Rita W.

Lovely homey and modern atmosphere here at Tropa. Great vibes with the music, homey seating, bar area, outdoor patio, etc. Us fam of 4 came here for brunch on a Sunday, and there was something for everyone. Service was a bit slow at first, but turned out pretty well after we ordered our food and drinks. We were seated after several minutes (with reservation), and right when we were being seated and getting our menus, our initial assigned server immediately asked what we'd like to order. We just sat down and haven't looked at the menu yet, so that was a bit odd. She never came back to us LOL. The person at the bar came by and took our food and drinks orders and all was smooth sailing after that. I tried their whiskey cocktail - the Serena. Pretty good and they did not skimp on the alcohol. I'd definitely come back to try dinner (more food options) to try more of their cocktails since they're amazing. Food-wise, we tried the following - Traditional Hot Cakes - my son didn't choose a flavored pancake, but he enjoyed the classic one. Presentation was lovely, and he finished it all. Ube Hot Cakes - my daughter enjoyed these as they were not too sweet. BBQ Steak Skewers (Pinot BBQ on the menu) - $2 more for it being steak. So good. I really enjoyed these and I'd try more of their skewers next time. Flavorful without being too salty, and quite tender as well. Rice bowl with sausages and garlic fried rice - forgot the name of this dish, but was good. Just a tad bland without the sauce and whatnot. Appreciated the sausages with the casing and linked. The pickled onions/veggies gave it some needed acidity and such. Lumpia - we all shared these and enjoyed them. Def needed that sauce. Yum! Adobo Fried Rice - I enjoyed this style more than the garlic fried rice. This was side item, and I'd def get this again. Bonus points here since the kids tried a bit of everything and enjoyed the food (a real blessing since they're quite picky!) I haven't had much Filipino food in my life, but I hear a couple coworkers talk about it quite often. They've been to Tropa for dinner and enjoyed more of their traditional dishes (only complaint they had was it lacked the true stronger Filipino flavors, but they mentioned it was to cater more of the demographics around this area), so I'd love to come back to try some items that they've tried that weren't on the brunch menu + to enjoy some more cocktails.

Geena B.

We made a reservation for Sunday brunch & karaoke for 12pm. We did have to wait a little bit until we got seated. Once we got seated, we were able to order cocktails right away. We tried the Pilita Corales & FPJ. Both were delicious but a little on the smaller size. We ordered adobo sticky ribs, sizzling sisig, lumpia, pandan pancakes, steak & chicken skewers & for dessert tres leches & turon. The sticky ribs & sisig were SO GOOD. Lumpia was ok. I feel like the pandan pancakes could have but a bit sweeter and definitely needed the sauce. The chicken skewers were ok flavor wise and soft. The steak skewers were a little tougher to chew. Both the tres leches & turon with langka ice cream were delicious. Overall, a great experience. It was karaoke day so it was fun to eat & hear everyone singing & enjoying a rainy Sunday. We'll be back here for sure.

Dennis R.

I always go into Filipino restaurants with a high standard because I grew up eating my grandma and mom's fantastic Filipino cooking. I must say, Tropa is the best Filipino restaurant I've been to in a long time! The food and service were excellent, and the ambiance felt very welcoming, much like Filipino culture itself! On to the food! We had a big party and pretty much tried most of the menu, lol! But my favorites were definitely the sisig and lechon kawali! I'm a bit of a harsh critic on sisig because I make a mean plate of it myself, but this sisig had all the great flavors and textures to make it fantastic! The lechon kawali was crispy and delicious! I must add the adobo sticky ribs were great as well! Never had anything quite like that before, and it was tasty! I'll definitely be back here again!

Evelyn M.

Finding their location was ok, they are located next to other businesses and share a parking lot with those other businesses. The parking lot does go in and around to a back exit Our friend saved a reservation and we all made it in time except for our friend that made the reservation. There wasn't an issue and our friend came 15mins after we sat. They sat us near the entrance near the restroom but it was a large table in a private sided area. We had kids so it was nice that they were able to move around. Ok so for my 1 star off was due to the many mix up orders that became extra charges. Our friend that was late had ordered around the time our food started to arrive. She asked for the side of rice she ordered to feed her kid. Our server brings it out but then when her main order was ready they brought another rice but we said we already got it but they insisted that we were wrong and ordered another one. My other friend just took it just to end the back and forth. About our server, she was nice but a bit much. She would suggest to order more or both. Mind you, it's pretty pricey so for her to try and upsell with guests that have kids is not the best suggestion. She would also but in our conversation and tell a whole story. I mean, it's nice to chat with your customers but to tell a whole story when we don't even know her was a bit much. We really wanted to sit outside but it was already full and the girl band One Voice was there having an interview. Food was delicious and leftovers were good too I'd suggest them for dates or small get togethers even though they did accommodate for our large group , I feel like smaller groups will enjoy a bit more than taking a big group. Probably won't be returning any time soon because we aren't near the area or even my friends because we all live in different areas. This was a middle point to meet up with my group for a one time get together.

