Happy AAPI Heritage month! For lunch I went to Kujo Eats aka Erlinda's aka Conching's. As usual they had a variety of Filipino food and dessert options. I had the 3 item combo tortang talong, daing na bangus, and lechon kawali with white rice and a side of ginataang gulay. There is plenty of parking in the lot and a big seating area. I recommend eating at the restaurant for the freshest bite but the flavor will be just as good when taken home to-go. The daing is usually crispy but got soggy on the ride home. The lechon stayed crunchy after 1 hour which was unexpected and it also came with mang tomas sauce on the side. The temperature of the food was still warm when I got home ~20 minutes after purchase. This paradise hills staple will always be a 10/10 in my heart Please stop by to support this Filipino owned small business! read more

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A fellow Yelper recommended me this place. She said if you like Filipino food, check out Kujo Eats, it's not as salty. Very true, it's not as salty. This place has potential, they just need more time to grow and perfect their dishes. We got two plates of 2 item combo. The portions are generous. -pancit with chicken adobo and longganisa -fried rice with sisig and lechon -side order of sinigang The sisig was wet not dry and crispy like I'm used to. It also had a lot of citrus calamansi flavor. The fried rice was better than other Filipino places. We had asked for other items that we saw on the party tray menu like kaldereta but they said they haven't perfected it yet so it's not being sold as an individual item. But yet it's being offered as a party tray? That was odd. I would come back after a year or so. We didn't get the chance to try their desserts. They claim to have the best halo halo in town. read more

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Taking over from a staple location that I grew up with, and had changed hands after I moved away, Kujo is settling in and making its own path. Joel is a super friendly owner who is willing to break bread with diners - literally will have conversations with folks and sit at their table. He's passionate about serving up staples as well as expanding the menu with some Hawaiian favorites. Though their tenure is still fresh, they're serving up food that hits the spot. I brought my dad in for breakfast on Saturday. My weary dad picked some staples for his 2 item combo: lechon (fried pork), pancit (rice and egg noodles with chicken and veggies), and sisig (citrusy pork and onions). Got a small tinola (chicken ginger soup) He wasn't the biggest fan of sisig, but the rest he liked. His portion was MASSIVE, so we had plenty of leftovers for me to bring home. I got a 1 item combo with tortang talong (eggplant omelette) with pancit. The eggplant was nice and tender and not too eggy. The only critique was that the eggplant was a little salty. With just one item, I was super stuffed. Inside is casual, island music playing while you eat. Most people take it to go, but if you get a chance to eat inside you can have a nice conversation with an owner who cares about his customers and their feedback. I look forward to coming back and trying some of the Hawaiian fare. read more

Kujo Eats - Lechon - Filipino Near Me - National City, California

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Kujo Eats is another one of the many casual, cafeteria-style Filipino eateries in National City. They replaced Erlinda's Filipino Cuisine which had occupied a few suites in the Nordan Plaza on E 8th St near E Plaza Blvd. Parking was plentiful in the giant lot. When you walk in, the two suites to the left were dedicated as the on-site dining area. The suite farthest to the right was where the kitchen and service counter were located. A poster advertised their Halo Halo which was supposedly the best in town. Dessert was not the reason for my visit though. Combination plates were offered with the option of rice, fried rice, pansit, or half/half. Veggie, meat, and seafood could then be added as one, two, or three items with the carbohydrate. Those were all on display under heat lamps at the counter. Prices ranged between nine and sixteen dollars. I know these places load up the take-out container with plenty of carb and healthy scoops of protein. My selection was the Bistek Tagalog (Filipino Beef Steak) with rice. Sliced pieces of beef were braised in soy sauce and calamansi juice with green peppers, carrots, and olives as garnishments. The meat was fatty and looked like a cut of ribeye steak. The savory gravy was easily sopped up by the rice. The line moved at an uneven rate because the customers who knew exactly what they wanted were quickly processed. Those who had questions about the items and/or ordered multiple plates slowed down the pace. For the food quality and value, I gave my dining experience at Kujo Eats between a three and four star rating. read more

