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Name: Isla Pilipina
Address: 2501 W Lawrence Ave,Unit D, Chicago, IL, 60625
Telephone: (773) 271-2988
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 4.21

Isla Pilipina

2501 W Lawrence Ave,Unit D, Chicago, IL, 60625

(773) 271-2988
Store is closed

Isla Pilipina Menu

Appetizers

Baked Tahong

Crispy Pusit (calamari)

Lumpia Shanghai

Vegetable Eggroll

Fresh Eggroll Lumpia

Eggplant Tomato Tower

Pork Bbq
Soup

Nilaga

Sinigang

Sotanghon Caldo

Tinolang Manok
Noodles

Pancit Bihon

Pancit Canton

Pancit Palabok

Sotanghon Guisado

Spaghetti Delight
Rice

Adobo Rice

Garlic Rice

Shanghai Fried Rice
House Specials

Crispy Pata

Lechon Kawali

Kare-kare

Tocino

Longanisa

Paksiw Na Lechon

Beef Steak Tagalog

Bicol Express

Crispy Chicken

Dinuguan

Beef Kaldereta

Menudo

Mixed Adobo
Inihaw (grilled Specials)

Inihaw Pork

Chicken Bbq

Chicken Teriyaki

Inihaw Na Pusit

Tapa
Seafood

Camaron Rebosado

Daing Na Bangus

Pla-pla Sa Dahon

Sweet And Sour Red Snapper

Inihaw Bangus

Fried Butterfish

Tilapia

Tilapia Fillet
Vegetable Dishes

Ampalaya Con Carne

Chopsuey Guisado

Guinataang Gulay At Hipon

Laing Sa Gata

Pinakbet

Tortang Talong

Mongo

Grilled Vegetables
Weekly Lunch Specials

Inihaw Pork

Fried Bangus

Beef Steak

Teriyaki Chicken

Bbq Pork
Beverages

Buco Juice

Gulaman Sago

Mango Juice

Soda

Coffee

Hot Tea
Desserts

Halo-halo

Ube Ice Cream

Leche Flan

Healthy Meal suggestions for Isla Pilipina

Appetizers

Baked Tahong [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Crispy Pusit (calamari) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lumpia Shanghai [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vegetable Eggroll [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fresh Eggroll Lumpia [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Eggplant Tomato Tower [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pork Bbq [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Soup

Nilaga [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sinigang [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sotanghon Caldo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tinolang Manok [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Noodles

Pancit Bihon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pancit Canton [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pancit Palabok [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sotanghon Guisado [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spaghetti Delight [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Rice

Adobo Rice [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Garlic Rice [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shanghai Fried Rice [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
House Specials

Crispy Pata [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lechon Kawali [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Kare-kare [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tocino [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Longanisa [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Paksiw Na Lechon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Beef Steak Tagalog [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bicol Express [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Crispy Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Dinuguan [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Beef Kaldereta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Menudo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mixed Adobo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Inihaw (grilled Specials)

Inihaw Pork [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Bbq [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Teriyaki [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Inihaw Na Pusit [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tapa [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Seafood

Camaron Rebosado [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Daing Na Bangus [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pla-pla Sa Dahon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sweet And Sour Red Snapper [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Inihaw Bangus [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fried Butterfish [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tilapia [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tilapia Fillet [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Vegetable Dishes

Ampalaya Con Carne [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chopsuey Guisado [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Guinataang Gulay At Hipon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Laing Sa Gata [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pinakbet [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tortang Talong [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mongo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Vegetables [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Weekly Lunch Specials

Inihaw Pork [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fried Bangus [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Beef Steak [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Teriyaki Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bbq Pork [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Beverages

Buco Juice [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gulaman Sago [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mango Juice [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Soda [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Coffee [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Hot Tea [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Desserts

Halo-halo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ube Ice Cream [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Leche Flan [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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Write An Anonymous Review

Ale O.

Bicol express was amazing! Right amount of spice yet slightly sweet with coconut milk. It's my first experience with Filipino food and I will be back for more. The coconut water was thirst quenching. It's byob and there's a liquor store next door for our convenience :-) the place is small and artsy, staff is super friendly.
(5)
Kika W.

