Visited Helen's Kitchen for the first time on a Saturday night and it did not disappoint !!! It was empty so we seated ourselves right away. The restaurant is smaller but plenty of tables and seating! We ordered the crispy pares overload and the lechon kawali plate. The server and the kitchen worked together efficiently because the food came out in a timely manner so we didn't wait long! Everything was phenomenal. The taste, the flavor, portions and extra sauces, soup and rice. You can ask for extra and they will give it to you! Lechon kawali was delicious and it was my boyfriend's first time trying it and he loved it! Garlic rice wasn't bad, soup on the side was awesome and had great flavor and the overload was definitely more than enough to share!! We will definitely visit again! Thank you, Helen's Kitchen!! read more

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We were out running errands on a Saturday nearby and decided to check this place out based on the reviews. The parking lot had an interesting shape but it wasn't hard for us to find parking. We were seated quickly and we ordered a variety of foods. I had the Crispy Pares, my partner got the the Beef Pares and my in-laws split the Lechon and Sisig. We also tried their Calamansi and Mango juices and a Halo Halo for dessert. Overall, it wasn't bad but nothing here really stood out to me. If I'm honest, the home cooking of my in-laws (who are Filipino from the Philippines) tastes better. For me, the beef broth was super oily and the garlic rice smelled like garlic but didn't taste like anything. The crispy pork was both super crunchy (which I like) but also tough (the meat that is). I don't try the Sisig but I could hear my MIL muttering in Tagalog and I'm pretty sure thy were not kind words about the Sisig's flavor. Maybe the best items would have been in the overload upgrade but none of us were starving that we felt the need to try it out. Maybe next time? The juices were good though but the Halo Halo was a bit sad. It was like 92% ice cream, 4% rice crispy and corn flakes on top, 3% shaved ice, and 1% "other." I don't recall seeing any jellies, beans or fruit (though my partner said he saw ONE jelly. Last, I recognize this is a small family business and I support small businesses but as we say there eating, a few other tables exited and none of their tables were ever cleaned. It didn't really affect us but I was surprised that the staff was just chatting and on their phones for about 20 minutes and not bussing or clearing tables. It was slow at the time (as we were the last diners) but it was also kind of gross and as we were on our way out, I saw another group enter. read more

I was nearby and decided to try this place. It's in a small complex with limited parking. Came at night and it was very dark in the parking lot. We were seated quickly and ordered with ease. We got the beef pares and added the overload. I also got the tapsilog and pancit. The food came out fairly quickly. It was tasty but I'm not sure that I loved the flavors. It's hard not to compare restaurant food to home cooking but I feel like Filipino food in a restaurant should be as good, if not better, than home cooking. The taste wasn't bad. It just want the "lasa" or flavor that I was looking for. We ended the night with their halo halo. This was the highlight of the meal. I think I'd come by and try other options to give Helen's another shot but with loads of options in the area, I know it's hard to compete. read more

Helen's Kitchen - Filipino Near Me - West Covina, California

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tried this place with my family. i genuinely liked the food that i ordered. the place was cozy. service was ok. while eating and seeing other customers leave some dishes were left sitting on the table right next to us for a good while. it wasn't really busy. other than that i liked the food i ordered. read more

Helen's Kitchen - Filipino Near Me - West Covina, California

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Just came from here. We live 3 hrs away and was passing thru, googled Filipino Restaurant , and saw the pic of the pares. Thank God we found this place. The place is clean, Floyd assisted us and he was awesome. Husband loved his sisig plate and the Halo halo was the best I've had in the US. I definitely recommend. read more

Hidden gem Filipino restaurant. We ordered the tosilog and beef pares. Beef pares had a tender beef and tasty sauce. Tosilog: tocino, egg and garlic rice was yummy. They have a chili sauce that was spicy and tasty at the same time. Will purchase a bottle next time. Service was good. read more

