We made a reservation, but there was only one other party at the restaurant. We were seated right by the window. It's a beautiful dining area. Our waitress was very attentive, kind, and helpful. She said there isn't anything you won't like on the menu, and she was right. I tried everyone's meals, and they all tasted delicious. They have the best French fries I've ever had. read more

27 Aluna - Chicken and Ube Waffles - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Interesting concept. Admittedly I'm not familiar with Filipino cuisine but it was convenient to where we were going next and wanted to give it a try. Kudos for having two mocktail options and each for only $10. Appetizers were amazing. Pork bowl with fried egg was good but mildly seasoned so a bit bland. Bao were good. Ube cheesecake was delicious but the coconut ice cream was distracting, would get it on the side next time. Friendly service if somewhat slow. Nice to support a small business in downtown. read more

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Me and my boyfriend went for dinner before a concert and nothing disappointed!! Absolutely nothing was not a 10 !! We had the curry salmon bowl and the chicken adobe I had the ube drink which tasted like fruity pebbles but so good we ended with ube cheesecake which was gone in seconds will definitely return !! read more

27 Aluna - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Well this is a bucket list driving from Chicago but I'll have to come back again because I only had the Filipino brunch menu dining in. It was delicious. What really caught my attention on the website and I have to come back probably another time probably when it's a little warmer in the spring for their famous beef Machado which is served for dinner. I went for their brunch which was good too. Their lumpia Shanghai or Filipino fried egg rolls were treating it like an formal appetizer. Traditionally when you're invited to a Filipino party the egg rolls are more like hors d'oeuvres than a formal appetizer in a big group and they separate the chili or sweet and sour sauce like a dip or condiment similar to ketchup with fries.. It tasted good and tasted original in traditional Filipino cuisine. Ambience was very modern but then again I see a lot of the newer restaurants in franchises like Max's making it modern versus reflecting traditional furniture. it was originally another American bar but the owner being Pinoy Filipino bought it. I had found it on Facebook and it looked like a bucket list to come all the way from Chicago despite having a lot of other Filipino restaurants back in Chicago I just came from a French Filipino one called "Kasama" which was unique that you had to pay first and then sit down and order your food ahead for their brunch and the dinner. Anyways, going back with this place it was good service. Staff was pretty friendly especially Lola and Brandon. I also met the chef for Dinner named Olivia My food came quick i for time having brunch. I ordered the Topsilog which was unique but delicious. Their version they don't use pork cuz I really don't eat pork that much. They use thin marinated semi sweet and savory beef served with one Sunnyside egg and garlic rice. I just wish that portion was a little bigger as I was a little unsatisfied and I had to order another Filipino egg roll.I would come back for the dinner for the Machado was the main attraction. I did like the ube drink called "Manila dreams" with vodka, lemon and guava with a dried lemon as a garnish. Surprisingly, I didn't really taste the tardy sweetness of lemon despite that it was labeled in the menu with guava. It was an alcoholic Filipino cocktail drink with Ube or purple yam which I don't see it being utilized as a usual cocktail at a bar or restaurant. I guess by chance if you're in Rockford Illinois ,do stop by here if you're craving for Filipino breakfast, brunch and hopefully dinner but if you could wait up to after 5:00 I would suggest probably trying to dinner which I haven't done yet but will come next time. read more

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OMG! What a treat. My husband and I happened by on July 3rd prior to going to the RSO concert. The food was amazing. We sat at bar dt to no reservations, but not to be disappointed. And my husband would not have chosen Filipino food, but now can't wait to go back. Go check it out. We will be back! read more

Stopped by for brunch with my friend on Sunday. Let's start with the drink. I got the Ube specialty cocktail and I loved it. Aside from the beautiful color it had a rich flavor that I enjoyed so if you like ube I think you'll enjoy! Food wise: we got a rice bowl and some noodles. Our favorite was definitely that beef with the garlic rice, so tasty. Would come back. Service was good too. Check it out! read more

27 Aluna - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

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Sorry but I cannot recommend this place. The food was bland and portions were on the smaller side for pasta dishes. I get a better value at the Noodles and Company. When I looked at the menu online there were a ton of choices. We had about five. I get that it might be rotational there seemed to be a lot missing My wife also noticed fruit flies around the food. We wont be back anytime soon. It too bad there is so few places near the BMO Center and this one looked promising read more

Service was soooo slow. Like an hour wait just for drinks. Drinks were watered down. I ordered a burrito that was essentially all rice.

