Love love!!!! Chef owner and his girlfriend running the place and couldn't have been nicer. Create a very open and friendly atmosphere. Walked in just two of us on a Sunday night for the feast - meant for four but they accommodated. Food was unbelievable- elegant looking, amazing and fresh and cooked to perfection. I wish we lived in Philly because I would go there all the time. read more

Fantastic food! My favorite was the octopus appetizer. Staff was super friendly. Small cozy atmosphere.

Kamayan was the best! At first it seems like $40 per person is a lot of money, but the amount of food you get is ridiculous. My girlfriend and I had leftovers for 2 days. read more

Was visiting Philly this past weekend and a friend recommended this place. I've had very little experience with Filipino food, but I can honestly say I was pleasantly surprised. With our group of 5 we were able to try most of the menu, and everything was delicious. But my personal favorites were the arctic char, pork belly adobo, and the lamb shank kare kare. Oh, and I highly recommend the ube for dessert! The flavor and textures were amazing. The atmosphere was intimate, but not snooty. With no corkage fee, it's a good place to pick up some beers and grab dinner with a group of friends, or bring a bottle of wine for date night. I'd stop by again if I'm ever back in Philly read more

Went for Sunday Kamayan dinner and will be coming back as often as I can. Staff is super friendly and attentive. The flavors are so balanced and flavorful. I have a dietary restriction and they were very accommodating. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

I dined at Perla for my first night in Philadelphia. After a long day of sight seeing, it was nice to unwind with BYOB to a cozy, intimate, and friendly atmosphere. There was a few of us, so we were able to enjoy the entire al carte menu. The kitchen spaced out the entrees perfectly, as we savored and devoured everything. Each was beautiful plated, generous portion, and delicious. We had to double up on the Spanish Octopus because it was THAT GOOD. Another must try was the Sisig and Pancit. However, my favorite was their dessert, Ube.... AAMMAAZZZIINNGGG.... light , airy, with a hint of sweetness. Till this day I think of it. Please come to LA. read more

Updating my review, came back here recently and tried the entire menu. Chef Lou since the original opening has added some new items and from what it seems to me, serving got a bit more generous! Must try on your next visit is the sisig and the kare kare...the short rib melts in your mouth and flavors again as mentioned, not traditionally filipino but reminiscent of it none the less. Their Kilawin also changes from time to time I was told but this has to be my one of my favorites, such a refreshing dish! read more

We'd heard about this place through friends and after a few weeks of following their Instagram page, we made reservations for dinner with a group of friends. It's a small place, quaint and welcoming. With a larger group, we were able to do family style and try most of the menu. There wasn't a single dish we didn't enjoy, but my personal favorites were the Sinangag (bone marrow over garlic rice), escargot, and octopus. And the flan for dessert did not disappoint. If you don't mind getting your hands a little dirty, Kamayan style is the way to go. Were were so impressed with our first visit that we came back for the Kamayan dinner on our second visit. On top of a generous portion of delicious chicken and fish over a bed of rice and veggies, the unique dining experience itself makes its really enjoyable especially in a group setting. Needless to say, we'll be back. Also, BYOB with no corkage was a huge plus. read more

Love love this place - something new and fresh in Philly with a great modern spin on Filipino food. The space is small and intimate and the food is even better. Would highly recommend the sisig, bone marrow rice( do not skip this- it will change your perspective on what rice can taste like!!) this pancit and basically anything else on the menu. The dessert are also EXCEPTIONAL- and so different than anything I've had before! BYO is a definite plus. If you're looking for a great meal that's something a little different, perla is the place to go. Will be coming back for sure to try the family style meal!! read more

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I dined at perla with serval friends for a birthday dinner.we had the authentic Filipino dinner. The food is great and the staff is very friendly. Thank you Lou. read more

The restaurant itself is nestled in a great little neighborhood, in a small space (maybe a dozen tables), is decorated with a sense of minimalism, and is a BYOB. Having never had Filipino food, I was curious to discover what was in store. To start we had Brussels Sprouts, which were nicely done. For dinner my wife had the Crispy Pata (fried pork knuckle) which she loved, while I had the strip steak, which although good, didn't "wow" me. As a side we had the Sinangag (bone marrow, jasmine rice, garlic confit) which was amazing! I wish I could recall what we ordered for dessert, but both desserts were amazing and capped off the meal wonderfully. The second dessert came compliments of our waiter (who was incredibly friendly), to make up for the fact that we were asked to wait about 20 minutes to be seated for our reservation. We're looking forward to returning for the Kamayan (family style) menu, which is served on Wednesdays and Sundays. read more