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This family-friendly restaurant leaves you feeling so invited and welcome. There's plenty of parking in the parking lot. There's a bunch of hot food being prepared constantly and in front of a window so you could see the types of food you'd like to order. It's a Filipino Hawaiian fusion restaurant that is next level. The employees are super friendly and always have a conversation with you. I recently visited and they have a special kamayan style family Filipino feast! Contact them to schedule the feast or just stop by for some other food for a quick bite. They also have amazing desserts and karaoke! This place really has it all. Check out their Halo Holo as a nice sweet treat to beat the heat. read more

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The first time at Kujo Eats. They make the best Lechon I have ever eaten in my life. Better than Lechon in Hawaii and better than any Lechon here in Southern California. And the BEST pancit I have ever had. Nom! Nom! Nom! It's a keeper!! read more

Kujo Eats - Crispy and meaty Lechon and vegetable pancit. The BEST! - Filipino Near Me - National City, California

New name! It used to be Erlinda's. Everything is located in the same place inside. Maybe they should change up some stuff instead of keeping it the same since it is a new name. Lol...first thing I thought about was the crazy dog movie. Not sure Kujo is a good name for this restaurant. We got a 3-item combo with steamed rice. Portions were generous, so that was a plus. We got sisig, lumpia and sinigang. We also ordered a 1 item combo with steamed rice and sisig for my friend. Then to-go we ordered a medium size sisig and medium order of lechon kawali. The sisig was good but didn't have the crunch i was looking for. It had too much juice so the crispiness got soaked. But couldn't leave without having a Halo-Halo with ube ice cream. Says "hawaiian" food but i saw nothing of that kind there. Everything was filipino. I see from reading some of the other feedback that they do have it, but that's confusing. If it's not written out there I would assume it's not available. We will give it a try again in a couple of months. read more

Kujo Eats - Lumpia and sisig - Filipino Near Me - National City, California

I came to National City from North County San Diego to try Kujo Eats. Being Filipino with roots in Hawai'i nei, I thought it was the perfect place for me to eat. I remember coming here with my parents as a kid when it was Conching's for their down home Filipino food. As I entered I was greeted by the jams of Sammy J, J Boog and Maoli playing and I thought I was in Waipahu for a second. Cheehooo. The music helped to create the aloha ambiance. Upon walking into the hot section, all I saw was traditional Filipino food like adobo, sisig and lechon. All of it looked really good but I was craving more of Hawaiian lunch plate kine grindz. So I asked the lady at the register "Where's the Hawaiian kine grindz?" I was told that it was cooked to order and would take about 10 to 15 minutes. I said "Okay. I prefer my food hot and fresh. I will have the BBQ mix plate". So I paid for my food and headed over to where the ice cream and halo halo was. A nice Filipina Auntie assisted me. She asked if I wanted beans or no beans. I said "With beans and mais queso ice cream. And to go Auntie". She wrapped up my order. I handed her my card and told me to go back to the register to pay. This is so inefficient because I had to wait again. I'm sure that it gets warmer the demand for ice cream and halo halo will increase. After I paid, I decided to sit down at an empty table to enjoy my amazing dessert. It tasted like the same halo halo that I got from Conching's back in the day. It was nice and not too sweet. The ice, evaporated milk, beans, pinipig provided a perfect contrast of flavors and textures. When I was a third of the way down with my dessert, I asked the cashier for an update with my food order because it was past 15 minutes. She immediately went back into the kitchen and to my surprise Joel AKA Kujo brought me my order. He apologized for the delay and told me that he put extra short ribs and a added a side of lumpia. I told him that I was from the north county of San Diego and wanted to know what all the hype was about. The short ribs were nice and fresh. They had a bit of a spicy kick to them. Quite a different flavor to them too. Not quite what I am used to as compared to L & L and traditional KBBQ spots. The chicken was my favorite. Nice, flavorful and juicy bone in thigh. The mac salad threw me off though. Very yellow in color and lacking in flavor and mayonnaise. If it was served in Hawaii, most people would probably say "it belongs to the rubbish" (trash or basura). But the biggest disappointment was the lumpia. It was cold and not crispy at all. I will give Kujo Eats another try. I appreciate the customer service and the hustle to keep the culture of Filipino and Hawaiian food alive. Just would like to see more of a variety of Hawaiian dishes like poke, kalua pork or loco moco. Try incorporating shave ice and spam musubi too. And please try improving your Mac salad recipe please. Salamat e Mahalo. Shootz read more

