Wish I had a Filipino restaurant near me but alas I do not. So I have to travel. Maybe that's what makes it extra special. I don't know if that's true but I really like the food put out by the owner & her hubbylish. The Pork Sisig is good but different from what I'm used to. The flavor is there, just not the odds & ends if you know what I mean. I think it's just pork belly nothing from the head which is why I love it. But I'm a weirdo who loves innards & other bits & pieces in a world of non adventurous eaters. So it won't matter to anyone else. The flavor is delicious! But my favorite dish they make is the Beef or Chicken Pastel. It is so delicious! Tender pieces of chicken in a creamy sauce that also permeates the vegetables. Absolutely divine! Get it if they have it that day. You won't regret it. Have anything with the garlic rice. As a matter of fact, get garlic rice with the garlic rice. It's that good. And get the Pork with Eggplant. Ok get everything! I'm done! It's all delicious. 3-8-2026 read more

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It's been a while since we've been here and craving Filipino food. Once again, it did not disappoint! We each had something different and it was all delicious. Service is friendly and efficient. There is parking in front of the restaurant. There are a few tables and one large bench table for seating. Recommend! read more

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I didn't know about this place until a coworker mentioned it to me. He recommended their Sisig of superb quality. I am needing a good quality food to bring to friends place at a Pocono visit. I ran off to this place without hesitation during my lunch hour break. I was impressed of how neat and simple the place is. When I looked in the Buffett service counter, I do not see the food I have on my mind. Lechon paksiw is part of the restaurants catered menu. This review then is for their catering service. The chef/owner needs time to prepare my choice so I was told to return after 2-3 hrs. She mentioned that she'll prepare everything from scratch including its sauce. Pricing for catering menu is posted on the wall and each is set to be served on a standard aluminum pan. Pricing is standard in comparison to other catering places I'd been. Appreciated that I was accommodated even for a short notice. I was not disappointed when i return. It was ready, conveniently packed and assistance was provided going to my transportation. The smell was unbelievably good and was excited to sample. It tasted significantly different from different restaurant experiences. Her version of lechon paksiw lived to my husbands expectations as he complimented her plentiful and flavorful sauce. I was a bit off of the superior flavor of onions. Nevertheless, the meat was tender and tasty. I picked few desserts from her fridge. I've than and cassava cake. Just right amount of sweetness on her cassava and had funful to her flan. I both liked and enjoyed. Special thumbs up to its Packaging friendly container. I will come back and will try their other options. I would love to try a sit down dining as well. Till then. read more

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Always good food, always friendly and wish I lived closer. She cooks Filipino food with a touch of Michelin rates flavors! read more

I continue to enjoy the delicious foods and cultural knowledge that Joy and Dennis serve with every meal. The food, service and atmosphere remains wonderful, and I strongly encourage you to try all the entrees and the desserts! read more

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Friendly Filipino place with great food. We had the lechon, sisig, lumpia, shrimp paste fried rice, garlic rice, fried bangus fish, and dinguguan (blood stew). All were fantastic particularly the sisig. Clean and hospital inside. They also have a huge array of catering options. Will return. read more

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11/13 1pm. Haven't even eaten my food yet, kind of lost my appetite to be honest. Nobody in the restaurant. They might've been going thru some internal issues or the woman who was working there idk if that's Joy but she was the only one at the time has an attitude problem. Ang suplada niyo naman, mare. She expected us to know what we wanted within seconds of walking in the store. Can I get a chance to look at what's available at the Turo-turo? She seemed annoyed at having to wait for us to make up our mind despite us walking in 2 seconds ago. This leads me to believe these reviews are paid for cause I really didn't get a friendly atmosphere like one person noted. When my partner asked, is there rice? She yelled over the glass saying YES, EVERY FILIPINO ALWAYS HAS RICE. No sh*t I know that I'm Filipino. My partner is Spanish, in their version of Turo-Turo the rice is always on display in the steam table because they don't use RICE COOKERS just fyi. Was going to order more (soup/ desert) but she completely turned me off. Idk how you work in the hospitality industry with that attitude, might be going thru menopause but you need to chill tf out. Yelling at us over the glass is crazy work. Were both industry workers as well, so we always tip no matter what when it came to pay she was shocked that there's a few bucks extra. Figured she could use the few extra dollars so she can calm down. read more

