The Tocino wasn't what I'm used to. Was more like beef then Pork. Didnt have the chewy texture, nonetheless flavor was good. Ube pancake with the ube butter and coconut jelly was made just right. The Galbi topsilog was good. Very rich marinade, not what I like, but on this plate with the garlic rice it works. Drinks were good, the Ube matcha was good on sweetness and the Calamansi lemonade was on point. Customer service was very good, the guy behind the counter saw us looking at the menu and asked if we'd like to hear about the specials... and they checked on us although at the table even though it felt more like a self serve style diner. Overall, good spot to get a quick fix for Filipino food craving. read more

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Been wanting to come here for a while and finally the opportunity presented itself. Cute little intimate cafe/restaurant. You order at the counter and then seat yourself. Came on a Thursday after lunch and it wasn't too busy. Ordered the Tocilog - which is sweet pork with a side of garlic fried rice, and an egg cooked any way you like. Also came with a side of noodles (pancit). Since I was here, decided to order some calamansi wings to go. And of course an ube milk tea. I really enjoyed my meal. The Tocino was a little different from what I'm used to. I'm used to a slab of pork pan fried with the fat fried to a slight crunch lol. I'm also used to tocino being red in color. I guess the tocino here is a little more leaner and no artificial colors - which works for me as I'm kinda allergic to red dye. But it tasted good, very flavorful. Loved the garlic rice as well. Pancit noodles were okay - could have used a little more seasoning but I could dig it Calamansi wings were low key fire. The crisp of the wings were perfection and the meat was not tough - still nice and juicy. I would get these again. They did have other flavors available that I need to come and try as well such as adobo and salt & pepper. Servers were nice and food came out pretty fast. read more

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When you find something so unexpected and great, you consider it a gem. Grayslake is not particularly known for Filipina population nor cuisine but Merienda provided some of the best dishes and drinks I have had. For reference, I ordered two of their combo meals (silog): Tapsolog (beef) and Bangsilog (milk fish), their limited time milk tea, double banana matcha and their ube pancakes. Everything was delicious and prepared delightfully (orchid flower garnishing the papaya salad and the pancakes). The double banana matcha milk tea took a lot of labor to make it and it was evident in the flavor. Not to mention the caramelized slice of banana to top off the drink. I will definitely be returning after sharing it with my family. read more

Merienda Cafe - Double banana matcha milk tea - Filipino Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

Definitely check out this Filipino cafe! We've been here twice and the food was outrageously delicious both times. The tocilog is scrumptious and is served with rice (I chose the garlic fried rice) and a side (do not miss the atchara salad with lightly pickled papaya, cucumber, and mango over lettuce). This is the only dish I tried because it's so good, but I'm sure everything is delicious here. My fiancée had ube pancakes, which he raved about. If you are thirsty, Merienda offers a huge array of teas, coffees, milk teas, lattes, etc. I had a banana latte one of the times I visited and it was great. The cafe is bright and welcoming with tropical murals at the back. Both times I went, the folks at the counter were really nice about answering questions and helping me figure out what does or doesn't have coconut in it (I'm allergic, unfortunately). read more

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This nice family owned place serves filipino food, cafe style. The staff are super friendly, but are a bit slow. So, only go when you aren't too hangry! The drinks are a bit too sweet for my taste. They have different filipino flavours like ube and pandan. The food is delicious. The ube pancakes are really good and the portions are generous. The Ribsilog is tender and savoury and goes really well with the garlic fried rice. The calamasi wings are nicely tangy and have a crispy bite. read more

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Awesome place, staff is super kind and accommodating! Got the bansilog, milk fish, and it was delicious omg, really yummy and original dishes and you really get a great amount of food for what you pay for. The drinks are also so good, double banana matcha was fire and so was the calamansi pink drink :) thank you guys! Loved the vibe of the restaurant as well, chill music read more

Will go back. Did not disappoint. Must be patient with service. Worth the wait. Good music and atmosphere. Food and drinks were satisfying. read more