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I came here because I was craving some Halo-Halo. I got exactly what I wanted and the Halo-Halo with Ube ice cream was very satisfying. Service was excellent. Everyone was attentive and ready to serve. I also loved the surroundings and ambiance as it was very laid back and made me feel like I was back in the Philippines. The only thing I was not really enthusiastic about was the new inflation prices (not the restaurant's fault) but the current state of the economy. I paid almost $9 for the Halo-Halo and got 2 Asado Siopao to go. Each of the siopao cost $3.81 ea. just regular sized siopao, not even jumbo size. This doesn't go well if you grew up Filipino. In the PI, you can get halo-halo for less than 200 pesos ($4) and siopao for about 50 pesos ($1~). Again, not the restaurants fault but it is getting pretty expensive to eat around here when these comfort foods I grew up with are at these inflated prices. read more

Kujo Eats - Halo-halo with Ube ice cream - Filipino Near Me - National City, California

Ended up getting Caldereta, Sinigang, Garlic Rice, Longanisa and Turon. Quantity of food was great and service was fast

I had a chance to try Kujo Eats today, and let me say I was extremely satisfied with the food and even more so with the service. My wife works at a low-income K-8 school and was throwing an event, Kujo Eats agreed to be a vendor and share a percentage of their sales with the school, big plus in my book since Kujo is helping out. I bought a plate with sisig, chicken adobo, and garlic rice. The adobo was delicious, the garlic rice was okay, but the sisig was FIRE! Nice chicharron crisp, lots of marinated onions and spices, it really did steal the show for me on my plate. My wife got the pancit, bbq chicken, and lumpia, I tried the lumpia and it was legit. I was able to talk to Kujo for a bit and the dude is super nice, he hooked my son up with a banana egg roll thing, forget what they're called, but they're bomb. His kindness alone is enough to earn my business, and the fact that the food was delicious makes it even better! read more

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I ordered combination of sisig pakbet 1/2 rice 1/2 pancit for $19 Food was okay but nothing great Location is so so Inside looks really old and outdated that needs good deep cleaning Employees were nice read more

I love their barbecue as you can tell that they cook it fresh on charcoal. The hollow hollow is legit like back in the day 20 years ago when we used to go to this place I can't wait to try the eggplant. The.Diniguan was tasty read more

I absolutely love halo halo, it's so good, and when I realized this place had it, I was so happy and it was so delicious here! I definitely recommend, the service was amazing too, nothing wrong with me haha! read more

Came here on a weekday morning and ordered a half & half (pancit+white rice) 3 combo (sisig, monggo, and pinakbet) plate. I also ordered a halo halo after lunch. Lots of different tables and seats to choose from. Very reminiscent Hawaii atmosphere (bumpin' R&B and Hawaiian music, I love it!). Service for the food was quick and effiecient. You are served buffet style, kinda like Panda Express but with Filipino food. Pretty common with Filipino restaurants. It was so hard to choose which three dishes I wanted! Everything looked and tasted great. The pinakbet had more veggies and only one shrimp though, womp womp lol. Unfortunately when it came to service for the halo halo, they were really lacking. You pay at the same register where the food is, but the halo halo booth is on their (slightly) upper dining area. I wasn't the only one waiting their halo halo, as an older gentleman before me started impatiently ringing their bell for service. I also read some other Yelp reviews and it seems like they need to find a better way to handle their halo halo orders. It was super delicious when I did get my order though! So many different textures and flavors that perfectly complemented one another. They're pretty new, so I have high hopes that they will become more efficient regarding their dessert service. I'll be back to try more things off their menu! read more

