This place is awesome. Food is great and staff are friendly. We'll be back definitely!

Who says Filipino food can't be considered fine dining? Chef Josh Espinosa is showcasing how the dishes we're accustomed to can be prepared with an elevated approach. Sampa is located in the Arts District near the intersection of S Hewitt St and E 5th right next to Urth Cafe. There's a parking lot directly across the street from the restaurant but you can also park around the corner by Arts District Park for $5. If it's your first time visiting Sampa, you have to be open minded towards the concept itself. Yes, the dishes here are smaller in portion and costs more than your typical fast casual spot. All the servers here are attentive and offer to help with what to order if you're unsure. For dinner, the Crispy Pasta is their take on crispy pata but served with spinach tagliatelle. The crab fat fried rice is a no brainer and depending on the night you come, I highly recommend the Sinigang xiaolongbao special. You don't have to be Filipino to appreciate what Sampa is doing for the culture, just come by and see for yourself. read more

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Sampa Restaurant This is a review for my experience having brunch at Sampa Restaurant. Sampa specializes in Filipino dishes. "Sampa" is short for sampaguita which is the national flower of the Philippines. WORDS TO DESCRIBE SAMPA: Elevated dining, speakeasy vibes, quality food and service PARKING: Parking can be difficult since it is close to the Arts District, you may want to park in the Public Parking Lot areas FOOD: Lechon fried rice: This dish was exquisite! I loved all of the colors in the rice, which include the fried pork belly, the golden egg yolks, and the pigments of the atchara (atchara: pickled vegetables such as papaya, scallions, and carrots). When I took my first bite of the fried rice, the blend of all of them together was scrumptious! Yes order this dish! 5/5 STEAKSILOG: I would order just the steak alone! The skirt steak was savory, juicy, and mouthwatering! Yummy! 4.5/5 Kare Kare Tamales: This dish was delicious! Kare Kare is one of my favorite Filipino dishes, so when I saw it paired with tamales I was immediately intrigued. The presentation was beautiful. The flavor was rich and unique. The oxtail was tender and the peanut sauce paired well with the savoriness. 4/5 CHICKEN AND PANDAN WAFFLE: This plate was their take on chicken and waffles. The pandan flavor was there, but I wish the waffle was thick, instead it had a crispy thin cookie like texture. 3.5/5 DRINKS: Bartender has skills! Beauty in the booze! I appreciated the artistry in creating our beverages. I loved the details of the flowers and layers of color. Cheers! All in all I had a great time eating at Sampa! I loved the food and service! Maraming Salamat! Sobrang Sarap! read more

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Had a lot of fun here. The chef is clearly technically proficient, and I love seeing that translate into creative ethnic food. Love the calamansi breeze in the Tempura Squash Blossoms, and I dare you to find a dish more fun than the Skyflake Caviar. I had my doubts about the combination of wagyu with uni and caviar, but I do think they legitimately work well together. How can you not enjoy something called "Crab Fat Fried Rice"? Aromatic and authentic with a buttery crab. Great flavor. The Crispy Duck Pancit is my least favorite as the duck is underseasoned and there just aren't enough noodles, especially at that price. Props just for serving souffle, and I did enjoy theirs. Just the right amount of sweetness, and the ube flavor is perfect. I didn't love everything I ate, but I see real potential here. I do wish I tried a few more dishes and would like to come back for that soon! read more

Sampa - Asian Fusion Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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This place is off the hook, the Atmosphere was great the food was fantastic I will definitely be coming back. And the people that cook and run the place are so friendly and welcoming. read more

Second time going here and all I have to say is...this is my favorite Filipino fusion restaurants hands down! I came back here for the kare-kare tamale and the crab fat fried rice. Today we tried the 6 course sampa and all the dishes were awesome! I have tried Filipino upscale or fusion places like in Seattle, Chicago, and NY - but this is my favorite one. This is a must try when in LA! Also, our server Kai was the best! read more

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Finally had a chance to try this place. It's their 6 year anniversary where they had a special 6 courses for $60. A great tasting menu to be able to try their top Filipino fusion dishes. My faves were the crab fried rice, crudo and the ribeye ($25) as it was an upgrade for the tasting course. Fun and unique craft cocktails! Was able to find street parking but they have paid lots around for $5. I'd like to go back and try other dishes that weren't on the tasting menu. read more

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The food was very creative in taste and presentation. It's a fusion of Filipino food with different cultures. Service was superb since our server meticulously and patiently explained the items on the menu. Definitely will come back! And highly recommended if you're an adventurous foodie read more