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We came for one thing in particular -- the Pares Overload. We ordered for take-out and they unfortunately were out of Lumpia when we ordered so we substituted for a smidge more meat but they initially offered the fried Siomai. This is a heavy, oily dish in general with all the protein being fried, so the fried is key to soak it all up. Even with the garlic fried rice, the dish is pretty one note in flavor with all the protein fried the same so be prepared. I cut some of the oily with vinegar and like its a lot too. Maybe adding in your own crunchy greens to give some more to it. I wish there was more bone marrow in the bone, and the pork belly was just a smidge dry. The bulaklak was the pretty crispy though! It was nice to try, but may go for the other dishes next time! read more

Quaint Filipino joint with delicious homemade tasting food. Their sisig is the best sisig I've had in the states - not too much mayo (which I prefer), and crunchy and fresh tasting. Their longanisa was delicious and tasted homemade. Garlic rice was flavorful. I definitely will come back and try more of their menu. read more

Helen's Kitchen - Sisig, Longsilog, Beef Pares Mami - Filipino Near Me - West Covina, California

Service was great, decent Filipino food. A little pricey for the pares overload (~$21) for some lechon kawali, 1 lumpia, 1 chicharon bulaklak, 1 bone marrow, and 1 deep fried shumai. The beef bone broth lacked some depth in flavor and was kind of average and tasted bland. The beef pares was very delicious and flavorful. The garlic fried rice was ok too. We also ordered halo halo which was (~$10), pretty good too! Noticed the restaurant had a sanitation score of B, so I hope their back kitchen is clean. Overall, a little pricey in my opinion but everything is expensive now so what can we do Pares Overload: 7.5/10 Halo Halo: 8/10 read more

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The food was great. The service is very good; attentive and friendly. The place is simple but clean. read more

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Love their pansit and halo-halo. But the Batchoy is so-so. Would love to try other dishes like the Pares Overload. We had our orders togo. Place looks clean. read more

TLDR: A Filipino restaurant that's hard to beat. You get the archipelago's classics at a respectable price. The food is great in certain areas and good in the areas that matter less. Eat in moderation, as their specialties tend to be unhealthy. Sisig: It's a Manila style sisig so I'm not gonna trash it for having mayonnaise, because that's how Manila generally makes their sisig. You get the salty flavors of the sisig, you get the crunchy exterior and the chewy interior of the pork, and the egg was fried but still runny. Although I would have preferred a raw egg and the dish be served on a sizzling plate, I don't oppose what they did. Pares overload: - Pares: It's very good. I don't know any pares places in OC/LA county, but this one is the best so far. The beef chunks that you get are very tender. The sauce was the perfect color and it was the right thickness, and it wasn't overpowering. Beautifully done. - Bone Marrow: I get a decent amount of this, so I'm not gonna complain. It's bone meat, but it's essentially fat. If you love the taste of fat then you'll surely love this. Mix it with the rice :) - Lechon Kawali: Friend pork belly was pretty good. The skin was crispy and the meat was relatively juicy even though it's probably not freshly made. The meat to fat ratio was very good and it wasn't overpowering. - Lumpia: I was disappointed because it wasn't good / it could've been much better. This is definitely a point of improvement in terms of taste. Maybe they could change the blend, but the size and crispiness were good. - Chicharon bulaklak: It's deep fried pork fat. If you like the taste of fat that was introduced to intense heat, you'll like this. If you don't, give it to someone who does or ask for a swap into something else. - Siomai: I don't know if this is homemade but I didn't like this as well. If it's homemade, change the blend. If it's store bought, buy a different siomai to deep fry. - Soup: It's fine. It provides a good break from all the intense flavors of the pares overload. - Garlic Rice: It's waaaaaaaaay too salty and tastes too burnt. I should've gotten the plain rice. Ambiance: It's a nice, humble restaurant that played old Filipino news, about a year old by my estimate. I liked the vibe of the restaurant, but I would seriously play something more dated in the TV. Service: It was good. It's obviously a family-run business, and the service was good. read more

