Ambience (5/5) - Pinoy Karaoke + the smell of Ihaw, what else could you ask for? Beer, siguro sunod na yan hahahaha. Food(6/5) - Any Filipino will tell you, it doesnt matter if Ate is in South SF, San Jose, and now Hayward, people WILL drive to eat her food. Isaw, Pares, Sisig, the Elusive Empanada na palaging paubos na, pati yung Inasal masarap walangya. Amazing food, this is coming from someone born and raised in the PH. Best Pinoy food in the Bay! Owner (10/5) - Nako pag may nakita kang palibot libot na sexy, alam mo na si ate yun. Jokes aside, ate actually is at her location all the time, mapafood truck pa or Brick and Mortar na. Very humble, and I cannot be more happy for her, she gets to take her shot at a permanent location now! tl;dr - Pumunta ka nalang, you wont regret it. read more

Saw on my social media feed about this place and realized it was the same location as Toto's grill which closed many years ago. Was excited to find out another Filipino business taking over. I've had my fair share of tusok-tusok experiences in California and I mean it when I say that I am happy this place opened up. I think prices are pretty fair for a bbq stick in the Bay Area. They carry pork bbq, hot dogs, intestine, kwek-kwek, bettamax, pig ears, etc! Although I wish they had fishball or squid ball for even more variety but thats ok. They provide a marinade to brush on while you grill your own BBQ and provide vinegar and another sweet sauce for you to dip it in post-grilling. Overall, the flavor is really good and you can't really go wrong. They carry other items on the menu in which they serve to you such as sisig, pares, siaomai, empanada (available weekends only), lumpia, melon juice, etc. And yes they have rice! I wish I took pictures of the food we ordered but the kids got to it first while we were bbqing. We went on a Thursday evening so it wasn't too crowded but they still kept the party going with karaoke and music. I could imagine the place being full on weekends. The parking could also get tricky in that area if full too. They take cash, Zelle, and card (with surcharge). The grill is located inside in the center of the restaurant so it gets pretty smoky inside even with all the doors open and vents running. So expect to smell like delicious bbq coming out lol. read more

Ems Kusina - Menu & prices - Caterers Near Me - Hayward, California

I love the concept! Enjoyed the pork inside and pig ear which was tender but crispy! Thought I was gonna be expecting more from the sisig since it was their #1 popular. It was missing something possibly flavor and not enough calamansi.. Kwek Kwek was good which is fried quail egg. Wish I had ate it as soon as it got to me. The batter wasn't crispy it was actually too doughy. The buko UBE drink was so good!! You get the coconut bits in there! read more

Ems Kusina - Sisig - Caterers Near Me - Hayward, California

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Something different, very tasty plus fun to cook your own skewers as long as you don't burn it!

They're located at the old Toto's grill. This would've been the 6th change of ownership since then. I came here to check it out and have been craving for chicken isaw. I think it's their soft opening, they don't have their logo outside the building. It's still a little chaotic. Comparing from Toto's Grill , their food wasn't as precooked . You have to take a long time making sure the skewers are cooked. The grills were dirty and the flames are low. Took so long to cook the 4 isaw I bought. Prices varied depending on what you have. Chicken isaw was $4.25 each . Vinegar and sweet sauce was good. They provide basting sauce for the BBq's which is good. Will definitely come back to try other things. read more

Ems Kusina - Caterers Near Me - Hayward, California

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As soon as you enter their restaurant, you feel the good vibes from the staff and that inviting smell! I must say i've never had sisig as good as Em's Kusina's sisig! Last time I had their food was 3 years ago before I moved to LA, now Im back..that first bite brought me back to that taste I fell inlove with! The street bbqs are always on point! Saucy, generous and clean! Im so happy theyre in Hayward now! Make sure you also try their iskrambol and creamy buko juice! So refreshing! Cant wait to try other things on the menu next time I visit! read more

Ems Kusina - Generous sisig rice plate + street bbqs + iscrambol - Caterers Near Me - Hayward, California

Glad they have their food truck now in Spruce Ave SSF! I found a new spot when craving for Pinoy steet food. The food was tasty. I always order for Isaw, tumbong, tenga, Goto, iskrambol. The shawarma is least of my fave. The staff were nice and the place had a cozy vibe even if it gets cold in SSF. LOL Just a bit of wait time, but overall a solid spot for comfort food! They're always open here on weekends! read more

Ems Kusina!!! GOOD FOOD, GOOD VIBE, GOOD STAFF!!!! Grabe the best! Hands down, highly recommended for food enthusiast.