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I wanted to love this spot but everything fell a little short given it's price point and location. Appetizers - Eggplant (4 stars) - this was pretty good. The Eggplant was fried whole and mango/cirtus dressing gave it a balancing brightness. - Octopus Adobo (3.5 stars) - this was good but we weren't able to taste any adobo. Had adobo not been in the name this would have been 4 stars. Mains - Fried Fish (3 stars) - this one was a little disappointing. Photos of this dish is why we decided to try this restaurant and it was really just okay. It was, however, beautifully plated. - Crispy Pasta (3.5 stars) - the crispy pork was really good. The pasta itself was just okay. - Crab Fried Rice (3 stars) - this one was also a little disappointing. Plating was on point but flavor was meh. Ambiance - Normal, nothing that special. This was also disappointing because of the area and price point. (I.e., going to any of the neighboring restaurants in the area in the same price point is special and gives off a special vibe that's reflected in decor and ambiance..this spot was just meh). Parking - not bad. Street parking or private lots for reasonable prices. Service - (4.5) - no complaints Overall, everything was okay, which made it disappointing. read more

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I was honestly worried after reading the very mixed reviews, but happy to report that we had a wonderful experience! For drinks, we got the calamansi mojito, the melon pandan cooler, and the sampa spritz. Both the calamansi and melon pandan were super refreshing, but the Sampa spritz had a weird aftertaste. Spicy calamansi glazed chicken wings: Loved the citrusy flavor and how crispy the wings were. I don't remember it being spicy though Kare-kare tamales: Really good! It wasn't too heavy on the peanut butter (which I personally like, but I can see some people maybe wanting a stronger peanut butter presence) Calamari sisig: I love calamari to begin with so I'm already biased haha. Loved the crispiness, although the dish overall was slightly sour Lechon fried rice: I think this was my favorite dish out of all of them! So much flavor and the peppers really gave it a nice kick :) Ube cheesecake: It was pretty dense for a cheesecake, but not bad. I wish the ube flavor was a bit more prominent though, haha Food came out quickly and our server was very nice. There are a decent amount of tables inside. At one point, the chef/owner came by our table to see how we were liking the food, and I thought that was really sweet! There's limited street parking, but a paid lot directly across the entrance to the restaurant. Overall, we left full and satisfied, and would definitely come back! read more

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I love Filipino food, so I was really excited to check out this place. We made a reservation for a Friday night, and parking was easy with the $5 valet located along E 5th Street. The ambiance is dark, modern, and upscale. Definitely a nice spot for a date night. The service was excellent! Matthew was incredibly attentive, patient, and helpful as we decided what to order. I ordered the Coconut Brew, which I really enjoyed. It had great flavor and wasn't overly sweet, which I appreciated. For food, we tried the Kare Kare Tamales and the Crab Fat Fried Rice. The Kare Kare Tamales were a really creative concept and tasted pretty good, although the portion was on the smaller side. The kare kare sauce was creamy, but it didn't have a strong peanut flavor. The fried rice was well-cooked and packed with flavor, but I found it much too salty. One thing I can't deny is that the presentation of every dish was top-notch and beautifully executed. Overall, while I appreciated the service, atmosphere, and creativity, the food didn't quite live up to my expectations, especially considering how pricy everything is. read more

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I've been to Sampa LA a couple of times for brunch--once in June 2024 and again in April 2026. The food is flavorful and rich. It's definitely on the pricier side for Filipino cuisine, but it makes more sense when you view it through an upscale dining lens. Josh Espinosa does a great job reimagining Filipino dishes in a creative way. From the April 2026 menu, we especially enjoyed the steaksilog, lechon fried rice, and spicy cauliflower. The kare kare tamales continue to be a standout dish since opening. One note--our waitress mentioned that the dishes are small and not really shareable. I'd actually disagree. Most of the dishes can be shared, especially since they're rich and filling. Even with a group of six, we were able to split the tamales (which come with two) just to get a taste. Service has been consistently good and attentive on both visits. Chef Josh even came out to check on us, which was a nice touch. The ambiance has also improved since 2024. When we first visited, it had just opened, but now there are small yet noticeable upgrades--like a live DJ playing great music--which added to the overall experience. I'll definitely be back--and hopefully sooner than another two-year gap. read more