Brandon W.

Tropa sounds fun. I haven't been to too many Filipino restaurants. This made for an exciting highlight to our day, enjoying Filipino cuisine on our first trip to Cali for the year. With a very unique L shaped restaurant design where the once smaller restaurant appeared to have expanded into two additional retail pads, the location is quite as unique as their food. Today, our party of 9 was accommodated outdoor seating on a nice brisk Saturday morning, but with heating lamps working in our seating area it wasn't too chilly. Our waitress was courteous, accommodating and attentive to our needs, water, tea, alcoholic beverages secreted here and there. During this outing I'd have the Tapsilog which is a marinated beef, served with garlic rice, two over-easy eggs, pickled red onion and a side of spicy vinegar which is great for dipping. Fritzie would have the Bangus-silog which is described as a calamansi garlic and marinated fish, garlic rice, picked onion, cucumber and spicy vinegar. There were many other meals around the table, some the kids enjoyed, delicious drinks and sides entrees like the Tortang talong which is a breaded eggplant dishes, seasoned and sauced wonderfully and I tried their Ube pancakes which were delicious! Big fan of Ube. Sorry no pictures this time around Yelp fam, just take my word for it. If you want to try something delicious, slightly risky to the untrained palate but absolutely pleasing to the stomach--you'll try this once, then you'll come back and do it again! On my next visit I definitely have to try their Sisig and did I hear you have Balut?

Patricia R.

The ambiance truly showed the Filipino culture. From their food menu, drink menu to the decorations. Servers were nice and attentive. The food had a diff take on Filipino food. My fave dishes were the sisig and kilawin. Although there wasnt a lot of variety of Filipino food, we can tell they put their all in the dishes served. Def a place to take friends/relatives to for the special occasion.

Jenna R.

Just a filipino girl who loves her filipino food. Planned galentine's dinner here and it was everything. We were a party of 7 so they sat us at the large table tucked away. It almost felt private. We were seated right away, had reservations. The staff was hospitable, attentive (our water cups were hardly empty) and Tita Rocky even came by to say hi to our group. The decor was on point, serving ware came correct and the food was delicious. We enjoyed some cocktails, 7 dishes (adobo sticky wings, gambas al ajillo, oxtail kare-kare, sizzling sisig, lechon kawali, fried petrale sole, and the arroz ala valenciana. And two types of dessert (bibingka and turon), in addition to the one we brought. It was enough food for the 7 of us, and we walked out with happy tummys. A few of us had this restaurant on our to try list and we got to go with our girlfriends. If you're making me choose, I liked the lechon kawali and sisig the most. But everything was good. If you're on the fence about trying Tropa, this is your sign to go!

David K.

4.5 stars Tropa has transformed a humble office mall into an outdoor dining patio, paired with a warmly decorated indoor dining room too. This restaurant offers a contemporary take on Filipino food--quite special for this area of the East Bay! We started with the Pinoy BBQ, grilled chicken skewers in a sticky, savory marinade, served with spicy vinegar on the side. A classic breakfast dish was the Bangus-silog, a whole, butterflied milkfish, marinated in calamansi/garlic and deep-fried, and served with spicy vinegar on the side. The fish was perfectly juicy and meaty and was served with a bowl of garlic rice topped with two fried eggs and pickled red onion/cucumber, making for a complete and well-rounded meal! The most colorful dish we tried was the Ube Hotcakes, a stack of three pancakes made with purple sweet potato, topped with a sweet and creamy coconut ube sauce and fresh fruit. But my favorite dish was the Sizzling Sisig, crispy chopped pork cheek and belly, flavored with a secret sauce, red onion, scallion, crispy garlic, and labuyo chili, all topped with an egg and served on a hot iron skillet. The bits of pork were perfectly crispy, savory, spicy, acidic, and garlicky all at the same time, making for a flavorful, hearty dish. Overall, the food here was delicious, and the atmosphere and quick and friendly service were highlights too! The only downside was the relatively high menu prices, but what a unique eatery this was!

Mirabella M.

