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We got three bowls: longanisa, adobo, and Sisig. The adobo didn't taste like authentic adobo I've usually had, although it's not too bad. The Sisig was very flavorful! The best was the longanisa with vinegar. It even had an egg which gave it the perfect pair. The only thing we weren't too happy about was the garlic rice. It didn't taste like garlic rice and had a bitterness to it. Ordering is outside at the window and there's outdoor seating. For parking, we had to find one on the street. Service was great also! We came on a Friday evening around 6pm and many of their items were already sold out. We'll definitely come back to try more though.
Sisig bowl with rice. Amazing. The calamansi ice tea was delightful. Cool spot and friendly service.
We tried this place recently -- my boyfriend got the pork sisig and I got the longanisa bowl. Both were pretty good, but nothing too special considering the price. The flavors were solid, and everything was cooked nicely, but for almost $50 total, it felt a little pricey for a small bowl of rice, egg, and protein. They actually gave me the wrong order at first (chicken instead of longanisa). When I asked, they said it was longanisa, but I ended up bringing it back and waiting another 10 minutes for the correct one. Overall, the food isn't bad -- it's tasty and satisfying -- just not something I'd go out of my way for. It's a cute spot with minimal seating, and I'd probably come back if I was nearby or craving longanisa, but not as a regular stop.
I'm a bit biased; but I love rice, garlic, and eggs. I was not expecting to like this place that much, but I would definitely come back. I would probably order ahead of time as we did wait a bit. It's outdoor setting so you have the very relaxed and chill vibe or Normal Heights.
I have been here 3 other times before, usually when I can't drive to Mira Mesa or National City for better Filipino food. At first look the pork sisig was underwhelming. The pork was in big chunks of cubes and really tough to chew. It hurt the roof of my mouth chewing it. The flavor itself is NOT good, it feels like it was just thrown in some soy sauce and mayo. It had no citrusy taste whatsoever. This feels like eating day old pork with mayo and onions. The worst part is the fried egg on top was undercooked, the egg whites were clear and still runny! I was 2 bites in when I noticed the RAW egg white. got their lumpia also, that was very mid. I am frustrated to have spent money on this
I've been eating at White Rice since their original location at Liberty Station. Their ube pandesal and ube jam are consistently their best item pairing and a personal 5/5 for me. I also like their different -silog options, including their tocilog & longsilog here, and my partner and I enjoyed them paired with their calamansi iced teas. Unforch they seem to be inconsistent with their food stock here! :'-( Was in San Diego for a week & there were about 3 instances throughout the week (Tues Wed Thurs) when we called to see if an item were in stock, and it was supposed to be in but was further delayed. This seems consistent with other reviews on here, and I recommend calling ahead to make sure what you want is available as a result. Side street parking + outdoor seating, and some cute Filipino decor at the order window.
So good is tasty. I recommend the most popular ones. I had the chicken adobo, and that was definitely a hit. We were there on a weekday evening and felt the wait was too long. There are some tables, but this is a small take out joint. I recommend going when it's not dinner time
It's a great use of a small space. I like the walk up window and outdoor seating. Every time I have been, they are always out of stuff. I tried to order the special posted on the window, it was out. My recommendation would be to not advertise it, if you don't have it. The food is made to order, the service was pretty quick. I tried the chicken adobo and it is a good amount of chicken. Overall, it's a little over priced in my opinion.
I've had white rice bodega many times, since they first opened up in Normal Heights. I absolutely loved the pork sisig bowl. I've pretty much tried all the other bowls - longanisa (a close second), lechon kawali, adobo, and mushroom/tofu sisig. The others were alright, so I always stuck with the pork sisig. Things have changed since they first opened. In the beginning we were offered a neighborhood discount. Eventually portions seemed smaller, and no more neighborhood discounts. Price increased $15 in 2023 to $16 in 2024. The discounts are nbd, but sad to see the portion decrease while the price increase, from the bigger black to-go containers to smaller cardboard bowls. I no longer live in NH, so I don't frequent white rice as often. I visited last week, first time in a long time. Surprised to see that a bowl is $17 and you now have to pay extra for an egg, $3 when I was ordering online for pick up. Disappointing, as that seems quite steep for an egg. Opted to fry my own egg at home to avoid paying $40 for 2 bowls, tax/tip not yet included. Quality has seemed to change a bit too? Wasn't as flavorful as I remember, and was a bit on the dry side. Service seemed meh now, as my bf said the kid at the front looked up from his phone as he approached the window to pick up and said "yo" and nothing else. Lol. Miss the friendly faces and service we used to see often.
