The food here is really really good, definitely authentic! We've been to Mexico twice, so we're…read moresurprised to find really authentic Mexican food in QC. The wait staff are friendly and efficient, the ambiance could use a lot of work hence only four stars despite the food and service being spectacular. The tables are very rickety and need replacing. I look forward to the day this place gets a full renovation & I can give it 5 stars. However, for now it's definitely our to-go Mexican resto, and we'll be coming back in the future for more.

Might be the best Fil-Mex resto in the area. Service is fast, the staff are very attentive. And the…read moreambiance is cozy and no too crowded. Will def recommend and will go back again.

There was one time where I wanted nothing but burritos. I don't know. I get these cravings…read moresometimes. The odd thing is... I don't really like burritos. Sometimes, there's too much rice and it ends up being rice and wrap and not much else. And the rice isn't even all that good either, depending on where you go. Or it has too much tomato which doesn't really do much for my sensitive stomach. Thankfully, Mexican Express does it right. They actually have a good proportion of everything: meat, rice, cheese, lettuce and salsa. That's a rarity. A good rarity. It's cooked right in front of you so you should be ready to wait for your order. It'll be worth it though, I promise. I've gone there to order burritos for lunch and once I get home, they're still as good and as warm as if I had them right there and then. The super burrito is BIG. Big and the filling reaches from end to end. The place itself is pretty small though so I really wouldn't recommend it for a party of larger than two. If you want to scratch that mexican food itch and have a group of buddies with you, don't be afraid to get something to go and head off somewhere bigger.

We unexpectedly got some nachos at the middle of the night, like 10-ish PM. It's a long story, but…read morenow we were looking for ways to get some dips for those nachos, so we cruised along Maginhawa thinking of ideas. Good thing Mexican Express was still open, so we gave it a try. PROS: The staff were kind enough to let me purchase the add-ons only with without even purchasing an actual meal. For a couple of cheese sauces, a serving of jalapenos, and sour cream, I think I spent just a little over a hundred pesos; When we munched our nachos and dipped it in the sauces, they're actually quite good. It's authentic sour cream and jalapenos, and they all mix well. CONS: Their cheese sauce looked runny and blobby inside the fondue pot. But I should not have judged a book by its cover, or cheese sauce by its consistency. It actually tastes pretty decent - tangy and creamy. TL;DR: I look forward to actually eating Mexican Express' actual food mainly because of the good experience we had with their add-ons.

Overall rating: 3.25…read more This restaurant is in soft opening phase, so I expected the usual gaps in food availability and service. I went in for the slow-cooked BBQ pulled pork but was told that all it had was grilled chicken. The grilled chicken was okay, and the three dips that were served with the meal were actually really good. Portion size was small, and service was slow even with half a dozen people in the kitchen. Also, I requested whipped potatoes as one of my two sides, but was served the mac 'n cheese instead. When I asked the server to replace it, the server politely told me that my tape receipt indicated my order was mac 'n cheese and not whipped potatoes, and then quickly retreated behind the counter. To be fair, I enjoyed the mac 'n cheese--the pasta was al dente and well-coated with cheese sauce. #TheFoodCrawlers

The first time I tried El Jefe was at BrewfestMNL. It was my first time to try Elote and I loved…read moreit! I ate 2-3 orders per day in 3 days. You do the math; it's that legit! My big mistake after the event was that I didn't ask where their restaurant was located. :( Fast forward to a food trip weekend with Carlo and by chance or the workings of the universe, we found their restaurant! The moment we entered the shop, I knew what I had to order: Elote! But, I also ordered a few new items to try. For the tacos, we got their 3 flavors. The pulled pork was my favorite! Also, their salsa verde is very good. Please do try their Horchata too! I've tried it in other Mexican restaurants. By far, their version is my favorite. Also, the prices cannot be beat. Honestly, just about every dish on the menu is Php150-250. At this point, I would like to rave about their Elote! An Elote is a grilled corn on the cob and a popular street food in Mexico. They slather it with mayonnaise (I think they use crema in Mexico, but I'm not complaining!) then sprinkle it with a good amount of cheese and paprika or chili. Before you sink your teeth into in, squeeze some lime or calamansi and EAT! Love, Love, Love it! :D

