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Boracay Garden & Grill
Category: Restaurants Filipino Filipino [Edit]
269 El Camino RealSouth San Francisco, CA 94080
(650) 871-8644
Announcement
Notice
We will be closed during the Holy Week - April 18-22, 2011.
Business resumes Saturday, April 23 at 11 am.
- Hours:
Tue-Thu, Sun 11 am - 8:30 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 9 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
138 reviews for Boracay Garden & Grill
Review Highlights
-
"This place has the best green mango shake." In 25 reviews -
"Seafood Black Rice (this is sooo good." In 18 reviews -
"the crispy pata was really good too." In 31 reviews
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138 reviews in English
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Review from Clarence A.
Daly City, CA
5/7/2012
4 stars for this resto with some flair on one paticular dish
I was able to visit this place two times with some of my friends during lunch, this is the only filipino resto that offers Kare Kare (oxtail in peanut butter sauce with eggplant, bok choy, string beans & tripe ) as a lunch special, the also offer the hawaiian style type oxtail soup. Their sisig is decent, as well as their black rice special with seafood.
being filipino there are certain things one looks for when having Kare kare, I myself look for portion, tenderness of the meat, sauce being to watery or to thick, and of course taste on a whole. This place fairs well in all except for portion. the sauce is not to watery and not super thick in between runny and thick just right. The meat was super tender that it would fall apart when a spoon or fork is used, meat would literally fall off the bone. the taste was there not to salty, enough of the peanut butter to make everything mesh well on top of steaming white rice. Only thing that I would improve on for this dish would be the portion of meat, only 3-4 pieces are offered 2 fairly healthy pieces and 1 if not 2 tiny pieces which can fit on a spoon and be sucked dry when placed back on your plate
the oxtail soup was more of a hawaiian dish, they made this soup just right, but again it lacked portion 2 healthy pieces followed by 1 or 2 tiny pieces of the oxtail, the in your face flavor for this dish was amazing.
the sisig was not to vinegary, a bit chewy on some parts but for the most part tender and not overpowering in any way.
the black fried rice with seafood was interesting, the rice was grainy had a tad crunch to each bite, not my favorite but it was interesting, this would definitely be a must try if you are hear.
I would stick with the Kare kare, and sisig for now, definitely bring your friends with you so you can get dishes ala carte
definite spot to visit for lunch or dinner
food ****
service****
price $$
ambiance *** for me lil cheesy because in one of the corners they are actually have a time share banner posted, the bamboo feel on the walls was interesting -
Review from JR M.
San Francisco, CA
5/23/2012
I used to like this place. I ordered the kare-kare today and as the owner served it, I asked for extra bagoong. The owner responded and told me in tagalog, "Sige, kapag naubos na." Translated: " Go fuck yourself, your business is not important enough to me, you don't deserve extra bagoong right now."
I will no longer support this restaurant. I feel bad because I have always received excellent service from the owner's wife. Unfortunately, the owner epitomizes, in my opinion, the stereotypical, pompous old Pinoy businessman: drives an old Mercedes, wears a gold pinky ring or a Rolex (image is important, right?), treats people beneath him like shit (I have observed how he treats his wait staff) and oblivious to the fact that your business as a patron is the most monumental factor in an establishment's existence.
Because of this guy's bagoong-cheap-ass'ness, he has lost a customer for life.
By the way, today, the kare-kare was watered down. -
Review from Colleen J.
Millbrae, CA
5/10/2012
Meh.
I think it's really hard to find authentic delicious Filipino food with superb service here in NorCal (which is ironic because we have a huge Filipino population in the area) because well, we might have standard traditional Filipino dishes but each of them are made differently depending on the region in Philippines -meaning they vary. And we have a bunch of transplants here in America coming from different regions in the Philippines, so what is delicious to some of them might not be delicious to others. And you might find one dish that is deliciously good in a restaurant, but the rest is awful. So I do have a to-go-to restaurant for specific Filipino dishes that I will not find (in terms of taste) in a different Filipino restaurant.
And as for Boracay Garden and Girl, I personally have not tried all of their dishes but I did try the black rice and this pieces of chicken bbq dish and the green mango shake.
Idk why the fuck they have that black rice (it's black from the black ink from squids EW) it was disgusting. And the green mango shake -it did not taste like green mango fruit at all. It had a tangy taste to it with lots of added sugar (I can make that shit better).
