Don't let the exterior environment deter you from coming to this amazing Filipino restaurant. Once inside you're transported to a place that serves delicious Filipino food. The dishes we ordered were all authentic tasting made with fresh ingredients. The sizzling sisig was prepared just like in the Philippines-grilled pork cartilaginous skin in spices topped with an egg. Portions are huge and bonus points for the live karaoke entertainment. read more

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Our farewell celebration started out well but unfortunately ended with extremely poor customer service. While we were still enjoying ourselves and celebrating, a staff member abruptly handed us "to-go" bags and told us they needed the table. We were told that we had been there for hours without ordering, even though a friend had just arrived and placed an order. If the restaurant has a time limit or requires guests to place additional orders, that should be communicated politely--not by handing customers their bags and telling them to leave. When we brought the issue to the manager, her response was simply, "What do you want to do?" Her response was very disappointing and unprofessional. We understand the need to turn tables, but how you treat your customers matters. What should have been a memorable farewell ended with us feeling unwelcome and disrespected. Unfortunately, we will not be returning. read more

Came here for the private party on a Sunday. If you want to experience a Filipino party, have a private event here lol. It's a karaoke bar with big screens and loud speakers. The walls absorb the sound and the disco lights are flashing. The main entertainment being the guests themselves with all the signing talent. It was a buffet setup with all the party staples. The food was yummy!! And a good variety of veggies, chicken, beef, pork, seafood. The owners and staff were very friendly and attentive, and everything seemed to flow well. There were about 50 guests and it did feel a bit too crowded and tight. read more

Manila Bistro - private party - yummy! - Beer Bar Near Me - National City, California

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I came here with a big group of friends for karaoke and family style Filipino food. We ordered sinigang, sisig, pancit, kare kare and papaitan. All of the dishes were delicious.the dishes were a bit pricey compared to our normal Filipino spots but for free karaoke, it could be worth your time. Not sure if this has changed but when I went they didn't have free water, you have to buy their water bottles so bring your own or be prepared to add that to your bill read more

Manila Bistro - Beer Bar Near Me - National City, California

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Manila Bistro is the latest Filipino eatery to operate out of this suite in National City. It's part of a long strip mall with plenty of parking spaces. The exterior looked a bit shady in the evening with gates that appeared to be more suited for an establishment other than a restaurant. The inside was set up like a large lounge with karaoke offered nightly(?). Beware because that will make a noisy atmosphere if you visit during such hours like I did recently. A sat at corner table near the bar and service counter in the back of the room. A multi-page menu featured offerings broken down by protein type along with appetizers, noodles, rice, soup, platters, desserts, and drinks. My meal started with an order of the Lumpiang Shanghai from the list of 12 appetizers. Six pieces of fried spring rolls were filled with ground pork, celery, carrots, egg, and spices. They had a good crunch to the exterior. A dip of sweet chili sauce was provided on the side for dipping. For an entree, I selected the Pancit Mix that consisted of thick (Canton) and thin (Bihon) noodles that were stir fried with pork and vegetables. The pork was a mix of lap cheong and pork belly pieces. I think I preferred the thin noodles (rice vermicelli) versus the thick noodles (flour stick). I noticed a few shrimp were also tossed into the dish by the kitchen. The serving size was decent for the $20 price tag. I gave a 3.5 star rating for my dining experience at Manila Bistro based on the ambiance and food quality. read more

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I recently hosted a private event at Manila Bistro for a 55th bday celebration. and the experience was wonderful. The food was excellence and many of our guest shared very positive feedback. Staff were attentive, respectful, and professional making sure everything ran smoothly. I also appreciated the cleanliness of the restaurant, especially the well-maintained restrooms. One small suggestion would be to consider adding another stall for women when hosting larger events to help reduce waiting time. The owner was approachable and easy to work with during the planning process, all of my request were accommodated. I highly recommend Manila Bistro for Birthdays, Anniversaries, Baptism, or any special occasion. Our guest left with great memories. Thank you for making our celebration so memorable! read more

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I'm splitting my rating here: 5 stars for our usual favorites (Crispy Pata, pancit bihon, and chicharon bulaklak), but 1 star for tonight's Tapsilog and the manager's handling of the situation. The beef was incredibly tough and rubbery. When we mentioned this to our waitress, the manager came out and told us that three people in the back tested the meat and said it was fine. Making customers feel like they are lying is terrible customer service. They did provide a new order, but it was identical to the first, so we just took it home for our dogs. We came out for a fun night of singing and good food but left disappointed. 3 stars overall because the audio system and standard menu items are still good. read more

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Been going to this place since it was Gapo. Love the karaoke singing! Food was good, but took a long time though. And we're charged for something we ordered but never received. read more

I'm not one to review but in this case I will. I walked in with my wife and daughter, and we just came from the Filipino night market. The first thing waitress says to my wife "No outside drinks or food" in a tone. I take her drink with no label on it back to the car. When I walk back and sit down with my family I notice a a white woman with a Better Buzz coffee cup. I was very irritated but I said nothing. The waitress comes back to our table and asks what we want for drinks. I asked for waters for the table. The waitress then says they don't serve tap water and we must purchase bottled water. I can't believe it!!! Last time I checked paying customers get free drinking water, but not at Manila Bistro. Customers are forced to drink micro plastics. My wife gets a bottled water and the label has been removed from it. We did get a veggie lumpia which was decent, but I cant say that about our dinners. Each of us got a different dish and all of us did not want to finish it. This was the first time I got a meal from a restaurant and didn't want to finish it, nor did I want to bring it home. Probably the first time in my life. To top it off before we left a white family came in and sat behind us. Apparently they can bring in crispy cream donuts with no trouble at all, but my wife cant have a drink. Needless to say.... Very disappointed in this experience. read more

