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    Isla Restaurant

    3.8 (1.4k reviews)
    ModerateFilipino
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    ISLA RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Isla Restaurant

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    Divine G.

    Its a very wonderful experience! First off, parking is huge! That day is my sister-in-law father's death anniversary. We called in on a Monday night, no hassle, no need to book an appointment for the party of 12 people, less hassle. We ordered our food and the waiter is so nice to tell us that we have a free appetizer! Which we had fried tofu (they have other options too). We got the unlimited rice which is cool for people who love to eat rice. Bad side? Our order got a little mishap, the kitchen forgot one of our order Chicharon bulaklak, but we never mind cause we are already full. But, that's less money on the management. One note, for people more than 6 people, you are being charged for service fee (so watch out). Secondly, cause we are regulars here, the food we had now is not as good as flavorful as we had before. Better retrain the kitchen for the betterment of the taste. All in all we had a blast! Thank you people on the floor to make that happen!

    Original Sisig Kapampangan, Pancit Bihun Guisado, Chopsuey (mixed veggies), garlic rice, Chicken Halang - Halang
    Lily S.

    I'm no expert on Filipino food, but we enjoyed everything we ordered. The place is located by Newpark Mall in a pretty dead plaza. We first came here on a Sunday for lunch, and didn't realize they have a Sunday buffet so the place was very busy. We waited about 20 minutes to be seated. We didn't go for the buffet, but ordered a few dishes to try and wow were we impressed. Their menu is a book, but there's a picture of every dish along with a good description, so ordering was made easy. We enjoyed our dining experience so much that we came back again the following week with the whole family for dinner. The place is very simple and homey. There are lots for large round tables, and they filled up quickly. Our favorites were: + Original Sisig Kapampangan - this came out on a sizzling plate, and the crispy bits at the bottom were fought after. You can choose your spice level. + Chicken Halang - Halang - chopped up chicken simmered in coconut broth. + Pancit Bihun Guisado - this had so many yummy things in it, including pork, shrimp, quail eggs, squid balls, and veggies. + Ginataang Green Beans At Kalabasa - green beans in a coconut sauce with pumpkin squash and lots of other goodies. + Lumpia and chicken wings - favorite appetizers I also really liked that the staff didn't "own" a table. It seemed whoever was available, came by our table and served us. Looking forward to coming back and trying more items from their book.

    Angelina C.

    Nothing much to say. If you want Filipino food, definitely come here. My family was celebrating my uncle's birthday, and we had a great time. The food is average, and the band was okay, but it was so loud that you could barely hear anyone.

    Jeprox Silog
    Truc N.

    Solid spot. I got the Jeprox Silog and it was really good -- the fish was cooked well, flavorful, and the rice hit the spot. The misua egg drop soup on the side was simple but comforting, which balanced everything nicely. The place has a steady flow of people so it feels lively, but it's not crowded or suffocating. Somehow still feels cozy even when it's busy. I also liked the setup -- solid wooden tables, warm lighting, and a menu with photos that actually helps when you're deciding what to get. Would come back.

    Original Sisig Kapampangan
    Daniel F.

    Ordered the sisig kapampangan and the crispy kari karing pata. The sisig was delicious, a great mix of chewy and savory, but had a bit more of the fatty parts than I'd liked. The kari karing pata was my favorite, it had a perfectly crispy skin with a perfectly cooked and seasoned pork. The peanut sauce on the side really enhanced the savoriness of the pork, and also prevented the pork from being too dry. The restaurant also had a stage with live music, which is great for setting the mood.

    Krystal G.

    Why Filipino food gotta be so pricey?! Isla has the most menu items (and pages) than any other restaurant. Literally so many choices and variations. But the one dish that I crave from here is the Bistig Brisket Ning Baka (Bistek Brisket) - that's a lot of B's! It's so tender with an explosion of flavor. Isla on the weekends can get really overwhelming, so just be mentally prepared. The loud music, all the people talking and people walking around your table.. Everything everywhere all at once. Lol. Anyway, great for big parties and food/dishes to share. Lots of parking.

