Only Renee's has finally opened on the Oceanfront and we had to get takeout since it's such a rainy day; they did not disappoint! Must-tries are the sisig, lumpia, and ube con hielo. Everything tasted authentic and reminded us of a comforting home-cooked meal. Ms. Emma was incredibly sweet and patient, which made the experience even better. You can really feel the love and care put into the food and service. So happy to see them back in business again and highly recommend everyone give them a try and support this local gem! read more

Run, don't walk to Renee's. Now!! Everything was perfect! The food, the presentation, the drinks and OMG the service!! I know the new location is at the oceanfront but please go. Don't let that deter you. You will not regret it. You order the food through a kiosk. Pay and sit. There are people to take drink orders, deliver food, take away plates and anything else you need. There is a bar, indoor seating and outdoor seating. It was tough to decide what to order but we decided on the Chicken Pancit and BBQ Chicken Bowl. It took no time at all to get our food. Freaking delicious!!!! Perfection. Huge servings. We each took some to go. I wanted to keep eating and eat it all but I stopped myself. Everything was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Fresh. Chefs kiss. I am a foodie and this kind of meal makes me happy and do my happy food dance. And this is a true family restaurant. I met husbands and wives and sons and family friends and mothers. They all came together and made this awesome team to serve us delicious food. So very nice too. The drinks were also delicious. I will be going back. I don't have a single complaint. They also have a take out window. read more

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Food Quality: 3 1/2 star Food taste is a typical home cook ( I guess, I expected too high on the quality and presentation of the food since each plate is expensive). Ambiance: 4 1/2 star The place was really great. Nice Filipino display and decor that adds to a good ambiance. However, the music was too loud. Service: 1 star Sorry to say but the service that was provided to us was very disappointing. It took them almost 2 hours before they served our food. They didn't even follow up our orders, it took me 2x to tell them about our food... read more

My favorite filipino restaurant in the 757. The ginger soda is amazing. The fried fish is bomb. I love my sisig in a skillet because it's crispy and they are one of the only places that do it. Everything is bomb and they need to open up sooner because I'm getting angsty that I'm not getting my only at renees fix lol. read more

Filipino restaurant close to Virginia Beach, where it felt like being in a hut in the Philippines with the cute decorations and Titas walking around. Came in on a rainy day, right when it opened and they were so friendly greeting us in Tagalog, which added to the ambience. I ordered the Adobo Fried Rice and Pork Tocino. I couldn't really taste the adobo much in the fried rice, so I would skip on the extra dollar for it. The Tocino came in a large portion which was amazing. I enjoyed the sweetness of the bite and it wasn't just drenched in the sauce. The dishes were a little pricey, but delicious. Sadly I was unable to try the bulalo special, but would come back again whenever I'm in back in the area. read more

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Feb 15 Pretty darn tasty. But price for the amount of food, that wasnt it. Service was superior. I cant spend that much and get that little, times are way too tough. Esp when there are other Filipino restaurants that have better prices, flavors and more options. I rank my decisions to eat somewhere again as: 1 star - if someone else buys it I won't eat it, I would rather go hungry. 2 star - if I'm hungry, no other options are open and someone buys it - I would consider eating it 3 star - I'm ok with eating it as long as someone else pays 4 star - I will eat again and pay for it and be a semi-regular customer 5 star - I will travel for good food and pay good money and be back on a regular basis and maybe even pay for yours just so we can go read more