This place is AWE-SOME... Nuff said!!!Lechon and crispy pata...ohhh...and all the pork dishes in the menu, just order them. Good and good and good Only downside is limited seating, but BYOB makes it even lol
(5)
Vida S.

Finally made it here! Just keep forgetting to give this a try since my husband always favors the "Eat all you can" fare. Was not disappointed at all! Quick service, food was great! Had the lechon kawali and it was crispy and tender at the same time. Generous portions. Staff was very attentive and friendly. At last I found a restaurant that I can bring my non-Filipino friends without apologizing that it's not up to my standards, which is home cook meal the way I remembered it back home. Thumbs up from the hubby too!
(5)
Theresa C.

First time here yesterday and wow amazing!! Everything we had was soo good. Lumpia Shanghai, Kare Kare, Sinagang, Daing na Bungus, Crispy Pata, Longinisa, everythinf was good! Too bad thus is a drive for me since I live in Naperville but next time I'm in the area I'm stopping by!
(5)
Mr And Mrs G.

MR says ...lechon paksiw TO DIE FOR!!! MRS says ..This place knows how to make Filipino food upscale and fine dining. Portions are elegantly presented..ADOBO not saucy but the reduction of the vinegar and soysauce is flavorful. DINUGUAN is meaty and no "unusual" ingredients that could be featured in Fear Factor. GRILLED PORK is tender and well seasoned. HALO-HALO is ok. I hope they move to a bigger and much spacious location. The current location can get really crowded and tables are just hard to come by.
(4)
Marco H.

hmmmmm....I wish the food was better. I've been looking forward to eating great filipino food in chicago. Friendly service, but my apps came to the table cold. My main dish was lukewarm, so I think the kitchen just warmed up leftovers from lunch. Also, this place may want to call pest control because i lost my appetite after a little uninvited "guest" showed up at my table. I'll leave it at that.
(1)
Luis C.

Based on the food alone i am giving this place 4 stars. I haven't had the pleasure of dining in but was caught off guard with great food and it's probably because i wasn't expecting much to begin with. I will definitely dine in at Isla Pilipna soon and will bring some wine (BYOB) and rate the place again.
(4)
Jade W.

I wanted to order everything on the menu as soon as we walked in! We ordered the lumpia shanghai, they were good, but wished there was more filling involved. The Crispy Pata was delicious and definitely crispy. Kare Kare was like silk in your mouth. Daing Bangus very traditional, nothing too fancy there. Laing sa gata was delightful and flavorful. Their specialty chicken got 2 thumbs up from my nephew! Great food, good service. Will definitely come back to try more items and request a larger table to accommodate more dishes. Though the dessert was good...it could be better. The leche flan wasn't smooth and creamy...maybe that's just the way I like it though.
(4)
Mary Y.

Really good food. Lumpia was the best I have ever had! We ordered a lot of stuff but the Lumpia is what stick out in my mind also the garlic fried rice. The only down fall is the restaurant is so small and packed. So its really loud in there.
(4)
Chet M.

Value Value Value! A must visit - 1) Free parking 2) Service is very friendly and upbeat 3) Food has "the taste" 4) Prices are very friendly 5) Filipino restaurants are a rare find Just don't go during peak hours cause you'll wait a long time.
(4)
Harty K.

Best Filipino food I've had. Amazing, happy and friendly staff. Definitely going back
(5)
Thongsy S.

Man, this serves up food that will clog your arteries, in a good way of course. The place is really tiny (about 10 tables tops) but the service is friendly and food is fresh. My mistake was ordering too much fried foods. I think I'll have to return and try the infamous mixed adobo next time. We had the following: lumpia shanghai (mini egg rolls) - crispy and delicious but not outstanding steamed mussels - quite flavorful and there's enough to go around crispy pata (deep fried pork knuckle) - i was really overwhelmed by how much food came with this dish. it was definitely crispy but by itself, it wasn't too flavorful. You must dip it in the sauce they provide. crispy chicken - definitely love the crispiness and the portion is quite large. I would order this again. Tilapia fillet with mango salsa - probably the best out of all the dishes we ordered. last but not least, halo halo - this was actually my favorite dish of the evening. It helped to wash down all the greasy food I just ate and I love the flan on top - just absolutely delish! I will definitely return to try some of their other dishes.
(3)
Shannon S.

