This was such a great hole in the wall that is a restaurant as well as a grocery store for Filipino food. The place is small, but the food was great. The buffet was $18-$20 (price dependent on drink you choose). There was a nice small variety of foods to choose from like lechon, pancit, lumpia, longanisa, and more. My favorites were the lechon and longanisa. The lechon was so crispy and juicy. I have never eaten longanisa as a whole sausage before and I loved it! It was sweet and went so good with rice. The people running the place were so friendly and great. This is such an authentic place. read more

Manila Kantina - Filipino Near Me - Miami, Florida

This is the kind of restaurant I live for. Nondescript, a bit rundown, uncommon cuisine...ticks all the boxes. Add in one of the nicest old ladies I have ever met and you have yourself a great build up. This is a restaurant which happens to stock some Filipino snacks and dry goods on one wall. The tables are old and weather-worn. The buffet is 18 trays of hot food, plus a condiment area and some desserts and coffee. For $18 it's all you can eat and soda or water is included. In downtown Miami that's madness. But the food. Downright amazing. You eat off paper plates on a cafeteria style tray. It is simple. And it is awesome. I served myself a bite of about 12 dishes, tasted them all, enjoyed them all, and went back for second of the best stuff. There are signs posted gently asking you only take as much as you can eat and that is totally reasonable. It's all you can eat man - take a little and if you want more go back! No big deal. But whereas some restaurants post these signs as a threat, the old lady was imploring us to go get another plate as we finished our first and second. Sorry granny I'm full!! Then she insisted we eat some desserts. She wants you to eat and I just loved that. For a woman pushing 80 she has energy and frankly, she is reason enough to visit. Fantastic experience. One of my all-time favorite Miami restaurants and it was like $22. Crazy. read more

Friendly express care from this eatery! Buffet style- priced right. The place was packed when we came but staff were responsive and friendly. Food was good and buffet style! Staff were friendly and tables cleaned quickly for seating. read more

Ok so I know from first looks it can be overwhelming but oh my goodness this restaurant feels like home. I grew up with the filipino side of my family (I'm also half Scottish) and I moved to Miami from Los Angeles. Now in LA there's TONS of filipino spots to choose from. There's something so authentic to Van Nuys and Eagle Rock that's hard to shake being here and not having a lot to choose from. I loooooooove that there's a pick pick location I can visit. I feel like a huge hug from my ancestors when I walk into this restaurant. The value is great, service is great, it is fast service so I do recommend you know what to do when you get there (whether you want for here or to go) but other than that I really absolutely am so happy this place exists and wish there was one closer to Pinecrest! read more

I couldn't be more happy we went here! We had such amazing Filipino food while we're visiting the area. We had such a variety of food and you could tell it was authentic. It reminded me so much of when we went to the Philippines or what my grandmothers used to cook for me. The owners are also some of the sweetest people I've ever met. I would love to come here again! read more

Manila Kantina - Filipino Near Me - Miami, Florida

Very friendly and inviting service, Manila Kantina offers a basic lunch buffet inside a mini-mart with what I hear is authentic Filipino style food. I see that many of the Yelp reviews offer much praise, one writing that it's a "gem of a restaurant", however I thought it was average at best. I found the food items to be bland, dry and over cooked. Perhaps the day I went around 1:15pm-ish, the food had sat for a while. You have a choice of water or canned coconut juice and unlimited buffet at a very reasonable price, so I think it's great for a budget. read more

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This place was a perfect spot for a late Monday lunch. Staff were pleasant and food was good. Very authentic Filipino buffet and mart. Prices are reasonable and in a good location. Lots of food options but things were not very hot. Ambiance is very casual as this spot serves Filipino comfort food in a relaxed convenience store type shop. My significant other would love to come back, I'm just a less adventurous eater so I won't be back unless he's with me. I also noticed there was a mosquito in the hot water when making my tea so I'm iffy on the cleanliness of here. read more

