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Great place to savor authentic Filipino food with an amazing views. Service was great. Emyl our attendant was so mindful. They worked as a team so our food was served on time. We ordered Kansi Pusit sisig Kangkong with sili Fried salted pork Fried Tawili with suka Tried their Biko pie was ok Turn with Langka Halo halo Overall it was great. I just hope that they warmed my Biko pie before serving.
After being away from the Philippines since my younger days, I was invited to come back and present under the U.S. Fulbright Programs last month (June 2025). Our team was brought to, according to the driver, one of Tagrytay's best, the Balay Dako, as we toured the Tagaytay Highlands to ease ourselves of the charring humidity and enjoy the views of Taal and its vicinities. My brother hailed the tastes of their (Bulalo) Boiled and Soupy Fresh and locally sourced Beef broth with a large femur of meat, cartilage and tasty morsels, enriched with cabbage, pechay, potatoes and other aromatics. The broth was beyond measure and the beef was soft and as I offered the bones, the muscles just fell off the cartilages. We enjoyed the soup and never looked at such soups better than this one. The waiter explained that they source from the freshly butchered beef in town and use them as son as they get to the restaurant, they also use the freshest ingredients from the market. We also had the "pakbet" which is a sautéed combination of vegetables and other ingredients, pork in particular and desserts like halo-halo, a cold mixed of nuts, ice cream, milk and beans, etc...it was creamy and sweet to the tastes... What was endearing here was a view of the Taal Lake enamored by the misty cold air and an elevated viewing restaurant platform which made me feel like dining on earth while in heaven? Call it overrated but having food in a place where you feel pampered like a King or Queen, is to me, classic and an experience others can only dream about... Parking was abundant and a gift shop is also located on the lower floor. The waiters and employees are smiling always and greets you like a friend, very humbling considering I don't see this while in Taiwan, HongKong, Vietnam, or even in Korea? No wonder, the world often go along with their, It's More Fun In The Philippines advertising one liner. So, if you're in the Philippines, get an Uber to take you to Balay Dako and enjoy the highlights of Philippines cuisine and Filipino hospitality, like no other. Mabuhay!
This is the 2nd time I've been to Balay Dako 1st. In 2017 and the latest is Oct. 19, 2025, if I can only give 10 stars I would. This place will never disappoint you especially me, I love all the foods they serve, delicious to the max! Servers are very attentive. We ordered Bulalo, Kare Kare, lumpiang sariwa, Pakbet, Daing na Bangus, Letchon Kawali, Tortang alimasag, the best for me is my favorite Puto Bongbong( Sorry, I forgot to take pix) Green mango juice is an eye opener for me, I just love it. Let's not forget the ambiance at its best! I will keep coming to this place whenever I can visit. All in all, it's simply the BEST!!
Not having been to Tagaytay in over 15 years, I am reminded how beautiful Tagaytay is. That being said, traveling to get to Balay Dako on a Sunday afternoon and parking was horrible! But that has more to do with the road infrastructure (construction delays where we were coming from) and quite a bit of people on the road that day. After managing to park (there was quite a bit of parking but even more people), we walked in to a lot of people in the waiting area. Fortunately, they had seating for those waiting along with a shop to the left selling various types of food including pastries. I highly recommend having a field day and splurge on the packaged pastries there - having arrived back in the US, I'm thoroughly enjoying them all to the point where I'm googling to see if I can order some of this online and shipped here ha! The place itself is a lot larger than I expected. From what I observed, there were two floors of seating. We were seated on the 2nd level, which gave us the opportunity to walk outside and observe the breathtaking view. Amazing! The food itself was a hit and miss. We had a party of 7, and ordered various food ala carte. Bangus Ala Pobre, Fried Inasal, Sinigang Ng Baboy, and a few others I honestly don't know the name of ha! What caught me off guard was when they asked on various occasions whether we would like our sinagang (soup) topped off or refilled. That was definitely new to me and appreciated. The Halo Halo Klasiko and slushies were great! What I appreciated was the service. With the amount of patrons at this establishment, I saw all the workers roaming around tending to everyone. I'd definitely like to visit this place again in the future. Very memorable.
