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Kuya Lord

4.2 (589 reviews)
Closed • Closed
Updated a few days ago

Kuya Lord Photos

Business Info

KUYA LORD ATMOSPHERE

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

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Recommended Reviews - Kuya Lord

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Reviews With Photos

Dining area
Kristine P.

After our double movie date, we wanted to grab something to eat close to home and happened to come across this place! As soon as you walk in, you'll notice how bright and welcoming it is. I loved how they maximize the natural sunlight--it makes the whole place feel warm and homey. I added a photo so you guys can see! Now onto the best part--the food! Trying the chami was one of the main reasons I wanted to check this restaurant out, and it did not disappoint. It was sweet and savory, although I was personally looking for a little more of that spicy kick since that's how I know chami to taste--sweet, savory, with just enough spice to balance out the sweetness. We also tried the hiramasa collar, which was really good. I believe it was marinated in a soy sauce-based mixture. It was a little salty for my taste, but still enjoyable. But the highlight for me was definitely the Lucenachon! It had such a unique take on lechon and was incredibly juicy and tender. I especially loved the marinade--it gave the meat so much flavor. Overall, I would definitely come back and try more dishes! P.S. Just a heads-up: street parking only.

Decor
Joey D.

We happened to be in Los Angeles and wifey and I decided to try a spot I've heard about many times. The tough part of eating here is finding parking. That was the only negative. Everything else was positive. The decor and layout of the restaurant is cozy and hospitable. Our hostess was nice and helpful. We started with lumpia Shanghai and it was perfectly fried which is to be expected. If a place messes up lumpia then I say leave lol. Wifey and then shared the beef Tapsilog and lechon Kawali. Everything was perfectly cooked and tasted great! The presentation of the food was also a plus. For sure we will return next time we're in the area.

Kuya trays
Gary D.

I have to say ,this is some of the best food I've had in a while. We ordered two of the Kuya Trays . One with beef and sausage and the other with the Lucenachon everything on those trays were well seasoned and tasted so amazing. Service was fast and friendly. Though the dining room is very small. We further as it opened and didn't have an issue with the seating. There is street parking but also parking at the BofA across the street. I cannot wait to come back and try more of the offerings on their menu.

Grilled chicken (split with lucenachon pork)
Joanna L.

Delivery review Ambiance and service - no thoughts because this was a food delivery review Food - Ordered the... Lucenachon Rice Plate - tender, juicy meat, crispy skin. Garlic Rice was a bit oily but tasty. Yummy veggies. Java Garlic Rice- delicious but a bit oily. Half Grilled Chicken (à la carte)- tender and flavorful Green Goddess Sauce - delicious and great to dip into with chicken Clean and Secure packaging

Tapsilog
Wally P.

Expectations were high for James Beard, but not up to Wally award standards. Had the Tocilog. Ordered eggs over easy and got sunny hard. Tocino was fair. Not red. Not sweet. No sinangag. Some gooey rice but not garlicky. Swimming in atchara and cucumber salad. Disappointing for $28. Honestly my Lola's is waaayyyy better. Lecunachon was just not good. Not crispy. No flavor profile. Not sure if maybe we just caught them on a bad day? Sorry Kuya.....my pinoy food at home can rival.

Prime Beef Short Ribs (à la carte, savory)
Jennifer S. M.

I've never had refined Filipino dishes quite like Kuya Lord's. This is an easy recommendation! We ordered the Beef Tapa (savory), two scoops of Java Rice, Sweet Longganisa, Tomato Cucmber Salad, and a Mexican coke. Individually, they could stand on their own. But, when combined, they harmoniously balanced the flavors of salt, acid, and sweetness. The beef tapa was savory indeed. You could also cut into it easily. I've never had anything like Java rice. That isn't normally what I eat at home so this was a pleasant surprise. The vibrant, yellow-orange, grain got its aroma from the garlic and turmeric. You cannot order a protein without ordering a side of Java rice. With that said, because it was savory, it also went well with the sweet Longganisa. The Longganisa was juicy and a little bit crispy on the outside. The acidity from the Tomato Cucumber Salad helped tie the entire dish together. It was a much needed balance between the proteins and rice, and enhanced their flavors even more. The Mexican coke was a great refreshment. I loved the old-school coke bottles. Drinking out of that while consuming refined dishes does elevate the experience overall. The staff were friendly and helped with explaining the menu. They also delivered the food to our table, that was kind of them. Thank you! When you're finished, you'll need to take your dishes up to their counter. The restaurant is small and has limited seating, mostly high table. They also have two tables outside. We went on a Saturday afternoon (around 2pm). Parking was difficult to find. We had to park two blocks away in a residential area. If you do decide to visit in the afternoon like we did, prepare to do some walking and bring a hat. Again, Kuya Lord is an EASY recommendation! I'm so happy that my husband and I finally got to try it out. I would love to come back to try more of their food. Well done!

