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    Kuyas

    4.8 (34 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 3:00 pm

    Kuyas Photos

    Business Info

    KUYAS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Hipster
    Casual
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Kuyas

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    Reviews With Photos

    Kristine H.

    Beautiful coffee shop with great drinks and a warm atmosphere. I didn't get a chance to try the food this time, but I'd definitely come back for it. The owner was incredibly kind and attentive, which made the experience even better. They also had a beautiful selection of plants , there was one in particular I absolutely loved and still regret not buying. Only thing to note: the coffee was good, but definitely on the pricier side.

    Fuel for the day.
    Nikki B.

    When the owner of Kindness & Mischief (Mo Maravilla) decided to leave to pursue her passion of coffee roasting, two of her employees Sian Balauag & Arnold Basingat took over and transformed it into a Filipino-American café & community space called Kuyas. Kuyas means big brother in Filipino, so perhaps it's a representation of their friendship. I stopped in on a Sunday morning. I was immediately greeted when I walked in. The place is so cozy and adorned with plants from Urban Tropicals that add to the charm. The plants are for purchase along with merchandise, coffee accessories, and other neat items that would be great for gifts. There are plenty of places to sit & soak in the tranquility. Turns out the sweet man that greeted me was one of the owners, Sian. He grew up in HLP, which is fantastic! Arnold is the chef in charge of the tasty food creations & desserts. I decided to try one of their signature drinks, so I requested the Kuya-Kapé - a latte with sweet vanilla & cinnamon. Sian mentioned that the drink is a bit sweet & asked if I wanted to adjust the level of sweetness. I told him that I wanted to try it the way it was intended to be served. He asked what type of milk I wanted and mentioned that there is no extra charge for substitutes, which I appreciate. They also make all their syrups in house and proudly feature Mo's Studio Tigre as the signature roast. Sian & I had a delightful conversation while he prepared my beverage. He has a warm & friendly personality. The Kuya-Kapé was delicious! I could taste the quality of the beans. The milk to coffee ratio was perfect. I typically drink my coffee black so the sweetness level didn't bother me. In fact, it was just right. If you're looking for some superior quality coffee and tasty Filipino eats then stop by Kuyas and show them some love. Wishing you guys lots of success. *Metered street parking.

    Kuya Cafe Manilla Vanilla
    Jessica G.

    Taking over a former Filipino cafe, Kuyas recently opened its door offering Filipino bites and drinks. We stopped by right after brunch so we didn't get to try their burritos or other heavy meals but tempted to get our hands on their Cassava, chewy sweet butter mochi that's decently sweetened with condensed milk and caramel topping. Some people knew it as bibingka. The owner was extremely friendly, making genuine effort to get to know the customers and personally thank everyone for coming and supporting the business. We got their Kuya Cafe - their version of Vanilla Cinnamon Latte and Manilla Vanilla Latte. Plus plus points for not charging for alternative milk, which became more and more rare to find in LA nowadays. Coffees were well-made, giving us enjoyable weekend caffeine kick amidst the green refreshing cafe setting.

    Breakfast burrito

    Kuyas is a hidden gem and such a great addition to the neighborhood! We went for lunch and got the breakfast burrito, the bistapa bowl, the kuya kape latte (cinnamon vanilla) & the cassava cake. The latte was a 10/10 and the food was great too. All super fresh and made to order - we could tell it was going to be good by how amazing it smelled when we walked in the door. And the salsa that came with the breakfast burrito was delicious, I would straight up drink a cup of it by itself. The cafe is beautiful inside with tons of plants and a good amount of places to sit, and the folks working there were so lovely and welcoming. It feels like such a rarity nowadays to go to a cafe that clearly cares so much about their customers and the quality of their food. Go support this Filipino small business, it's truly such a special place!

    Outside Kuyas Cafe & Eatery.
    Shik P.

    Kuyas is such a great spot for flavorful coffee, delicious food and catching up with friends. First time at this cafe and eatery, thanks to the recommendation of a dear friend. Kuyas is nicely located in Highland Park where all these new eateries, bakeries and retail shops are established. Plenty of parking available both on the streets and public parking lots with meters. Visited on a Friday afternoon. As soon as we walked in Kuyas the sweet aroma of coffee welcomes you. The cafe is very modern, open, spacious and welcoming. Plenty of tables and chairs for seating and dining. Love the ambiance. During this visit we ordered the House Drip Latte with oatmilk, Cinammon Latte with oatmilk, Lavender Herbal Tea and Kuyas Kassava. The House Drip Latte was perfect. It was flavorful. You can taste the coffee and espresso. It's rich yet well balanced with the oatmilk. Found out that their coffee beans are hand picked, sourced and imported directly from the Philippines. My husband and I are coffee fanatics. We love all kinds of coffee. Lavender Herbal Tea is also on point for all the tea lovers. Kuyas Kassava is a desert made of starchy root vegetable known as Yuca with coconut and coconut milk. It's so good! We plan to come back in a couple of days to try other items on their menu like the Bistapa Bowl and Pork Tocino Sandwich. They also have a vegan item on the menu which is one of our friend's favorite meal. Kuyas provide flavorful coffee, delicious meals and excellent customer service. We look forward to our next visit this weekend.