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I'm a Filipina from the Bay Area in California and I highly recommend this Filipino restaurant. Both the food and drinks are 10/10! Vibe of the restaurant is modern and chill. Awesome service! Their ube is made in house and their drinks are made with real fruit and not powder. Definitely recommend this place if you're in the area. It is ~15 minutes from the Great Lakes Naval RTC. Get your newly minted sailor some Filipino food before they get sent to a city without a single Filipino restaurant. We ordered 3 silogs: Tapa, Adobo Ribs, and Bangus. All 3 were delicious. Eggs cooked to preference. Big portions. Probably one of the best tapas I've ever had. I loved that they use lean pieces of meat and that it wasn't fatty, but was still tender and flavorful. The Adobo Ribs was probably the most unique of the 3 dishes and one that would be harder to find at another restaurant. I don't know how they keep that crisp to the ribs while still covering it in sauce; Chef's kiss to that dish! Bangus was traditional and perfectly crispy. Our only knock on the silogs might be the pancit, but that may be because my mom makes the best pancit in our opinion lol. We did eat all the pancit served so it was also still good. The atchara was different from what I'm used to, but also delicious. I think it is made with baby arugula, pickled onion, and shredded carrot. For drinks we ordered from their seasonal menu: 2 ube horchatas and 1 Grinch (matcha, winter melon, and strawberry). Drinks were on the sweeter side, but easily adjustable with water. The Ube Horchata was perfect for my 15 y/o nephew, but too sweet my 25 y/o nephew. Older nephew just added water to get it to his taste preference. The Grinch drink was sweet, but actually paired perfectly with my food. It might've been too sweet for me as a stand alone. For reference, my older nephew and I usually add water to any bottled juices we drink. read more

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This restaurant is a gem! Firstly, the young man that took our order was so patient and willing to offer suggestions on some menu items. I decided to go with the Tapsilog (beef ribeye steak) and for my beverage I had the thai tea. They don't have a kids meal, but they prepared chicken wings and fries for my son, which was nice. He also got a mango juice with his meal. Everything was absolutely delicious, made to order, hot and fresh! The steak was so tender and flavorful, it came with white rice with a fried egg and a side of pancit noodles. Again everything was so yummy and fresh. My son's chicken wings were very good as well, super crispy, great flavor and even the fries were good! My thai tea was a bit bitter for my liking, but it was good. The Mango juice was so refreshing and bursting with flavor, just so delightful! The decor was nice, but seating is very limited so definitely not ideal for a big crowd. I am so upset that I didn't get to try more items, but if ever in the area again I will stop by to try some of the other items. read more

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Cute little Filipino restaurant and drink shop. The food was outstanding. So flavorful. Serving sizes are huge, big enough to share or better yet, leftovers. I had the Tocilog (pork) and the flavor was amazing. For a side I had Pancit bihon, light and tasty. Great complement to the well seasoned sauce on the pork. I had never had UBE before so they mixed me up a sample and I was sold. Service was quick. We will absolutely be back read more

Merienda Cafe - Tocilog (Sweet & savory pork slices) Filipino Fried Pork Adobo Ribsilog - Filipino Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

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Drove all the way from Naperville, and was well worth it! Food was good and sizable portions. Definitely get a lot of bang for your buck. Great customer service all around and would come back and recommend anyone to come here. read more

Merienda Cafe - Filipino Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

My party guests absolutely loved it! We ordered catering (60 wings, 7lbs lumpia, and large bihon pancit) and it was amazing! Everyone was asking who made the food and said they were definitely going to dine in after having the delicious food! Thanks Merienda Team! read more

Merienda Cafe - Pancit Bihon (good for 1) 6 Piece Lightly Breaded - Filipino Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

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What a gem. Easy to miss unless you're looking but luckily we were definitely looking. First things first, you sit, get menus, then order at the counter. Now for the food, we had a few different dishes from the corned beef to Korean short ribs. They all come with your choice of sides which I loved as we were able to mix and match a good variety. Food was fantastic. My opinion of the food is that it delivered all the flavors while appealing to Filipinos and non, we also received a strong nod from all three of my children from ages 6 to 11 (picky eaters). The service was also top notch. We were served promptly, checked on, also small talk when asking questions about the establishment. 100% would eat here again. Already on my list when we go out that way. read more

I got a handshake (and booed) for being brave enough to wear Packers hoodie within the broader Chicago area. Food is bomb as hell, portions are giant so don't be worried about the price. read more

As a Filipino I know Filipino food lol. So of course this doesn't come close to home cooking from how my mom makes food. BUT it's a pretty good representation of Filipino food for people to try. Decent adobo and I'm glad they put an egg on rice as it neutralizes the somewhat overpowering flavor a bit. Pancit was decent also. This place is right near a pretty good comic store, Jays. Any comic store with Mylites plastic protection covers is legit. read more

I was just stopping by to check it out. Long line to order only one person working at the counter. It's a tiny cafe. I thought they will have some Merienda that is ready at the counter, but they didn't. Ambiance is okay. I didn't feel the vibes. Food I didn't even had a changed to order or taste. Very disappointed. read more

Merienda Cafe - Outside - Filipino Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

Delish!!! Need I say MORE???? Wow! So delish! Food, ambiance and service is really good! Portions are amazing! Good for 3 people read more

Merienda Cafe - Need I saw MORE wow!!!! Soooo delish! - Filipino Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