The bbq chicken was good, but I think for the side of sauce they used Marukan vinegar not the distilled vinegar (EH.). Bad move on their part. Every time a Filipino restaurant uses a different vinegar (not the distilled regular Datu Puti vinegar) I CRINGE. It's like blasphemy!! Why would you use a sweet tasting vinegar??? It just doesn't go with when you mix it with soy sauce!!!
And the service.
Holy Jesus Balls, I feel sorry for the young server who was the only one busing the tables because the old man (I believe he was the manager) was just standing there WATCHING TV. That old man wasn't even helping!!! Like who the fuck does he think he is? Why be at your restaurant if you're not going to help around.
And we waited for TOO LONG for our food. It took approximately 40-45 minutes ready. The old man could have been helping cooking the food, but no he was too lazy watching basketball on tv.
If you plan on eating here, make sure you write a note that your tip specifically goes to the server who was serving you to make sure that old man gets nothing. And you should mention that his old ass is fucking lazy as fuck. -
Review from Tennessee V.
Chicago, IL
4/28/2012
Food is great, awesome as a matter of fact. But dude seriously, this guy named Jun, he is the owner I think, treats his servers like crap. Just so he knows, all the customers can hear how he talks to his own employees. "gawin mo na yung mango shake, bilisan mo!", "Yung table 7 ligpitin nyo na, ano ba naman yan!"
Now, Let us talk about power trip here. They call him "sir". Even General Managers of the biggest restaurants are being called on a first name basis. You are the owner sure, but these employees of yours are not your slaves. Let them run the show not you, stay in the back scene because you are so freaking annoying, giving your customers a bad taste. Ditch the attitude "SIR"..... -
Review from Nim D.
San Francisco, CA
5/5/2012
Dino, I want to thank you for making my first visit to Boracay Gardens a great one..
It was a very pleasant surprise coming all the way from Oakland and well worth it.
I am still tasting the wonderful flavors. I am looking so forward to my next visit. I look forward to seeing you, Dino. Salamet Po!!! -
Review from Teejay F.
Oakland, CA
5/14/2012
Good food and love the green mango shake. Order the crispy pata....
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Review from Tracey A.
San Jose, CA
4/8/2012
New spot to stop by for lunch near San Francisco!
Service is very friendly and accommodating.
Different style of Filipino food than what I am used to - but very, very delicious nonetheless. Always exciting to try new takes on dishes!
Recommend having the bangus sisig, aristocrat chicken (a little on the small size), and calamari. For drinks - boracay white shake (virgin pina colada) is yummy! -
Review from Maritess N.
Daly City, CA
3/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
Pleasantly surprised by this place! I drive passed this restaurant everyday and this is my first time trying it out. I am very judgmental about my Filipino food & usually don't go out to eat it since i love my family's cooking but this place is great! The staff was so nice & friendly.
Don't come here looking for any of the typical dishes. My family & I had the fried calamares was perfectly tender & crispy, the blacked seafood rice which was delicious, & the crispy pata. Their signature green mango shake is ahhhhmazing! I want to come back here for lunch since they have some good specials. -
Review from Amy C.
Newark, CA
4/22/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Fresh Green Mango Shake. YUM. period. that's all. :)
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Review from Amy B.
3/3/2012
Boracay is my new favorite Filipino place! Both the service and the food were incredible, and the owner, Marie, is one of the friendliest restauranteurs I've ever met!
It's an easy-going atmosphere with a laid back and user-friendly menu featuring dishes from the tropical region. We had a few of the house specialties: fresh green mango shake, oxtail soup, seafood black rice, and inihaw na liempo (grilled pork bellly with atchara). Of course, I can't eat without having dessert! So we topped it off with the halo-halo and the turon.
The fresh green mango shake was divine. I wasn't expecting to like it very much, but it was just amazing and refreshing and yummy. The oxtail soup was OK, although I'm not a huge fan of oxtail to begin with. Next time I will try the bulalo. The seafood black rice was excellent, filled with shrimp, scallops, crab, and other tasty treats and topped with some of the most perfectly prepared calamari I've ever had. The pork belly was also excellent. Marie suggested that we might enjoy a more lean cut and asked how we'd like it. Living up to our stereotype of the only white, American folks in the place, we happily ordered a more lean cut of the pork belly.
