Manila Express Gourmet Fast Foods
425 Gellert Blvd, Daly City, CA, 94015
Manila Express Gourmet Fast Foods Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Daly City for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Daly City for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Daly City for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
425 Gellert Blvd
Daly City, CA, 94015 - Phone (650) 878-8155
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :Closed
- Mon : Closed
Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : No
Drive-Thru : No
Caters : Yes
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Rey V.
This place is kinda odd, but the food is good! The place doesn't look very inviting. Like others have described, it's quiet and dark inside, with boxes piled up in the dining area, and bathroom. We usually order take-out, and I can only assume so does most customers since I've never seen this place full. But the food is great! The pork BBQ is yummy, but I have to admit, the meat slices on the skewer is too big. (Yes, I can't believe I'm complaining that they put too much meat on the stick) .
(4)Tastebud S.
In the area trying to get some work done and went to eat late in the evening with my family. My husband remembered about this filipino restaurant that used to be there then closed then reopened again. When we went in this restaurant it was nicer than before. They had remodeled the interior which made the place look more brighter. Food was good. No waitor/waitress. You pretty much have to go to the counter and place your order and have a seat. They call when your order is ready. I love that they serve not only silogs, but combo entrees which are fairly priced. Food is made to order. Menus are on a digital flat screen tv.
(3)MB M.
i am giving manila express 5 stars for one thing and one thing only- their bbq is to die for. chicken, pork, beef, what have you... it's good man. i don't even remember ever having anything here other than the bbq, but that's okay cause that's all you need. but i do agree with some people though...they should probably hire an interior decorator sometime in the future. either that.. or just pine-sol the bathrooms every now and then. But if all you care about is food, then don't hesistate to come in. otherwise, get take out. yum!
(5)Andrew K.
I needed to try another Filipino Restaurant as a basis for comparison before rating this one. The place touts itself with some sort of superlative. But, this place wasn't so good. The atmosphere was dank and dirty. There's an 80's style big-screen TV, and oily as hell food, that was a little stale tasting, all served in a sad commercial plaza. Halo halo can be better.
(2)Berna T.
I was craving some Pinoy food and the only place that I knew of at the time was this one (because my bf suggested it). Firstly, sinigang should not cost $9. Not unless you're at a sit down restaurant where they serve you your sinigang in a soup tureen and serving you in nice ceramic bowls. Secondly, the sinigang was just not good. And third, we ordered a BBQ plate and it was just bad. The lumpia was bad. I was thoroughly and completely disappointed.
(1)elmer d.
the bbq at this joint is hecka good....they muss lace that red bbq sauce wit sumthin haha....gimme an order of bbq chicken with a side of rice & im good,,,,it competes with the one on school st...i jus like this spot better...pricing is not an issue....the sauce here is the difference maker i tell ya....btw this spot is hidden in a lil plaza...
(5)Astrid B.
This is my FAVORITE place to go for BBQ. I've been eating here for nearly 20 years now. The bbq sticks are really big and I love the sauce that they use. I don't think it's too expensive; about seven bucks for three sticks + rice & achara (sp?). I LOVE it. The cons - restaurant is dirty and ugly looking (I always take it to go or eat it there if I'm realllly hungry and can't wait), they're closed on Monday's, and they don't accept any type of debit or credit card. Other than that, it's wonderful. I've only tried their bbq though, never had a need to try any of the other Filipino food.
(5)Jason X.
Large portions. Irresistible smoky char taste on all their bbq meats Great service
(5)Sam G.
My first time eating Filipino food and it was not disappointing. I got the BBQ pork which came with a lot of rice, adobo and lumpia. The BBQ pork was delicious, with a nice sticky sauce and a good char cooked flavor. The adobo is big chunks of meat cooked until nice and tender in a sauce/broth, meat itself was very good but the broth was too strongly flavored to drink. The lumpia are like mini spring rolls, pretty bland but not bad. Good service. The tables were a little sticky, but overall a good experience and I will be back to try the other dishes.
(4)Lu Lu S.
There Bbq sticks are THE best! It's not too expensive either compared to other Filipino restaurants. We also ate their tapsilog and longsilog and it was very tasty as well. This place is our new go to for Filipino food!
(4)Christine D.
I know Manila Express has been open for a long time, but I haven't really visited until last Sunday. The location is somewhat hidden through the passage way between the chinese restaurant and the 7/11. We were warmly welcomed with a smile as we entered the restaurant. They have menus at the register and everything is pretty affordable for what you get. You order at the front and when your order is ready, they call you up to pick up your food. There weren't very many people there only about 4 people eating. They had two large screen TV's which had basketball games on. We decided to order the lumpia, chicken bbq, and chicken adobo. Their bbq chicken didn't come skewered like I expected it to come, but that just means that easier to eat. The chicken adobo was perfectly flavored. The garlic wasn't too overpowering and it came with very large pieces of chicken and a mountain of rice. The lumpia was delicious and crispy. I am very particular about how it's made and the flavor along with the crunch and the sweet and sour sauce that accompanied it was delicious. Overall, I would definitely return. I wasn't able to try their palabok since the food we ordered was plenty. The only thing I can really say is that the tables were pretty sticky, but other than that it was a good experience. They also offer party trays of food.
