Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Isla Restaurant

    3.8 (1.4k reviews)
    ModerateFilipino
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Isla Restaurant Takeout or Delivery

    Isla Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    ISLA RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Classy
    Good for kids

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Isla Restaurant

    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

    Krystal G.

    Why Filipino food gotta be so pricey?! Isla has the most menu items (and pages) than any other restaurant. Literally so many choices and variations. But the one dish that I crave from here is the Bistig Brisket Ning Baka (Bistek Brisket) - that's a lot of B's! It's so tender with an explosion of flavor. Isla on the weekends can get really overwhelming, so just be mentally prepared. The loud music, all the people talking and people walking around your table.. Everything everywhere all at once. Lol. Anyway, great for big parties and food/dishes to share. Lots of parking.

    Raymond Y.

    We came to Isla Restaurant in Newark on February 6 around 12:30 p.m. to celebrate my son's birthday with a group of 14 people. It also happened to be their first day doing the buffet lunch, which honestly explains a lot of the experience. Leading up to the event was a bit frustrating. I called almost every day that week to ask what would be included in the buffet, and I got a different answer each time. At one point they said they wouldn't know the buffet items until Thursday night. They also couldn't clearly tell me if we were allowed to order à la carte on top of the buffet, and unlike before, they wouldn't take a reservation. The phone calls felt rushed and not very helpful, like they were just trying to get off the phone. Once we arrived, there were a lot of things we weren't told ahead of time. Kids are charged by height, not age, so if your child is tall, they may be charged as an adult. I had to ask multiple times if kids 2 and under were free, and they still had to check with the manager, which felt odd. Soda is not included with the buffet and costs extra. We also brought a birthday cake and found out there's a cake fee. Since it was their first buffet day, everything felt unorganized. They used wristbands to keep track of guests, which was fine, but overall it felt like they were still figuring things out as they went. The food itself was okay. The kare-kare was the best dish, followed by the chicken and pancit. The selection wasn't bad, just nothing that really stood out. When it came time to pay, I had to double and triple check the bill to make sure the adult and kid counts were correct and that we weren't being charged for kids under 2, which shouldn't even be a question. Overall, the experience was just okay. I think Isla works better for smaller groups (six people or less). For larger groups or birthday parties, I personally would recommend Kalesa in Milpitas, which feels more organized and better set up for hosting events. Not a terrible experience, but definitely room for improvement.

    Kaetyng C.

    One of my Filipino friends brought me here since I've never had Filipino food before and had a great experience! The food is pretty pricey, but if you dine in, at least they provide unlimited steamed rice free of charge which I never see anymore. I came back with my husband and saw that there's a lunch option (all day on weekdays and until 2pm on weekends) that's much more affordable, has more variety and is the perfect option when it's only 2 people dining in. I ordered the fried fish and it leaned a bit dry but was still good. My husband ordered the Filipino sausage and I thought that was delicious as well! You pick your meat and the dish comes with soup, garlic rice, an egg and soda for $16.95 which I think is a steal considering their standard menu prices on these items. It gets busy so we didn't really see our server, but it was still a great meal and suggest coming for their lunch options!

    Dead fly found in the adobo rice... almost thought it was a peppercorn
    Michelle C.

    Came here a few Saturdays ago with a large party. This Newark location compared to Isla Grand in Pleasant Hill depicts a stark difference in terms of quality. I went to the latter a week before this visit with a different party and ordered many of the same dishes. This makes for an easy comparison between my two dining experiences. However, the food here didn't quite live up to my expectations. It didn't look or taste as appetizing as the dishes at Isla Grand. To make matters worse, I found a dead fly in the adobo rice (pictured). I thought it was a peppercorn at first glance, but quickly realized it wasn't round and there weren't any other black specks throughout the rice. Yeah, yeah "it's extra protein" yada yada.. When it was brought to the server's attention, she apologized and asked if we wanted them to remake the adobo rice. Would have preferred that they removed it from the bill, but the rest of the party just said yes. Didn't matter to me though since I lost my appetite for the remainder of the meal :/

    Bob H.

