If you're hungry, Leo Filipino BBQ is the move--and clearly everyone else agrees because the restaurant was super packed when we went on a snowy Saturday lunch. We did the combo, and the portions were very generous--especially the garlic rice, which was fluffy, aromatic, and perfectly garlicky. Easily one of the highlights of the meal. The combo is the way to go because you get a great mix of flavors: * BBQ pork skewer: tender, smoky, and glazed with that classic sweet-savory Filipino BBQ sauce * Longganisa: rich, slightly sweet, and nicely charred * Dinuguan: deep, savory, and comforting--well balanced and great over rice * Pinakbet: hearty and home-style, with vegetables cooked just right and full of flavor Everything paired incredibly well with the garlic rice, which honestly could stand on its own. Big portions, bold Filipino flavors, and a bustling, no-frills vibe--this spot clearly knows what it's doing. read more

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This is one of the friendliest restaurants I've been to. The staff always gives a warm Pinoy welcome to everyone and they treat you like family. I love, love, love their dish choices especially the sisig and the teriyaki chicken. There is also a $5 special and other combo specials as well. There's a decent amount of seating if you decide to sit and eat your meal, or you can take it to go. Give this place a try if you're looking for authentic Filipino comfort food. read more

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I recently came in here for lunch with my husband and we both ordered combos and I got a halo halo. The set up is simple, no frills and you order and pay right at the counter. There is inside seating but it's very casual. We sat in the courtyard where there were picnic tables. The food was delicious, but we did find it was a little oily (most Filipino food is so it's not unusual). We are Filipino and we thought they cooked the dishes traditionally. The Halo Halo was delicious and the cup was fair. read more

Leo's Barbecue - Filipino Near Me - South Plainfield, New Jersey

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Asther and the staff are so welcoming and kind here. They are so nice and bring good vibes to their establishment. The ambiance is casual. Food is already made and served hot, just pick your yummy food and it's ready to eat! I will be back! read more

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Been on the hunt for a good Filipino place in central Jersey and this place was recommended by friends. It totally lived up to the hype. All the dishes were absolutely delicious, my personal favorite was the skewer. Love all of the varieties. Everyone here was very nice and helpful in explaining all the dishes. I can't wait to come back to try the sisig. read more

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Leo's has been around the area for quite some time and there's a reason why. They have a variety of Filipino food to choose from. We usually get the combo plates and it comes with either rice or pancit and then you pick your two sides. They also offer some soups, bakery items and deserts. Their bbq skewers are really good and flavorful. The food selection changes each day. My only complaint would be the food is not labeled for ppl like me who are not knowledgeable about the dish but would like to know what it is. I would come back here every now and then, only because it's a bit salty but so good! read more

What a hidden gem! I've spent a lot of time with my Filipino friends and this smells just like their family cooking. Very reasonably priced especially nowadays. $9.50 for a combination plate. Huge portion of rice. I did bbq chicken and a bbq pork kebab. The pork is incredible. Definitely worth going just for this. The chicken was good too. Lumpia (Filipino egg rolls with pork - MUST TRY) are 4/$2.50 with a delicious spicy sweet chili sauce. Very friendly staff and very helpful. Lots of Filipino groceries to buy too. read more

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Food is good and price is not that bad compared to some other places, great for a quick meal if you're in the area and a pretty large selection. This is where I come when I get the craving for some Philippine food read more

Leo's Barbecue - Filipino Near Me - South Plainfield, New Jersey

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It's been a few years since the last time I'ved had food from here. Used to order catering for family gatherings and my bbq fix. Back in town for an event and wanted to make sure to get some good eats and was not disappointed. They don't have a ton of sitting area but still got to eat in and have some leftovers for later. Having the food there was a treat cause they had a good playlist going...Neocolours was on and was awesome to eat and reminisce Still the best Filipino BBQ I've had from DMV to NJ (other than my own lol). Empanadas are my wife's favorite & I really love the pastry dough. Also tried the Ukoy during this visit--biggest & baddest Ukoy, other than my mom's and it was amazing. There are always so many different food options from Kare-kare, pancit, menudo, lechón belly, etc. you'll find something to enjoy and fill you up. When expectations are high, satisfaction is sweeter when expectations are met. So glad we got the time to stop by. Keep it going! read more

Leo's Barbecue - Biggest and Baddest Ukoy - Filipino Near Me - South Plainfield, New Jersey