(4)Henry L.
OMG so much food. Seriously. It's a total bargain for cost to food ratio. Only had the beef short ribs (kalbi) and the pork. I actually preferred the pork over the ribs. I was surprised too. With an entree, it comes with a couple of other sides. We ended up getting the big combo which included a total of four skewers. Between the skewers and the sides, it was more than we could eat. There was even enough for left overs for one of us to eat for lunch. There was something just right about this place. From the decor to the kind of questionable strip mall that this restaurant resides, Manila Express was a perfect hole in the wall for a late lunch on a Sunday. It's simple food cooked well.
(4)Mercy D.
I'm going to rave about their boba drink. I'm sure you've heard of Quickly or Bambu or boba drinks in general right? Well I happen to love taro smoothies with tapioca balls so I got one. Here, they have flavored boba! I decided to try the taro smoothie with mango boba. I loved it. It's nothing like the ones I've had at Vietnamese restaurants or at Bambu. It was original and they used Fresh taro! I've seen some places use powder and I was ecstatic manila express doesn't use a powdered drink! And the boba.... wow... it was different! It sort of popped in your mouth releasing a zing of flavor onto your tongue... It was amazing!
(4)Leilani M.
Clean restaurant. A bit of a hidden gem came after church ordered the breakfast with two meats eggs and garlic rice was given some soup on the side. Vinegar with the longanissa. Lechon came with sauce and topped it off with tfc and ASAP I had the best Sunday brunch ever. The lechon was on point!
(5)May A.
Good food! Craving satisfied when I finally had a chance to order a Filipino dish I have not had in a while and been craving for lately... pansit palabok. We were in the area from visiting friends in the nearby city of San Bruno so we took advantage of having to dine in a Filipino restaurant. The portion was a good size because as hungry as I was, and it didn't seem like a lot when we received the order, I couldn't finish the plateful of this one dish meal. The presentation was nice and the taste was delicious. The restaurant was a bit hard to find. My hubby, who frequented this place in the 80's, was going by memory in trying to locate it. After a few U-turns and back tracks we were able to find it. You really have to look because we were not sure where the main parking area was nor the entrance to this complex because it was hidden from a 7-11 and a Chinese restaurant. We had to park on the side street and walk in. It is in the midst of other small businesses. The place looks old but is clean and nice inside, decorated in many floral themes. No individual tables, all long tables in the restaurant. They have two flat screens on the wall, both showing TFC Channel shows (of course, right?). You place your order in the counter and you pick up from there too. They will not serve to you. The woman that took our order was super nice and friendly. Food prices were affordable but one stick of their famous BBQ is $5.85 (whoa!), you might as well buy 3 sticks for $8.95. They offer 'Express Meal Specials" in BBQ pork, BBQ beef, or BBQ chicken. Each meal special is served with rice and a combination of pansit, lumpia and adobo. Wish we were closer to this place...
(4)Diomedes L.
Palabok and bbq is their specialty. Still same area since I left but the food is still great. Authentic Filipino food. The service was good although the staff was minimal. I took my wife And my mother in law after visiting their friend from Hawaii in San Bruno, we went here to eat dinner. Still delicious and the price is still affordable. I recommend you to come here for a simple but delicious authentic Filipino food .
(5)Ivan A.
Solid! Authentic! The grilled chicken was perfect! The sauce was tasty! My 4 years old daughter really liked it. So I guess we can say that it's kid friendly. We can't wait to go back! LOVE THIS PLACE!
(5)Jesse S.
This is totally old school. Solid food. Great prices. Four sticks , rice , pancit and lumpia. for $ 17.60 really. Feed three adults and one kid. and still have left overs , all I have to do is cook more rice. Hidden away behind 7/11 is the jewel of BBQ. New floors and better TV. Pansit is tasty and was devoured in a instant. Lumpia was gone in a blink of an eye. Bbq and adobo where left overs. But will not go to waste. There was so much food. But come and eat.
(4)Michelle B.
Super pleased with Manila Express - another Yelp hit! Hubby and I were in this part of the woods, so why not have filipino? Took us a second to find the entrance, which was located behind the Chinese restaurant. The place is not as visible however you'll know since it's indicated on the marquee in front of the main strip mall- along with 7-11, barber shop etc. First - you'll have to walk up to the counter and place your order. We were greeted by a very nice and friendly lady - I ordered the 3-way combo- 3-sticks of pork BBQ, pancit, adobo and rice with atchara. Hubs ordered the fried boneless bangus with garlic rice. My order was plentiful - I realize then that my eyes are far bigger than my stomach. Everything was really good and made to order. Hubs reported that the bangus was really fresh and fried to perfection. Our order cost less than $20 - what a bargain! I really enjoyed watching the filipino channel - found out that "apl. de. ap." is one of the judges of the pinoy version of The Voice.