The halo halo was huge and could have easily fed a table of four. I preferred the turon: caramelized banana and jackfruit fried into tasty tubes of sweet goodness and drizzled in caramel with fresh mango ice cream (complete with fresh bits of mango).
There are so many menu items that I'd like to try, so I can't wait to go back next time I'm in South City! -
Review from Aspasia s.
San Francisco, CA
2/3/2012
It is disheartening to write up a {negative} feedback on a venue that offers a particular selection of dishes from one's country of origin. Unfortunately I have to tell it like it is.
From a journalistic reporting standpoint, not as a professional of the trade - from a member of a human society that hopes for the betterment and survival of the species in general, I opt to speak out. My loyalty and source of happiness is for the "in-itself" (or thing in itself) which is difficult for most to fathom.
(Do take my words with a grain of salt, for my world may not be as yours, as yours is not mine.)
Today, post-Costco shopping my parents and their driver decided it was time for lunch. They decided on various Filipino places - Tribu? Patio? Max? ... no, not again, and definitely NOT. Their trusted driver suggests, "Ma'am, Sir, sa Boracay po kaya?" Boracay it was.
The atmosphere was already not in par with my mother's five star imperatives although she was game to give it a try. The atmosphere was Filipino cafeteria style. As they walked in, both Mom and Dad already felt the unresponsive vibe of the staff, whom they inferred to be family run and staffed by such, which is neither good nor bad.
The menu suggested "Chicken Barbeque- ala-Aristocrat-style.
{Sidebar} - Aristocrat is a Filipino legacy circa the 1950s to-date - its specialty is - a particular chicken barbeque (similar to Indian Tandoori with bone) with a side of their famous java rice. Boracay Garden & Grill's menu indicated: Aristocrat style barbeque.
My mom was so happy because she thought of ME - it was my childhood favorite! Mom used to purchase take-out from Aristocrat after a night out with my dad and their expat colleagues which culminated in a peace offering {for abandoning us} in an order each of Aristocrat Chicken Barbq + Java rice (with an extra extra side of rice). It was a midnight snack for my baby sister and I.
Earlier at lunch with eager anticipation, mom asked the server, who happened to be an owner or a staff-relative, "Is this really an aristocrat chicken?" it was as if she found, in the midst of an Eastern European vacation - a street of filled with Prada, Miu-miu and Chanel - for her daughters! She was in mother-mode.
Cold shower!
The server looked down upon my mother in condescension and a sharp tone: " Well, read it!"
And that is the end of the story per my mom.
I came home from a wonderful stressful week in start up SOMA and Silicon Valley, and she said, "Oh honey, I found your favorite food, but NOT." She recounted the incident.
I ate a portion of her take-away and here is my take:
- Java rice? not! it was rice dipped with orange coloring and a some egg white
- Aristocrat bbq? i don't think so - it was like a fake Max Fried Chicken
We would have been ok with sub-quality, after all - we know small business, we know start-ups - we understand.
Can we put up with attitude? Abso-EFFING-lutely- NOT. -
Review from zell c.
San Francisco, CA
2/16/2012
So it's a "Filipino" restaurant, but not your typical. There's no adobo on the menu, and I don't know any other Filipino restaurant that serves maple salmon and black rice. It's not really a place to introduce yourself to Filipino food.
I've been here a couple times with my mom and have always enjoyed the seafood black rice. Every time we order it, the table next to us always asks what it is - never fails. It looks intimidating, it's a good alternative to the usual fried rice. I've also had pinakbet at many Filipino spots and have to say Boracay Garden's is my favorite. Theirs is the tastiest - not too salty and has lots of FRESH (not soggy or overcooked) veggies. And I LOVE the chunks of crispy lechon kawali toppings! I've also had the mango shake and crab fried rice but wasn't too impressed. Mom and I always end our meals with halo-halo.Listed in: Filipino Food
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Review from Alyssa S.
1/20/2012
I've been here on the tail end of lunch time and for early dinner (both on Sundays).
Waiting time: Non-existent but this could be due to my timing
Atmosphere: Loved it. It's laid back and relaxed, but also has almost a tropical feel to it (as it should considering the name). +1 for having 2 HD TVs that were showing the current football games, but no sound so it wasn't like a sports bar or anything.