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Leo's Barbecue is a cafeteria style filipino restaurant. The steam table holds at least a dozen different dishes to choose from. Offering a wide variety of dishes from fish chicken, beef, pork, vegtables, fried, baked, grilled or stewed, etc... There is always something for me to takeout. My rating is between 3 to 4 stars and went generous with a 4 because I've had some delicious meals here. Unfortunately, I have also had some not mediocre meals. My last visit the Kare Kare was really tasty with bits of peanuts but did not come with enough vegetables. We also ordered the garlic shrimp which was full of flavor but the shrimp was overcooked and so difficult to peel everyone avoided that dish. The baked bangos was my favorite. They follow all the basic requirements for social distancing. They recently added some shelves. I wil most definitely return to fill a filipino food craving. read more

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Excellent food! The pork bbq sticks are on point. Everything we ordered was delicious. My only recommendation for not on my this place, but all Filipino restaurants is to label your food with names and main ingredients so none Filipinos know what they may want. I know this is a customer thing to do in the Philippines, to "point point" as they say. But not many Filipino places know how to cater to non Filipinos. They should try to expand their clientele and not only open places for other Filipinos. It's holding the entire cuisine back. read more

Their bbq sticks is a must! It was delicious, flavorful, and lots of meat! We also tried the pancit, calderreta, Bicol express, dinuguan and lumpia. Absolute delicious. I'm so glad we got to stop by while we were staying in NJ for a few days. All of it tasted like home! read more

Leo's Barbecue - BBQ sticks - Filipino Near Me - South Plainfield, New Jersey

My son Leo LOVES Leo's BBQ - perhaps it's a coincidence?? Super staff of aunties and their family have a very warm demeanor. They make you feel like you've joined their family BBQ. Here's the yummies we had with the big hits labeled with "(!!)". Apps: Soy Garlic WIngs Crispy Pork Belly (!!) Cripsy Okoy - shrimp fritters (!!) Entrees: BBQ Pork Skewers!! Chicken Adobo Pork Asado Fried Marinated Milkfish Dessert: Leche Flan (!!) I love coming here and will be back! read more

Disappointing. Greasy. Restaurant is dirty and hot. Flies everywhere. This is not worth your money. Ordered pancit palabok and lumpia Shanghai which was not crunchy and tasted old. Steak and onions was so oily. Bbq stick not tender. read more

I only had the pork skewers and they were the best I think I've had! They were very tender and flavorful and came with a bunch of meat on the sticks unlike others I've previously had. Very small inside though so I'd recommend trying takeout! read more

Ordered food here for a party and picked it up the day after. The lumpia is freshly made and crunchy and the chicken is flavorful. Staff is friendly enough and the ambiance is reminiscent of affordable eateries in the Philippines. My only gripe is that they placed the food we ordered on the floor, which I found disrespectful and unsanitary. The tables were unoccupied and they could have placed the bags of food there before we arrived. I hope that next time, they would place greater care in their food preparation. read more

Amazing food. Brought back memories to a childhood friends. Everyone was very happy with dinner last night! Will be back!

I've been going here since I was a child. It was always comforting to come with my mom and get immediately recognized. This restaurant feels like family and I love the variety and deliciousness of the Filipino food. It is always something I can count on when I dont have my mom's cooking. read more

Leo's Barbecue - Combo: caldereta, bisteak, lechon kawali - Filipino Near Me - South Plainfield, New Jersey

Leo's used to be good before the pandemic. Food is no longer consistent after they re-opened with what seems to be new management. The lady manager(seems to be a co-owner) didnt treat another customer right today while we were in line buying food; the customer requested for 1 newly cooked bbq on a stick, and the lady manager initially refused and asked the server to use the old bbq instead of the newly cooked one. she should have given it to the customer right away instead of showing heer facial expression as if annoyed that newly cooked bbq was being requested...instead of keeping the customer's loyalty, 1 star for terrible customer service from that person and 2 lost customers. The okoy (looks like shrimp fritters) was not fully cooked in the middle. They dont give a lot of food when you order to-go. Most of the food is oily like the dinuguan. We ordered food for catering there and the lumpia (fried spring rolls) was already soggy/no longer crispy. They dont give a lot of toppings on their halo-halo for the summer. their pork bbq on the stick is tough as a rock. Their lechon kawali (deep fried pork belly) has some sort of aftertaste/smell - like the meat was not washed thoroughly or is old meat. The laing is too watery and it's not supposed to be. Their pancit wasnt as great as it used to be and is quite dry and bland now. nowadays the food at the filipino restaurants in colonia nj and oak tree rd have a much better quality and selection of food (AND better customer service). After seeing what happened today with the other customer, I'm no longer coming back to leo's. customers dont deserve to be treated that way read more

Great Filipino comfort food. From the menudo and incredible garlic fried rice, to the regular or ube flan, I've had nothing but hits from this place. We've had the pork BBQ skewers, lumpia and more, and would happily recommend any of them. read more

