i am from out of town and our group had wanted to eat at lola's. they had tried to call for a few days prior to see about seating because they knew it was limited. they never answered the phone for the several days they tried to call. when we go there they asked if we had a reservation, which we didn't, and with the place we would be able to. which understand that we didn't have a reservation, but that we had tried to call and the lady told us they don't answer the phone and we have to used the website. how are we supposed to know if you don't answer the phone? however, the lady told us that she would see what she could do. we then proceeded to stand around for another 10 minutes later so then she told we could come back in four hours... i had already been traveling to ottawa on a seven hour plane ride and multiple hours driving to airports. we had told the lady no thanks and left. we didn't eat the food so can't speak on that but with how the service was even if they had told us we could come back in an hour, we wouldn't have. so be prepared to use only their website because they won't answer the phone. read more

Amazing Food prepared by a Creative chef = Great experience overall. Looking forward to visiting again next time i am on town. read more

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After months of waiting and ensuring my friends are on the same page, I finally had the chance to visit Lola's Kitchen! It was well worth the wait. Since opening their doors in Ottawa's Chinatown, Lola's Kitchen feels like home with homemade classic Filipino dishes and of course their legendary kamayan feasts to share with family and friends. Whether it's for date night or to catch up with longtime friends, the Kamayan Feast is a fun meal to enjoy since you get to eat with your hands! Served on banana leaves as your plate, you can enjoy meat and seafood dishes with garlic rice, plantains, and vegetables! The grilled stuffed fish is packed with lots of flavour and is best enjoyed with the vinegar sauce! The butter fish has a nice crisp which is accentuated with the sweetened soy sauce. The plantains are tender with enough sweetness to act as a palate cleanser alongside the carrot salad. The garlic rice has the right amount of garlic to enjoy the extra sauces and natural juices from the shrimp and meats. The service was friendly and kind during our meal which made the experience more pleasant! Be sure to make reservations ahead of time as word does spread quickly of their amazing food and experience! read more

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I had Lola's kitchen back when they were only take out, and I really enjoyed it then. This was my first time trying it out at their location! The place is pretty small so I would book ahead. I was a little surprised at the state of the place, because there was dark paint on the edge of the white ceilings, exposed / unfinished drywall on some parts where I was sitting. I feel like the place could have better ambiance if they fixed it up just a little bit. In terms of the food, I enjoyed the beef kalbi plate, but I didn't understand the randomly tossed chunks of red onion on top. The garlic rice had big chunks of garlic, which I didn't mind. But I feel like the rice could've been somehow more fragrant. My partner didn't really enjoy his fried fish (bangus). The fish was pretty small and dry and really salty. I would not recommend that dish. The lumpia were okay, but nothing special. Service was really nice and friendly though! read more

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Very excited to try this place out. We got lucky and found parking nearby, and on top of that we got to try the dine in experience. We ordered the Filipino style fried chicken $19 the beefsteak Tagalog $22, beef tapas $22 and vegetarian spring roll $7 (also called lumpia). The chicken was delicious and very crispy. One drumstick and one thigh. I thought this was the most generous protein plate. The beefsteak Tagalog and beef tapas where smaller meat portion. I loved the beef tapas had a very sweet taste, I have to say the beef was tough. Might be the way it is cooked, high heat fast. The beef TAGALOG was less tasty in my opinion, but more sauce so you could try it with the rice. The plates all came with generous amount of fried garlic rice and a few piece of fried plantain. I liked that the rice had a nice crisp to it. I could cut with my fork and take a nice piece. The plantain was dry but I have not had it in year's, so I can't say much. There was 2 slice if cucumber for added green. I wish it had more veggies on the plates, Maybe a salade. I liked my experience was told the ribs are the best plate. Overall very happy with my authentic experience. read more