Service: On point! But hell, it could be because both times I came with Filipino parents (the first time with my BF's parents and the second time with my own parents). Nonetheless, the servers on both occasions gave great recommendations and lightly chit-chatted with us without being overly pushy.
Food: Pretty good! I love Filipino food because I grew up on it and this has some classics like pancit, pinakbet, crispy pata, etc but also has some new dishes that I've never had before like the panko crusted tilapia with mango salsa. My family liked it more than I did but that's because I prefer the regular deep fried whole tilapia.
I did love their little bibingkas for dessert. SOOOOO YUMMY and the perfect size!
I enjoyed the food, but I've had better Filipino food at other places. Which makes me think of Henry's :( -
Review from Kevin W.
If you are in the mood for some awesome lechon (deep fried pork belly), then you better get on over to Boracay. Their Lechon is just fantastic! I know I know, you can't really go wrong with pork belly, that stuff is just delicious no matter how you cook it. Still, the fried pork belly with their sweet sauce is the perfect mix with a side of rice. I also followed the advice of my fellow Yelpers here and got the seafood black rice and green mango shake. Both did not disappoint. The black rice was like fried garlic rice with some calamari, shrimp and bably scallops, just excellent. The green mango shake was really sweet but also tart at the same time.
I just wish this place also served adobo, that would be awesome. And also watch out for the black rice, it makes your lips black!Listed in: SF Bay area hot spots
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Review from Sherry C.
San Bruno, CA
3/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Excellent customer service. I think it was the owners who served us and they always come back to check if everything is okay. Also the green mango shake is a must-have in this place. Actually everyone at the restaurant ordered this at the time when I was there. I also had the sinigang spare ribs and lechon kawali. It's like my grandma's cooking. Lechon Kawali also came in a big portion which is really good for its price. They also play LEA SALONGA on their TV that entertains everyone during dinner.
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Review from Alex M.
San Carlos, CA
12/22/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Man, the food is pretty darn good. The Crispy Pata is a good size and the sauce is pretty delicous, has a bit of a ginger taste, but not too overwelming. Suprisingly good as I don't like ginger.
The green mango shake is pretty darn good also. I love the salt rim they do on there. The bagoong is ok, wish it was more of the home made type. Sisig was good also.
Oh, if you order the Crispy Pata, make sure you order it right when you sit down as it takes extra time to make so order early. -
Review from elsie l.
San Jose, CA
11/1/2011
My Mom, sister & I had dinner here tonight and we loved every item that we have ordered !!! Love love love the Lengua and the very tasty Squid Ink Seafood Rice. We also ordered Kare Kare, Kalabasa & String Beans in Coconut Milk plus Crispy Pata. And we also enjoyed the Green Mango Shake !!!
Aside from the food, which I feel is more superior than Patio Filipino .. Customer Service is excellent too !!! Jun, the Manager was very helpful
and accomodating ... we will definitely be back !!! -
Review from Mochi L.
San Mateo, CA
10/9/2011
I am a new fan. The food here is very delicious and tasty. Service was mostly attentive, but they kind of forgot about us at the end before we even paid the check so the minus star.
I brought some co-workers here who had never had Filipino food. They seemed to enjoy it. The Lumpiang Shanghai was a good starter for the table. Seafood black rice was new to all of us so we tried that... only half of the party was excited about it. Those who didn't like it claimed it wasn't what they expected and didn't have enough flavor. Crispy Pata was a hit. Everyone enjoyed thed Sitaw at kalabasa which was a curry like dish with string beans and squash. The Pansit Pinoy- noodles was also eaten pretty quickly.
I got the fresh green mango shake and enjoyed the salty sweet drink. -
Review from Heather S.
Carrollton, TX
2/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
Amazing service and great food! We had the squid ink fried rice (black mouth afterwards!!) the sisig, mango smoothies are the bomb. Great traditional Filipino food.
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Review from Neece S.
San Francisco, CA
1/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
I would've loved to give this place more than 1 star but the old man that seems to run this place is a jerk. Sorry, let me rephrase that: if you aren't Asian, the old man that seems to run this place is a jerk. Seriously, peanut allergy is the most common allergy out there, so when I say "no peanuts, please" I don't expect a plate sprinkled with crushed peanuts and then told we shouldn't have ordered that particular dish if we see there's peanuts in it. Excuse you? That's why I said no effing peanuts! If you couldn't make it without them (which trust me, is not even the case here), then your waiter should have said something. Instead, he didn't say sh** AND he forgot to tell the cook! Nope, won't be coming back here again.