Thanks to my Yelp friend Ronnel S. for reviewing Balay Dako since his post and pics piqued my interest. We were in Taygaytay and needed a place to go for lunch. With Balay Dako bookmarked for months, it was the perfect opportunity to check it out. Balay Dako hits all the marks for ambiance, service and food. Everything was amazing and to have Taal volcano with the lake as your backdrop is the cherry on top. Our group of 7 ordered a number of dishes and our standout favorites were the following: *Marinated Bistek Tagalog (Beef Steak) *Palabok *Chicken Inasal *Halabos ng Hipon *Fried Hito (stuffed fried catfish) There are plenty of seats overlooking Taal so no matter where you are, you're bound to get an amazing view. You will need to get there early for a parking space. This is a wonderful restaurant to enjoy a traditional Filipino meal. A bit on the pricey side but worth every single peso. Don't miss it!
Suggest bringing big appetites or lots of family members and friends to enjoy eating here. We drove from Manila and arrived a little after opening. In the parking lot we received a ticket and had to provide it to the cashier once we closed our check. Inside we stood by the fresh piyaya station and watched the nonstop making of them. We ordered a package to go at the end so we could take it back with us. So good. We finally were seated by the window and had a nice view of the Taal volcano. The menu here showcased a quite extensive selection of Filipino dishes. The portions were bigger than we expected so had a lot of left overs. I think the staff could do a better job explaining serving sizes especially for those of us who have not eaten here before. Some of our favorites were Pinakbet fried rice - will definitely feed more than 4-5 people! Palabok - best we've eaten in awhile Callos - lots of beef tripe and chorizo sausage Escabecheng Pla Pla - perfectly fried and paired well with the sweet sour sauce Puto bumbong - buttery and soft. Service was good overall with lots of servers. Would come back if we visit Tagaytay again.
Awesome place to enjoy a lunch or dinner with spectacular view of Taal lake and volcano. Fresh air , bird song , stillness of time while enjoying home cook meals at its best whether with family, friends and love ones. Food are authentic Filipino showcasing its regional best like bulalo and other classic dishes. Service is world class the Filipino hospitality, respect , true service to accommodate guest request and always deliver with smile.
Food choices are overwhelmingly good, so we had to pick what we know we can finish. Service was a bit lagging although we were sat fairly quickly. Place smelled good because of the bakery and all the dishes they prepare were familiar. We bought baked goods after a big meal and we ate them at the condo for post dessert even though we had dessert already at balay dako.
Easily one of my favorite restaurants in Tagaytay! It's right off of the mountain with the amazing views of the Taal Lake and Taal Volcano. It stays absolutely busy for good reason! The restaurant has limited parking so make sure you get there early enough to make a few circles because the traffic can be terrible on the main road. While you wait, go and checkout the in-house bakery and the downstairs area because the views are endless. The region is well known for their Bulalo dish (a Filipino Beef Marrow Stew), which is a staple soup that is made by cooking beef shanks and bone marrow until the collagen and fat has been melted into the clear broth; vegetables of your liking are added on but typically includes cabbage, corn, and green onions. I personally am a big fan of their version and as soon as my fiancé tasted it, he understood and had an epic reaction. The waiters will also refill your bowl of bulalo soup as many times as needed, so don't worry!! The menu is huge so I would personally prepare ahead of time and make sure that you're ready for a family style meal, because all meals are intended to bring your family together in the Philippines! Top picks and safe for not-so-adventurous Americans: Lechon Kawali, Sisig Na Baboy, BULALO NA BAKA, Sitaw at Giniling na Baboy, Stir Fried Chili Eggplant
Love the food! This is like the mid level restaurant chain of Antonio's. There's always a line to dine in here, but to beat the crowd make sure to arrive by 11 and you will surely be seated right away. The ambiance of the restaurant is very relaxed and homey, feels like you're eating in a familiar settling. The servers are all smiling and very attentive. The service is great! Food. We have their bulala (must order), the meat is tender and the soup is very tasty. We also had the kare kare, but I like the bulalo better. Dinuguan is good too! For drinks I had green mango shake and my mom tried their guyabano drink, all very good. For dessert, we had the palitaw and bibingka, the palitaw brings back my childhood! It's so simple and the taste is what I remembered. Overall, this is one of the best dining place in Tagaytay.