I've been wanting to try this place so I got my chance while visiting a friend this week. We came for lunch on Sunday around 1pm. This place a small restaurant with a warm and inviting atmosphere. We were surprised to see how busy it was and with limited seating. Luckily we were able to find seating in the back corner. Orders are taken ar the register. No wait for someone to provide drinks and utensils. We ordered alittle bit of everything (I am Filipino) and shared our meals. Everything was delicious and beautifully presented. We ordered Adobo ribs, Tocino and Tapa combination plates with garlic rice, egg and side dishes (achara, pancit, sinigang). All very well made but my favorite was the Tocino, achara and sinigang broth. Excellent combinations! We also ordered hot teas and desserts. Service was great as well, they were very nice and accommodating, nice to see our fellow Pinoys in successful businesses! This is definitely a place to return and try other menu items thanks for a wonderful lunch. read more

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I stopped by Merienda Cafe with some friends over the weekend for a cozy brunch. We had reservations and were seated very quickly. The staff were all really friendly and they were also celebrating their one year anniversary of being in business. As far as food goes: Lumpia: They were fried to perfection and the filling was juicy and very flavorful. I couldn't stop eating these. Chicken Wings: They were breaded well and very crispy. The chicken was moist and the sauce was a little sweet and tangy. Ube Pancakes: These were amazing, very pillowy and paired really well with the provided compound cream. It comes with large, ripe, beautiful strawberries. It was very filling and the leftovers were great the next day. Overall I had a wonderful experience, I can't wait to eat here again. read more

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Absolutely love this spot. The food was delicious and the coffee was just as good. Staff extremely friendly and helpful. Not to many seats but can always find one. read more

Merienda Cafe - Filipino Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

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It was one of the best Filipino restaurants in the greater Chicago area that I have been to. The hospitality was terrific, and the food was good. It might look like a hole-in-the-wall, but it's the kind of hidden gem where you can tell the people genuinely care about what they're making. It's easily one of the best places to eat in Grayslake. They even gave us complimentary pastries and tapioca--seriously, super kind people all around. Great food, great atmosphere. I'm coming back. If you haven't tried Filipino food, try this place; you won't regret it. read more

Merienda Cafe - Tocilog (Sweet & savory pork slices) - Filipino Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

Food was super good and large portions, staff super friendly and nice. 10/10 would come again read more

Merienda Cafe - Tocilog (Sweet & savory pork slices) - Filipino Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

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Food was excellent, service was exceptional and the place is small but quaint. Will definitely be going again! read more

Merienda Cafe - Lumpia 10 out of 10 Tocilog (Sweet & savory pork slices) with garlic rice 10 out of 10! Bulgogi Fries 10 out of 10! - Filipino Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

Great food and service. Fresh and tasty. Definitely go early. They run out. Excellent rice. read more

Merienda Cafe has become one of our favorite go-to brunch options in the area! The service is always friendly and accommodating. They are a family run business and can be slow, but the food is worth the wait. The ube pancakes are a must - it is served with 3 sizeable pancakes with a side of coconut, ube butter, and fruit. The ube flavor comes through well. To counterbalance the sweetness, we usually order the tapsilog with garlic rice and atchara. We are lucky to have a solid Filipino cafe in the north burbs! read more

Merienda Cafe - Filipino Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

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We've checked out several Filipino breakfast spots in the Chicagoland area (including a famous one in the city that rhymes with Bahama...) and can confidently say this tops all of them. The staff was warm, friendly, and attentive (shout out to Chris and Crystal!); the dining area was that perfect vibe of cozy and homey; and the food was out-of-this world delicious! Everything was great, but our favorites were the bulgogi loaded fries, ube pancakes, and pandan chai. Highly recommend Merienda Cafe, and will definitely be back for more! read more

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I'm so happy this restaurant is in the area! I loved everything I've tried here. Some of my favorite things are the ube french toast, mango smoothie, and the milkfish (Bangsilog). Make sure you order the garlic fried rice and atchara salad for the side (10 out of 10!). The vibe here is cozy and chill (it's a super cute spot)! The team that works here is absolutely amazing (hospitable and patient) and give excellent recommendations. Check them out! You won't be disappointed. read more

Merienda Cafe - Milkfish, atchara salad, garlic fried rice - Filipino Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

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I got a Pork Adobo Ribsilog there. It was absolutely amazing...the staff are so nice to chat with!!! I also got an ube milk tea with boba to go. Literally impressive!!!! read more

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If you come here, get the ube pancakes!!!! The ube flavor is perfect and so well balanced, there's an ube cream cheese that tops the pancakes and gives an extra nudge of sweetness if you desire. The coconut slices help to balance the carby texture but the fluffiness of the pancakes are supreme. We came during their 1year anniversary celebration so I got a free 3 piece calamansi chicken wings. This had a wonderful citrus flavor and crunch to the bite. The staff were very kind and offered my friend (it was her birthday) a free dessert! Would definitely recommend this place to brunch for big groups, you should definitely call ahead to reserve the table!! read more