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This rating is for to go food: Sorry no photos for others. Siomai and the sisig tasted like street food siomai from Manila which for me tasted like home so I liked them. Their chicharon bulaklak was also pretty good but not providing vinegar was a bit of a minus points. Longsilog my brother said it tasted homemade which is a good thing. I must say though, their halo halo was top tier. One of the best halo halo I have had and I have had a lot here and in the Philippines. Sorry photo of it as I was too excited. Will definitely come in person! read more

Helen's Kitchen - Sisig to go - Filipino Near Me - West Covina, California

This place is located right off the 10 freeway, Vincent exit. It is in a small parking lot shared with multiple stores so it may be hard to find parking. Luckily, we came by on a weekday where a spot quickly opened. There are about 8 tables for plenty of indoor seating. The place looks clean with a home-y feel. Our waiter quickly greeted us and brought drinks over. We ordered the beef pares overload, shu mai, Shanghai lumpia, and tapsilog breakfast. The Shanghai was wrapped well, tasted delicious, made with plenty of meat and cooked perfectly. The tapa is worth coming back for again and again. Great flavor, not too sweet or salty, and super tender. It was paired with an egg and garlic rice. The shu mai was also really good but came out slightly cold in the center so perhaps previously cooked or frozen. Lastly was the pares. It was really good but could use a dash more flavor. Maybe salt or soy sauce. Overall, good experience, good prices, and delicious food. read more

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I'm ... so happy. Helen's Kitchen is affordable luxury. Rich in flavors, depth, and authenticity. I often eat filipino food, but Helen's Kitchen offers something unique. It's freshly cooked ingredients delivered with culinary talent. I brought my family to Helen's Kitchen (Sunday, 11AM). Our waiter (Floyd) charmed everyone as he spoke in Tagalog and explained the dishes. Floyd is quick, hard working, and helpful. My family ordered six dishes yet the food arrived quickly (about 10 minutes) and hot. Everything tasted fresh and flavorful, but I will focus on the Beef Pares ($13) with Overload Upgrade (additional $8). The dish is exemplary! The Beef Pares is reminiscent of beef stew. The meat is tender and juicy. Its thick broth is flavorful and well seasoned. When combined with the garlic rice, the flavor blossoms. It's hearty and savory. The Overload Upgrade adds more food. It's a tour of planned textures and comforting flavors. The lumpia is lightly crisp and filled with meat. The siomai is firm and moist. The lechon kawali is cooked expertly; crunchy skin and tender middle. The bone marrow is soft and flavorful. The chicharon is airy and crunchy. I must reiterate how Helen's Kitchen is unique and flavorful. My family is from the Philippines, and they devoured it. The food is high-quality and fresh which is humbling since Helen's Kitchen is hidden. A potential best in SGV. Helen's Kitchen won our hearts. We will return. Thank you to Floyd and the brilliant chef. Salamat Po! read more

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Food is great & delicious. The staff were all friendly, they even suggest & took time to help you which to choose Food are reasonably priced read more

This Filipino spot in West Covina specializes in pares. They have a small parking lot shared with a liquor store, right off of the 60 freeway. The space inside is small and cozy with a handful of tables and booths. I ordered their gulaman and calamansi juices for drinks, and their pares overload and tapsilog. The overload comes with fried siomai, lumpia, chicharron bulaklak, lechon kawali, and bone marrow. The pares itself comes with garlic rice and soup. The pares was delicious! One of the more authentic pares' I've had in SoCal. Their tapsilog is marinated well and comes with garlic rice and a fried egg. Service was nice and friendly. read more

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5/5 recommend highly. If you are craving Filipino food, definitely come give this place a try. I wish I could give a more in depth review of this place, but when I came in I had severe vertigo so I could hardly eat. The little I did eat, it was amazing. It had so much flavor, it tasted home cooked as well. When you walk in, you feel like you're walking into someone's home. Cozy and friendly staff. Would definitely come back to try again. read more

Helen's Kitchen - Filipino Near Me - West Covina, California

I don't even know how I ended up here! But, I'm so glad The garlic rice is a perfect accompaniment for the stew. The servers were kind enough to explain some items and they made sure I know which sauce went with what. The place is cozy, I very much enjoyed eating alone read more