I tried the $9 McDo Happy Meal, which includes a longganisa slider, lumpia, and a drink. It was such a steal for a happy hour option. The longganisa slider was savory with a slightly sweet finish, and the lumpia came out hot and crispy. For drinks, I really enjoyed the ube milk tea. It had a bold ube flavor and just the right amount of sweetness without feeling overpowering. If you prefer something less sweet, I recommend the calamansi iced tea. It has a bright citrus taste that's super refreshing. We waited about 15 minutes for our food after ordering, which initially felt a little long. That said, everything came out steaming hot and fresh, so it ended up being worth it. The seating area is perfectly positioned for people watching. Overall, it's a fun, affordable spot that I'd definitely come back to.
I WANTED TO LIKE THIS PLACE (2 stars) ... BUT as a Filipino it just doesn't manifest up to what my heart wants it to be. 1) First time I actually didn't drive by the place was during Taste of Adam's Avenue. I was thrilled to see it on the list and as I lined up for a sample we had a choice of sweet corn bread OR beans. Nothing Filipino related and thought that event would have been perfect to introduce the restaurant and Filipino food to the community. That was a disappointment. 2) Second time I planned to order a meal but then didn't want to spend the price for something I can easily make at home (and likely better). But I did stop in for some Shanghai Lumpia and THAT was a disappointment. If Shanghai Lumpia can't meet up to expectation then there is no encouragement to buy anything more here. The Shanghai lumpia had ~6 pieces and they were kind of soggy, not much filling, the filling inside was meh in flavor, and the oil it's fried in tasted old as if it needed a change out. I do give them kudos for making their residency in Normal Heights and tapping the crowd there but I'm not drawn to come and eat my own people's food. Sorry, I really did want to like this place but it's falling short for me.
It was my first time trying White Rice Bodega. I've passed by We ordered the ube pandesal, sisilog and longganisa. I also tried the calamansi iced tea. Everything we had was AMAZING. As compared to many other filipino places though, the servings are smaller, but not to the point that I believe it was overpriced. They cook everything to order so it took a bit for food to come out, but the staff were all very friendly and provided recommendations as we asked. White rice bodega IS a bodega so everything is just outside. There were ample seats with umbrellas, but it is fairly exposed to the streets of university heights. One time we came back though and it was really weird--they were open and all but they told us they had no food due to a delivery issue. It seems like a total one off but was honestly very confusing to me why they remained open in general. Overall, still really love this place and can't wait to try more food!
Delicious fast casual Filipino food! The staff was super friendly and helpful with recommendations / questions. The flavors are bold and the portions are large. 10/10 recommend and will be back to try more items from the menu. There's no indoor portion of the restaurant but a little outdoor seating and great option for takeout.
Finally got to try this place and it didn't disappoint. I heard that the bowls could be salty but mine was fine. I'm glad I gave it a try. Ube pandesal with ube butter was tasty. The pork sisig bowl had a good ratio of meat and rice. There was even some green sauce and I thought that was a good twist to the traditional sisig. Would I go again. Yes if I were visiting. A few tables and chairs outside if you decide to eat there. Street parking. read more
I was very excited to try their Filipino food! Unfortunately, I did not truly enjoy it. It's a small shop where you order and pick up your food at the window. There is about a handful of tables and chairs right outside if you're lucky. I ordered the Chicken Adobo bowl which comes with garlic rice and 2 pcs of Ube Pandesal + Ube butter. I was so hopeful but to be honest, the best thing of the whole meal was just the Ube butter! The chicken adobo bowl disappointed me. It didn't help that while I was waiting for my order, I did overhear an employee tell another that he "tried really hard to save the rice and it was difficult, but was able to fix what they had." I was wishing that it wasn't MY order that he was talking about. After waiting for at least 15 minutes, I got my food. As soon as I took the bite I knew what the employee was talking about. The rice was hard. The cook didn't make it correctly and it was easy to tell, plus I overheard that confirmation earlier during that conversation between the employees. It ruined the dish for me and didn't pair well with the chicken and egg. The chicken "adobo" was okay, but I didn't love it. Usually Filipinos pair the rice and protein in a single bite but I couldn't do it this time. The adobo couldn't even mask how bad the rice texture was Ube pandesal was okay. Lacked flavor but glad it did match authentic pandesal texture. The ube butter saved it by leveling up the flavor. It was sooo good I want to put it on everything. Service was okay, nothing special or super friendly. Wish they would've communicated the overcooked rice thing... I would've been willing to wait for a fresh batch if they told me. I didn't go back because all the tables were full and/or too hot from the sun around 2pm and took it to-go. Not sure how you can mess up rice at a Filipino restaurant and be okay serving it for money. None of the employees that day looked Asian or Filipino, which I also thought was odd for cooking and language purposes. I don't see myself coming back here read more