    Raymond Y.

    We came to Isla Restaurant in Newark on February 6 around 12:30 p.m. to celebrate my son's birthday with a group of 14 people. It also happened to be their first day doing the buffet lunch, which honestly explains a lot of the experience. Leading up to the event was a bit frustrating. I called almost every day that week to ask what would be included in the buffet, and I got a different answer each time. At one point they said they wouldn't know the buffet items until Thursday night. They also couldn't clearly tell me if we were allowed to order à la carte on top of the buffet, and unlike before, they wouldn't take a reservation. The phone calls felt rushed and not very helpful, like they were just trying to get off the phone. Once we arrived, there were a lot of things we weren't told ahead of time. Kids are charged by height, not age, so if your child is tall, they may be charged as an adult. I had to ask multiple times if kids 2 and under were free, and they still had to check with the manager, which felt odd. Soda is not included with the buffet and costs extra. We also brought a birthday cake and found out there's a cake fee. Since it was their first buffet day, everything felt unorganized. They used wristbands to keep track of guests, which was fine, but overall it felt like they were still figuring things out as they went. The food itself was okay. The kare-kare was the best dish, followed by the chicken and pancit. The selection wasn't bad, just nothing that really stood out. When it came time to pay, I had to double and triple check the bill to make sure the adult and kid counts were correct and that we weren't being charged for kids under 2, which shouldn't even be a question. Overall, the experience was just okay. I think Isla works better for smaller groups (six people or less). For larger groups or birthday parties, I personally would recommend Kalesa in Milpitas, which feels more organized and better set up for hosting events. Not a terrible experience, but definitely room for improvement.

    Kaetyng C.

    One of my Filipino friends brought me here since I've never had Filipino food before and had a great experience! The food is pretty pricey, but if you dine in, at least they provide unlimited steamed rice free of charge which I never see anymore. I came back with my husband and saw that there's a lunch option (all day on weekdays and until 2pm on weekends) that's much more affordable, has more variety and is the perfect option when it's only 2 people dining in. I ordered the fried fish and it leaned a bit dry but was still good. My husband ordered the Filipino sausage and I thought that was delicious as well! You pick your meat and the dish comes with soup, garlic rice, an egg and soda for $16.95 which I think is a steal considering their standard menu prices on these items. It gets busy so we didn't really see our server, but it was still a great meal and suggest coming for their lunch options!

    Fish kalderita ans pork kawali
    Sheryl P.

    I love this this place. The food are delicious!! When we have people over or meeting friends, I always recommend Isla as a meet up place. This place is huge so perfect for family gathering. We ordered more food than the pictures I took and feed 8 of us. Very little left over. That's a great sign that the food is delicious

    Dead fly found in the adobo rice... almost thought it was a peppercorn
    Michelle C.

    Came here a few Saturdays ago with a large party. This Newark location compared to Isla Grand in Pleasant Hill depicts a stark difference in terms of quality. I went to the latter a week before this visit with a different party and ordered many of the same dishes. This makes for an easy comparison between my two dining experiences. However, the food here didn't quite live up to my expectations. It didn't look or taste as appetizing as the dishes at Isla Grand. To make matters worse, I found a dead fly in the adobo rice (pictured). I thought it was a peppercorn at first glance, but quickly realized it wasn't round and there weren't any other black specks throughout the rice. Yeah, yeah "it's extra protein" yada yada.. When it was brought to the server's attention, she apologized and asked if we wanted them to remake the adobo rice. Would have preferred that they removed it from the bill, but the rest of the party just said yes. Didn't matter to me though since I lost my appetite for the remainder of the meal :/

    Real porky taste.
    Erica M.

    This review is only based on their lumpia's. They were hot and made fresh to order however, the taste was a bit off. Not sure why but they tasted real porky. Their sweet and sour sauce is very garlic forward. The staff were nice and the restaurant is pretty spacious. I'd gave the lumpia's a 4/10.

    Justine T.