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We ordered a small lechon for a party several weeks ago and that was a hit. Fast forward to today....a miss that didn't even hit the board. My family and I ordered 3 combo plates with rice and pancit. The rice was mushy and when it's mushy, that should be an immediate red flag. The entrees we all got were: sisig, mungo, tortang talong, bistek, and tocino. Cold, hard, and lacking flavor for all the above. If lechon is your thing, this is the place. If lunch combos are more what you are looking for, go down Plaza Blvd to that other place. You're welcome. read more

Price point and portions are great here. Three item combo with pancit, sisig, and adobo ran me about $16. Nothing too fancy about this place as it is a simple sit down restaurant or take out. The food itself was good Filipino eating. read more

Live in San Francisco and visit San Diego regularly. This is by far the best Filipino restaurant in the area. When we are in San Diego, we make every effort to get our fix on. Everything is traditional, reminds me of going to Pinoy parties and eating the kind. Bonus for the OG karaoke songs playing and the spacious place to eat and relax. A+++++. Job well done, Kujo Eats! Cheers. read more

I picked up dinuguan yesterday to go, and was so disappointed that less than 15% of it was meat and the rest was FAT, so I ended up throwing almost the entire medium size container away that I paid for about $9. Not recommended. read more

When you have seen the many restaurants and the ones that serve the best barbecue here in San Diego there are some that have the best foods that are not from the United States and the deserts that you may find are some of the bests with many served with cane sugar. From the many Panda Expresses and the Japanese food that has more vegetables there are some food dishes which can have the heavy taste of fish and the use of hot spices and the many forms of pork and chicken. The many times that I have gone past and purchased the banana sweet baked has the best flavor the baked fried has sealed in some of the best flavors. The types of deserts that many people eat are the sweet rice and the very fluffy sponge cake and the use of flan which has a different glaze and the flavor on the creamy side. I have tried the many beefs dishes and the chicken and the pork they have more of the natural and the and the barbecue which can be very salty and some that are spicy. When you come to Kujo you get more of an all you can eat buffet feel you can go to the counter and see the many dishes they have. One of the best deserts they have its a cross between an iced coffee and the use of Bobba tea with Ice Cream they have you can three sizes they make the Halo Halo behind the Ice Cream counter you get the size and the cold flavor. The service is the best with the two counters that you can order the Hal Halo and still get the hot food they have you can dine in and relax with the big screen TV or the music they have on the weekends. The location in the National city area you have a mixed Ambience and the many neighborhoods that make up the area around the Village Business and the medical centers they have there. With the many different flavors of the food and the many Philippine dishes they have you can never go hungry. As an Elite Yelp Reviewer, the many places that I have been to there have been many places and the food you can find here in San Diego and the many places you can find you might surprise yourself with some great Hawaiian Food. The many spices and the dishes so many like you can taste of the flavors and the many drinks that go with them and say to your self you just took a trip to the Islands. read more

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Food was good would definitely go back to eat again if I'm around the area. Friends and I were just causally trying to find a spot to eat and found this place. Decided to give it a try and was not disappointed. read more

This is where you go if you want Filipino comfort food. I went twice and it gets busy on a Sunday afternoon. I like that you can just point to what you want, since I don't know all the names of the dishes. The service is great and food is yummy. I also had to get their halo halo next door too- not sure if they are the same ownership or just sharing the space. read more