Great food! Great Service. Relaxing ambiance... It's family owned, so everything is prepared with TLC

My brother would always order here for to-go but I have never been in the restaurant ever. But I could definitely say, everything is good. From the rice, soup and most especially the pares! read more

This place is great!The service is quick and easy for instant comfort food.Additionally, the actual food itself is pretty good and enjoyable.Also, it was pretty quiet and peaceful, which I personally like!Overall, this place is great and I would for-sure come again! read more

My pancit was made in the microwave. Could tell because I could hear them presssing buttons and it came out super quick and wasn't flavorful :( read more

08/24/24 - AMAZING AMAZING!! AND FRESH!! We are from Florida and stopped in here after we had a bad experience at Titas of Manila filipino kitchen. Ugh, terrible! We had $50 of food from there that we just threw away. Anyways, we still wanted our filipino food fix, and I am so glad we came here . We were greeted by Floyd and he was so inviting and so nice , he explained to us the dishes which helped a lot since we are used to our basic filipino dishes. Everything was made fresh, which we loved . Floyd was so nice, he even gave a complimentary plate of amazing Pancit! Floyd and Isa were so kind we even chatted with them for a while We had: * Pares Overload - AMAZING!!! #Bone marrow awesome! #Lechon Very good # Siomai fried very very good * Sisig with garlic rice - OMG, the best we ever had . * Pancit - AMAZING! The way my mom makes it * Halo Halo - AMAZING and want more !!! * Pineapple juice. Very good We will definitely be back if we are ever in the area. read more

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The food was great specially the pares overload the best. The service was quick and everything is fresh. The place is very cozy . read more

Helen's Kitchen - Filipino Near Me - West Covina, California

Wonderful filipino spot! Helen's Kitchen is a great place to get some "lesser known" filipino favorites. If you're tired of seeing different variations of adobo, pancit, and fried chicken everywhere, Helen's Kitchen serves tasty Pares, Tapsilog, Longsilog, Sisig, and more! Their Halo Halo overload was also really good too. Super friendly staff, clean dining room, good vibes from the customers, and only about $12 per person. Helen's Kitchen has that perfect balance of old school recipes and modern flare. Great place to bring filipinos and non-filipinos! We will be coming back soon. read more

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Great food, convenient location, friendly service. Nicely decorated. Would definitely come back. read more

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I haven't had Filipino food in ages and decided to check out this new spot. I was recommended the Pares Overload to sample a little bit of everything which was the move. It came with bone marrow, lechon, garlic rice, lumpia, and soup. All very delicious. Finished the meal with a Halo Halo which in itself is a second meal. The server was very attentive and was ready to answer any questions I had for him. Would highly recommend on giving this place a try! read more

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Ordered the pares overload which is kinda like a platter of their best items. If you order with extra side of rice, it definitely good for two. Pares -- it's kinda like a brisket stew. Tender and succulent bite-sized brisket in a rich stew. So rich it almost can be a gravy. It's thick and delicious, a soul food. Bagnet -- it's like korean samgyeopsal (pork belly) but deep fried. Dip it on the vinegar sauce the have, and it's amazing. Some bites are a bit tough, but the overall experience is nice and juicy. Lumpia -- it's like egg roll but way better. And what i love the most is that the stuffing are good! Most of egg rolls i find usually has crispy skin/outer, but the stuffing doesn't leave much to be desired. But here, the lumpia is crispy and the stuffing is nice as well. Definitely one of my top three favorite lumpias (or egg roll for that matter). Chicaron bulaklak -- this one is my favorite! I don't know how it's made but it seems it's a deep fried chicaron that still has some fats in it. So rich, deep, juicy, and addictive! Definitely will come again for this dish alone (and maybe a small bowl of the pares broth) Bone marrow -- if you haven't had bone marrow before, you're missing out. They will give you stick to poke and scrape it out, but personally i like to use a straw to just suck all the goodness out. The marrow is so smooth, rich, and not gamey at all. It also came with a light soup that serves nicely as a 'breather' for all the rich and delicious items. The whole thing will set you down $20, but i'd say the price reflects the quality meal they provided. read more