Manila Kantina - Inside - Filipino Near Me - Miami, Florida

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A gem of a restaurant that is without a doubt one of the best deals in the city! It's a no frills, un-assuming lunch buffet + takeout + mini market with some of the best Filipino food around. It's family run and has some of the most chill, welcoming people staff you'll meet serving up amazing, comforting, stick to your ribs Filipino cuisine. It's one medium size room packed full of tables, shelves of dry grocery goods, and in the back a buffet line of freshly cooked hot dishes including staples like adobo (usually chicken or pork), lechon, an assortment of stews like dinuguan (pork blood vinegar stew) or bicol express (an aromatic pork stew with coconut milk and shrimp paste, my favorite!) or fish soup, pancit noodles, some sort of stewed or sauteed veggies, dried salted fish, and whatever else they have fresh and in stock that day. Certain staples like adobo and pancit I see basically every time I go, but one of the great things about this place is that the dishes are always rotating so you can always find something new to try! At only $15 a person including a water bottle or soft drink (fancier drinks like coconut water, etc are a small upcharge), payable with cash as well, it's a total steal. I won't go into every dish I've had because that would be a certified novel, but some of my favorites (if you can't tell, it's pretty heavy on the pork but usually has multiple chicken and a few seafood options too): - Pork adobo: always braised until almost melt in your mouth, the sauce is just thick enough to be like a bit of a delicious savory sweet glaze - Lechon: crispy roasted pork, chopped into bite size pieces so you can get a good mix of the juicy meat with the crispy skin and fat, pairs well with the vinegar or whatever dipping sauces they have! - Bicol express: rich from the coconut, savory from the shrimp paste, with nice pork bits - Longanisa: the classic Filipino sausage, the longanisas here are always grilled/roasted until they have a perfect bite and a beautiful sheen from the sweet glaze and rendered fat - Fried chicken: juicy, a little crisp but not too oily, and pairs well with their vinegar or other sauces - Dinuguan: a legit dish you don't see being ordered at most other Filipino restaurants, made with pork blood vinegar and spices so it has a rich tangy kick, worth a try even though I can't promise it'll be your favorite thing since it's sort of an acquired taste Whether you're a local or a tourist, whether you've had Filipino food before or never seen it, I highly recommend stopping by this place for the wonderful food and the wonderful staff! read more

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Picture this: it's Day 2 of a music festival and you're tired. You're hungry. And your wallet is in pain. You hear about a place that has cheap AYCE for under $20 and think that couldn't be true... but alas... PARKING: It's downtown. Street parking or parking garage or metro mover. THE FOOD: Oh there was so much... I was overwhelmed. But here are some highlights. Of course, the lechon kawali was a must-get. Obviously it's not going to be super crunchy and crispy at a buffet, but it was still crispy enough to hit the spot. The soups available were the sinigang and dinuguan, which were perfectly seasoned and chock full of meat/vegetables. I think the pancit and longanisa were good, though I might skip the fried chicken and the vegetable lumpia next time, which didn't really stand out to me. We decided to get drinks with our meal which was an extra charge, but there's free coffee too. Don't skip on the cassava cake for dessert. SERVICE/VIBES: My total after tax for the buffet meal + drink was about $20. Note that you can go back for seconds too (I think altogether two times? It's not unlimited). The ladies who owned and worked at the place were SO nice and made some really friendly conversation. It felt like we were eating at the kitchen table with family. This is a pretty tiny place with tables in the center surrounded by shelves of Filipino/Asian goodies, but there are also tables outside / in the doorway. BOTTOM LINE: Definitely coming back next time I'm in Miami!! read more

Manila Kantina - We did not hold back - Filipino Near Me - Miami, Florida

When I'm in Miami and miss a taste of Filipino home cooking, I run to Manila Kantina for a casual combo plate. Food hits the spot. Also a great spot for hard-to-find flip snacks :) read more

Great Filipino foods at affordable prices and great story to share how Manila Kantina got to where they're at today! Thank you Sam for sharing your family's and business story and history we need more entrepreneurs and leaders like you! God Bless! read more

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Everyone there is very friendly and helpful! They have rice and cassava cake also, just didn't fit it in the buffet pic. $15 for water n buffet, $17 for coconut water/juice n buffet. Everything was great, I would visit again for sure! If u haven't tried the sisig, please do. read more

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Craving for some home Filipino foods and saw it on best Filipino food. It's a small store front business with a buffet of many selections of your typical dishes they offer for only $15 that comes with a pop or bottled water. Food was on spot and service was very friendly from the moment you step in We met Sam one of the employees , very friendly and very attentive. Overall, if you're craving for some home cooking, this is the place to go to . read more

