Came here to have dinner while in the area for work. I came by myself. Let me tell you-bring someone with you. The portions are family style. I ordered lumpia, tortang talong, garlic rice and calamansi juice. For dessert, I ordered turon. Service was great. I like that they provide you with a carafe of water, I drink lots of water. I also asked for ice, which I was provided a carafe of ice. It was perfect. Lumpia was a huge portion for 1 person. They were a good size even after it was cut up. I had to take it to go. I make lumpia at home, so I am somewhat a critic when it comes to it. It had a lot of flavor, and good portion of filling. Nice and crunchy. The tortang talong and garlic rice came out. Talong was big. I don't use ketchup (which is what comes with it). I asked for the spicy vinegar. It was tasty with the garlic rice. Garlic rice was a nice size portion. I ordered the turon to go and took leftovers for the hotel. As I said in the beginning, do not come here alone. Portions are big. Good service, and I want to come and try their drinks with food next time. I would definitely come back. I like how the place is open and not too crowded in placement of tables and booths read more

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This place surprised me! Came here on a Friday night with 13 other people and everything went well without a hitch. (we made a reservation ahead of time - if you have a larger group you can book a private area for 3 hours with a $1250 minimum charge for up to 32 people). The servers were very accommodating and friendly. The portions of the foods are quite deceiving all of the dishes are very shareable between 3-4 people. We tried just about everything. The standouts were the pancit, the crispy Pata, the garlic rice, the sisig, and the lechon. The most disappointing dishes were the lumpia/chicken wings/fried chicken and fries - skip those and get something else. Also tried two of the desserts. The halo halo and pandan ice dessert. Definitely go for the pandan dessert if you like that flavor. read more

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Avenida is such a wonderful atmosphere to bring your family and friends into! The portions come in tapas or entree size for you to order. Entree sizes are perfect for a family style dinner. My absolute favorite and go to is the adobong pusit (squid adobo)!!!! The servers and management are a joy to talk to. Cant forget the yummy dessert too. I keep finding myself back at Avenida whenever I don't know what to eat! read more

Avenida Restaurant - Filipino Near Me - San Mateo, California

My cousin and I are both part Filipino so we really enjoyed eating food we grew up with. We ordered calamansi juice, lumpia, pork belly, beef tapa, pancit bihon, bangus, and kare kare with bagoong, and garlic rice. My favorite was kare kare with bagoong. Their elevated bagoong was sweet like jelly. I thought the pork belly and beef tapa were a little dry. The pancit bihon was just OK. But the kare kare was the best! My cousin and I plan to make this our regular spot. read more

Avenida Restaurant - Filipino Near Me - San Mateo, California

Delicious- this is what summed up our entire dinner evening. It was parents-night out and we all decided it was time to get together again and enjoy a night out in beautiful San Mateo. Avenida was our choice. Parking was kind of challenging but we had great timing when one car pulled out and gave us their spot. Parking was free probably because it was already past 6pm. We were greeted warmly by our hostess and water was immediately brought to our table to satisfy our party of 6. We were seated just left of the entrance in a really nice spot. The decor of the restaurant had that island vibe and the fan blades were shaped as leaves. I was told the building was historical in some way by a friend but they really renovated it nicely. As for the food, we started out with the treviche (shrimp, fish, tuna) as our appetizer along with sugba kinilaw. Both delicious. We followed it up with our main course selections of inihaw na pusit (grilled jumbo squid), pancit palabok, beef shank kaldereta, beef shank bulalo. We topped out our evening with the Calamansi Pie (must try). White rice enough for 6 people. I really enjoyed the flavor of the jumbo grilled squid. It was well marinated and every bite had that teriyaki like flavor. The beef shank kaldereta had the most flavor and even if it had some cheese sprinkled on top, it was hardly noticeable. As for the bulalo, well seasoned and not too salty where the key ingredient of patis (fish sauce) usually provides the traditional flavor. What was a letdown was the pancit palabok. My friend makes a better palabok (malabon style) in where the Tinapa (smoked fish flakes) is the key ingredient. All in all, we had a great time in a relaxing atmosphere that allowed our group to mingle, converse and enjoy a great meal. Having dinner on an off-day like Monday creates this kind of vibe where you don't have to literally shout at each other just to be heard in a conversation because of the presence of larger crowds. Many people out having dinner in the surrounding restaurants as well. The evening was perfect for all! read more

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Today was my second experience at Avenida and I came because I had a craving for some good Filipino food. And I must say as much as my first experience was great, today's just really hit the spot. Another reason is that I took my parents here, since they've been searching for a decent Filipino spot as places close to them and close to where I live are lacking. We ordered the chicken adobo, beef tapa, chicken inasal and chop suey. All of which were excellent and the fact that my parents were pleased was the cherry on top. But other than the food, another thing I love about this place is that I can enjoy a good meal while having a good ambiance and good vibes all around. Now I'm not knocking on the hole in the wall Filipino spots in Daly City that I've been to, all of them have been great too. But if you're looking for some good Filipino cooking in a more lively atmosphere, THIS is the place for you. read more

