I love me my Filipino food, and ABACÁ is hands down one of my favorite places in San Francisco for…read moreelevated Filipino cuisine with a modern twist! Conveniently located inside the Kimpton Alton Hotel near Fisherman's Wharf, ABACÁ takes familiar Filipino flavors and dishes and gets really creative with them. As a Filipino, I love seeing the food I grew up with presented in such a unique, gourmet way while still keeping the flavors that make Filipino food so damn good in the first place. When we last went, my absolute favorite was their housemade noodles with squid ink and adobo. SO GOOD. The noodles were rich, savory, packed with flavor, and had pieces of squid throughout. Easily the standout dish of the night for me, and I would come back for that alone! I'm not sure if it's still on the menu since their offerings change, but if you ever see it, GET IT. They also have some secret menu items, including BALUT! If you know, you know. Definitely only for the brave if you've never had it before! I thought it was such a fun touch, especially for anyone who wants to get a little more adventurous with Filipino food. Overall, ABACÁ is such a great representation of how diverse Filipino cuisine can be. It still feels familiar and authentic, but they aren't afraid to play around with the flavors and presentation. Whether you already love Filipino food or you're trying it for the first time, this is absolutely a spot worth checking out. Masarap!

I was delighted to find a Michelin Recommended Filipino restaurant within easy walking distance of…read moremy hotel, so I decided to try several different things: the Ube-Colada, Sisig Fried Rice because everyone seemed to say "get it," a pork lumpia spring roll, and the Wagyu dumplings. I ordered the virgin Ube-Colada. It was a beautiful purple color, refreshing, and lighter on the coconut flavor than I expected. The Sisig Fried Rice definitely isn't Chinese-style fried rice, which was fine with me because I wanted to try something different. Unfortunately, I wasn't a big fan of the flavor or the crispy bits of pork. I guess I fail as an honorary Filipino. The pork lumpia spring roll, however, was very good. And then came the standout star of my meal: the Wagyu dumplings. The waiter used a mini blow torch to heat the Wagyu - that certainly got my attention. These were unlike any dumplings I had eaten before. Two large, very thin slices of Wagyu beef were served in a flavorful tomato-based broth with wonderfully soft, pillowy potato dumplings containing a rich, almost creamy center. I would order these again without hesitation. My waitress was very sweet and welcoming, which I especially appreciated since I was dining by myself. I had an early reservation when the restaurant was still fairly quiet, but the tables filled up after I arrived, so I recommend making a reservation. One useful tip for finding the restaurant: look for the entrance down the stairs marked Kimpton. Enter through that door, and the restaurant is on your right. Not everything I tried was for me, but that's part of the fun of trying a cuisine you're less familiar with. I came away with a new favorite--the Wagyu dumplings--and appreciated the warm hospitality.

I visited here about 2 months ago with my girlfriend. I love Filipino food and they had some dishes…read morethat you don't normally see because they're not something Americans usually eat. I am pretty adventurous when it comes to food so I'm all in! I got the Pancit and a bunch of skewers. The Pancit was pretty big so I ate that all the next day heheh. The place is a bit sparse in terms of decoration but they had a Karaoke setup which is probably fun for parties. The service was pretty friendly and speedy so I'll be back!

Great Filipino food! Food is fresh made to order. Staff was friendly. Place is a little bit all…read moreover, curb parking only but overall good place.

It was interesting my favorite part of the Filipino feast they put together was the chumichurri…read moresteak and def not Filipino, thought laing (collards and coconut stew was my favorite filipino dish by far. The lumpia, while tasty had not meat, and the dessert was surprisingly not Filipino at all Really nice Patio w/ some heat lamp strewn around Service was fast and while the waitress was new, she was great! Thanks for letting us stay 1 an hour after closing! Our birthday party was having a great time!