(4)Alvaro G.
Excellent Filipino Food. I was surprised how much food there was with their BBQ combination plate. For the value and the taste, I would really go back. I recommend trying the Green Mango smoothie, that really hit the spot.
(5)Vincent W.
This place is fast and gives good portions. Did you see my picture. My friend on FB said it looks like a buffet. We got the set meal, 4 PC bbq pork skewer, rice, adobo, 4 lumpia and pancit for $13+ tax. Enough for me and SO for lunch with 1.5 skewers left for dinner and all the adobo left. Just need to make some rice and we are good for another meal. Quick service and good tasting food, yup, we'll be back.
(4)Don S.
We drove up for the day from O.C. to visit family and found this little cozy restaurant on yelp when we arrived early morning. Walked in and greeted by some lady who probably is the owner with so much hospitality. I thrive on positive energy and great customer service. We ordered breakfast hotdogsilog, tapsilog and longsilog. Couldn't have asked for a better breakfast with the great service. If you're around the area and feeling filipino food or if not, I still recommend you try this place out.
(5)Raymond F.
I came and were greeted right away with a smile, very warm staff. I had the pork sinigang with rice. It was in a large bowl which makes the price worth it. The soup was very hot and very sour, just the way i like it. I had to wait a while that the guy before me got his order first, meaning they had to cook my soup fresh, not already in stock. I really enjoyed my sinigang. This place has been here since i was a kid but this is my first time here. I wasn't dissapointed.
(5)Jade D.
The food is good I usually come here for their BBQ stick specials but if you try to ask for "extra" anything especially for take-out like extra condiments for example, the old lady who owns the place is very Greedy. Talk about cheap and BAD customer service! I don't like her attitude at all. I think customers should be able to get what they want since we are the ones supporting her business. Stop being shady. This place accepts cash only so come prepared. What makes the BBQ so good is their secret ingredient which is banana ketchup. I find that interesting.
(1)Hyesun S.
Avoid this place!!! Wanted to order an one-item, got a tiny small plate of chosen meat and plain rice, which is different from shown on the board -- with veggies. I asked why there was no veggies, first the old lady said they forgot to give me, then she said no veggies for 1 - item plate!!! I ended up walking away and shared a generous teriyaki chicken plate with my husband from Tokyo grill next door.
(1)Misses R.
Regular customer, our fave dish is the bbq pork sticks. Had some relatives visiting and decided to dine in, first time for me too as I usually take out. First time trying the mixed adobo, pancit and shaghai lumpias. The bbq pork sticks were the best dish. The owner, is always pleasant when I come here. If you are craving filipino foods, give this place a try.
(5)Sean M.
Come and get the big plate, it it enough for 2 people! All of the food is great and the owner is super friendly! She even remembered my friend from Reno who came in about 10 months ago. Please support this place if you like good Filipino food!
(5)SJ D.
Decided to come here again to see if the awesome food I had was a one-off. Today I had the munngo (mung beans with pork and bitter melon leaves). It also came with rice and a side of fried fish. I also ordered the chicharong bulaklak again (of course) Again, the food was delicious! The munngo was well seasoned, chock full of hearty pork pieces; the fish (I think pompano) was great and a nice added bonus; the bulaklak, again, was perfect!! Strongly recommend this place!!!
(5)Celia A.
My family has been coming here for over 20 yrs now. Great food,our favorite is the pork bbq. Driving here from Fremont is worth our time, the owner is super friendly. The price is great and generous on food, we always have left over to take home.
(5)Marilyn D.
I love this place.. BBQ is always fresh. For hubs and I, food here is great. The people here are fantastic. I'd come here anytime if I'm craving for some BBQ. I tried one their new smoothie/shake and it was awesome. I personally thought is was real good. Purple yam with mango boba.. Yummy.. On my way home, I couldn't stop drinking it.. I wanted to save some for hubby to try. If you bite into the boba it pops in your mouth. As for parking if can be hard at times.. If you don't see any in the streets you will need to park in the parking lot that is shared with 7-Eleven and other stores/restaurant. Which sometimes gets filled up quick.
(5)Abigail D.
Been coming here since I was in elementary school. Love the BBQ pork skewers and BBQ chicken. Only things I ever get. I actually prefer their food to the ever so popular Fil-Am Cuisine. I think it tastes better and there's less fat on the skewers. Feel me. Get on it. TIP 1: Phone your orders in if you don't wanna wait. Takes about 15-20mins bc most items are made to order. TIP 2: Cash only!
(4)Dkac C.
This place has really good food. I really enjoy the adobo, sinigang, lumpia and pancit. The BBQ is good but maybe a lil sweet for me. Oh yeah the garlic rice is yummy. Btw, portions are huge and the owner is really nice. Catered from here for our son's bday party! Go eat here. She cooks to orders so don' expect instantaneous food.
(5)Eric A.
