I needed some crispy pork belly in my life, this place delivered! Enough
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Caitlin Pannese
We’ve tried to go there twice for dinner, and the restaurant has been closed (closed sign up, door locked) even though people were inside and they should have been open according to Google. Last night we went at 6:20pm. Although we love the Liberty Station location, we won’t be back to this one since it’s apparently not open when it’s supposed to be ?
Alice S.
The negative reviews for this place are totally not justified. They have fantastic pork rice bowls, from their pork adobo to the lechon. No matter what dish, the pork is juicy and fatty, and delicious when mixed into accompanying sauces, rice and egg. This is easily one of the best restaurants in this morena area, so do not sleep on this if you like Filipino food. If you like drippingly fatty pork meat, get the sisilog or lechon. If you like less fat, get the adobo! I think there were some issues on the soft opening mentioned in other reviews (lumpia issues? Wait times?) that have since resolved. We've had no issues with service, speed and accuracy of our orders in the four or five times we've stopped by for lunch. Please give them a try!
Kevin Leon
If you have trouble finding it
Tom C
Came in to try the place out, since it took over the asian fusion place that had amazing fried rice. I ordered the Lechon Kawali. It was good but overpriced, and not very filling. I don't know a lot about Filipino food but if I'm going to drop freakin $16(!!!) on a rice bowl I expect to not be hungry two hours later. Plus like half the items on the menu were crossed out for some reason.Decor is somewhat spartan and the chairs seem designed to make sure you don't linger. Granted I came in for takeout but I'm not getting a very nice sit-down vibe.Will try again later, hopefully the menu isn't so gutted.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 3
Gina A.
I came here when it first opened up and legit got raw chicken. Insane how that happened. It was sliced and visible !!!
S G.
We tried a few things over a couple visits and the only dish that I'd go back for is the longanisa silog. That being said, $15 for a bowl of mostly rice is not very appealing. I'd like to give this place another (third) try, despite the negativity below, but they're never open. 5 days a week is one thing, but how do you close at 7pm?! The crispy pork belly was an inedible texture and cold, veggie lumpia was soggy, meat lumpia is just okay, ube cookies were stale, and the dryness of ube pandesal was saved by the ube butter. And on top of that, they are incredibly slow whether you order in person or ahead. But I'm still (foolishly?) optimistic that this place can be good.
Lydia Masters
I ordered the Lechon. It was good, but definitely a modern take on Filipino food, which I didn’t expect and they were unable to sell Pork Adobo which was disappointing.Great renovation and cute decor! They could use more on their walls :)
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
Spencer Brady
Food was great but too expensive to go here twice.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Tocino Manok
Lainey S.
I ordered the mushroom/tofu sisig and unfortunately the rice was drenched in the sauce which was too strong. It was inedible. I felt bad because they were so nice but I guess I ought to share my experience in hopes they improve. Service was polite but my food was too salty and vinegary. I get that’s how sisig is but the rice shouldn’t be also drenched in that flavor.As a Filipino vegetarian myself, I also hope they have more veggie options in the future that are innovative and true to the Filipino palette without being too salty/vinegary.
After wanting to try White Rice for a long time, this experience was a letdown. We came for the Friendly x White Rice Collab (TF is me and my partner's favorite burger joint in SD). We came shortly after the popup began and every item from the collab menu was sold out except loco moco (they had cheeseburger lumpia!!!). We opted for a lechon bowl and the loco moco. I understand it was a grand opening, but we waited outside for an hour before we got our food. I am almost positive they forgot about our order, since folks that had come after us had already received their food (some of them had even finished eating and left before we received our order!). Eventually, one of the team members brought out our food and gave us some free ube crinkles on the house, which was nice of them. As for the food...it was pretty mediocre for how much we were charged. The lechon wasn't crispy and was tough and fatty. The loco moco was okay...it's exactly what you expect from a hamburger patty with rice and a fried egg. The ube crinkles were FINE...They lacked ube flavor and tasted more like a sugar cookie. Hopefully, the restaurant has streamlined its operations since opening. I will eventually give them another chance, but if the wait is going to be like THAT again (on top of that, the Linda Vista parking lot is a cramped nightmare), I might go to another location.
Dominic M.
first time trying Filipino food! was a great experience food and service was excellent. the pork adobo was my favorite thing I tried.
Brian G.
SUPPORT THIS LOCAL RESTAURANT! Their first proper sit-down establishment. It has the same menu as the Liberty Station & North Park locations; however, they also serve alcohol. For instance, you can order a San Miguel beer tower ($40 for approximately 9 glasses)--the same quality Filipino food. I always order the Ube Pandesal w/Ube butter (so good). Calamansi Iced Tea is another go-to for me as well. You can't go wrong with any of the "Silog" entrees -- they're all traditional and delicious. Hopefully, more TVs will be added so sports fans can enjoy games while eating fantastic food and sipping cold beers! Friendly staff who like to hold a conversation. The decor is simple but nice, with great music playing in the background.
Andi D.
I was excited to see a Filipino restaurant close to home so wanted to give it a try. Tbh, I'm not too familiar with Filipino foods other than the basics of pancit, lumpia, bbq and adobo. We tried the lechon kawali with garlic rice, pork adobo, pancit, lumpia shanghai, and ube pandesal. Overall we found the dishes to be meh. The rice was mushy, the lechon was too fatty that when you bit into it, it just dripped with oil. The adobo was fine but nothing noteworthy and the pancit and lumpia were just ok. The pandesal was the best thing we had but that could've been due to the butter that they serve it with. The counter service was friendly and we didn't feel rushed at all. Unfortunately that's not enough to bring us back.
