Harolds Rooftop Cafe is located, yes you guessed it, on the rooftop of Harolds Mansion in beautiful…read moreDumaguete! What makes this place great for me are the people, the warm reception and the 'all heart' approach which shines through the picking and choosing of mixed Western and Filipino dishes on their menu spread catering to tourists from all over the world. We met families from France, based in Manila for work, who were staying at the Hostel for a couple of days as they planned their trip around Harold's extensive island trip privileges and all so affordable, like swimming with their giant turtles around Apo island. I will have a different review specifically on that experience. (Harold, the owner of the hostel and cafe) operates/owns a diving and snorkelling expedition with his shop just by the entrance of the hostel where you can book day trips and rent gear for whatever activity you choose. We had the chance to meet Harold a couple of times as he is also based in L.A but was in town for a vacay. Harold is a gregarious local who ensures your stay in Dumaguete is gravitated outside the walls of his cafe/hostel which is why his love for the open water seeps through his warm smile as he passionately shares his virtuous take on salt water adventures that will entice visitors within the Philippines and from all over the world. Diving trips has a more intricate process as there are open water courses and certificates before your first dive with the crew. (Again will go into detail on a different review) I just wanted to give readers an insight of how Harolds Rooftop Cafe is the start and end to a fun filled day. My favourite picks from the menu are the Adobong Tuna and veggie lumpias. You cannot NOT have adobo when you visit the Philippines. Adobo is the ultimate dish which has all the fixings of garlic, soy sauce and vinegar simmered to perfection with seasonings to heighten the tenderness of any meat of your choosing, in this case the tuna. Sooooooo GOOOD! The second show stopper for me was the veggie lumpias and this cafe serves them BIG AND BOLD and stuffed to the max, fried to the perfect level of crisp and washing all that down with some ice cold beer while your wifi connection has a speed advantage on that rooftop so FaceTime with the parents was uninterrupted as I showcased my sun set view and authentic, good tasting grub. I mean everything else on their menu is portioned unsparingly compared to other restaurants in the area and you can't go wrong with quality. Price point on meals is important especially when your travel budget includes island hopping, travelling with family and excursions. Everything adds up quickly when you're on vacay mode so it's best to know places where it won't disappoint pockets and taste buds.

From the owner: Serves meat, vegan options available. Cafe located on the rooftop of Harolds Hostel. Serves local…read morefood including vegan dishes such as curries and salads. Also has raw vegan chocolates. Categories: Pizza, Organic, Raw, Juice bar, Beer/Wine, Asian, Bakery, Filipino, Non-veg

It's been nearly two months since my last visit. I'm in Los Angeles and Casablanca was one of the…read morevery first restaurants I dined at on the boulevard. The best table for me is always outside for intimate conversations under the stars at night. Although a nice wine list would serve Casablanca well given its name, the few it serves is fine. I hope Casablanca updates its Yelp page. The website link does not work anymore. I hear Yelp is not very popular in the Philippines. However, a lot of tourists rely on Yelp if possible.

Another amazing breakfast at Casablanca! Whenever you're in Dumaguete stop in and try the eggs…read morebenedict - so delicious!

Hayahay lives up to its name of a place to relax with a beach front property and incredibly good…read morefood. When I'm here, Hayahay is a must go! Though I am not a local, I've literally been coming here for 20+ years when I'm home in Dumaguete. This place I also associate with home because my grandma's house was literally two doors down and we would come here to eat. This place will always share a special piece of my heart as my dad would frequent this place and eat here everyday when he was staying next door. For years my dad would bring his guests here and they would not disappoint. If you want good food, and even better company - rest assured you'll find it here. Shout to the staff and management who cared for my dad, Dodong Manny Garcia, as their own and fed him well. The Garcia family loves this place! Ambiance: you can bring a date, your family, or party with your friends on their live music nights. This place is poppin' and clean. I feel safe here - their bathrooms are clean and their service is excellent. the beautiful thing about this place is that it can even host big parties. We've even had tables of 16+ people accommodations for us. Seating: You have plenty of choices. Downstairs by the stage. Upstairs with a great view of the beach.Bar seating. And even indoor seating in Lab-as. Take your pick! Food: Tapsilog always a fave. They have extremely fresh fish and sell it by the pound. It is soooo tasty I cannot. I love their LapuLapu and an all-around fave is the Bangus lumpia. Fresh mango shakes and calamansi are a must. Alcohol: Take your pick. They have top shelf and local beer. They make extravagant drinks with flames and everything! Drinks here are IG worthy alongside the food. You will go home well fed and nourished. Parking: Be smart about it - there's a lot in the front that people are willing to help park (you're expected to tip) and even better it's not so clustered like it is in South point... this place literally giives you everything you need! Do yourself a favor and stay awhile...enjoy this place and Hayahay through the night because you will be more than impressed by this place. It is a must go to in Dumaguete!

The seafood and service was awesome. I had mussels and other seafood that were first class. The…read moreprice was reasonable and awesome if you are a foreigner in the Philippines. I went there three times in the week I was in Dumaguete. I can't wait to go back when I visit my friends again.