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Review from Marcus K.
Palo Alto, CA
9/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Had the seafood black rice, which was a unique experience with the squid ink making the rice black. I've had squid ink pasta, but never with rice, and I have to say it was excellent. Squid ink can sometimes be a little fishy, and this was a nice seafood flavor without being overwhelming. Note: not recommended as a dish with people you don't know too well, because you'll have the black ink all over your teeth afterwards, and when you smile, it'll look like all your teeth are rotting out.
Also had the Crispy Pata, which was basically a fried pork leg, and what isn't there to like about pork...that is...fried. Yum. But seriously, it's pretty darn good, outside crispy with tender, moist meat inside. The vinagrette is a nice touch to bring out some extra flavors.
Then finished with the Pinakbet (veggies with shrimp paste and topped with fried pork belly). Again, this has fried Pork. Nice. But again, it's actually very tasty, and don't be scared of the shrimp paste, it'll grow hairs on your chest (I'm kidding). On a more serious note, it actually comes with a good portion of pork on top, almost to the point we were like, is this supposed to be a veggie dish or meat dish? No complaints here.
disclaimer: I'm not an expert at filipino food, but good food is good food.
The service here is very nice, and our waitress was really sweet and understanding since all of us clearly had no idea what we were doing and was very helpful and welcoming. -
Review from Rodamae B.
Crocker-Amazon, San Francisco, CA
2/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
the staff are nice to us. The food not so good we had soggy lumpia, over cooked lechon salty steak and as for the sisig my hubby says that its just ok. I dont think were coming back for more. Oh and they have a spiderman placemat for my son which i think was nice.
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Review from Maria V.
San Francisco, CA
2/25/2012
This place is great! We discovered Boracay when heading to Intramuros Restaurant (another Filipino restaurant) just to find out they were closed after lunch. Coming from San Francisco, renting a Zip car you can imagine how disappointing my friends and I were. Thanks to Yelp, we were able to locate another Filipino restaurant in the area other than Max's. Boracay was a pleasant surprise! There was not too much people there and they were open between lunch and dinner. Needless to say, if you're in the area looking for a great meal, go here!
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Review from Antonio O.
Mill Valley, CA
10/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Went here with not much expectation having dined at other Filipino restaurants in the area. The place is cozy, cute and clean with OPM playing in the background. I was surprised at the friendliness of the bus boy and server. As expected, the manager didn't even smile the whole time i was here; even completely ignoring the table next to me which was trying to get his attention. I had the kare kare lunch special which was a good value at 8.95. The server didnt check back until i was almost done but at least still checked. The place was not full but had a few tables including non Filipinos who seem to enjoy their meal. One issue i have is that they were replacing the entrance door during lunch and of course, they sat me by the door. This couldve been done during non peak hours.
Overall, it was surprisingly good. I would like to come back and try other menu items. -
Review from Danna D.
San Francisco, CA
7/20/2011
This was my first time at Boracay. My mom had eaten here before with her friends and she loved it so she decided to bring me and my boyfriend there for lunch.
First off, the place is a cute, quaint and it almost looks like a house. It's very cozy and there's many paintings and pictures of Boracay. Looking at it makes me want to fly my butt to Boracay that instant! Anyway, we were the first ones there at 11am hungry and ready to eat.
We ordered:
-Crispy Pata: yummy and crunchy and the meat falls off the bone. Marinated well and the skin is just so good with fatty goodness.
-Inihaw na Liempo: this was pretty good, it was kind of like barbeque pork. It wasn't the best but it was delicious.
-Chopseuy: good assortment of vegetables and it was pretty flavorful
-Black Rice Seafood: DELICIOUS! I think if anything, people should just try it cause its different. The rice is flavored with squid ink and its mixed in with shrimps, scallops, and topped with fried calamari.
-Daing na Bangus: Just the way I like it! Crispy skin, fatty meat, and lots of vinegar sauce on the side. It was also a nice touch to have tomatoes on top of it
Drink:
I had both the green mango and the white shake. Both really good. If you like something a little more sour go for the green mango. If you like something sweet and milky go for the white shake. The white shake by the way is made with pineapple, lychee, and coconut. They say its their "virgin pina colada".
