Harolds Rooftop Cafe is located, yes you guessed it, on the rooftop of Harolds Mansion in beautiful…read moreDumaguete! What makes this place great for me are the people, the warm reception and the 'all heart' approach which shines through the picking and choosing of mixed Western and Filipino dishes on their menu spread catering to tourists from all over the world. We met families from France, based in Manila for work, who were staying at the Hostel for a couple of days as they planned their trip around Harold's extensive island trip privileges and all so affordable, like swimming with their giant turtles around Apo island. I will have a different review specifically on that experience. (Harold, the owner of the hostel and cafe) operates/owns a diving and snorkelling expedition with his shop just by the entrance of the hostel where you can book day trips and rent gear for whatever activity you choose. We had the chance to meet Harold a couple of times as he is also based in L.A but was in town for a vacay. Harold is a gregarious local who ensures your stay in Dumaguete is gravitated outside the walls of his cafe/hostel which is why his love for the open water seeps through his warm smile as he passionately shares his virtuous take on salt water adventures that will entice visitors within the Philippines and from all over the world. Diving trips has a more intricate process as there are open water courses and certificates before your first dive with the crew. (Again will go into detail on a different review) I just wanted to give readers an insight of how Harolds Rooftop Cafe is the start and end to a fun filled day. My favourite picks from the menu are the Adobong Tuna and veggie lumpias. You cannot NOT have adobo when you visit the Philippines. Adobo is the ultimate dish which has all the fixings of garlic, soy sauce and vinegar simmered to perfection with seasonings to heighten the tenderness of any meat of your choosing, in this case the tuna. Sooooooo GOOOD! The second show stopper for me was the veggie lumpias and this cafe serves them BIG AND BOLD and stuffed to the max, fried to the perfect level of crisp and washing all that down with some ice cold beer while your wifi connection has a speed advantage on that rooftop so FaceTime with the parents was uninterrupted as I showcased my sun set view and authentic, good tasting grub. I mean everything else on their menu is portioned unsparingly compared to other restaurants in the area and you can't go wrong with quality. Price point on meals is important especially when your travel budget includes island hopping, travelling with family and excursions. Everything adds up quickly when you're on vacay mode so it's best to know places where it won't disappoint pockets and taste buds.

From the owner: Serves meat, vegan options available. Cafe located on the rooftop of Harolds Hostel. Serves local…read morefood including vegan dishes such as curries and salads. Also has raw vegan chocolates. Categories: Pizza, Organic, Raw, Juice bar, Beer/Wine, Asian, Bakery, Filipino, Non-veg

I enjoyed my visit here when I went to the Philippines to spend time with family. We constantly ate…read moreout together, and this place was one of the most memorable restaurants, we even went twice in one week! Nothing tasted more like home than eating authentic Filipino cuisine in the city where I was born and raised as a kid. What made it even better was getting to enjoy this moment with my mom, aunt, and especially my grandma. Sometimes, it's not just about the food, it's about the people you share these experiences with. My dinner here will always be memorable because spending precious time with family especially after so many years apart is truly priceless.

The best place between to port and the airport. The food was amazingly delicious and the staff were…read morevery diligent.

Expect the unexpected.. Been there last saturday and the food was not as yummy as we think…read more Especially the chicken

Interesting that Joe's Inato Chicken doesn't have any chicken on the menu…read more Good: lechon kiwali tasted good Not so good: Unfriendly Out of fish - only pork and beef were available. When asking if the ice used to make the watermelon shake was filtered or tap water, I was told tap water.

We were craving halo halo and Mang Inasal knew the assignment. The perfect halo halo to me is…read moretopped with ube ice cream and flan. The most important part! We enjoyed this dessert on a hot day and it was the perfect treat. It was the perfect day to spend with my mom, best friend, aunt, and uncle.

Not too happy about this branch. I had to wait 1/2 hour for my palabok. Worker barely used…read moredisinfectant spray to wipe table. Serving is also too small.

Stopped in for lunch. First time! Service, cleanliness, and ambiance were the best things about the…read moretrip. The food was good. One guest felt the pork meat needed some marinade as the sauce was ok but didn't permeate the meat. The chicken was ok. It had a spice I couldn't identify. Wind dings were crunchy and the sauce that came with them tasty. We also had cream and cheese cake afterwards which were fine. They didn't have the pizza I ordered. So I guess I'll have to try that next visit. 2.300k with drinks.

Tasty food especially the pizza. Hot and ready. Waiters helpful and nice. Tables are clean. Been…read moregoing here for 6 years and the restaurant has never disappointed me. Love this restaurant.