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9/4/24. I didn't like the service today as I waited patiently just to order my food and there was not a lot of customers in the restaurant around 10am. The server told me to wait as I did but as I waited she serviced others who just cut in front of me. Anyway, please get better as I love going to this place and I've been coming to this place and supported when it used to be Erlinda's. Oh by the way, I saw a tiny cockroach as it crawled into the lights above the food that's when I left and didn't look back to say anything. Others were there but didn't say anything. I don't think I'll come back for awhile. Very disappointed. read more

Fast service and great food, they always throw in a couple extra lumpia's too which is a plus. A great little hole in the wall. 10/10

Kamayan!!! So delicious! The volume of food was worth the price. If you have a party of 4 or more, you can reserve a kamayan which includes 3 "mains", pancit, lumpia, grilled veggies and fruit. For an additional price, you can even get lechon or sisig. We opted to get mini halo halos at the end and they hit the spot. The owners were so welcoming and we had a great time. Missed the karaoke though! read more

Kujo Eats - Halo halo with jackfruit ice cream - Filipino Near Me - National City, California

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The portions are generous and server is nice. The food is above average. Not great. Location is far from ideal, there's parking available. Inside seating was warm & basic. read more

Favorite spot to get Filipino food and great service! I enjoy the sisig, torta, kare kare, menudo, barbecue skewers, short ribs and halo halo! read more

The pork was very dry and hard, even the chicken. It doesn't taste like it was made from a Philipino. I ordered fried rice in the combo meals and it had a little tiny bit of tannish color to it but it's certainly was not fried rice. read more

National City. Friendly staff. Lots of parking. I've been here a couple times since the new owner. Great filipino foods. My kids love the Halo-Halo, especially for the San Diego Summer. Give "KUJO eats" a try. read more

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Saw this spot on insta so I had to pull up and see how we giving it up. I picked the entree and 3 sides I got a half pansit half steamed rice sisig, chicken adobo, lechon and a cassava cake. The pansit and steamed rice was cool nothing to crazy the sisig was fire good spice nice zing from the calamansi was probably my favorite thing next to the lechon. That thing was crispy juicy and this sweet vinegar sauce kicked it up a notch and cut through the fat of it. The adobo was nice and vinegary just like I like it. The cassava cake is interesting I'm not sold yet but I'm willing to try again I just can't put my hand on the trigger of what it is missing. But if your ever in national city give it a try. read more

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Amazing food & great custom service. Homemade Filipino comfort food always hits the spot.

This use to be Erlindas. Was scared it was going to be different. Same food and quality but with a few more options. Thank you for keeping the food the same. The food is so good here! Delicious authentic Filipino food. They give you a lot of food too. I love the pork adobo and sisig. They give you the food in styrofoam plates and cups. So good and full of flavor. One of my favorite Filipino spots. Lots of parking. They have calamansi juice in those juice pouches. They also have this dessert on a stick which is so good. It is deep fried mochi balls with sugar. Place isn't fancy and has like school lunch vibes but it is authentic and delicious. read more