This spot was a nice little surprise in the sense that we stumbled upon it on the way to a baseball…read moregame and we really enjoyed both the ambiance and food! We ordered the lumpia, lechon bites (pork belly), bisek silog steak and pork adobo. We don't have the opportunity to eat Filipino food often, so in that regard, everything hit the spot. The pork belly was my favorite, from the way the pork belly was crispy yet tender, to the complementing veggies and sauce. I also loved the garlic rice with the steak. The pork adobo was a decent serving of meat but was a little dry, and I feel the order should've come with rice. The service was quick, which was nice since we were short for time. The back patio is small but was quiet and intimate, and has a cute, colorful aesthetic! Would definitely come back to try some other menu options.

This senor sisig bowl was absolutely delicious! I've heard tale many times about this place and I…read morefinally know that all of it is true. I will be back! Whoo hoo!

Great spot for pre/post game Filipino food (Giants/Warriors/Valkyries)…read more We shared the Sisig Crunch-A-Dilla with pork and it was yummy. We usually get the California Sisig Burrito and that is our favorite. Next time we will have to try the Señor Sisig Burrito! Service was good, but they were also not busy this day - and the food came out pretty fast. Be patient on super popular game nights .. it gets pretty busy, but I think it ends up being worth it. It is located at Thrive City - so there are other vendors there and space. Seating can be limited, but you can wander around that general area. Would I go back? Yes. BTW, they have other locations... you should check those out too!

Amazing. Absolutely amazing. This place is run by a couple that create delicious and meaningful…read moreJapanese and Filipino fusion meals. Each dish is thoughtfully served with a story -- not only is each sooooo tasty but also unique and something I've never had before. And to top it all off they make new menus all the time?? The first time we went we were celebrating our friends' wedding, and the second time was for my husband's birthday. The vibes were so personal and immaculate, they even got the whole room to sing him happy birthday. I can't wait to go again and see what else they cook up!

Food: 4 Decor: 4…read moreService: 5 Came here for a solo dinner after grabbing a seat a couple days prior. Only 8 seats total. Overall, solid food and would definitely return. Oysters ~3/5. Nice openings bites but thought it was just okay. Roppongi sen ~4/5. Quite tasty and nice presentation. Really liked the crust and accompanying flavors. Well balanced. Nanangs balay ~4/5. Good and quite tasty. Octopus was cooked well, and the accompanying flavors were quite unique especially with the wilted greens. Pot au feu ~3/5. Okay. Resembled sukiyaki, but the white sauce on top looked a bit unappetizing, and I thought the taste was okay. A cup for sarap ~4/5. Tasty dessert with a combination of ingredients. Sheet cake was okay, although I would have liked something more interesting or complex. Service was very good. Cute origin story and entirely owned and run by the couple.

LOOK, Maybe i'm a…read moreloser because i just now trying this place, but i didn't know what to expect because guy fiery always say the same thing!!! Guys, this was really unique My brain almost was like cilantro chicken caesar wrap? but then some bites had the just right amount of sauce and while i still didn't understand (maybe im dumb), it WUZ delicious its fusion guys, i think its suppose to confuse you? ANYWAY U order at the front and go sit in the back patio area! super cosy. They have a beer if you're thirsty! I need to try again. it's like when you rewatch bugoina after the first watch and you're like oooohhhh

This is a cute spot and the seating area in the back is pretty but the food wasn't as good as I…read morehoped. We got the cheese fries with jalapenos and I got a rice bowl with vegan chicken and garlic adobo rice. The rice was a bit too sticky and too watery in my opinion. The vegan chicken also tasted off to me. I'd probably just stick with trying the tofu for next time. The cheese on the fries also tasted off and made me feel sick and I love almost any cheese. The fries were very soggy too even though we ate them immediately and didn't let them sit. I did like that they had vegetarian options though. Not sure if I'd come back and try something else or not

Spot on Filipino comfort food…read more In all the years I've lived in the City, Kusina Ni Tess was a restaurant I had yet to try until recently. I think I may have evaded it out of homage to my Mom's own cooking, but Kusina provides the perfect opportunity to satisfy a craving for comfort food away from home. It was definitely a pleasant surprise. This restaurant is no-frills; the stars of the show are the fresh and tasty entrees you can see and choose from at the counter. They allow you to choose combination plates or ala carte depending on what you're craving. I had the Dinuguan with garlic rice, while my friend had the Lumpia Shanghai and Palabok noodles. Nothing disappointed--every dish hit the spot. For a moment, I felt like I was at a Filipino party with a few tables for parties of 2 or 4. The staff members were friendly and pleasant while taking my order. Bravo to Tess! I'll definitely be back now that I know where this hidden Sampiguita of a restaurant is, right around the corner from my downtown apartment.