October is Filipino American History Month, so my friends and I decided to check out Only at Renee's. According to their sign outside, the cuisine is inspired by the city of Pampanga. It's a small establishment, and when you walk in, you are transported to a night market perhaps (?) or the feel of someone's home. Super cozy! There are straw baskets in a variety of different shapes, sizes and designs adorning the walls and friendly staff. - Parking - Center lot. - Sips - Melon juice - this was so refreshing! It reminded me of a cantaloupe agua fresca, but here, they also add shredded cantaloupe in it. I could probably drink gallons of it! Sago't gulaman - this was my least favorite of the drinks. From the description, it truly is exactly that, sugared water with some toppings in it. I would not get this again. Calamansi crush - another winner! So refreshing! For those who are not familiar, calamansi is a Philippine lime, a citrus fruit that has a green peel, but has an almost tangerine like interior. It's so good, and they add a bit of crushed ice (not too much), so it keeps it cold, but it's also not a slushie. I would drink gallons of this too! - Noms - Sizzling inihaw na pusit: sizzling grilled squid garnished with onions and bell peppers⁠. The size of this squid was HUGE. It was grilled, so it had the char taste which was delish, and served with a vinegar-based chili dipping sauce. So delicious! Oxtail kare-kare: oxtails stewed in a creamy, peanut sauce with eggplant, green beans, and bok choy⁠. This was my least favorite dish. I have had kare kare once before, so I don't really have anything else to compare it to (it wasn't the best either). I think I just don't like the dish. It's super heavy and maybe I should have mixed some shrimp paste in the sauce to add more umami, but I think I just don't like the rich and heavy nature of the dish. No shade on the dish, as I know it's a favorite for many. The presentation and the quality of the ingredients were from what I could tell was far superior than the previous experience of my first kare kare dish. I normally love oxtails, but this preparation is just not for me, I think! Fried street food - platter of lumpiang Shanghai, fish balls, longanisa, fried pork belly, marinated angus beef, sweet plantains, and fries⁠. This is my type of plate which has a little bit of everything! Definitely great for sharing! Garlicky fried eggplant: grilled whole with garlic⁠. I just love eggplant and garlic, so this was a killer combo. Garlic fried rice: Filipinos are speaking to my Korean heart with this dish! I have recently discovered Filipino breakfasts and the starring role is the garlic fried rice. Only at Renee's is beautifully presented with some red onions on top! Good to soak up any sauces you have from the other dishes! Halo halo: in Tagalog, meaning "mix mix", it's a combination of crushed ice, evaporated milk, fruits, and homemade ingredients. ⁠As if all the things we ordered weren't enough, we had to end the meal with a grand finale. Halo halo reminds me of a Filipino version of a Korean shaved ice dessert called patbingsoo. I think most Asian countries have their own versions of this. Halo halo was a party of flavors from starchy to fruity, to icy and creamy and even the puffed cereal-like topping! I have heard that the owner's parents actually have a popular restaurant in NY and was the inspiration behind the opening of this restaurant. Love that they decided to bring it to the 757! My friends and I left full and happy, and I can't wait to go back to try more of the other dishes! Happy Fil-Am History Month! Go out and support and enjoy! read more

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Masarap (delicious) Filipino food in Virginia Beach! When I visited my cousin late last year, I was looking forward to trying good Filipino food in the area as Virginia Beach is a host to a huge Filipino diaspora from the 1980s (thanks to the many Filipino Sailors stationed in Naval Station Norfolk!). I was especially excited to try Only At Renee's after hearing that the dishes are inspired by the Philippine province of Pampanga, the culinary capital of the Philippines! My cousin who lives in the area suggested we have a Sunday lunch here. She made a reservation as the restaurant is small, yet popular. We all loved everything we ate! We ordered: - Ensaladang Talong: A mango salad on a bed of grilled eggplant - Nilaga with beef - Pork tocino - Bicol Express (Daily special) - Sizzling inihaw na pusit (grilled squid) - Sago't gulaman for me - Only At Renee's Hot Tea for my husband - Ube shake for our friends' toddler The quality of our meal seriously felt like eating at Lola's (grandma's home). The friendly servers were like your Tita and cousins serving you! read more

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Wasted time driving here from Chesapeake to eat here only to find out they are closed for a few days. It is their right to close whenever they want/need to however it is their responsibility to the consumer to ensure we are informed of their closures and update the websites like Yelp and Google business to ensure that they show the store is closed. We had two families with us and while we were deciding where to eat in the middle of the heat, there were four other families that showed up hoping they were open. This is basic operation of a business to make sure public information is accurate to not waste people's time. Complete disappointment. read more