Avenida Restaurant - Filipino Near Me - San Mateo, California

Made a reservation for 8 people which the manager appreciated. We arrived early because you can never tell how parking will be in the area. Our table was ready so we didn't have to wait for it. The Christmas decorations and carols were nice and festive. There is a nice cocktail menu featuring Filipino flavors like ube and calamari. The servers were friendly and helpful. The restaurant is nicely laid out and decorated well. Everything we had was tasty and not overly seasoned or oily. The crispy pata is their special and it was very good and a large portion. Sinigang, pancit, Kare Kare were all on point. Garlic fried rice was so good! It's pricey Filipino food so it's almost paradoxical, but I think the experience makes it worth it. And the Halo halo was delicious too! read more

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My fiance and I were heading back from SF and he reminded me that I suggested this place months ago, so we stopped by. It was a Sunday around 3, and this place was still pretty busy. There was a 10 minute wait for a table, so we opted for the bar. The interior is modern and could work for something casual or a special occasion. The servers were friendly and quick to greet us. It took us a while to figure out what we wanted, but we finally decided to order the Tokyo sour, chicken and pork adobo, lechon, and two sides of garlic rice. We would've ordered an appetizer, but I wanted to hold out for dessert. The Tokyo spritz was soooo good. Honestly, maybe the best cocktail I've ever had. It had a well balanced flavor and I could taste the alcohol, but it wasn't too strong. It was refreshing, sour, sweet, and the egg white gave it a great texture. 100/10 you should order it. I definitely want to try more cocktails here. The chicken adobo was perfectly tender and flavorful. The lechon was also delicious, as expected. Served on the side were some pickled carrots that were slightly tangy, crunchy, and garlicky. Everything tasted so good with the garlic rice. For dessert, I wanted the halo halo but I noticed a maiz con hielo milky ice. I love corn, so we had to get it. I've never heard of this before and I loved it!! My new favorite dessert!! This whole experience was an 1000/10! I think it might be my new recommended go to. Definitely give it a try! read more

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Made reservations for 5 at 6pm on a Sunday night, arrived a few minutes before, was able to checked in with the host who set up our table and led us to our seats. Space is fairly large with an open airy tropical feel. Food: Lumpia - this came with 16 pieces, nicely fried, a nice crunch and shatter on the bite, filled with meat and ground vegetables, nice savory salty seasoning with a sweet chili dipping sauce, a great appetizer to start the meal Mango salad - diced yellow mango with a medium firmness and a slightly tart flavor with red onions, chicharrons, tomatoes in a shrimp paste dressing, interesting take on a mango salad, this shrimp paste added funk, the onions a little sharp spicy bite, Crispy Pata - impressive presentation, a large portion, great for sharing, skin on the pork knuckle was nice and crispy, a mixture of fatty and lean meat that pulled apart pretty easily, seasoning was interesting almost a warm spice flavor undertone, the vinegar dipping sauce cut some of the heaviness, would have loved a spicy sauce as well to provide a bit more flavor but overall a great protein option for a group Pinakbet - nice variety of veggies from green beans, to okra, eggplant, bittermelon and kabocha squash, cooked in a savory rich seafood based sauce, a nice veggie option to round out the meal Garlic Rice - generous portion sizes, this had a nice garlic flavor, with toasted garlic pieces, was a great side to soak in all the sauces and flavors of the other dishes Leche Flan - rich, dense and delicious, not too sweet, flan was creamy and smooth with notes of caramel Calamansi Pie - tart creamy with a zestly key lime pie type experience, crust was nice and crumbly, really enjoyed this special Service was good, once we placed orders, food came out quickly. Staff was friendly with great recommendations. Water pitcher was refilled throughout the meal, mains came in really quickly. Dessert did take quite a bit of time to come but the rest of service was smooth. Overall enjoyed dining at Avenida, menu is a fun combination of classic Filipino dishes as well as some modern twists and takes. Great spot for a group to visit portion sizes are more for family style dining. Would recommend a reservation, we did see space open throughout the evening but better to be safe and secure a spot. Is on the pricey end but given the portion sizes felt it was fair. read more

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Celebrated friend's bday with a reservation of 10 people and we had a blast. Service was amazing. Food was great -- faves were the sisig and chicken inasal! We also ordered lechon kawali (can never go wrong with that), kare-kare, grilled squid and liempo. Their garlic rice was SO full of garlic and we all loved it!! Highly recommended place read more