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Very interesting experience, and I surprisingly enjoyed it! (Nothing bad about the place, I am personally a picky eater.) I ordered Tita's favorite but with vodka (I can't drink tequila). It was great, very refreshing, and the alcohol wasn't overpowering. The aesthetic of the drink was so beautiful, I loved the way the pink gradually mixed down. Food ordered: Coco shoots, Grilled Eggplant salad, Octopus Adobo, Lamb Kaldereta Tortellini, Crab Fat Fried Rice, Humba, and Ube White Chocolate Souffle. This was a lot for 4 people, but my party wanted to try a variety of dishes. We did end up taking most of the humba and half the crab fat fried rice back home. My personal favorite is the Lam Kaldereta Tortellini. I was a little nervous about the Crab Fat Fried Rice. I thought it would be a little too greasy and a bit overpowering. It was nothing like that at all. I'm absolutely obsessed with the Ube White Chocolate Soufflé. Compared to other Soufflés that I've had, it's definitely a bit denser, and it doesn't come with Devonshire cream. It comes with a small jar of melted white chocolate. I had to use quite a bit for a small dessert, so it wouldn't feel dry. Otherwise, the flavors were absolutely wonderful. read more

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loved the place! they do Filipino fusion here and the flavors were great. Loved the crab fried rice and the crispy pasta. They also had a lot of unique asian inspired cocktails - I got the clarified calamansi espresso martini! read more

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Service is wonderful and attentive! There aren't many upscale-ish filipino food spots so I was excited to try it. However, felt the overall flavors were muted and was disappointed by the execution- the food is really not that bad but for the price, I expected much more! kare kare tamales - dry meat with no distinct spice flavor. had to spoon a lot of the peanut butter sauce on it, but even the sauce was lacking in flavor uni gnocci - uni and ikura are fresh, good quality, but the texture and taste of the gnocci was dense, gummy, flavorless. crispy duck pancit - duck was seared well, fatty, and the calamansi citrus was strong with the noodles. however, nothing was present to balance the citrus - was just one note. The crab fried rice is popular and would try it next time, but would skip on the uni and tamales and try the duck!! Felt the flavors might be catered to american palates ): read more

Sampa - uni gnocci and kare kare tamales - Asian Fusion Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I was looking forward to trying out this new Filipino fusion cuisine in a hip trendy setting. I don't know any other restaurant that has this fusion. Although their food looks pretty upon presentation, the flavors were lacking in the familiar taste of Filipino flavors that I'm used to (except for taste of Calamansi). Service was great though. My favorite dishes were the octopus adobo, kare kare tamale, and the crispy duck pancit. The meats were cooked perfectly, tender octopus and crispy juicy duck, but the seasoning was way too salty. The pancit didn't even taste like pancit, it was more like a sour chow mein. The Kare Kare just taste like a more moist version of a regular tamale, but I liked it a lot. The kuhol (escargot) was just okay. The rock fish was dry. The chicken wonton tinola doesn't even taste like tinola, it was more of a super salty wonton soup. The crab fried rice was like a normal fried rice, nothing special for the price. And lastly the lamb kaldareta tortellini just tastes like regular pasta, I didn't notice any fusion, but maybe that's just me. Overall I feel like some of the dishes were decent. But for it to be Filipino fusion, it doesn't live up to the hype. read more

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This was our second time visiting Sampa, but this time we came to celebrate Valentine's Day. We opted for the 5:15pm reservation, which worked out perfectly. From the moment you enter, Sampa feels like a private sanctuary. The long, dim hallway is softly lit with flickering tea lights, and scattered rose petals immediately set the Valentine's mood. Kai was our server and provided excellent service throughout the night. We brought our own wine, the $35 corkage fee felt very reasonable. We ordered the following: Kwek Kwek Salad- tempura fried kwek kwek that was airy and light. I really enjoyed them, though I personally wished there was a little more calamansi dressing. My boyfriend liked them exactly as they were. Grilled Eggplant Salad- we were a little confused at first since the description says "grilled," but it arrived in an airy tempura batter, perfectly golden and crisp. The mango slices and cherry tomatoes were a great addition. 10/10 for me. Crab Fat Fried Rice- rich but well balanced. It has a savory flavor from the crab fat without being overpowering. Comforting, satisfying, and super easy to keep eating. Lol. My boyfriend thought it could use more crab meat, but I completely disagree. I enjoyed it exactly as is! Pritong Rock Fish- our second time ordering this and still a favorite. Super crispy on the outside and moist inside, with a clean, mild flavor. It's complemented by a light calamansi dipping sauce that cuts through the fry nicely. This version is fully deboned, which makes it much easier to eat compared to the one we had before, where the fish was served more intact. Blueberry-Mansi Pavlova- a light meringue dessert that's sweet and tangy. My boyfriend wasn't a fan, but it was a win for me. Calamansi Mojito- after finishing our bottle of wine, I switched to a cocktail. I really wanted to love this because I love anything calamansi, but I wish I had ordered it with a rum or vodka base instead of blanco tequila. The combination just didn't work for me, now I know for next time! Overall, another enjoyable visit. If you enjoy Filipino food with a creative twist, Sampa is definitely worth checking out. read more