Great service, delicious food! They have a hot food bar where you can choose a variety of different proteins that come with rice or you can order off the menu as well. It's more of a takeout spot, with 4-5 tables inside. We got the sisig off the menu and tried the coconut pork and a tomato based chicken stew. Also got an order of their spring rolls. Their coconut pork is AMAZING. so tender and flavorful! I just wish there were more veggie options but the food here is great. I also got ube cookies, which was unfortunately a pass for me but the pandan sago jello cup in the fridge was bomb! Overall a great spot for a yummy filipino meal. read more

Kusinera - Filipino Near Me - East Meadow, New York

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We ordered lumpia, pansit, and turon from Kusinera for my daughter's Model UN club's end-of-year celebration, and the food was absolutely delicious--there wasn't a single bite left! Everyone enjoyed it, and I'll definitely be ordering again. When I picked up the order, the restaurant was spotless--bright, welcoming, and elegantly set up despite being a small space. The tables were neatly arranged and ready for diners, and the entire environment gave a sense of pride and warmth. I truly regret not taking any photos, from pick-up to plating. Everything looked so appetizing and was packed with such care. The food was placed in proper containers, and they provided boxes to keep everything secure during my drive to my daughter's school. I wish I had captured it all--it really deserved to be shown off! Joy was kind, responsive, and made the entire experience seamless. Thank you again for helping us share a taste of the Philippines so proudly! read more

Came here with my best friend and we were both surprised at how much bigger the place was compared to the photos online! The floors, tables, and countertops were clean and bright, and the service was friendly. There were only 3 people working (from what we could tell) and as it got a bit busier during peak lunchtime hours on a weekend, everyone was super communicative about the wait time for certain dishes - which we appreciated. The food was freshly made and came out hot and delicious. There were also lots of dessert options in their to-go fridge, and they were all delicious too! The ube flan was very rich and decadent, the leche flan wasn't too sweet, and the taho taho was silky and had just the right amount of sago-syrup ratio. Will definitely be coming back to try other things on the menu! read more

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In my quest for the best Halo Halo, I discovered that there was a second Filipino restaurant near me that served it. Like Kabayan Grill, this is a tiny place with few tables. You pick your food that is behind glass. I love that you can sample everything here. I felt the staff was a little nicer here. The restaurant itself had a sweet ambiance, which I liked. I liked the fact that they had ube ice cream for the Halo Halo, but didn't like the $12 price which is much more expensive than other places. Unfortunately, they didn't have adzuki beans. While I think I liked this place better than Kabayan, I'll still be searching for that perfect Halo Halo. I'd definitely recommend this place. read more

Kusinera - Hours posted in front of restaurant - Filipino Near Me - East Meadow, New York

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A hidden gem in Long Island...sorry I'm not from the area so forgive me if it's not Long Island. We were in the area for the weekend and was craving some Filipino dessert. Searched up Yelp and found this place. We had the Halo-halo and the Ube flan. Both were exceptional! We also bought the spicy peanuts to-go and loved it! Being from California, it was fun to see non-Filipinos come in to try out their food, especially in the East Coast. One person went in with his friend and was explaining every Filipino dish they had, pretty cool listening to them because he sounded like he loved all of it. If you're ever curious about trying Filipino food and dessert, this place will not disappoint. Give them a try! read more

Kusinera - Halo-halo (yum!) - Filipino Near Me - East Meadow, New York

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Great selection of food. First Chose four entrees with rice. And we were still hungry so we got the sisig and garlic rice. All the food was really delicious. We were fortunate to have found this gem in East Meadow on way to Eisenhower Park. The interior is new and hipster-ish. Bookmarked in case we are ever back in the area. read more

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The restaurant was clean and bright, from the grill to the restroom. The service was impeccable from the minute we walked in. The counter-girl was very knowledgeable and personable. Everything we ate we enjoyed. The portions are large and affordable. The owners are extremely friendly, gracious and proud of their authentic recipes. We will definitely return often as their menu changes daily. And hopefully I'll remember to take pictures! read more