I've been quietly stalking Isla Pilipina for a few years now. Like most accomplished stalkers I didn't show myself until I was sure the timing was right. Up until my dinner the other week I was mostly just lurking in the shadows of other people's Yelp reviews and Check Please reruns. When my family decided we needed a dinner date near Lincoln Square I knew that it was time for me and Isla at last. I made a reservation about a week and half out for a group of 6. The day of our reservation came, I filled my growler for BYOB craft beer sharing and came suited in my black stretch jeans (this is the preferred uniform for dining = more room, less obvious stains when you spill all over yourself ... which I always do). We started off with the Lumpia Shanghai (mini eggrolls). These things were like little pieces of fried crack. My son was literally in tears when they were gone and he rarely likes anything I order him. We also ordered the Eggplant Tomato Tower which was fantastic and again left everyone sad when it was gone. It was creamy and garlicky with the perfect al dente texture I love when eating eggplant. I would definitely get this again. For the main dishes we shared Chicken BBQ, Lechon Kawali, Bicol Express, Inihaw Bangus, Crispy Chicken (my 7 year old's choice) and Garlic Rice. Everyone at the table was in equal appreciation of each of the dishes. My favorites were the Lechon Kawali (deep fried pork belly with a Filipino gravy) and the Bicol Express (meat, shrimp, squid and mussels in a coconut milk sauce). The Garlic Rice was also delicious. When i mentioned wanting to order it everyone kind of groaned about rice being a such a boring thing to order especially since we were already getting plain white rice with each dish. However, when the time came there was not a grain left of the Garlic Rice. It was just so perfectly sticky and garlicky that you couldn't help but love it. For dessert we got the Halo-Halo. I honestly have never had anything like it. The flavor was excellent but everyone was a little weirded out by the beans, coconut skin and coconut gelatin clumps floating around in it. Nevertheless, we ate every bite. Based on this experience I don't see how you could go wrong ordering at Isla Pilipina. There wasn't one thing that I wouldn't get again. Ok ... so the bathroom situation is a little odd (you have to walk through the kitchen dodging dish washers and fry cooks) but it was just something for us to laugh about while eating mass quantities of unique and delicious foods. The only advice I have, other than to EAT IT ALL!!!, is to make reservations well in advance. The dining room is very small and people really want to eat here. I definitely wouldn't try to walk in on a weekend night. Once I called ahead to see what the wait would be on a Saturday and they told me 2.5 hours. Trust me. Make a reservation.
(5)
Gail D.

Food great but not worth the wait!!! It would have helped if they told us they were all booked when we called that evening. FYI if you see customers waiting for a table, don't take your sweet time sipping your byob beverage. Be considerate to other patrons!
(1)
Eileen Z.

When I grade Filipino restaurants in my head, I think whether or not I can bring my non-Filipino friends there (and still be happy with it myself). That's pretty much it. Isla passes that test. There aren't many Filipino choices in the Chicagoland area I'm happy with, and we don't have our own version of National City so in some respects we're sorta forced to settle with a lot. But I'm happy we at least have something like Isla. Like any daughter, I believe no one can cook like my dad but here are some things I like to order: - Daing na bangus (sun dried boneless milkfish with a vinegar sauce) - Sinigang na baboy or baka (sour tamarind soup, pork or beef) - Kare Kare (beef oxtail and green beans in peanut sauce) - Lechon kawali (deep fried pork belly) - BBQ pork or longanisa (Filipino style sausage) - Adobo fried rice + a fried egg on top... or 2 - Leche flan (custard) They serve Dark Matter coffee! Or if you need a beer, grab some San Migs or Red Horse at the liquor store next door. Be prepared to wait especially on weekends.
(4)
Jon O.