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We decided to come here on a whim for Valentine's Day. Was definitely craving Filipino food today. It's only our second time here and we were excited to try things we haven't had before and/or stick to the usuals. Unfortunately, because of the Hallmark Day, they were only offering a prix fixe menu for the occasion. We were ok with it as it was only $89/couple. The offerings for each course wasn't bad and we were hungry. Here's what we ordered: Appetizer - Lumpia Togue (vegetarian) Main Entree for me: Bangus Sisig Main Entree for hubby: Kare Kare Noodles: Pancit Bihon Lumpia was good! Love the veggies and sometimes I get tired of having lumpia Shanghai all the time. 10/10 Kare Kare: The meat was super tender, but was lacking in flavor. Nothing beats home made, but this did the job. 7/10 Pancit Bihon: this was good. We love pancit Bihon and also because hubby is picky with where we get palabok. 7.5/10 Bangus Sisig: I am pretty disappointed by this one. I am a Bangus Sisig lover and will get it at every restaurant. It's my usual when we go to Isla or Chibog. Even when we went to the a Philippines, I had to get my fix. This, however, was not it. This did not taste like Bangus. The texture and taste, definitely wasn't milk fish. As someone who frequently gets this elsewhere, it almost seems like it tasted like cat fish or some other kind of fish. Bangus has a certain flavor and texture. At first I thought this was tilapia, but it wasn't because I know that taste too. I asked one of the servers if this was Bangus and she assured me it was. She was really sweet about it and said they can take it back if I wasn't happy. I decided to keep it so I can try a little more and see if I was going crazy. It had some kind of after taste to it. Idk what kind of fish it was. In my opinion I don't think it's bangus, because that would be insane to sell something different from what was stated. I hate to be that person, but this is the only Bangus Sisig that I disliked. I barely ate much of it. Took it home because I didn't want to be rude and leave it there. I ended up just tossing it. Had I known this, I would have picked something else. 1/10 On the plus side, our server Toni was super nice and sweet. She made the experience better. Thanks Toni and love your tattoos! I'm sad that this 2nd time around wasn't that great. The first time we had an amazing time and the food was great! Not sure if something changed from 2 years ago. To note, this review is solely from our experience today. Had I wrote this when we first tried it 2 years ago, I probably would have given 4 stars. To the owner: Thanks for the message, Kenneth. It might be worth it to note who you're responding to before sending. My name isn't Margaux and we didn't order adobo. If you want customers to come back, the way you address a review goes a long way. Paying attention to details could help in this matter. If you note above the items we got, you would see adobo is not listed. read more

Avenida Restaurant - Filipino Near Me - San Mateo, California

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This place has been on my radar for quite some time. I've been hesitant due to what others have said and unfortunately it's true. While the restaurant is beautifully decorated and the staff were pleasant, the food was lack luster. It was quite pricey for some of the items that I thought were simple. I do appreciate the option to get some items as tapas style. I really wanted to like it but the pancit bihon was super salty, the beef short rib was burnt, and the sauce for the crispy pata lacked flavor. The best item was probably the adobo rice. Overall, I wouldn't come back. I thought to give it a chance due to the high ratings. However, I did overhear the owner comping a group's meal in exchange for reviews. read more

Avenida Restaurant - Grilled Beef Short Ribs Pancit Bihon Adobo Rice Pancit Bihon - Filipino Near Me - San Mateo, California

My friends and I tried a Filipino restaurant called Avenida. I don't usually go to Filipino restaurants since my mom cooks amazing Filipino food, but this was really good! The server and the manager were very welcoming. We ordered Garlic Rice, Pork Sisig, Lechon Kawali, and Vegetarian Pancit Bihon. I'll definitely be back again! read more

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We came on a Friday evening around 5:30 and there wasn't many people. However, the restaurant filled up quickly afterwards. Pork knuckle - the skin was to a crisp, a bit of that crackling with gooey gelatinous fat and collagen underneath is heavenly, highly recommend for meat lovers Pancit - nothing out of the ordinary, great pancit Lechon with fried tofu - lechon was roasted to perfection, thick crispy skin and tender meat, the acidic and savory sauce goes very well with the meat and tofu to cut down the fattiness Jumbo squid - very tender squid but still had a good bite, great smokiness The dishes were on the pricier side, definitely worthwhile to share with others and try different varieties. read more

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Food was great. Atmosphere was excellent. Service was wonderful. Overall, great experience. Love this place. Will come back. Also, Kenneth is the man, very inviting, warm and funny. read more

This is long overdue. I went here last year and it was a good experience. My friend wanted to try Filipino food so I let her choose what she wanted to try. I believe that Filipino food is amazing, but I don't agree with it being expensive, but that's a personal bias. Basically foods that those who did not have much ate, source, me being a poor kid lol. Anyway, the service was good and the day was nice. The restaurant was clean. We ordered the squid, sisig, and the tortlang, she ordered the halo halo. I always get the tortlang because it's super annoying to prep and cook lol. Overall it was good, I wish it was the not American version of sisig, but I get that it needs to be palatable. Overall as a first time filipino food enjoyer it's good, but just ask to be invited to a party lol. Nothing against the place, they need to make a dollar and I want their business to thrive. It's just too steep to justify common people food. read more