I enjoyed the food, at Leo's Barbecue; the ambiance and the service there is awesome. The workers were pleasant and on point and so was the food. I would recommend this place if you want to eat out or grab a bite with a friend or family. read more

Not open Location looks closed and no one there. Catering van parked in front. Leo's was fantastic in the day. Don't waste a drive over there. read more

Went for Lunch Food - 5/5. - Beef Asado was extremely tender while maintaining that bite you expect from slow cooked beef. The slightly sweet and sour flavors were excellent and permeated throughout the entire meat. Butternut squash was creamy and the green beans had a satisfying snap when you bite into them. The coconut milk added taste to the vegetables, but they remained mild. Rice was fluffy. Service - 4/5. Friendly and fast. They answered every question about what the food item was with a welcoming attitude. Value - 5/5. A combo runs about $8. They give a good amount of the entrees and rice, enough to fully pack a plate. Great value! Parking - Mall Lot (Free) read more

Leo's Barbecue - Beef Asado, Ginataan Butternut Squash, Rice - Filipino Near Me - South Plainfield, New Jersey

Great spot for some good home style Filipino food... We stopped by for some lunch on Saturday and I had some crispy lumpia and some pork bbq sticks with white rice. My fiancé loves coming here for food since he loves many Filipino delicacies that we don't make at home. He really enjoys the dinuguan and the bicol express. The only downside is they tend to run out of things so get there early for the best selections. Very friendly service and reasonable prices. Lunch for 2 less then $20 with drinks... Definitely pay them a visit. read more

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Out of curiosity for good Filipino food and bbq, we decided to check out Leo's for lunch. The place was about busy as it was lunch time but service was attentive and friendly. There are a few tables to dine in but most customers ordered takeout. The pork bbq was flavorful but had some burnt pieces. We had the grilled whole squid stuffed with onions and tomatoes which was tender and had the right chew. The kare kare had a good sauce but was pork based and lacked the flavor of traditional oxtail and tripe, accompanied by a pinch of bagoong on the side. What was unique with this dish was the lack of any vegetable! No long beans, cabbage or bokchoy or eggplant, not to mention the banana blossom. The grilled pork belly was ok but lacked the garlic and vinegar marinade taste. I wouldn't go back for the halo halo which wasn't worth what we paid for it. It was a 30 minute drive and not really worth a drive back for me. read more

Great food prices are great very friendly workers lots of food to choose from and lots of home made desserts

I've been going to Leo's since I was in middle school. I'm now 36 years old. I ordered food that really made me reminisce my childhood. Jay and Ara were generous enough to also give me champorado. It was very nice of them and I loved it. It felt very much at home with the welcoming I got from the staff. I will definitely be going again soon and I'll for sure be ordering from them for my daughters 1st birthday. read more

I came here yesterday with my boyfriend and we loved the food! I've been wanting to come here for Kare Kare but every time I call they're always sold out so definitely call ahead to check first! The kare kare was really good only wished it had more veggies so I added more when I heated it up at home, lumpiang Shanghai was really good my boyfriend loved it a lot we're going back this week or next week for them, pancit is great and the pork bbq was great. I wasn't a big fan of the palabok as it had a more sour taste. But will I be coming back here for those food and to try out more of their ulam? Definitely! So happy to have a Filipino place near me so I don't always have to cook read more

I've been coming here for years. Food is great and staff are always friendly. I've tried a couple of their different dishes, but I usually default back to their pork menudo and bbq chicken. I wish there were maybe labels telling you what was what, so I would dare to be more adventurous (I'd feel bad asking what every single item was). That being said, I'm more than happy to enjoy the classics every time. Their price for the 2-entree combo has increased over time (~$6 to $10), but I'm still glad to pay more at this nice family-run business than to spend it at say some fast food chain for less. read more

We did a big order for a family gathering and was totally disappointed with our order. Pancit - extra oily and tasteless, not much ingredients there Mango Float - they definitely used CANNED PEACHES and the few pieces of the mango was just in the middle part. Talk about MANGO FLOAT, few pieces of mango bits just floating there. This is totally unacceptable. Pinakbet - extra soupy, wow, never had pinakbet like this. For a catering order worth about $400, too oily or dry food, definitely NOT worth it. read more

Disappointing. I ordered a tray of lumpia Shanghai and it tasted like stale meat and a bit undercooked. Filipino's don't like being criticized especially when it comes to food. I wanted to go back and have them eat it and tell me what they thought. This is a Filipino staple and kind of hard to mess up. Usually lumpia is the first line of defense to protect the main dishes from immediate consumption but not the case with this order. So bad, no one wanted to take some home, not that I insisted but yo have lumpia leftovers at a party means it wasn't good! On the other hand, lechon belly here is good! But this review is for my recent lumpia order. read more