Ambiance - very nice restaurant with excellent view of Taal Lake and volcano. Service - very good service. Servers were very attentive. When we asked the receptionist outside for an area where we could take an unobstructive picture of the view (as opposed to the screened window), she directed us to take bottom steps outside the restaurant. It turned out that there was renovation in that area thus, it was inaccessible. When we explained this to her, she then pointed us to the second floor of the restaurant which had a patio with a perfect view. It didn't make sense for her to direct us to the bottom stairs initially because it was steep and inconvenient. Food - we ordered Kare-kare (disappointingly tasteless but had real ox tails), palabok (on the salty side and did not have the depth of flavor I was hoping for; however, it had a lot of ingredients such as crunchy chicharon, shrimp, etc), fresh lumpiang ubod (tasted good), crispy lumpia with lumpiang ubod inside (very good) and pork bbq (my favorite). I wish we had a choice of serving sizes especially for the kare-kare and palabok but both were large servings. We took home the leftovers. Unfortunately, the kare-kare was spoiled by the next day. Could it be several days old already? We placed the leftovers in an ice chest with ice so...I would probably not be back. Manam had better tasting dishes and had serving size options. Sorry.
The location and view from the restaurant were stellar. We only wish the food were the same. We're expecting to be blown away but it was somewhat disappointing. The Kare Kare and Sisig took the biggest hit of lacking flavor and was not savory at all. To make long story short, for the price, it could be better. The service was exceptional. The place was very nostalgic. It makes you feel at home. Maybe this place was hyped up and made our expectations high especially when you're hungry. Manam set the benchmark for us and we were expecting the same or better.
First of all, the place is impressively beautiful. Everything was tight. The staff were attentive. The food came out very fast. The views of Taal were gorgeous. Its a very nice place. When it came to the food, they will definitely fill you up. As far as the taste, it was good, but I wasnt necessarily blown away with anything. Dont get me wrong, if given the opportunity, Id definitely go back and dine again.
3 years ago
Food is perfect, we ordered kansi, bulalo, bangus ala pobre and tawilis and everything is great!!! I also ordered palabok but it really does need calamansi for my taste palette. But over all the serving and everything taste great! Service is great also! We requested for window seat for the view, at first there is no available spot since we have 9 persons in a group but we compromised also to have 2 tables and it was great! This is a great experience! read more
3 years ago
We stopped by here for lunch to celebrate Father's Day. Foods are exceptional. Service is excellent. Ambiance is the best (overlooking Taal Volcano). I highly recommend this place. Its a very busy restaurant and they wont take reservations. Its first come first serve basis so come early coz the parking is very limited. read more
4 years ago
Really great place to bring family with breath taking views of the cove. Fair warning to maybe bring a jacket because it is windy. Other than above, the food is really good and the service was great read more
5 years ago
Everything was super delicious. Never had piaya! I'm pinay and Ive had basically every Filipino dessert there is...except this! Now I'm back in the States and trying to find a restaurant that makes these! Anyways, like I said, everything was delicious. The palabok was missing something though. But nothing beats my mother in laws palabok. Make sure you sit in the front of the view! It was breathtaking! read more
2 years ago
My visit to Balay Dako left me absolutely speechless, particularly because of the unparalleled bulalo experience. Nestled in the heart of Tagaytay, this charming restaurant offered not just a meal, but a culinary journey like no other. From the first sip of the rich broth to the tender chunks of beef, every bite of their bulalo was an explosion of flavor that left me craving for more. The broth was also refillable so this is a great option for families. The server was also phenomenal. Our Bulalo didn't have any bone marrow so he ended up giving us an extra as a side - free of charge. The other items we ordered were also delicious, crispy pata, callos, fried fish, and chicharon bulaklak were amazing! Overall, The cozy ambiance and breathtaking views of Taal Lake only added to the overall dining experience, making it truly unforgettable. Balay Dako has undoubtedly set the bar high for bulalo, and I can confidently say it's the best I've ever had. read more
