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    Perla

    4.6 (317 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 9:00 PM

    Perla Photos

    PERLA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Trendy
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Perla

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    Reviews With Photos

    pork, Whole Fish Meal, Chicken Inasal
    Gabrielle L.

    Such a cool place and a unique dining experience. I love any excuse to eat with my hands. Such a fair price for how much food you get and the condiments are so tasty. As always the service is friendly and helpful and none judgement. Fun group dining or date!

    The pile! Paloma Pompano, Spring Rolls, BBQ Chicken, Pork Cubes, Garlic Fried Rice, and vegetables.
    Michael G.

    My friend and I came to try Filipino food at Perla for the first time. We made a great choice. Based on what I've read from prior Yelp reviews, I was expecting this BYOB to have a menu and the ability to make some decent choices. But not anymore. It's family style only at $50 a head not including tax and tip. But believe me, you'll go home full and probably with a doggie box. The restaurant has less than ten tables and thankfully only one was occupied when we arrived without a reservation. The tables were covered in banana leaves and we almost weren't prepared for what to expect. You eat with your hands (but they'll give you utensils if you dare)! The food is served piled high in the center of your table! You'll start with a nice sweet roll, and then the pile starts. First some garlic rice, then multiple types of vegetables. You'll get a wonderful Paloma Pompano fish, half a BBQ chicken, and crispy pork belly cubes. You'll also receive some spring rolls. Three sauces will come with your pile. Both of us almost burned our hands with the attempts to rip open the chicken and fish. But everything tasted so good. The table and our clothes got messy rather quickly. The meal ended with a chocolate budino with almond crust. For that, we did have a spoon for. Our server was more than happy to answer questions and complimented how "well we cleared our pile." We did have more than enough vegetables and rice for a meal at home. $150 for two including tax and tip. We did also purchase a lemonade type drink each, too. I recommend Perla for something different but really good food! I liked the fish the best.

    Alice L.

    such a fun experience! cozy byob restaurant with a unique kamayan menu. here, it's recommended to eat with hour hands as per the traditional filipino style. my friend and i chose to honor the tradition, but we did see that other tables were using utensils, so that is an option if you're not up for using your hands. the food was great, and the quantity was massive. my friend and i ate until we were stuffed and still had enough leftover for two full meals. i personally really enjoyed the lumpia and pork belly. the only caveat is that it is a tasting menu, so not suitable for picky eaters or people with dietary restrictions. i also am not sure if the tasting menu changes, so i wouldn't come back unless it does, but i would recommend! i think this is an especially fun dinner if you have a large group. overall, great experience!

    Main Course
    Madison C.

    DAMN! This was the best Christmas dinner my family's had in a whiiiile.... Definitely a hole in the wall especially with all the other bangin' resturants around Passyunk. That being said, this is worth every dime. The group portion is generous, and everything is absolutely delicious. This BYOB served garlic fried white rice, with curry fried veggies, grilled chicken, roasted pork, and a fried fish I've never had before called Porgy. If I lived closer to Philly I'd make it a mission to eat here at least once a year. This is authentic Filipino food at its best; its clean, filling, and honestly heals the soul. It was exactly what I needed to wrap the year up. Yes, they do provide boxes, and best believeee I was eating the leftovers for days (yes, DAYS, there was so much food...) after visiting here. You eat with your hands and share food with the people you invite, so be sure to invite your bestest of friends.

    Whole Fish Meal
    Liz M.

    We had an amazing experience. Family style and part of the whole experience. The fish and pork shank were amazing. All The food was delicious. The service was on point and we had food beyond what we could eat in one sitting. If you are afraid to eat with your hands and share from the table with your friends and family... not the place for you. But if you are in for a delicious culinary experience... this is a must try.

    Linda L.

    Cozy restaurant that emulates a first floor south philly apartment. It is a set menu and the staff caters to the amount of people eating... with plenty of leftovers. There is a bathroom to wash your hands, since you'll be eating with your hands. Staff does ask if you want utensils, which I took advantage of. 10/10 recommend to do at least once! In comparison to Marrakesh and Casablanca.. I would come back to Perla for their set menu

    Incredible experience. Just go... We had a large group (12) and they accommodated perfectly. Just go.. trust me.

    Olivia N.

    Great restaurant to go to with a group of friends. We had a lot of food left over with six of us at the table. Food was fresh and came out steaming hot! My favorite was the fish!

    Michael C.

    This was a really cool experience eating with my hands off a banana leaf. The food was extremely rich and heavy, but also lacked flavor at the same time. Service wasn't great, even for how small the place is. The meal was very expensive for what you get also.