4 months ago
White rice is my go to when I get lazy making Filipino food. It's convenient and closeby. My go to is pork sisig bowl and once in a while another dish. Reliable and easy. Would recommend for a quick Pilipino food without having to venture to National City. read more
We got three bowls: longanisa, adobo, and Sisig. The adobo didn't taste like authentic adobo I've usually had, although it's not too bad. The Sisig was very flavorful! The best was the longanisa with vinegar. It even had an egg which gave it the perfect pair. The only thing we weren't too happy about was the garlic rice. It didn't taste like garlic rice and had a bitterness to it. Ordering is outside at the window and there's outdoor seating. For parking, we had to find one on the street. Service was great also! We came on a Friday evening around 6pm and many of their items were already sold out. We'll definitely come back to try more though. read more
2 months ago
7 days ago
1 month ago
Sisig bowl with rice. Amazing. The calamansi ice tea was delightful. Cool spot and friendly service. read more
We tried this place recently -- my boyfriend got the pork sisig and I got the longanisa bowl. Both were pretty good, but nothing too special considering the price. The flavors were solid, and everything was cooked nicely, but for almost $50 total, it felt a little pricey for a small bowl of rice, egg, and protein. They actually gave me the wrong order at first (chicken instead of longanisa). When I asked, they said it was longanisa, but I ended up bringing it back and waiting another 10 minutes for the correct one. Overall, the food isn't bad -- it's tasty and satisfying -- just not something I'd go out of my way for. It's a cute spot with minimal seating, and I'd probably come back if I was nearby or craving longanisa, but not as a regular stop. read more
I'm a bit biased; but I love rice, garlic, and eggs. I was not expecting to like this place that much, but I would definitely come back. I would probably order ahead of time as we did wait a bit. It's outdoor setting so you have the very relaxed and chill vibe or Normal Heights. read more
25 days ago
I have been here 3 other times before, usually when I can't drive to Mira Mesa or National City for better Filipino food. At first look the pork sisig was underwhelming. The pork was in big chunks of cubes and really tough to chew. It hurt the roof of my mouth chewing it. The flavor itself is NOT good, it feels like it was just thrown in some soy sauce and mayo. It had no citrusy taste whatsoever. This feels like eating day old pork with mayo and onions. The worst part is the fried egg on top was undercooked, the egg whites were clear and still runny! I was 2 bites in when I noticed the RAW egg white. got their lumpia also, that was very mid. I am frustrated to have spent money on this read more
14 days ago
I've been eating at White Rice since their original location at Liberty Station. Their ube pandesal and ube jam are consistently their best item pairing and a personal 5/5 for me. I also like their different -silog options, including their tocilog & longsilog here, and my partner and I enjoyed them paired with their calamansi iced teas. Unforch they seem to be inconsistent with their food stock here! :'-( Was in San Diego for a week & there were about 3 instances throughout the week (Tues Wed Thurs) when we called to see if an item were in stock, and it was supposed to be in but was further delayed. This seems consistent with other reviews on here, and I recommend calling ahead to make sure what you want is available as a result. Side street parking + outdoor seating, and some cute Filipino decor at the order window. read more
1 year ago
So good is tasty. I recommend the most popular ones. I had the chicken adobo, and that was definitely a hit. We were there on a weekday evening and felt the wait was too long. There are some tables, but this is a small take out joint. I recommend going when it's not dinner time read more
It's a great use of a small space. I like the walk up window and outdoor seating. Every time I have been, they are always out of stuff. I tried to order the special posted on the window, it was out. My recommendation would be to not advertise it, if you don't have it. The food is made to order, the service was pretty quick. I tried the chicken adobo and it is a good amount of chicken. Overall, it's a little over priced in my opinion. read more