I've been coming to Ems for a long time ever since they had their food truck. Hands down the most delicious Filipino street food ever and the employees are so nice and welcoming. My absolute favorites are the kwek kwek and sisig silog read more

Ems Kusina - Caterers Near Me - Hayward, California

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Owner Ate Ems truly makes this place special. She takes the time to engage with her customers and treats everyone like a barkada (friend), creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere that really captures the Filipino spirit and hospitality. The food is consistently delicious, and one thing I love is that the ISAW is always available whenever I'm craving it. Their Viral Ilocos empanada is absolutely crispy, flavorful, and a must-try for anyone visiting. If you're looking for authentic Filipino food served with genuine hospitality, I highly recommend checking this place out! read more

If you've been craving that authentic, straight-from-the-street food stall vibe from the Philippines, EMS Kusina delivers it in spades. I've been to their San Jose location before, but when I heard they had a pop-up at the Safeway on Gellert Ave in South San Francisco, I had to drop by. The quality? Still top-notch. I came for the shawarma, siomai, BBQ, and tokwat baboy, and every bite felt like home. This is comfort food at its finest, mouth-watering, freshly made, and seasoned with the kind of care you can taste. The Sago't Gulaman was perfectly refreshing, balancing out all the savory goodness. What made it even better was Ate Ems herself greeting us. It felt like visiting your neighborhood street vendor back in the Philippines, where the food is made with love and everyone's treated like family. The crew here is warm, friendly, and makes you feel right at home from the first "hello." I just hope EMS Kusina can find a permanent spot here in South San Francisco soon, because the city deserves this level of Filipino comfort food on the regular. Pro tip: Come hungry, leave happy! read more

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This place used to be cash only but now that they take Zelle and Venmo, I finally got to try it! I ordered the bbq pork skewers and chicken lumpia. It takes about 15 min to get your food because they make everything fresh, but let me emphasize that it is worth the wait. The bbq pork was so tender and juicy with the perfect amount of glaze. It almost tasted like teriyaki but it was more mild and emphasized the juiciness of the pork without being overpowering. The order was $11 for 3 skewers. I ate two and an hour later ate the third one which was still delicious (they wrap them in foil for you). The chicken lumpia was a huge hit. My toddler had not tried them before and he loved them. He thought they mini tacos and ate several. I loved the filling because it was perfectly seasoned and they didn't feel greasy for being fried. The service is really nice and it was busy on a Saturday afternoon. I will definitely be coming back! read more

I was so excited to try this place but man their Skewers are way too overprice..I know we're in the bay but a $4ish skewers are too much. I paid $65 for 5 skewers+ 2chicken inasal (dry chicken btw)+ 1 buko juice. read more

They changed Totos to Ems, and not much has changed except that they now have plenty of isaw available. What I don't like is how expensive it is. One stick of isaw costs $4.25, which feels overpriced for a Filipino street food item. In the Philippines, street food is known for being affordable and accessible. If the restaurant wants to bring authentic Filipino culture to the community, I think the pricing should reflect that as well. the prices make it hard to enjoy it the way Filipino street food is meant to be enjoyed. read more

I really wanted to try this this place, especially for their empanadas and kwek kwek. After seeing they were in Hayward today, we showed up a bit before 4pm (as they stated they would start serving empanadas at 4pm). We waited in line for over 1.5 hours, just to get to order and be told that they were they out of empanadas. Upsetting, but no problem, its a popular item, I get it. I figured I would order something else and drink, but then I was told that they were out of over 3/4's of their menu (I think even more than that tbh, I asked about MULTIPLE items and the lady said they were out of everything except a few ihaw ihaw items) We left without ordering a single thing, just 1.5 hours of wasted time standing in the cold. I am glad the business seems to be going well, but it would have been nice to at least have someone announce that they were sold out, so we did not have to wait in line for nothing. Hopefully I can try this place again once they get their organization down a bit better. read more

The best sisig in the Bay! I order party trays and get lots of compliments. They all loved it!