I have been a member of yelp for several years now, but this will be my first review ever written. 6 of us went to Perla (BYOB) for dinner yesterday night and had reservations for 8:30. We were running a little late, so as courtesy, we called to let them know and they were very nice and took no issue. This was our first time dining at Perla and I have been wanting to come since I first heard of its opening. As a group, we decided to order one of everything on the menu, but got two of the sinangag. Everything was AMAZING! I could not tell you what my favorites were. The night began with a small pickled salad complimentary from the chef, which was a good palate cleanser. As for menu items, the kinilaw was so light and refreshing, the escabeche was super tender, and that sinangang was the bomb. The bone marrow just melted on the tongue and that garlic rice was so fragrant! All the entrées were incredible as well! None of us were disappointed. Of the main dishes, the pancit and lechon were my favorites, but I enjoyed every bite of everything. My only one complaint is that I found the duck to be a little on the rare side, but it was still delicious nonetheless. As for dessert, we brought a cake to celebrate a late birthday, but were told that there was a fee of $3 per person to cut the cake. Because of that, we decided to just have the cake brought out to sing and blow out candles, but then pack it away instead of cutting it. However, at the end of the night, we ordered each of the desserts, as we were also planning to try them, and our waitress was super kind and asked the chef to let us cut the cake free of charge. The reasoning behind the fee is that it takes away from their business because people will bring their own dessert without purchasing theirs, which is totally understandable. But because we had ordered dessert from the restaurant and the waitress thought were we nice people (we try haha), she was willing to ask the chef for us. I must tell you, I'm still dreaming about that panna cotta. It was so smooth, not overly sweet, and the pumpkin seeds gave it a nice crunch for that added texture. The service deserves a 5 star rating as well. The hostess and our waitress were so warm and welcoming and also attentive. She was coming around every once in a while to make sure everything was ok and that our water glasses were filled. It was also a late dinner, so we did not feel rushed whatsoever. Overall, we had an incredible dining experience and it was so worth it. I'm getting ready to move to LA and I can say that when I come back to visit Philly, I will definitely get my reservation in. I hope to try the traditional Sunday dinner next time. read more

Being Filipino, I was super excited to have this restaurant open in my neighborhood. And I was not disappointed! I came on Sunday night for the family style dinner that they do. So much food for only $40 a person (not including tip) and it's BYOB. The food was delicious and I probably had the best garlic fried rice I ever had. I'm really glad I have somewhere to go that serves amazing Filipino food and the service was excellent as well. The servers were very attentive and accommodating. I will definitely come back here and I can't wait to bring my mom! read more

An energetic, fun, tasty Filipino BYOB in the middle of lively E. Passyunk. We went for a kamayan meal with a group of six, including a picky-eating family member who usually takes issue with white rice ("Poison! Refined carbs will kill you!")--spoiler: when the feast was delivered, she was wide-eyed and found the garlicky coconut rice enticing and delicious. Our dinner came with whole fish, roasted whole chicken, pinakbet vegetable stew in a coconut sauce with delicious eggplant and tender okra, grilled pork belly with vinegar and pepper sauce and a chicken liver and date condiment. Sweet, salty, garlicky, gingery, funky, fishy and coconutty: all of the very best things! Everything about this meal was an absolute pleasure, and the friendly, welcoming, warm staff is a part of the experience. Perla is a treat and a destination for a special meal with family and friends, kamayan style or otherwise. I'm so happy it's here in Philly and can't wait to return. read more

I highly recommend this place. Lovely space and delicious food. We had the Sinangag, Crispy Pata, and Pinaputok Na Isda. Amazing. The Crispy Pata is similar to lechon; similar but different. And oh so good. The fish was also great - the bones are in if that matters to you. We also tried the ube dessert. It was an unexpected delight, and has meringue and ube. Amazingness . The staff are wonderful staff and the place has a great ambiance. We will be back. read more

we came here for my boyfriends graduation dinner and did the family style dinner. i must admit i was a little reluctant at first with the how it would all go since i can be a bit picky - but OMG it was DELICIOUS. food was amazing, fun atmosphere and eating dinner with your hands was way more fun than i expected. we are looking forward to finding something to celebrate to justify going back!! read more