    Delicious Filipino delicacies and dishes in a family- friendly atmosphere. We had the Sulit Bilao #3 that had everything you see in the photo, plus we had halo halo for desert. The crispy pata, bangus, longanisa, Shanghai lumpia, and chicharon were outstanding. We had plenty of food to take home.

    Fish kalderita ans pork kawali
    Sheryl P.

    I love this this place. The food are delicious!! When we have people over or meeting friends, I always recommend Isla as a meet up place. This place is huge so perfect for family gathering. We ordered more food than the pictures I took and feed 8 of us. Very little left over. That's a great sign that the food is delicious

    Real porky taste.
    Erica M.

    This review is only based on their lumpia's. They were hot and made fresh to order however, the taste was a bit off. Not sure why but they tasted real porky. Their sweet and sour sauce is very garlic forward. The staff were nice and the restaurant is pretty spacious. I'd gave the lumpia's a 4/10.

    Kaldereta and Pinakbet
    John D.

    Isla is a Famous Restaurant but this place is too Expensive I order via Take Out and it cost $72.00 for only two items. Not just that very small amount too. For $72.00 I could have some serious big feast in other places The place is big and bunch of young workers walking around cause not much to do. There are tables and customers outside and no customers inside. Pricing is completely ridiculous in this place.

    2/22/2025.  Pork sisig, 4/5 stars
    Jeff F.

    The food here is pricey but at least the flavors are intense. They serve traditional Filipino food; however, it is not for the faint of heart, as most dishes may be too complex and pungent for the unadventurous. Chicharon: one simple appetizer that is mildly flavored dish, but it is freshly fried pork rinds with a sprinkle of salt. I've dipped this in vinegar with garlic or sweet and sour sauce (that was included with the lumpia) for elevated taste, 4/5 stars. Lumpia Shanghai: these are generally the best "eggrolls", as they have seasoned ground pork mixed with minced carrots and onions for more depth than typical eggrolls that only have vegetables, 5/5 stars. Pork sisig: this was traditionally prepared with pork belly, cheek, and ear that were all tender; but enhanced with the combination of flavors of savory, salty, sour, and a hint of spice, 4/5 stars. This would have been a 5/5 stars rating if it were just all pork belly, because bacon is the best! Pork bbq on the stick: the pork was tender, juicy and had a nice grilled char. The sauce flavors were garlic, salt, pepper, soy sauce, calamansi juice, and sweetness from the banana ketchup and the pork may have been marinated in pineapple juice, 5/5 stars! Chicken inasal: the chicken was also tender, juicy and had a nice grilled char. The sauce flavors were calamansi juice, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, annatto oil, and a hint of vinegar, 5/5 stars! Kare-Kare: creamy peanut butter sauce that mimicks curry and is complemented with the tender beef and veggies, 4/5 stars. Crispy Pata (deep-fried pork knuckles): truly a guilty pleasure dish, as this is deep fried pork but it creates delicious crispy skin. The pork meat was tender and savory with some fat pieces that added richness, 5/5 stars! The service was efficient despite that the restaurant was almost at full capacity. Regardless of the high food price, I'd return here when in the bay area, as the food was delightful.

    Kathleen B.

    Isla is pretty good for when I'm missing Filipino dishes and too lazy to learn myself. Plenty of parking. They recently renovated and made their restaurant more open. They got rid of that huge wall that you see right when you walk in, thank goodness because it looks way better and more open. They also changed one area where they used to seat me and our large family, and it's now become a stage area because they have live music in the evenings. I wouldn't be surprised if they host karaoke nights. They have a monitor now that shows their upcoming events and promotes the bands coming up. Great for larger groups, but they do have some tables for when you've got a smaller group. Service is always so great when we go. They have a bell you can ring if you've had great service. Food is good. They're served as family style. I've done pick-up orders just for their jeprox when I'm craving it. I prefer their dishes over Jerry's Grill.

    Grilled squid, prawn crackers, kari-karing
    Clarissa P.

    We ordered the grilled squid, lechon, kare kare, and prawn crackers. The grilled squid was perfectly cooked, tender, and had a nice smoky flavor that paired really well with the dipping sauce. The lechon was crispy on the outside and juicy inside which definitely was one of the highlights. The kare kare was made with a rich peanut sauce with tender meat and vegetables, and it tasted super yummy. The prawn crackers were light and crunchy, perfect for snacking while waiting for the main dishes. The presentation was great too and mostly everything was served beautifully on banana leaves. The staff was friendly and attentive, and the atmosphere had a cozy, family-style feel.