I needed some crispy pork belly in my life, this place delivered! Enough
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We’ve tried to go there twice for dinner, and the restaurant has been closed (closed sign up, door locked) even though people were inside and they should have been open according to Google. Last night we went at 6:20pm. Although we love the Liberty Station location, we won’t be back to this one since it’s apparently not open when it’s supposed to be ?
The negative reviews for this place are totally not justified. They have fantastic pork rice bowls, from their pork adobo to the lechon. No matter what dish, the pork is juicy and fatty, and delicious when mixed into accompanying sauces, rice and egg. This is easily one of the best restaurants in this morena area, so do not sleep on this if you like Filipino food. If you like drippingly fatty pork meat, get the sisilog or lechon. If you like less fat, get the adobo! I think there were some issues on the soft opening mentioned in other reviews (lumpia issues? Wait times?) that have since resolved. We've had no issues with service, speed and accuracy of our orders in the four or five times we've stopped by for lunch. Please give them a try!
If you have trouble finding it
Came in to try the place out, since it took over the asian fusion place that had amazing fried rice. I ordered the Lechon Kawali. It was good but overpriced, and not very filling. I don't know a lot about Filipino food but if I'm going to drop freakin $16(!!!) on a rice bowl I expect to not be hungry two hours later. Plus like half the items on the menu were crossed out for some reason.Decor is somewhat spartan and the chairs seem designed to make sure you don't linger. Granted I came in for takeout but I'm not getting a very nice sit-down vibe.Will try again later, hopefully the menu isn't so gutted.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 3
I came here when it first opened up and legit got raw chicken. Insane how that happened. It was sliced and visible !!!
We tried a few things over a couple visits and the only dish that I'd go back for is the longanisa silog. That being said, $15 for a bowl of mostly rice is not very appealing. I'd like to give this place another (third) try, despite the negativity below, but they're never open. 5 days a week is one thing, but how do you close at 7pm?! The crispy pork belly was an inedible texture and cold, veggie lumpia was soggy, meat lumpia is just okay, ube cookies were stale, and the dryness of ube pandesal was saved by the ube butter. And on top of that, they are incredibly slow whether you order in person or ahead. But I'm still (foolishly?) optimistic that this place can be good.
I ordered the Lechon. It was good, but definitely a modern take on Filipino food, which I didn’t expect and they were unable to sell Pork Adobo which was disappointing.Great renovation and cute decor! They could use more on their walls :)
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
Food was great but too expensive to go here twice.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Tocino Manok
I ordered the mushroom/tofu sisig and unfortunately the rice was drenched in the sauce which was too strong. It was inedible. I felt bad because they were so nice but I guess I ought to share my experience in hopes they improve. Service was polite but my food was too salty and vinegary. I get that’s how sisig is but the rice shouldn’t be also drenched in that flavor.As a Filipino vegetarian myself, I also hope they have more veggie options in the future that are innovative and true to the Filipino palette without being too salty/vinegary.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 4
Restaurantji Recommends
After wanting to try White Rice for a long time, this experience was a letdown. We came for the Friendly x White Rice Collab (TF is me and my partner's favorite burger joint in SD). We came shortly after the popup began and every item from the collab menu was sold out except loco moco (they had cheeseburger lumpia!!!). We opted for a lechon bowl and the loco moco. I understand it was a grand opening, but we waited outside for an hour before we got our food. I am almost positive they forgot about our order, since folks that had come after us had already received their food (some of them had even finished eating and left before we received our order!). Eventually, one of the team members brought out our food and gave us some free ube crinkles on the house, which was nice of them. As for the food...it was pretty mediocre for how much we were charged. The lechon wasn't crispy and was tough and fatty. The loco moco was okay...it's exactly what you expect from a hamburger patty with rice and a fried egg. The ube crinkles were FINE...They lacked ube flavor and tasted more like a sugar cookie. Hopefully, the restaurant has streamlined its operations since opening. I will eventually give them another chance, but if the wait is going to be like THAT again (on top of that, the Linda Vista parking lot is a cramped nightmare), I might go to another location.
first time trying Filipino food! was a great experience food and service was excellent. the pork adobo was my favorite thing I tried.
SUPPORT THIS LOCAL RESTAURANT! Their first proper sit-down establishment. It has the same menu as the Liberty Station & North Park locations; however, they also serve alcohol. For instance, you can order a San Miguel beer tower ($40 for approximately 9 glasses)--the same quality Filipino food. I always order the Ube Pandesal w/Ube butter (so good). Calamansi Iced Tea is another go-to for me as well. You can't go wrong with any of the "Silog" entrees -- they're all traditional and delicious. Hopefully, more TVs will be added so sports fans can enjoy games while eating fantastic food and sipping cold beers! Friendly staff who like to hold a conversation. The decor is simple but nice, with great music playing in the background.
I was excited to see a Filipino restaurant close to home so wanted to give it a try. Tbh, I'm not too familiar with Filipino foods other than the basics of pancit, lumpia, bbq and adobo. We tried the lechon kawali with garlic rice, pork adobo, pancit, lumpia shanghai, and ube pandesal. Overall we found the dishes to be meh. The rice was mushy, the lechon was too fatty that when you bit into it, it just dripped with oil. The adobo was fine but nothing noteworthy and the pancit and lumpia were just ok. The pandesal was the best thing we had but that could've been due to the butter that they serve it with. The counter service was friendly and we didn't feel rushed at all. Unfortunately that's not enough to bring us back.
Food is soooo good!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5