The longsilog that lives rent free in my head. I felt like I've been dropped straight into the Philippines with the live music and open-mic karaoke in this homey filipino spot in Jersey City. Island Central is such a family-owned neighborhood gem in the Heights. Not only is the food super affordable with generous portions, but the whole place feels so warm and welcoming. I love ordering takeouts or bringing my friends here when they're in JC. I've even seen people celebrate their birthdays here with a kamayan feast! Just a small note that the live music and karaoke were very loud in such a small space, but the staff helped turn down the volume as my partner was sensitive to loud noise. ＊Longsilog $12 ** My go-to here! The longganisa, fried egg, and garlic rice just hit the spot every time. The longganisa has the perfect sweet-savory balance, and the garlic rice is so flavorful that we've literally ordered extra garlic rice à la carte! I've also tried their tocilog before, but the tocino was too sweet for me. ＊Vegetable Lumpiang Shanghai $10 * Get the lumpia, period! Even with just veggie filling, these were so good. Crispy, savory, and addictive. ＊Oxtail & Tripe Kare-Kare $24 This came with a generous amount of oxtail and tripe, plus green beans and eggplant. The oxtail was super tender, and the peanut sauce was thick, creamy, and nutty. Even better, they have unlimited rice on weekends. ＊Halo-Halo $9 * A jaw-dropping moment when this came out...We did not expect it to be this massive for under $10! It was loaded with leche flan (my favorite), coconut jelly, beans, ice cream, shaved ice, and so many other toppings. So many textures and flavors that I never got bored of digging through it. read more

See all

If you've enjoyed Filipino fare, you know what I'm talking about: Sometimes, you just crave that crisp, fried, pork-filled savory umami that is so typical of this cuisine. The garlic, soy, vinegar, and carbs come together in the most delicious menage-a-many and make your taste buds want to sing karaoke louder than Regine Velasquez. One night, when I was having just such a craving, I made my way over to Island Central. Thankfully, the reviews painted a very accurate picture of the tastiness housed within. - Lumpiang Shanghai: Call me a basic Asian, but how can you not love this? And for $10, we got more than 10 perfectly fried, golden crispy spring rolls filled with...well....pork, of course. Maybe one day I'll get a different filling, but today was not that day. - Lomi: Described by our friendly young server as enough soup for two--and she told no lies. My bowl was bigger than most Olympic swimming pools, and housed an entire new food group of every kind of meat/seafood made into fried ball form you could imagine (fish balls, kikiam , lechon kawali, and chicharon), topped with thick egg noodles. I'm used to Lomi being soupier whereas Island Central's was thicker, more like a savory gravy than a slurpable soup--but it was just as good. However, no mortal could finish all of it in one sitting. - Fried Milkfish: Another classic, done well. This meaty fish managed to be both delightfully crunchy on the outside and surprisingly tender on the inside, lightly breaded and seasoned, and accompanied by just the right aromatics to make you feel like you're at a fancy beachside restaurant in Cebu. - Turon: A spontaneous add-on because I was craving fried bananas. It turned out they pre-made their Turnons and only had ones stuffed with banana, taro AND jackfruit--not that I was complaining. It was perfectly crunchy, deliciously mushy, and coated with all the caramelized sugar one could ask for. Plus, you get a huge bowl of vanilla ice-cream to enjoy it a la mode. But the best part of our meal? Because it was the chef's birthday, we got a free Pancit Bihon to go. When I tell you this thing was enormous, I am not exaggerating. The bag it came in was as big as the bags from Burlington Coat Factory--you know, because they have to fit long down coats in them and such. That's how big our Pancit was. OMG. It took us three years to finish it. Three delicious years..... read more

See all

The food was delicious. So glad we decided to try this place out. Kari Kari - yum and it was so much. Plenty of tripe and flavor. Sisig - it was good. Lumi - family enjoyed. I would recommend eating it day of. We packed most of it home since it was so much and then the noodles soaked up all the soup and flavor. But leftovers with rice was good. Service was nice. The tables felt a bit close together that you will have to squeeze past the chairs especially with the big winter coats. read more