As someone who works nearby, I find myself always coming back to this Filipino buffet almost every week! The price is super affordable and since I eat very little, the people there are so nice they usually give me extra to take home! The workers always treat me with so much love which really helps since their food is amazing! I love their home style cooking and I personally adore their cassava cake and paksiw. I love this place so much, way more flavor and heart compared to most of the restaurants here, I hope this review invites more people to come and enjoy what this gem has to offer!! read more

Great Filipino buffet, service and food is awesome worth the visit from sunny California read more

Manila Kantina - Filipino Near Me - Miami, Florida

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Really casual! Authentic Filipino food. Buffet style with a great deal of variety and choices. Meal included drink and dessert, all you can eat. They encourage you to eat and staff is super friendly! read more

Still think about this place rent-free after leaving Florida for vacation. How do I describe this place to do it justice? $12 AYCE buffet... despite being in $$$$$ Miami. Has a Filipino homey-kinda feel and I'm not even Filipino! Extremely friendly staff that made us smile and made our trip memorable. Yes, to put it plainly, I freaking love this hidden gem place and its vibe. Inside, it's both a shop and a buffet! (How cute and unique (?) !) For just $12, our bellies were full. To be honest, it's my first time having Filipino food and I think it was the right first experience. They had a huge selection of food even though there were only 2 food isles. I apologize as I don't know the names of the dishes, but I noticed similarities to Chinese culture. They had a sausage that taste similar to our Chinese Lap cheung (Chinese sausage) & crispy pork belly that is similar to our siu yook (crispy pork). Desert taste like slightly sweetened glutinous rice. Huge shout out to Mother Linda for setting the vibe as her cheery and fun attitude inspires me to be a be the same when I'm old! The only cons: No drinking water, but they sell water bottles. No bathroom, but there is a sink to wash hands. Also this place was recommended by Mike Chen from YouTube. We will definitely be back the next time we're in Florida. read more

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Manila Kantina: A Tiny Slice of Manila in Downtown Miami Located in Downtown Miami Manila Kantina is hidden whole in the wall establishment that combines a Philippine buffet and an Asian supermarket together bringing the vibrant flavors of Manila to Miami. The tight seating arrangement and very Manilia atmosphere, along with the extensive selection of traditional Filipino dishes, makes this place an Interesting visit. The buffet offers a variety of options, prepared with fresh ingredients and bursting with authentic flavors. And the Asian supermarket section is a small paradise for Filipino expats and those looking to explore the diverse culinary heritage of the Philippines. With friendly staff, reasonable prices, and an interesting dining experience, Manila Kantina is the go-to spot for a taste of the Philippines in Miami. read more

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What a gem! Surprised and happy to find this authentic Filipino restaurant in downtown Miami. Their lunch buffet was in credit and had a huge variety of authentic Filipino dishes I'd never before tried. I'll definitely return! read more

Manila Kantina - Buffet plate - Filipino Near Me - Miami, Florida

So happy I found this little gem. Just moved from Cali to Miami in July and haven't had Filipino food in probably a year since I was in Texas before. All I can say is... yummmmyyy. So convenient and so yummy. The sinigang was perfectly sour and just had a little rice so I could enjoy a little of the adobo, jeprox, and pancit. Will be coming back! read more

Love the customer service... All you can eat and great comfort food!! Must try!! Small but the service is fast!

Authentic good Filipino food and the people are always so welcoming and friendly. The atmosphere is always so much fun...highly recommend read more

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As a Filipina they never disappoint. It's difficult to find authentic Filipino food and this place always hits home. I highly recommend. They even gave me a free soda read more

Manila Kantina - Pork Dinuguan (Pork Blood Stew) Longganisa - Filipino Near Me - Miami, Florida