The Good: Good but affordable Mexican food! As authentic as it gets (the lady who owns it is half…read moreMexican) The Bad: Abit out of the way, plus parking in this area is tough! The Pro-tip: Try the ELOTE and HORCHATA - thank me later! El Jefe started out a s one of mainstays of BrewfestMNL. Personally, I got hooked on the ELOTE (Mexican Corn) - which I've always wanted to try since I've been seeing it on the food channels! Another personal favorite is the HORCHATA - possibly the best (and closest to the real thing, from what I hear) in the metro!! The regular menu offerings are nothing to sneeze at either! The Street Tacos are also part of my go-to order for this place! Amazing value at 3pcs per order - these soft taco goodies come in chicken, beef and lengua. Personally, I don't like ox tongue but for this place I'll always make an exception! Will we be coming back: Yes, almost every time we're in the area!

For the longest time, Mexikombi has been making the rounds (literally!) around the metro, serving…read moreup decent, affordable Tex-Mex food out of a refurbished '74 Volkswagen Kombi. In fact, I used to spot them everywhere from Katipunan to the Saguijo parking lot. The weird thing is, I was never really able to try their food, until they finally put up their own brick-and-mortar restaurant at the ground floor of the Sterten Place building along Maginhawa Street. Mexikombi doesn't advertise itself to be 'authentic Mexican,' which I like. There are so many establishments out there, touting themselves as authentic Mexican places, but they serve burritos. Nitpicking aside, the great thing about Mexikombi is that whatever they have on their menu, they execute especially well. I had the grande Chorizo Burrito, which, for 200 pesos, was exactly what I needed. I was hungry past the point of being civil to my friends, and the huge, piping-hot burrito stuffed with rice, veggies, cheese, beans and what I gather was longganisa, was absolutely perfect. It was comforting and filling, and being a spice addict, I actually requested for a bigger bowl of Mexikombi's spicy house-made sauce. My only comment, perhaps, would be that they serve the burritos with free salsa in the future, if only to elevate the taste experience! I was also able to try their Pollo soft tacos, one of their bestsellers on the menu. No wonder, the chicken has been roasted to perfection and you can tell that the dudes behind Mexikombi take great care to execute their dishes well. A shout-out must also go to their Carnitas, which are oily as hell, but I would gladly cheat death to eat it again. My friend ordered the carnitas soft tacos, and the first thing I noticed was that the crunchy strings of pork were virtually swimming in oil. It was both exciting and horrifying at the same time. Let's be real, though: who can resist pulled, spiced pork that's been simmering in its own rendered fat? A boring person, that's who. I also really like their churros. I am no churro afficionado, but I like how the churros are kind of custard-y in the middle, which adds a great twist when you sink your teeth into the first crunchy bite. Bravo, Jake C. and buddies! I am a believer in Mexikombi.

We were looking for breakfast eating establishment instead of an all you can eat restaurant. Found…read morethis place within walking distance from our hotel. I ordered a chicken burrito and my husband had the Bangus breakfast meal. The place is clean. Staff are friendly. Price is reasonable. And the best part.... Food was actually good. Not greasy, not salty and very tasty. Thumbs up from us. Definitely highly recommended and will be back soon.

This is now one of maybe three places I can now count on for yummy street tacos made with corn…read moretortillas. Guisados is on Congressional Ave Ext., across the street from Box Park, more or less, and it has a decent amount of parking. I ate inside because it's just been so hot. Based on the menu and past reviews, I went for the 3 taco sampler, with beef balbacoa, carnitas, and pork belly. I was not disappointed: for P179, I got 3 tacos, refried beans (frijoles) and rice on the side. The beans were a lovely addition; the rice, which had been refried and some meat mixed in, not necessary. Well, it's pretty good - the beef tastes like caldereta, a rich, stewed flavor with olives and tomatoes; the carnitas, marinaded in beer and orange, was tender, if not particularly distinct. The pork belly tasted exactly as it should. All had a good sprinkling of cilantro and shredded onion; a spritz of lime over the top, together with some spicy green salsa, seasoned the tacos to their full potential. Too bad they don't up the drinks menu; I could have used a Corona or a nice frozen shake with this. Worth going back to; hope they keep this up.