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We came here for my college graduation dinner and I was excited since I heard good things about this place. My family arrived a little bit earlier than me and me and my bf came in around 4pm. They had already ordered so we were just waiting on food. Our server came by to congratulate me and mentioned there was another graduate (who I literally attended the same graduation earlier that day with) and said I looked much more celebratory since I had some leis on. In my opinion, that is a little bit of an odd comment to make. Our food started coming out and first thing we noticed was the lechon kawali barely having any lechon. There was basically a sushi rolls worth of lechon and the rest of it was huge bowl crispy tofu AND they didn't bring the sauces listed on the menu. It might as well be called crispy tofu. Our server came back again and said "Are our little bellies getting full yet?", another odd comment and almost felt like we were bring rushed. We also ordered two orders of fried chicken and at this point, everything else was almost done and that was the last thing to be brought out. We actually asked about it twice before having to ask a third time and they brought it out seconds later AND they only brought out one serving so imagine having to wait for the second one. At that point, we asked for it to go since we were done eating. Our server also changed towards the end of our dinner and we wanted to speak to our original one to which he said "Well I'm your server now". He obviously couldn't do much about our experience at that point but the response could have been better. I later saw our original server before leaving the restaurant serving another table. Total came to about $700 for 15 people, however the server said gratuity had not been included yet. We tipped 18% on top of the $700 and later found out gratuity was included, bringing our total closer to $820. The establishment is nice inside and food was decent (relatively smaller servings I should add!) other than the lechon kawali. But maybe describe your food more clearly, hold off on the weird comments, and tell people when gratuity is already added. I will probably never come back. read more

I've been wanting to try this place since they opened in downtown San Mateo and my first experience wasn't a pleasant one. Back in 2023, I had emailed them to reserve a table for 12 people for a celebration reunion with my classmates from the Philippines. Thought this restaurant it would be ideal (for obvious reasons), but nobody ever got back to me. Even calls to speak with the manager went nowhere. I had to reserve another venue, and I finally received a response from them after the planned reunion. In a nutshell, the excuse given was they were busy and will use it as a learning experience. Water under the bridge so moving on, I decided to take the Wifey here for dinner back in November of last year with the two dogs in tow. We didn't have reservations, so the only option was to dine on their parklet. We didn't mind the cold, as long as we had a nice heater to keep us warm. We ordered the following: Pork Sisig ($27 with egg +$2) Seasoned pork, chopped and sauteed with spices on a sizzling plate. Looking at the picture, let me state the obvious: the egg yolk was already broken, and it was already cooked. They didn't even allow us the experience of mixing the egg with the rest of the dish, and the taste was mid at best. The texture of the pork was also flossy as it wasn't the typical sisig that I'm used to. Crispy Pata ($39.50) They describe it as crispy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside. All true, but at this price point, I wanted it to wow me. It was lacking in flavor, and it was cooked inconsistently with some chunks of meat being too hard. Nothing too special, and you can get a similar dish at other Filipino restaurants at half the price. Sinigang ($11) Veggies and broth only. This hits the spot as the sourness of the broth was just right and it warmed us on a cold, chilly night. Pinakbet ($23) Stir-fried string beans, eggplant, bittermelon, okra, squash, shrimp, pork, shrimp paste and topped with chicharrones. This was the best-tasting food among the dishes that we ordered. All the ingredients complemented each other as it was well-balanced. As far as service goes, it was also inconsistent as we were initially told that we could sit at a table near the door but then changed it to the parklet as that table was reserved. Our server also changed (understandable) that caused us to wait on a request that we had to repeat. All in all, there were hits and misses and a mix bag of everything else from my very first experience to the most recent one. I'm still giving them 3 stars, and that's being generous since I want them to improve, be more consistent and be better. Hopefully on our next visit. read more

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We had a delightful dinner at Avenida on Saturday night with friends. The restaurant had a great atmosphere that was modern and clean without looking trendy. We sat outside which was really nice. We ate so many dishes over the evening it isn't easy to name them all but I'll try because they were all delicious. We started off with Shrimp Gambas, Lumpia Shanghai, Fried Tofu and Pork Belly. And those were just the appetizers! Then we shared Crispy Pata, Tinomok, Beef Calderetta, Beef Tapa, and Salmon Inasal! The manager, Ken, knows how to take care of his customers and make them feel welcome! He was generous, and friendly. He worked hard to ensure our experience would be a memorable one. Our server, Ace, was so attentive without being intrusive. Even the live guitar music was perfect, not too loud and he was clearly a gifted musician. The Ube Leche Flan and Strawberry milky ice for dessert were a great way to finish off our meal. We transferred inside for drinks after dinner and the bartenders, Toni and Arturo were so good as well. The drinks were pretty as well as delicious. We will definitely return to Avenida. read more