Great service and ambiance not to mention food! Travelled to tagaytay to check out this place. Extensive menu including house specialties and favorites. A must is the bulalo with unlimited soup refills. Price wise it's high compared to the rest of the restaurants in the area. Home made ice cream was too sweet for my liking. read more
Looking for a quality Filipino food with legit ingredients? This is your spot! Do not be intimidated by the price because the servings are huge. They don't play with the ingredients and the taste? I know my food so well that I was enjoying every bite and sip of everything. Bulalo is a must and well-known in Tagaytay so get it! The view was spectacular! The staff were attentive with fast service. I am not exaggerating but you will experience the same thing for sure. Piyaya making is an open door for viewers and buyers. Damn good piyayas!!!!!!! read more
5 years ago
A must try Bistek Atay ng Baka (Beef liver steak) Fine dining for a reasonable price. Situated in Tagaytay City with a stunning view of Lake Taal that offers authentic Filipino cuisines + the interiors are fascinating. I love the ambiance, not to mention the richness of Filipino cuisines while simultaneously admiring the wonders of Lake Taal and a place this grand, I was hoping the food will do justice, and thankfully it did and even exceeded my expectation especially that I am a huge fan of "Lutong Bahay". The Inihaw na Liempo was good. The meat was tender and juicy. It has a tangy, smoky, and sweet taste that compliments very well with the atsara. The Beef liver steak was new to me and it was heavenly! I love the tenderness of the beef liver that goes very well with its rich sauce. The white onion gave a mild sweet taste which I think reduces the liver's bitter taste. Someone insisted to give it a try and so we did. I got interested at first sight and agreed quietly though, I just didn't want to give him the satisfaction of being the one who made the right choice. Lol. (so evil of me, I know!) The Pinakbet - I was never a fan of pinakbet with sauteed shrimp paste, being a full pledge Ilocano. But theirs was a hit to me and goes very well with the Inihaw na Liempo. Our waiter was very attentive to our needs and so he deserve a tip. Few things to know: * There is a 10% service charge which will be added on top of your bill. * PWD and Senior Citizen Discount ate being honored. * They don't accept table reservations due to a first-come, first-served policy. * Parking-wise, they have huge parking spaces but can be full during lunchtime especially on the weekends. Glad we got there early, so parking was never an issue. Balay Dako is a "vision", both literally and figuratively. I love the place and I'm sure you will love it too. The food. The place. The view. It was all perfect! But what makes it more perfect, I didn't have to pay the bill. Someone else's! read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Great filipino food! View is fantastic. If you are looking for an authentic filipino food taste... in an elegant setting, this is the place to try! read more
The wait was probably an hour long but that is expected at places where the view is spectacular. We had a huge group since it was a wedding party. We sat down and was able to order with ease. We ordered multiple orders of fried chicken, bulalo, kare kare, (some sort of fish dish), adobo. There is quite a variety of things going on at this table. These portions are HUGE. Filipino food is always in a family style cuisine so it makes sense that these portions are huge. The food was very tasty. Tagaytay is known for their bulalo so if you come here, you need to order it! The food was greasy, fattening and packed with flavor. And if you come to a filipino restaurant and it's not fattening--then you're not doing it right. There were about 18 of us there. Some were not filipino. We had traveled from the US for my best friend's wedding. So needless to say, some of our friends were unfamiliar with the food; however, despite this, they too enjoyed the meal. We finished almost all the fried chicken. We definitely finished the kare kare. As we were finishing, we took to the balcony sides to take photos of the beautiful lake taal. On the way out, we stopped by their mini souvenir shop. It has a variety of snacks and you definitely need to take some items to go with you. Overall, I'd definitely come back to try other dishes on their menu :) It's more fun in the Philippines! read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
4 years ago
This is one of the best restaurants I have visited in Tagaytay, Philippines. It's kind'a hard to find and make sure you call ahead to reserve a table, you might have to wait long or not get in at all if you don't. The service is very professional, their food is delicious. Try the fried tawilis, it's so crunchy goes well with vinegar. Overall, highly recommended!!! read more