    Bhrite S.

    Isla is the perfect place to bring a big group of friends or your family to eat! Would always recommend the Isla Ultimate Boodle Fight because it feeds 10 people or even more! I love how it also comes with unlimited refills on the sodas and 3 Halo-Halo's. Remember to wash your hands and dig in!

    Christine R.

    If you're looking to eat Filipino family-style, this is the place to go. They offer huge platters loaded with a variety of classic dishes--perfect for sharing. We came here to celebrate my mom and aunt's birthdays, and it honestly felt like a buffet spread laid out right at our table. We ordered a feast: crispy pata, sisig, pork belly, fried fish, squid, lumpia, fried chicken, pancit palabok, kare kare, chicken and pork adobo, and more. There was more than enough food to feed our whole family (and then some). Everything came out fairly quickly, and the servers were warm, friendly, and attentive--especially when it came to keeping the rice refills coming (my family can definitely put away some rice!). My personal favorites were the grilled pork belly and the longanisa. I really appreciated that their longanisa wasn't overpowering with garlic--it had just the right balance of flavor. Overall, we had such a fun time celebrating together. Don't get me wrong, the food was great, but I always compare Filipino food to how my dad makes it--hard to beat that homemade touch. This isn't exactly a "mom-and-pop" vibe, but if I had a big group craving Filipino food, I'd definitely come back here. The dishes are flavorful, generous, and will absolutely hit the spot.

    See all

    28 days ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    25 days ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    30 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of John D.
    1
    19
    33

    1 month ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jeff F.
    118
    408
    3233

    7 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dong Wook C.
    17
    702
    3961

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Hannah R.
    80
    50
    47

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    6 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Peachy R.
    54
    24
    25

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Rita B.
    0
    23
    19

    19 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Erin P.
    1126
    314
    1141

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Kathy D.
    190
    107
    123

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 36

    Isla Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Isla Restaurant

    Is there a bar?when is the live music? Are they doing anything for Pride month?

    Do you have puto dessert?

    They only have Tibuk- tibuk ( maja blanka) which is like corn pudding

    Are the silogs served all day?

    Monday to Friday: Whole Day Saturday and Sunday: Until 2:00 pm only

    Are there any vegan options?

    Will not trust the oil and sauces they use

    Do they have a deal on a bulk order of lumpia?

    $30 for 120 pieces

    Is this the same family that owns the Isla in San Bruno?

    Yed

    Just wondering, it says it doesn't take reservations so if we have a party of maybe 30 or more we just need to get there right when it opens to be able to get seated?

    I'm not 100% sure since I've only gone there with a small group of people but if you call and say you have 30 people I don't see why they wouldn't take the reservation.

    View All 12 Questions

    You might also consider

    Maharlika Restaurant - Lumpia

    Maharlika Restaurant

    (310 reviews)

    $

    I came here specifically for the lumpia, and they did not disappoint. They are perfectly…read morefried--super crispy on the outside and packed with flavor on the inside. It's the kind of snack you just can't stop eating. Just a reminder for anyone heading over: it's cash-only and currently takeout-only. The service is quick and straight to the point. If you need a massive tray of lumpia for a party or just a solid snack for yourself, this is the place to go!

    Maharlika is your typical hole-in-the-wall that serves up tasty and affordable treats, but is…read morerarely open. They almost never answer the phone so it's best to just go in person and order for pick up. Just expect to wait a bit if you're going during the busier times of the days that they're open. It had been about a year since I last visited, and I was glad to see that prices hadn't changed at all. The highlight here for me has always been their lumpia--or at least, it used to be. It was once fried to golden perfection, with just the right amount of loose wrapper that gave extra-crispy edges (if you know, you know). Looking back at older photos, the lumpia had a noticeably deeper golden-brown hue compared to the lighter version I received this time, as well as seemed a bit longer in size. This made me sad; but it was still good, just no longer exceptional. In addition, the broasted chicken has always been just decent; the skin is great but the meat on the inside is always a bit dry and definitely requires some gravy or sauce to dip it in. Despite the lumpia switch-up, prices are still unbeatable for the bay, so I'd come back. I did notice that they seemed to have a new cook in the back, so here's to hoping that next time, the lumpia reverts back to the way it was!