Came in here on a Sunday evening and met up with a few tumbleweeds. JK. The place was empty, but they were more than happy to help me and my to go needs. I ordered the BBQ chicken and the beef steak and boy did I eat well that night. The food was cooked great; the flavors reminded me of Fiesta Filipina circa 2002 (the good years). I will def come here again to fix my filipino cravings.
(5)Nerissa D.
I've know auntie Nita for more than a decade. I've eaten and taken good to go. Tonight we decided to celebrate my bday. She was very accommodating and the food as always was awesome! The price for the amount of food was amazing. Thank you for everything.
(4)Rio J.
I've been going here since I was a teen. So almost 15 years now, damn I'm getting old! I can't beive I never wrote a review!Anyway this place is one of my FAVS! The food has not changed even after they remodeled (which some places have a tendency of doing). The people are soo nice treat you like family. Now to the best part FOOD! Simple and amazing BB-Q sticks are Pork but delicious with that special red sauce they use. If you dont do pork get chicken. I get the combo of both it comes with rice and pansit (not sure I spelled that right, oh well) which I still over the years haven't acquired a taste for. Order a side of the little lumpia and call it a day! Don't be alarmed by the location or decor it is definitely worth the trip! I always take it to-go anyway!
(5)Michael R.
I really enjoy ordering from here! I usually just call in an order for an express meal and pick it up a few minutes later. Always tasty, and the owner is friendly.
(4)Francesca M.
Been coming here since I was a preteen. My mom would get her haircut/color next door at Merla's and me and my sis would come here to eat with my dad. I can sum it all up in 3 words: Delicious, affordable, Friendly. The BBQ stick combos are great. Heaping amounts of BBQ & pansit. I have to try the silog plates soon. Minus one star cuz it does take a while for the food to cook so if i were you, call in before if you're getting takeout.
(4)Nick D.
Talk about hole in the wall! But it's a hole in one as far as BBQ goes! The s/o told me about this place as the s/o has been here before to order BBQ for work potlucks. I'm always suspicious of hole in the wall Filipino spots but figured it's worth a shot, especially if the s/o liked it. We tried them out for dinner one night and the lady helping us was way friendly. They had a few combos that were reasonably priced. We both ordered a combo plate and two sodas and it came out to just $20.00, not bad at all. While waiting, it was cold as eff in the resto...they seriously needed to turn on the heater. It made sense as to what Auntie was all bundle up looking like she was Tahoe bound. It kind of felt like Tahoe cuz the resto got smokey too because of the BBQ. But really, it was NBD, it's the food that counts, right? So our food is ready and man, the portions are big. The BBQ sticks I got were huge and were pretty deng delicious. My combo also came with pork Adobo which was good, yeah, even better than my own Adobo! The Pancit it also came with was pretty standard but fixed my craving. The food got cold fast cuz it was cold in the resto, which is probably why were were the only ones eating in while everyone was taking theirs to go. Overall, you'll get some good BBQ sticks here and other food, we'll definitely come back...for take out though!
(4)CynCub C.
Have been coming here for years (since the 80's). Partial to the pork BBQ on a stick with rice. Lumpia shanghai is pretty good too, but this place is known for the BBQ. It's a hole in the wall, but the food is delicious. The owner knows how to cook BBQ fo sho. Giving this four stars since my "to-go" order was a disappointment. The BBQ pork was over cooked and charred at the tips. Yuck. Nothing that a knife couldn't remove, but still, I don't want my BBQ pork on a stick, charred. I was thinking of calling, but it was the first time in YEARS that I was disappointed. If it happens again, then I'll have to say something.
(4)Kimberly D.
Ate here in Fall 2012. My mom and I shared the 4 piece bbq combo plate, which is your choice of bbq meats plus rice, pancit, 2 lumpia shanghai, pickled salad, and pork adobo for $13.95. We had leftovers! Food was very tasty, bbq sweet, friendly service, and comfortable decor. I would love to go back when I'm in the area again. They also serve many fresh smoothies like mango and avocado for $3.99, and melon (cantaloupe juice w/grated meat).
(4)Tracy Joy K.
Manila Express is one of those places I grew up in - with our weekend trips to the motherland - "Daly City"... Before I could chew on any sort of meat my mom would feed me Sinigang and Rice from a styrofoam cup :) - the thought of this still tantalizes my taste buds. They always had a sort of dark feeling to the room because of the lighting and even a little cluttered sometimes. But it was probably the epitome of authentic, great filipino food. BBQ is a must try, you may find yourself inhaling the stuff. This place can be a little hard to find since it is tucked away under some stairs. Parking can be a little hard, but hey, it's Daly City! I cannot wait until I come here again!
(4)Ryan M.