I love love love guisados! Being Californian, I'd like to refer myself as someone who "knows their…read moreMexican food" and I'd have to say Guisado definitely satisfies my Mexican food fix. I always order their tacos which I enjoy so much because they double their tortillas like authentic Mexican restos and the meats are well seasoned! My friends are loyal to their chimichangas, so that's there go/to dish and they are NEVER disappointed. Don't forget to compliment your good with a Pineapple Express (which is super fresh and served in a huge cup!) and ending it with their dessert nachos! I'm giving 4 stars only because I feel like the AC is hardly ever on inside and is only turned on when we ask it to be on, even after hinting to the waitresses that we're hot by fanning ourselves lol plus the location is super easy to miss if you don't know what you're looking for. Other than that, the food is good! Definitely a gem in Q.C.

Now this is the place I recommend people go when they need somewhere to hang out with friends for…read moredinner or small get togethers. It's the cheapest option, by far because of the pizza. Their take 3 pizza promo is GOLD. Yes, you heard me. Three pizzas. Even if you aren't pizza people, there's always pasta or their rice meals... and even their burrito. People have raved about their burrito and with good reason. Did I mention it's huge? So far, nothing on the menu has ever disappointed me. Everything's pretty decent and doesn't skimp on flavor. So, take my advice. Get a bunch of friends, order the three pizza promo and everyone gets enough food for about 100php per head depending on how many you are. The ambiance is nice, too. It's quiet and there's enough seating though the place can seem a little small.

What I love about living in Maginhawa is the fact that even if I try hard, I will never run out of…read morenew things to try because many new restaurants come and go within the span of a few months. Still, with the influx of new restaurants, hole in the wall food stalls and small diners, there are still plenty of old favorites that are just hiding in their own corners that I haven't even tried yet. I have been living in Maginhawa for almost a year now and though I have always heard of Leona's, I haven't tried it until my friends and I craved for pizza last night, and we couldn't get a table at Friuli. We went to Leona's instead, because we know that the place is never full, as per our other friends. I wasn't really expecting much, since I imagined that the place would be one of those tried-and-tested institutions that you don't really hate, but you don't REALLY love either. We ordered their buy 2 + 1 pizza (for P500) and I was proved wrong. The thin crust pasta was ace. The crust was just beautifully done, and the cheese toppings were bursting with flavor. My friends tried the pepperoni pizza, and it was generous with the pepperoni. The garlic and mushroom pizza was also very nice, and all the pizzas went well with the shrimp and mushroom pasta that we ordered. I'm back today to try their P199 all you can eat pizza promo, and it's really worth the price. Leona's is easily my new favorite Maginhawa food stop.

"Food that makes you smile". That's a promising tagline, isn't it? And when you do get a look at…read moretheir menu, it does make you smile. At least it makes me smile. What you have are a bunch of decently sized, decently priced dishes which taste really good despite the low price tag. And a bit of backstory: this place had me the instant I saw it because of one simple fact: their name. I was rather close to my grandmother. She was the reason I learned how to cook. So when she passed, a love of food and the knowhow to prepare it was pretty much the one thing that I got from her. So finding somewhere that served good food that had her name? Definitely made my day. There's a certain homey vibe to this place despite the odd choice of food combination. Really: pasta, wings and mexican food? Intriguing. I think thing I love the most about this place is that they know the value of the combo meal. For 150php, you get two of their dishes as well as iced tea. That's a really good deal and perfect for indecisive people like me. They also have bulk orders for bigger parties or just in case you need to feed a bunch of people. Of all the places I've seen, this is probably one of the best deals in the Maginhawa area. If you're looking for a good, filling meal... I say give Felicidad a try.