I've had white rice bodega many times, since they first opened up in Normal Heights. I absolutely loved the pork sisig bowl. I've pretty much tried all the other bowls - longanisa (a close second), lechon kawali, adobo, and mushroom/tofu sisig. The others were alright, so I always stuck with the pork sisig. Things have changed since they first opened. In the beginning we were offered a neighborhood discount. Eventually portions seemed smaller, and no more neighborhood discounts. Price increased $15 in 2023 to $16 in 2024. The discounts are nbd, but sad to see the portion decrease while the price increase, from the bigger black to-go containers to smaller cardboard bowls. I no longer live in NH, so I don't frequent white rice as often. I visited last week, first time in a long time. Surprised to see that a bowl is $17 and you now have to pay extra for an egg, $3 when I was ordering online for pick up. Disappointing, as that seems quite steep for an egg. Opted to fry my own egg at home to avoid paying $40 for 2 bowls, tax/tip not yet included. Quality has seemed to change a bit too? Wasn't as flavorful as I remember, and was a bit on the dry side. Service seemed meh now, as my bf said the kid at the front looked up from his phone as he approached the window to pick up and said "yo" and nothing else. Lol. Miss the friendly faces and service we used to see often. read more
7 months ago
I tried the $9 McDo Happy Meal, which includes a longganisa slider, lumpia, and a drink. It was such a steal for a happy hour option. The longganisa slider was savory with a slightly sweet finish, and the lumpia came out hot and crispy. For drinks, I really enjoyed the ube milk tea. It had a bold ube flavor and just the right amount of sweetness without feeling overpowering. If you prefer something less sweet, I recommend the calamansi iced tea. It has a bright citrus taste that's super refreshing. We waited about 15 minutes for our food after ordering, which initially felt a little long. That said, everything came out steaming hot and fresh, so it ended up being worth it. The seating area is perfectly positioned for people watching. Overall, it's a fun, affordable spot that I'd definitely come back to. read more
I WANTED TO LIKE THIS PLACE (2 stars) ... BUT as a Filipino it just doesn't manifest up to what my heart wants it to be. 1) First time I actually didn't drive by the place was during Taste of Adam's Avenue. I was thrilled to see it on the list and as I lined up for a sample we had a choice of sweet corn bread OR beans. Nothing Filipino related and thought that event would have been perfect to introduce the restaurant and Filipino food to the community. That was a disappointment. 2) Second time I planned to order a meal but then didn't want to spend the price for something I can easily make at home (and likely better). But I did stop in for some Shanghai Lumpia and THAT was a disappointment. If Shanghai Lumpia can't meet up to expectation then there is no encouragement to buy anything more here. The Shanghai lumpia had ~6 pieces and they were kind of soggy, not much filling, the filling inside was meh in flavor, and the oil it's fried in tasted old as if it needed a change out. I do give them kudos for making their residency in Normal Heights and tapping the crowd there but I'm not drawn to come and eat my own people's food. Sorry, I really did want to like this place but it's falling short for me. read more
It was my first time trying White Rice Bodega. I've passed by We ordered the ube pandesal, sisilog and longganisa. I also tried the calamansi iced tea. Everything we had was AMAZING. As compared to many other filipino places though, the servings are smaller, but not to the point that I believe it was overpriced. They cook everything to order so it took a bit for food to come out, but the staff were all very friendly and provided recommendations as we asked. White rice bodega IS a bodega so everything is just outside. There were ample seats with umbrellas, but it is fairly exposed to the streets of university heights. One time we came back though and it was really weird--they were open and all but they told us they had no food due to a delivery issue. It seems like a total one off but was honestly very confusing to me why they remained open in general. Overall, still really love this place and can't wait to try more food! read more
1 year ago
Delicious fast casual Filipino food! The staff was super friendly and helpful with recommendations / questions. The flavors are bold and the portions are large. 10/10 recommend and will be back to try more items from the menu. There's no indoor portion of the restaurant but a little outdoor seating and great option for takeout. read more
5 months ago
We attended the Adams Avenue Street Fair and this place caught our eye so we decided to eat here instead of the local food vendors. We're huge fans of the Filipino culture and food so we were really excited try it out! The establishment looks like a cool hip place. There were alot of flies in the outside dining area. So much that they actually had several fly repellent fans to grab and take to your table. My wife ordered the Mushroom Sisig and I ordered the Longganisa rice bowl. We shared an order of the Lumpia Gulay. Unfortunately every single item was at room tempurature. The Mushroom Sisig was also on the bland side. The egg on the Longganisa bowl was burnt on the bottom. I'm usually not super critical on the food but it left my stomach a little rumbly. The service was nice enough but not over the top. read more