Grilled Chicken Rice Plate
Stella C.

Amazing Filipino food deserving of all the awards and rad reviews!! The grilled chicken rice plate and the lucenachon are marvelous with flavorful, tender meat with a nice outer crisp. The papaya side was really unique and adds a good, sweet balance while the cucumber/tomato salad is a highlight, adding a tangy, lighter reprieve from the meat. The yellow rice is so tasty too. Prices are a little high but the serving sizes are generous. The restaurant is nicely decorated and service is good. We came on a Friday (July 4th long weekend) at 11:30 and despite the small restaurant size, we were able to find seats for 2 immediately. The restaurant got busier after 12 pm but there were still some available seats. Park for free on the side streets. We parked on N. Manhattan Pl.

Interior. Awards and accolades.
Kevin M.

WHOA! Kuya Lord was as advertised. I'd always wanted to come eat here for the last few years. We happened to be nearby and we decided it was time to visit. Located on the busy streets of Melrose. Parking is most definitely a challenge. We circled around twice and had no luck so we ended up parking closed to 2 blocks away in a residential area. We were committed to trying Kuya Lord's food. Once we arrived the location was close to capacity. We came on a Saturday right around 2:30pm. They offer some tables outside and mostly high top table seating inside with one lower table that is wheel chair accessible. We decided on a few ala carte dishes to share and a Mexican Coke because why not!? We ordered: Prime Beef Short Ribs (savory) Pork Longganisa (sweet) Java Garlic Rice (pint/2 scoops) Tomate Cucumber Salad The staff was kind enough to bring all the shareable plates and orders as it all came out. First impressions, great presentation and aromatics with each dish. Everything was freaking amazing! Chef is a James Beard award winner and I can see why. These are Filipino dishes that I loved eating as a kid and it's elevated on a number of levels. They reminded of me of vacation in the Philippines and eating in the comfort of home. That Java Garlic Rice though! It's SPECIAL! It's one of the most memorable things on the menu. It's one of a kind rice I've not had before. The mix of sweet and savory with the freshness of a salad created a great dining experience for us. We unintentionally created our own family menu. I'm all for supporting my culture and my heritage and I'm glad my wife and I were blessed to try this food. Honestly, I can say this was some of best homestyle dishes of Filipino food I've eaten. Kuya Lord has found a way to elevate our simples dishes and maximize all the right balance of flavors that highlights what our Filipino Cuisine represents to all types of people. I can co-sign that in my personal opinion, Kuya Lord's is worth the hype! I absolutely loved it! I would make this drive and take time to find parking because it was that good to me! Salamat, Kuya Lord! ( ^_^)b

Joseph Raymond V.

Ordered the Kawali tray and really enjoyed it. The pork belly was tender, flavorful, and had a nice crispy skin. The noodles were well seasoned, and everything tasted fresh and well prepared. The only reason for 4 stars is the price. That said, the quality of the food and the flavors were excellent. If you're craving Filipino food and don't mind spending a little extra, it's worth trying. I'd order again.

Bonnie T.

I'm not usually a big fan of Filipino food, but Kuya Lord definitely impressed me. The signature Lucenachon was my favorite and I highly recommend it. The ultra crispy, crackling skin with the herb seasoned, juicy pork was so good. I can see why it's one of their signature dishes. Service was great too, and overall I really enjoyed the experience. Definitely would come back and try more of the menu.

Inside
Shirley C.