So delicious! Very unique restaurant inside a strip mall. The decor is interesting and unique. If you've never tried Filipino food, this is the place to try. Definitely have the BBQs, and the lumpia. Don't forget the Calamansi (Philippines lime) juice. I happen like to have it hot. Better than lemonade. We also had the Sinigang soup. Sweet and savory. The Chef even came out to greet and talk to us. This is a definite place to return to each time you are in Virginia Beach. You won't be disappointed! read more

Service was super poor and they automatically charge a 20% gratuity for parties 5+. It took them over 15 minutes to get our beverages, I understand it gets busy but we didn't even get the water jug (that we have to serve ourselves) or utensils until asking multiple times. It also took almost an hour for the food to arrive which is ridiculous. Despite that, the food was good, I'm not sure what the names of the dish were since we had Filipinos in our group who decided what we were eating. The oxtail in peanut sauce was so good omg definitely my favorite of the four dishes, the pork dish was great too. The fried tofu dish and fish stew were good, I personally wouldn't get again but I can see the stew being popular amongst older folks. The interior is nice and homey feels like someone's house in a more curated way. read more

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This place never disappoints! They have so many great selections on their menu, great service, and such amazing ambiance! read more

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Stopped by here for an early dinner when I was in VA beach. It's located in a shopping center with plenty of parking. I was really craving bulalo but unfortunately, they didn't have it when I went. I ordered the sisig instead, which came out hot on a sizzling plate. The sisig was traditional with chicken livers. I actually prefer it without, but it was still good and flavorful. I enjoyed the citrusy kick. I wish rice came with it, but I had to order that separately. The sisig was enough to share for two people. Our server was also friendly and fast. I could tell they treat their regulars well. I also loved the decor inside! read more

Only At Renee's - Interior - Filipino Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

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We came here as a party of 10 to check out the Filipino food. I was really disappointed that there was no dinaguan on the menu as in precious years. We ordered a variety of food since half of us haven't tried Filipino food before. The lumpia was excellent. You can never go wrong with this dish Especially when it is crispy and hot. I really enjoyed the oxtail kare kare! The peanut sauce was perfect along with the eggplant in it was cooked perfectly. I Even enjoyed the greens it came with. The crispy pata was huge and it was hot and crispy with a lot of meat to dig out! A lot of the young adults in our party enjoyed the longanisa fried rice. They have never had sweet Filipino sausage. I prefer to pan fry it and egg with eggs to get the full flavor of this sweet sausage. Most everyone has eaten chicken adobo so this time we ordered pork adobo. The plate wasn't large but everyone got a taste. I actually like mine with more vinegar and peppercorns. The beef tapa was a little dry to me. It wasn't a big plate. The lechon kawali was crispy and succulent. I like the sauce that accompanied it. The sweet and sour fish was excellent. I wish I could eat more. The sauce was just right and the fish was tender. The pancit bihon was just okay for me. I'm not a fan of pancit too much. And we ordered 2 medium platters for our party of 10. It was huge and we barely made a dent. So just get one order. The Garlic fried rice was an excellent substitution to the white rice. Make sure you make the switch to garlic rice instead of white rice. The red horse beer was a good price for 8% Filipino beer so make sure you get it if you haven't had it. We ordered one halo halo for the kids. It would have been better with shaved ice over crushed ice. I've had better with my beans and jello etc. read more

Only At Renee's - Crispy pata. - Filipino Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

The food was amazing. Not one bad thing I could say about any of it. I went with my daughters and we all can't wait to return so we can eat again! We even got to experience a lil karaoke while we we were there. read more

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As a Filipino from California looking for a piece of home in VA, this really hit the spot! Sinigang was sour and we added egg to the sisig and asked for spicy. Prices were reasonable for the portions and we even had enough for leftovers. Will be back again to try the other dishes. read more

Only At Renee's - Pork sinigang - Filipino Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