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Firstly, I highly recommend calling in if you visiting with a large party. This place is small therefore the seating is limited. We were seated quickly and attended to by the sweetest server. The service itself was not bad but a little bit of chaos. We were asked by three different people if we would like to place a order when we had already done so. The sides arrived long after the meal was served. We got the spring rolls, I really would have enjoyed them more had it not been as oily. The main itself, bbq chicken was probably the favourite on the table. The rice and plantain accompanying it was Ok. The ribs were tasty as well. Overall, the ambiance was lovely and the food was average for us. read more

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Update: Lola's Kitchen has moved and is a real sit-down restaurant now, not just a takeout joint at 250 City Centre Ave. Their new address is 765 Somerset St W (where the short-lived Fries with Burger was. It was previously Bee Home, and Pho LA Fusion before that...let's hope Lola's settles in and stays). Lola's Kitchen moved to Chinatown on Somerset from 460 Bronson Ave (at Gladstone) where they were ever so briefly after having left City Centre. Two moves in less than 6 months! I'm glad they've found a permanent home. Please refer to my previous review for the food, but disregard any directions to find the location, because the review was written when they were still at City Centre. read more

I finally had the opportunity to try out something Filipino in Ottawa! I very much enjoyed my time. Lola's Kitchen is located in the heart of Chinatown. The establishment isn't too big, so you'll see a few tables for pairs and small groups. There's a mural that we sat by which I found looked cool. We came when it wasn't too busy. Our server was very friendly and accommodating; she even gave us recommendations for what to eat. We got for ourselves a chicken adobo ($24) and chicken sisig ($24), both of which included garlic rice, plantains, and (I believe?) a papaya topping. I liked the fragrance of the rice, and the plantains were well-fried. Indeed, the adobo has that signature tang that I looked forward to. However, I was looking forward to a larger portion size for that price point. I'll also remark that what was recommended to us was a kamayan platter for 2 (B or D), which costs $72; quite above our budget. I'll recommend Lola's Kitchen, especially to any group throwing a celebration. read more

Lola’s Kitchen - Chicken adobo ($24) - Filipino Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Kim and his whole team at Lola provided delicious food for our wedding. He was very kind to walk through the whole menu and options with us. Im so grateful for the service and memories. Highly recommend! read more

Absolutely loved the food the second time I came here. Everything was delicious and the service was amazing. read more

Lola’s Kitchen - Filipino Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

I have had a wonderful experience every time I've gone here, the food being the highlight. I had the shared platters on several occasions. If you have several people they cover the table with banana leaves and serve the food on a boat, which is quite fun! All the BBQ items I've tried have been delicious as well as the plantain. It would be nice if there were more vegetables served with the food. This is where I bring friends visiting from out of town. read more

Lola’s Kitchen - Filipino Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

I am Filipino so my expectations were high. The ribs and chicken were moist and tender but lacked seasoning. There was lots of rice but not enough vegetables. I will not order from them again and will continue to make Filipino food at home. read more

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Have been 3-4 times these past few years from before they had a restaurant and did online orders to recently. Good Stuff: - Lots of different dishes to try, but mainly focuses on bbq items and more mainstream dishes that would be palpable for a more western diet Not so great: - Staff weren't very attentive and seemed to be more focused on mobile/takeout orders when I dined in. Had to frequently try to get attention to be ignored for things like water refill. - Expensive for what you get, portion sizes could be improved or prices could be lower for the quality/quantity. - Dishes we ordered (fried fish, fried chicken, bbq chicken) have always been dry and overcooked to the point it is like tough like jerky and overly salty. Overall, a bit expensive for average quality and taste. Hope to see more Filipino restaurants in Ottawa. They have potential, just seems quality has slipped a lot since the first time I tried them a few years ago. read more

Stopped in to order and takeout. Had a great conversation with the owner after he asked how we had heard of Lola's. Currently there is takeout only. There is an upcoming move in early July '22 so keep an eye on the website for the new address. They will have some seating in the new place. The wait from ordering was about 15 min. Sat on the benches outside and watched the world go by. The food came in a pizza box, lined with what I suspect are plantain leaves We ordered one of the dinners for two with chicken, beef and garlic rice. Everything was beautifully flavoured. Another reviewer mentioned the beef was a bit tough, and I get it, but I suspect that's the style of cooking. When eaten combined with the rice and veggie toppings and plantain, it is perfect. The flavours and textures just work. We enjoyed this, as, for us, eating Phillippino food has not been to accessible, so this was a treat! No seating at the current location so went to the skateboard park and enjoyed watching the boarders while we ate. read more