I was super excited to try this place out. That excitement dwindled before I could even get into the store. The parking lot is a one way half moon type of parking lot, and the people that frequent this strip mall are beyond idiotic, rude, and inconsiderate. Newsflash, blonde girl in Jetta, you CANNOT stop int he middle of the one way parking and turn on your hazard lights to get out and go to the damn Redbox. Yes, those cars that are backed up into the street actually wanted to get through. No, your hazard lights mean nothing. And yes, Mr. Fast&Furious wannabe in his broken down rusted red Integra, making your own parking spot in the tiny parking lot DOES hinder everyone else's ability to drive through said parking lot. After managing to make my way through this sea of jerks, I ordered a huge plate with pork skewers, pork adobo, and lumpia. This was a massive amount of food. But, something was off. The bbq pork tasted... old. It was precooked, chopped into uniform pieces, and then finished on the grill. The pork was not very sweet, not very salty, and not very bbq flavored. I can't really put my finger on it. The texture was odd as well, reminiscent of being reheated after being fully cooked. It was past being fully cooked and having that fresh bbq pork bounciness, but before it started to become pulled pork or stewed pork. The pork adobo was fine, if a little dry. The two ladies in the store were super nice and pleasant, and the store itself was very homey and slightly islandy. But the food overall was just off. It could be my own tastes, but I am not really a fan. It definitely can't make up for the parking lot. BTW, NEVER park in the parking lot.
(3)Idiosyncratic G.
Overall It was just OK. I really enjoyed the Pork BBQ that I would totally order from here again and again. But the pork liempo was pretty disappointing it was more like slices of boneless kalbi but super thin and overcooked. Pancit bihon meh. Bangus was not so great either. Longanisa sub par. But Adobo was pretty good. So far of all the dishes I've tried I'd only order the Pork BBQ and the Adobo. Not bad. Place could do with a renovation or remodel someone call Robert Irvine of Restaurant Impossible lol they also need an actual menu that makes sense. Seems all over the place. Otherwise bbq and adobo alone I would have given them 4.5 stars!
(3)Darren G.
BBQ pork is delicious. Really tasty food, good service, a must go! I highly recommend it.
(5)Roger O.
Best BBQ I've tasted. Love going there. I lived in Daly City all my life and this is the place I go to for Filipino food. Love Lita who takes your order. She is so friendly. I am glad you can use your ATM now!
(5)Raina k.
restaurants smells like bleach... table is fitly. food mediocre. will not go back place stink.
(1)Baron S.
Best Filipino BBQ, bar none! The sauce is what keeps me coming back, and I've known this place all of my life, ever since I was a kid. No other BBQ comes close.
(5)Gors P.
what i ordered... stewed squid and pork bbq i've been to the area for year's and year's and never seen this restaurant. it was tucked inside a small rinky dinky alley of small shops. eatery was simple and the food were homemade and served it the way they do in Manila cafe's. bbq pork was very good.... sweet, well cooked and fat was a little chard. stewed squid was good too but an acquired taste will only tell you so. fyi! cash only ambiance... bad (lost in time. really need to upgrade but the owner said she's almost on her way out, been running the place for over a quarter century) service... good (cashier/owner was very nice and chatty) cost... $ (fair)
(4)Ian S.
Fast. Large portions. Good value. Heavy on the protein. Cheerful service. Clean. Wifi and Power Plug are available.
(4)Tom P.
I've been coming here since they open and every time was good. Prices are reasonable and the owner lady is cordial.
(5)Dee S.
I discovered this place because of Yelp! I came here for the first time last week to place a to-go order. It was around 11:20am and I was the only customer there. I ordered 1 BBQ chicken combo (with rice, pancit, lumpia) and a side order of vegetable lumpia. It was good! The price I'd say is pretty decent because my box of food was overflowing. BBQ was flavorful and not hard! The lady behind the counter was nice too. I also think it's a good dine-in place because it is so clean!!! The owner is also very nice and remembers faces! I also discovered that they sell shakes and sago't gulaman! Will try next time! CASH ONLY!
(4)Reese D.
Large portions, taste great, cheap price. What more could you ask for?
(4)Rocky J.
I have been coming here since the '90's and I just love coming back here. Ateh Dita (owner) is very nice. She makes it very homey for me and my family. I love her bbq's, pansit and lumpia. Everything about this place is just wonderful. I highly recommend anyone to come here especially if you want to eat some Filipino foods. The price is reasonable and you won't regret it for trying it here. Thank you Ateh Dita for great service and hoping you'll be around for a very long time.
(5)Jose T.
This place has the absolute best Filipino BBQ in Daly City. If you're familiar with Daly City, and the sheer number of Filipino restaurants in DC, then you know the claim of having the best Filipino BBQ is a big deal. Ask people who have been living in DC for years, and everyone will tell you this place is at the top tier of Filipino BBQ. I have never left this place disappointed. Their Manila style palabok is excellent too. I have lived in AZ for over 7 years now, and each and every time I go home to DC, I make it a point to have at least one meal at Manila Express. The food is consistently excellent and is always at a fair price. Don't go to or pass by DC without stopping by this place. --------------------------------------------------Â-- We went to the Bay Area over the holidays and I went back to Manila Express. I was a little worried because some of the places I used to frequent when I was younger have been either closing down or just lacking flavor. That was NOT the case at Manila Express.. We went in there, it was renovated. It was so nice in there compared to how it was before. Kudos to the owners. The food was just as it was when I was a teenager.. EXCELLENT. Even the lady that works there is the same woman that has worked there for decades. I love seeing her beautiful face, because when I see her, she triggers my synapses and I have the feeling of "Ahhh... everything is going to be ok." and I know I am in for a great meal. I thank my lucky stars that Manila Express is not just as it was when I was a kid, but it's actually better.