    Fish and chicken
    Jeremy W.

    When friends ask for a unique spot in Philly, I point them to Perla. Perla, located in vibrant part of town, Passyunk, showcases Filipino food in its authentic form. For $50 per person, you are given a ton of food on a huge banana leaf that covers the table. No utensils are provided as the food is meant to be eaten with your hands; however, you may ask the staff for utensils and they will kindly bring a set for you. For the spread, you are given fried pork belly, chicken in a soy and lemongrass marinade, fried whole fish, fried rolls, fried pork, assorted vegetables, and dipping sauces, all on a bed of garlic rice. Fair warning, this gets messy especially with all the oils. No shame in asking for some utensils if you're not comfortable with oily fingers, but I recommend embracing the culture and giving it a try! Everything is super flavorful, especially with the garlic rice. It is on the heavier side because most of the ingredients are fried or stir fried in oil, so come with a large group. I've seen groups ranging from 4 to even 12 here. It's really a great time especially since it's BYO. Come celebrate with your friends! However, I might recommend you try another place for a date night because it gets messy, unless you and your date are cool like that haha I think Perla has its place in Philly. Great food and service, with BYO. Can you beat that? I typically pay a visit when a group of friends are in town or if I want to introduce family to a unique experience. Ignore the calories for the night and indulge!

    The whole meal
    Shannon S.

    Be ready for something different. This place has a fixed menu. Everything is cooked and brought out and dumped on the table on banana leaves. You eat with your hands. The crispy pork belly was tender inside and cripsy on the outside. There is a whole fish on top that was flavorful and tender. The rice and veggies were cooked in a mild curry and coconut milk. Everything was fresh and tasty. The portions were enough for 8 people. Fun experience , good food, good service.

    Ash Y.

    For a memorable dining experience or a great spot to impress out-of-town guests, Perla is the place to for you! The food is served in a traditional Filipino boodle fight or kamayan style, where everything is laid out on the table over banana leaves and you're meant to share and eat with your hands. For $50 per person, you get a variety of food and the dishes are incredibly tasty. It is well worth the price point and you won't leave hungry-- in fact, you'll probably end up taking some leftovers home!

    Sophie W.

    Such good food for such a great price! Nothing feels more celebratory than digging your fingers into rice and deep fried pork belly. They started us off with this bread roll that was deliciously sweet and soft, then followed it up with a heaping pile of fish, pork belly, chicken, and lumpia. There were also curried veggies. I thought the chicken was a bit salty but the rest of the food was excellent, especially when paired with the sauces that were given. My favorite was the whole fish, which came off in tender flaky pieces. It definitely needed the vinegar sauce but was absolutely delicious combined with that and the fragrant garlic rice. Service was also prompt, and we got hand wipes to clean our hands before the dessert of coconut chocolate pudding. I left stuffed and the two of us had two big boxes of leftovers that we brought home too. For the $50 pp price, this can't be beat!

    Whole Fish Meal

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    Page 1 of 8

    Ask the Community - Perla

    Is this place even good?

    Went for the feast on a Sunday night. AMAZING!!!

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Ember & Ash

    Ember & Ash

    4.4
    (147 reviews)
    0.0 mi

    We went here last year on our anniversary....the 4th of July. I just realized that I never made a…read morereview! Better late than never???? They had custom menus for us that said "happy anniversary"....really nice touch. They also gifted us two glasses of prosecco. The food was absolutely outstanding. We split the grilled avocado and the crab toast. And both ordered the gnocchi. And split the basque cheesecake for dessert. I am still thinking about the meal......11 months later. It was THAT good. The wood burning fireplace/cook area. The wood waiting to go in to be burned. The open kitchen. Such a cool vibe. The cocktails were also sublime. We split charcoal old fashioned and a roasted strawberry Negroni. Then I had a pickled beet martini.....very delish and unique...but nothing my husband would try. On a scale of 1 to 10....this place was at least an 11.

    We came here for happy hour and were immediately impressed by how stunning the space is. The decor…read moreis beautiful, and it would make a great date-night spot. The service, food, and drinks were all good, but happy hour felt pricey for the portion sizes. We shared oysters, French fries, shrimp cocktail, and tuna crudo, along with a few glasses of wine. Everything was delicious, especially the tuna crudo. My photos may be a bit misleading--the oysters and shrimp were surprisingly small, and we actually left feeling hungry. Overall, a beautiful restaurant with great food, but not the best value for happy hour.