The staff were super friendly. There's one large table and 5 double occupancy tables. Place looks clean. The hot steam table offers different dishes everyday. Hubby and I each tried the 2 entree with rice plate. The pork and eggplant dish was the most memorable dish but everything else was delicious with their own distinguished flavors. The ube flan was super creamy. Just upset they didn't have halo halo when I went. Owner explained that she makes all the ingredients fresh and just haven't made it lately but will soon. Can't wait to come back to try everything. read more

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Per Yelp we went for lunch to Filipino restaurant Kusinera in East Meadow NY across from library to try something new for us. We got a variety of foods including a fried slab of bacon that was really hard to eat. A chicken in a light white sauce called chicken Pastel which was very good. The meat and onions dish I got while tasty with good brown gravy mixed with the rice was fatty and salty. I ordered a Halo Halo drink and wasn't quite sure the best way to have it. The owner did say to stir it up allowing the ice chips to mix with the fruits and plantains on the bottom topped with the little scoop of purple yam ice cream. We also tried the Palitaw glutinous rice with shredded coconut. It was in sliced slabs and while tasty a bit rubbery consistency. We sat at a wood picnic table inside the restaurant. The owner and servers were helpful. read more

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DELICIOUS FILIPINO FOOD! When I Arrived I was greeted by lovely man and woman. The man was Caucasian but he was very knowledgeable with Filipino food and so very friendly. I am Filipino myself and my husband is Caucasian and he reminded me of my husband because my husband knows almost everything about the Filipino culture. I got almost everything here oh my God. What didnt I get?! I got the bistek, pork bbq, pork adobo, chayote & cabbage, ground beef with quail egg, lechon kawali, ube turon. So so so so so good!!! they also gave my son free ube cookies! I'd def come back! read more

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Food was good but I'm not too crazy about the dessert. Wish they also have different drinks aside from can sodas. I do like their lumpia and the little premade food section in the front. Service was nice. Place is also very clean. read more

The service was great, I've always walked past this place and never walked in, the food is out of this world and nearly impossible to choose because you can't go wrong here. I had the pork steak and onions over rice and I cannot believe the rich body of the rice. Usually in meals like this the rice is a carb element and plain but not this rice. It was flavorful and at one point I caught myself seeking it out in the meal. The restaurant has great energy and atmosphere and you can't get a nice home meal like this unless you fly halfway around the world. Do not sleep on this spot! read more

Sisig was super salty. Too much salt. Please maintain proper hygiene and etiquette when serving food. Wear gloves or something.

This Filipino restaurant is delicious and they are welcoming, and the food is delicious! Steam table and lunch combos available daily. read more

Kusinera - Our 2 lunch combos with Pork steak, pork Afritada, pork adobo, giniling beef & rice. - Filipino Near Me - East Meadow, New York

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We stop by here last night to have dinner.. The place really clean and cozy, has a touch of Filipino vibe.. we ordered pinakbet, bihon guisado, beef menudo, vege lumpia and crispy pata of course, everything was delicious and traditional, perfect if you want that taste of home feel.. Crispy pata very crispy but could use a little more tenderness.. The staff are very friendly and accommodating. The dessert, ube flan ohhhh so devine, had to order another for to go.. we got a complimentary ube cookies which was also very good.. We will surely come back to try the sisig,. read more

Kusinera - Filipino Near Me - East Meadow, New York

This place is an absolute gem! From the moment I stepped in, I was greeted with warmth and hospitality. The owner, who is incredibly sweet, went above and beyond to accommodate my vegetarian diet by preparing a fresh and delectable dish just for me. The food here is simply the best! Each bite bursts with flavor and leaves you feeling fully satisfied. Not to mention the cozy and chic decor ! Would def recommend ! read more

Kusinera - Filipino Near Me - East Meadow, New York

I ate here and I thoroughly enjoyed everything that I ordered. Now I'm not 100% knowledgeable on the Filipino name for the items, but I had the steak, the chicken in coconut broth, the beef, and the porridge. Everything was like I was eating homemade authentic food. The chicharron was seasoned so well and had the perfect crunch. Coming from Brooklyn, I crave the authenticity of family owned spots like this, and they didn't disappoint. I hope to go back and try more items off the menu. Just an FYI, I believe the serve $10,$8, and I want to say $6 plates.. perfect pricing, and good portion. The food that is out for the day is what is served, and I believe they have a catering menu. read more