Dessert:
Ordered the halo halo and the bibingkanitan (small bibingka) and both were really good. I prefer the bibingkanitan though. The only down side with the halo halo was that they didn't have ice cream that day since their freezer was done.
Overall, the service was great, food was great, and it feels like a Filipino home! What more can u ask for? :) -
Review from JENNIFER A.
Hayward, CA
12/22/2011
Brought the Moms here for her Birthday dinner and it was a hit with the family. The service is so friendly and prompt that made the whole experience even better. We ordered what was their specialties..Black rice unique and delicious..Krispy Pata better than Barrio fiesta..Oops..Also got the Bulalo soup..comforting..had to get the lumpia..Sauteed spinach..yum..and the sizzling steak..all good..Ordered the green mango shake..unique flavor..Great Great place!
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Review from Diana M.
6/21/2011
I'm on the fence with this place.
Overall, the food was pretty good especially when it came to the Crispy Pata. Probably the best thing on their menu. Crispy skin; tender pork meat. Definitely prepared just right. I don't think you can go wrong with any of their dishes. It's close to home cooking.
My only two gripes are:
1) It's a small restaurant and the wait is very long. Not meant for big parties. If you have a party of 5 or more, be prepared to wait for over an hour. If you're coming here for lunch, get there by 11:30 to beat the rush.
2) They automatically put an 18% tip added to your bill. We had a party of 4? Although their staff is friendly, like most Filipino restaurants, the service is slow. Especially when it came time for dessert. I waited 20 minutes to finally get my leche plan. Tips aren't required - it's an option.
15% should be fair enough; requesting 18% is being greedy. -
Review from Angel S.
Long Island, NY
Sadly, this is a review of Boracay, the restaurant, and not Boracay, the tropical island with white sand beaches. If a Filipino restaurant wants to thrive in the super-competitive Asian food scene in Daly City-SSF, it has to incorporate the traditional with the innovative. The folks at Boracay are well aware of that, so their menu features their own creative specialties along with the traditional cast of characters.
We ordered several family-style items. Our meal was a medley of hits and misses but, overall, fairly satisfying.
The best part of Boracay is that all of the entrees are served either sizzling, steaming, or near-boiling hot. The signature drink Green Mango Shake is absolutely legit...very refreshing and perfectly tangy. Since they dip the glass on margarita salt, it's better to drink it off the glass than off the straw, to get that extra salty kick. I also recommend that sizzling soft shell crab, so so good, especially with the melted crab paste and garlic on top. The sizzling sisig was also quite good, again, it's the kind of dish that caters to their strengths because it's much better when served on a sizzling plate.
Some items fell far short. The black rice with calamari, touted as their signature specialty item, was very bland and tasteless. That was too bad, I like the idea and I'm a huge fan of squid ink. Nice concept, but poor execution. The fried chicken was also disappointing. It was sufficiently crispy outside, but it was a little bit dry inside. Quality-wise, the chicken doesn't quite compare to the chicken you'd get at Max's (then again, chicken is the only thing Max's does well).
How does Boracay stack up to the heavy competition? Among the best, but not the best. In a highly competitive region for Filipino cuisine, that's not a bad spot to be.Listed in: TOP 10 FILIPINO
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Review from Miss Cristina O.
Pacifica, CA
10/26/2011
Servers were nice, Food was good, but the arrival of food was slow as it took them over half an hour to get to our first served food. I still recommend going to this place it is still worth your time
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Review from Pj L.
San Francisco, CA
9/10/2011
Like Grandma's Cooking.
I am very picky when it comes to Filipino Restaurants. Maybe because my mom owns a restaurant back in the PI.. :)
For me when it comes to Filipino restaurants its not always about the taste. It has to have that "Feel at home ambiance" and "Kamusta Po - Everybody knows each other feeling effect".. I think that is what separates Fil restau from others.. Well safe to say I felt very much welcome here..
Food is Excellent, specially the Kare-Kare...... and the Liempo.............. and the Crispy pata........ ok stop. LOL
Price is Fair. I beleive in the saying. YOU GET WHAT YOU PAID FOR. but in this case I got MORE!..