    I've ordered à la carte items in the past as well as recently trying their Saturday breakfast buffet and food was just ok/decent, but nothing to go crazy for. I do enjoy the variety of food options provided for the breakfast buffet but nothing really stood out. If anything, I did enjoy the fried pork chop, the fact that they had 3 different rice options, palabok was ok, but everything else was underwhelming. The meats weren't prepared well. The tapa and tocino were both tough/overcooked and the tocino was missing that char/carmelization along with the longanisa. The tomato/egg dish had way too many tomato than egg. Also, for $25, drinks aren't included fyi. The restaurant is spacious/clean, tons of tables, and service was good. Overall, I'd say this is an ok place for people who are first discovering Filipino food, but for me I'm better off saving my $25 and making my own Filipino breakfast/food at home lol or going elsewhere.

    2/22/2025.  Pork sisig, 4/5 stars
    Jeff F.

    The food here is pricey but at least the flavors are intense. They serve traditional Filipino food; however, it is not for the faint of heart, as most dishes may be too complex and pungent for the unadventurous. Chicharon: one simple appetizer that is mildly flavored dish, but it is freshly fried pork rinds with a sprinkle of salt. I've dipped this in vinegar with garlic or sweet and sour sauce (that was included with the lumpia) for elevated taste, 4/5 stars. Lumpia Shanghai: these are generally the best "eggrolls", as they have seasoned ground pork mixed with minced carrots and onions for more depth than typical eggrolls that only have vegetables, 5/5 stars. Pork sisig: this was traditionally prepared with pork belly, cheek, and ear that were all tender; but enhanced with the combination of flavors of savory, salty, sour, and a hint of spice, 4/5 stars. This would have been a 5/5 stars rating if it were just all pork belly, because bacon is the best! Pork bbq on the stick: the pork was tender, juicy and had a nice grilled char. The sauce flavors were garlic, salt, pepper, soy sauce, calamansi juice, and sweetness from the banana ketchup and the pork may have been marinated in pineapple juice, 5/5 stars! Chicken inasal: the chicken was also tender, juicy and had a nice grilled char. The sauce flavors were calamansi juice, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, annatto oil, and a hint of vinegar, 5/5 stars! Kare-Kare: creamy peanut butter sauce that mimicks curry and is complemented with the tender beef and veggies, 4/5 stars. Crispy Pata (deep-fried pork knuckles): truly a guilty pleasure dish, as this is deep fried pork but it creates delicious crispy skin. The pork meat was tender and savory with some fat pieces that added richness, 5/5 stars! The service was efficient despite that the restaurant was almost at full capacity. Regardless of the high food price, I'd return here when in the bay area, as the food was delightful.

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    21 days ago

    Food is too salty. If you often eat here, you'll get hypertension. Sorry, I can cook a feast so I know what taste good. Overhyped!!!!

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    Isla Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Isla Restaurant

    Do you have the buffet on Sunday 6/21?

    For this coming Father’s Day, we will not be offering both our LUNCH and BREAKFAST buffets. Thank you.

    Is there a bar?when is the live music? Are they doing anything for Pride month?

    Do you have puto dessert?

    They only have Tibuk- tibuk ( maja blanka) which is like corn pudding

    Are the silogs served all day?

    Monday to Friday: Whole Day Saturday and Sunday: Until 2:00 pm only

    Are there any vegan options?

    Will not trust the oil and sauces they use

    Do they have a deal on a bulk order of lumpia?

    $30 for 120 pieces

    Is this the same family that owns the Isla in San Bruno?

    Yed

    Just wondering, it says it doesn't take reservations so if we have a party of maybe 30 or more we just need to get there right when it opens to be able to get seated?

    I'm not 100% sure since I've only gone there with a small group of people but if you call and say you have 30 people I don't see why they wouldn't take the reservation.

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    Maharlika Restaurant

    Maharlika Restaurant

    3.6
    (310 reviews)
    3.0 mi
    $

    I came here specifically for the lumpia, and they did not disappoint. They are perfectly…read morefried--super crispy on the outside and packed with flavor on the inside. It's the kind of snack you just can't stop eating. Just a reminder for anyone heading over: it's cash-only and currently takeout-only. The service is quick and straight to the point. If you need a massive tray of lumpia for a party or just a solid snack for yourself, this is the place to go!