I wasn't sure what to expect but I was excited to find out. My friend heard about this place from YouTuber Mike Chen. This is walking distance from Yotel. So we walk in; it's boiling outside and there's no AC but there are some fans. We looked and sounded the "clueless tourists". They patiently instructed us where to grab trays and set them with dishes.The best part is that there is an actual grandmother hovering and telling you to eat and eat more. There are no name tags on the food trays but you guys everything smells delish even if it looks iffy. There were various meats, veggies, two/three carb choices, peel and eat shrimps and a soup. It was variety without being overwhelming. I piled my plate with pork and various vegetables. And then I went back for more. I did not try the soup. We grabbed sodas and then went to pay but we were informed you pay after you eat. Other patrons were filling shopping baskets with tinned/dry staples. We rolled out of there sure that we were fatter. I did spy some Ube ice cream on the way out but I just couldn't. I highly recommend you stop by if you're in the area, or visiting the area. read more

You can't get a more family styled and welcoming restaurant than this. Who knew that tucked away in downtown would be such an authentic Filipino restaurant. It's family owned and ran, with the mom the primary chef (I think). This place is buffet style meals so the daily offering may vary slightly. They had crowd favorites such as sisig and pancit. Everything tasted delicious, and just ask if you don't know what something is. Key is just to get a bite of everything first so that you know what to get for your second (or third) plate. Parking isn't available currently due to construction but there are multiple parking structures around. They also have a mini market for you to buy Filipino (and some Chinese) snacks and condiments. This includes stuff from ube shortbread to Filipino spaghetti sauce to salted duck yolk chops. read more

Manila Kantina - Filipino Near Me - Miami, Florida

The staff are very friendly and welcoming. The all you can eat price is very cheap considering it is in Miami. And the food is amazing read more

Manila Kantina - All you can eat - Filipino Near Me - Miami, Florida

Definitely come here for authentic Filipino food!!!! My family had just gotten off a plane and was craving some kind of Asian food in the area. After a bit of research, we stumbled upon this restaurant and boy did it not disappoint! Everything was so delicious and authentic. The lady, who I think owns the place, is a very lovely woman and very hospitable. Inside, there is a buffet style type serving station along with snacks you can purchase on the side of the restaurant. The seating is very crowded, but filled with lots of locals so you know it's good. Would definitely recommend this restaurant for Filipino food! Also very cheap for what you're getting!!! read more

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Takeout: We ordered a side of lumpia and two combos plates of rice/pancit, lechon, and garlic shrimp. Delicious and surprisingly fresh. Generous portion & affordable. Happy family team running the ship. Crowded with customers who were all pinoy, so you know it's legit. Overall, a hidden gem that is definitely unassuming and overlooked. read more

Manila Kantina - Filipino Near Me - Miami, Florida

Downtown's best kept secret. This Filipino place serves up some of the tastiest, most authentic and best priced(!) food in Downtown -- if not all of Miami. Stumbled upon Manila Kantina on a Saturday when I saw the place was insanely busy around 11 am (okay, so maybe not the biggest secret?). Followed the crowd and great smells and picked up two dishes for takeaway: GARLIC SHRIMP (5/5) - Delicious, meaty shrimp swimming in a tasty, garlicky sauce with layers of flavors. This dish in any Miami restaurant would have cost at least $40 and probably have been half as tasty. For less than $10, this was unbelievable. One of the best deals in all of Miami. Also served with a container of rice. LECHON KAWALI (4/5) - Crisped to perfection on the outside, these tasty and fatty little chunks of pork were richly satisfying. Also served with fluffy white rice and less than $10? You'll be smiling ear to ear as you pop these away. Definitely will be heading back here. Apparently they serve a killer buffet so that's next on the list. And also, worth mentioning, the owners of the place are incredibly nice and take great pride in the food they serve. Maybe the hype is right -- Downtown is the next great Miami food destination. read more

Manila Kantina - Garlic Shrimp (5/5) - Amazing dish. These aren't evening all the shrimp. Such an incredible deal. - Filipino Near Me - Miami, Florida

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You can't beat this deal - $12 all you can eat. We visited them before our cruise and enjoyed the food and the kindness of the staff. When we returned to port, we made sure to visit them again. This time, they had tuyo!!! No pics coz we were def hungry. read more

Good price and good food. Especially when people are raising prices for no apparent reason. My only suggestion is that they bring back the food from Atlantic Chinese Restaurant as they owned both from before it had an untimely fire. The Atlantic Chinese restaurant wings were the best and I would love to see that here. Also, I miss the Crew Express name. This place was Crew Express and they moved to the other side of the building. I think Crew Express is a good name to keep since many customers here are from the ship crew. Judith is very good at cooking and talking to the customers. Noy, her son, is a little playful and immature. Nanay is nice and caring. When Andrew was there, he made sure the place ran well and was always stocking and cleaning. That's a great leader, one that leads by example. I also like that they sell vitamins. I tried one for diabetes and it helped. I like Asian goods since I am White guy. read more