Helen's Kitchen - Pares Mami Overload - Filipino Near Me - West Covina, California

I was craving Filipino breakfast. I mean, ok fine, I crave Filipino breakfast like, every day. This place is small, casual, parking is a bit touch 'n go, but service is friendly, and the food is comforting and filling. And you can get a side of lechon for $3. What!! I'm a total sucker for tocsilog and theirs was excellent. We also got a bangsilog. Looking forward to coming back next time for more of their menu! read more

Food was mediocre at best. Everything was on the bland side, I wish I had patis. The garlic rice could use less garlic.

I have dined at a few Filipino restaurants. This is by far the best tasting, best service, and best price! Get the overload and you will leave beyond satisfied. I also ordered the sig sig and it's different from all the other places. Amazing. Do yourself a favor. Come with an appetite and leave happy and beyond satisfied. This place is something special. read more

Helen's Kitchen - The aftermath of sig sig and an overload. Just stop looking and come here. - Filipino Near Me - West Covina, California

I was very impressed with how everything came together here. The food was top quality, the staff was polite, and the environment felt comfortable and inviting. read more

Helen's Kitchen - Filipino Near Me - West Covina, California

This is place is so good like for real. I'd come back so fast. I don't review often but this deserved it. Not only is the food fire but the staff is friendly. The beef pares overload had lechon kawali, fried siomai, chicharon bulak bulak, lumpia, and bone marrow. Ya'll better take your blood pressure meds before coming lol. This was so good. Also ordered the beef mami (not pictured) and the soup is so rich. Halo halo is so good too! Not too much of the beans. The corn flakes on top adds a nice texture. read more

Helen's Kitchen - Halo halo is fire - Filipino Near Me - West Covina, California

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Service really good, true hole in the wall type of place. Seating very comfortable too. Food is so good. Tocino was really good. Halo halo legit. Lumpia- pork was one of the best. Family approved. read more

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This is a store tucked away in a small plaza off the freeway. Parking was easy as they have their own shared lot. There's plenty of tables inside. Service is nice and welcoming. Our food came out a little slowly, but that's fine as everything felt very fresh. We got the beef pares overload and lechon kawali. The portions are great for what you get! For the beef pares, the chunks of meat were sooo tender and delicious. The broth was also thick and seasoned well. I love it! It also came with garlic rice, which is good. I wish there were more garlic flavor, but it is fine as is, especially when you eat it with the stew. There are two sauces it comes with, and one is to add more spice. That little chili add-on was so nice to have and added a whole other level to the food for me. The overload for the pares is basically a sampler of different appetizers/add-ons. For only $8 extra, I think this is a good deal! I personally was not a fan of the chicaron bulaklak (not enough flavor for me) or fried siomai, but the lumpia and bone marrow are GREAT. The lechon kawali is also good if you like crispy pork belly! If you get the full entree, it comes with soo many pork belly pieces and is super worth it. We also tried the halo-halo. I wish it were a little sweeter, but it was pretty good! I felt super oily after the entire meal so this was a good way to end it. Overall, I would come back with friends! read more

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Food was delicious. And service was warm and friendly. Prices are reasonable. Almost didn't post a review because I want to keep the place all to myself but I do want them to succeed because it's sooo good! read more

Good food, great service, and decently priced. We ordered the the bangus sisig, crispy pata, lechon kawali, pancit, and the lumpiang shanghai. The calamansi juice was very tasty. The quantity of food was just right. Ambience was cozy and comfy. The server was awesome and took care of us. Parking was tight but not a fault to the restaurant as it's located in a tiny strip mall. Would definitely recommend and come back. read more

I love Helen's Kitchen!! I always order the tapsilog and a beef soup (I forget what it is called). So tasty and satisfying. The owners (I think) are so nice. It's a great corner spot for them off of Vincent. read more

Everything was good. Served with a smile. Will definitely return on next California trip. read more

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