    Maharlika is your typical hole-in-the-wall that serves up tasty and affordable treats, but is…read morerarely open. They almost never answer the phone so it's best to just go in person and order for pick up. Just expect to wait a bit if you're going during the busier times of the days that they're open. It had been about a year since I last visited, and I was glad to see that prices hadn't changed at all. The highlight here for me has always been their lumpia--or at least, it used to be. It was once fried to golden perfection, with just the right amount of loose wrapper that gave extra-crispy edges (if you know, you know). Looking back at older photos, the lumpia had a noticeably deeper golden-brown hue compared to the lighter version I received this time, as well as seemed a bit longer in size. This made me sad; but it was still good, just no longer exceptional. In addition, the broasted chicken has always been just decent; the skin is great but the meat on the inside is always a bit dry and definitely requires some gravy or sauce to dip it in. Despite the lumpia switch-up, prices are still unbeatable for the bay, so I'd come back. I did notice that they seemed to have a new cook in the back, so here's to hoping that next time, the lumpia reverts back to the way it was!

    Photos
    Maharlika Restaurant
    Broasted Chicken.
    Broasted Chicken.
    5 pc broasted chicken - $6 (pricing as of 3/2/2024)

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    5 pc broasted chicken - $6 (pricing as of 3/2/2024)
    Toppings Too Restaurant

    Toppings Too Restaurant

    3.5
    (944 reviews)
    7.0 mi
    $$

    a little difficult to get on the phone for ordering - I wish they did online orders…read more I love their Tocino - it's one of my faves in the area. Got their Tocino rice plate - but was dissapppointed there wasn't garlic rice, just jasmine rice. maybe next time I will ask if they can add it! Sinigang - 4/5 needed more meet in it Laing- 3.5/5 I didn't like the addition of a starchy potato like ingredient in it. But overran the taste was there - I would like it more creamy. Pork Belly- Super good! 5/5

    Toppings too is such a great mom/pop hole in the wall restaurant. It's almost like your favorite…read moretita/tita worked hard in the kitchen all daymaking all your favorite foods. My husband's go to is lechon kawali. Perfectly deep fried pork served with the classic Filipino "all purpose sauce". I usually steal one or two pieces off his plate but the serving is a healthy size I could never finish one by myself. My personal fave is beef sinigang. There's a a generous amount of meat and it's always so tender. I would love if they made it a little more sour but that's my personal preference. The protein might be different depending on the day but they've all been good. The place is tiny, maybe like 10 chairs so you might have to wait at prime times. Service is friendly. A couple times they've told me to pick up to go orders at a certain time but I had to wait an additional 15-20min after arriving but not too big of a deal.

    Photos
    Toppings Too Restaurant
    Grilled Tocino
    Grilled Tocino
    Lechon Kawali dipped in vinegar sauce

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    Lechon Kawali dipped in vinegar sauce
    Kalesa

    Kalesa

    3.6
    (1.1k reviews)
    6.3 mi
    $$

    This review is long overdue. Marc, Sonia, and the entire crew at Kalesa consistently make us feel…read moregenuinely welcome with their heartfelt hospitality. Dining here feels like going to your tita's house for a family party. It's cozy, comforting, and full of love: the epitome of Filipino culture. The portions are generous, the quality is consistently on point, and the ambiance is always inviting. If you are anywhere near Kalesa, consider yourself lucky. It is such a blessing to have it close by. I can pop in anytime a craving hits for their pork menudo, sizzling sisig, or pansit palabok. Must-try staples include Chicken or Pork Adobo (a rich savory stew), Lumpiang Shanghai (crispy spring rolls), and Pancit Bihon (classic Filipino noodles). Be sure to finish with halo-halo, a popular shaved ice dessert. My family literally drives up from SoCal just to eat here. It is THAT good. If you have never tried Filipino food, Kalesa is the perfect starting point for your Pinoy culinary adventure.