(5)Gary E.
While in Daly City, we had a special request to bring back some Filipino barbecue for dinner. There are quite a few places in the area but I decided to visit an old place I remembered as a teen that served up some pretty good barbecue. Tucked away in the very back of Serra Vista center, unless you're a local, you wouldn't know about this place if it wasn't for the sign. They have lunch and dinner combos and the usual traditional dishes. Plenty of room to eat in or take it to go. They even have a large screen TV to catch up on what's happening back in PI. We ordered five orders of barbecue pork on skewer with steamed rice to go. It didn't too long to prepare. Starved after the long commute, when we got home I dug in. All I can say, its pretty dam good barbecue...
(4)Feed M.
Just had lunch here earlier today. I had time to kill while waiting for my dad at his medical appointment. I drove around and the first sign I saw was for Manila Express and a Chinese restaurant inside a little plaza. I can have Chinese food anytime so I opted to try Manila Express. I ordered the 1 piece chicken meal with pancit and lumpia. I believe it was $6.95. The food came out fairly quickly and it was good amount of food for the price. I don't like rice and I wish I had asked for more noodles instead. ..I ended up wasting the rice. The only thing I didn't like about the place was the decor...it just looks so old and outdated, which makes me think it is dirty (but I'm sure it's not....just my head f***ING with me). I think they have the potential to be a 5 star restaurant if they do some serious remodeling. It might attract more customers too. I was the only customer there during lunch hour.
(4)Donna D.
I've been coming to this place since I was a little kid. Okay, honestly, I don't remember the service because all I think about when I hear the name of this place is the barbecue pork. Oh my god, if you've never been here then you do not understand and you need to get off your butt and get that barbecue pork! Combo! My mom always brought me with her when she took food home from here and from the minute you walk in you get slapped in the face with that yummy Filipino food smell. It makes me so nostalgic just thinking about it. She always did the ordering and service always seemed nice. Now let's talk about the food... She always brought home the barbecue pork in some sort of combo, one meal for each of us. The combo consisted of two skewers of the barbecue pork, steamed rice, a side of pancit, and some lumpia shanghai. It's so much food and oh so good! I can't even describe how good it is because thinking about it makes me loose focus! Whatever the sauce is that they put on the barbecue that makes it pink, that stuff is magical. Judging by the pictures posted, they must have remodeled since I last visited (which was probably a while ago). This place used to be a dark hole in the wall place behind 7-eleven and getting food here was like hunting for treasure in a dark cave... I'm glad to see they've made it more cozier. They still got that huge TV playing TFC though. If you never had and want to try Filipino food but you're too afraid to try something too different, just ease yourself into it by getting the barbecue pork at Manila Express. I guarantee you will not be disappointed. As for me, I definitely need to revisit this place because it's been long overdue.
(5)Julie S.
Serving up some great Filipino food. Loved the flavors of the combo pork and chicken adobo, and the BBQ Pork on sticks was awesome. I've only been to about a half a dozen Filipino restaurants, but I know this was authentic, and some of the best that I've eaten so far. You'll have to look for this place because it's hidden in the back of a small strip shopping center where there's a 7 Eleven and a Chinese restaurant; but it's worth your while to check out this place. I spoke to the owner for a little while and she said she's been cooking for about 30 years in restaurants. She's friendly and great to talk to also.
(4)amul s.
My god, filipino food, where have you been all these years? Why is it that I just discovered you last month? You are amazing! As is Manila Express Gourmet! First of all, you have to know where this place is and you have to want to go there because you won't just stumble across it while walkin around. I'm sure they'd be crazy busy if they were in a a more prominent place. We walked in and were warmly greeted by a lady behind the counter (presumably the owner) that reminded me of my mom. Warm and friendly. I didn't know what to order so she made a few suggestions. We ended up going with the 4 meat combo BBQ with pork, beef, chicken that came with Adobo, lumpia, rice, and noodles (forget the name). The adobo will smack you in the face and bring your taste buds to life. It's slow cooked, fall-off-the bone if there was a bone, and wonderfully vinegary. I could EAT IT EVERYDAY! The BBQed meats are pretty damn good too. I preferred the chicken. Wash it down with a pineapple soda and your will be one satisfied person. This was the best meal for the amount of money I ever paid. I will be back!
(5)Sam A.
My parents and I went here for a dinner, we ordered a bangus, barbecue pork and barbecue chicken while watching the The Filipino Channel, as if we are at home. We loved it, it was satisfying we will definitely come back.
(4)Richard T.
