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    Kalesa

    3.6 (1.1k reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 7:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Kalesa Takeout or Delivery

    Services - Kalesa

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    KALESA ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Kalesa

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    Reviews With Photos

    Lechon Kawali
    Kevin R.

    Ordered sisig, lechon kawali & the garlic rice. Highly recommend all of it! The service could've been better but definitely would come back.

    Melissa N.

    forgot to take many pictures as i was engulfed in conversations but i highly recommend coming with a group so you can try a bunch of different things family style! the food was very flavourful and staff was great, very kind and also very funny (it was a birthday and they do it up!)

    Bulalo
    Kristine S.

    Finally had dinner here with my bf on a rainy day. The bulalo hit the spot as we both wanted soup. We ate all. For dessert we had the coco cha cha. A good alternative to the halo halo. Definitely worth having. Service was good and when we went there was plenty of seating and parking spaces. Would definitely come back to eat other dishes.

    Pork Sinigang
    Alisa B.

    Pork Sinigang was a hit! Extremely large and tender pork belly chunks. The soup was perfectly sour and the vegetables were generously portioned. Eggplants and green beans were NOT soggy! Loved the daikon. Very delicious. The Tokwa't Baboy was a miss for me. The Lechon Kawali was very fatty, but a little too crunchy in my opinion. Lacked flavor too. Very little seasoning. Tofu especially was bland. Definitely dunk everything in the vinegar! Sizzling Pork Sisig... I had mixed feelings. There was a lot of flavor going on, to the point it was growing too salty. Some fattier pieces were tender and great with rice! Other pieces were really dry and tough in texture. I imagine the fish sisig would be more enjoyable for my preferences!

    Cebu litson from kalesa
    Maria C.

    I ordered several food for my grandson 1st bday for delivery, they are on time! Food is good, typical filipino dish such as pancit, lumpia shanghai, garlic rice, reg rice, chopsuey, pancit, spaghetti, mechado and cebu lechon. Our visitors love and enjoy the food only thing is the mechado little disappointed due the meat is hard to chew, (chewy and rubbery) lots of left over. The rest all gone, except the mechado.

    Marc T.

    Had an excellent time here eating with a group of friends on a Saturday night around 7 pm! It's part of a plaza in Milpitas and it's the only Filipino restaurant there. There's lots of parking so you don't have to worry about that. It was so bright, lively, and decorated for the holidays. We were sat immediately and there was a 70 year old birthday so we got to see the restaurant in full spirit and cheer. The restaurant is great for family style celebrations with long tables and so much space. We ordered 4 dishes: - Rice of course to go with the meats! - Sinigang: the national soup of the Philippines! It was done so well, with a great sour taste that cleanses your palate after eating oily foods. Lots of veggies and good portions of meat. - Tofu and Fried Pork: so crunchy and great pairing with vinegar sauce. - Pork Sisig: my absolute favorite with a good portion of diced onion. Loved all of it from the food, the service, and the atmosphere!

    Erin P.

    Food As always plenty of food that was top notch, we did family style for a family party and everything was good, very filling, well priced. We had everything from crispy pata, sinigang and more. Dessert serving of halo hall with ice cream was also a generous serving. Ambiance This place is usually busy and packed since it's popular. Service Standard wait staff as expected.

    Chicken inasal
    Annabelle R.

    Craving filipino food this past weekend, with not many places in the area open after 6pm on Sundays (many not open at all on Sundays), we ended up at Kalesa. This is a rare filipino fine dining establishment, with plenty of items to choose from on the menu. We got the beef bistek, pork bbq, chicken inasal, and some steamed rice for takeout. Staff provided very friendly service, and we were accurately quoted a reasonable 20-25 minute wait for our order to be ready. The chicken inasal was a bit dry but had good flavor, the beef bistek was saucy with tender pieces of meat and lots of onions which I love, and the pork bbq had a good amount of meat on the sticks, slightly charred, with a nice balance of sweet and smoky, though a tad salty. Overall, I was happy with the quality and taste. But with such a hefty price tag, you really gotta blow me away, and I didn't think the value was quite there. The fact that they don't offer individual sized portions or plates for anything but breakfast kinda sucks. And even the silog dishes are $20+ after tax. On the bright side, we ended up with lots of delicious leftovers to last us several days.

    Kare Kare
    Ed S.