Good Food at a decent price. I will go back again.
(4)
Darlene O.

Best Filipino food in Chicago! Very hospitable service as well. We really enjoyed the dinuguan, pancit palabok, lechon kawali, and caldereta.
(5)
Lorelei C.

Yes.. I am guilty.. Ever since last months Yelp's Ditch Day Pool Party I have been dreaming of a visit to Isla Pillipina.. You see.. Isla brought in food for the party and.. okay.. they were my all time favorite.. the best of the best.. And.. yes Isla.. you rocked at the party and you definitely rocked for my visit today! This marvel of a restaurant is located in a small strip mall, And.. as you enter you will find the most welcoming of restaurants.. There are about 10 tables and the inside/interior is so welcoming.. Isla Pillipina has a great staff of people working there.. To Ray and the lovely Zyra.. I would like to Thank You both for being so welcoming to everyone.. Everyone dining in your restaurant today was so well taken care of.. and happy! I would also like to say Thank You to the lovely gentleman who was spreading his food around for other diners to try, he was a true gem! I literally could not stop dreaming of the mini eggrolls and the garlic rice.. with the chili sauce of course! I am so impressed with Isla Pillipina.. this is definitely on my top 5 list of favorite places.. And.. menu prices cannot be beat.. such a small cost for greatness..:) So.. in closing.. I am truly happy that I visited your restaurant today.. You have all the right stuff here.. great food, a great atmosphere, and the nicest of employees..:) I will be recommending you to all my friends.. You are a class act 100%.. none better! Thank You for all you do.. Wishing you every success... But.. how could you not be successful?? You brought it once again..:) I'll be seeing you soon I'm sure..:)
(5)
Ericka A.

Isla is easily one of my favorite places to eat in the city. The food is so good and the prices can't be beat. I don't think we've ever spent more than $20pp here when we've come as a group. Family-style is definitely the way to go! They are quite popular, so I strongly suggest making reservations. We never try and show up here anymore because we know the wait can be long. They've honored our reservations each time, but even calling ahead we've had to wait about 10 minutes for tables to be cleared. We typically show up with a large group and they'll have one table set aside and another waiting to be vacated by the previous party. We came here with our BYOB Dinner Group last year and it was so good that we've decided to make it a yearly event. We returned in June for our anniversary and just came back again this past weekend for a birthday party. We're now playing with the idea of coming a third time in November when three of us have birthdays and I joked that we should come three times that month and celebrate individually. It's that good. It's hard to chose what my favorite dish would be. There are some I like more than others, but I enjoy them all. The Paksiw na Lechon is fatty (made from pork skin and fat) and there is another stew-like dish with a blood sauce. Those might be my least favorite, but I don't turn them down when they are ordered. I'd have to say my top three might be Crispy Pata (deep fried pork knuckle), Bichol Express (seafood medley in creamy coconut milk sauce) and the Tocino (meat strips with a tangy glaze). We've also ordered Crispy Pusit (their version of Calamari) and found it to be delightful. The outside is crispy without being greasy and the squid is very tender instead of chewy. I'm also a huge fan of the Crispy Chicken, which is easily some of the greatest fried chicken you will find in the city, and you can't go wrong with Pancit, Lechon Kawali or Beef Kaldereta. We sometimes change up what we order, but we do stick to some traditions. We start the meal off with a pile of Lumpia Shanghai (mini pork egg rolls). You can get 20 small pieces for $5. We typically order 40 and end up ordering 40 more. We discovered the suggested serving size is 10 pieces per person. We also don't consider it a complete dinner without at least splitting a side of Garlic Rice (I could eat it by the bowlful) and a Halo Halo dessert to round off the meal.
(5)
Mrs. W.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! Tastes like mom and dad's cooking but looks like super gourmet Michigan Ave, food! The presentation was lovely, the dishes were delicious and the staff was super friendly and fast! They didn't have calamansi juice though, but I won't minus a star for that! I definitely had a "Ratatouille moment..." ya know, when the rat remembers his childhood after he eats that special dish? The entree that did it for me was their beef steak tagalog! oh mah gawd! Just like daddy would make it. It had me all teary eyed and I loved every bite of it! My mom loved it too...and coming from my somewhat picky filipina momma...that's a VERY good thing! Go get you some Isla Pilipina!!
(5)
Sarah S.