    THEY DO NOT TAKE RESERVATIONS!!!! WE reserved the table knowing they would be busy, so we called…read moreahead. Got here on time but rest of party was looking for parking. Kalesa tells us we need to wait until all party is "physically" here. We have been waiting for 30 mins and now they tell us we need to wait another 20 mins. This is a reservation!!!! They even have the audacity to cancel a reservation in the past. This place has no consideration for your time!!! They run this place "Filipino time"‍

    Photos
    Dining area - spacious!
    Dining area - spacious!
    Sisig
    Sisig
    Pancit Palabok

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    Pancit Palabok
    East Bay Cafe Depot

    East Bay Cafe Depot

    4.5
    (364 reviews)
    2.7 mi
    $$

    We are so happy to return to East Bay Cafe Depot for the best silog/ Filipino breakfast plates in…read moreFremont! The original management seems to be back and I am so happy there is an authentic Filipino breakfast spot to come back to. My husband and I both really enjoyed our tocino silog with garlic rice and 2 perfect fried eggs. I really enjoyed the tomato and the spice vinegar along side it. The portions are great, and we left with to-go boxes. Really enjoyed the equator coffee as well. We will be back, and look forward to trying the homemade corned beef. Thank you East Bay Cafe Depot! So glad you are part of the Fremont Community.

    Super cute and unique brunch spot! It's right next to the Amtrak train tracks and has a cute…read moreold-timey vibe. The owners are extremely friendly and welcoming. Indoor and outdoor seating both available. Came by for a Saturday lunch and they said the food will take ~45 mins. They were very grateful for our patience and even threw in a plate of sweet pork longanisa on the house for the wait! We shared the pork adobo island d-lite and the Hawaiian char siu chicken burrito. I really enjoyed the pork adobo, it had melt in mouth texture and great flavorful and went really well with the garlic rice. The Hawaiian char siu chicken burrito was good too but I liked the pork adobo plate more. The service was wonderful and they really make you feel at home. Very kind folks, definitely come support them!

    Photos
    East Bay Cafe Depot
    East Bay Cafe Depot
    East Bay Cafe Depot

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    Adobolicious

    Adobolicious

    3.4
    (318 reviews)
    2.5 mi
    $$

    LENT 2025: THIRD FRIDAY…read more The previous Friday I ate at a Filipino restaurant for lunch with mixed results. I ordered a crab fried rice, which didn't have crab at all. I was planning to go San Leandro for lunch this past Friday for bangsilog. When I was driving to San Leandro, Highway 880 was so busy due to traffic I decided to come to Adobolicious at the last minute. With the name of the restaurant you might not think this restaurant serves seafood or fish. I looked at photos and noticed seafood dishes like bangsilog. When I came Adobolicious at the last minute I wasn't setting great expectations. I was thinking about getting appetizers, but I decided just to order bangsilog. A deboned bangus in my opinion the only way to eat that fish because there are so many little bones that are inedible. However most of fried, deboned bangus I ate tend to be jerky. The fried bangus I ate at Adobolicious was better than I expected. The meat was moist. The reason was the bangus as stated on the menu is marinated. Even though the breading was light the breading was crispy. Most of all there wasn't a jerky texture from the bangus at Adobolicious as compared to other bangus I ate from other places. If I had to be nitpicky is there are scales on the bangus. I guess that is a traditional preference to make the skin crispy, but I believe the skin of the bangus could maintain its crispiness with the breading. One note about Adobolicious is credit card or debit card isn't accepted for payments. This restaurant accepts cash or Venmo. I know the bangus I ate at Adobolicious isn't the best I ever had however it is better than most bangus I ate at other restaurants.

    Ordered from Uber Eats and took 2 hours. So frustrating. And…read morethe worst part was that the noodles were stale. When we open the to-go container the smell of old noodles is so strong. We tasted a little bit, and it had a bitter taste. Tried to call the restaurant, but I guess it's closed already. I will try to call tomorrow to tell them about it.

    Photos
    Adobolicious
    Longsilog rice plate
    Longsilog rice plate
    Outside

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    Outside

    Isla Restaurant - filipino - Updated July 2026

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