If you haven't checked out Minasa already, you gotta put it on the top of your must-try list…read more Filipino flavors with a modern twist, it's one of my favorite Filipino restaurants on the island. You can sometimes find them at food festivals, and they always have the longest line but at their brick and mortar- you can always satisfy your Filipino cravings. One of my favorite things on their menu is the calamansi chicken wings, it's got a bit of spicy kick and it's so good. You can order just the wings or get it as a bowl with rice and pickled vegetables. The sisig is also a classic that you can get with either crispy chicken or pork belly that's chopped up into small pieces and served with an egg. I love that all of the food here has a nice balance of salt, fat, and acid. And if you're wanting to try out all their best sellers, go for the kamayan sampler with lechon fries, calamansi fried chicken with rice, and ube churros. Or their Chef's special with lechon, calamansi fried chicken, and kalbi short ribs.

I'll never stop raving about this place…read more Minasa is a restaurant serving a variety of comforting and nostalgic Filipino food -- appetizers, entree, desserts and drinks. The space is cozy and welcoming, with limited amount of seating but ok for holding intimate events. Service is always great, food always comes out fresh and hot, and they always get our orders right. My personal favorites would be: * Kare-Kare (Beef Peanut Stew), which reminds me of my mom's cooking; and * Calamansi fried chicken + noodles, the noodles are very nostalgic for me as it reminds me of my "merienda" (afternoon snack) when I was growing up (in the Philippines). They usually change up their monthly specials (which I always look forward too) so make sure to check out their Instagram page @minasahawaii. Plenty of shared parking space in the shopping complex where it's located (Tropicana Square).

Wow! We love the upgrade! It's amazing to see how far Sw8 Dada's Sisig has come - from a little…read morefood truck to their new spot at The Shop at West Loch Station. We stopped by right at closing tonight, and the friendly staff were kind enough to let us place one last order. My son was craving sisig, and honestly, only Sw8's would do. But we didn't know they closed at 6! Lol - Thanks Aunties! The food is just as delicious as ever - crispy, flavorful, and now they offer it topped with a fried egg and chili oil on the side... he was in heaven! We also spotted fresh lumpia in the warmer last time, so we'll definitely be back to try that next. If you're a sisig fan (or looking to become one), I highly recommend Sw8 Dada's Sisig! They are #1 in our book.

It is an order-at-the-food-counter experience. I got the pork sisig and lechon kawaii combo. The…read moreplace was nice/decent, clean, and looked new. The service was sufficient (low contact - could be off-putting to some.) The food was cooked on the spot, at least, the fried part was. My thing is, I've had different preparations of both the lechon and sisig before. I have to say that the ones I got from home-cooked versions versus commercial versions are different (at least for me it has.) It seems as if the sisig and lechon were initially boiled to cook it thoroughly, then they fry it before they serve it to you to get that crispy feel from the skin. The thing is, the jello-like/slightly slimy texture of the fat leads one to believe that it was boiled first or at least not fried thoroughly. There's nothing wrong with boiling as long as the skin and fat come through as crispy. The skin was crispy, but the fat wasn't. Perhaps, they just need to fry it a little more. Other than that, if it was crispy throughout, I would've given it 5 stars. I'm looking forward to trying the other things on the menu like the beef pares.

Thelma's Filipino Restaurant -- Pure, Real, Home‑Cooked Vibes…read moreAs authentic as it gets -- fresh Filipino cooking straight from Nana and all the indai working hard in the kitchen. They never miss. Every plate tastes like it came from someone's home. Big thanks to Omi and Ang for the good company. We smashed all the favorites: Pancit noodles, Pork Guisantes, Sari Sari soup for cold days and the legendary Thelma Special -- the true star of the night (iykyk). Flavor, comfort, and heart in every bite. Always a solid choice when you want real Filipino food done right. Marie

Picked up lunch for my Co workers on a Friday around 11:30. It wasn't busy & had others picking up…read moreorders. They have disclaimers posted about consuming raw food, refund policy, and take out being your responsibility after it leaves the restaurant (must've explained that too many times - but hey they covered themselves)! Also a notice of 3% surcharge if paying with a credit card. Payment was easy (used debit) & staff was friendly. It looks like a comfy place to relax & get down on Filipino grindz. We got pork adobo (tender & flavorful), pancit mix (too lemony & lil mushy that day), Thelma's special (too salty, they wished I got regular lechon), Shanghai lumpia (ok) & adobo fried rice (good but small portion). The prices are reasonable but not as big portions as I thought would be.

I am so happy I came here for lunch. The prime rib was top tier paired with the garlic mashed…read morepotatoes and a side salad. The 8 oz portion was huge. My friend ordered the pork adobo with side rice and she loved it! I also had the banana lumpia with ube ice cream as an appetizer. It was crispy, sweet, and worth every bite! Nicely presented too! Thanks Tiano's and team. I will definitely be back.

Went by today (Saturday) at 1230 (90 min after opening) and wanted Sisig, they were already out! 90…read moremin after opening!!! Very disappointed.... Everything else ordered was broke da mouth. But I needed a Sisig fix. They were not busy. They said they had "just run out" but if the three other tables there no one else had Sisig on the table.