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While in the Norfolk-Virginia Beach area, I knew I had to find Filipino food since each has a sister city in the Philippines: Cagayan De Oro and Olongolapo. Only at Renee's ~ a Taste of Pampanga, Philippines won me over! (Funny enough, with a sister restaurant, Renee's Kitchenette, in New York's Little Manila, in Woodside, Queens). Renee and her husband were incredibly accommodating, recommending their favorites and explaining the menu in great detail. The place felt like a homely, tropical beachside oasis with Filipino pop music and beachy decor (right inside a suburban strip mall). The Oxtail Kare Kare with bok choy, eggplant, and green beans smothered in a peanut coconut milk sauce was exquisite. The Hot Stone Tea was enlightening with its sweet, spicy, and citrusy notes from ginger, turmeric, and calamansi. I finished with the Warm Ube Con Heilo, a delicious layering of warm, sweet purple yam topped with cold evaporated milk, shaved ice, and coconut flakes. I can't wait to return when I'm in town, for tsaa and dessert! read more

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I really wanted to like this place I really did but unfortunately it was honestly disappointing. I saw really good reviews so I was hoping it would be good in regards to both food & experience but it was really average at most & the service was not very great at all. I generally don't notice service too much but I do have a few comments for the first time in awhile. Service: The person who welcomed us in with friendly but told us to wait outside while he cleaned up. It was 100 degrees outside but we still waited outside and he never got called in so we walked in to wait again after about 10 minutes. Once we got our table, he gave us the notepad to write our order on which we thought was odd. It was forgotten and a different server had to get it. When we did get our food finally (it's a bit of wait - I assume it's understaffed), it came separately. Not sure if that was on purpose or if they don't have room back in the kitchen to hold the food but I think it would make more sense if the food came out together for an order? It seemed really disorganized so we would get different components as different times and end up waiting more anyways like the rice which is needed for meal. Food: The food was alright. I enjoyed it but I think my fish would have been better if there was something to dip it in? I've had similar dishes at other Filipino restaurants and there's usually something to dip the fish in so I was surprised. It's filling but in the expensive side. Lastly, I'm not sure if their prices reflect the food quality & service. I don't think I'd ever come again but the decor was interesting? read more

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What a treat to try this place. Living in Arlington, there is no shortage of attempts to elevate Filipino food in the DC, MD, VA metro area. Too modern; too traditional; too fancy; too casual. Only at Renee's blends both traditional and modern beautifully by capturing the spirit of Filipino classics but elevating them just enough to cater to your comfort zone while keeping your tastebuds guessing with delight. If you're longing for the signature sweet yet sour, pickled yet rich, fresh yet decadent play of Filipino cuisine, you will indeed have your food wishes fulfilled here. The fact that the food and accompanying sauces are homemade are what makes this place a standout. The chef could've easily thrown together prepackaged longanisa and sauces from the Asian grocery store but making their own... this makes all the difference. For example: The chili sauce for the lumpia and Mang Tomas-esque sauce for lechon kalawi are dynamite. The garlic fried rice made spicy felt new to me. The perfect spice blends in the lumpia filling, the sugary savory longanisa and tocino; the earthy sisig. So accurate and yet a notch above; so good. The hot calamansi was a revelation to me; I've known this citrus (my Dad's favorite) all my life, but never had it in hot tea form. If that isn't elevated comfort, I don't know what is. The service was also prompt and accurate, with a kindness and humility that made me realize good people have a hard time receiving compliments sometimes. Fam - I love your place; it's my favorite Filipino restaurant in the Hampton Roads area. And I look forward to coming back for more. read more