Only street parking Friendly staff Menu includes a variety You can just order the meat or make a meal out of it Lechon is their specialty Very tasty Portions are small A bit pricey

Sara K.

Heard about this place on many "top..." lists for the last few years and finally tried it. Both pork plate options were good - maybe would prefer the softer one. The sides veggies were tasty; the rice was a little too garlicky and had a touch of fish sauce but was still otherwise good. Also like that they had homemade sweet sausage. Order at the counter; Very small space but cute inside. Seems to be a popular for take out. Nice to see a trendy spot serving Filipino food.

Langgonisa rice plate
Regina L.

When I saw Jokoy's hilarious look alike Instagram post about Kuya Lord, then asked my cousin if she has eaten in Kuya Lord, she said their food is delish and lechon kawali is a must, so I made sure to order a side of this with the pancit! The only reason I gave 4 stars is because the pancit was very salty. My friend noticed this also. On a positive note, I was impressed by the amount of pancit served on this plate and the abundance of vegetables When I tried the lechon kawali, OMG the skin and meat flavors, and crispy skin, made me text my cousin immediately to tell her she was right! My friend ordered a longganisa rice plate and it was perfectly sweet. The Java rice was an excellent pair with the longganisa. Service is excellent and our food came out fast. The staff who took our orders patiently answered my questions related to my dietary restrictions. We sat outside since it was full inside. Such a sign of the Kuya Lord hype and delicious food fans!

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Business owner information

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Kuya L.

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Kuya L.

Thank you Kelsey!!

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9 months ago

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2 months ago

The food was so amazing, I didn't even get photos I definitely want to go back and try some more dishes.

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Kuya Lord Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Kuya Lord

Do they serve alcohol for dinner?

Beer, wine

Public parking lot closeby?

Nope, however...park in the neighborhoods. The food is so good you'll probably want to walk a little bit off 😂 that's what we do, we live about 15min walking distance from there and it sure helps

Anyone have a price range since there are no prices listed on the menu?

Please check out our website and click on Order Online. All prices are listed with photos and description. Thank you

Is there a reservation?

No reservations. On a Sunday, I got in line 30 minutes before the restaurant opened and was the second group of six to enter. 30 minutes later, the line was out the door and tables full.

What is the parking situation for Kuya lord?

Street parking around the neighborhood only. You may have to park on the side streets and walk a block or three to get there. When we went, we were able to find a spot on Manhattan Place.

Do you have gluten/cross contamination, free food?

We do.

Are there vegan options?

Yes, mainly side dishes are vegan. Entrees are not; include pork, chicken or shrimp.

Do you do catering trays? Do you have gluten-free and dairy-free options?

Yes, we do have catering trays and we have GF/DF options.

Awesome I can order the Kuya Trays for Take out?

yes you can but it takes about 20 mins to get your food

Is there a high chair for kids?

Yes

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Hangari Kalguksu

4.4(3.3k reviews)
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10 years in business

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We had a mixed experience during our visit. Although the restaurant offers easy, free parking and…read moreplenty of seating, the service fell short of expectations. We initially provided our order to an Asian server, but were later assisted by a different Hispanic/Latina waitress. A male staff member also checked in with a thumbs‑up/thumbs‑down gesture, which felt unclear and added to the overall inconsistency. I generally prefer when servers take orders with a notepad. While many can remember everything perfectly without one, in this case it would have helped -- we never received our water, and the waitress had to reconfirm our meat selection. Small details like that affected the flow of the meal. The food was decent. I would reorder the Yuzu Ratan ($19) and the Basque Cheesecake ($11), as those were the highlights. However, the Mango Margarita ($15) didn't taste like mango at all, and my boyfriend chose not to correct it. Overall, the dishes and drinks were just average. We've been trying to explore neighborhoods outside of our usual Koreatown and Silver Lake spots, so it was disappointing that this experience didn't stand out more. The restaurant does offer reservations, which is convenient, but the service and attention to detail could use improvement.

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Afuri - Order at Toast tab https://order.toasttab.com/online/afuri-los-angeles-688-mateo-street

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MDK Noodles - Outdoor seating for AYCE Shabu & Kalguksu open daily from 5pm-9pm.

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Kuya Lord - bbq - Updated October 2026

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