This past Valentine's Day, we ordered the Valentine's Day Dinner for 2 from Lola's Kitchen to try out Filipino food and to celebrate love! My husband has eaten Filipino cuisine before, but I hadn't so I was naturally curious. The box came with Garlic Fried Rice in the shape of a heart (so cute!), Beef Tapa (sirloin beef marinated in soy pineapple citrus and pan fried), BBQ Chicken Inasal (Filipino style chicken), Lumpia (vegetarian spring rolls), Plantains and Mango Salad. Everything was sooo fresh and tasty! The flavours in the meat were especially amazing and we really appreciated how we could tell that the cooking was done from the heart in all the components of this box! It really does make a difference! Have you tried Lola's Kitchen? read more

Lola’s Kitchen - Valentine's Day Dinner for 2 - Filipino Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Excellent!! The owner is passionate and he's a perfectionist. Everything tasted perfect! Service was wonderful read more

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Lola's Kitchen is exactly that. Food straight from a Filipinos Lola's kitchen. The food is very authentic. Reminds me of my family get together a with the flavours and the abundance of amazing food Got to try the Kamayan BBQ box. It was absolutely delicious. Kamayan bbq box for 2 includes: 1) Bbq beef ribs 2) Bbq chicken 3) Fried plantains 4) Garlic fried rice 5) Mango salad & Atchara This is something everyone should try read more

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Owner treats his employees like crap, overheard something from the employees talking about how dirty the kitchen is. You can hear Kim (the owner) berate his employees in the back office. Did not stay long enough to taste the food. based on how he treats his employees I wouldn't be surprised if he treats his own family like dirt. read more

This was amazing! I want to go to the Philippines now I suggest anything on the menu The Tapa is great read more

We ordered the KAMAYAN PLATTER B for 2 but shared it between 3 people and the Halo Halo dessert, also to share with 3 people. We figured if we were still hungry, we could also order more food. Their website suggested that we pre-ordered so we did that. I sent an email to request our preferred date and time, pre-order, etc. They responded pretty quickly so I was impressed. The Kamayan platter had the option to be served on plates or banana leaves, as it was a dish meant to be eaten with hands ( they give you gloves!) But as we wanted to fully experience the dish, we opted to be served on banana leaves and with utensils on the side. The food was delicious and the platter for 2 was definitely meant for 2 people on not more. The service and staff were amazing. I just felt like it was a little overpriced. But overall, it was a great experience. read more

Lola’s Kitchen - Chicken adobo, bbq beef ribs, fried plantains and garlic rice. - Filipino Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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I was excited to try this spot but the food was pretty underwhelming. We got the BBQ platter for two and the best part were the plantains. The beef was very chewy and there wasn't very much meat to eat off each bone. The chicken was alright, didn't have much flavour and it almost tasted reheated. The rice was good but at $59 the meat better be good too. read more