    Kalesa - Chopsuey

    Kalesa

    (1.1k reviews)

    $$

    This review is long overdue. Marc, Sonia, and the entire crew at Kalesa consistently make us feel…read moregenuinely welcome with their heartfelt hospitality. Dining here feels like going to your tita's house for a family party. It's cozy, comforting, and full of love: the epitome of Filipino culture. The portions are generous, the quality is consistently on point, and the ambiance is always inviting. If you are anywhere near Kalesa, consider yourself lucky. It is such a blessing to have it close by. I can pop in anytime a craving hits for their pork menudo, sizzling sisig, or pansit palabok. Must-try staples include Chicken or Pork Adobo (a rich savory stew), Lumpiang Shanghai (crispy spring rolls), and Pancit Bihon (classic Filipino noodles). Be sure to finish with halo-halo, a popular shaved ice dessert. My family literally drives up from SoCal just to eat here. It is THAT good. If you have never tried Filipino food, Kalesa is the perfect starting point for your Pinoy culinary adventure.

    Came with a lunch reservation on a Saturday and it was busy! This was my first time here and I was…read morealso bringing someone who had never been to a Filipino restaurant before, so we ordered several dishes to try. We were not disappointed! - Ukoy: 4/5, I wish it was crispier like other ukoy I've tried, but still really liked it - Lumpiang Shanghai: 5/5, can't go wrong - Pancit Bihon: 3/5, I think it could've been more flavorful - Chicken Inasal: 5/5, really tasty and tender with a well balanced sweet lemongrass flavor - Sizzling Bangus Sisig: 5/5, my favorite! - Crispy Pata: 5/5, this was perfectly crispy - Chop Suey: 4/5, pretty standard - Halo Halo Espesyal and Turon ala Mode: 5/5, amazing sweet treats that were a highlight We didn't have to wait too long for our food to arrive thankfully and the waiters were very helpful. Prices are fair. The inside is a great space for birthdays or other celebrations, and can confirm that the staff dances/sings for the celebrant which was fun to witness from the tables near us. I'd definitely return!

    Sia Fusion Eatery - Seafood pancake -- nice and crispy!

    Sia Fusion Eatery

    (1k reviews)

    $$

    The food is amazing, the portions are huge and for the price it's a steal. The quality of the food…read moreis up there compared to really expensive ones in South Bay. The music is poppin with the best kpop hits. The service is straight forward, the only nitpick is the bonchons. Short rib soup 10/10 Andy's fries 10/10 Wings 8pc 9/10

