I didn't expect a great Filipino Fine Dining in my backyard. I usually expect this type of experience in Manhattan. The staff, host and chef were very friendly. They made sure that all our needs were met and that we had a great night. The decor was classy and very homey. One of the long benches they had reminded me of my uncle's back in his home in Laguna, Philippines. The food was exceptional. Everything was cooked perfectly. They didn't lessen the flavors to cater to the "American" palette. We were really full by the end of the night. This spot is really worth visiting. Go check them out if you're in the neighborhood. read more

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I had a eureka moment when I discovered Maricel's Kitchen. I immediately declared, "This is where we're celebrating our anniversary!" Cozy and unpretentious, it's a small business and a true hidden gem. The moment we set foot in the door, we were warmly greeted by Paul, the extraordinary host and husband of the chef, Maricel. Upon seeing our reservation via OpenTable, he noticed we were celebrating our wedding anniversary. He gave us the most romantic table in the house. Megan quickly came out to take our order. We were deciding, and she mentioned they have Benguet coffee. As it was freezing outside, it was perfect as we looked through the menu. The Benguet coffee came out in a French Press. Benguet coffee is a single-origin coffee that grows in the Northern part of the Philippines. We tasted notes of chocolate, berries, and nuts. Intoxicating!! Pandesal, Filipino bread with accompanying butter, came out with the coffee. These are truly melt-in-your-mouth, as when you first break it, the crispy outer layer gives way to a soft and fluffy center. Heavenly!! We decided upon their Kamayan Tower, which is a 4-tier is like a Filipino celebration of food, all brought together and giving you a tasting banquet at your table. The top tier was the appetizers, where crispy Lumpia and Siomai (Filipino version of Shumai) lay. The second tier consisted of Pork Sisig, Chicken Inasal, and Pancit Bihon. The Pork Sisig was my absolute favorite as it was a symphony of rich and savory flavors. My husband loved the Chicken Inasal, as the flavor profile is smoky, tangy, and savory-sweet. The following tier held many delights, but what stood out from that tier were Chicken Adobo, the perfect ratio of soy and vinegar marinade, and the crispy Whole Fried Tilapia. Excellent combination of crispy skin and moist and flaky inside. Last but not least, the final tier had many stars, but what stood out for us was Beef Kaldereta and Inihaw Na Liempo. The primer is a stew with vegetables, potatoes, and tender beef. Slow-braised in tomato-based sauce, giving us hearty and comfy feelings. The latter is grilled pork belly, where the smoky and sweet flavors come together. Just when we were finished, Megan brought out a plate of desserts, and Paul gave us two flutes of champagne to celebrate. The food was all phenomenal, as was the service. Chef Maricel herself came out to greet us, and we talked about how these dishes were prepared. She has a full staff prepping for the dishes and truly tries to replicate the flavors of her grandmother's cooking from Manila. Both she and Paul were in the cooking school where they first met, and we laughed at how we first met our spouses. The place is a hidden gem, and Chef Maricel wisely chose her signage to be huge black lettering on a white, lit-up background so that passing cars can see her restaurant as they drive by. Plenty of parking as they share a parking lot in the strip mall. If you are looking for great Filipino cuisine where they treat you like family, this is the place. The place is not huge, so I strongly recommend people make their reservation via OpenTable. Chef Maricel also mentioned they offer cooking lessons during the weekdays, except for Friday evening, and they also serve Classic Filipino brunch towers on weekends. Sign. Me. Up!! read more

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I found out about Maricel through one of her cooking classes, which led me to try brunch and everything was amazing. Maricel is kind, funny, and immediately makes you feel welcome. The cooking class was so much fun, and we made chicken ramen. Hands down the best damn chicken ramen I've ever had. You can really feel her passion and love for cooking throughout the experience. Brunch was just as impressive. As soon as we walked in, the host was genuinely happy to see us and seated us right away. We ordered mango calamansi juice and a Filipino mocha, both delicious and refreshing. For food, we went with the classic Filipino brunch, which was flavorful, filling, and absolutely satisfying. From the food to the service, everything made us feel comfortable and welcomed. They truly know how to take care of their guests. Highly recommend both the cooking class and brunch. This place is a gem and definitely worth a visit. read more