Ambiance & First Impressions Stepping through Avenida's doors is like being transported to a modern Southeast Asian retreat--warm wood elements beautifully balanced with clean white simplicity create an inviting atmosphere. The welcoming staff greets you with genuine Filipino hospitality, setting the perfect tone for your meal. Space & Seating Whether you're seated in: * Their cozy main dining area * The fresh-air parklet outside * Their spacious upstairs section * The stylish bar area ...each space offers its own unique experience. Pro Tips Make reservations to avoid 15-30 minute wait times during peak hours! Food Highlights **Must-Try Dishes:** * Bulalo -- A rich, comforting broth that warms you from the inside out (though meat tenderness can be hit-or-miss) * Crispy Pata -- Perfectly executed house specialty * Garlic Fried Rice -- The essential side that elevates every dish Order family-style with 2-3 dishes for a group of 4 to experience the best of what Avenida offers. Value & Service Prices run slightly higher than typical Filipino restaurants, but the attentive service and pleasant atmosphere mostly justify the premium. Even non-Filipino staff impressively know their menu inside and out, and they're accommodating with dietary restrictions. Bottom Line Not every dish hits the mark consistently, but when Avenida gets it right, they remind you why Filipino cuisine deserves more recognition in the Bay Area culinary scene. read more

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Came here on a Sunday with no reservation and the only table available was a high table top which was not a problem but could be for others. I would recommend a reservation if you can! Service was good, our server was nice and frequently checked in on us. The inside was really cool and it was a vibe. As far as the food, it was really expensive and not that good. (Context: Filipino born and raised in the bay who grew up eating Filipino food from family cooking and also going to Filipino restaurants, mostly San Bruno and Daly City) The flavors were very mild/bland. The biggest disappointment was the sisig. It didn't really taste like anything and was not crunchy in the slightest. Overall, the taste of Avenida was not authentic. It's too bad because I really wanted to like it. But for people who are unfamiliar with Filipino food, I guess it's a okay super mild introduction to the flavors. But if you want authentic Filipino flavor, you're better off going to San Bruno or Daly City where the taste and price is better. read more

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Mark was our server today! We made a reservation at 1P, highly recommended btw, it gets really busy and for a good reason Food was well seasoned, my favorite is the soup and refreshing Halo Halo at the end We sat upstairs on the second level Everyone was very attentive Good food, good service A great experience overall Thanks Mark! read more

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Decided to try this spot for the first time, while it was my mom's second visit. The ambiance inside is nicely put together. We came to check out both their happy hour offerings and the full menu. The food was excellent, and we loved the complimentary chicharrón. My mom was especially excited to try the halo-halo because of the hot weather, though the portion size seems to have changed. Also, keep in mind that happy hour pricing differs depending on where you are seated. the happy hour specials only apply at the bar and outdoor seating. read more

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Wonderful service and exceptional food. Highly recommend. Looking forward to attending again.

Located centrally in downtown. Parking is a hit or miss, it's either metered parking or the parking garage. This place is easy to do walk in, but do recommend reservations for the weekend. Service is always amazing. I have eaten here multiple times being seated outside, in the dining area, and at the bar. The restaurant is really nice inside, the bar area is tastefully done. 5/5 - for the lumpia and garlic rice. The pandan old fashion is the best alcoholic dish there. Get the halo halo, it's done really well here. 3.5/5 - for the pancit and pork belly/tofu appetizer. Everything I have eaten here in the past has been relatively good. Recommend the pork knuckles. It's super crispy and the portion size is easily shared amongst 3-4 people. read more

Avenida Restaurant - Filipino Near Me - San Mateo, California

Food is delicious. Salmon inasal was tasty. A good dish to order. The mashed cauliflower was OK. I didn't really care for it. The pinakbet did not have the bittermelon (it's a must for us for this dish) and the dish was covered with chicharron. Waiter was somewhat rude because he had to say it was our mistake that we ordered the wrong item. I don't think the waiter completely knew the dishes' names. Tokwa't lechon kawali was what we first ordered as appetizer and NOT regular lechon kawali which was listed under HOUSE SPECIALTIES. We didn't think he knew the word TOKWA'T at all. He did not even apologize for this mishap or at least find a way to satisfy the diners/customers. He just needs more training. Other than that, the place ambiance and food are good for dining. read more