Friendly owner! Great food with savory flavor! I got the grilled liempo and siomai. Hella good! *chef's kiss* read more

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Changed my initial review because my latest experience was like night and day bad. Yes, catering food was good and communications were too. There were some red flags, but I ignored them because the food was good and I really want to like this vendor. Then I visited the food truck and the food was just okay. Considering the prices it was below my expectations. I didn't say anything because I really wanted them to do well... Well my latest experience was so bad that I couldn't let my catering / initial review stand. I ordered a smaller quantity for an event I was attending. Comms were very slow and I'd pretty much given up and was looking for another vendor. Then they reach out the day before and so I gave them a chance. I told them when I needed the food and long story short after a lot of missed promises I get the food 1.5h after my initial commit. Yes, I get your short staffed and weekends are busy, but I spent those 1.5h stressing out and feeling embarassed trying to figure out where my order was. By the time the food got here most of the guests were done eating. I don't wish them any ill and I hope they fix the communications and commitment issues. But till then they have lost a customer. read more

We went to the South San Francisco location. Got in line at 5:45 and were able to order at 6:40. Waited more than one hour (got our food at 8:00 pm). Food is good but the wait is not worth it. I hope they see their shortcomings and try to improve their process. read more

Comfort food. My son took me here to eat. We bought Ilocos Empanada, Siomai, Isaw, and Melon drinks. To me empanada is a plus and the melon drinks not have enough pulp and the ice was not shaved, It's all blocked. Kind a expensive though for almost $100. The parking is okay. read more

If you're looking for good food & a place that makes you feel like family. This is the place. Ordering their food, was fast & easy. I a bit of a mix up with my order, for 2 for $5 weekend Pinoy Hotdog deal. I got two hotdogs on a stick. Then they forgot my bread for it, which came out on a Pita bread. The weekend hotdogs came out in a sweet, warm & a bit salty glaze sauce. They cut it up across as well, making it easier to eat on a stick. It comes out in a dark red & a bit charcoal in a small kitchen. Cook all the way through & two really are a lot? The ambiance is really good though, with a tent on this cold day, lights & another stand if you looking to get other food. The Owner wasn't doing the orders & cooking, so I understand the confusion. The owner is really nice & made me feel like family. Would go again! But prop order something else!? TLDR; Order weekend hotdogs, order messed up, good flavors, bright ambiance, friendly owners, & should have order something else. read more

Ems Kusina - Pinoy hot dog sticks - Caterers Near Me - Hayward, California

Comforting Filipino food. We tried the sisig, liempo, siomai, isaw and gulaman. All of it was good. The sisig and liempo were cooked so well. The set up was outside on a dirt road off the street. That's probably the only gripe I have. Parking wasn't too bad, but when it's busy there's not much. If you're looking for award winning sisig, I recommend Ems Kusina. read more

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I love the isaw and the skewers here also the shawarma rice is the best. Best of all, ate Ems is the best! read more

3rd time buying from the food truck. Food is good, but with 2 people taking the orders and about 5 people inside the food truck, our food still took 55 minutes to be ready. Thats almost an hour considering all the staff they have. By the time we got our food, we've lost our appetite already. The chicken inasal and sisig were barely warm too when we got them. This was also our experience on the first 2 visits. I don't think almost an hour of wait is worth it anymore. We thought they would improve overtime but sadly they haven't. I really hope they take time to see this so they can improve and find a better way / system so their customers are not waiting that long. Until then, we won't be back anytime soon. read more

Absolute hidden gem!!! A small family business that I'm happy to support. It's in a dirt lot (which i hate because when cars pass the dirt goes in the air and blows everywhere). We got the pork belly, chicken feet, intestine and pig ear. Everything was soooo good!! One of my chicken feet was burnt but the owner made sure i got another one! She was so happy and so engaging with her customers. She was dancing and knew what everyone ordered. I had to order to go for my sister to try. Would 10/10 recommend!!! read more