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Finally got to cross Sampa off my list during DineLA week, and I really wanted to love it. We came for Sunday brunch with a party of 6 and opted for their $35 three course DineLA menu, which was a fun way to try a wide range of dishes. What we ordered: Kare kare tamales (4/10) - Love kare kare, but this one lacked depth and flavor. Spicy calamansi glazed wings (10/10) - The standout of the meal. Incredible sauce and easily my fav dish. Lechon fried rice (3/10) - Unfortunately most of the rice was too hard and not enjoyable to eat. Crab omelette (5/10) - Beautifully plated but bland and very small portion. Chicken & pandan waffle (1/10) - Burnt waffle and low quality fried chicken. The biggest miss for me. Steaksilog (5/10) - Steak was chewy and not cooked well. Ube cheesecake (6/10): Very dense and heavier than expected. Pan de Sal French toast (6/10) - Fine overall. Not bad not memorable. I do love the idea of DineLA menus, especially with a group, and the plating was beautiful. Unfortunately the flavors didn't live up to the presentation. That said, the service was excellent. Shoutout to our server Kai, who was kind and attentive throughout the meal. I'm glad I finally tried Sampa, but I'm not sure it's a place I'd come back to. read more

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I came for Dine LA Brunch and it exceeded my expectations. Everything on the menu was delicious! I came last Sunday as a walk in and I was immediately sat. The food came out quickly and service was fast. My favorite dish was the dessert. The Pandesal French Toast was delicious. I liked how each dish made me feel nostalgic of my background and childhood. This is definitely one of the Dine LA restaurants I recommend visiting. read more

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At first glance, looking at the menu, I was very skeptical about the dishes as it a fusion Filipino restaurant. My family and I very much enjoyed everything we ate! The eggplant salad was definitely my personal favorite. We also ordered the Kare Kare Tamales, the Humba, the Sinigang long Xiang bao, Crab fried rice, the Pasta palabok, Filipino bucatini, Crispy pasta, and Crispy Duck pancit. They were all so amazingly delicious and we definitely recommend these dishes! The inside is lightly lit, nice and dark, but not too much. The servers were great and extremely attentive. Front host was also amazing! If you haven't visited Sampa yet, you definitely need to check it out! read more

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Came for dinela Very cute inside but we got sat right under a vent by the front entrance. I don't mind the cold but it did cooldown our food more quickly. Service was great and they even came by multiple times to fill my water without having to ask. got all 4 of the apps. Cauliflower and chicken wings had same sauce and it was tangy sweet with a teeny kick. Nothing special. Same wither Yellowtail tartare again pretty standard. The karekare tamale was unique and it was indeed special. Was very peanut forward and it said it had gaboong dust. I didn't get that at all and felt the kare kare flavor overpowered it. Wish there was more of the dust. For entrees the crab omelet was so good and loved the chimichurri it came with. The steak and eggs entree was tasty but just something I can prob do at home. Lechon fried rice had those teeny green beans which I love and the pork was perfectly crispy. Espresso martini was different and not your traditional one. The nutmeg and cinnamon was an interesting twist. Between the desserts I like the French toast better. Definitely worth the price! read more

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Came here during DineLA and had a mixed experience. We had a 7:15pm reservation but waited about 30 minutes to be seated and may have been accidentally skipped, since parties who arrived after us were seated first. I had to check back in before we were finally seated. The food was great and the servers were really amazing, but the pacing felt slow. Add it to our wait to be seated with a reservation, it felt longer. I understand it was DineLA and busy, but all the wait took from an otherwise excellent meal. Overall, great food and friendly staff, just a longer experience than expected. I'd consider coming back -- but probaly not during DineLA hours :) Top noms for our dinner were the Kare Kare Tamales, Longanisa Bucatini, and the Crab friedrice. delicious! Parking: street parking will be tough, but there are a lot of public parkings available for a fee :) Protip: Sampa is in Inkind! read more