Once again I owe it to Check Please for showing me this restaurant. Not only did I see it on Check Please but right after that it was one of the restaurants during Yelp eats! Yelpie does me so good! My friend and I went right as they opened at 11 and so we were sat right away of course, first table in! No shame in that! Right after we sat, the music started pumpin'. They started with some hip hop then went into a all Boyz II Men track listing which I was seriously feeling. It allowed me to remind me dining partner of the Boyz II Men concert I went to, sat first row, and had Nathan hold the mic for me to sing into during On Bended Knee! And now I've shared it with all y'all. Booyah. Point is, good R&B and Hip Hop music playing! We started with the Lumpia Shanghai...awesome! Better then your average eggroll - Filipino tiny style! And at just $3 for 10? Is you crazy! Awesome price for an awesome appetizer. We are beasts so got a second appetizer, again at just $3 and you get a couple of big ol' BBQ Pork pieces! Very flavorful and yummy in my tummy. I tried my friend's Sizzling Sisig which literally was sizzling when it was brought to our table. My least favorite of the dishes but still had very good flavor to it. It was a bit overloaded with veggies for me so I could have done without all that! For my main entree, I got the mixed adobo. As shameful as this is, and with all the Filipino friends I have, this was my first time having Adobo a true staple of Filipino food. It was amazingly good! The gravy base had garlic and black peppercorn in it and I was lovin' it. Chicken and pork meat made this mixed dish superb! For dessert we shared a Halo Halo, but honestly I just ate the Ube ice cream in it as my friend picked all the other goodies out. After since tasting the purple yammy flavor, I've been completely obsessed with it so devoured it down at Isla Pilipina. Halo Halo is a lot like Korean Bapingsoo which I'm very familiar with and never been a fan of. Shaved ice and beans and a ton of other jumbled food all together in an ice cream dish is a bit too much for me. I'm a crazy person that eats one food at a time and I like keeping each one separate so things like Halo Halo are a nightmare for me! Each element of it though is very good and their Ube ice cream is great! I wish I worked close by because those lunch specials for $5.99 look very tasty and the price can't be beat!
(5)
Phill C.

Thanks to Yelp Eats! and my love for all things porky, I finally had a chance to pig out at Isla P. Out of all the different types of eggrolls you can find in the world, I think my favorite is the Filipino style and they cook up some great Lumpia Shanghai. Crispy deep-fried skinny egg rolls, just packed full of meaty pork. I've also tried the BBQ Pork appetizer, which is the tastiest thing I've tried here. First off, hunks of grilled pork on a stick, then slathered with some lip smacking good BBQ sauce... you just can't beat that. I definitely want to try their BBQ Chicken on my next trip, with an extra side of sauce. The Mixed Adobo was good, with huge chunks of fork tender beef and chicken, swimming in traditional adobo sauce. What I liked even better was the Sizzling Sisig - think of a breakfast hash skillet, but a lot more porky and yolky. Served in a hot hot skillet, you get a heaping platter of diced pork served hash style with garlic, soy sauce, and peppers, topped with a yolky fried egg. Just break the egg apart and mix all the yolky goodness around. I tried some delicious Halo Halo for dessert, which was a very refreshing end to my belly busting meal. I especially liked the pieces of lychee jelly cubes. Had a delicious meal and now knowing this place exists, I'll for sure be back for dinner!
(5)
Kim B.

My boyfriend and I drove for 30 minutes in a storm just to eat here. It's not often that you see a Filipino restaurant with so many reviews (and all of them GOOD). Sadly, I think we drove all that way for nothing. The restaurant is nice and the servers are all very friendly but I didn't think the food was anything out of the ordinary. Maybe my mom spoiled me with all of her home-cooked Filipino food? We tried the sinigang with shrimp, crispy pata, pancit palabok, garlic rice and halo-halo. Everything tasted okay but was definitely not worth the high price tag. Our meal for 2 cost us about $50!! My mom could cook a bigger, tastier feast for probably about half that price! The sinigang was good. The crispy pata was very crispy but had very little meat. The pancit palabok had way too much sauce for my taste. The garlic rice was too sticky and did not have enough garlic flavor. And I could probably make better halo-halo at home. It's times like these where I wish my mom lived nearby..or at least in the same state.
(2)
Jay L.