See all

Me and my husband were on a hunt for a good Filipino spot to eat. We ended up in Jersey City this place is fairly new. I believe they have only been open probably about a year or so. They're located off of Central Avenue. It's a small place with about nine tables that seat a party of four at each. We decided to try this feast that they make that has fried bangus ,chicken wings, lumpia, Lechon, pancit and sinigang . It definitely could have fed a party of four and it was only $80. We also ordered a Bangus sisig which was too wet and tasted too much like soy sauce . Everything had pretty decent flavor was slightly disappointed with the Lumpia it was very greasy and didn't have much flavor. The sinigang was good nice sour taste which I like . The staff wasn't all that attentive we were sitting for a little while before anyone came over to us. The menu options are pretty decent a tad pricey in my book but in comparison to some places we've tried it's roughly the same . All in all it was okay but not great . I wish them the best of luck . read more

See all

I visited for silog breakfast/brunch and the silog combo which comes with 2 menu items, rice, eggs, and a coffee. I ordered chicken adobo and longanisa -- I was taken aback because the the 1 longanisa link was cut up which I don't think I've ever encountered before. I also got an order of pork sinigang which was a very hefty portion and just the right amount of sour. I liked that their tables showcase various parts of the philippines and the service was fairly decent. There was some live music too but to be honest the speakers were a little loud in my opinion. I also was scheduled to do a kamayan, but unfortunately the building's power went out the day and they had to cancel an hour before the dinner was supposed to start. It was so nice that they still offered me all the food that they had already prepared before the power went out. Of course I was bummed, and it was stressful situation, but I also felt bad for the restaurant because it wasn't their fault and they lost all the business that day. It was crazy the amount of food they had already prepared and everything was so yummy too. I hope I have another opportunity to do the kamayan in the future! read more

Great deliciousness all around for a Filipino-food starved New Yorkers. Fun, authentic decor from what I could tell. I loved finding out that this was a popular spot during lunchtime with a time limit but only after sitting down. So polite:) read more

See all

Updating: Removing stars for bad service experience. Also food wasn't as good as before compared to first opening when service was also better. Sometimes no Sunday buffet available. Recommendation removed as there are much better places in Jersey City for Filipino food. read more

A friend told me to try this restaurant and I did. I was kind of hesitant when I parked in front and tried to look if there are customers inside. There were 2 tables with customers and several tables empty. We went inside and the place is decorated fine, we ordered fresh lumpia, bangus sisig, tokwa and baboy. Honestly, it's not what I expected. Secondly, the portions were small. The taste of food is 3 out of 10. Bangus sisig was full of mayonnaise. The fresh lumpia needs more veggies and sauce needs more peanut butter and garlic. The tofu was blahhh except for the nice vinegar mix. I love trying different restaurants so I know which places I can promote to friends. I will rate this place as 2 out of 5. read more