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Ever since Sampa opened, it's been on my must-try list. I've seen the food and menu online countless times, but I'm usually a little skeptical of modern Filipino cooking--especially when it leans into mashups with other cuisines. Still, I figured the only way to know was to actually go and try it. We had a 12:15 PM reservation and checked in at 12:06 as a courtesy, thinking it would give them more time to prepare the table. The host mentioned we were early and asked us to wait, which was fine. However, when 12:15 rolled around, we still weren't seated--even though we were the only group waiting outside. At 12:18, the same host came back to ask our reservation time again and whether we were waiting for more people. After confirming that everyone was already there, we were finally seated. Not the smoothest start, but once we stepped inside, things immediately turned around. The interior is beautiful--modern, stylish, and thoughtfully designed. We were seated by the window with a view of the chefs working in the kitchen, which was a really nice touch and added to the experience. We came during DineLA, so we ordered that menu along with a few à la carte dishes to share. Appetizers: First up were the famous kare-kare tamales, a dish I've seen all over social media and was really excited to try. One bite of the sauce and I was sold--thick, nutty, rich, and packed with flavor. The masa was perfectly moist and steaming hot, the meat juicy and tender, and the scallions fresh. This dish exceeded expectations. Next were the calamansi chicken wings, and honestly, I couldn't get over them. Perfectly crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, with that spicy, tangy calamansi flavor hitting every bite. Absolute perfection. Then came the kilawin, presented so elegantly with roe on top and a chicharrón chip on the side. This was one of those dishes where you stop analyzing and just enjoy. I might've even closed my eyes for a moment. Truly outstanding and a must-order. The last appetizer was the calamari sisig, and this one might've taken the crown. I've had sisig in every form imaginable--pork, tofu, chicken, bangus, even oyster sisig in Boracay--but never calamari. The squid was cooked perfectly, not chewy at all, served sizzling with a beautifully runny egg on top and a garlicky, saucy base. I loved that the mayo was served on the side, letting you control each bite--dip into the yolk, add mayo, or enjoy it straight. Every bite tasted different, and every bite was delicious. All the appetizers were so good that it was hard to even pick a favorite. I could easily reorder any of them as a main dish with rice on the side. Main Dishes: The lechon fried rice was exactly what I hoped it would be--straightforward, no frills, no nonsense. The lechon was unbelievably crispy (you could hear it), the flavors were on point, and the vinegar on the side tied everything together. I think there might've been some atchara mixed in there too, but honestly, I devoured it so fast it didn't stand a chance to cool down. Next was the crab omelette. We'd tried this dish at another Filipino restaurant in Vegas before and were pretty disappointed, so expectations were low. This version completely redeemed it. The eggs were buttery, the crab was fresh and not fishy at all, and the presentation--with the crab shell covering the dish--was adorable. The server brought chimichurri on the side (not sure which dish it was intended for), but we paired it with the omelette and it worked beautifully. The final main was the steak silog--rice, egg, and steak. Simple on paper, but that steak with the soy dipping sauce was something else. One bite instantly brought me back to my childhood. It was one of those moments where you just stop talking and enjoy the food. Pure comfort and nostalgia. Dessert: We ended with the pan de sal French toast and ube cheesecake. Both were good, but the ube cheesecake really stood out. I'm more of a savory person than a dessert lover, but this was the perfect way to end the meal, especially paired with black coffee. Service: The only downside of the experience was the service. Water refills took a couple of requests, plates weren't cleared very quickly, and the wait between courses felt longer than expected--especially since it was lunch and the restaurant wasn't busy. The flow just wasn't as smooth as it could be, but this feels like an easy fix. That said, none of it took away from how incredible the food was. One of my friends even said it's the best Filipino restaurant he's ever been to--and honestly, I think he might be right. read more

