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Manila Cafe
Rating Details »
- Hours:
Mon. 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
9 reviews for Manila Cafe
This is an interesting little place. I know that doesn't sound like a winner right off the bat, but I admit that my reticence is because I apparently am not a huge fan of food from the Philippines. (Which is also what's biasing my three stars.) However, judging by the number of people who appeared to be Philippine nationals or of Philippines ethnicity happily enjoying the food, I'd say the food is authentic and well done. And some of it I did like. I just wasn't really into the things that were sour, or contained huge chunks of fat, or required carefully chewing due to small-but-chunky bones.
Decor-wise, it's simple, but it doesn't need more. It looks like it's made for hosting groups for karaoke nights and parties. (The day I went for lunch there was actually a sign on the door saying it was closed after 5:00 that night - a Saturday - for a private party, and several people were eating lightly while enjoying watching a game show from the Philippines.) And although simple, the character of the place is excellent. And the staff too - very friendly, and they'll make you feel like you're a guest in their home.
I'd say if you already like food from the Philippines, or haven't tried it yet, this seems like a great place to go.
Dear Manila Cafe,
Throughout the years of inconsistent, less than average, and expensive food, I've continued to give you chances to redeem yourself. But, after today, I just can't do it anymore. My dad and I had a craving for halo-halo and even though you were our last choice to go to, we went just cuz you're down the street and we thought it would be impossible to mess up a halo-halo. We were wrong. Not only was the glass too small, causing quite a mess but, there were oh so many missing ingredients. No macapuno? No mungo? No pinipig or tapioca? No leche flan? No fresh ube? :::sad face::: AND...sh*t still cost 5 dollars!? Whaatt??!
No one can say I didn't stand by you, I came back even after the atrocity also known as the pansit my mom ordered from you back in April didn't I? It was not edible and we were embarrassed to serve it to our guests. I would be very ashamed of myself if I were you! You get a minus 1/2 star for that.
We are so over Manila Cafe.
Cordially,
Jamee
The first time I went to this place was in 2007. One of my buddies, a Filipino US soldier, wanted me to try Filipino dishes. I liked, believe it or not, dinuguan. I also liked adobo (chicken), sinigang, halo-halo, and igado(?)-forgive me if my spelling is wrong.
Because I was transferred by the military from one location to another, I came back to this restaurant at the last quarter of 2008.
Same food, same tasty dishes. For some reason, I like the regular pancit and pancit palabok. The rice cakes are also good.
It's quite a "long" trip from DC to VA. I'll try to go there again with my Filipino buddies now that I've purchased a new GPS!
PLACE: I was craving filipino food one day so I decided to try this out. I walked in to a karaoke TV and what seems to be the owners family eating at the corner at this slow weeknight. This place looked like it was a non-chain family run restaurant which I thought was cool.
FOOD: It was a dinner buffet so I had to grab it. I tried all of their food in the bar, which was scarce, and this place did not satisfy me. The adobo was oily as hell, pancit was dry, dinuguan was also oily and so on. The only thing I went back for seconds/thrids for was the Ginataan. I've already paid for it, not gonna let it go to waste ya know.
OTHER: don't go here for the buffet. I would rather drive back to Rockville for filipino food.
Manila Cafe is probably the most widely known and popular Filipino restaurant in Northern Virginia. It's been around for quite some time and has been no stranger to the Washington scene. A few years ago it acquired new ownership and moved to it's new location inside a shopping center at the intersection of Amhurst and Commerce (off of Backlick Road). The new location is much cleaner and easier to find.
The restaurant's got all the basics of Philippine cuisine. If you choose to "eat all you can", it's served buffet style from the dining area - where you take your plate up to the servery area, spoon your food and then take it back to your table. An alternative that I usually choose is to order the two entree special, where you can order two main courses with rice.
The ambiance is open and bright, there is a television in the corner for enjoying Philippine broadcasts via satellite. And there is a mini-stage that is used during the weekend evenings for karaoke. Cleanliness is good.
(Photos Uploaded)
This is a buffet style, or turo-turo, that a coworker suggested I visit. My only other experience with Filipino food in the area was little Quiapos, and this was much better. The Pork Adobo was great, as was the menudo and kare-kare. But nothing there was anything that you wouldn't get at your average Filipino house party.
I am still waiting for great Filipino food. Someplace where the food hasn't been sitting around in a pot all day long. Something without more bone and gristle than meat. Home style cookin' is great, but I can get it for free from my girlfriend's millions of family members. If I'm going out to eat, I want something special.
Manila Cafe is a good place to have a get-together with family &/or friends. I'm guessing the chef or something changed because the food style has tasted differently ever since, it used to quite good. The service used to be amazing but now it's o.k., the waitresses still give you more than you pay for when you're getting take-out though but sometimes it feels like they aren't paying much attention to the customer. I like their buffet style but I miss the way it used to be a sort of restaurant style.
This restaurant is fairly satisfying but it could be much better. They don't offer food choices that customers normally prefer & you don't really see that many customers eating there at any time of day so it sort of gives you an empty feeling of the place. Expect average Filipino food from this place, nothing more.
on my most recent visit the place was almost empty except for the staff and the buffet area was also disappointingly bare. there werent as much selections anymore, the food looks like leftovers and weren't appetizing at all. what happened? used to be better.
This place is ok. Frankly, I'm not a fan of Manila style cooking, and that's a lot of what you get around DC and VA. Too much FAT and GREASE! The food here is ok. The most disconcerting thing I found here was, THEY MAKE YOU PAY FOR RICE! What?! Anyway, as one reviewer said, this is a turo-turo, and it's about what you would expect from a turo-turo.