The service was polite and a tentative, very helpful. We…read moreordered scrambled eggs and got sunny side up, both orders and sent them both back. Coffee came with order, we said we don't drink coffee and insisted it comes with coffee. We said again we don't drink coffee and said we will have tea. He said it does not come free the tea. We showed him on the menu that it did. I had the banger breakfast. Didn't want the beans and asked for a 2nd sausage. They said I can't and I said I'll pay for it. She said I'd have to order a whole meal to get it. Food was good, scrambled eggs is a little bit watery, but overall the food was OK. The ambiance was very nice cosy right type of lighting atmosphere was calm. I would probably come back here again maybe

Sans Rival is one of my all time favorite spots in town! The sans rival cake is the one thing to…read moretry. It's what Dumaguete is known for. While it's a bit too rich for me, the meringue and layers are worth a bite or two. I went here one evening and just ordered fries and a slice of sans rival to share. Delicious! We sat on the patio which had a nice view of the ocean.

The low overall review is because they were out of everything we tried to order to include both…read moreappetizer and main meal. What they did have tasted fine.

Food is served hot and delicious.The ambience is very good and the place has outstanding service…read moreand air conditioning.

The adobo kangkong was definitely the winner! I thought the spicy lechon can be a little spicer but…read moreoverall, it was good! I wouldn't compare it with Rico's lechon but it's up there. I would definitely recommend this place if one is craving for spicy lechon.

We first visited Angkol's at 3pm thinking it's open from 11am to 10pm as indicated in their…read morebusiness hours only to find out that they are open only from 11am to 2pm and then 5pm to 10pm. That was a bummer as the gap was not indicated anywhere. We went back later that same night and ordered half a kilo of original lechon, adobong kangkong and their shanghai rice. Their lechon was served cold so we asked if they could microwave it but couldn't. Thankfully the lechon skin was still crispy but the lechon meat was getting more and more oily by the minute until we couldn't eat it anymore because we felt like having a heart attack from all the cholesterol! It tasted good but would have been better if it was served hot. The adobong kangkong was okay, and the shanghai rice was enough to feed a barkada of 4. The place wasn't packed when we visited but we were told it could get crazy during the weekend. Loved the resto's bahay-kubo theme, it was perfect with the food they're serving. Would recommend trying once for experience.

This is my mother's favorite place to eat. Very authentic Filipino cuisine. Small buffet. My…read moredaughter loved their egg rolls (lumpia) and she is a painfully picky eater

Hayahay lives up to its name of a place to relax with a beach front property and incredibly good…read morefood. When I'm here, Hayahay is a must go! Though I am not a local, I've literally been coming here for 20+ years when I'm home in Dumaguete. This place I also associate with home because my grandma's house was literally two doors down and we would come here to eat. This place will always share a special piece of my heart as my dad would frequent this place and eat here everyday when he was staying next door. For years my dad would bring his guests here and they would not disappoint. If you want good food, and even better company - rest assured you'll find it here. Shout to the staff and management who cared for my dad, Dodong Manny Garcia, as their own and fed him well. The Garcia family loves this place! Ambiance: you can bring a date, your family, or party with your friends on their live music nights. This place is poppin' and clean. I feel safe here - their bathrooms are clean and their service is excellent. the beautiful thing about this place is that it can even host big parties. We've even had tables of 16+ people accommodations for us. Seating: You have plenty of choices. Downstairs by the stage. Upstairs with a great view of the beach.Bar seating. And even indoor seating in Lab-as. Take your pick! Food: Tapsilog always a fave. They have extremely fresh fish and sell it by the pound. It is soooo tasty I cannot. I love their LapuLapu and an all-around fave is the Bangus lumpia. Fresh mango shakes and calamansi are a must. Alcohol: Take your pick. They have top shelf and local beer. They make extravagant drinks with flames and everything! Drinks here are IG worthy alongside the food. You will go home well fed and nourished. Parking: Be smart about it - there's a lot in the front that people are willing to help park (you're expected to tip) and even better it's not so clustered like it is in South point... this place literally giives you everything you need! Do yourself a favor and stay awhile...enjoy this place and Hayahay through the night because you will be more than impressed by this place. It is a must go to in Dumaguete!

The seafood and service was awesome. I had mussels and other seafood that were first class. The…read moreprice was reasonable and awesome if you are a foreigner in the Philippines. I went there three times in the week I was in Dumaguete. I can't wait to go back when I visit my friends again.