AMAZING, Honestly.....BUT MAKE RESERVATIONS!!!!!!! Staff has really made a conscious effort to connect with their diners.. And keeping the place tiny and cozy really maximizes that affect...... I will update this post with the dished I had soon!!!! But had some Tamarind SOUP THAT WAS THE BOMB...I was hesitant at first to try "SOUR" soup, but it is honestly TO DIE FOR :)
(5)
Scott T.

I really enjoy the food here. Their lunch specials are always more than enough food. I took my coworkers here as they have never had Filipino food, and they LOVED it! The service here is always excellent and if you order carry out its usually ready pretty quick.
(5)
AC C.

This place is awesome!!!! It is that one place you find and call, "the hole in the wall" yet everyone loves. Everything there is great tasting and reasonably priced. The place is kind of small and fills up fast, so get their early if you don't make reservations. Ohhhh! Byob as well? Without any additional charge. Unless you go to the liquor store next door? You then pay a premium called "we know the place next door is BYoB". Stop at a Binny's or grocery store and pick up a bottle.
(5)
Roger M.

They do everything right that Filipino restaurants present and past do/have done wrong. The hip atmosphere and elevated, but not so much that it's inaccessible, cuisine are a winning combination wrapped up with staff that go out of their way to please you. Highlights are lechon kawali, lumpia shanghai and adobo. Standard dishes, but elevated in presentation. This not my "go to" place, it IS my only place for cuisine of the motherland.
(5)
Nancy H.

LOVED everything I had on my first trip here. We ordered the sinigang (sour soup broth with veggies & your choice of meat or seafood), mixed adobo (savory chicken & pork stew that you eat with rice), crispy pata (deep fried bone-in pork knuckle served with a soy sauce & vinegar dip), and halo halo with ube ice cream (shaved ice dessert with cream & fruit). I am definitely coming back for more! The atmosphere was laid back, and our waitress was so sweet and friendly. They take a lot of take-out orders, we noticed. Word to the wise: finish the crispy pata there because the leftovers won't be the same, even after you bake, broil, or toaster oven it.
(5)
Donna L.

Best halo halo I've EVER had. With surprise flan inside... Some jackfruit and red beans, I'm in love! And so close to my house.. This could be bad... But GOOD! The appetizer mini eggrolls were perfect to start. Plus we ordered so much for entrees that we new it was going to be a feast. For only two! Crispy Pata was sooooo delicious! Tasty and like they say- crispy! We still got Lechon Kawali which is like the same thing but cut to pieces. So choose one or the other... Veggies- taro leaves?!?! I've had taro smoothies, but leaves? The closest I can compare us creamed spinach.. And AMAZINGLY delicious! I couldn't have asked for better veggies! Chicken adobo was awesome. Tender and tasty. We also had adobo rice which had the same chicken in the rice so it was a little too much. But man was it good!! All in all it was very good, but also very high in calories, so don't go too much... :)
(5)
Stacy S.

I absolutely hate hate HATE to have to do this because I really enjoy the cuisine here, but I'll give Isla benefit of the doubt that perhaps it was an off day for them. I was super excited because I was in the area to try the $5.99 weekday lunch special, which I never get the chance to do because of work. Soup, Rice, Eggrolls, Leche Flan, your choice of Entree...such a great deal! Now I've been raving to my friends about Isla Pilipina for awhile now, so I invited two first-timers to come along with me. I plotted my order beforehand by looking on the website menu. I was SET on the Tilapia Fillet. Crispy, Fried Tilapia and a bed of white rice was just what I needed. When I went to make my order, I was saddened to see that the Tilapia was no longer on the physical menu. If this is really truly the case, please update your website Isla! To add, some reason our service was really slow! It took about 15-20 minutes for the waitress to take our order. Then, we saw that another table that arrived after us got their food before us!! When we were ready to pay, the waitress was nowhere to be seen, so we had to go up to the register. Quite disappointing. Now, I still have to admit, I think Isla Pilipina is one of the best tasting, best value Filipino restaurants in the area, which is why I still give it 4 stars. My first-timer friends enjoyed the food too. Immediately when they walked in, they said the restaurant "smelled so good, so you know the food is good". Not to mention, the place was crowded for a Thursday at 1pm. My friends ordered the beef steak, as did I, and I was very satisfied... but again based on what I explained above I have to knock down a star. Sorry guys.
(4)
Amy A.