Checked out this incredibly great place in Rockford that was open later than most places around here. It has a pretty big Asian inspired menu. Octane has kind of pricy but terrific drinks, and of course the food, that are a change from the basic stuff at other places. Good staff that knows the menu and what to get. There's plenty of choices for vegetarians and whoever. After getting here a bit late, it was one of the few places that was still open downtown. It however for them was still early. The menu is full of good things as far as drinks and food. It's about $13 for the cheapest cocktails. Just had to get some though because they sounded cool enough. The best was the Vulcan's Vice. Kind of like a hard cider. This was brandy and Demerara with bitters, lemon juice, and tamarind. Each of us hit some noodles to eat. It's about $15 for a pretty good portion. The one I got was the Thai Noodles, good stuff. A lot was in it. There was broccoli, carrots, coconut peanut sauce, green beans, peanuts, and scallions. Have to come here again. It may be kind of high priced, but the drinks and food are worth it. The flavors are better than anything you can get sticks here, and there's plenty of choices for vegans and vegetarians. read more

27 Aluna - Vulcan's Vice And Thai Noodles - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

My wife brought me here for my birthday and we had to try the Lechon Kawali. I really wanted the banana rum drink, but they were out of an ingredient so I had to settle for the Manilla Dreams- which was pretty tasty. The meal was filling and fed the two of us- twice. For dessert we got the ube cheesecake. Delicious. It was kinda busy being a Friday night, luckily we had reservations. I loved the atmosphere- the art work was awesome. I would come back- especially to dry the banana rum drink! read more

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Wow! This restaurant was such a pleasure to experience! The waitstaff was kind and attentive. The drinks were delicious- loved Grandma's Garden! The food! Everything I tried was so good I'd have a hard time changing my order next time! We started off with the tuna bao buns, beef bao buns and pork egg rolls. So good. Then I split the smash burger and chicken adobo with a friend. Both great. I think the smash burger was a little better because the french fries were so great. Other friends raved about the salmon curry. Don't miss this amazing restaurant! read more

First of all, let me just say, this is NOT an authentic Filipino restaurant. It's more a take on certain Filipino dishes, but it almost disguises every single dish with a different ethnic flavor so you're not really getting the true essence of Filipino food. At least not the kind my sister and I grew up on for sure! We came here on a Friday night - me, my sister, and her husband. We got there past 9pm, it was a pretty late dinner for us. As you walk up to the place, you can see the dining area through the big window wall, which I thought was pretty cool! As you walk through the door, one of the first things you see beyond the host station is the bar and a hallway like area with tables laid out. On the left side is the dining area, and supposedly there's more seating in the back, outdoor. There were a few people at the bar, and one table with a large party, and another where a couple was sitting. We opted to sit at one of the tables in the corner. I'd been wanting to try out this place since there's not a lot of Asian options around Rockford. My sister and I sat down, and a few minutes later, some menus were laid out on our table, but we were not greeted by the server. I thought it was kind of poor service but I shrugged it off. A few more moments later she asked us if we wanted some drinks and I couldn't decide yet so I said I needed more time. Tbh, the drinks selection didn't seem appealing to me. But I wanted to try out at least one cocktail because one of my favorite restaurants in another city is a fusion style place with really good cocktails! So I settled on a drink with mezcal called ChupaRosa...my sister ordered The Ritz which was a gin cocktail. First, my sister got her drink and it was gross - it tasted like cough syrup. Then my drink came, it was really pretty... but it tasted even worse than my sister's drink. It tasted super watered down with egg whites and you still get the smokiness of the mezcal but all that just tasted nauseating. Our food arrived about 25 minutes later. We got the lechon kawali to share and brother in law got the salmon curry. So confused because red curry is not a typical Filipino dish. Anyway, we pushed our drinks to the edge of the our table, hoping to let our server know we didn't like them. But she never bothered to come check in with us... The food was pretty good. We enjoyed the crunchy pork belly and my brother in law enjoyed his salmon plate. But the experience overall was ruined by the bad cocktails. And quite frankly the inadequate service! read more