Kusinera - The porridge - Filipino Near Me - East Meadow, New York

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I've tried the pancit, lumpia, arroz caldo, ube cookies, adobo, flan, and more. Everything is delicious and they've even brought my larger order out to my car for me. There's some seating indoors and plenty of parking available. I recommend calling ahead because the menu rotates. The only thing is that I wish that the food was labeled since it does rotate. read more

Spent $50 easily on three items. Pretty expensive food for one person. I asked for Shrimp paste while my order was being made. They had me pay first before I received my food. I paid in cash. Had to wait about 15 minutes for my food to be cooked. The guy that worked there was helpful with answering all of my questions. He was pretty patient and recommended certain items to me since it was my first time trying this place out. Without even trying the food, this place left a bad taste in my mouth. I did not get the shrimp paste when I got my food so I had to ask for it again. The girl behind the counter, gave me a tiny amount of shrimp paste after she "forgot it". I then asked for one more or some extra shrimp pasta and she replied, they don't have anymore, but then said she would have to charge me $1 for it. When I said okay and agreed, she said it would be $1.50. So then I agreed to that and then the other lady that was cooking my food came out from the back and said that they discontinued and banned shrimp paste from the United States. She said she would have to charge me for it and then doubles the last price to $3!!! Mind you, it is a very small amount, not only does it not fill up the container, but it's not even half! Pretty ridiculous if you ask me. They would have gained a customer spending easily $50 or more every time I come, but this will be my last time because they couldn't give me an extra shrimp paste for $1 or $1.50 or $3. Makes no sense why they wouldn't do that to earn my business. It's really a shame because I was going to come back next week to try the crispy pork belly since I couldn't get a small order. They told me it's sold by the pound which feeds 2-3 people for $18. I would have tried that along with a few more other expensive dishes, but I guess I won't be coming back because I will not support a business that is being cheap with the sauce. I didn't have to spend $50 my first time here, but I was willing to take a chance to support them. I'll search and find another place instead. ‍‍‍ read more

Kusinera - Shrimp Paste (Banned) $3 for one SMDH ‍ - Filipino Near Me - East Meadow, New York

Everytime you get food from here it's like you're having a hearty savory home cooked meal. The flavor delivers everytime. Never knew Philippino food to resemble Hispanic cooking so much. Friendly service everytime and nice seats to sit down and eat 10/10 recommend. read more

Their Bopis are more on ginger and carrots. The service is bad and the owner is very rude. They made a mistake with my order and they made me feel it was my fault! Not recommended. Order somewhere else. Waste of money! read more

Kusinera - BOPIS - Filipino Near Me - East Meadow, New York

My first time trying a local Filipino restaurant in the area. The place is small and quaint. The food is home cooked and the options were limited, but it's fresh and ready to go. The food was flavorful and the service was pleasant. A friend of mine had recommended the place to me and it didn't disappoint. I also tried the flan that they made and it was definitely worth getting the homemade dessert. read more

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Very friendly. I tried all the samples. Definitely must try if you're craving Filipino food.

Food is delicious! And I love how helpful the owners are as I have multiple food allergies. Would love to come back to sit-in and have fresh sisig read more

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This for sure is one of the best Filipino foods I've had. Service is always on point and the ambience is always a cool vibe. Kusinera is a super clean restaurant and servers understand and practice proper infection control and hand washing. read more

Staff was extremely helpful, and the food was so delicious... will definitely be back to try other stuff

New filipino restuarant,cute and very clean place. A bit too far from where i live. Staff are very friendly and nice. Food is very delicious,very tasty. Taste like home (Philippines). Actually the second filipino restuarant I been to that the food is excellent. The first one that I went is closed now. I wish I can eat a lot and order everything from the menu. Lol Worth driving and highly recommend! Thank you Kusinera for making delicious filipino food! I'll definitely come back again. read more

