pig foreleg -- and you'll be greeted with a platter of bones, one that resembles a ham hock and another curious set that my friends and I reasoned must form a porcine heel (which our waiter confirmed). It's not for the squeamish. But the meat clinging to the bones is delicious, the cartilage delightfully chewy. A soy-vinegar-garlic dipping sauce heightens the meaty flavor without taking over.Typical of Filipino cuisine, the restaurant is a carnivore's delight: Meat, poultry or seafood makes an appearance in every item on the menu except the rice and desserts. You have to have a feast every time that you must dine here!A glorious way to kick off the meat parade is with the pork sisig appetizer ($12.99), pig face that's been roasted, grilled, then chopped fine. The cartilage lends a great al dente texture, and the lemon wedge that accompanies it cuts the fat. Eat it quickly, though: It congeals as it cools.Lumpiang Shanghai ($8.99), finger-size egg rolls, are crisp and full of flavor from the shrimp-pork-onion filling, though the sweet chili dipping sauce was a little too sweet.Sinigang ($12.99 - Pork / $17.00 - Bangus) is a comforting potage of meat, eggplant, tomatoes, radish and green beans in a clear broth soured with tamarind. The Filipino palate favors sour, so medium-sour was quite tart, but the beef is tender, the vegetables nicely cooked.Tribu's Adobo ($12.99) is a relatively dry version of the Philippines' national dish, with luscious chunks of pork and chicken coated with well-balanced vinegar, soy and pepper. Inihaw na Bangus ($18.99) arrives grilled & well-done, & well-cooked fillet of milkfish -- considered the Philippines' national fish -- in a soy-lemon marinade.Dinner is balanced by a few vegetable stews and salads, including pinakbet ($13.99), a lightly sauced, pleasant melange of kabocha squash, eggplant, green beans and bitter melon.For a meal-in-a-bowl, try binagoongan fried rice ($11.99 - small, $18.99 - large), rice mixed with fermented shrimp paste and topped with scrambled egg, fried pork, fresh tomatoes and mangoes. The sweet mango, salty rice and crispy pork work together well. The muskiness of the shrimp paste caught me off guard, but by the end of the bowl I was loving it.Desserts at Tribu Grill stay the course. Its Filipino sundae, or halo-halo ($7.49), is a fun jumble of textures and flavors from crunchy shaved ice, creamy ube (purple yam) ice cream, toothsome sweet beans, sticky caramel and firm gelatin cubes.Unlike many restaurants serving lesser-known cuisines, Tribu Grill makes itself accessible to outsiders. Its decor is welcoming, with huge windows overlooking the hustle & bustle of Union Landing, cheery orange and yellow walls, and an open kitchen. The menu describes the dishes well, and servers are friendly and patient about answering questions from non-Filipinos. Sometimes, however, they're a bit too laid-back. Once our plates of different entrees sat on our table until after dessert arrived; on another night, we had to flag down a waitress to receive our bill, and get checked out.While Tribu Grill, to its credit, doesn't let U.S. influences water down its cuisine, there is one way the restaurant is quintessentially American: It offers huge portions. Nearly every party leaves their table with a few meals' worth of fine Filipino fare. Come hangry & leave happy!"

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"

Rene-Rose Island Cuisine

★★★★☆ 4.1 (268) • $$

"We love coming here for the turon! It runs out quickly, so if you want to order a bunch - highly recommend calling in ahead of time. We've done a 30 piece order with a 2 hour heads up in the past. But it really depends if they have the ingredients available.I've never done a sit-down, but it has cozy seating.We normally order A-la-carte to go. They have small, medium and large and the price will vary depending if it's meat or vegetable."

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!"

Nayong Filipino

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (350) • $$

"For my god daughters 1st birthday, her parents decided to cater from this place, yes they cater!!!!! It was a bit of everything, lumpia, lechón , rice , you name it!!! I ate 2 full plates. The staff was kind, they even offered to go at the end so nothing would go to waste, i can't speak about the ambience because this was a cater, but I definitely will visit your actual location sometime soon!!!!!!!!!"