27 Aluna - Drinks that we paid $30 for but did not drink because they were gross - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

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My grandma introduced me to coffee when I was 4 and I drink it black unless it's a cappuccino. I like to order a cappuccino, whole milk, nothing added and this is where I go. I may not always drink 27 Aluna Cappuccino, but when I don't I wish I did. read more

27 Aluna - Ambiance - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

This is one of my favorite restaurants in Rockford. If you have not had Filipino cuisine, you need to. Jason makes a mean cocktail, and the kitchen does not make mistakes. Dinner is fantastic - lots of great options. Brunch on the weekends is also terrific. The Ube pancakes are amazing, as are the rice bowls, and don't get me started on the pork adobo burrito! read more

Came here once and enjoyed it. I do want to try it again. Their menu was interesting enough and very accommodating to my son's food taste. It had more of a cool brunch/happy hour vibe tho! read more

Drove 1.5 hours to try the food and it doesn't disappoint. We had tapsilog, brunch bao, pandesal. I like the variation they added to our regular food, its elevated the flavors, enjoyed our visit. Service and ambience were good too read more

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Visited for the first time. Made reservations for 4. Simple, modern vibe. Large bar center stage. Black table cloths. Service was excellent. Thank you, Liza! Small, eclectic menu; wanted to try everything. We started off with lumpia, chicken bao and tuna bao. We are Filipino (so we know our lumpia. ;) The lumpia was delish. It was served with a garlic fried rice which was good too. The Chicken bao was probably my favorite dish we ordered. Tuna bao was good too. For our mains, we ordered the Adobo rice with chicken, salmon curry, and a Korean burger. A tip for the kitchen - please take at easy with the salt. :) The burger was cooked nicely but way too salty. Should also try changing the burger bun - too dense. The chicken was very moist and the skin was crisp. But again way too much salt. Since it was served over "adobo" rice (which is cooked with soy sauce), the abundance of salt was unnecessary. Also, the Adobo rice tasted good - but did not taste like Filipino Adobo. The sauce tasted like a teriyaki sauce... but still very good. Finally, the salmon curry was yummy (just like the reviews said). Overall, I would give the menu a 5 (for its ingenuity) but I would give the execution of the dishes a 4. Other: Upon entry, looks like there are only a few tables but there is more seating in the back. There is parking across the street in a parking lot (and also in the street). read more

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What a phenomenal little place! 10/10 would recommend for brunch to get the delicious ube pancake!! Our waitress was so nice and the vibes here were very relaxed. read more

27 Aluna - Pan De Sal & Gravy and Ube Pancake Single - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

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Delicious food, good service, welcoming ambiance with nice staff. I would come back. Delicious food, good service, welcoming ambiance with nice staff. I would come back. read more

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We chose this place by accident, while we were at the city market (lines were too long). So we found this place but honestly we were better off standing in the lines. Not too many people, ambiance was nice but nothing Filipino stood out. Luckily we decided just to share a few dishes. The lumpia was okay. Small portion, even for an appetizer. The entree we chose was the chicken adobo. Too much black pepper, it overpowered the entire meal, the "garlic fried rice" was uncooked and didn't taste anything like authentic garlic fried rice. Did not come even close to authentic Filipino adobo. Overall would not be going back, over priced and even for a modern take on Filipino cuisine, just wasn't it. read more

27 Aluna - Lumpia ($11) - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

We had a large party and the server was very nice and attentive. Didn't flinch when we all asked for separate checks. The food is delicious. It is fusion, but interesting and creative I had the vegan cauliflower bowl with the fried tofu and peanut sauce and I've dreamt about my meal the whole following day, and I never do that. Colleague had a corn dog with marshmallow which is something you can't get anywhere else so I appreciate that. read more

27 Aluna - Cauliflower bowl with peanut sauce and crispy tofu.... Delicious!!! - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