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My youngest son and I had lunch at Kusinera after our visit to his pediatrician. The Doctor and his wife asked us if we've been to Kusinera and since we haven't, we decided to go after they shared their experience with us. We were greeted by Joy. She's the cook & I assume, the owner of this establishment. She seems to be a one woman show during the day. We were very impressed. We had a very bad experience at another Filipino owned restaurant not too far from Joy's Kusinera. We picked our usual. Adobo, Tocino, Menudo & rice. We couldn't finish it all so we took it home. We also ordered the little egg rolls and Ube cookies. My son couldn't wait to eat the cookies and asked if I could buy another pack of 4 cookies. I told him that I would do it next time. However, Joy told my son that he could have it if it's okay with me. She said "don't worry. I know the owner." Shows her sense of humor! I asked her if her menu changes every day. She confirmed that she does change it up. "There are so many Filipino dishes and this is how I can introduce them all." Great idea! What a great way to make you go back! I went back today and even though I was full from breakfast, my eyes pigged out. Yes! My eyes tried to trick me into thinking I was starving! So I bought out their Pandan egg rolls and I also bought a bunch of the Ube ones. I asked about a dish that I wasn't familiar with. It had quail eggs! Joy said that they allow customers to taste before we commit to a dish. They truly are very accommodating. Makes me feel so welcomed. I appreciate the hospitality, as someone who comes from a F&B and Hospitality background. Joy is amazing! I'm a fan of this place and I do believe my son is a bigger fan. We will continue to go back. It's such a positive experience. I cannot find anything wrong with this restaurant. Finally! I've given so many negative reviews. This makes me happy to sure with everyone! read more

The place was small but the staff were very friendly and accommodating. They give you a very authentic Filipino hospitality experience welcoming customers to their business. The desserts (pics included here) were great and very satisfying. I haven't had an egg pie literally since forever. It was tasty as I remember having it in the Philippines. The Taho cheesecake was new for me. It wasn't really a cheesecake though, just saying. It was a very nice palatable concoction that was unique with that Taho taste and I definitely give it 2 thumbs up. We also bought chicken adobo and pancit bihon. The chicken abodo had an authentic taste and definitely delicious. I was somewhat disappointed with the pancit. It had too much ground pepper for my taste as it tasted spicy hot which was not communicated to us at purchase. Pancit bihon was one of my favorites and I don't remember it being that spicy. I saw significant red and green bell pepper as toppings which I thought would've been ok if I didn't particularly eat them. I understand everyone has different tolerance to spice. Just a suggestion: labeling spicy levels would be a great addition! Overall experience for ordering food to go was great! read more

Kusinera - Egg pie and Taho cheesecake - Filipino Near Me - East Meadow, New York

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Food: So far, I've been here at least 5 times and I have not been disappointed by the food once. I tend to stick to the meat options. The meat has been tender and the sauce/gravy flavorful every time. So far my favorite has been the pork with pineapple. I do wish the garlic rice was available every time since it's my favorite part when coming here, but they do run out of it sometimes. Service: Kusinera has some of the friendliest people I have met working there! They are always patient with me when I ask about the options available for the day and even help me pick when I can't make a decision. I am incredibly happy that such a nice business is open here in LI -- it's hard to find something like this outside of Queens. I would recommend making a stop here if you are visiting the public library across the street and you're hungry from reading. :) read more

Kusinera - Combo with two meats and rice - Filipino Near Me - East Meadow, New York