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We attended a private empanada cooking class at Maricel's. Our chef instructor and all of the staff were professional and helpful. There was plenty of food, both meat and vegetarian options. We each made both baked and fried empanadas, with a variety of six fillings. After preparing the empanadas, they were cooked for us and we got to enjoy dinner. It was a great experience for three generations! read more

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Tuesday 01/20/26, I attended my 1st Telp Elite Event Hosted by Maricel's Kitchen! Chef Maricel was such a pleasure to learn from & insanely sweet! Her staff was very attentive & so helpful! We got to make a rice noodle dish & made a fried plantain/ jackfruit egg roll for dessert! At the end we got to try the Brunch Tower with 3 tiers of delicious foods to try from! The restaurant was small but decorated so well & loved the esthetic!Would definitely love to come back to either just eat at the restaurant or do another cooking class again! Was such a blast! read more

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Doesn't look that much when you pass by outside, but this place is awesome! Highly recommended! Delicious, high quality, awesomeness food and not to mention the authenticity of their food! don't forget the sticky rice (Suman)! read more

Maricel's Kitchen - Brunch - Cooking Classes Near Me - East Brunswick, New Jersey

A unique and memorable experience! Joined my coworkers for a cooking class with Maricel and her team. We made a variety of delicious dishes including Thai curry, Japanese gyoza, pancit, and turon for dessert. Maricel walked us through steps on how to make these dishes as we helped chop and prepare the ingredients. She gave us helpful tips on dicing vegetables, making gyoza, and frying turon. She made the whole experience super entertaining and engaged our large group of 25. The dishes came out very tasty and we enjoyed a nice meal after the class. Would highly recommend this class if you're looking for a unique activity to do with your friends or coworkers and if you want to expand your cooking abilities! read more

Maricel's Kitchen - Cooking Classes Near Me - East Brunswick, New Jersey

Where do I start...how about the beautiful decor, bright smiles and immediate seating service? My first impression was that this was a classy small boutique eatery. The food was BEYOND fantastic-- I ordered the vegetarian tower for brunch and literally every one of the 12 or so mini meals were absolutely scrumptious. I also ordered the mango juice which was fresh and delicious. Prices were fair based on quality. Highly recommend! read more

Maricel's Kitchen - Breakfast tower - Cooking Classes Near Me - East Brunswick, New Jersey

Decided to support this local NJ business during their pop-up at Prudential Center for a hockey game. Huge mistake! $19 for a small portion of fatty pork adobo on plain rice. No garnish, no seasoning. Embarrassing attempt to attract business read more

Maricel's Kitchen - $19 for a small portion of fatty pork adobo on plain rice - Cooking Classes Near Me - East Brunswick, New Jersey

The brunch was amazing. Little shareable plates. The Lumpia Shanghai, Bubble Waffle, Pandesal, Turin, and hand pies one was better than the other. Great wait staff. Chefs as well as Maricel great the patrons. Very pleasant experience. read more

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Came here with a good friend that wanted to try them out. Parking out front is a plus! We had a reservation and by the time we got there, almost every table (except ours) was taken. First impression: super friendly staff and server. We were seated quickly and had drinks (mango calamansi) in a short period of time. We ordered the non veg brunch sampler that had eggs, rice, okoy, bistec, egg rolls. We also had suman and pastries. I wish the portions were a little bit bigger but the flavors were on point presentation was nice but when sitting at a table for 2, we had to keep tilting sideways to speak to one another lol. Not sure if they were short staffed but there was quite a bit of wait time. Would love to come back to try out other menu items. read more

Found this restaurant on tiktok and decided to take the hour drive to try it out! 100% worth the drive and traffic during the holiday. We ordered the Classic Filipino brunch tower and it was the perfect amount of food for two people. We even had left overs to take. Food was delicious and service was exceptional! Already planning our next visit back! read more

Maricel's Kitchen - Classic Filipino Brunch Tower - Cooking Classes Near Me - East Brunswick, New Jersey

cute place and authentic filipino breakfast. ordered the brunch tower and it def is good portion. they are taking cake orders for the holiday season. i'll be sure to order mine read more

Maricel's Kitchen - lumpia - Cooking Classes Near Me - East Brunswick, New Jersey

