Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Bukas Cafe

    4.4 (18 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
    Updated 3 weeks ago

    Bukas Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    BUKAS CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Bukas Cafe

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Adobo jalapeno melt and pimiento melt
    Michelle L.

    Stopped by for lunch on a Sunday and it was pretty busy the whole time. The inside is pretty cozy and small, so it's best suited for small groups of 2-3 max. There was a consistent line of about 5-8 people the entire time we were there. We waited probably about 10 minutes to place an order, and all the seats were taken but we managed to grab a table right as another couple was leaving. They currently have two sandwiches on their food menu - a jalapeno adobo melt and pimiento melt. For the jalapeno adobo melt, you can choose either chicken or pork (I chose pork) and it comes with a side of garlic aioli and extra adobo juice. It was tasty! The pimiento melt was more like a grilled cheese, but came with a side of condensed milk for dipping. Of the two, I liked the jalapeno adobo melt more. The drink menu has a lot of interesting looking espresso and latte drinks on it. I tried the Ube Eclipse, which was a fun blend of espresso, ube cream, and milk. I'd come back to try more of their drinks. They have a standard coffee menu too, with coffee from Devocion. There is also a display case by the register with Filipino pastries like pandesal and mochi from The Boiis co. One ask for the owner if you're reading this: please put a copy of the menu in the window / by the door so people can look while they're waiting on line!

    Jessica W.

    This place was absolutely amazing!! I had to wait on a line that went out the door on a Saturday rainy morning, but the wait was well worth it because i had one of the best ube lattes of my life!! It was the perfect amount of nuttiness, creaminess, and espresso. I also got the pork adobo jalapeño melt, which was amazing! It came with a garlic aioli sauce and a pork adobo oil sauce which was soo good. It was a lot of food so i packed the rest to go. It was packed indoors but the staff was still super attentive. I just wish there were more chairs like chairs along the big table near the door beside i was standing and eating for most of the time. But I will definitely be back.

    pandan flan
    Emily G.

    YAY for Filipino Cafe!!! I was really excited to try this spot in Elmhurst! There's a wide selection of drinks that include Filipino ingredients like ube, kalamansi syrup, sikwate cream, and different salts, making them really unique. My partner and I tried two of the signature house lattes: bukas na and ube eclipse. The ube eclipse was really nice and the cream didn't overpower the drink with sweetness, and still allowed the coffee flavor to come through. The bukas na was really cool! The owner came over to the table and grated this artisanal tultul salt over the drink, from an actual block of salt. She also let us try the salt by itself. Sure enough, it tasted salty, but also had such interesting undertones that I haven't had before! There's only a few food options, including several sandwiches, and pastries that they outsource from other local Filipino bakers, per the owner. We shared the adobo jalapeno melt (you can choose either chicken or pork option). It reminded me of a french dip because it comes with adobo jus on the side for dipping, and the sandwich itself has this great crunch. You just know we downed that sandwich QUICK. As it is located in Elmhurst, the prices are refreshingly affordable (the lattes are only $5.50!! which you just cannot find in Manhattan these days). Bukas Cafe is a really nice space, and it has very friendly owners that were very passionate when speaking about their cafe and intentional menu items as we were looking through their menu.

    ube eclipse & bukas na
    Sebastian C.