Isla has some pretty darn good Filipino food in Chicago and i have been to several other Filipino restaurants. I would give the food a 5 star, but those lumpia are smaller than my mother-in-laws. makes. I wanna taste the meat! I love the adobo and tocino. Pancit is also very good! I would still give a 5 for the food. the Halo-Halo is yummy good! Why only 4? Place is to small and cozy. I know, I know, that's not a bad thing. Service can be spotty. Sometimes you are treated like royalty. Depending on when they are really slow or extremely busy if they are all chatty with each other behind the counter...you are gonna have to wait on them. But, i keep coming back for the good food.
(4)
Melanie V.

Alright...time to be honest. Let's start with the good: Isla went through a major face-lift! The interior looks a LOT more modern and cozy. Do I see new furniture, new paint, new booth seating against the wall? Nice touch, Isla! And now, the not-so-good: My sis ordered a ton of food for Thanksgiving from here. (Don't judge! Our parents were outta town and we needed to feed our aunts/uncles/cousins on Thanksgiving.) She placed her order via phone a couple days before and asked that the food be ready by 8pm. Filipinos have a tendency to be late (I'm guilty!), so we knew that the food really wouldn't be ready by 8. Maybe 8:15? But no no...how about they didn't even START cooking any of the food at 7:45. Sounds about right. We got outta there closer to 9ish. To kill time, we ordered some flan and halo-halo. You know how long this took to come out? 15 minutes! The flan is pre-made and...you don't need to cook ANYTHING for halo-halo. They also neglected to give us napkins. I mean, really. Anyway, the food we ordered for Thanksgiving was pretty decent. The calamari and camaron rebosado were waaaaay too salty, though. Pancit bihon, inihaw baboy, caldereta and pinakbet were wins! Pricing was pretty reasonable (as compared to when you order from Uni-Mart). Also, previously, my parents came here for the lunch specials 'cuz my dad loves the inihaw. On a WEEKDAY. They had to wait close to an hour for their food. Tables that got there AFTER them got their food first. That's just unacceptable. C'mon now! I understand that the restaurant got a whole lotta exposure thanks to Check, Please! Great - finally a Filipino restaurant that's on the Chicago restaurant map! I'm ALL for that! The food IS good, too - very close to home cooking! I've gone here countless, countless times with my family AND friends since it's opened. But, before the hype dies down, I just hope that the service improves or they hire more cooks. THEN it'll be a true Filipino restaurant, ftw!
(3)
Katie K.

I am absolutely in LOVE with this place! I've been wanting to try Isla Pilipina for a while now and finally had the chance yesterday for dinner. We walked in on a full restaurant with a few people ahead of us but was able to grab a table within 15 minutes. As soon as I walked in, the aroma of everyone's food took over and I just couldn't wait to order. We ordered the Pancit Palabok, Inihaw Bangus (grilled milkfish), and the Crispy Chicken. Later on, the three of us each tried the delicious halo-halo. Everything was DELICIOUS! Sadly, we were not able to get the crispy chicken because they ran out for the night. However, the waiter was suuuper nice and apologetic about it which was okay anyways because we were already full. (Great portions!) I guess I have an excuse to go back since I wasn't able to get everything I ordered this time!
(5)
Charlee G.