This place is tucked in a small strip mall. There seems to be a lot of good things on the menu, but keep in mind that I am new to filipino food. When you say rice, meat and sauce, I'm sold. The owners are nice people and there is free wifi but no other people even during Friday dinner. I ordered the #3 w BBQ pork pancit and adobo. The pork was good and saucy, but maybe a little salty. The pancit was substantive and filling. The adobo was not what I expected. The adobo my coworkers bring is less salty and tastes more saucy. It's hard to describe. I would recommend the pork and rice and pancit.
(4)Mabelle A.
Still love the BBQ sticks here and always bring home many containers of the spicy vinegar. They remodeled some time last year and it feels so much more open and updated. p.s. you can also place catering orders.
(5)Pia V.
I've been coming here for the past 10+ years. Their BBQ and chicaron tastes great, but through the years the prices have gone up and the service is a bit slower. BUT, the place still serves up GREAT food and has a home-y feel to it. I recommend the BBQ and pancit. It is DELICIOUS!!!! ;D
(4)Adam B.
Really tasty food and enjoyable. Quick too. Prefer the soup over the noodles and I love noodles (but the soup is tasty).
(4)Daniel T.
Tastes like home cookin'!
(4)Eric S.
I love this place!!! Their BBQ sticks are sooo good and their adobo is tasty and soft to where you can cut the pork with a fork! The price is not bad! Love going to this place!
(5)Poincare's Conjecture N.
Jesus Christ man. I think I was born in this place. The only thing that has changed has been the price (i.e. read: more expensive). BTW, it's only 4 stars if you get BBQ sticks. Hell, if you're coming to Daly City why wouldn't you be getting BBQ sticks. And seriously, if you're going to Daly City for something other than going than BBQ sticks then you have been misled my friend. Run back to the 'SCO so you can hangout with your boho art student/ pr manager/ i-banking/ internet social networking friends and pay $20.00 for pho at the Ferry Bulding
(4)Yu K.
This place is meat heaven. I got the 4 meat combo which comes with your own choice of a combination of BBQ pork, beef, and / or chicken. Of course, they have smaller dishes but the first time I came here, I needed hangover food and this was their biggest, meat-loaded plate on their menu. They pack so much meat, it looks like something you'd see on an episode of "Man vs Food." First of all, they grill the meat when you make the order so you get some real fresh-off-the-grill BBQ flavor and smokiness from the meat. The BBQ sauce they pre-marinate the meat with is not overwhelmingly sweet nor strong and adds the right amount of subtle sweetness and a vinegar-y coating. Personally, I liked the pork over the rest. The beef short-rib was too greasy and though the chicken was alright, the overall balance of the smokiness, pork-y goodness, and the marinade won my vote. Like any time we are drunk and / or hung over, we want stuff that'll sponge through the alcohol in our system, so I got another side-order of a deep fried chicken leg (I intended on getting it as a "side-order" but I didn't know it was a full entree that came with rice and pickled veggies). So I had two full plates and the leg was gigantic like it was on steroids. The interior looks very clean and sanitary (I guess they renovated this place a while back) and I wouldn't mind eating in at all, but something about taking it home in the plastic to-go box and digging into the meat with your fingers while watching some tv that makes it all the more attractive. They have a wide-screen tv in the restaurant showing some Filipino channel and they were showing "Happy Yippii Yahaay" or something like that when I went. It pretty much proved how much Filipinos LOVE karaoke. Anyway, the food here rocks. If you wanna indulge yourself in meat heaven, get the combo and even use your favorite hot sauce with it and enjoy.
(4)Neece S.
Heeeeeeella bomb! :)
(5)Monica N.
Manila express is a hole in the wall that serves the best filipino food I've grown up eating! I've been coming here for years and I continue to go here if I need some comfort food and can't make it to my moms. My favorite is the BBQ pork skewers with rice and a side of lumpia shanghai. Yummy! My mouth is watering just thinking about it. I introduced Manila Express to my boyfriend and now he's more of a regular there than I am and he's not even Filipino! Ahaha I'd give it more stars if I could!
(5)Ted B.
I've been coming here for years, and they simply have the best Filipino food and service around. I absolutely love coming here for the BBQ, which is some of the best Filipino-style BBQ I've ever had. Their BBQ plates typically come with a side order of pancit or adobo, and let me tell you...for what you're paying, it is food overload! And all of it is absolutely delicious! The workers here have always been so polite and courteous to me, and the service has always been fast. I just love ordering my food here, and watching some TFC while I wait. Not once have I ever been disappointed with this place...if anything, my satisfaction has been consistent with Manila Express. Definitely come here if you've got a hankering for some good BBQ...you won't be disappointed.
(5)John B.