This has been our go-to restaurant when in Tagaytay. We always request to be at the Terraza as it is almost always less crowded. It also gives a better view of the Taal Lake. They also accommodate our beagle upstairs. Food has always been fantastic! Our favorites are the Kilaw-Sugba, Bulalo na Baka, Chicharo at Hipon, Pastel de Lengua, and Pinakbet na Kanin at Lechon Kawali. It can be a bit pricey compared to other restaurants but it is well worth it. read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
Beautiful restaurant with great views of the lake. Food was unbelievably delicious and service was on point. Definitely a wonderful experience! The Bulalo did not disappoint! read more
2 years ago
8 years ago
This is one of Chef Antonio"Tony Boy" Escalante's three restaurants in Tagaytay and came highly recommended to me by a friend when he heard that I'd be visiting the area. We came for the breakfast buffet on a Saturday around 8:30am which is probably the busiest time to be here. The buffet is served from 7:00am until 10:30am on the second floor of the restaurant. Serving Filipino food, it's all you can feast for 700 pesos per person, which is a real steal for the quality and selection. However, be warned that you will be waiting for a table if you come on the weekends like we did. Our party of three waited over an hour to be seated because EVERYONE comes here to eat! The good thing is that there is plenty of comfortable seating in the lobby area, plus Balay Dako has a deli where you can shop plenty of pasalubong and buy snacks to nibble on while you wait; there were plenty of people doing just that. After we were seated, we went straight for the Mainit da Tsokolate, the hot chocolate made from local 100% cocoa beans. My grandma used to make this for us growing up and it was just as delicious as I remember. After that, it was a matter of just going from station to station and choosing which tasty food to eat next. The hot food section offerings included tocino, tapa, adobo, gulay, longanisa, and bacon. There's a fried rice and omelet station where you can customize your order by picking your own ingredients. And the dessert? Amazing! Puto, ensaymada, kutsinta, palitaw, taho, puto bungbong made fresh and all so good. Another beverage I enjoyed was fresh calamansi juice on ice. All this and more plus that majestic view of Taal Lake and Taal Volcano make the wait worthwhile. I'd highly recommend this spot--masarap! read more
8 years ago
Came here for their breakfast. We drove almost 2 hours to come to Tagaytay to eat here. Its evidently a converted home turned eating establishment. By the time we got here and put our name on the waiting list around 630am (we were number 12) there was a lot of people already waiting to eat at this place which opens at 7am, so i had high hopes for this place. In fact they had a sign saying that due to the increased foot traffic this place gets, they no longer take reservations, just first come first serve. Each adult is about 700 pesos. So when 7am came around they were very orderly bringing each group upstairs to eat. Theres a main eating area in the middle and 2 outside areas for dining on either side with the different dishes lined against the walls. Variety wise they had a lot to offer. They had a fried rice station where u can gather all ur ingredients together and theyll cook it for u and bring it to your table. They had so many different types of drinks as well. Their dessert area was massive as well, with plenty of sweets being offered. Eating outside was nice. The weather was pleasant and not hot like Manila. Also in the not to far distance was Taal volcano island with its mountains being surounded by a large body of water. It was really gorgeous to be able to look at it while eating and the different angles of the hills while waiting in line for food. The only knock was service was on the slower side. Took forever to get our coffees, hot chocolate and other drinks. But i believe it was because they had just initially opened and about 100 people were all ordering at the same time. But overall its a must try while in Cavite. This place left me full and satisfied for the long drive back to Manila. When we got back downstairs, it was packed (again) with people waiting to eat. A very popular place, now i see why read more