    Whenever we're in Milpitas, Kalesa is our go-to place for Filipino food. We came on a Saturday and noticed a big Birthday celebration; the place was reserved for almost 50 people. We're only a few who were able to get a table right away. If you're planning on dining here, call or make a reservation so that you won't be surprised by a waiting time especially if there's a big celebration they are hosting. We ordered the daing na bangus and Kare Kare. The Kare Kare is generous in serving. They have a lot of oxtail and they are tender. The bangus is fresh and cooked right. We always enjoy Filipino food whenever we come to Kalesa. The service is also fast and excellent.

    Waiting  bench
    Net A.

    Really so famished so this hit the spot!! Very elegant looking spacious dining area. Tables covered with dainty cream linen and place setting of white ceramic dinner plate and utensils kept inside a small brown bag on top of paper white disposable table napkins. Amiable server gave a stellar service! Ordered TOCILOG breakfast served with pieces of pork tocino , 2 fried eggs and a cup shaped garlic fried rice ! Meat was tender and savory ! Gotta have veggies so the SITAW and Squash with shrimps in the coconut milk gravy was very creamy and delicious!! Now can't skip the LECHON KAWALI...pork belly slap with crunchy skin !! For 3 people with the large servings there were still leftovers to go!! Will definitely be back to try other dishes like SISIG, KARE KARE and DINUGUAN !

    Wei Y.

    Tried Filipino food for the first time--not really my thing. Sizzling Sisig (2/5): First impression? Salty. Second impression? Dry and tough. Some fatty bits were a little better in texture, but overall it was just too salty and dry for me. Crispy Pata (3/5): The portion was huge--two giant pork knuckles. The skin was crispy, but in a super hard way that made it tough to bite into. Not the kind of crispy I was expecting. Sizzling Bangus Sisig (3/5): The fish was minced and cooked with onions and chili, and the crispy skin was laid on the bottom. The seasoning was quite sour--okay at first, but it got overwhelming after a few bites. There was also a half-cooked egg on the side... not really sure how I was supposed to eat it. Overall, the food wasn't really my style, but the vibe in the restaurant was great. A few tables were celebrating birthdays while we were there, and the staff really brought the energy and made it fun. If you're into rich, meaty, and bold flavors, it might be worth a try!

    Ginataang Kalabasa at sitaw (squash & string beans with coconut milk)
    Bienvenido A.

    Big dinning area. Can accommodate about 70 people. This place do catering. Ok reception. Great service. Good flavorful grand ma kitchen food. Lechon kawali was super crispy yet not burned. Squash/string beans with coconut milk was my favorite. Tocino/sunny side up egg and garlic rice (Tapsilog breakfast plate) was good.,Came in at 11:00 am when they opened and still served. Sago (tapioca) on the gulaman drink was hard and not fully cooked. Colorful presentation but disappointing taste. Not sweet enough. Overall, it's still worth coming back.

    Pancit palabok, rice, sigsig 10/10
    Vanessa P.

    We came out on a busy Sunday evening for dinner. We were calling to see how long the wait was but nobody answered . By the time we got there, they said it would be a 35 minute wait . I'm sure we got seated even quicker than that, maybe only about 15 minutes of waiting . It's situated in a little strip plaza so parking was kind of hard, there was plenty of it but it was a busy Sunday and there's a ton of other restaurants using the same lot, so we had to circle around a bit until we got lucky. Ambiance 4/5: Clean, spacious looking restaurant with large dining tables, evenly spaced out, perfect for dining with families or large crowds. Moderately noisey. Tableware was also already set out for family style serving. Service 3/5: It looked like there were several different parties going on at a time so I feel like we may have been forgotten because after about 15 minutes of waiting we did have to flag somebody down because other diners that had sat down after us were getting their orders in before us. Our waitress was very apologetic and she did seem flustered at how busy it was. After we got our food , our water never came so we had to get up and ask the hostess if we could have water. It was an entire battle the rest of the evening to try and flag somebody down for a container to go, the bill, where the restrooms were, LOL forget even asking for more water. Food 5/5: We ordered the garlic rice, fish sigsig, pork sisig, and pancit palabok. Everything was delicious! Portions were huge! Food reminded me of home style cooking like if it was prepared by my Mom or Tita. The pork sigsig was sizzling and had that unctuous bite. I loved all the flavor that went into the fish sigsig, it was tangy, savory and fresh! Overall, it was a good experience! We would love to come here again to try all the other items on the menu, perhaps at a different day or time of the week when it's not peak hours!

