If you are looking for a no-nonsense, no-frills place to eat in Maginhawa, Grill Queen is always a safe bet. It has been around for quite a while, and it has been known as a purveyor of really tasty pork barbeque. They also grill fresh liempo, stuffed squid, bangus, tilapia and vegetables with other neighborhood grill favorites such as chorizo, isaw and chicken barbeque. My UP friends tell me that even before Maginhawa exploded into the exciting food Mecca that it is now, Grill Queen used to be the only place of note around the neighborhood.
The two branches on Maginhawa Street are situated within a few minutes of each other, but I seem to like the one further down the road, near the Bible Church (where one turns to Krus na Ligas or to Katipunan via C5). The branch there is more cheerful and happening than the one in between Maginhawa StrEAT Food Park and Ate Fe's. The latter is too dark and almost too grimy for me. Either way, you would have to wait a while before your food is served because they take long to cook and there would usually be a long queue. Don't be shy and order additional orders of rice, as their normal scoops are a bit too small. read more