Ems Kusina - Chicken feet, pig ear and pork belly - Caterers Near Me - Hayward, California

I got to sample the bone marrow plate let just say it's a legit plate if you need to sample anything this would be my first choice. Growing up as a kid allot of this stuff I didn't sample or want, or know what I was eating, growing up and now sampling allot of these dishes are kinda like paying homage to my nationality, anytime I see certain things on menus it will usually be a togo to for me for sure. Not in only Filipino food, but in Latin food, Carribean, German, literally everything. You never know their interpretation of a dish might be better then what is offered, doesn't hurt to try something different. Portion wise on this plate is fairly large, other then the large bone with bone marrow in it, is medley of saucy seasoned meat (lighter version of adobo not to vinegary), garlic rice and fried egg. You can't go wrong with this dish in any way, you get enough meat, that marrow as a bonus, rice and egg. from top to bottom a solid silog plate Hats off to the chef definitely sample this dish over and over again bone marrow plate ***** order this over and over again lol price $$ service **** helpful, standard, order at window, wait to be called ambiance **** you take it to go, find a table or chair or eat in your car best to have it when fresh read more

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discovered Ems Kusina after seeing the SF Chronicle article where they won best sisig (2nd place) and decided I just had to go and take my Filipino boyfriend for his seal of approval. the truck is in this back lot with some other food trucks and they seem to have a nice little community we came around 12 and there was a short line. it took about 15 minutes for our food to come out. we ordered some skewers (comes in a set of 5 min, $2 each) and ordered 2 pork isaw (intestine) and 3 chicken isaw. we also had to order the pork sisig as that is their specialty they also had beef pares (beef stew) on the menu with bone marrow so that is on the list to try next time! the skewers had a nice charcoal flavor to them and I have never had intestine before but it was actually delicious. I can't tell if I like the chicken or pork more.. it comes with a vinegar sauce. definitelt want to try pork ears next time. my only comment is the skewers are small and for $2 each, you'd expect a little more the sisig was delicious and flavorful. my boyfriend said it tasted like home so that's all that needs to be said! the staff are very friendly so we will definitely be back! read more

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Had the opportunity to try Ems Kusina at Foodieland in Berkely and it was fantastic! - Pork BBQ Skewers - Pancit Bihon Canton - Balut - Award Winning Pork Sisig Have you ever had balut?! It was my first time and it was a very unique experience. If you don't know, balut is fertilized developing egg embryo that is boiled and eaten from the shell. Don't be intimidated as its taste is comparable to steamed egg and chicken soup! The pork BBQ skewers and pancit were also both delicious. The skewers are cooked over an open grill and the pancit is stir-fried with veggies to perfection. The star of the show was Ems award-winning sisig. The dish consisted of juicy, savory, and tender pork served along with rice with bright calamansi and creamy sauce. This is a must-try dish that I highly recommend! read more

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One of our favorite places to visit when in San Jose. They have a really nice spacious tent if you'd like to stay and eat along with easy parking. They also hosts some nba watch parties and some other entertainment. So the vibe of the place is all happy! Onto the food review. Unfortunately I only photographed the siomai lol the siomai was super delicious and not at all dry like some places. Very yummy Chilli oil to accompany it as well. Aside from the siomai we had their bbq intestines which were yummy! Loved how it was nicely coated in their sauce and grilled to a tender. Their SisigSilog is also outstanding and well flavored. You really can't go wrong with any items they have up on their menu. Just make sure to follow them on their social media for updated menu specials. Lastly you'll find a happy couple behind all the hard work they out into their business. Ems is super cheerful and always has her customers smiling. Service is excellent with these two power couple along with their friendly staff members. Give them try guys! read more

Ems Kusina - Caterers Near Me - Hayward, California

I was trying to find some bbq sticks for a party tray Called them up to schedule for a pick up. I guess they have raise there price for 2 dollars to 3 isaw bbq sticks? On the day I'm trying to order hmmm... I also found other reviewers said this place are overpriced . Found somewhere else that has a better pricing . Please update your menu pricing accordingly so people know what we are going to pay to order. Thanks and good-luck. read more