My mother and I came here for the first time and as we walked in, we were greeted by some of the most friendly and accommodating business owners (I believe they were the business owners) we've ever come across. They nicely walked us through the available options and let us sample as well. Their selections do have quite a nice flavor and didn't err on the side of blandness. Being partial to meat, I went with the chicken adobo and the pork dinuguan. I personally enjoyed them both along with the garlic rice that came with it. I'd love to revisit and try other offerings soon. The one oddity I noticed was while one of the staff (which I believe may be one of the owners) was so warm, open, sociable and did not seem to be stingy with portions, there was another staff with glasses that seemed much more quiet, wasn't able to properly hear/understand our request before preparing our order (though I can't totally blame him since we were all wearing masks and it was lively in the restaurant) and was much more calculating when filling the container so I guess your service experience can differ depending on who is helping you (or maybe the staff was new and may need additional training. While we were trying to attract his attention when he first misunderstood our request we had to get one of his fellow co-workers to get his attention again before he started to wrap the incorrect order, it was also a little awkward to watch him carefully pick pieces out of the buffet tray and lay each of the pieces of meat into the new container for another order as if disarming some explosive device). It's hard for me to find decent Filipino cuisine near me that doesn't take a lengthy drive west and I'm overall very impressed by this small business. Rating: 5/5 FYI-The place is small but they do have a few tables to sit and eat as well and they will try to accommodate you as best they can. They do seem to offer catering but I do wonder if they might one day be able to offer an everyday menu that you can call in and have it prepared for pickup as ordered. I would definitely look forward to that. read more

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I loved the food! I tried samples before ordering my food. The staff was very friendly, attentive, and outstanding as well. Many places in Long Island don't make flavorful food like this. My brother and I felt very welcomed as customers. We left with delicious dessert at the end. I took a ube flan, halo halo , and bilo bilo. Overall would recommend to anyone!! read more

Kusinera - Filipino Near Me - East Meadow, New York

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I have been dreaming about trying this restaurant since yesterday, and it did not disappoint. Great first impression! The owners are friendly; the restaurant is well-lit, clean, and inviting; and the food was super-fresh and delicious! I love the idea of turo-turos, better-known as cafeteria-style restaurants where you get rice, protein, and vegetable for a fixed price. I have been to a few, but being a super-picky pescatarian/mostly vegetarian, they don't always work for me - Filipino food is mainly meat and I only eat fish filleted, as in I don't like to see the actual fish. Yeah, I'm weird like that. Enter Kusinera. I googled them, went on Facebook and IG, but only found their catering menu. Now, you have to understand my diet - I HAVE to see a menu before going somewhere to make sure that I can eat something. So I messaged them and asked for one. As with turo-turos, the menu changes everyday, which is a huge plus because that means the food is FRESH. I let them know that about my diet and asked about vegetarian/pescatarian options. Joy said they were serving vegetarian pancit bihon (rice noodles with vegetables) and ginataang kalabasa with sitaw, which is butternut squash and long yard beans in coconut milk. The latter reminded me of my time in the motherland and I immediately knew I wanted to have it with bagoong/shrimp paste. My SO is also on a vegetarian/pescatarian diet, but isn't always a fan of Filipino food, so I tried to describe both dishes to him the way I remembered it from childhood. I must have done a good job because he said he couldn't wait to try it. Anyway, I walked in and it smelled DELICIOUS. It felt like I walked into someone's kitchen where they were cooking my favorite childhood meals - I couldn't wait to get to the counter to see what they had to offer. Despite my dietary option, the meat dishes looked amazing! The bistek caught my eye, even before I saw the vegetarian dish. The pancit bihon wasn't ready, which was fine. Naturally, I settled for the other vegetarian option WITH garlic rice and a small ramekin of shrimp paste. Joy said she doesn't always make this dish because she wants to make sure the string beans are ripe and it has to be a particular kind. They made the garlic rice fresh. They put the rice in a separate container from the my main dish, which were each generously served in a rectangular container we've all seen before. I like how they wrapped the container with the main dish in plastic wrap to avoid the sauce from spilling everywhere. I mentioned how I used to love bistek and Joy said to call on weekends because sometimes she makes it with filleted fish. Ooh, I've never had it that way, but I'm down. Anyway, the garlic rice was a perfect match to the butternut squash. It wasn't overpowering and there weren't huge chunks of garlic. I added a dot of house-made shrimp paste to each forkful and it was exactly as I remembered. The squash melted in my mouth, the string beans were the right consistency, the sauce was perfect over that freshly-made garlic rice, and the portions were definitely more than enough for two people. I'm looking forward to trying the vegetarian bihon and the fish dish. Will definitely be back. read more

Kusinera - Ginataang kalabasa and sitaw, AKA butternut squash and yard long beans in coconut milk - Filipino Near Me - East Meadow, New York

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