Came here for Valentine's day dinner and it was very easy to make reservations online via Open Table. They have both indoor and outdoor seating as well as a separate indoor dining area, which is where they sat us. We felt kind of far from where the main dining area, bar and kitchen were, but the other room felt private and intimate. Though we were in a separate area, we appreciated our waitress consistently checking in on us, refilling our waters, and explaining the menu to us as it was our first time at Tropa. What we ordered: -Maria Clara cocktail ($17) -Adobo sticky ribs ($25) - One of their most popular items and my husband really liked them but they were a little too salty for me -Lechon kawali ($26) - My personal favorite -Sizzling sisig ($26) - Even though it was served on a sizzling plate, I was expecting it to be more crispy -Pancit bihon ($22) -Side of garlic fried rice ($7) - Most of their dishes do not come with rice so I'd definitely recommend ordering this with your entrees -Tres leches for dessert ($12) delicious! -Be sure to request their complimentary house made sauces! Overall, the food was very tasty and we would love to come back to try more items on their menu and come back for brunch! Service was excellent. Rocky, the owner's mother, even came by our table to introduce herself and check in with how we were enjoying everything. I loved the homey ambiance here and Tropa is perfect for date night or to bring the whole family. Just to note, they do charge 3% hospitality fee.

Regina L.

Every menu item we ordered was packed with flavors, especially the garlic fried rice, bangus silog, and adobo spare ribs! The sugary sweet, juicy meat fell off the bones! The pancit bihon was nostalgic of how our elders made this for us, growing up, and tasted just like how my mom makes her version at home! Service was excellent. We were checked on frequently, no matter how busy Tropa was for Sunday brunch. I appreciate the owner's mother visiting our tables, chatting with us, asking us how everything was going, and thanking us for dining there. I was brought back to college days with my cousins, with classic old school R&B playing, as we enjoyed every bite of our Filipino brunch. It was a beautiful, sunny day, as we enjoyed Tropa's outdoor dining, overall ambiance, food, and hospitality. I highly recommend Tropa not only because of the service and mouth watering food, but also because of the price point and space to accommodate even a large party of 25 max, the owner said. I can't wait to return to try more brunch items and try dinner too!

Melody P.

Tropa in Lafayette had been on my list for a while after seeing it all over social media--the vibe looked inviting and the food visually enticing. I decided to give it a try for a date night with my husband, curious to see how it would live up to the buzz. Upon arrival, the outdoor setting immediately stood out--cozy, stylish, and welcoming, setting a great first impression. We didn't wait long before being seated, which was a plus. We started by ordering the steak Pinoy BBQ and had our eye on the fried petrale sole, but were informed it was unavailable and instead recommended the fried bangus, along with fried rice and a few drinks. Having grown up eating Filipino food, I found the dishes to be... fine. The fried fish was good but fairly standard--something you could find at many Filipino spots without much distinction. Unfortunately, the steak was extremely tough, to the point where it was difficult to chew. We let the staff know, and to their credit, they handled it professionally and promptly replaced it with chicken, which was a much better experience. The drinks were definitely a highlight--well-balanced and enjoyable. While I'm not sure we ordered the standout dishes on the menu, the food overall didn't quite live up to expectations for me personally. That said, the staff was genuinely welcoming and attentive, clearly making an effort to ensure we still had a pleasant evening. While I'm unsure if I'd return specifically for the food, I appreciate the hospitality and care shown during our visit. Tropa gets points for ambience, service, and effort--even if the flavors didn't fully win me over this time.

Rachel M.

Happy there are more Filipino restos popping up on this side of the bay! Previous location of The Hideout restaurant with the same owners, Tropa brings refined yet homey Filipino cuisine to Lafayette. Love the interior which gave speakeasy vibes- we even had an old school Filipino action movie playing. There is also outdoor seating but it was too cold that night. Kudos to our server Genesis for her recommendations and great service. Drinks were creative - the Dwende was memorable with that coffee black sesame flavor. We ordered one dish too many- happens a lot. -Kinilaw -Kare Kare -Fried sole -Adobo Ribs -Pork Sisig -Pancit -Adobo rice Food was overall pretty tasty and we had some leftovers. I'd like to try the chicken inasal next time. For dessert we got a complimentary turon to celebrate my friend's birthday, which was a nice gesture but a little dry in the inside. Needed some langka!

Kathy V.

Tropa - Lafayette (old Hideout location) Same owner, now serving Modern Filipino cuisine. As a Filipino, I can say many of us are very picky when it comes to Filipino food we grew up on our parents' homemade dishes, and every region in the PI cooks differently, so expectations are always high. Service: Service was great overall -- warm, welcoming, and attentive. Food: For the food, I'd rate it a solid 3/5. Some dishes leaned on the salty side for me. Bihon Pancit: Average. Lechon Kawali: Amazingly good -- perfectly crisp and flavorful. Kilawin: Super fresh flavors, definitely a highlight. Oxtail Kare-Kare: Not my favorite, but we ordered a lot so no big loss. Sisig: Good! And I'm very picky with sisig -- I don't just eat anyone's. Adobo Sticky Ribs: Salty. Pinakbet: Also salty, but eating it with rice helped balance it out. My drink, the Maria Clara, was great as well. I'd definitely come back to try brunch. I think it has a lot of potential. Thank you JB and staff for the hospitality!