    Final Thoughts: 4.50/5…read more It's not often that I'm in the Fremont area, but I was today, so I decided to take advantage of that and go out for a dinner with my friend after work. After some filtering and choosing, we decided on Korean food. Truly always my go-to choice. The food here really did not disappoint and hit the spot after a long day. Overall, will be a 5 star from me. Food: Spicy Braised Beef Short Rib + Cheese and Rice Cakes: 4.5/5 This was their beef short rib with onion and potato. We always get it with the rice cake and cheese on top because those are truly a must for this dish. The braised beef short ribs are super tender and you could cut though it with a spoon. Their meats are nicely marinated into the sauce and super tender. The sauce is really the star of this dish and they seasoned it really well. There's some kick to it, sweet, salty, and umami. I would eat this sauce alone with rice or noodles if I had the choice. The rice cakes are a little too soft for me and I would have preferred for it to have more of a bite. Again, not really complaining because the sauce made up for it. For the cheese, it's mostly just piled on top of the dish. They're not like other places where they torch the cheese to melt it for us. We just mixed it into the sauce and it melted all the way through for that cheese pull. There's no smokiness, but not a big concern for me. It melted well into the sauce and made it taste amazing though. Fried Chicken (8 Pieces) - Soy Garlic + Hot and Sweet Sauce: 4.3/5 This was more of our side dish/appetizer dish. The sauce is a little too salty for my taste, but honestly, I wasn't really complaining. Something I do like is the consistency of it. It's like this sticky sauce that coats the crispy coating of the chicken well. This dipped into the spicy braised short rib sauce was such an amazing combination too. My preference was the soy garlic. The flavor is just so classic. Hot and sweet is good too. There is a good kick to it and a nice balance of flavors overall. When the chicken came out, it was piping hot. Very juicy and I could feel that when I tried to take a bite out of it. Crispy on the outside and nicely cooked all the way through. Banchan: Good variety They provide kelp noodle salad, kimchi, edamame, mashed tofu, Korean yellow pickled radish, and fish cakes. I actually liked all of these expect for the kimchi. I have a specific preference for kimchi, so definitely just a preference in taste kind of a thing. Lovely textures for all of them. The tofu confused us initially, but it's very good protein for me and I'm not complaining about my foods being mechanically altered. --------- Quality: Made to order Their meats seem to be of optimal quality. That or the cut is just really good and they've been braising it for hours now. Super tender and will just come off the bones. The meats are cut into pretty large pieces, so I would cut it into about four pieces. This was doable with a spoon, which says a lot. Of note, we could hear the fryer sound in the back. Crossing fingers that was to freshy fry our chicken. Items also came out piping hot, which is just how I like it. The short ribs was inside of a stone pot and it was just boiling and bubbling away. Always a plus to see. Price: Typical Bay Area Prices The price ranges will depend on what you get. For the two items that we got today, it was around $60. Seems fair for the portion sizes provided. We also had leftovers to bring home. Again, the prices will range from about $15 to $25. Typical Bay Area prices. Service: Fairly Fast My friend and I were actually the only two people there. Honestly, I'm not complaining for us. I'm actually not sure why they're not more popular because their food was made really well for us. Side note, but if I had it my way, I would probably inhale the remainder that we took home with us. Their food was made to order because we did hear the food being cooked. They did come out with the food fairly quickly. Service was alright and they were quite nice about everything. Ambiance: Late Night Eats Vibes This place really gives me the late night eat vibes. They do sell the items that I see in the Korean dramas where they would go out for a drink and some food. They do have nice options for dinner though. Of note, they do stay open quite late, which I am totally here for. Interior is spacious and their music choice is straight from my playlist, which I really like. Location/Parking: Long Plaza This place is a little farther for me, but I still like exploring around as some food places are worth driving a little farther for. This place is on Cedar Blvd and its quite a long plaza. There's like multiple connections in this plaza along with their entrances. They do have some other shops and restaurants here too. Parking didn't seem to be an issue for me at all. They seem to have enough spaces around for this scale of an area.

    Gerry's Grill and Bar - Grilled Squid

    Gerry's Grill and Bar

    (1.6k reviews)

    $$

    Gerry's Grill in Union City is honestly the best Filipino restaurant I've had so far. I always come…read moreback for their crispy pata, pork sisig, and lechon kawali--all so good. The bangus is tasty too, though it can be a bit dry on some days. I've also tried the grilled squid, fried calamari, beef sinigang, pork BBQ skewers, and halo-halo, and everything's been solid. My go-to orders are the pork sisig, crispy pata, and garlic rice. Ambience and space are great, service is decent, and wait time is reasonable. Definitely coming back. Ratings: Crispy Pata 5/5 Pork Sisig 4.8/5 Lechon Kawali 4.6/5 Grilled Squid 4/5 Pork BBQ Skewers 4/5 Beef Sinigang 4/5

    I've been to this place for the past 20+ years, since 2010 when i learned about it from my yelp…read morefriends. i always come back during the weekend for the live music. i brought many other friends and families to share my enjoyment of live music & food. food is mediocre, fusion. presentation looks nice but tastes okay, nothing spectacular...but then again, i go there for the vibes. besides the food. my recent visit brought a sour taste. pun intended. i never look at my receipt after i pay. i looked this time because they're doing a 70 anniversary celebration and each receipt that spend over $50 gets to enter the drawing for prizes. anyhow...to get to the point...the suggested Tip Guide on the receipt for 18%=$13.50 and my Total Tips charged was $14.95. the difference amount is not alarming but there shouldn't be any difference periodt. if they have done this to me, and everyone else who hadn't noticed. it's so wrong. someone explain to me why this is? needless to say. i feel scammed. i will check out Tribu Grill. i heard they offered similar vibes. goodbye Gerry's. it's been nice. i won't go there again unless someone twist my arms. *photo attached*