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I love a good a Filipino spot. Most trendy places these days are Filipino fusion spots and not a true Filipino restaurant. But the dishes here definitely remind me of my mom's and aunties home cooking. Very flavorful and aromatic. Our group got the palabok, kaldereta, and sisig. All of which are just Filipino comfort food to me. Food came out quickly and in big portions. Staff was friendly and always checked in on us. The food here is pricey, but part of that is for the ambiance and knowing for sure you're going to love the food. read more

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We came in around 5:20 PM and started with appetizers, which were honestly excellent 5/5. That was the highlight of the night. No one told us the table had a reservation coming later. After finishing appetizers, we ordered our mains. The chicken inasal was good, but the tuna belly was concerning. It tasted off and made my tongue feel itchy, which is not something you expect from fresh fish. What really ruined the experience was the service. After our meal, our server even gave us a dessert menu, so naturally we thought we could stay a bit longer. Then suddenly another staff member came over and bluntly said a reservation was coming "any minute." No apology, no proper explanation. We were there from 5:20 PM to about 7:05 PM, ordered plenty of food for four people, and were never told there was a time limit. That should have been communicated upfront. And there are still more tables empty. Great appetizers, but poor service and questionable food quality. Not coming back. Service to be honest is something every resto have to work on because even if your food is not so good, atleast people will be happier with the service. read more

I never eat Filipino food because I am Filipino & I rather cook it myself but this place did NOT disappoint. Usually Filipino restaurants have a TON of salt & oil, but this place doesn't make their food like that. The service was great, and the ambiance reminds me of the Philippines. We ate at the bar since it was booked on a Friday night. Drink 5/5: SPICED TRADE SANGRIA- delicious drink & it was beautiful too! Food 5/5: -Chicken skewers: great seasoning, not dry at all & tons of flavor! -Garlic rice: great amount of garlic -Beef kare kare: soft beef, great mix of veggies, and very tasty! -Tortang tolang: egg plant omelette cooked to perfection! Definitely coming back again. I'm Bisaya, so dahang salamat, mobisita mi puhon :) read more

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I can't believe how they served their own kind of Filipino people and the food that was given to us. We thought it can only happened in the Philippines but to my surprised in can also happened here in the U.S. The setting inside was warm and cozy. It was a graduation treat to our friends and family. We greeted by a host and lead us to our reserved seats. The place wasn't that busy. However, we waited for almost ten minutes and there was no server to take our order. Then our waiter showed up and began taking our orders. The menu will indicated small or large portion. We have several invited guests so I decided to order large to fill them up. However to my surprised, we been served small sizes for the price of a large order. I ordered two pork crispy pata and two fried chicken. At first glanced, the food was appealing but then we noticed there are only few crispy pork on top but more on the Tufo underneath the plate and that goes to all of our order. So, I decided to reorder some of the food to satisfy my guests. However, there is still one order that did not got served yet and that was the fried chicken. I called the waiter and told me that it's coming. But why too late when we almost finished eating. To compensate us, the manager will not charged us the fried chicken for the delay. Now it's time to pay the bill with an electronic portable machine. The final bill was about $800.00 without showing the breakdown of our food order. We asked the waiter if the gratuity is already included and he responded, "No it's not yet included." Are you going to give us the breakdown of all the food we ordered. He replied, "yes after you signed it." That's kind of an odd. So, I did signed it including an eighty dollars tip. Then the waiter came back with the paper receipt. Upon checking it, there was a charged for $130 gratuity amount and the fried chicken was charged that's is supposed to be a complementary give away. I called the manager to complain about the charges and she made an adjustment. I don't recommend this restaurant for being dishonesty to their patrons. Beware!!!!! read more

I went here on a Saturday night and was able to get seated pretty quick! I usually don't get filipino food much, but this restaurant made me love filipino food more :') The beef kare kare was amazing!! The beef itself was super tender and the kare kare went so well together. It was on the pricier side though for around $40. But I wanted to give it a one time try and it was worth it for me. The pork sisig got salty at times. But i liked how it came with a lotttt of pork. Like the value was great, and otherwise it tasted good! The garlic rice sides were a nice touch. One annoying thing was the table being wobbly where we were seated. But we got used to it over time. read more

Avenida Restaurant - Bottom: Beef Kare-Kare, top: Pork Sisig Garlic Rice - Filipino Near Me - San Mateo, California

Avenida has good authentic Filipino food. I came here with my family and we ordered a lot since we don't usually eat Filipino food that often, so we wanted to try everything. The lady who served us was nice and patient while we figured out what to get based on the Yelp pictures. Overall, the food was good and some dishes really surprised us but some meats were a bit too dry and salty. The place has a lively vibe and I'd come again. read more