Craving authentic Filipino comfort food in Honolulu? Hit up Shay's for a mix plate featuring…read morepancit, dinuguan, monggo, and veggie lumpia - spot-on flavors that hit all the right nostalgic notes. The pancit was a standout: bihon noodles perfectly stir-fried with green onions and subtle seasoning, light yet satisfying as a side that balanced the richer dishes without overwhelming. Dinuguan brought that deep, savory pork blood stew richness - tender meat in a chocolatey gravy with a vinegar kick, way better than average and not overly gamey Monggo (mung beans) was hearty and comforting, simmered smooth with malunggay or bittermelon options for that homey veggie depth - grows on you with each bite. Veggie lumpia delivered crispy perfection: fresh fillings, not greasy, and a great crunchy contrast to the stews. Generous portions at fair prices, quick service, and that lechon nearby if you want to level up next time. Solid Waipahu/Honolulu Filipino spot - will return!

Dined here a couple times about 9 years ago and really enjoyed my experience. I wish I could say…read morethe same for my experience last night. My family and I were craving Filipino food and walked in hoping to get our fix. The restaurant was empty with 2 people dining in so we thought we avoided the dinner rush. Upon entering we were approached by a middle aged woman who points us to a chair and tells us "over here is fine". No greeting or acknowledgement. Even before we could get to our chair, she shouts out about 5 dishes they were out of with her back turned to us. This lady was cold and absurdly rude. We left and ended up just getting dinner from Foodland. I would've loved to have spent my money on a Filipino owned restaurant but it seemed that lady didn't want the business and never cared to help anyone that came through her restaurant. Such a very disappointing experience. I rarely drop 1 star reviews but I walked away stunned at the lack of customer service this lady displayed. Do yourself a favor and go to Elena's. They actually care about their restaurant and the people who spend their hard earned money there. I'll never be coming back. I'll also be sharing my experience so others are spared their time and money.

BFFF hits a nostalgic spot for me with all the variety of food that they serve. They have options…read morefrom bbq sticks to plate lunches. They serve all the authentic Filipino staples and service is quick and easy. Kind of like a buffet line, you just pick and go with however many and which ones you like. Waited in line for a minute but it only makes sense because this spot is worth trying. The only con I will mention are the prices per sticks. They can be pricey for what it is worth, I just wouldn't go too crazy on the options if you're on a budget. But other than that the food was delicious and I would definitely pay that money again to have some good Filipino bbq!

Bebot's is a humble carry out affair but their menu is popular and pretty good. Service is great,…read moreportions are generous, and the place is friendly.

For our dinner we were served with the following dishes: Snails simmered in coconut milk, green…read moremango slices, pinakbet, garlic butter prawns, Insalada with bagoong na isda, Lechon kawali, grilled Hito, Bulalo soup, pork barbecue on a stick, freshly fried Turon, Biko and Karioka. We were spoiled to the max! The owners and their family run the place and in true Filipino hospitality, they served us buffet/family style and entertained us with their stories from their humble beginnings to what they are today. The food was the best I've had in the Island. Hands down. Everything tasted nostalgic because the technique used in cooking each dish tasted like a handed down recipe from a grandma's kitchen from back home in the motherland. If you're ever in the island of Oahu please make your way to Waipahu and sample as much of their offerings as you can and I can guarantee you will not be disappointed! 10/10 recommended coming from a humble cook who rarely raves about Filipino food because I myself learned from my paternal grandmother.

Stumbled upon this place because had to go get a haircut for my nephew at the Waipahu plantation…read moremarketplace. They're located on the corner and once you see a tent & smell bbq, you're at the right spot. This restaurant gave karinderia vibe to it! Karinderia is basically like those food stalls they have in the Philippines, where they have a bunch of dishes and you sit out to enjoy the food. Home cooked & affordable eats. They have everything from bbq sticks, adobo, lechon, kilawan, lumpia and more. I got the bbq stick & chicken inasal plate. The bbq stick was packed with so much flavor! The chicken inasal was more on the huli huli side & was served with Filipino dipping sauce. They also offer free sabaw with your meal. Ordering was a little complicating, they have a menu outside with food and also more food inside. The bbq items were cooked by order and the inside food had more of the Filipino dishes like (adobo). But next to the cashier, you could also find other fried dishes as well. So a little complicated. You also have the option to sit outside under the tent or inside the restaurant with AC. For this type of place, if you're dining in, you order & eat first then pay. Like any karindera. Overall, this place was VERY good & SUPER AFFORDABLE. If you want to experience a true Filipino experience with great food, this place is for you.

Came here for the first time in a long time. Ordered the pork adobo and pinakbet plate and a side…read moreof pork guisantes. For dessert, we ordered halohalo, casscaron, banana lumpia, and bico. Everything was pretty delicious. The pork adobo was super fatty, but delicious and tender. The pinakbet was flavorful, but I wish there were more squash and meat. The pork guisantes meat was pretty tough. The halohalo was huge, but I wish it was a bit sweeter. The casscaron and banana lumpia were amazing. Staff are super friendly. Lots of table to dine at and a decent sized parking lot. They don't have a menu and they only serve 1-2 choice plates, no more, but you can order side dishes as well. They said the 2 choice plates are under $20.

I was craving breakfast longanisa with egg and rice. I was reluctant to order because of how some…read moreof the food was displayed. Some were in the steam table and some were simply placed on the counter on a plate with no heating underneath. There was a full spread of Filipino food straight from my childhood but what I was looking for was biko and bud bud and that I found! Those two items were only about $10. It was exactly like I expected. The bud bud was colored purple. It was perfect dipped in sugar! The biko was also very good. I always get transported back in my mind to days when my mom would bring me to Filipino potluck parties where I got to enjoy food from my culture. I'm glad this place exists and I'll be back to give them another try.