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Not good and, IMHO, not authentic! The ambiance was excellent, with mellow classic Filipino songs, and the decor was on par. The rest, not so much. The price does NOT align with service and quality. For example, the beef kaldereta was watery with vegetables that seemed similar to frozen peas and carrots you find at grocery stores, there was a huge chunk of fat that should not have been served to paying customers, and the traditional spices were undetectable as it was bland like hospital food. The dinuguan was sweet (why?), the consistency was watery (why?), and it was bland, like baby food. The shanghai lumpia was ok; the menu says it's ten pieces, but more like 2-3 average size lumpia cut into ten pieces. Also, you're given a menu and a writing pad; customers are instructed to write down their order and take it to the front counter, which equals to zero hospitality (IMHO). We were disappointed with the meal but had high hopes for dessert. Yes, halo-halo, $10 apiece. Looks great, but as they say, looks can be deceiving. We didn't finish it! The worst halo-halo I've ever had! The bangketa in any Philippine street is better. The halo-halo did not have the essential ingredients, i.e., kaong, coconut gels, red sweet beans, langka, etc. it also had vanilla-like ice cream on top and mushed green peas as an ingredient. Wow! We were unbelievably disappointed. I'm a foodie, and the mantra should be - if you can't serve it with proper ingredients, then don't serve it at all. I have been to many Filipino restaurants and eateries in the VA Beach area, and I must say, IMHO, "only at Renee" is possibly at the very bottom of the list. I hugely support local and small businesses; however, the service and quality do not align with the price point. I am baffled why this place gets rave reviews. Unfortunately, I do not recommend this place to any yelpers. read more

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Authentic Filipino food. A small restaurant with real Filipino vibe. The food served fresh and fast. The place is clean and with a lot of parking with friendly staff . No wait when we came today at 5pm on a Saturday. Highly recommended. read more

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Service is much better as they aren't as crowded in the evenings compared to Lunch time. I came here just for appetizers (fish balls) and dessert (cassava bread pudding ala mode). The ambience is always on point - your little Filipino food haven : small, intimate, cozy, Filipino songs playing over their sound system (funny when growing up you think the singers like Sharon Cuneta had so much talent but now sounds like amateur karaoke artist / oops digressing now). The fish balls are good, didn't quite have a dozen, 1 shy of it. The sauce is sweet and sour, I wish it was truly like the street food fish balls back in the Philippines where the sauce is like a brown sauce! So the fish balls get a 3 stars. But wait, what earned 5 stars and beyond food-wise was the cassava cake - although they call it cassava bread pudding, served with vanilla ice cream on the side and both had sprinkling of toasted coconut - supremely heavenly! Everyone should come and enjoy delicious Kapampangan food! read more

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If you want quality filipino food with superb service, this is the place! We got the lumpia, bistek, and sisig! For dessert, the cassava cake is a must try! The restaurant itself is so cute and nicely decorated! read more

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I find the ambiance at Only at Renee's to be really amusing with their decor baskets almost taking you to the Philippines. When I came here with my family we were determined to try a few items off their menu: Drinks: -Sago at Gulaman -Calamansi Crush -Calamansi Iced tea Food: -Oxtail Kare Kare -Pork Sinigang -Sizzling Sisig -Mixed Fried Street Food -Longanisa Fried Rice Dessert: -Ube Shake - Signature Craft Coffee Shake For starters, you are to write down your orders on a notepad provided and bring it up to the cashier to place your order. I do love crushed ice, but it was a real inconvenience as I was drinking their delicious calamansi iced tea, which btw was a tad bit sweet. As for the food, I highly recommend their Longanisa Fried Rice. Such a hearty meal especially with the over easy egg on top. I could literally just eat that dish and call it a meal. As for the other dishes my next favorite was the sizzling sisig not a big on adding egg directly in my sisig, but this was delicious. The Mixed Fried Street Food was good, but they do often change their items than what is mentioned on their menu. The mixed dish had included fries and kamote, which was ok. As for dessert, their Ube Shake was good very reminiscent of when Jollibee had their Ube Pearl Cooler (sadly they no longer serve that on their menu). Overall, I would recommend Only at Renee's to friends and family as a great Filipino restaurant option here in Virginia Beach. read more

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Simply amazing! You walk in and the restaurant has beautiful decor, plants, and a cute seating area. I ordered the Lechon and got to try the Sisig. Food is so tasteful, authentic, and quite a wonderful experience. I've been craving the food ever since my visit to Only at Renee's. I also got the stone tea , it has a sweet tangy aroma, and it just feels so healing with each sip. Servers are attentive and helpful. The place is clean and again as I said before beautiful. Parking is ample. I plan to visit Only at Renee's soon because their food is simply irresistible! read more