I've been wanting to try this place and good thing they move a little closer where I live. All my friends told me that it's good. So my partner and I tried it out since we're nearby. We order Sisig Silog with Garlic rice but the fried garlic was only the top of the rice and we got Siomai they are both good. I'll come back to try other food they have on the menu. It might not look enough but it fills you up. So it was totally worth it! read more

Ems Kusina - Sisig Silog and Siomai - Caterers Near Me - Hayward, California

The best. Coming from Daly City to SJ for Filipino food is unheard of. But all of their food is superior to the food back in Daly City. The isaw here is to die for. Worth the drive, always leaving happy! read more

Ems Kusina - Caterers Near Me - Hayward, California

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The food takes a while. I kinda expected it since it's a food truck and they probably don't have enough people but still- it took a long time waiting for my order. I just wanted to try this place coz of the good reviews but the parking is not good either.... so it's good to know that I'll probably won't be coming back lol had to experience it once I guess read more

What a hidden gem. Located in a large parking lot, the food from this little food truck is absolutely amazing. Not much for ambiance as you order your food and sit at a table underneath a large tent, but that's not what you come here for. You come here for the food and it's all you'll remember after taking a bite. Service is friendly. Prices are a little high, but that's the case for all food trucks. Eat everything on the menu! Highly recommended. read more

Ems Kusina - Caterers Near Me - Hayward, California

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Legit in the cuts so just keep a look out or else you'll miss it. Lots of parking cause location is in the back back. They also have seating if you wanna eat there so that's pretty cool. Super friendly service as soon as you walk up to order & they answer any questions you have about the menu. Maybe came too late cause they ran out of some of the goodies, so I didn't get to try it. Will be visiting again cause it's down the street from my house & when I'm feeling some pinoy power! I'll be back to try the other yummies on the menu & the stuff they ran out of. read more

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I went to the Hayward Block Party and this food truck was there. It was the only Filipino food truck and I've been craving Filipino food since forever. Plus, it was the only place that wasn't charging an arm and a leg for food. Prices were decent. They had a cook in the truck but didn't have anyone taking orders. I waited about 15-20 minutes until finally someone showed up to take our orders. I didn't know that it had won 2nd place in an annual sisig festival so I decided to try the award winning sisig myself. If you haven't had Filipino food before, it can be really heavy and this dish was no exception. The pork sisig was drenched in (I think) mayo, as seen in the pictures. It came with a pretty generous amount of garlic rice and other various vegetables. I can taste why the sisig one an award because it was great! Had a lot of flavor in each bite but the mayo sauce seemed to overpower it all. Would recommend if you're looking for a fairly priced food truck with a generous amount of food! read more

Ems Kusina - Pork sisig, garlic rice topped with egg - Caterers Near Me - Hayward, California

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BEST FILIPINO FOOD IN SAN JOSE! Tried so many Filipino places in SJ that were mid at best. Solid, Mang Inasal style Filipino food! We got the siomai, liempo, and sisig! Everything was delicious! Nice shaded outdoor area, great ambience with music. They have suka, toyo, chicken oil, kalamansi, and Mang Tomas style sauce on the side as well. Ems the owner so so friendly and funny! She's the best! read more

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Da best filipino food in bay area! Beef Pares is one of my fav yall should try it out. read more

Ems Kusina - Beef pares, pork isaw and pork liempo - Caterers Near Me - Hayward, California

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She's the Aunty you wish you had. Everything is good here and love the outdoor seating arrangement. I feel like I am in Hawaii( or Philippines) when I eat here. Follow their IG since they rotate their menu. read more

Ems Kusina - Beef Caldereta - Caterers Near Me - Hayward, California

Just was strolling around the Bay Area and I was craving some authentic Filipino food. The owner here is very welcoming and friendly . Introduced my friend and I to the menu and was making us feel right at home. I ended up ordering their sisig, sushi bake and shumai and everything was a hit. I'll be coming back for sure. Thank guys! read more

Ems Kusina - Caterers Near Me - Hayward, California