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I came to this place to checkout what is the hype about. Sad to say I was disappointed, the Tocilog is not good at all. Not the taste that I grew-up with, it was too sweet that the sweetness overpower the taste of the meat. The pansit that goes with it is too salty. Overall it is too commercialized. The lumpia was just okay. I was just very hungry when I went there so I was trying my best to finish the food to avoid wastage but unfortunately I can't. I did not touch the pansit and left a bit of Tocilog but I did finish the lumpia. The first visit was not a very good experience to say the least. read more

Went here with a group of 10 people on a Saturday morning. Highly recommend letting the restaurant know your time of arrival, party size and orders, ahead of time so they can have the food ready in a timely manner. It's a nice mom and pop shop. The food is delicious food but the service can be a little slow as the iron out some details. I ordered the Galbi. The meat was tender and flavorful. It came with garlic rice and a side of spicy papaya salad. I was also able to sample the ube pancakes which were fluffy and had a nice mochi texture. Would definitely come again! read more

Merienda Cafe - Galbi - Filipino Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

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Fantastic fries with spicy garlic, shrimp, with the uba tea iced is phenomenal!! The ambience is super warm and inviting, very calm and with exciting flavors with new Filipino recipes ! read more

Merienda Cafe - Spicy garlic shrimp French fries - Filipino Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

Love it here! I've come here a couple of times and it's always so delicious. The food is exactly what you'd want for a Filipino breakfast. The inside is always so clean and has a cute beach cafe theme. All of the employees are really friendly and attentive. They have ample sweets options as well, from halo halo, different cheesecakes, bubble teas, and lattes. I'd say to come early on weekends or on weekdays because there can be a rush where it's a bit packed. read more

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We had the best experience. They were so welcoming and the food was fantastic! It was clean and a very nice space. I would definitely recommend coming here and getting the adobo ribs. Shout out to Chris for accommodating us!!!!! read more

Pretty good spot for smaller meals. Kind of expensive, but whatever. Will come back regardless.

Finally tried this Filipino restaurant located near our home. Plenty of parking. We were the first customers on a Saturday morning. Restaurant was pristine. Menus on the wall and paper were hard to read as font was small. Items on the menu a bit pricey. Service was quick. Food beautifully plated. I ordered the Tapsilog. It came with Garlic Fried Rice. Meat was tender and perfectly seasoned. The rice was cooked to perfection. Texture and taste perfect. It came with Atchara Salad, which was delicious. My husband ordered the Pork Adobo Ribsilog. I tasted it and really liked the well balanced sauce. Meat was also tender. The Calamansi Fried Chicken was delicious; crunchy on the outside and moist and tender on the inside. We also ordered the Ube Pancakes, which were beautifully presented but the middle portion was not cooked. They made another batch and this time, it was overcooked. Could not taste the Ube flavor in the pancakes or the butter. The restaurant did compensate with a free Shanghai Lumpia and it was perfectly seasoned. It's worth a try if you want Filipino food. read more

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I was excited to try this place for their grand opening! Seems like they have the support of the community, the place was packed with dine in customers as well as takeout orders. We got a few things try. The Shanghai lumpia, ube pancakes, and Cbsilog (hopefully I spelled that right) meal. Everything was excellent! The lumpia were, by far, the best I've had. They came with a dipping sauce that was very tasty and not too sweet. The pancakes were tasty with a great fluffy texture, plus the ube butter they came with was light and creamy. The Cbsilog was delicious! I don't usually like corned beef very much but this approach works. The garlic rice and papaya salad they came with rounded it all out for a perfect balance of flavors! Besides being delicious, everything is plated beautifully. Instagram worthy pictures for sure. Service was perfect. Yes, it took a while for our food to come out, but that's to be expected for a grand opening. Everything came out hot and perfect when it arrived and in the meantime all the staff checked in with us to make sure we doing well. Water and coffee refills, checking for napkins and utensils, and just updating us about our order. Really excellent service. There's so much more on the menu I need to try and after today I'm convinced it'll all be delicious! I'll be back soon for some chicken wings and ube cheesecake! read more

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Food and service were amazing! I had the tocilog, wings, and Thai milk tea. Everything was excellent. It's a cozy little spot, perfect for breakfast or lunch. I can't recommend it enough. I'll definitely be telling my friends to check it out for the delicious food and warm, welcoming service. read more

Merienda Cafe - Tocilog (Sweet & savory pork slices) - Filipino Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

Cute small local restaurant, everything was very flavorful and the dessert was the perfect compliment to a great meal. Very filling as well, so you'll definitely get your moneys worth. read more

Merienda Cafe - Tapsilog (sliced beef steak ribeye) - Filipino Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

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Food is good service is so slow .forgot to take down one order so we waited for almost 1 hr.By that time I was ready to go and so is my food. read more