This was my first time eating at Kusina Ni Tess. There aren't a lot of Filipino restaurants in San…read moreFrancisco, so it was a treat to try one of their silog breakfasts. There were plenty of menus posted throughout the restaurant, but I noticed that none of them listed prices. You order at the counter and wait for your receipt number to be called, then pick up your food on a tray and bring it to your table. Water is self-service. I ordered the Pork Adobosilog ($15.50) -- savory pork adobo served with garlic fried rice and a fried egg. The adobosilog was good, and the portion size was just right, although the price felt a little high for a hole-in-the-wall restaurant. The garlic fried rice was disappointing because I couldn't really taste any garlic and it tasted more like plain fried rice. The pork adobo was tender and easy to eat. If I'm in the neighborhood and craving Filipino food, I may revisit the restaurant and try another silog from the menu.

Place is clean, and comfort. Service is quick and decent. Portions are large. Love this place!! For…read morethose who are unable to make the long lines. Chibog is also delicious! My favorite is the barbecue chicken a la carte - so good and plentiful portion! Simple goodness that should be part of any order. Came here for a weekday lunch and had a delicious meal. Would definitely come back! Highly recommend it!

I am not Filipino food expert, but my family and I really like Chibog. We haven't ever dined in but…read moreorder takeout from here every few months. Online ordering is available and simple. Phone orders are also welcomed too. The restaurant is always packed when I go in to get my food. The dining room is pretty small, but can probably fit 30 or so diners at a time. Our staples are the lumpia shanghai, pancit palabok and bbq chicken silog. Over the years, the prices have really increased but it is a sign of the times wherever you dine these days.

Best crispy pork chop ever and I mean ever and you talk about great prices. You're never gonna get…read morea better price in the city so fabulous.

I have been coming to Superstar ever since I was a little kid and it is always a treat!…read more My go-to order is the Hong Kong Style PorkChop ($8). It comes with 2 large pieces of pork chop, garlic fried rice topped with crispy garlic, one egg (cooked to your preference) and either diced tomatoes or pineapples. I am always left super full from this meal and sometimes I can even split it into 2! It also stays crispy and reheats well in the airfryer. They serve other Filipino foods as well such as tocino, longanisa, baby bangus, etc. Each plate comes with the garlic fried rice, egg and either tomatoes or pineapples. What I absolutely love about this place is the quick service and cheap eats. Their plates used to be cheaper but of course due to inflation, the price is still unmatched in the city. This place is cash only and does not have indoor seating. There is also a similar restaurant located in Daly City by top of the hill called Gateway Kitchen that has almost the same exact menu + prices for their plates. Parking can be difficult in this area but the service is so quick that you can just double park in front. I will continue to visit this place over and over again. I absolutely love coming here :')

Very good and tasty, generous portions. The BBQ skewers were excellent and so was the turon.read more

Having had their skewers at a pot luck and enjoyed it a lot, I always wanted to check out Fil-Am if…read moreI was in the area. I happened to be in Daly City recently and made a stop here to pick up some skewers. Found street parking around the corner. Fil-Am is a take-away restaurant with a menu consisting of BBQ chicken and BBQ pork skewers, panic, shanghai lumpias and turons. I wanted to get BBQ pork skewers and got to the last three that were in the tray. They were also out of the chicken skewers. But the chef was busy cooking as the grill was loaded with pork and chicken skewers. Not wanting to wait, I was happy that I got the three skewers. Many good-sized pieces of juicy pork make up each skewer. Generous portions. I enjoy the Filipino BBQ pork flavor as the sauce on it has a sweet taste to it. At $4.25 a skewer, it is reasonably priced. Will stop by again for these delicious pork skewers again when I'm in the area.