Everything about this restaurant makes me happy. A group of us went to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday on Christmas Eve. We had a private menu and Linda even customized it with his name! She and I had emailed a few times to plan everything. She is one of the most friendly, hospitable people I've ever come across. I can't say thank you enough. The food...YUM. I've never had Filipino cuisine, so I was pleasantly surprised. Octopus, pork belly and short rib were amazing. We'll definitely be back to try other items on the regular menu. Thanks, Perla!! read more

PHENOMENAL. YOU MUST EAT HERE. Truly a amazing meal that left us feeling full, but not overly stuffed. The duck, the rice with bone marrow, the pork belly, and ALL the deserts!! MMMMM. Plus the service was lovely, plus the vibe was modern-cozy-chic, plus byob, plus something new besides french-american farm-to-table cuisine! SO FRESH! A few things I want to address from other reviews: 1) to the guy who said there isn't rice...there is rice! It was delicious!!! Genuinely one of my favorite things on the menu. You just have to order it because the mains are served with amazingly wonderful fresh and expertly cooked vegetables. 2) It does have a smaller menu, but I went with some picky eaters and everyone found something they enjoyed. I mean obviously if you only eat pizza/chicken fingers you'll have a rough time...but then why are you going to an upscale filipino restaurant? 3) The flavors were strong and delicious. the food was a unique take on modern filipino cuisine and everyone I was with cleared their plates. If you want the food saltier then you are out of your mind and you should take better care of your kidneys. read more

Banana ketchup is the winner. Amazing food... nothing crazy in terms of innovation/flavor (except the banana ketchup), but so solid it deserves More than 5 stars. To say the staff is pleasant and accommodating is an understatement. Well done , Perla read more

Wonderful dinner at Perla Saturday night. Really great interesting food. The Spanish octopus was tender and very flavorful. Service was attentive. Parking on Saturday night not so great but ultimately we succeeded in finding a spot. Uber/Lyft not an option for us since we were coming straight from event out of town. read more

Amazing experience. The family style meal was one of the best I've had. Every part was delicious and very fun to only eat with your hands. The staff was great and friendly. The place is byob and they never rushed us to leave. Great vibes all around! read more

This was one of the best meals I have ever had. The fried pork knuckle, octopus, and fish were all incredible. I loved the traditional Philipino dessert. The service was impeccable. Such a wonderful experience!! read more

This restaurant is so good! Pretty setting, very kind and thoughtful staff, and really delicious food! We went for dinner out and enjoyed trying new foods and flavor combinations in such a pretty spot. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Quaint Philippine restaurant in downtown, came from Orlando twice and visited and both times food was excellent. Next time we want to do the boodlefight way of eating with many friends. Brought my wife's uncle with me from Batangas and he enjoyed also. Bring your own wine or beer as they do not serve alcohol. read more

Only been to the Family Style dinner (Sundays and Wednesdays). It was entirely delicious.

This is an amazing restaurant and one that I suggest anyone and everyone go to. We have been here a few times and it is so amazing I started wondering why I haven't given a yelp review. We have brought our 2 kids here and they would come back every week if we let them. This is the highest quality food, service and experience that if you haven't been here then you are missing out on something really special. I've been to just about every high end restaurant in Philadelphia, and this is without a doubt in the top 5 best restaurants in the entire state!! The staff and chef are amazing and such a wonderful environment that we will certainly going back again and again. read more

Finally made it out to Perla and it did not disappoint! I'm Filipino so I had fairly high expectations on the offerings. The dishes did not have a completely authentic Filipino flavor but we found the fusion taste to be quite refreshing. The pre-appetizer bread was Filipino pandesal that tasted much like ensamada with the salted butter accompaniment. Great start to the rest of the meal! We ordered the lechon, sinangag, and escabeche (octopus) and loved each one. The lechon had very crispy skin, the meat was tender, and the homemade mang tomas sauce was better than the original. The sinangag with bone marrow was my personal favorite... perfect execution. We will most definitely be back to try the kamayan offerings. read more