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This restaurant has been on my radar for some time now. We made reservations for 13 on a Friday evening at 5:30. I was blown away by the ambiance and decor. Pictures on Yelp did no justice. I was instantly brought back to 37 years ago when I first visited the Philippines. We had a perfect spot in the back. While we waited for the rest of the family we talked to the owner's husband, Stoney. We also went around and took a massive amount of pictures. We were told to write down everything we wanted to order on a notepad they had given us. Not sure if this is what the general protocol was or if it was just since we had a large party. It was kinda fun and actually pretty efficient. We ordered so much food and drinks I probably can't remember them all: Drinks: calamansi crush sagot gulaman stone tea (hot and cold) ginger ale with calamansi Appetizers: bbq pork lumpia Filipino style cucumber salad lechon kawali Dishes: vegetable pancit bistig kare-kare bulalo escabecha (whole fish) Dessert: Halo halos all around Stoney the owner's husband gave us top service! He was amazing! Everything served was beautifully presented. Everything was absolutely delicious. The only thing that I would have changed was their cucumber salad. I felt it was under seasoned. We all loved the halo halos. To be honest, I regret not ordering more dessert such as leche flan and cassava. The restaurant was adorned with authentic decor from the Philippines. I was taken aback by the bill. For our group of 12, our bill was over $400. However, food was delicious, and service was top notch so I am not complaining. I'm a believer that you get what you you pay for. I'll definitely be coming back!.... read more

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Friendly staff and a great, cozy vibe that takes you out of Virginia Beach. Excellent food and massive portions great for sharing. read more

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This Filipino restaurant is different from any of the others here in VA. The interior decoration is beautiful. Super instagrammable and great for special occasions. The ambiance is chill as it plays old time filipino favorite music. Now the foods.... Everything we ordered were so delicious. Restaurant quality as they cook the food fresh as you order. We tried the lechon paksiw, sisig and dinuguan. We devoured everything up to the last bite. We were told that the other specialties were crispy pata, tocino and longganisa. We already planned the next time we will come back for those dishes. The owner was kind enough to come greet us in our table cz my son said it's the best filipino food ever!!!! read more

Only At Renee's - Sisig, dinuguan, rice - Filipino Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

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Authentic Filipino delight! The service was great "ate" was really nice. The ambiance was really Filipino too! The service was great, the chef even comes out to help out deliver the food if others hands are full serving other customers, so I think that is commendable just to cater everyone and making sure food is served hot. I think I ordered too much though, cause I was craving for a Filipino menu. A good place to go to if you want authentic Filipino food. Highly recommended! I don't have enough food space... ugh I could have ordered some more but... maybe next time. read more

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Food- lacks a little flavor. Im from the same region that the chef is, the flavors do not reflect our region's flavors. When you want to use Kampampangan in a restaurant it needs to bear the same strong and proud culinary spirit of this region. There is a lot of room for improvement. If the owner is reading this i wish you good luck and hope for the best. The sisig- lacks tartness from calamansi and there is no liver. That is not Kapampangan Kare Kare- Lacks peanut flavor, and needs saltiness. Torta- the eggplant needs to be charred not boiled and topped with egg Pares noodle soup- needs a little more sweetness The Langka with coconut milk, needs better quality coconut milk. lacks sweetness and saltiness. Tinapa Fried rice- I broke a filling eating it the rice was to hard. you need cold or one day old rice for fried rice but man that was probably older than 1 day. They did not tell us they charge a 20% tip automatically. I dont mind paying a 200-500 bucks for a dinner but make sure it is quality and delicious. Service. read more

My review is only based on the drink items I tried, and please keep in mind that I did stop by at the end of the day! I ordered a buko pandan drink, which I would rate 1/10. Normally, this is made with coconut and gulaman (jelly cubes). What I got, was a previously frozen and later thawed out drink. The jelly cubes did not resemble jelly any more. Some where frozen, most of them were disintegrating so the whole thing was not great. Even worse, I paid $8 for it. I also tried their ginilo drink, and it wasn't very appetizing either. It tasted like straight coconut milk (no sweetener) and the toppings were bland too. $5! I will come back to try their food but based on this experience, I wasn't very impressed. read more