We came here before a comedy show at the Coronado Theater on a Saturday evening. The restaurant was packed, every table was taken, and we got the last one. Overall this wasn't a good experience & I would not recommend it. We weren't served drinks, or given utensils for 25 min. The wait staff did not know what they were doing. We ordered the chicken adobo and two beers. It took 25 minutes to get the 2 beers. Then another 30 minutes to get our food. Which was horrible, probably saltiest oiliest dish that we've been served. I'm giving this 2 stars because they did comp a portion of our meal and were very kind about our complaints. read more

27 Aluna - Oily chicken adobo - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

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If I write a review, it's totally GREAT or downright awful. So this Gem is above and beyond most. First off is located in a beautiful downtown district, and the ambiance is amazing. We had an excellent hostess, and the crafted cocktails are a must try (have a designated driver)! We had the Lumpias, Aluna Salad with Salmon,16 oz Pork Chop, Cheesecake, and a few cocktails that paired favorably. read more

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Octane was AMAZING!! My husband and I enjoyed some cocktails, egg rolls, bao, Salmon Curry Bowl, and spicy pork rice bowl. Must try the tuna boa and lunchbox cocktail! Service was excellent. This will be a staple every time we come to Rockford!! read more

27 Aluna - Salmon Curry Bowl Dinner Spicy pork rice bowl - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

I've been wanting to eat at Octane for years. I've heard so many great things about it and it did not disappoint. When we walked in we were warmly greeted and seated. Our waitress was wonderful and very charismatic, she made excellent recommendations on drinks. I had a lavender syrup drink that was so refreshing and delicious. The Salomon curry was incredible, so moist and flavorful. I thoroughly enjoyed every bite. I can't wait to return to try other items on the menu. read more

27 Aluna - Salmon curry - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

The whole story can be surmised by telling you that I showed up about 10-15 minutes after they opened for lunch. By opened, I mean they were supposed to have, but 3 employees were sitting inside chatting instead of unlocking the door. This "slow pace" and non-chalant attitude carried on throughout my visit, which was especially noticeable as there were only 2 customers for 4-5 employees. It was fairly painful, with long waits between every single thing. Having said that, I tried the Ginger Pig Bao buns with wedges. They weren't bad, and even a little unique as they had a mustard flavor. However, they were a 3/5 at best. Overall, I left here less than impressed. read more

27 Aluna - Ginger Pig Bao - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Reviews looked great so wanted to visit when in town and everything was delicious full of flavor and quality. Emma was so kind and attentive and made great recommendations . The hand cut fries were the BEST I have ever had and the sweet chili chicken Bao was a surprise. Loved the ambience in this lovely downtown Rockford Gem. Highly Recommend visiting as there's a reason they've been open for 20+years . Will be back! read more

27 Aluna - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

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This place has great cocktails and even better food! The Filipino inspired menu makes this place feel like home to me as a Filipino-American. Not only do they have awesome food, but they also have dope service. Everyone on staff is very mindful, very demure. From the service to the food to the environment, overall an outstanding experience! read more

It's always so good and their new menu is mind blowing. Had the noodles and yummmm just so delicious read more

27 Aluna - Menu 4.24.19 - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Went for dinner yesterday, our waiter must of been knew. Took a long time to get drinks, then we ordered an appetizer when it came he only brought one plate and said he will be back with 2 more plates, but he didn't. Waited again for our food, when it came it was partially cold. Won't be back. read more

i came from Chicago and am excited to see a Filipino restaurant. Foods are not authentic Filipino and more America fusion.i think this is a bar. Filipinos, save yourself money. It's very expensive food and not a real Filipino food. It's cheaper in Chicago than this Rockford place. i feel robbed with false advertisement and disappointed Not coming back. read more

We had the Crap Rangoon Boa and Spring rolls, Pork Lumpia. Neither were what you expected but they were excellent. The Spicy Pork Rice Bowl with pulled pork was great and the Aluna Noodles with tofu reminded me of Pad Thai but the best Pad Thai I ever had. Both entrees were small plates but we had enough to take home so good generous portions. The place was crowded with Ice Hog fans and a prom group but must say the wait staff did a great job of taking care of us. A very good experience and so nice to go downtown Rkfd. read more