Okay my fellow foodies, we've got another contender for delicious and scrumptious sisig. For my non Filipino friends, sisig is a Filipino dish made from pork jowl and ears, pork belly, and chicken liver, which is usually seasoned with calamansi, onions, and chili peppers. It originates from the Pampanga region in Luzon. In the North County, RB Filipino Cuisine is my go to and prior to my visit to Kujo Eats, Jochi Resto was my go to in the South County. I had seen something on social media about Kujo Eats, so for lunch while I was at work, I decided to give this restaurant a try. Kujo Eats is a turo turo style restaurant where you make a selection from a variety of dishes laid out on a cafeteria style food line. Kujo Eats is located in National City, CA., specifically on the corner of Plaza Blvd. and 8th Street within the two story outdoor strip mall called Nordan Plaza. This restaurant used to be two different iterations of Filipino food restaurants, but Kujo Eats has been under new ownership since Jan. 1st, 2023. I can't really speak to dining experience inside because I was getting my food to go. It's clean inside and there is plenty of seating to eat at the restaurant. Besides their assortment of Filipino food dishes, they are known for their halo halo, which I noticed that there was a variety of ice cream in another section of their restaurant. I've eaten sisig at many of the San Diego Filipino food restaurants such as RB Filipino Cuisine, Jochi Resto, Fiesta Pinoy, Valerio's, and Orient Valley Filipino Cuisine. As I indicated above, I have favorites in the North and South counties. You can add another favorite sisig location down South here at Kujo Eats. If anyone has read my reviews, then you know that I'm a fan of value for your money. Kujo Eats is that type of restaurant where they are not stingy when it comes to serving food into your styro. I happily watched the kind and generous employee scoop an abundant amount of sisig. I ordered a one item combo with sisig and white rice with a side of sinigang soup for just under $11. When I got back to my work lunchroom, my first bite of the sisig with rice was heavenly. It was hearty, crunchy, seasoned to perfection, and it had a little kick just like I like my sisig. I savored every single bite. The sinigang was amazing too with that all too familiar tangy taste and I thought it was very flavorful. I definitely plan to visit Kujo Eats again especially for its sisig and a side of sinigang soup. Next time, it will be a 2-item combo, so I can try some of my other favorite Filipino food dishes. Sisig connoisseurs, give Kujo Eats a try because I'm confident that you'll enjoy it as much as I did. read more

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In the spot where Erlinda's used to be stands Kujo Eats. Although the name has changed, the interior is mostly the same. Prices are a little pricier than I expected but I know that's everywhere now. I just came in for a quick snack on my break and tried the turon, suman, and siopao. The turon was pretty good, not overly oily and was fried perfectly. The siopao was good as well, I got the pork one and the bun was nice and fluffy. The suman was okay, I got the ube flavored. I think it needed a little bit better consistency and overall flavor. I would come back and try some of the main dishes though and update this review. read more

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Delicious quality delivery. Ordered pancit, bicol express, sisig, lumpia, pinakbet, bbq , and beefsteak...each more delicious than the next. Would definitely come back again when in the area read more

So glad Kujoeats has opened! Love more Filipino food opening here in National City. The food is great and so much selection. Quality of the food is amazing and man behind the business Joel is super dope! When you're in the area and craving Filipino food.. ya got to stop by they're doing big things in the food industry representing Filipino food :) read more

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Love this spot! Super cozy, family-run place where you instantly feel at home. Portions are generous, prices are fair, and the owners are super welcoming. Definitely coming back with friends! read more

Huge location! You can sit and enjoy a meal with family even when it's busy. My wife and I stopped by for lunch and the ordered enough for 4! It's easy to order and the service is what should be the standard; greeted when you walk in, followed up with during dining and thanked when you're done. We finished everything, My favorite was the sisig and my wife's favorite was the Kare Kare but you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. For dessert Halo Halo was a must and my wife said it reminded her on hot days in the Philippines when she needed something to cool her down. We'll be back for sure! read more

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Heard a lot about it, but either came by too early, 10:45 or on a bad day. On my way back home up to North county and made a point to swing by. Limited options, but ended up with a 2 item combo of Pinakbet and Kari Kari. Both lacked the deep flavors. Kari Kari had a weak peanut butter flavor, hardly any vegetables and no tripe. Gotta have tripe! Though the vegetables were fresh on the Pinakbet, again lacked flavor. Lucky I had some spicy bagoong to fix it up a bit. Will give it another shop when I'm back in Paradise Hills. read more

10/10 would recommend! Wish I could give it more stars than just 5. This is THE spot to enjoy comforting Filipino food. Everything is so delicious and the dishes rotate daily, depending on what the owner feels like cooking that day. The owner is extremely hospitable. It really felt like I was eating at a family member's home for Sunday dinner. read more

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