If you're booking Bethel Guest House only for the cheap price and central location in Dumaguete, it…read moremay serve its purpose. Otherwise, I wouldn't recommend it. While I know some guests enjoy the water-facing rooms, ours unfortunately faced another room's window, so we kept the curtains closed the entire stay. This made the room feel dark and uncomfortable. The room was extremely outdated and very cramped, especially with two twin beds--there was barely any space to move around. The overall atmosphere felt unsettling, almost as if the building had been converted from a hospital, giving it a creepy vibe. The bathroom was especially disappointing: -Black mold on the ceiling -Worn-down mirror and shower that felt more like a rundown hostel -The only positive was the complimentary shower shoes, which were very much needed The bedding was also an issue since the sheets felt itchy, and I refused to use the blanket. The air in both the room and lobby felt stuffy and old, and I found myself coughing throughout the night. I've heard the food is good and that there's a rooftop area, but after the overall experience, I had no interest in exploring further. Thankfully, we only stayed one night. Bottom line: This property is marketed higher than it should be and realistically feels like a 1-star hotel. It may work if you're only looking for a budget stay in a prime location, but if cleanliness, comfort, or atmosphere matter to you, I'd strongly suggest looking elsewhere.

Broken Toilet, Broken Hot Water heater for Shower, Broken Elevator which is the ONLY one for Hotel…read moreso 5th Floor exercise whether you desired or not. Food In Restaurant was inedible. This may have been the grand restaurant of Dumaguete 40 years ago, but its now in desperate need of new ownership, remodeling, and upgrades in every area.

I enjoyed my visit here when I went to the Philippines to spend time with family. We constantly ate…read moreout together, and this place was one of the most memorable restaurants, we even went twice in one week! Nothing tasted more like home than eating authentic Filipino cuisine in the city where I was born and raised as a kid. What made it even better was getting to enjoy this moment with my mom, aunt, and especially my grandma. Sometimes, it's not just about the food, it's about the people you share these experiences with. My dinner here will always be memorable because spending precious time with family especially after so many years apart is truly priceless.

The best place between to port and the airport. The food was amazingly delicious and the staff were…read morevery diligent.

Dumaguete is a haven for expats. This is one place where you can actually get authentic…read moreinternational cuisine. Sometimes much better than the local food. Although it's really hard not to find good Chinese food in the Philippines. We have been disappointed with the oysters in Dumaguete that we opted to try this place. As with any dimsum place, one should be very careful in ordering. It may appear cheap per serving but you end up getting a lot which adds up to the bill. This is the case with our visit here. Unfortunately, the food was good that we ended up ordering a lot. I would say it satisfied our dimsum craving that we didn't even know existed at that time. A little advice, though. The place appears to be popular so try to come in early. Otherwise, they may not anymore have the dish you want.

The crab is just great! I wish We had ordered more. Seafood…read moresoup, BBQ fish, Shrimp Shanghai rice are great. I am not a fan of puso salad (the one with banana bloom in it). It taste like kimchi and ginger in coconut milk. The spring rolls are fine. The oyster is straight to the point. Not too impressive, compared to the later plates.

Late lunch, took an unusually long time to get our food, the calamari was okay but tasteless…read morewithout the Thousand Island sauce, the Sizzling Marlin was tasty but too salty and very dry and tough. The mango shake was great as well as the San Mig Light beer. I do not recommend this place unless you have few other choices in the area.

Stopped in for lunch. First time! Service, cleanliness, and ambiance were the best things about the…read moretrip. The food was good. One guest felt the pork meat needed some marinade as the sauce was ok but didn't permeate the meat. The chicken was ok. It had a spice I couldn't identify. Wind dings were crunchy and the sauce that came with them tasty. We also had cream and cheese cake afterwards which were fine. They didn't have the pizza I ordered. So I guess I'll have to try that next visit. 2.300k with drinks.

Tasty food especially the pizza. Hot and ready. Waiters helpful and nice. Tables are clean. Been…read moregoing here for 6 years and the restaurant has never disappointed me. Love this restaurant.

Cute place with tons of good and affordable coffee…read more It's my third day in Dumaguete and found this hidden gem on my way back to my hotel. The place reminds me of Alice in Wonderland with a dreamy vibe. It's spacious and offers both food and coffee, which is not what I'm used to. The coffee here is really good. I got a cappuccino and it's really good - cheap too. I'm used to paying $3-5 for my cappuccino so 65p for quality like this is crazy. It's comparable. I'll definitely be back again.

This charming little place should have a thousand reviews. I stayed in Dumaguete for some weeks in…read moreMarch 2019 and was busy drafting an appellate brief for a certain state court of appeals in the United States. Thus, I needed a place to work. Staff were very accommodating and friendly: they talked when I wanted to chat, they didn't complain if I ordered an inexpensive drink (tropical punch) and stayed for two hours, and they didn't mind that I used WiFi and plugged in my laptop while deep in thought. The library-like quality of the cafe's many books is a nice touch, I must say, and the upper level is just as charming as the lower.

Wide selection on the menu. Kinda surprised to learn they only offer INSTANT NOODLES. A bit pricey…read morebut good food. Staff is great! Will go back to try the other offerings.