(Tookout 06/24/2025 TU @ 5:30pm): This island was more central to where I was staying for some Filipino food! In my quest to explore the various cuisine scenes and things to do throughout Jersey City and specifically the Heights, I finally had a chance to try Island Central after I noticed their recent opening several months prior when I was in this part of the country for work. Being a proud Pinoy, I tried my best to support all Filipino businesses (especially restaurants)... as long as the staff didn't shame me for not being able to speak or understand Ilicono or Tagalog - LOL! I've patronaged the local Filipino business nearby along Newark Ave. and Journal Square, but Island Central was now the closest to where I stayed. Would I mind being stranded on this island eatery in the Heights on Central Ave.!? PURCHASE 12pc Pork Shanghai Lumpia ($9.95): I always loved these puny pork snacks and could've easily eaten them all in one sitting. But... where was the sweet chili dipping sauce!? https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=xghTaVQaFHqvGEH8_fwcCw Pancit Canton + Chicken ($12.99 + $4.00): I've grown to understand that no two pancits were alike, but apparently, I've never had this version before! Made with noodles, sliced hard-boiled egg, celery, carrots, cabbage, scallions, green beans, and for good measure I added thick chunks of chicken, this was heavy on the vegetables and light on the noodles. I almost felt like I was eating a salad. Having said that, everything was fresh, and I felt healthier eating this version, but I had to get used to it. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=u2I0kPSA2VYllCqA2p20bw Fried Whole Tilapia ($14.99): This was one big meaty fish, and I loved it! It was lightly seasoned, the crispy skin was delectable, and I could've eaten everything, bones and all. This was finger-licking good... but where were the dipping sauces or vinegar!? https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=c0UrDPmk-Fo0WMIbVzC8FA Lechon Kawai ($18.99): My favorite of the dishes I ordered today, there were a ton of thick pork chunks with a good ratio of fat-to-meat, crunchy skin, and a nice light seasoning of vinegar. I would've gladly swapped the lemon slices for some dipping sauce. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=FZ2WAuaIeu4_FO15_VR7iA Steamed White Rice (INCLUDED w/Entrees): Fluffy, warm, and plentiful, I used it with everything! https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=kKMu5IdIlCZasVh3eL7wPQ Credit Card Fee 4.00% ($2.44): I understood; I was actually surprised they took AMEX! SERVICE I was warmly greeted by a young man as I entered, and then I was helped by a friendly young woman as I placed my order. I was offered a glass of water while I waited on this hot day. About 30 minutes later, everything was securely packed up and ready to go - salamat po! PARKING (Varied; N/A this instance) This was an easy flat 20-minute walk from my friend's place. Otherwise, the only option was the plenty of spots along the main drag of Central Ave. and all surrounding roads - 'nuff said. ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE A clean vibrant somewhat snug layout with many tables throughout https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=zgFzZv5bqkiHwgWQ93PW5Q and a live performance and music area https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=xE4qxuHiXpXZ3lawuRpk0w at the front. I loved the assortment of country nationality pride decorations and apparently some trinkets https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=mNLcqeXAmqSky-eb3DB7eg for sale. Plenty of natural lighting came through the large front windows and while a mix of bright electric ceiling lights filled in the rest. There were no TVs while early 1980s pop music (e.g. Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers "Island In The Stream", Kim Carnes "Bette Davis Eyes") played in the background. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=oLK2CjKN5NTaqcBptf-o9w ATTIRE Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops. OVERALL I loved Island Central and couldn't wait to try more off their expansive menu, especially the adobo, halo-halo, and sisig! Everything smelled and tasted amazing, the portions were huge, the prices very affordable, and the service was friendly and straightforward. Plus, they had an interesting dine-in weekend special of unlimited rice https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=VwnDbtjgQ-SQJCbsjjwC9A - go figure! And, I always loved supporting small businesses whenever possible. I found complete value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience was around $68.00 BEFORE any discounts and/or tip). And, they accepted my credit card of choice... AMEX! 5.0 STARS read more

See all

Ordered a "crispy palabok" from their online menu and paid extra for shrimp, but they gave me shredded fish instead. I tried calling, but no one answered. read more

Island Central - Filipino Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

We used to get a lot of take-out from Island Central when they first opened. We've tried dishes like their palabok, kare kare with crispy pork, chicken adobo, bam-i, and bihon. We like the sauce in the palabok, but the noodles are always undercooked. We really love their kare kare with crispy pork, and their chicken adobo is okay, too. Over the months since opening, they've kept increasing the prices to the point that it's no longer affordable for regular take-out. They're the only Filipino restaurant in the Jersey City Heights area -- maybe they're trying to monopolize on that? They're just too expensive for the area, so now when we want palabok, we get it from Jollibee, whose noodles are always cooked through! read more

The atmosphere is reminiscent of Filipino hospitality and family cuisine. The enjoyed the food so much it was better than expected. Portion sizes were more than enough, and the staff were attentive on a busy Friday night. The live music was enjoyable, but too loud for a small intimate venue. I would bring my friends and family again just to relive my food experience! read more

See all

Very authentic. Very good environment. Workers are really nice. They also have live music sometimes.