Lola’s Kitchen - Bbq platter for two. - Filipino Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Months trying to get a chance to come...well worth the wait! With our family of 4 (2A2C) trying to get here was a chore but finally a Sunday arose and the stars aligned and we, along with my 84 yr old mother, were able to make it in. I called before it opened and unfortunately there was no answer so I thought we were out of luck but they called ME back and we got our reservation. That right there tells you what you're in store for...they care enough to call back a missed call, The small (seats 24) restaurant is simple but clean and bright with colours and wall decor. Getting hit when you walk in with an explosion of smells telling of the flavours gets your appetite on 10 right away. The bathroom were also well tended and smelled clean which says a lot of the kitchen. Our server, Carla, was extremely friendly and helpful with any questions we had. It was a nice tease to see the other table's platters come out laden with a bounty of what looked delicious foods. The chef/owner Kim was an integral part of the experience as well as he was helping bring out the food and even smiled for pics. I was fortunate to have a small chat with him after our meal and his dedication to the craft and his restaurant was without par. After a small wait we got our juices and cocktails (at a fair price in the market these days) which were super fresh and flavourful which was perfect to balance the food to come. We ordered 2 x beef lumpia (basically a small fried egg roll style appetizer). These were delivered promptly simply with a dipping sauce (plum style) and unfortunately we ate them in about 3 seconds flat! Big bold flavours, delicious beefiness, and light crispy wrapper. So tasty!!! Our main course was a Kamayan platter A for 4 with an add on of bbq shrimp. We also chose to add on the optional Kamayan style table setting (a covering of your table with banana leaves which is your plate) and you eat with your hands (utensils are provided is you want them). I would strongly suggest getting this option as the hot food is perfumed and flavoured with the leaves as you place your food in front of you from the communal platter. Now...the food...that's a massive home run! Let's hit the ingredients: Chicken adobo: tangy, deep in flavour, rich and luxurious, all while being bright and bursting with flavour. Beef tapas: perfectly cooked with strong bold seasoning BBQ Shrimp: Shell on and coated with a finger licking sauce that you won't let a drop go to waste. Perfectly cooked shrimp is easy to screw up and they did not by any stretch of the imagination! Garlic rice: light, fluffy, and big garlic flavour was a perfect accompaniment and sponge to the meats and their sauces that drip down into it. Plantains: The sweet creamy note that balanced it all out. Plentiful and hot....just right! Garnish: Usually this plays a background role but on this platter it is important. The melon and citrus and even the edible flowers when eaten in company with the meal itself provides a wonderful foil to the richness/tartness/heaviness/etc. of the bite you just had. We, though absolutely full, decided to share a desert between the 5 of us and what a good decision as well! The Ube Ensaymada is a sweet bread filled with bands of a semi sweet filling of Ube (a purple yam). This reminded me of a sweet red bean bun but with flavours amped up to be an honest to goodness dessert. The only two notes that I thought were a draw back were the skin was on the chicken which as it is cooked ( a wet method) becomes soft and rubbery which needs to be taken off prior to consuming and the other (being really picky) was that the beef was cut slightly off cross grain which led to a hair of chewiness on a few bites. At the end of it all the verdict is this...AWESOME! The service was fantastic, the food was amazing, the atmosphere and experience was simply wonderful. This place is one you must get to and if you need to wait a little to get a spot, don't worry...it's worth the wait! read more

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I had tried Filipino BBQ in Toronto so when I heard that a spot had opened on Sommerset I was excited to take my family. Arriving at Lola's we were surprised to find the entire (tiny) dining room taken up by a single party. It was so over-crowded that we had to awkwardly squeeze between the diners along the length of the table and a massive bar that takes up a large portion of the entire dining room. The table we HAD reserved was the only one not on the dining room floor placed in a strange little nook overhanging the dining room... it was also occupied. They set up another table along the small walkway between the nook and the bathrooms. After more awkward squeezing we were seated and now hanging directly over the party in the dining room, so close that I could reach down and pat them on their heads. At this point we were at least at eye level with the two TVs that hung over the gigantic bar playing the same promotional video over and over. One of the owners then started to film a video of the large party for his Instagram and had them all singing along to the Red Hot Chili Peppers which was playing on the stereo. Not the actual Red Hot Chili Peppers, of course, but an album of instrumental clarinet renditions. The food eventually arrived and it was okay. At no point did anyone ask us if we needed drinks. We paid and squeezed our way back out. Never to return. If you find yourself in Toronto and would like to try real Filipino BBQ I would suggest a meal at Tinuno. read more

Not as i was expecting, a bit pricey for the amount of food served and did not like the plastic decors used. Nothing should be placed on your meal that is not edible. Flavors are unfortunately not on point. Banana leaves used were not even cleaned. I prefer the other Filipino resto in Ottawa. read more