Pork bowl was disgusting Pork over fried and it was bland. Ramen was also disgusting. Better off getting some Asian instant noodles and making it at home and save yourself the money. read more

Visiting from out of town & decided to eat at Octane after seeing their great reviews and food options. The place lives up to the hype! The vegetarian & vegan options are plentiful, truly a menu for everyone! I had the spicy Buffalo cauliflower bao buns and they were *chefs kiss* perfection! The service was also amazing, the waiter & bartender were very kind & attentive. Highly recommend! read more

27 Aluna - Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower Bao Lunch - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Interesting eclectic food place. We tried an Asian burger with fries, Cauliflower Bao, Mushroom Soup, and Thai noodles. All tasted very good. We told our waiter that we had a theatre date for 75 minutes after we got in, and he got us in and out in an hour. Would give it a 5-star - but my son ordered his steak medium, and it came much closer to rare. Everything else was exquisite! read more

I can always count on octane for a great meal! Some of my fav options are: Mac n cheese, fried chicken bao (appetizer), bleu note burger, shrimp pompano, tacos, ridge runner - basically everything on the menu is GOOD and whatever you choose you will not be disappointed! They also have a cocktail menu, tons of beer and wine to choose from. And if you are there for lunch they also make a great latte or cappuccino. Options for everyone! read more

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Great food and environment! A little pricey and sometimes food takes some time to arrive, but the service is pretty good.

I wish Yelp had a 1/2 option because I would give this place 3.5, but it's not a 4. Pros : Fresh ingredients, different Asian fusion dishes, waitstaff was attentive. Cons : Small portions vs. Cost, if you get a salad or soup as a side option it comes with meal and not before, the kitchen speed is extremely slow. We waited about 45 minutes for our food after ordering. Waiter came over 4 times before food came out asking about refills. The place was well staffed outside of the kitchen, but can't comment on the inside. Overall it was something new to try that was local. Might try again in the future. read more

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I had heard of this place for years. Mostly from staff and patrons of other bars I frequent. Based on the personality of the people that always told me about it and when they said they where going, I always pictured Octane to be more of a dance club than what it truly is, a small bar with great decor and almost an hipster atmosphere. The lay out is interesting in that there is a hair studio in the back, and there is a long walk to the bathrooms. I walked in with my wife, and we happened to be downtown and wanted to try someplace new. This was bookmarked as a place to try and it was open, so I figured. What the heck. When I opened the door and the first thing I heard was Jazz music, I know my preconceived idea of Octane was wrong. We were there around 1 in the afternoon, so it wasn't too busy, we grabbed seats at the bar and that's when the good times started. Because we both had the day off, we thought we'd live it up a little and try their signature drinks. One of the items on the menu was the Mojito, and since we both love Mojitos and are on the look for the perfect one, that's what we ordered. I was a little surprised to find out that none of the staff there knew how to make a mojito. It was on their list of signature drinks, so I figured any bartender there should know how to make it. To give them credit, they tried real hard and to be honest, who orders Mojitos at 1 in the afternoon in April? The mojito's where okay... I doubt I'll order another from them. However, we played with their other signature drinks and since our bartender was very nice and apologetic about the Mojito, we had him make us a drink that he specializes in. It was a Neapolitan coffee drink. It was fantastic! We sampled many other drinks and for the most part, they where either really good or at least decent. I wasn't in a beer mood. (Gasp, I know!) but they did have a decent selection of craft beers and mainstream ones. Including Schlitz. (gag). I joked around with them bartenders and staff about the fact they have some good craft beers for the beer snobs and Schlitz for the occasional Backwoods American that might frequent. I was surprised that they didn't have anything on tap at all. I will say that even though their drinks were good, they were small. Most of the drinks we ordered were served in martini glasses and they used the smallest martini glasses I've seen. read more

27 Aluna - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

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great food drinks and service. can't wait to come back. i would highly recommend the tofu sisig!! read more

27 Aluna - Asian Fusion Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

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