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    8 months ago

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    9 months ago

    Amazing food and good customer service!. Haven't had good filipino in awhile and they did it!

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    5 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Amazing food. The team were very nice. The food service was very quick. The waiters attended to our needs.

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    2 years ago

    Took my visiting Mom and Sister here. They enjoyed the pinakbet. Definitely will come again when in-town again.

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    3 years ago

    Great delicious Filipino food. I always get pork sisig here when we're craving it or for parties. Food is served family style.

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    Page 3 of 27

    Ask the Community - Kalesa

    Will they have an Easter Sunday Buffet in 2026?

    Is this place still open ? No one is answering the phone

    Do you still have Sunday brunch?

    No more

    Do they serve buffet on weekends? If so what time?

    Nope

    What are the choices for their Sunday breakfast buffet?

    Typically they have arroz caldo (rice porridge) with all the fixins', I.e, crispy garlic, hard boiled egg, green onions, etc, scrambled eggs, tocino (sweet pork) or tapa (fried beef), rice, and some other vegetable. There are times I've gone and… Read more

    Are there a good amount of vegetarian options on the menu?

    If you're a vegetarian, don't come here.

    How much is breakfast buffet?

    $19.99 adults and senior, $12.99 kids (height 28"-42")

    Is kalesa closed every wednesday?

    It is closed on Tuesday, not Wednesday.

    Is this an all day buffet?

    It is not buffet. It’s a sit-down, order from the menu restaurant.

    Do they offer to go? Specifically the halo halo?

    Yes, you can order to-go.

    View All 19 Questions

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    Ima's Kusina - After pic - cooked longanisa at home..this one was a little too sweet

    Ima's Kusina

    3.0(113 reviews)
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    I purchased sapin sapin back in july 14 from Ima's kusina and was very disappointed…read more I dont look like your typical Filipino to a filipino so a lot of times people dont think I can understand tagalog so when I entered here the ladies in the front was bad mouthing a guest who had just purchased something and didnt tip them. And the store was very hot. Which was concerning to me given that rice cake goes bad very quick in hot temperatures. Anyways, i purchased my sapin sapin double checked making sure it was okay which on the surface it was. I took it to work and ate it right when I got there and when I opened it, there was mold underneath it and on the sides. Ofcourse I had to throw it away. Very disappointing.

    Came here one weekend because I was looking for treats to give us a thank you gesture to a friend…read more Filipino rice cakes are a big hit and this place does not disappoint. It is one of the mini Filipino stores in seafood city in Milpitas. They have different arrays of rice, cakes, sweets, and Filipino delicacies that you should try. I got me some rice cakes that are flavored which are called puto and another variant, which is called kutsinta. They don't have any tables inside and it's just grab pay and go. The lady was nice and asked me if I needed anything else. I was looking at their freshly made eggrolls which are fairly huge but when I ask how much it is it was about $2.50 each. I came, bought my stuff and left -- you should try checking them out.

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    Jam’s Kitchen - Rice cake assortment

    Jam’s Kitchen

    3.8(87 reviews)
    7.1 miNorth Valley

    In the Filipino culture, turo-turo is a term used for cafeteria-style restaurants that have…read moremultiple dishes prepared and showcased behind a display counter or sneeze guard. The English translation of turo-turo is point-point, which means you literally point at hot & ready-cooked entrees of your choice. On any given day, the line up behind the counter can range from Chicken or Pork Adobo, Sisig (chopped and seasoned pig parts mixed with onions and chilies), Sinigang (tamarind-based sour soup), or Pinakbet (mixed vegetables cooked with shrimp paste). They also serve silog breakfast plates in the morning. Make sure to visit early in the day because dishes will run out. I always hope my favorites are behind the glass when I visit... -Their Bistek reminds me of home-cooked comfort food. I can't have enough of this citrusy beef steak dish topped with caramelized onions, or slightly raw. -For my vegetable dish of choice, their Laing hits the spot with the mild spiciness and creaminess of stewed taro leaves in coconut milk and shrimp paste. -Pancit here is top notch and mom-approved! Definitely one of the better pancit noodle dishes in the area, and they give you a good amount in their combo plates. -I'm not a Caldereta fan, but their version of this rich tomato-based stew converted me. Yes to both beef or goat! I appreciate the other dishes that you normally don't see at Filipino restaurants, like Dinakdakan (a cousin of Sisig), Beef Pinapaitan with tripe (not as bitter as I expected), and Igado (when I feel like liver). Next up is their lechon! For now, gonna drown in my own drool.