Great food, I've been going here for about 6 years now to grab lunch. The staff is friendly and explains all the dishes available. Also tried some of the sides & desserts over the years. Love this place! read more

I believe this is the only Filipino restaurant in the area and I can tell you now, going there during lunch time on a weekday was pretty hectic. There were no tables to sit and we had to sit next to some strangers. Overall, Filipinos (I am one as well) are mostly chill and dont mind. It was my first time going and I had the chicken curry and also the bicol express (pink pork in one of my pictures) and it was pretty solid. Both dishes had a kick to it and they gave you a pretty good portion for their combo dish which was roughly $8. read more

Leo's Barbecue - Filipino Near Me - South Plainfield, New Jersey

Wonderful food - 100% recommend anytime you want to host and have traditional Filipino dishes.

I am not very familiar with Filipino cuisine but Leo's Barbecue is great. It is kind of hidden in the strip mall and the restaurant is quite simple. They have many dishes to choose from and I love their combo. You get to pick two entrees and rice or noodles. First of all, I have to say that everything I have tried here is tasty. The entrees are mostly beef, pork or lamb stews cooked with different spices. They also have their own skewers which are great too. The only thing I kind of wish for is more vegetable dishes and less grease in the stew. Otherwise, Leo's is amazing! read more

Don't let the name fool you. Although Leo's Barbecue does serve some killer BBQ fair, it is possibly one of the most authentic and best tasting filipino food joints one can find in the central Jersey area. "Huh? What is this filipino food you speak of anyway?", says you. It is the soul food of the orient; the deep fried pork fat missing from your spirulina shake; the culinary tradition held responsible for fertilized and nearly-developed duck eggs eaten out the shell (called balut) a la Andrew Zimmerman. Whatever your disposition is on this commercially underdeveloped cuisine, it is my opinion that Leo's is as close as it gets to the real deal; proper filipino food. Leo's Barbecue's main attraction is their pork shish kabob. One word; bangin'. Equally bangin' is their BBQ chicken which is served in bite-sized strips of plump, juicy white chicken. Other dishes are presented cafeteria style and are changed up on a daily basis. For first timers, a sampling of pancit (the filipino equivalent to chinese lo mein), shanghai egg rolls and pork asado should provide for a nice introduction to filipino fair. For more adventurous types, stewed tripe with chic peas and dinuguan (a filipino savory stew of blood and meat simmered in a rich, spicy gravy of pig blood, garlic, chili and vinegar) are often on the daily-changing selection of stews. This place loses stars because of it's ambience. Not quite the place you want to bring a first date, but certainly a solid choice for take-out. More or less it is a hole-in-the-wall, but I tend to favor these types of joints when it comes to finding authentic, home-made flavors. MUST HAVES: -BBQ (pork shish kabob or chicken) -pork asado PROS: -authentic filipino cuisine -fresh ingredients (comparative to other filipino joints I've tried) -fair prices CONS: -ambiance -volatile menu (changes day to day) read more

Leo's Barbecue - Filipino Near Me - South Plainfield, New Jersey

Leo's has always served phenomenal food. Everyone is very kind, the BBQ skewers and chicken teriyaki are always great.

I have never checked this place on yelp because I have been going here for years. Anyone who doesn't give this place 5 stars has something wrong with their taste buds or they are closed minded. If you want great authentic, cooked right in front of you Filipino food, this is the place. It is hidden away in a popular shopping area but once you find it you will never stop going. Everything that they cook is amazing and filled with flavor read more

Tasty, cheap. If you know the area but have never seen it, that's because it's in a little alcove of the shopping center. They've got about ~12 options setup in a cafeteria style. They call it the "point point combo" - point at the two things you want and get rice or noodles on the side. The barbecue stick was delicious - flavorful, moist, incredible. Pork with "tomato sauce" was great as well. It's Overall very tasty, really cheap, fast food. Great place for a quick lunch. It is a hole in the wall, but clean and neat. They also do catering (party trays). read more

I'm a little torn about my order of limpiang Shanghai and pancit. I've ordered from here before and it was a little different. I picked up the order at my assigned time....mid afternoon on a Saturday. I was thinking the order would have been cooked fresh like it had been before but when I picked up the bag, both trays were not warm but at room temp. I gotta say, it was a little disappointing bc it made me wonder when it was cooked. Usually when I pick tray orders for food anywhere, I expect it to still be warm enough so I wouldn't have to have food on sternos long. The flavors were generally fine on my two orders but the whole thing about them being at room temp and not warm was not expected. That is prob the reason for my rating at this time. Maybe this is a one off? read more