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Sad and underwhelming experience. Im Filipino and live in DTLA and have been wanting to try Sampa for quite a long time. Finally went last night as a party of four. I even no-showed previous reservations and got charged the fee (which is fine, that's my fault and what I signed up for). So by the time I finally made it in, I was genuinely excited, like I didn't eat all day cos I really wanted to enjoy the food there. My friends and I were ready to go ham on the menu. We were seated in a long booth in the main dining room. Dark sombre atmosphere. For a fine dining restaurant, that back area felt dingy and warehouse vibes. Which is fine, if I'm going to a warehouse. Table cloths and linens were unpressed and dusty (why??), scratches and chips on the black walls, all of which were extra noticeable under the DIY mood spotlight fixtures. There was a fruit fly hanging around our table. Light cords hanging out behind the booth we were seated at. Plastic plant next to our booth as well. Just don't have plants, that would be better than plastic plants. That back dining room was giving DIY, like no budget or thought was put into the buildout of the space. We started with cocktails but waited 10 mins before anyone even took our drink order. Then another 10-15 to get the actual drinks. The cocktails themselves were weak and not great. They did look cute though. We then ordered a bottle of wine, and were brought out a different bottle (not what we ordered) that was already half empty (to try). My friend sent that bottle back and asked to bring us a different wine. At that point the beverage director came out to explain why we were brought a diff wine than what we originally ordered. Felt like they were trying to pawn off a cheaper wine to us. To make up for the sitch they gave us some complimentary tequila shots, which is fine I guess. For apps, we got the kare-kare tamales, grilled eggplant, and Skyflakes caviar. Tamales were okay, eggplant was flavorless and kindy greasy. We weren't going to order the Skyflakes caviar but my boyfriend secretly ordered it for the table cos this dish is supposed to be their showstopper. The cool plating/presentation is what's being heavily advertised on IG (big part of why I was excited, cos I grew up eating Skyflakes). Anyways, the dish wasn't even served in the Skyflakes box, just on a regular plate. I asked the waiter why and he said they don't like to use the same box twice and were waiting for a new shipment of the boxes. Sounds made up and makes no sense tbh. Do they not use the same dishes twice here either? Weird. Taste of the dish itself was okay. My bf ordered extra pieces so everyone at the table could enjoy, but we should've just skipped. The tamales were the only okay thing (innovative to serve kare-kare in this format, so props to that). All other food was downhill from there. We got the crab fried rice and crispy duck pancit to share. The fried rice itself was not flavorful (fried rice I think should be able to stand on its own). Something about throwing day old crab on top of bland rice and calling it elevated + charging a certain price feels fishy and unfortunately tasted fishy as well. The duck pancit was a bit too salty and lacking depth in flavor. The duck was not crispy at all and tasted livery which means it was overcooked. I don't think Moulard was the right duck for this context. It's trying a little too hard and not really landing. Again, just cos you throw a fancy piece of meat on something, doesn't mean its elevated. We had a few bites of the two entrees and dipped. Since the menu was small, my friend initially wanted just order one of each dish, but I'm glad she did not and that we stopped at the pancit. Also, there was a dj event going on in the front area, as well as some grilling/bbqing outside. Maybe that food was better. Tbh that whole sitch looked more fun and popping. Overall I'm super confused about the entire experience and concept. Either be a fine dining restaurant or be a warehouse open air food concept. Like an elevated Dollar Hits. Idk Maybe Sampa used to be better and now it's just overhyped and underdelivering. Not sure. That main dining area was dingy af and the whole experience felt sloppy and unchoreographed for a place positioning itself as fine dining. Food lacked soul and finesse, though they did look pretty. If you're going to be pretentious, at least deliver. Glad I didn't bring my parents here. read more

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Although we only came for the cocktails, these were great! That milk punch has all the complex Filipino flavors and looks just so simple. I absolutely loved it. That coconut foam really added a little extra punch to my cocktail. The old fashioned was well constructed and had some beautiful citrus notes. The bartender was great too. So much industry knowledge and I love the pride he puts into his beverage program. Great spot! read more

Sampa - Milk punch - Asian Fusion Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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4.5 stars, will round up. We had gone up to LA to watch a friend perform, but had some time to kill so grabbed a light dinner at Sampa (which I had had bookmarked). We didn't have to worry about parking since we took the Metro in, but it looks like it would have been street parking. The restaurant is not that big, though it looks like there is more seating in the back past the restrooms, where there seemed to be some sort of private event the night we went. The interior is modern and sleek. Service by Cody was also extremely friendly and attentive, and at the end of the meal Chef Josh even came out to introduce himself. As for the food, we ordered a mocktail (mojito), four shared plates (starters), and the pavlova for dessert. The calabasa, squash blossom, kare kare tamales, and kwek kwek salad were all stunningly presented and had unique and complex flavors, weaving in Filipino elements. I enjoyed the tartness of the pavlova accompaniments, and we were even given an ube cheesecake for free to try. Sampa aims to be fine dining and to elevate Filipino cuisine, and the prices reflect this. Our bill came out to $150 after tax and tips for two, and that was without ordering any mains. Overall, I enjoyed the experience but would probably save Sampa for a special occasion. read more