Adobolicious

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (307) • $$

"First time here, been trying to come back after trying their food from work event once. They closed on Sunday and Monday, and only take cash and Venmo payment. Order lechon kawali to go, will have to wait for 15 mins. Next time will try to order ahead and pick up to avoid wait time."

Max's Restaurant - Milpitas

★★☆☆☆ 2.3 (670) • $$

"No matter how skinny their chicken have become, there is no denying that the taste and crispiness of their fried chicken is still incomparable. Those chickens must have really built this house! IYKYK.P.S. I hope they never run out of banana ketchup (due to recent change in FDA restrictions)."

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."

Joy4tea

★★★★☆ 3.7 (221) • $$

"Joy4tea is now open under new management. Inside still looks the same. Drink and food menu's changed but everything tastes great! We ordered sisig fries, sisig with rice, chicken wings, and siomai. For the drinks we got mango-strawberry smoothie, avocado smoothie, and Vietnamese coffee which was really good! Staff is very friendly and the food was served quickly! would definitely come back here!"

Lechon Manila

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (168) • $

"I love coming to lechon manila simply for one of their offerings: roast lechon. Growing up eating roast lechon at parties, I always hit a bit of a craving for the crispy skin that kawali just doesn't hit the spot for--and lechon manila is one of the only spots I know of that will sell roast lechon by the pound. For just 2 people, buying a whole roast pig just isn't a financially sound investment, so coming here is a great choice. Lechon Manila is located directly next to SK donut in the Alvarado Place strip mall. (I always find myself ordering a dozen cronut holes as a reward for making the trip out here). Its very easy to find parking, since the shared parking lot is huge and usually not packed. Upon entering, you'll find a pretty traditional cafeteria-style restaurant, as most surrounding Filipino restaurants are organized. Lines vary by time of day, usually around 10-11AM the line will be out the door, later in the day -- when most of the dishes are beginning to run low the lines are shorter. You'll want to come early if you want really crispy and juicy roast lechon. Be sure to eat it quickly, because lechon does tend to get a bit hard and chewy if it gets cold/steams up. Roast Lechon: This is my favorite dish here, and one of the sole reasons I come to the restaurant. Most of the time, when I order 3-4LB trays of lechon I'd say 85% of the skin is crispy like a potato chip, and the rest is really crunchy, like chicharon. If you come later in the day, you may get a bit of the harder crunchy skin -- just be sure to come early!Sisig: This is one of those dishes that thrives really great at lechon restaurants. I love sisig when its super crispy and packed with tangy/spicy flavors. Definitely a dish you won't want to miss from here."

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."

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"

Red Ribbon Bakeshop

★★★★☆ 4 (47) • $$

"The mango cake is delicious! For my mom's birthday, I tried the strawberry cake. I wasn't a fan. I'll definitely go back for the mango cake."

Manila Good Ha Sa

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (33)

"Generous portions of Filipino food, but the food was definitely take out quality. Some of the items we got were the sisig, beef stew, a veggie fritter, and pancit. Everything had decent flavor but was really greasy. My fave was the sisig, but it didn't have any crunch to it. Overall, the food was alright."

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."

Isla Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.8 • $$

"Came here on a Monday evening and there was a children's birthday going on outside, as well as a few family parties inside! Have been craving Filipino food and found this online.Food was really good! Was able to try the Bangus, Pork Sisig, and sinigang. They also have deals throughout the week which is nice. Everything came out in a timely manner. I'd say the only down fault is I feel like it is priced higher than some other Filipino restaurants I have been to in the Bay. The service was not the best.. but not the worst. They don't tend much to you so you might just have to flag people down, but I really didn't mind that. The overall ambiance has a balance of party but comfortable home vibes. They had lights going on and several tv screens! Would still highly recommend this place!"

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!!"