    Bukas Cafe is a new Filipino spot in Elmhurst and it's already a huge hit in the neighborhood. My overall experience was a 4.5, rounded up to 5 for Yelp. The drinks were absolutely amazing, and the service was incredibly friendly and personal. That said, it does feel like they're still getting their bearings as a new business that's experiencing big success right off the bat. I stopped in on a Sunday around noon and the place was packed. The cafe is pretty small and there was a constant flow of people coming in, with a line out the door. Every seat was taken the entire time I was there. The owner was handling the register and making drinks, with one other person working on food. You could tell she was doing her best to keep things moving. Because the cafe and kitchen are directly behind the counter and the ventilation wasn't very strong, the inside did have a strong aroma that got smokey at times. It's not a big deal but just something to be mindful of, if you plan on sitting inside, your clothes will probably absorb the food and oil scents. It took about 40 minutes from the time I arrived to get my two drinks. I was debating between getting them hot or iced and while the owner recommended them iced, they actually ran out of ice. Both drinks were amazing hot though, so I didn't mind. You can really tell that each drink is a labor of love, from the coffee to the foam and toppings. For the bukas na, the owner came to the table and scraped tultul salt from the Philippines fresh from a block. The personal touch felt very meaningful and honestly made the wait feel worth it. The bukas na was my favorite--the perfect balance of light sweetness with a little saltiness, topped with cold foam. The ube eclipse was a close second, with a rich ube flavor that wasn't overpowered by sweetness. I also tried the caramel coconut donut, which was pretty good. It was a bit heavy, but the filling was very tasty. Overall, amazing drinks, warm and personal service, and clearly a lot of care put into what they're making. Be prepared for a wait and a packed space, but it's easy to see why Bukas Cafe is already so popular.

    Adobo Chicken spicy
    Tommy M.

    Really glad I checked this place out just opened in Elmhurst and I stopped in on my way to Lidl. The vibe inside is super chill. Lots of plants, nice light, good music. Feels like a place you'd hang for a while, but it's pretty busy right now (good reasons). Sandos are legit. Don't sleep on the spicy chicken one and def don't skip the dipping sauces.

    Book area in the back

    See all

    5 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 days ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    14 days ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    21 days ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 1
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 19
    Thanks 11
    Love this 15
    Oh no 2

    2 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mike C.
    1
    16
    36

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lily C.
    138
    26
    11

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    Ask the Community - Bukas Cafe

    You might also consider

    While In Kathmandu - 4. Not a Taco Fusion (Choila Roti)

    While In Kathmandu

    4.5(300 reviews)
    2.6 miRidgewood
    $$

    I've had Nepalese food in Jackson Heights. But I've heard many good things about this spot, so I…read moredecided to drive over to Ridgewood just to try this spot with a friend. My friend and I decided to share everything. We ordered: GARLIC NAAN 5/5 These garlic naans were probably the best we've both tried. As soon as we took a bite, we are both impressed. And to think that we would have missed out if our server didn't suggest it... These particular naans are made different from the traditional Iones. They are coated with buttery goodness and are super thin. The hummus on the side was also a very good pairing. I would recommend this app. PORK JHOL MOMO 5/5 These pork momos were also super delicious! Comparing it to the ones I've had at another restaurant, there is no overpowering cilantro in this one! The momo itself was very juicy. The flavor of the inside and the soup was delicious. Another must-get! CHICKEN KHAJA PLATTER 4/5 My friend and I were probably the least impressed with this one. A lot of the dish includes a lot of dry ingredients like popped rice & soybean seeds. They also used cold meats and veggies. It was great to try each portion of the platter, but wasn't our personal favorites of our visit here. Overall, we had a delicious lunch. We throughly enjoyed our experience here and would definitely recommend this local spot. I did think it was worth the trip over.

    went to while in kathmandu in ridgewood and had such a memorable meal. we ordered the sautéed…read moremasala wings, garlic naan with hummus, chicken momos, 2x not a tacos, mango lassi, chitwan ko tass, and the chicken roti with cheese. the chitwan ko tass especially stood out, it's a classic goat dish from the chitwan region of nepal served with a variety of sides. this was definitely outside of our usual comfort zone but it surprised us in all the best ways. every dish had such unique and delicious flavor profiles and the whole meal felt special. sitting there eating honestly made me feel transported to nepal in the best way, like a cozy little town near everest. the staff was so warm and welcoming, helped guide us through the menu, and even shared some history about the culture and region which made the experience even better. so happy i got to experience this place!! definitely make the time to visit the ridgewood location.

    Photos
    While In Kathmandu - 5pm Saturday

    5pm Saturday

    While In Kathmandu - Pork Jhol Momo

    Pork Jhol Momo

    While In Kathmandu - 2. Dry Masala Wings

    See all

    2. Dry Masala Wings

    Bukas Cafe - coffee - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...