My girlfriend is Filipino and the food here gave her an experience like in the movie Ratatouille where Anton Ego has flashbacks to his childhood. We have done the kamayan dinner three times and it is always delicious. Personally I do not eat the whole day before the kamayan dinner because they give you a lot of food. The servings on the normal menu are much smaller but worth it for the quality of the food. read more

Last night we celebrated my daughter's birthday at Perla. Thee were six of us and we enjoyed the Kamayan dinner. It was a feast worthy of royalty. So much to eat, so many flavors. Every bite was amazing. The fish was my favorite. Others loved the eggplant and bok choy. The other diners were Filipino and they could attest to the authenticity of the food. Sunday nights are a real treat at this gem of a restaurant. The staff was great, too. Go. read more

My sisters and I came to Perla as part of a dining club we had started - and boy, were we impressed! We got the octopus, bone marrow rice, trout, and mushroom dish. Every dish was better than the last and our server, Geo, was phenomenal. I can't wait to come back to this incredible BYOB! read more

Definitely come on Wednesday or Saturday for their kamayan night where it's family style and you eat with your hands on sheets of banana leaf! $40/person, byob, so worth it and so fun. The food is fantastic and service is great too. read more

Perla is truly a gem. Delicious food. Interesting flavors. Gracious service. Dessert was delicious! Gluten-free options, too.

We were the first couple in for dinner and chose the corner window seat so we could completely settle in and get handsy! It was an immediate parade of food marched out and gently spilled across banana leaves. We couldn't wait so we dug into the sinangag (garlic fried rice) immediately. The perfect amount of garlic alone was worth braving the day after Winter Storm Stella shut the city down! Pinakbet (vegetables) was my favorite part. I've never had cauliflower and beets in traditional Filipino food growing up and this twist is genius, toss that with bok choy, okra (not slimy), carrots, eggplant and long beans and you are in perfectly roasted vegetable heaven. More than anything I wanted a bite of lumpia and chicken inisal, but I sat and gawked as my husband inhaled both without an ounce of sympathy. Talk about a wave of "little girl growing up in Hawai'i" nostalgia. I ate whole fried fish daily and I was happy to get my hands on that pompano and chili pepper vinegar! Same with lechon, we grew up hunting and lechon (roasted pig) was pretty common in our homes and this was also a table favorite. Bibingka brought it home. I went on a rampage recently looking for sweet rice flour to no avail and I'm thrilled Perla delivered. Chef Boquila even substituted burnt coconut on my piece. There was so much to enjoy and lots to take home. We were excited about our leftovers and Round 2 which we rarely ever are. Thank you for an accommodating and memorable 10 year anniversary dinner. It's not often you have to school a 30 something on how to eat with their hands and this was fun dining for sure. read more

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Small place but great food and service! The place is also BYOB! The warm rice flour cake was sooooo good! Can't wait to try their kamayan family style menu! read more

My husband and I were very excited to try this place but unfortunately, we weren't seated, even half an hour after our reservation time, so we left and went elsewhere. The hostess wasn't even apologetic about it. There were 3 open tables from the time we arrived to the time we decided to leave... They were just holding the tables for a larger party and couldn't figure out how to make the seating arrangements work. We probably could have been halfway done our meal if they actually sat us on time. read more

LOVED my experience at Perla last weekend. It was loud, as we were in between two groups of about 8 people each, but that's the fun of BYOB restaurants in Philadelphia, everyone having a good time. The food and service were just fantastic! My husband and I shared 2 appetizers, each got an entree, and then had a dessert. Good portion sizes - we were quite full at the end. If you eat fish, definitely get the tuna kinilaw appetizer! One of my favorite things of the night. So fresh and flavorful, I could have eaten another order. The pieces of fish were a great size too, not small like many similar appetizers. My husband loved the pork belly entree, and I was obsessed with the beef cheeks. My only complaint - I forgot my leftovers at the restaurant and couldn't eat them the next day! read more

Not sure what the hype is about. The dishes are minuscule, overpriced, and the definition of bland--my wife and I had the tuna, octopus, duck, and prawns, and only the octopus had a hint of seasoning. The service, although friendly, was lackluster as well--we had to ask for bread, water, and an Ice bucket for our wine. To top off the evening, we had the meringue dessert (which was comped, given that my wife's duck entree was raw), which continued the evening's theme, in that it tasted like something between air and matter. read more