    Tai Pan BBQ Express Dim Sum - Fried glutinous pork dumplings

    Tai Pan BBQ Express Dim Sum

    (452 reviews)

    $$

    Whenever we go to Trader Joe's, one of our lunch optins is Tai Pan BBQ Express Dim Sum. Why? Cause…read moreit's fast and filling. This time round we decided to get bbq pork and roasted pork over fried rice. It comes with garlic sauteed cabbage which it will kill be a little due to the chopped garlic but i'll sacrifice myself on occasions. The BBQ pork and roasted pork were delicious and moist. It can be hit or miss and today was a hit. The fried rice was ok but I think I prefer steamed rice with this combo just due to the oily/fatty content can be too much and steamed rice is a nice complement to it. Service is relatively quick when they're not packed with people. Inside is still just a to-go spot. No place to sit. It's really a grab and go place. We'll always treat ourselves with this place and their siu mai is super gigantic and juicy. Definitely one of our go-to spots in Fremont.

    I have no idea what their business model is. I stopped by at 1:15 p.m. after my doctor's…read moreappointment to get some to-go dim sum. Most of the items were already sold out, and they were not planning to make more. I just wanted one order of bean curd, which is three pieces for $5.80. However, they only had two pieces left, so they told me I had to choose one piece of another item to make it a "full order." I picked a stuffed green pepper, which normally costs $7.40 for three pieces. They then charged me $2.75 for that single piece, saying I didn't order a full order. They also charged me $4.50 for the two pieces of bean curd, again because it wasn't a full order. Why is it my fault that they ran out of items? $7.40 ÷ 3 = $2.47 (but they charged me $2.75) $5.80 ÷ 3 = $1.93 (but they charged me $4.50 for two pieces) This feels very dishonest.

    Adobolicious - Garlic Garlic Fried Rice

    Adobolicious

    (319 reviews)

    $$

    LENT 2025: THIRD FRIDAY…read more The previous Friday I ate at a Filipino restaurant for lunch with mixed results. I ordered a crab fried rice, which didn't have crab at all. I was planning to go San Leandro for lunch this past Friday for bangsilog. When I was driving to San Leandro, Highway 880 was so busy due to traffic I decided to come to Adobolicious at the last minute. With the name of the restaurant you might not think this restaurant serves seafood or fish. I looked at photos and noticed seafood dishes like bangsilog. When I came Adobolicious at the last minute I wasn't setting great expectations. I was thinking about getting appetizers, but I decided just to order bangsilog. A deboned bangus in my opinion the only way to eat that fish because there are so many little bones that are inedible. However most of fried, deboned bangus I ate tend to be jerky. The fried bangus I ate at Adobolicious was better than I expected. The meat was moist. The reason was the bangus as stated on the menu is marinated. Even though the breading was light the breading was crispy. Most of all there wasn't a jerky texture from the bangus at Adobolicious as compared to other bangus I ate from other places. If I had to be nitpicky is there are scales on the bangus. I guess that is a traditional preference to make the skin crispy, but I believe the skin of the bangus could maintain its crispiness with the breading. One note about Adobolicious is credit card or debit card isn't accepted for payments. This restaurant accepts cash or Venmo. I know the bangus I ate at Adobolicious isn't the best I ever had however it is better than most bangus I ate at other restaurants.

    The bilo bilo ginataang was mostly taro, and just a minimal amount of bilo (mochi balls). I would…read morelike liked more bilo bilo in the bilo bilo. Other than the plain rice being quite al dente, this place is quite good. Their lumpia Shanghai were really good. Their champorado was ok. The arrozcaldo was quite good. I had the tapsilog and the tapa was just amazing and the garlic fried rice was quite garlicky and lovely. We also had the tosilog and the tosino was really very good and not very sweet. The bistec and bicol express were just amazing. While we did not get to experience the service or ambience of the restaurant yet, this will be on our rotation and we will write more after that experience. Definitely great food.

    Isla Restaurant - filipino - Updated May 2026

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