Service is top notch! si Manong and Manang very friendly. and the good thing about Filipinos is that they always smile.. Smiling for no reason at all. one lady in that restau drop a glass of water and she is still smiling. how cool is that :) LOL..
I Personally recommend this Restaurant for you guys who have not yet tried filipino foods.
Order Dinuguan, but dont ask whats in it.. :) -
Review from Lene N.
Union City, CA
7/1/2011
This place is D-LICIOUS! Came here for Father's Day since my dad saw the commercial on TFC (hehe!)....walked in 30 minutes till closing & they still sat us. Most places would have said we're "closing soon, blablabla"
Anyway, food presentation was beautiful ..a MUST TRY are their steak dishes & GARLIC rice (not tooo salty). very, very, very yummy! -
Review from Jennifer C P.
San Francisco, CA
Boracay now serves Merienda from 2:30 - 5PM!
What is Merienda? It's an afternoon "snack" to we fabulous FIlipinos! Sometimes it is smaller portion of certain foods and other times it is sweet pastry/buns with caffe (wait I think my mom pronounced it khoppeh ::laughing::)
Wiki defines it: "Merienda is taken from the Spanish and is a light meal or snack especially in the afternoon, similar to the concept of afternoon tea. If the meal is taken close to dinner, it is called merienda cena, and may be served instead of dinner.
I grabbed my favorite dining companion and we went here. I love to see people eat diniguan for the first time. My fellow Filipino Yelp friends love to push Balut (fertilized egg - duck or chicken embryo). Me? I love to push Diniguan. Its not because it is gross, ok fine - it is in theory when you define what it is, most people tap out and say no way. I like to push it because it is for those with "advanced culinary taste", not to be mistaken for " an acquired taste" because an advanced palate starts at birth. . . and no matter where you are in the world, even if you cannot read the language printed on a menu, if food were placed in front of you, your gift of discernement would kick in because you know what is good eats!
As I suspected, my companion loved the Diniguan! It is dugo (pork blood) cooked with bits of pork and comes with puto (sweet rice cakes). Boracay serves it only for Merienda. The diniguan was delicious. I like mine with more spice. The consistency was beautifully smooth which made this a great treat for both of us to share.
Arroz Caldo is my childhood favorite. What is it? Think Chinese jook without the ancient egg. They cook it perfectly here. I just wish the topping was Chicharron and not dried shredded fish. I will definitely have this again!
Pansit Palabok is normally something I shy away from because I am fickle about the gravy. The way they prepare it here is perfet - so much so that I found some fish bones. That is how you know that gravy is serious seafood! Again, I wish it had an option for chicharon instead of dried shredded seafood on top.
I washed all that yummy with a delicious sweet-tart-salty fresh green mango shake (I still think it should be called a smoothie). Be careful, the portions are not small. We were stuffed with food left over.
I love you Boracay. You give consistently friendly service, the food has been really amazing my last numerous visits, and you DO NOT USE MSG! I love you I love you!
Keep on improving and tweaking things and I promise I will be back!2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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11/8/2010
I've been in a comfort food mood lately where all I want to eat is comfort food of all types. What… Read more »
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Review from Miss P.
San Francisco, CA
11/30/2011
yeah, so i (politely) asked to get the pinakbit before the crispy pata (since it apparently takes longer to make), because we were a bit hungry. the response was, "our kitchen knows how to time the dishes". this was a vague answer, since this was really more of a "yes" or "no" question.....i later found out that it meant: "you'll get your food when i feel it's time to get your food, biatch." i should have told him that i was born in Manila, so i have a bit of filipino cred (not too much, but a little)....i bet that would have changed things....or not. he eventually warmed up to us though, and the guy bussing the tables was really nice.
anyway, the pinakbit was good....i'm not a fan of eggplant, so i gave that to my dining companion. it works out well like that. everything else was good. i mean, how many places can you go and order something from the "vegetable" menu, and get crispy fried pork belly scattered on top of it? that's what i thought....bring on the pork, yo.
the crispy pata was really good too....i even broke some pieces off of the pig's hoof, which was tasty, but still a bit difficult to get over the fact that it was, errr, a hoof.
the garlic rice was decent too.
this place has some non-filipino food as well....or it's some kind of asian fusion place, i guess.
the vibe there is very casual. i definitely would hit this place again....thank goodness i have an excellent lipid profile. -
Review from Krista C.