    Photos
    Endless Taps
    Endless Taps
    Clams & Mussels
    Clams & Mussels
    Side care

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    Side care
    Roxanne

    Roxanne

    4.3
    (19 reviews)
    1.2 mi

    First of all, the Yelp operation hours/days are incorrect, so call ahead or check the restaurant…read moreinstagram page or website to get current info. Second, everyone knows about Roxanne's insanely delicious and creative prix fix menus, but did you know they now have a la carte lunch (and dinner) menus? I recently scored a lunch reservation and ordered a classic combo of burger and fries, with strawberry shortcake for dessert. Roxanne can make the tasty inventive dishes, but can they make hometown faves like this? Yes. Yes they can. The juicy well-seasoned burger, pillow soft homemade sesame bun, secret sauce, and onion would have been enough, but the unmelted, room temp red rock cheese gave the burger a kick in the pants that make this a contender for best burger in Philly. The curly fries would put Arby's to shame. They are thicker, crispier, longer, and softer inside. Lastly, it may seem odd to order dessert after lunch. But, if you are at Roxanne, you could be charged with a crime if you leave without it. I went with the American classic of strawberry shortcake since it's practically a requirement on 4th of July and this is our 250th birthday as well! I think the photo explains itself. Obscenely delicious and, yes, I ate it all. Slowly. So, put Roxanne on the top of your list for a Philly lunch stop, and order the dessert too! You won't regret it.

    Love the ambiance, like a hidden secret. Excellent service. Good very adventurous. We had the snow…read morecrab claws, cute presentation, tasty dipping sauce. You cannot go wrong with the Norwegian Salmon or Moulard Duck. Large portions & very tasty. Description on the menu perfect. Tried both zero proof drink options which were interesting, would recommend.

    Photos
    Interior seating
    Interior seating
    Inside Cheesesteak
    Inside Cheesesteak
    Interior seating (some Japanese style floor seating)

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    Interior seating (some Japanese style floor seating)
    Izzy's 33

    Izzy's 33

    4.5
    (91 reviews)
    0.2 mi

    Amazing service! Great menu options and decent amount of seating…read more Food for the price was pretty quantitative and filling. One high table with outlets.

    The plan this week was to go to breakfast/brunch two different days, and I am so happy that we…read morehappened to start that adventure with a trip to Izzy's 33. The choice to go here was made due to the fact we have an engagement in South Philly. However, Jen simply pulled up a list of places in the area and picked here. After looking at the menu though, we knew we had likely locked in on a perfect place. Not only is the menu extremely extensive, but it also has an almost unending plethora of Mexican and Central American inspired brunch choices that had me trying to make selections two nights before we were even going to go. After stopping nearby at the place we needed to attend first, we leisurely made our way to the 1700 block of ninth street, and were amazed to find parking right in front. From years of working in the area and dealing with parking and driving here, finding a space with absolutely zero issue right off the bat was already a recipe for success and obviously just a sign of the boon to come. The little cafe is tucked away into what appears to at one point, likely many years ago, to have been a classic center row home. It's not an end property, and despite the space inside being quite roomy for what it is, it's a narrow corridor with the seating up front, prep and serving area in the center, and kitchen in the rear. Very cute, and everything inside has this older wooden feel to it, as if plucked from an old bookstore. We only had the opportunity to converse with one staff member, our server; she was not only wonderful, upbeat, and friendly, but also helpful, guiding us to a nearby location to get banana leaves for tamales I planned to make later in the week. That's just the beginning because I haven't even gotten to the food. This was one of the best breakfasts I have had in a very long time. The Huevos Enmolados was so outstanding, not only did I finish the perfectly build stack of tostadas with all the ingredients stacked deliciously on top, but also asked for a small bowl of tortilla chips to scoop up the remaining mole that had become its own unique sauce amalgamation with the runny eggs and cheese and other flavors. I cannot overstate how wonderful this was. If I could have physically stomached a second meal, I would have ordered a complete second portion and eaten that too. Jen's carnitas skillet was also outstanding, although I only had a taste. We also had a side of scrapple which was delivered perfectly crisp and molten inside, steaming hot like forbidden meat-lava. Even the local classics are done perfectly here. Not only is Izzy's 33 worth visiting if you live in the city, if you are in the area at all, this place warrants a trip for breakfast or brunch. It is a premiere experience at a reasonable price especially for the city. I am sure there may be places that have a different selection, or may be preferable to some people, but for everything they offer, I don't think they can be beat; at least not easily. Do yourself a favor and get in here today and enjoy some of their unique offerings. I can guarantee that you'll enjoy.

    Photos
    Izzy's 33
    The best brunch!!
    The best brunch!!
    Izzy's 33

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    Perla - filipino - Updated July 2026

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