I'm a Flip/American living in states for over 50 years. Never been to a Filipino Restaurant until I moved to Jersey City 21 years ago from LA. Everyone always says their parents were good cooks. But seriously mine were. So if I want Filipino food , i either have to cook it or order. So I was house/cat sitting for our friends on Palisades Ave a couple of weeks ago. Found out there was a Filipino Restaurant on Central. Our friends house was a 8 minute walk to this restaurant. Having plantar fasciitis on my right foot, walking was not happening. Delivery was also out. After all the fees , it wasn't worth it. So I decided to drive and hope to find a parking spot on Central. First impression was cute and ok I guess. Typical Filipino restaurant. Too much of everything. On the walls and the floor. But it was clean. I ordered my favorite dish KareKare with honeycomb tripe. . I ordered Kare Kare from another Filipino restaurant on Westside Ave . and they used the darker tripe and sweet peanut butter. I was pissed . But that's another review for another day. .I also ordered Pancit Bijon and Halo Halo. Drove back to my place in Westside to grub. I was so excited. It's been to too long since having Filipino food. Ok the KareKare first impression was big and pretty. But when I scooped into it, there wasn't much of anything inside. The sauce was very runny, like soup. The tripe was waaay overcooked. It melted quicker than an ice cube when it was inside my mouth. The ox tail tasted like it was boiled yesterday and placed inside the sauce for 5 minutes then served. The condiment was so sweet and had a dark shade of color. Bagoong Guisado is supposed to be a light reddish, pinkish color and a little salty. This dish had NO FLAVOR . It didn't have that recognizable flavor from home, The Pancit Bijon looked great. That's one thing they do good here. Presentation. Downhill after that. I'm telling you , it looked very good. BUT this Pancit Bijon was so wet runny and NO FLAVOR. Maybe a couple drops of patis and lemon might have helped. Another disappointment. Now the Halo Halo . I did ordered Halo Halo but it didn't taste like Halo Halo. There were so many things inside but it didn't anything like Halo Halo. How the F do you mess up HaloHalo? Look I wanted to like this place. I'm not hater towards other Filipinos who wants to succeed. I'm just a regular guy who loves to eat and tells it like it is with no sugar. Just a big cup of realness. I wanted to give 2 1/2 Stars but yelp doesn't have 1/2 stars. So 3 Stars for being my first time there. . Maybe caught them on an an off day. Maybe the main chef was off. Regardless the food has to consistent. I'm definitely going back to try other dishes and maybe a better experience. read more

Jersey City throughout the 90's and 2000's was a destination for Filipino food and culture. The large population warranted great Filipino food along Newark and West Side Avenues. As a Filipino, I love seeing new places pop up to showcase the food but it's difficult when they can't live up to the wonderful reputation Filipino food has held in Jersey City. The service is impeccable and truly this is the shining aspect of this restaurant where you feel welcomed and it encapsulates the hospitality of the people. The food, however, leaves much to be desired. I have gone here twice now, and at this time, cannot recommend this restaurant. The garlic rice is bland and in desperate need of salt. The lechon kawali doesn't fare any better. Even understanding that these are pieces of pork belly, they are exceptionally all fat. It lacks the texture of crispy skin, it needed time to salt brine and develop flavor, and amazingly it's bland. The sisig suffers from the same problems. I truly hope this is just growing pains and it's just an issue of being a new restaurant finding its way. We need more Filipino representation but we need representation that showcases the best and at the moment, this isn't it. read more