1/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
I don't usually go out to eat Filipino food since I can make most of my favorite dishes at home and for cheaper. But there are those times when I just want someone to cook the damn food for me the way my mom cooked the damn food when I was a child.
"Woman! Get in the kitchen and make me my adobo and pancit! Hop to it!" I would shout after a long day of rolling around on the playground and beating up boys.
"Hoy! Sino ka? Tarantado!" Would be her response, which is translated to "Hey! Who do you think you are? Biatch!"
Then I would be sent to my room without any supper anyway. The irony.
Boracay Garden allows me to relive these wonderful childhood memories through my gastronomical senses.
Sinigang, cripsy pata, lumpia are all good dishes here--just like how mama used to make. -
Review from Geordie E.
San Francisco, CA
6/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Lumpia Shanghai, Black Rice, Aristocrat Fried Chicken & Java Fried Rice, Turon & Buko Pandanus Ice Cream ftw
The lumpia and the Aristocrat Fried Chicken was not greasy. -
Review from W. T.
San Francisco, CA
3/12/2012
This place is great. Friendly staff, generous portions, laid back atmosphere, low prices, and most importantly, good food. Try these dishes: aristocrat chicken, bangus sisig, halo halo, mango shake, seafood black rice. Only minor complaint is the long wait time - be prepared to wait 30-45 minutes for your food to arrive.
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Review from Peter v.
San Mateo, CA
7/28/2011
This is a family run business and that has its pros and cons. The pros are the food is like Filipino home cooking and the people are very nice and friendly. The con is that the service is slow and could use some improvement. First thing was that they had 2 red wines on their menu and no white wines. Go figure. White wine generally goes better with heavier oilier Asian foods. A few minutes later they came back and told us they had some white which was nice of them. Overall things move a little slowly. My nephew ordered Turon and when it didn't come with the rest of the dessert, I asked the waiter and he told me it was coming. Well, he never really checked. So after we all finished our desserts, I asked again and sure enough, it was never prepared.
I give it 4 stairs because the food is good and I think the restaurant has potential if it can just improve their service. Hopefully they're readying yelp. -
Review from Sally M.
1/6/2011
We've come here a couple times now, and *every*single*one*of*us* have fallen in love.
The staff is just lovely - super friendly & helpful.
And the food is phenomenal! Some favorites:
* Binagoongang Rice - quite possibly everyone's favorite item on the menu!
* Kare-Kare
* Aristocrat Chicken
etc... :) -
Review from Daniel W.
San Francisco, CA
The good:
Green mango drinks
Everything else:
Seafood black rice was their flagship but personally I didn't like the flavor of the dish and I'm usually very open with a wide range of variety in foods, both in flavor and raw.
The crispy pork dish we had was mostly FAT. And I don't eat the skin. There was barely any meat left, considering the size of the bone.
If you are trying to be healthy or on a diet, I wouldn't recommend this place. Next time I might go for the cheaper, average dishes here, if I do end upcoming back.
The next day, my shit was darker than usual. It was probably the squid ink! -
Review from Janice C.
10/10/2010
Let me speak on this.
* Hi Bobby L! *
I am part Filipino.
I speak Tagalog.
I put bagoong (aka: shrimp paste) on steamed rice and call that a meal.
However, I don't cook Filipino food as much as I should. (why should I? I work with a lot of Pinoys who bring me home cooked meals!) But given the chance of having dinner at a Filipino restaurant, I wasn't about to pass this up.
The good: Binagoongang rice (rice with shrimp paste and pork topped), Pinakbet (supposedly a vegetarian dish but they top this with crispy pork belly), sinigang pork ribs, the pork sisig. (was not very fatty compared to other sisig plates that I've tried) We did try the seafood black rice that many yelpers recommended, but I agree with JCP that it needs something else. Salt, perhaps?
The bad: YOU. If you don't order the green mango shake. They basically take unripe mangos, blend it with ice and add sugar. If you're into the sweet/tart combination, this hits the spot. I haven't had this since I lived in Manila so it was a real treat. Service needs a little improvement, but the food itself is enough to keep me coming back.
Average tab is about $20 - $25 per person. Thank you pare for setting this up!