We ate here with a ton of family for a pre wedding day lunch feast. The restaurant was close to where we were all staying. Most of my family are from the US so this was a great restaurant for us to try all the well known Filipino dishes we all know and love. We ordered a feast here at Balay Dako. We were a party of 25+. The service was great. The food came out pretty quickly. All the dishes, deserts, drinks were all amazing. Everyone in our party was definitely satisfied and our bellies were full. My personal favorites here were the Pork Skewers, Bistek Tagalog, Sisig, Lechon Kawali and the Halo Halo. Halo Halo from the motherland is so much better. Please see all the food pictures! Highly recommend eating here if you have a chance. read more
4 years ago
I had lunch here with my son, his wife, her brother and his wife. We arrived at 11:30am and there were already a lot of people there, luckily we had a reservation. As usual, I had no idea what to order, so the native Filipinos ordered for me. Everything was absolutely delicious! This was my first time having garlic rice and it's something I'm definitely going to make at home. I don't remember the names of all the dishes I tried, but I'm attaching pictures to this post. If you're ever in the area, I would definitely recommend you have lunch here, but do yourself a favor and make a reservation. Oh and ask for a seat near the window so you can see the volcano in the lake! read more
8 years ago
Very intimate ambience - perfect for a romantic date or a quiet evening with family and friends. We got the outdoor seats upstairs and it was a cool Saturday evening - bring a jacket! We got the salted egg shrimp and the ginataang langka. My friends got the soup (I forget what it's called but it is like bulalo) and they liked it. read more
3 years ago
9 years ago
If you're looking for Filipino food, Balay Dako is certainly top notch when it comes to FIlipino cuisine. Chef Tony Boy owner of Antonio's has done it again with this wonderful location off the bluffs with a gorgeous view and wonderful food. You really can't really go wrong here. Typically, I've been elated with the experiences I've had at all but one of the Antonio's restaurants. The food was fantastic, I've been here on 6 separate occasions and have tried many different dishes, all of which, quite honestly, have been just wonderful. The crispy pata was fantastic, always one of those staple family style dishes sure to satisfy the whole group. The servings here are family style so everyone can share in the wholesome goodness Balay Dako has to offer. They have an extensive menu of filipino dishes, and some I would even go as far to say have some fusion flair to them. The service is also above par. Their servers fill your water without having to ask, most of the time, and they seem quite attentive. I'd say probably the best casual dining restaurant in Tagaytay. read more
3 years ago
Wow wow wow-- my friends did not steer me wrong when they recommended coming here for some legit Filipino cuisine. Everything we had felt like it was made specially for us! The roasted pig was incredible, we also had garlic rice, butter chili prawns, beef stew, and some anchovies (I think?) everything was absolutely amazing!! If you get a chance, I would highly recommend also sitting near the balcony where you get a great view in addition to great food :) read more
9 years ago
What a great value for high quality food! It's a great location with a gorgeous, scenic view. My parents love coming here and took me and a few friends from the states. Although it was Sunday morning, the place was really packed and we were a party of 9, we only had to wait a few short minutes before we were seated. Since we were a large group we sat at one end of a very long table that already had others seated. We didn't mind sitting with other people because we recognized some of the other patrons. After we sat down I immediately went on to explore all the food options- and there were many. There was a line for your typical breakfast proteins- longanisa, tapa, corned beef, bacon, fish and more. There was a station to make your own omelets and a station to make your own fried rice. There was a pastry station with assorted bread, fruit and salad station, dessert station, arros caldo with all the fixings, and a few other stations I can't remember. There was a wonderful selection of coffee, tea, juices and infused water. Everything was soooo good. My favorite was the fried rice and the puto bumbong. Sarap! Also- the balot there is one of the best I've ever tasted! A special mention to Jonard and the entire staff- such wonderful service! The place can get crazy busy but their amazing customer service and hospitality remains excellent. Will be returning again!a read more