    Zero (0) stars! They supposedly close at 7pm. It is 6:20pm…read moreright now, they locked up the store already and the door sign says closed! The worker said they ran out of food! Really?! lol

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    Tindahan Pinoy - Pork adobo

    Tindahan Pinoy

    4.0(229 reviews)
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    If you're craving Filipino comfort food, Tindahang Pinoy is definitely worth a visit. The dishes…read morehere feel very home-style and satisfying--perfect when you want something warm and familiar. The prices are very reasonable, especially for the portion sizes, which makes it a great spot for a casual meal. The staff are also very friendly and welcoming, which makes the whole experience even better. Overall, it's a nice place to enjoy comforting Filipino food without spending too much. I'll definitely be coming back!

    After being out on a cold night, I wanted some comforting Filipino food. I'm so happy I came upon…read morethis place because it was exactly what I was looking for. I tend to be picky when it comes to Filipino food because I'm Filipino and I'm used to home style cooking, for fast food this place did not disappoint. I ordered mostly a la carte and the portions were generous. I ordered the rellenong bangus, pork sisig, palabok and 1 combo of dinuguan with rice. Everything was warm, fresh and delicious. Flavoring was on point and not too salty. The meats were unctuous and the fish had a nice bite. The service was quick and to the point, I definitely appreciate then taking my order 30 minutes before closing because it looked like most things were put away for the night. It's a small spot best for takeout but they do have a tidy little nook if you choose to dine in. I would love to come back and try their breakfast combinations, they had a nice variety to choose from.

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    Grill City - halo halo

    Grill City

    2.4(149 reviews)
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    Certainly not a 2.4 (the current rating) but not a 4 either. Still I'm going to give it a 4…read morebecause it's not bad at all and I love the portions for the cost. But it just wasn't great. I'm still searching for my "go to" Filipino restaurant and this isn't it. It would do in a pinch though and if you're hankering for some skewers of meat, you could definitely do worse. FOOD: Good but not great as I said before. I did enjoy the chicken skewers but found the pancit lacking. The rice...was okay. Pretty good actually. SERVICE: Loved the portions and it was packaged well so good marks for that. COST: For the portions, the cost was very reasonable and honestly, if the food was a bit better, I would give it even a higher score.

    Grill City is located inside Seafood City, a Filipino supermarket, which makes it a convenient stop…read moreespecially if you're already doing grocery shopping. For my meal, I ordered the grilled pompano, pork sinigang, and dinakdakan. The grilled pompano was decent and cooked nicely. The pork sinigang was good, and the broth had a solid tamarind flavor that was not too sour. That said, it was missing some of the veggies such as string beans, eggplants, tomatoes, and okra. The dinakdakan was really good, with a nice sweet and savory taste. The customer service was good, but overall it was slow, so it helps to plan for a bit of a wait. On top of that, the surroundings were clean, and there's plenty of parking.

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    Ems Kusina - Pop-Up at South San Francisco

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    4.2(48 reviews)
    7.1 miNorth Valley

    Glad they have their food truck now in Spruce Ave SSF! I found a new spot when craving for Pinoy…read moresteet food. The food was tasty. I always order for Isaw, tumbong, tenga, Goto, iskrambol. The shawarma is least of my fave. The staff were nice and the place had a cozy vibe even if it gets cold in SSF. LOL Just a bit of wait time, but overall a solid spot for comfort food! They're always open here on weekends!

    If you've been craving that authentic, straight-from-the-street food stall vibe from the…read morePhilippines, EMS Kusina delivers it in spades. I've been to their San Jose location before, but when I heard they had a pop-up at the Safeway on Gellert Ave in South San Francisco, I had to drop by. The quality? Still top-notch. I came for the shawarma, siomai, BBQ, and tokwat baboy, and every bite felt like home. This is comfort food at its finest, mouth-watering, freshly made, and seasoned with the kind of care you can taste. The Sago't Gulaman was perfectly refreshing, balancing out all the savory goodness. What made it even better was Ate Ems herself greeting us. It felt like visiting your neighborhood street vendor back in the Philippines, where the food is made with love and everyone's treated like family. The crew here is warm, friendly, and makes you feel right at home from the first "hello." I just hope EMS Kusina can find a permanent spot here in South San Francisco soon, because the city deserves this level of Filipino comfort food on the regular. Pro tip: Come hungry, leave happy!

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    Kalesa - filipino - Updated May 2026

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