Only At Renee's - two drinks on a table - Filipino Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

This place is super cute inside. After I ordered and waited awhile to get my food I was going to complain about the wait...but after I got my food and tasted it it was well worth the wait. Cooked fresh, hot, and the onion soup was amazing. The pancit was unlike I've ever had. It had a twist of orange zest. Everything was absolutely wonderful and I look forward to going back. Some of the staff I can tell were new and learning but we all start somewhere. No complaints. read more

Only At Renee's - Lunch menu Pancit, lumpia and some type of onion soup that was amazing. - Filipino Near Me - Virginia Beach, Virginia

Hands down the best Filipino food in Virginia Beach. Upon walking into the restaurant you're greeted with friendly staff and the entire dining area is beautifully decorated. The flavors that were incorporated into each dish were phenomenal. No food was left to take home for leftovers. Can't wait for our next meal here. read more

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Great authentic delicious Filipino cuisine ! However the customer service could be a little better. I wrestled back and forth on whether to present a 4 star rating or a 3 star rating. I did not feel welcome with our server. she was very cut and dry, she would interrupt me while I was ordering to talk to someone else or another server and I would have to repeat what I said. She never came back to check on us. In order to get her over to our table I had to continuously stare at her, because I'm not the one to raise my hand like a child in grade school. My specialty drink was forgotten about, so I had to mention it to our server again. Our servers tone wasn't very friendly either and every time I was finished talking she would say anything else? Besides those points the food and my specialty drink was great! Like I mentioned in the start or this review the food is hands down delicious authentic Filipino food. Its a shame the customer service wasn't as great. read more

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Go. Go right now. Only stop along the way if you need gasoline or to pickup a partner to share a meal with. I've been here a few times and each visit has been nothing but perfection. The food, the atmosphere and the service are most impressive. On my most recent visit to Renee's my brother and I had the pleasure of speaking with one of the owners. He told us that he and his wife moved from NY to Tidewater and opened this wonderful establishment. The husband explained to us that his wife's passion is how he was introduced to Filipino cuisine and now they are here to share their creations. On this particular visit I had the Only at Rene's Special Tea and my brother had the Mango Juice. The only way to describe this tea is "so freaking delicious". How can a hot tea be hot, citrusy, savory and refreshing all in one cup? I know that Joey enjoyed his mango juice but I bet he selects that tea next time. We were going to order the fish balls, but they were out of them so we had the shrimp balls instead. Thank you Jesus!!! They were so delicious. The squid balls were not dried out and were so full of flavor. I loved how they were crunchy n the outside and moist but firm on the inside. The dipping sauce perfectly complimented the shrimp balls. My brother had the Sizzling Inihaw na Pusit. It is grilled squid with onions and bell peppers, he added a side of rice. Let me tell you, this is clearly a dish for more than one person. The flavor, WOW!!!!!! The texture, WOW!!!! The presentation was simple, beautiful and allowed for the dish to speak for itself. As it was a cold and rainy day, I ordered the chicken arroz Faldo. This is not on the menu but is on the special menu. Chicken arroz caldo is one of my go to comfort foods to make, so I was happy that they had it available. I am looking forward to my next visit to Renee's Thank you for our delicious meals. read more