This is hands down the BEST Filipino meal I've had on this trip. We were actually planning to go to Josephine's for bulalo but husband saw this place and the family decided to eat here instead. The restaurant is absolutely beautiful and if you get a table near the window you can enjoy the view of Taal lake as you dine. The service was really good. We had seven people in our party and there was a round table for six but they made it work for us. We ordered sinigang baboy, pancit ni Antonio, pinakbet, sitaw at ginilang na baboy and sizzling bulalo na baka. Everything was excellent especially the sizzling bulalo. Afterwards we ordered freshly made piaya, a flatbread filled with muscovado that's popular in Bacolod. For the quality of food and service, it's pretty reasonably priced. Highly recommended! read more
9 years ago
My family and I had an amazing breakfast here! We drove from Quezon City to here just for the food and view. We weren't disappointed. I can't wait to be back in the Philippines to visit this place again. read more
Delicious well-presented dishes paired with one of the most beautiful views in the Philippines makes for one of the best dining experiences on my most recent trip to the Pilipinas! This place is on point! The ambiance, personable staff and well-prepared food make you wish every restaurant in the country was like this. On our road trip from Baguio to Tagaytay, topic number one was deciding where to eat. So glad my aunt got this recommendation from a local friend. Upon entering the restaurant you see the beautiful view of lake Taal below. So beautiful! The wait for a table by the window is a bit longer but definitely worth it! The food is amazing! My favorites were the lumpiang Shanghai, coconut shrimp and lechon! That lumpia was crispy and had the most delicious pork filling. It was well seasoned and perfect on its own. Seriously, no vinegar required! The coconut shrimp paired with the crab rice was perfection! Shrimp wasn't over cooked and the sauce was so good! Our party of 9 ordered a lot of food! The Liempo, Lengua, fried calamari and beef dishes were all well received by the family. Upstairs is a bar with a veranda perfect for picture taking. I forgot our bartenders name but he was hilarious! He was also a great bartender! No watered down cocktails here at Balay Dako! Do yourself a favor next time you are in the Philippines and check this place out!!! read more
Sorry to offend the patriotic/nationalistic souls out there but I've never been the type to crave Filipino food. Sure, I love adobo, laing, daing na bangus, nilaga and sinigang and always enjoy having these at home but I have never found myself desperately, hopelessly seeking to get my fix right then and there. However, one place has made me appreciate (and crave!) our cuisine better: Balay Dako. Housed in a traditional Filipino mansion, Tagaytay's newest food gem offers a stunning re-entry into the wonderful world of our good ol' national favorites. The house itself is an absolute feast for the eyes (I couldn't stop taking photos!) and the dishes they serve, refined by Chef Tony Boy of Antonio's (part of Asia's 50 best restaurants!), a feast for the palate. Winners for me are the Kalderatang Kambing, Squid Sisig and a must in Tagaytay: Bulalo. Hefty servings too but these are so good, you wouldn't mind having all to yourself, just like what happened with me and the Kaldereta! Of course, you must finish this meal off with Leche Flan. Always! This isn't the main dessert, though! Head over to the second floor - the terraz - and spend a whole afternoon (and night!) unwinding over great cocktails (my favorite is the Dalampasigan!) and one of the best views of the Taal! We were very lucky to have a DJ play Rhye, Chet Faker, Daft Punk, Telepopmusik, etc, the Saturday that we went. We had a hard time leaving because we wanted to stay for one more song and one more and one more and one more....exactly how I feel about Balay Dako and Filipino cuisine now. read more
Fell in love with Balay Dako's ambiance, plus points for having an excellent view of the Taal Volcano! Food and service were really impressive as well. Their chicharon bulaklak was a great way to start our meal. In fact, theirs was the best chicharon I've tasted in my life! :) The sizzling bulalo na baka was awesome! The sinigang na salmon sa miso, and the kare-kare were yummy renditions of local dishes although not the best. For dessert, the turon con langka at saging was just a better version of the regular turon. read more
7 years ago
3 years ago
11 years ago
Delicious Filipino food. Tips: -delicious brunch on weekends and holidays. -get there early. Very popular spot and they don't take reservations. read more
9 years ago
Tried Balay Dako for Dinner. We booked a 40 seater Private Function Room for Php20,000 worth of consumable food and drinks. Set Menu is also available for group orders. Not impressed by the food but Piaya is an instant favorite (great option for Pasalubong, too) read more
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