Manila kantina is a hole in the wall restaurant and market. While in the past, their main clientele came from the cruise ships, I believe this little hidden gem should be tried by all. Staff was really friendly and kind and offered a home-cooked meal inexpensively. Downtown is difficult to park, but if you're in the area, and feeling adventurous, give them a try. I had some reservations at first, but the dishes tasted a lot better than they looked and I'm so glad I tried it. Very casual atmosphere, mostly self served. buffet style. read more

Manila Kantina - Filipino Near Me - Miami, Florida

Thank you for the delicious lunch today! Our party of 14 enjoyed our meals, drinks and cassava cake. We thank you to the chef- everything was delicious! Thank you for the friendly service! Lots of options! Our family enjoyed. Thank you for a "home cooked meal" in Miami. Love, the Texans read more

Manila Kantina - The store front - Filipino Near Me - Miami, Florida

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Authentic filipino food. Lola was even hovering and telling you to eat more. Felt like home! We were only in Miami for the weekend and ate here twice. The people were so kind and food was nostalgic. 10/10 read more

Manila Kantina - Seating area - Filipino Near Me - Miami, Florida

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Thank you Manila Kantina for letting me sneak in a Halo Halo to-go right before closing!! As everyone else has mentioned, the service is second to none! Everyone is very friendly and my halo halo was delicious; it even came sealed like the bubble teas for easy and safe transportation of my dessert :) I didn't get to try any of the other foods/dishes but from the other reviews and photos, they look delicious! Stop by Manila Kantina at least for their halo halo dessert! read more

Manila Kantina - Halo Halo - Filipino Near Me - Miami, Florida

Authentic! So delicious. A variety of choices in the buffet, all scratch-made. You won't find too many places like this. Owners were cheerful, welcoming, and helpful. Ambiance is a bit gritty; if you want fine dining, look elsewhere. read more

This is our go-to spot in Miami, serving up delicious Filipino dishes that taste like home!

Must visit during your trip! Best affordable and delicious Philippino (possibly all Asian food) you will find in NYC. I came to visit Miami from New York and as you know, NYC has many great Phillipino restaurants but I never find anything like this! It's definitely a gem among downtown restaurants! It definitely help since we stay, in the downtown. Manila Kantina offers a great selection of cultural and delicious food at one affordable price. I love that I could get a sample of each dish, some which are my go to dishes and some that will become a future dish to order in restaurant. It might be overrated to say but I found every dish to taste great and some taste amazing!!! Authenticity and rich is what I would describe their food profile to be. They are also very hearty and generous about all their food options so you will be able to have great selections of meats and seafood as well. I wish I can eat more but unfortunately, my stomach is too small to eat more of everything! The owner family is also very nice and will make you feel at home. They welcome me with smiles in my two trips there (out of five days) and I definitely felt like I had a home cook meal at my family home. They also have various Phillipino drinks that you can try or make you feel like home to complement your meal. If you drop by Miami and are looking for great ethnic Asian food that are affordable, drop by Manila Kantina and I promise you won't be disappointed! I definitely would visit again if I come back to Miami! They are struggling right now due to COVID-19 so any new customer or food lovers will be surely appreciated! read more

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I walked in and immediately felt like I was adopted by the nicest Filipino family who REALLY knew how to cook!! We went for lunch and it was buffet style, all-you-can-eat Filipino food. We were made to feel right at home immediately, everyone from the other guests to the staff seemed to welcome us warmly. The food tasted great, and there's a huge selection of ~18 dishes and 2 soups. I particularly enjoyed the sour salmon soup, the various eggplant dishes, and the pork (?) and veggies cooked in a very dark-colored sauce that was sooo savory. The drinks were fun too, but unfortunately we were in a rush and had to leave before dessert. read more

Manila Kantina - Filipino Near Me - Miami, Florida

Amazing restaurant ...great ambience and serves....they love what they do ..... I will bring my family many times as needed here.....