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We came at 7:30 PM on a Sunday evening. About one-third of the tables were empty, so delays were not because of a full house. Food: - Tortang talong was unavailable, but we were only told 15 minutes after ordering. - Chicken inasal had good flavor but was very burnt. We spent so much time cutting away the blackened meat that it ruined the experience. - Pancit palabok tasted good, but it took about 30 minutes to arrive -- and unlike the chicken inasal, the menu gave no warning of the long wait. - Spinach ala pobre was the most disappointing. It took 40 minutes to serve, even though it was just sautéed spinach with garlic, and it was gritty with sand, meaning it wasn't washed properly. Service: - Communication was poor -- we waited 15 minutes before being told our first order wasn't available. - Food service was very slow, even for the simplest dish. - The bill still included the unavailable tortang talong, and we had to ask for it to be removed. Ambiance: With plenty of empty tables and no rush, the long delays felt careless rather than unavoidable. Nothing about the atmosphere made up for the poor food and service. Overall, the pancit palabok was the only decent dish, but burnt chicken, sandy spinach, slow service, and billing mistakes made this a one-star experience. read more

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Food was amazing, very flavorful. Definitely coming back. Ambience was nice and joyful.

At first glance, ambiance gives off outdoor patio vibes but inside. Kitchen staff were hustling and bustling through the dining hall so watch where you're going or you will get run over. Hosted a large party here but was disappointed with small portion sizes attached to higher end prices. APPETIZERS: - Lumpia (4/5): basic tasting, could be crispier - Beef Salpicao (1/5) - 5 small pieces of beef and mushrooms in a super small platter ENTREES: - Garlic rice (5/5): bomb dot com - Chicken adobo (1/5): hard pass, so bland - Crispy Plata (4/5): very crispy skin but parts of the meat were dry - Inihaw na pusit (2/5): squid tentacles were good but the body was chewy and overcooked - Pancit Palabok (5/5): super tasty, great mash of flavors. Would come back here just for this - Pinakbet (4/5): great assortment of veggies in one platter and good flavors OVERALL: Great to try once but won't be back again due to steep prices. Waiter also charged us for extra dishes so beware! I read this happened to another party too. read more

Had a great "eat and yap" session with the girls! We came in as a party of four and were surprised by how quiet the restaurant was. We had a reservation for 6:30PM, which seemed unnecessary since there was still plenty of seating even after we left two hours later. The ambiance is modern and well put together. Definitely not your typical Filipino restaurant. Everything was spotless, including the bathroom which, thankfully, didn't have any unpleasant odors lol. Service was excellent; our food arrived in a timely manner, and the servers consistently refilled our water container without us having to ask. As for the food, it was amazing! The portions were generous, perfect for family-style dining. We only ordered two dishes which were the Crispy Pata and Beef Kare Kare along with three bowls of garlic rice to share, and we ALMOST finished everything. The flavors were well balanced, and I especially appreciated that the Kare Kare wasn't overwhelmingly peanut buttery or watered down. Given the portion sizes, food quality, and overall cleanliness of the restaurant, the pricing felt absolutely worth it. I highly recommend this place and will definitely be back! It's a great spot for larger gatherings like birthdays or celebrations, where you can try a wider variety of dishes in one sitting. read more

Avenida Restaurant - Crispy Pata (Pork Knuckle) - Filipino Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Came here for lunch on a Sunday when it first opened. There were six of us in the party. As we sat, we were told that there's a time limit and we would be asked to leave after 2 hours. We were a bit taken back by this, not that we were planning to stay that long anyway, but how it was said and the fact that we were the only ones in the restaurant. This was my first time having modern Filipino food and I was glad that there were many dishes that I recognized. The portions were big enough to share. Shrimp gambas (5/5) Sautéed shrimp and mushrooms served with baguette. The dish was on a smaller side but very flavorful. Sugba Kilaw (4/5) Tuna ceviche topped with grilled pork belly. It was an interesting combo that feels a bit forced. I liked the two separately. Beef kare kare (5/5) Ox tail stew with peanut sauce. This is a traditional dish and they loaded it with veggies as well. Delicious! Bangus sisig (3/5) Sautéed milkfish. This was my least favorite. I like grilled bangus but this chopped and sautéed version just was not hitting it for me. Pancit bihon (4/5) Classic stir fried rice noodles. It was a healthy portion and we liked the protein and veggies in it. Pinakbet (5/5) Stir fried veggies with shrimp paste. This was really tasty and even had bitter melon which is a classic ingredient for this dish. Halo halo milky ice (5/5) Classic halo halo dessert! We liked the ube ice cream and leche flan on top. Overall, it was a good experience. We liked the ambiance, the dishes, and the staff (besides the offputting interaction at the very beginning). It's a bit pricey here considering many of the dishes are more traditional than modern. read more