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My husband is Filipino and I don't typically like Filipino food but I made a rez for his bday. Ambience is minimal, but excellent vibe and tunes. Staff is attentive and informative. Food is well cooked and flavor combinations are surprising and delicious. Truly comfort dishes reimagined with refined touches both in taste and presentation. Even drinks and desserts were smash hits!!! I had an ube horchata - cinnamon warmth with smooth ube creamy finish. The pandan soufflé with ube anglaise was the perfect top off for the meal. 10/10 read more

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Though I appreciate the innovation of classic Filipino dishes, majority fell short with the flavor profile that just do not justify the price point. They do look good in pictures and put effort into presentation, but again just does not justify the price point. It was good to try it once as an experience. The ambiance is quite nice with the hip feel and dark lighting. The servers were attentive and happily explained the menu. Good selection of drinks as well. As we ordered a variety of dishes, I've tasted enough and likely will not be back. We came for brunch but parking can be difficult around this area. read more

Sampa - Pasta palabok - Asian Fusion Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I heard great hype about this place, especially when Filipino food is becoming more mainstream. I went with my family for brunch and we were disappointed. Fortunately/unfortunately, there were two servers the day we went. They were the sweetest, but it was hard to see them manage many tables across the restaurant. The mo-town music was also an interesting choice to have being played in the restaurant. I don't say this much, but I was disappointed by the brunch entrees we had. The bar for good Filipino food is my mother's cooking, but the array of food we got was nowhere near what our expectations were. The only redeeming dish in my opinion was the Kare Kare tamales. Otherwise, all the other dishes were simply forgettable. The mocktails were so expensive ($14 on average). I would encourage others to go to Historic Filipinotown and explore local options read more

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I was so excited to finally try my comfort foods elevated with a twist. Though some dishes were amazing I was a bit disappointed with the flavor balances especially considering the price point. I was disappointed with the entrees because of how insanely salty they were. The duck was cooked perfectly but the pancit flavor was off and too salty, the calamansi couldn't balance it out. The steak was cooked perfectly and the potatoes were super crispy, but it was also way too salty. The crab fat fried rice on the other hand was too bland, I wish they seasoned it to elevate the crab flavor. The drink tasted ok it was kinda flat. The appetizers were yum at least! The hamachi kinilaw tasted so fresh, the acidity was just perfect with the fish. The isaw papaya salad was my fave! The saltiness and crispiness of the isaw paired so well with papaya salad. Overall, the restaurants vibe inside is amazing. Could be perfect for celebrations. The service was amazing, whoever helped us was so kind and attentive! I personally don't think I would come back, but it was worth a try. If it was executed properly it would've been a way better experience read more

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This is my 2nd time coming here. I love the ambiance, service and, of course, the food! Our servers Jaden and Matthew were super helpful with describing a few of the dishes. Overall, I highly recommend coming here. read more

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Sampa in LA was such a good find. I love a modern take on Asian food, and their Filipino menu with a twist really delivered. The ube horchata mocktail was refreshing, the kuhol (escargot) with coconut butter was insanely good, and the kare kare tamales were just unreal. Party in my belly! read more

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Such a great experience at Sampa. The food was incredible! Everything was delicious and full of flavor and incorporated traditional flavors making it such a great fusion! Jayden took amazing care of us and made the whole experience feel welcoming and fun with his great recommendations and attentive service. A special touch was Chef Josh coming out to greet us at the table, which made the night feel even more memorable. Amazing food, amazing service, and amazing hospitality. Can't wait to come back! read more

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Came here with family for dinner. It was a nice experience, we've been here before for DineLA but decided to come back and try the menu items. We celebrated my mom's bday and my husband's bday here and we ordered so many things! The Kare kare tamales were so good, I'm happy to have tried them because they had sold out the last time we were here. The service was good and the ambiance was nice and relaxing. There weren't too many people during the time we went. We made a reservation online. All the food was delicious and presentable. read more

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I love this place. I think the dishes are very creative and unique, unlike any other Filipino restaurant I've had before. I really enjoyed their crab omelet and and their sinigang soup dumplings and ube cheese cake read more

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Been wanting to come here for the longest. Very particular about Filipino food as my hubby is Filipino. This is not your typical Filipino food, you have to come here with an open mind of trying something new and different. The crab fried rice was an excellent recommendation, I really enjoyed it. The tempura squash blossoms, were unique and tasty. The humba (similar to adobo pork) was interesting, not my favorite, did not like the texture of the skin but it was tasty. I really wanted to try the crispy pork pancit, will definitely have to come back to get that. The customer service was on point on all levels, from the hostess at the entrance to the assistant helping our waiter. Located in the unique area of Los Angeles, parking is limited thus be prepared to pay for parking. Definitely looking forward to coming back! read more