Island Central Filipino Cuisine Restaurant Review Island Central a Filipino Cuisine restaurant located at 329 Central Avenue in Jersey City Heights is a gem in the raw that's starting to blossom. When I learned it was going to open on Central Ave, I thought it was a good idea. Central Avenue in the heights has over 50 food establishments and people are now smelling the aromas from them. When you pass this establishment, you are graced with large picture windows which draws your eyes deep inside to a warm atmosphere. It's not a large restaurant but just enough to feel at home. Pictures on the walls and a painting of central avenue is the highlight you must see. Immediately you are welcomed by the staff and offered a table of your choice to sit at. Since it's a small restaurant, I suggest you make reservations. The menu has a large variety of Filipino's selected comfort foods. However, they do specialize in teas/smoothies (fresh fruit) that average restaurants do not serve such as: Coconut Milk Tea which is so rewarding, Chai Tea and about ten others including bubble teas. We were offered the Coconut Milk Tea which had fruits in the bottom of it which we really enjoyed. After that we were offered the menu and like I said there was a lot to select from. Our appetizer was Dynamite Pepper. It is a large green chilli pepper stuffed with cheese, wrapped with egg roll wrapper and then deep fried. Yesssssss. Next was Pancit Palabok chicken sauteed with onion, garlic in vegetable broth with vermicelli noodles cooked with scrambled eggs and cornstarch. This was so great. Next was, Lechon Kawali boiled with garlic, black pepper, bay leaf and then deep fried (deep fried pork belly), great choice. Then there was Chicken Adobo cooked in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, whole black pepper and bay leaf. This is good! Our dessert was, Turon with banana and jackfruit wrapped in an egg roll and then deep fried then topped with ice cream. Chef Fely did and excellent job and also came out to meet her guests. Kyle the partner, and Sheryll who is the brains behind everything did great jobs. I must say the overall experience with music playing in the background, pictures on the walls put Island Central on the culinary restaurant map. I understand on Saturday nights they have open mic. Not meeeeee. Excellent front of the house service from the staff and great food from the chef makes restaurants become successful. When it comes to rating between 1-10, Island Central gets a 10, because they are on their way to the top for great hospitality. I suggest stopping by and enjoy a great experience. Tell them Chef Rene Hewitt sent you. read more

Great service and very generous portions! Would definitely recommend as a Filipino :)

I love the new Filipino restaurant. It has a nice modern yet familiar feel. Almost nostalgic to the aesthetic of the restaurants popping up in the Philippines. The food is well made and you can tell the skill and thought to elevating our classic cuisines. Most of the dishes and sides are made in store and modified by the cooks. They have karaoke Fridays and Band Saturdays as they should ‍. The service feels community oriented which I personally look forward too. Overall, Island Central is off to a great start and can be a good hub to younger American Filipinos and our elders for quality food and immaculate vibes. read more

See all

Found this place through friends, first impression was small place with tight seating but the service was great the waiters explained the menu. The food was family style portions too large for one person to eat alone glad I brought people with me. As an American I loved the Filipino food as something new and delicious. The owners sat down with my group and made us feel like family. The orders were cooked as we ordered and came out so hot it was hard to eat we waited for it to cool a bit. We are coming back. If your into trying something new this place is way better then most Filipino restaurants I've tried! read more

Had a brunch all you can eat buffet. Service was slow. Food was average. I was looking forward to the halo halo, but it didn't live up to other places. read more

Ordered delivery a few days ago. We got sisig, lechon, sinigang, rice and dessert. We ordered pork but almost everything was mostly fat and inedible. The garlic rice and turon was good though. Wouldn't recommend, jayhan at west side ave is a lot better read more

The service is amazing, the atmosphere is calm and homey, and most importantly the food is so delicious. Everyone was super nice and checking in. The portions are enough for 2 people for each dish. Definitely a 10/10 would 100% come here again. Don't miss out. read more

excellent food and plenty of it. wide selection of food, especially beverages and bubble tea.

Food was delicious and staff were wonderful. They were helpful and super nice. Definitely will get food from here again!