This place has been one of my favorite DC eateries since the 80's. i remember eating there w/ my family at night and everyone laughing and sharing stories. This lil'ol lady whom I only knew as Lola has now moved on and retired back to the philippines and i believe her daughter has since taken over. It's still a family run business, but with it appears that people are ordering out more often rather than eating there (i am guilty of this as well). The food is wonderful......the price has increased but so has the economy. the food still tastes just as good as i remember it. remember people, it's a bbq place. ORDER THE BBQ........the adobo, sinigang and pancit are secondary to the main dish (BBQ)...you won't go to a red lobster and order a cheeseburger, would ya? TO THIS DAY, I STILL RECOMMEND PEOPLE TO EAT THERE WONDERFUL SIDE NOTE: YOU CAN BUY THE BBQ SAUCE IN 1 GALLON JUGS NOW!!!! =D
(5)Mike R.
Tocino and eggs weren't so good. Not in the same ballpark as a place like Cafe Colma at Lucky Chances... took FOREVER to get it also. AVOID if you're looking for tocino.
(2)EmmettsGuRL C.
Im tired of this place. My bf likes going here cuz of their BBQ but I like variety. I tried other items but it was ok. I took home an embatido I ended up giving it to my dog, at least she liked it.
(2)Jo Y.
LOOOOVE this place! I have been going here since I was a little kid. I grew up in Daly City and moved to Vallejo to Mountain House back to Vallejo and now residing in Sacramento. The owner even knows me even though I might only go 4 times a year. Whenever I go to the city, I always make sure I stop by Manila Express. I always get the 3 BBQ pork sticks with rice and atsara! And whenever I stop by on my birthday, the owner always gives me pansit and lumpia on the house! She is always super nice and ask about my kids whenever I go without them. Glad that they were able to remodel their small restaurant despite the economy and I hope that they'll stay open FOREVER!!
(5)Mae L.
I came here with my family maybe 4 years ago or more?? I really love the barbeque here. This decoration and tables and ambience (what ambience) could use a lot of fixing up! If you plan to try this place, get the food to go. Just call them up for to go. I usually get the beef short ribs or pork bbq. The pork bbq is the bomb! You can order 2 stick, 3 stick or even 4, same goes with the beef short ribs. It usually comes with steamed rice, lumpia and veggies (which i don't usually eat). I'm from the south bay, and come to this place when I'm in the city and to eat something fast or to go. I wish there was a place like this in the south bay.
(4)Doctor N.
My husband/inlaws introduced me to this spot, I LOVE IT, I CRAVE IT! I drive 45 minutes just to eat the Chicken Adobo! Oh its SO good. I also order the shanghi lumpia. Whats not to like? Probably not the healthiest meal but it sure tastes good:)! The remodel they did awhile back makes it so much nicer. I wouldnt have done anything but ordered take-out before the remodel but now I sit down as well.
(5)Jiajia C.
Hungry and tired, I found myself on a quiet, unfamiliar street corner in Daly City, wondering what to do to fill my belly. Manila Express is quite hidden in this somewhat random shopping center on Gellert. You need to keep walking to the back to find this restaurant. When I walked in, it was a one-woman operation behind the counter, who greeted me warmly, wiping her hands on an apron. It was the international MOMMY smile, ready and eager to feed a child. I got Chicken Adobo to go. It was simply delicious, undeniably the national comfort food for Filipinos. I have now found a place for my Adobo craving! Excellent~!
(4)Cathy D.
When I crave Filipino BBQ I come here. Usually I get food here to go. This isn't the nicest place to eat and is a bit outdated, but who cares the food rocks. My best friend introduced me to this place since her and her parents always go out for Filipino food. The BBQ pork on a stick is FABULOUS. It is so good!!!! I love it. They have a secret red sauce that use when they cook it on the grill. My best friend likes the BBQ short ribs. You can usually get 2-3 BBQ sticks or short ribs, with pancit, rice, lumpia for about $10 and under. What a bargain. I like the fact that it is a family owned business that has been around for decades. MUCH LOVE TO THIS PLACE!!!
(4)Sarah B.
The restaurant has FINALLY been remodeled and it looks great!!! Even better...the prices are still the same. Great food, at the same price, in a better setting! It doesn't get better than that! :)
(5)Angie K.
I heard this joint was a happenin' place decades ago. Now it has a karaoke machine for sale, big screen tv in the back of the room, and empty rows of table in the dining area. I look at the empty room with the two filipino women workers cooking our food and wonder if they own the restaurant. I see the ladies talking in the back - almost at a whisper. I would love to listen to the stories they have about the customers who have visited this place. It's quiet except for the filipino youth singing on the big screen tv. The lady calls us to pick up our food on the tray. If someone could write a book titled, "The Stories of Manila Express", I would read it! Their Pancit Palabok was yummy!
(4)Kae B.
their bbq rice plates are pretty good, reasonably priced.
(3)Shawn P.
w0ot Manila Express ftw!!! Their BBQ is great and I never get tired of it. I think they put some kind of secret ingredient in the sauce because it always has me wanting more. AZN PRIDE =]
(5)jerry p.
We have been customers for almost 10 years great bbq the sauce is made by the owner as a matter fact she has patent the sauce. We will always be loyal customers.
(5)