The food and service was AMAZING. The owner/chef greeted us with a smile and recommendations. We ordered the chicken adobo, pork belly, lumpia, pork & chicken bbq skewer. Everything was seasoned well and not overly flavored. He even gave us free Ube pandasal with ube butter! 10/10 for food and service, thank you Kuya! We'll be back soon! read more
7 months ago
1 year ago
Great service...last customers of the night and didn't feel rushed, got the pork Adobo, lumpia, and Ube drink so delicious! If in the area MUST TRY! Great outside vibe and lots of street parking out front. read more
4 months ago
6 months ago
3 months ago
7 months ago
We ordered the chicken adobo, longanisa, and an order of lumpia. I came in really hoping for a great meal, but unfortunately the execution didn't quite live up to the promise of the ingredients. First off, the restaurant is called White Rice Bodega, but the rice itself was inconsistent. Some bites were wet and mushy while others were dried out, which was surprising given that rice is such a central part of the meal. The longanisa dish had some highlights. The longanisa itself was good, and the atchara was tangy and fresh, which helped balance the plate. The fried egg, however, was runnier than I would have preferred. The adobo fared a bit better overall. The chicken was flavorful and satisfying, and the hard-boiled eggs were well done. The lumpia was also solid and something I would recommend. The flavors were familiar and comforting, and they definitely hit the spot. What ultimately saved the visit were the desserts -- the ube pan de sal and ube butter. Even though they come at the end of the meal, they were the standout and honestly worth coming back for. Overall, the experience was disappointing. I was hoping for more elevated flavors and a more polished execution, but instead I left wondering if the place is riding more on hype than delivery. read more
Love this place and it speaks to my Filipino soul! White Rice Bodega is located in North Park and is a tiny spot that serves up tasty and generous portions of Filipino favorites. We only found them because of the word "Salamat" that's painted on the building. Genius! The gent that helped us out felt like family immediately and we were so glad we stopped by therefor lunch. The menu is simple and done well. What we had: Pork Sisig: rice, fried egg, crispy bits of pork, red onion garlic and peppers: this was my hubby's favorite and he scarfed every bit down. Soy Braised Pork: chicken adobo that was garnished with a hard boiled egg, green onions and served with garlic rice. This was my favorite and I was able to finish about half of it; it warmed up well the next day. So umami! Ube Pandesal: we've gone to their location at Liberty Station and had tried this before so of course we had to get a bag to go. That Ube Butter tho! Calamansi Iced Tea tasted like home :) When we left, the guy who I'm thinking may be the owner said goodbye and made us feel so extremely welcome. They are about a 30 plus minute drive from where we live but we will definitely return just for his friendly service. SALAMAT! read more
5 months ago
2 months ago
5 months ago
Food was dry, i ordered the chicken adobo plate. Egg was cold, chicken was ok, rice was dry and cold. It took 20 minutes to get the plate. I really have this place a try and won't ever recommend it. They couldn't even give me my plate to go which was the worst. I had to eat it here which i just threw in trash. read more
3 months ago
5 months ago
I thoroughly enjoyed my bowl of sisig I ordered to-go. As soon as I opened the packaging, the scent of the rice and perfectly marinated pork hit my nose and I knew it was going to be a good meal. I recognized the "Salamat Yo!" from Koy Sun's social media and am so happy I decided to try it out. Service was good, with a slower tempo than some establishments, nonetheless comforting. The vibe of the place was nice and inviting. I am sure I'll be back. So delish! read more
2 years ago
I really enjoyed White Rice Bodega for a quick lunch! The place specializes in Filipino food and has a couple outside sitting but is mostly a stand. It has limited street parking so that might be tough. We got the pork sisig and the pork was super crispy and the rice was flavorful with sour and spicy flavors. We also got the chicken adobo which was super buttery. I believe the bowls were $17-18? The egg is an extra $3, which I will try next time I'm there. The portions are satisfying! Overall the service was also great. The worker was friendly and nice, and the food came out in a reasonable amount of time. I will return! read more
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More info about White Rice Bodega
3586 Adams Ave
Ste 100
San Diego, CA 92116
Normal Heights
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(619) 255-1972
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Ask the Community - White Rice Bodega
Are there gluten-free options?
Do they make the longanisa from scratch?
Yes. Everything made from scratch and fresh. Kinda takes awhile because of this
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