I can't say enough good things about this hidden gem of a Filipino restaurant. From the moment you walk in, you feel it--warm, welcoming, and full of life. The space blends traditional touches with a modern, stylish vibe that somehow feels both elevated and totally comfortable at the same time. The food is absolutely incredible. Every dish tastes like it's made with care and authenticity--rich flavors, perfectly seasoned, and clearly rooted in tradition. You can tell these recipes mean something, and it shows in every bite. And then there's the karaoke... easily one of the best parts of the whole experience. Whether you're going all out with friends or just enjoying the energy, it turns a great meal into a full-on night to remember. This place isn't just a restaurant--it's an experience. Amazing food, great atmosphere, and unforgettable fun. Already planning my next visit. read more

It was my first time coming here and all I can say is it was SO MUCH FUN ! The food and service were a 10/10 and I loved seeing my Filipino Tios and Tias sing! Shoutout to Rica's mom and her coworkers for being such great hosts !! p.s. Hit me up for more karaoke shows read more

Manila Bistro - Beer Bar Near Me - National City, California

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Love the vibes, love the food Thank you Manila Bistro, such kind staff and owner! Warm service and a very clean place. We had a great night and so much fun! Perfect for any celebration read more

Food was good and the ambience is okay but not quite. We were disappointed with the service where the cashier can't split a check properly like unable to void an entry . Asked to split a check and questioned where the drinks be charged??? And it totally changed the experience when the server came back and commented, "next time let us know you got to split the check upon ordering" what a customer service. Might need a little service recovery on that aspect. read more

Food is delicious Service staff - very friendly and welcoming Entertainment - excellent Over All Impression 5 stars read more

Very very fun place w nice Pinoy food and great video and karaoke system. Jean and staff are very warm and accommodating. This is a little bit of the Philippines here in San Diego. If you need some merienda and a beer and some good company this is the place. Many visiting entertainers are always stopping in. Fun Place!!! read more

I can cook better than that restaurant, the portion is so small in one scoop you can see the bottom of the bowl. When you ask for patis, napkins and soy sauce, they'll point it instead of handling it to you or sent it to your table. They're owner had an attitude towards costumers. We came over for a birthday celebration, so it's group of people. It's a bad experience, so I won't recommend it. read more

we came here to celebrate my mother's 60th birthday! the food is delicious and atmosphere is great! it really does feel like a little taste and experience of the philippines. the owner was managing the karaoke and was extremely attentive, kind, encouraging, and supportive. he made our experience amazing! the only negative is that one of the servers was extremely rude and condescending. while she was cleaning the table next to us and we were trying to ask for something, she snapped at us and wanted to finish cleaning first. its not like we wanted her to help us immediately, we just wanted to let her know so she could help us after she's done. i understand shes doing her job, but as a server and filipino myself, i would've at minimum been kind, with a smile. the only time she showed any kindness was when giving us the bill. but when i was going over the receipt she was standing WAY too close to me and swaying back and forth as if i was wasting her time. i felt so rushed and so cornered into tipping because it felt like she was watching what i was writing. despite the experience with this server, we thoroughly enjoyed our time here. the good food and welcoming attitude from the owner more than made up for the service. we will definitely be coming back! read more

First time eating at Manila Bistro and I will definitely be coming back! Eating here took me back to my childhood when I got to eat Filipino food every day. It was amazing!! The beef bulalo, sizzling sisig, and kare kare are a must have. My family and I also enjoyed singing karaoke and listening to other customers sing karaoke as well! If you're in the area you definitely need to check this place out. If you love Filipino food, you won't be disappointed!! read more

We got to this place by chance because the other resto serving Pinoy food were all close for the night (8 pm). So glad we got into the place. The food was great so masarap! We ordered sizzling tofu, like sisig and beef karekare. The service was excellent and the vibes , oh my it was fun, most customers seemed to be so talented in singing! We enjoyed ourselves so much. We will drop by again whenever we are in the area read more

I love the atmosphere and the vibe that this restaurant creates. Not only is the vibe amazing but the food is amazing too! I had the bulaklak and crispy pata and let me tell you that it reminded me of the good ol days. Service treated me like family. I will 100% come here again whenever I'm in the area. read more

Inconsistent taste of the food. The first time my husband ordered kambing pinapaitan was so savory but Tonight no good. It doesn't look like and taste like kambing!!! read more

Manila Bistro - Kambing pinapaitan daw! - Beer Bar Near Me - National City, California

Excellent food and service. It's a very good place to dine and sing and meet people. The manager was amazing thank you for creating a place like this Manang. read more

Nice restaurant and good food! This place has been completely renovated and it looks modern inside. The Kare Kare was excellent and the sizzling seafood was very tasty! read more