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If you have never tried Filipino cuisine, Avenida is a great place to start! Avenida has a great variety of selections to choose from, ensuring to hit all the required Filipino flavor profiles of salty, acidic, sweet, sour, grilled, and of course, FRIED! I myself am Filipino-American, and I will say that it is TOUGH to win over every single person who comes in looking for something to match up to how someone in their family cooks their favorite home-cooked meals. So from MY perspective, I think Avenida does a good job! And as a 2nd generation Filipina, the restaurant definitely gives me that sense of belonging. Location: Downtown San Mateo - Street Parking is rough on the weekends, and the parking garages are deceiving when noting that there are more spaces available than there really are! Pricing: $$-$$$, Some will say that the prices are expensive- my mom and aunties definitely think so lol - but considering the location and the fact that the dishes are prepared family style and 'elevated', I think they priced decently when splitting with a larger group Service: Our service staff were all super friendly, attentive and knew how to have a good time! We were celebrating a birthday and our server made him feel special by suggesting shots of the yummy Jeju Holiday (soju cocktail) (not pictured) and treated him with a leche flan to sing Happy Birthday Ambience: Vibes are for suree for Fil-Ams! Interior design with wooden furniture, neutral tones, tropical plants and old photographs of scenes from the Philippines. A big tv to play the Warriors game (duh) and thee best music playing (I always feel like they're playing my playlist)- r&b, underground hip hop, something you can sing to Food: We ordered a lot of food to feed our table of 9! **Again, Filipinos all have different palettes and perspective depending on where their family is from in the Philippines Salmon Sinigang: SOUR AF! I kept drinking the sabow (soup) on it's own. The salmon was tender and moist Fried Chicken with Fries: Chicken was fried crispy and juicy! Fries were under seasoned Pancit Bihon: I appreciated the amount of veggies in the pancit. Noodles soft and the sauce not too salty Inihaw na Pusit (jumbo): HUGE PORTION OF SQUID, the marinade made it taste like chicken inasal. Charred to perfection! Crispy Pata: Another Huge Portion - Perfectly Crispy outside, juicy and tender meat on the inside - not too salty Beef Kare Kare: A little sad here.. I personally wish it had more of a peanut butter flavor. I added a lot of bagoong (fermented shrimp) for flavor. The beef were inconsistently tender and dry Sugba Kilaw: Crowd Favorite! - the balance of salty and acid in this dish was amazing- perfect pairing for grilled pork and tuna ceviche Lumpia: Pretty Standard lumpia but they are served cut in half so there is actually less than I would have preferred Sizzling Bangus Sisig: Piping hot when served! I wish there was a fried egg on top. Enjoyable level of spice! White Rice: Must be ordered individually per person/cup, then will come out on a large platter. Can opt to ordering garlic rice. Leche Flan: CREAMY, THICKK, PERFECT CARAMEL SWEETNESS! Overall 4.5 rating! Always proud to support Filipino cuisine and so happy to share the culture with community! Salamat sa lahat!! read more

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Came here for a Christmas dinner with the family! Everything was so delicious, some notable favorites of mine were the jumbo squid, lumpia, crispy pata (pork knuckle), and milky ice buko pandan. The jumbo squid and pork knuckle were cooked perfectly, so the texture was amazing. The pandan dessert had such a nice pandan flavor and was a great way to end the meal. All the servers were super kind and helpful during our dinner. The interior was quite nice and had a cozy feeling to it. Would definitely recommend and come again! read more

Avenida Restaurant - Inihaw na Pusit (Tender Jumbo Squid) - Filipino Near Me - San Mateo, California

Went to Avenida around 4 on a Saturday and it absolutely delivered from start to finish. I kicked things off with the ube espresso martini. It was incredible. Honestly one of the best martinis I have ever had. It might be even better as a post dinner drink, but I have zero regrets starting with it. After that I switched to the calamansi tonic with Hendrick's gin, which was super refreshing, bright, and perfectly balanced. They bring out chicharrons with vinegar to start, and let me tell you, mission accomplished. Crispy, salty, tangy, and instantly had us thirsty and ready to order everything on the menu. And we basically did. The adobong pusit was outstanding. Creamy, acidic, tender squid with so much depth of flavor. The lechon was a classic done right, perfectly crispy skin served with vinegar and a Mang Tomas style sauce. We ordered the palabok and I am usually not a palabok guy, but this completely changed my mind. Saucy, flavorful, noodles cooked perfectly. So good. The mango salad was light and refreshing, and the bagoong was the best I have ever had. The crispy pata was the showstopper. Fried pork knuckle cooked to absolute perfection; it's the best thing you'll eat in your life. We also got a big bowl of sinigang broth that really hit the spot. Pro tip, eat everything with garlic rice. Just do it. Huge shoutout to Ken, I think he is the manager, who took amazing care of us. You can tell he is a seasoned vet of the industry. Impeccable service, great energy, had the whole table laughing all night. All the staff were great. We wanted to try dessert but had a tee time for night golf, so we will definitely be back for that. Highly recommend Avenida. We will be back read more

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