    Bistapa Bowl

    Bistapa Bowl is what I had ordered! It looks so delicious AND tastes delicious!! The environment is really cozy & feels welcoming. When taking my order, the cashier was really nice and energetic!

    Pork Breakfast Sandwich
    Rosa R.

    Always excited to see a new Filipino restaurant, of course, we had to come check it out. The breakfast burrito was just okay, nothing special about it, felt it needed salt/seasoning, didn't really taste the garlic fried rice and didn't feel the spicy salsa helped it out. The pork breakfast sandwich, on the other hand, was outstanding, flavorful, and wall seasoned! We will definitely come back just for the burrito! Customer service is welcoming and friendly. Restaurant is small with limited seating. Only street parking available.

    Inside
    Leilani M.

    A true diamond in the community! Awesome Filipino coffee shop in the area! We were visiting villa tacos a block over and saw Kuyas within walking distance. Had to come and check it out so glad we did. Warm welcoming service, taking time for personable and genuine care for each of their guests. Coffee tea and food items sweet or savory. Tried the hoji drink. They were able to adapt and provide a perfect drink. It was a great balance of flavor without being overly sweet. Iced without being watered down. Just right! Bibingka cassava cake were so scrumptious. That coconutty sweet note leaves a smile on ur face. Merch, Whole bean coffees and teas, ceremonial matcha accessories. The plants throughout the cafe brings that fresh life to the space with tasteful tropical flair. High or low top tables inside with patio area along sidewalk. Parking is available within a block. Will definitely make it a priority to stop by when in the area.

    Bistapa Bowl - delicious, perfectly seasoned, and packed with fresh ingredients.
    G S.

    So so so good! Everything we had today was so delicious - breakfast burrito, bowl, and Thai tea were all 10/10. Also the cassava cake is a must. We are thrilled Kuyas is in the neighborhood and are filling in the gap left by K&M. The inviting atmosphere and vibe is still so wonderful here. Plus they have the friendliness service!

    Counter
    Eric P.

    Dropped by and ordered the Bistapa Bowl and Kuya Breakfast Burrito with a Kuya Kape. The bowl was savory with a little tang to it. Very good! The burrito was really good and crunchy with every bite. Loved the crispy bits of meat. It comes with salsa which is sweet and a nice compliment to the burrito. The Kuya Kape was perfect. Not too sweet and unlike other coffee drinks, the sweetness does not overtake so you can still taste the coffee. As before it was a great time and the owners really make sure everyone is taken care of. Thank you!

    Bistek Bowl and Kuya's Cape

    The food tasted AMAZING and freshly cooked -- I loved all the toppings! Everything tasted really fresh and flavorful. The inside of the restaurant is also super cute. They have lots of plants throughout the space, and the lighting makes the whole place feel really warm and relaxing. They're dog-friendly which I loved seeing! I also tried their drink, the Kuya's Cape, and it was sooo good -- really smooth, milky, and refreshing. Definitely a spot I'd come back to.

    Front entrance
    William B.

    This has become one of my most recent favorite experiences thus far. Saw them on Yelp and noticed they only had 7 reviews so I wanted to come check them out and show my support. All the reviews were good. I love the whole interior design and ambiance this unique coffee shop offers. It is very welcoming. Beautiful plants decorated around the shop giving it a tropical feel and vibe. Ran and operated by locals who grew up in the community. I had the pleasure of meeting both; Sean the barista and Arnold the cook during my visit. The service was phenomenal. Everyone is invited. All ethnic groups and backgrounds. Community and unity are highly embraced. Found my self networking. Customers are approachable and friendly. The shop is also dog friendly. Definitely a great space to meet up or chill. Great spot to grab some coffee to go. Great spot to sit and enjoy your coffee and food alone. I can see myself pulling up to grab some coffee and chill for a min. Or Interact with different customers and people of the community. They do give discounts so that's dope. Not sure if it requires signing up tho. If so, it's worth it. I asked Sean what was poplar and he recommended the "Kuya Kape". When he told me what was in it or how it was made I said that sounds really good lol. I'll take it. Being warm outside, i decided to go with the iced version. Which also happened to be most popular. Man it was good !!! and just what I needed for this current weather. A signature latte with notes of sweet vanilla and cinnamon, the perfect mixture. Make sure you stir it up real good so you can taste all of the flavors mixed together. With several different options of milk, I chose oat milk. Next time I will try something different. Found myself almost finishing my drink while having an awesome conversation with Sean. I also ordered a breakfast burrito. Surprisingly it was way better than I imagined it to be. Hot and fresh just the way I love it. Cooked to order. The beef was amazing. Juicy and tender. The cucumbers were something new and different. Glad I kept em'. Don't know what type of cheese it was but it was also good. Good sized portions. A nice size for a burrito. I mean everything in it was good. I would definitely buy it again. He also confirmed that it was really good. Prices are reasonable giving the atmosphere, service and experience you're bound to receive, I'd say it's all worth it.