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Only At Renee's is located in Upton VA Beach and the restaurant size is really small. It could fit less than 10 tables and if you have a big party, it could feel very claustrophobic. I've only been to Only at Renee three times. Our 1st time was when it first opened in 2018 I believe and our 2nd and 3rd time was just recently within the last 2 months. It's actually 4 times. In between our 2nd and 3rd visit, we went there for Mother's day and I was waiting to helped to get on list to get a table for 30 minutes. No one bothered to approached me in that 30 minutes and when someone finally approached us (meaning everyone in line who were waiting to get a table), we were told that the wait time is 1 hour - 1.5 hours. Mind you, I tried calling 1 hour before we get there, but no one picked up. I understand they were busy and they were short handed so we just decided to just go somewhere for Mother's day. As for our food, I will consider Renee's as authentic Filipino meal. My favorite was the Lechon Kawali (fried pork) because of the dipping sauce. It was very different and adds a lot of flavor to the lechon (pork). Their Pork Sinigang (Pork in Tamarind soup) was sour and was cooked the way I liked (although if it is more sour, I will appreciate it more). The sisig (grilled pork in citrus sauce) was always a favorite by our party because it was flavorful. My SO's favorite was their Beef Caldereta (similar to Beef Stew) because it's tasty and doesn't have a lot of veggies, just like how he liked it. The service was mediocre and they need to be more attentive, however I do understand that they are busy and on our 2nd visit, they were shorthanded so I tried to be more understanding. However on our 4th visit, where the restaurant was a not packed, I noticed that they were still not attentive. One of the server was snappy was well, when we asked a question regarding the eggplant (Torta) when we were placing orders. I recommend Only At Renee's if you want to try a fancier Filipino meal or if you are introducing Filipino food to someone who never had it before, However if you are a Filipino who grew up with these kind of food, you can get a better tasting Filipino somewhere with a less expensive meal prices. It took me 3 years to come back for my 2nd visit and if it wasn't because I wanted to write a more current review and because my SO's mom wanted to try this restaurant, we wouldn't be back for the 3rd (or 4th) time. I am not sure when will I be back next, but I hope that the service will be better. read more

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Finally got to try this local Filipino restaurant!! This is located in the Redmill area. Once you walk in you notice all the decor that just reminds you of the Philippines and all very well done along with the live plants everywhere. It's a cute little spot with only a few tables so it can get crowded if you pick a day when it's packed inside. We came for brunch and was starving. The menu alone is huge. There's so many items to choose from - lots of silogs, noodles, fried rice and dishes. It was hard to choose and frankly we went pretty crazy and ordered a whole lot cause we wanted to try so much. The entrees we got were all very good. The crispy pata was so delish - not something I can order all the time but it was very good. The kare kare with ox tail was delish as well. We ate as much as we could but packed up the rest which ended up being 2 more meals! We are definitely gonna come back to try other dishes on their menu. The staff is super friendly and attentive. We tried to get a table one evening but their were getting ready to close and they gave my kiddos the melon juice on the house which was so nice. My kids loved it! Next time I'm saving room so I can get some halo halo. read more

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Their food is so good! Everything tastes so authentic, really please with every thing we have ever ordered.

My family and I decided to give this highly recommended place a try. We weren't greeted when we talked in. Took them about 5 mins to be greeted and asked for us to sit down. We got menus and couldn't decide what to order. We then decided to go with "Ox tail Kare Kare, chicken BBQ and a Pig Pata." Once we got our food- I started to eat the BBQ and noticed the taste wasn't chicken. I continued to eat it- and stopped half way because my stomach was getting upset. I can NOT eat port due to a health condition. Once we got our check the waitress wrote down PORK! Next time I would just confirm they are giving me what I asked. Besides that incident the food was amazing. My husband and sister ordered some desert and they very much enjoyed it. read more

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The food, the service and the vibe of Renee's made for such an enjoyable and memorable experience. First, the food, outstanding! Shout out to Ema, the chef. She cooks each dish to order. It takes a bit more time to prepare but it is well worth the wait. I had the bicol express, lumpia and kari kari. Your could taste the freshness of the ingredients, the professionalism of preparation and the salt of love. Ema took her valuable time to chat with us. Such a lovely personality. You can feel Ema's passion for the food and her Filipino heritage. Kudos to the chef! The service was excellent. Shout out to Stoney! He was our server and is Ema's hardworking husband. The place was busy and he never stopped moving. Still he was gracious, friendly and oh so funny. Together, Stoney and Ema have created a welcoming place to eat Filipino comfort food, sing and share laughter. I highly recommend and will return to Only at Renee's. Well done, Ema and Stoney. Oh yeah, one more thing. Ema makes the best banana pudding you will ever have, guaranteed! Sorry halo halo, you are now number two on my dessert list. read more