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All I wanted was a good meal and quality time with my family--good vibes, nothing complicated. Instead, this place completely killed the mood and robbed us of the night. $400 later--with a mandatory tip, by the way--for food that didn't deliver, drinks that made no sense, and an experience that felt like a complete joke. The owner's confidence is wildly misplaced. The food looks like art, sure--but that's where it ends. It's not satisfying, not authentic, and definitely not worth the price. Tiny portions, confused flavors, and zero soul. Cocktails? Tasted like someone experimenting on their first day behind the bar. Only saving grace was the servers--they were great. Everything else? A disaster. We didn't even finish. We left and went somewhere else. Hands down one of the worst dining experiences we've ever had. Overpriced, overhyped, and honestly... just embarrassing. read more

Sampa - Asian Fusion Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Great experience. Food was delicious and service was fantastic. Two of us ordered the crab fat fried rice, pork hock adobo, and kare kare tamales. This was plenty of food and we still had some fried rice leftover for breakfast tomorrow with spam and eggs. Shout out to Chef Josh who came around and welcomed us and the other guests, and to Matthew and Jaden who took great care of us all evening. read more

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Stand out dishes with amazing service! My bf and I came to celebrate our anniversary with the DineLA menu and we were blown away by the quality of each dish and how friendly and inviting the service was. Chef Josh even came out near the end of our meal to chat a bit and the service was super welcoming. Between the two of us, we got to try almost the entire DineLA menu and we were surprised with a nice anniversary treat at the end. Two small notes that could be seen as potential negative points but also can't be changed by the restaurant: i) Parking can be difficult but if you get here before the dinner rush it's possible to find street parking right outside. ii) Restaurant itself was nicely decorated but the seats along the wall did feel slightly tight and the floor a bit uneven so my seat felt a bit raised and tilted which was a bit awkward at first. Onto the food though, we ordered: - Hamachi Kilawin (5/5): Strong and unique southeast Asian flavors that made this my bf's favorite dish. - Kare kare tamale (5/5): This happened to be my favorite dish because of how unique the flavors were. It's definitely a more hearty dish with a distinctly nutty sauce. The meat was a little dry but the tamale was nice and moist. - Filipino bucatini (5/5): The pasta was super fun to eat and we loved how balanced the sauce was - a little sweet a little tart and nicely salted with the meat on top. - Crispy pasta (5/5): Loved the spinach pasta here and how bouncy they were with a nice mushroomy-based sauce and a generous amount of crispy pork. - Crispy duck pancit (3.5/5): Unfortunately this dish felt a little overcooked for us. The duck was a little bit chewy and the noodles with veg were surprisingly crunchy. Maybe it's because we were eating it alongside the crab fat fried rice, but the flavors just didn't have the same impact as the other dishes. - Crab fat fried rice (5/5): Completely understand why this is a fan favorite. I thought it was going to be a little basic but it was so well done with perfectly seasoned, buttery, and flavorful fried rice with clumps of crab meat. The presentation is adorable as well and the portion size was generous. - Ube cheesecake (5/5): This is definitely a heavy dessert but the jackfruit whip balanced it out perfectly. I'm not usually a fan of the jackfruit flavor but it pairs well with ube to create balance. Love the southeast Asian flavor pairing here. - Lychee panna cotta (5/5): This is more for the folks who aren't huge sweets people as it's a more subtle flavor that's still delicious just in a lighter way. The lychee flavor was subtle but still noticeable in the panna cotta which impressed us. - Thai tea ice cream (5/5): We were so surprised and glad to have been able to try Sampa's in-house ice cream. It was my bf's favorite dessert and I'll admit it's probably one of the best Thai tea ice creams I've had. The tea flavor comes through strongly and it's a delicious scoop. read more

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Went for a friend's birthday and it was FABULOUS. The hostess and servers were all so sweet, helpful, and honestly gorgeous. We did the Dine LA menu and it was soooo good. The pastas were incredible!! Both are def worth trying. I will say there's an emphasis on the crispy in the crispy pasta. No joke, I was lowkey scared my veneer was gonna pop out, but the flavor made it worth it. The prix fixe is $55 and everyone at the table has to participate if one person does, which is kind of eh, but honestly worth it in my opinion bc you get to try a little of everything. I love a little Filipino fusion moment, everything felt fun and elevated without being stuffy. Definitely coming back. read more