    Homemade cassava cake

    Homemade Cassava Cake - yummy coconut Filipino dessery. Dense and chewy in a really satisfying way - like mochi but more delicate. I could live on this treat. Kuyas Breakfast burrito - delicious! Hard to separate all the flavors but the combo was stellar. Loved the mildly flavored garlic rice. Cucumbers added a tasty freshness and crunch. I was greeted and served warmly.

    A perfect cortado and this Filipino dessert was outstanding.

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    3 months ago

    Amazing food! It was so good that I was tempted to go back the next day just to have it again. The staff is super friendly!

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    3 months ago

    This place is amazing. So much care put into the recipes and execution. Definitely try the Thai tea, I've never had one like it.

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    Yicha - Brunch Toast

    Yicha

    4.4(51 reviews)
    0.1 miHighland Park

    I liked it. Nice addition to the neighborhood. Inside is modern and stylish. It's a long, narrow…read morespace but there's a decent amount of seating. Good place for small groups or a date. A few TVs over the bar to watch a game. The menu is a yummy selection of Korean inspired bar food. Can definitely recommend the wings, bulgogi burgers, and wagyu bone marrow corn cheese. The cocktails are tasty. Loved the Meet Me in Pearis cocktail. They also have a good, but limited, happy hour (5-8 Wed & Thurs, Sun all day) only served at the bar. The kimchi cheese fries are a great shareable or a good side for a low-key fatty like me. Only complaint is portions are a bit small. Service was good. Friendly staff. There's street meter parking or a pay lot behind the building.

    "Yicha" more like "Yi-naw."…read more I really wanted to like this place, but the experience just didn't justify the hype or the prices. The food looked like it was trying very hard to be trendy and "experimental," but underneath all of that, most of the dishes were surprisingly bland. Not bold, not nuanced, just lacking flavor altogether. For a restaurant positioning itself as elevated Korean-inspired food, the actual taste felt forgettable. The portions also felt wildly overpriced for what you get. Small plates are one thing when the flavor delivers, but paying premium prices for tiny servings that don't leave an impression is another. It honestly felt more like paying for branding and neon lighting than for quality food. And the biggest red flag? The restaurant was nearly empty at 7:30 PM on a Saturday night. In Highland Park where good spots are packed on weekends, that tells you a lot. Atmosphere and cocktails can only carry a restaurant so far if the food itself isn't giving people a reason to come back. I already know the response will probably mention "modern interpretations," or "playful experimentation," but none of those things excuse bland food and poor value. Reinventing a cuisine is fine but .... it still has to taste good.

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    Yicha - Owner Debbie Lee & bartender Drew.

    Owner Debbie Lee & bartender Drew.

    Yicha
    Yicha - Pretty orchid on the top shelf.

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    Pretty orchid on the top shelf.

    Holy Saints - Barnyard Bolognese

    Holy Saints

    4.7(198 reviews)
    3.7 mi
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    A cute quaint restaurant with a seasonal, rotating menu. We came on a Saturday night with a party…read moreof four, and I definitely recommend making a reservation since the space is intimate. The lamb dish was delicious! Full of flavor and a really generous portion. The house-made bread with a bbq butter is also a standout and not to be missed. My husband and sister-in-law especially loved the duck dish, big hit! We also really enjoyed the Save room for the apple pie!! Sooo good! Service was excellent, they were all attentive and friendly. Overall, a great neighborhood gem with thoughtfully prepared food and a cozy atmosphere

    Went here on a date with my sister and was so happy. This place is TINY...so not ideal for big…read moreparties. However, they do make the space work and is so cute! We started out with a strawberry sofrita and burrata dish. This had some many herbs and spices in and and was and had a nice combo of sweet and salty. Also got a side of bread with it and dipped it in, so good! My sister got the spring risotto and was good but really rich. I got the catch of the day that was a halibut over jasmine rice that came in the smoked red sauce, so good and could have very easily shared it. I think what is most impressive about this place is the size of the kitchen. Everyone inside is pretty much eating at chefs table and really only separated by a counter that you can't sit at. Goes to show, you don't need a big kitchen to deliver old flavors like they did, well done! Will definitely be going back to try other dishes.

    Photos
    Holy Saints - Dining on the patio

    Dining on the patio

    Holy Saints - Dad's Habanada Griddle Cakes

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    Kuyas - cafes - Updated May 2026

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