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Maricel's Kitchen is a truly wonderful place. It starts with Chef Maricel, who brings passion, love and culinary excellence to every occasion. Our family recently had a 10 course chef's tasting menu at Maricel's Kitchen, and it was one of the best culinary experiences all of us have ever had. Chef Maricel and her husband Paul have taken great care to create a beautiful and welcoming environment, and they have a team of chefs that are amazing at what they do. Every course built on the previous course, and we paired the exquisite Filipino cuisine, with Italian wine. It was a match made in heaven. Amazing Lumpia Shanghai and Crispy Shrimp Nests started us off. We then moved to Pancit Molo (soup) which was Devine. Next - Pancit Bihon with Chicken Inasal - succulent and so delicious. Delicate and crispy Fish Sarciado over a silky tomato and egg purée came next - and was absolutely to die for. The Pork Sisig with Jasmine rice was crispy, tender and spiced just right. Beef Caldareta was melt in your mouth and seasoned to perfection. Lechon Belly with crispy skin, and succulent pork belly - oh my goodness. It was the best we ever had. Dessert brought us home with Cassava cake and Pandon Creme Brûlée. Both were heavenly!!! You have to call Chef Maricel and plan your next special event with her and her team. They will welcome you with open arms, treat you with love and respect, help you build a menu and experience that is second to none, and make your celebration truly magnificent and unforgettable!!! read more

I've attended two classes so far (Filipino and Japanese), and both have been educational. I recommend coming with an empty or somewhat empty stomach, as you won't enjoy the food you create otherwise. However, if you can't, you can take your food home. The classes I attended were group classes. There are usually many people; if one person gets onion chopping duty, that's usually the only person who can chop onions for that class. So, if you want to try it, raise your hand and ask politely. You may not get to, but it's okay to ask questions. We're all here to improve. In the Filipino cooking class, I got an appetizer in the form of pita bread and cheese; in the Japanese class, I got to make boba milk tea. If you're worried you'll be too hungry to cook unless you eat a full meal beforehand, chances are high you'll be able to eat something that'll hold you over until the end of class, and it's better to at least be semi-hungry by the end of it (in my opinion). read more

Awesome experience!!! We went for a Thai cooking night and had the best time. The class is great because you are able to make parts of the meal and see how it comes together. The way she runs the class makes it engaging but not stressful and everything was very clean and organized. I would love to go back and try another themed night! Maricel was very friendly and knowledgable - you can really tell she has a passion for what she does, and she's amazing at it! Definitely recommend this as a great activity to do with friends, family, or even co-workers! read more

Marcel's Kitchen gets an A+ from me! The Korean BBQ cooking class was well-organized, and the atmosphere was fun, relaxed, friendly, and welcoming. The dishes we cooked were delicious, and you receive both the shopping list and recipes within days of your class. An added bonus is that Marcel's warmth and charisma make you feel as if you've known her forever. I highly recommend this class for a fun date, a celebration with family and friends, a team-building event, or simply to expand your cooking skills and explore new cuisines. Millie read more

This place is great! Fun informative interactive classes! You will be able to go home and make everything on your own! Maricel is great! read more

Maricel's Kitchen - Cooking Classes Near Me - East Brunswick, New Jersey

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What a happy moment when we found Maricels kitchen at the Jamesburg Food Truck fest! Totally delicious, fresh bites of Filipino fare with a twist all all kinds of great flavors. Had the Pork buns, pork and noodles and the spring rolls- pace yourself because this is seriously great stuff. Maricel's truck and her staff put lots of love into the food- she is also a chef that teaches! Follow them- you will love it! read more

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always a pleasurable time The staff is friendly and helpful And the food is always awesome

Maricel and her staff are making some really good food. You need to try the pork bao buns and the spring rolls. Everything else seems really good as well. Also she makes this white vinegar sauce for the spring rolls. Wow this stuff should be called white gold. Maricel will go above and beyond to make sure you always have a good experience when visiting her food truck. Her customer service is the best and is also very friendly as well. If you have not had the Panicot noodles you are missing out. These paired with the green Thai chicken green curry is so good. This is some of the best Thai chicken green curry I have ever had. Please check out her schedule and make sure to find her ASAP. She is worth traveling for as well and also does a great job with catering. read more

Super fun place. Learned so much and enjoyed the food after. Great experience. The food was delish and the class was so informative. We will be making plans to come back again. Can't wait to try the recipes at home! read more

Great experience all around! A nice change to a typical night out with friends or family. The quality of food and instruction was outstanding! Maricel has truly tapped in to something special! read more