Second experience at Isla Filipino and it just keeps getting better. Because it was Father's Day we were smart enough to make reservations and they were needed. Absolutely great dinner all the way around. Eggrolls, pork BBQ for appetizers and Tapa, mixed adobo, beef steak Tagabg and a beautiful whole grilled stuff squid made the dinner for four of us. This is the type of restaurant we seek out, small, locally owned with real food not reheated from Gordon Foods that I could do myself. Everything here was real food, great upbeat service and my only complaint is that we don't live closer so I could go more often without driving the Kennedy to get there.
(5)
Christa Lei S.

I was with my mother and uncle, who are helping me move out to my new place, when she turned to me and asked if there were any good Filipino restaurants around the area-- because she was in the mood for Filipino food. Of course, I turned to Yelp, which suggested Isla Pilipina, and it wasn't that far away from my place. So, we ended up going. We actually ended up passing by another restaurant, but it wouldn't open for another hour, and my mom was already hungry. Now, since I was born and raised on Filipino food, I'm a bit picky on how it's served. The problem with growing up on Filipino food is that it always tastes better cooked at home, or at a Filipino party. The food is good, the portions are huge (and served family style! We werent' aware) But it's not as good as good old fashioned Filipino cooking... I'd bring my friends who are unfamiliar with exotic foods here. I'd bring my best friend here to get used to Filipino food and to try it. The lumpia is great-- but small. But other than that, the food is good, as long as you've never tried the cuisine before. If you're familiar with Filipino food, you might just want to head to a Filipino party...
(4)
Janna N.

This place is awesome! The food is fresh with good cuts of meat and delectable fruits and veggies. Everything I've ever ordered here has been good...best Filipino food I've had at a restaurant! They share a parking lot with the rest of the stores in the strip mall and the restaurant is fairly small, so you may have to wait a bit for a table on busier days...but the wait is worth it!
(5)
Cris G.

Great food ! The calamari is soooo good .. The atmosphere is okay a little bit dark inside .. But other than everything is delicious !
(5)
Rhoda G.

I have been here twice. I took my cousin in August 2011 to get some Filipino food and meet up with some of his friends. It was great and my cousin said it was just as good as the Filipino restaurants in California, which is a compliment. Some of the best Filipino restaurants can be found in the SF Bay Area. Then for my second visit, I organized a dinner for seven and made reservations about 3 weeks ahead since I knew how small the place was and it was a Friday night. Since it was BYOB, I brought a 12 pack of San Miguel with me from Binny's. But I didn't know they had San Miguel at the liquor store next door. I made a mental note for next time. We got traditional dishes - Lumpia Shanghai, Crispy Pusit, Pork BBQ, Kare Kare, Pancit Bihon, Longanisa, Crispy Pata, Mixed Adobo, which also came with 4 or 5 servings of rice. We also ordered grilled vegetables (2 servings), crispy fried chicken, adobo fried rice. Even for a party of 7, this is a lot of food since they serve family style and the portions were huge. When the Kare Kare came out, we were like "More food?" LOL Everything was fantastic especially the longanisa and crispy pata. I can eat the longanisa all week long. After being stuffed, I got leche flan for dessert. It's denser than traditional Mexican flan imo. It reminded me of my mom's flan. My friend had a bite or two and she liked it as well. When we received our bill including tax and gratuity, we were amazed how cheap this place was and brought home 5 leftover containers all together. Fantastic Filipino food and great deal.
(5)
Nina F.

I;ve been going there since I was pregnant with my first child. The food was really good even my non Filipino friends love it. The calamari was to die for and I think that it is the best one that I've ever tasted. I gave it a 3 star for 2 reasons, one is the music is too loud! its like we are in a bar or something and we have to talk loud during lunch. The second one is the waitress with the glasses.... very bad energy... She never smiles and when my friend spilled water on the table, she was passing by and didn't even offer to give us paper towel. we had to ask for it. Then she mumbled to say "I'll do that later" . so we ended wiping the table coz it's spilling all over and she saw us and said," I SAID I'LL DO THAT LATER". What the heck? If not for the food, I would give it 1 star just because of bad Service........
(3)
Rachel S.

I don't have a lot of experience with Filipino food, so I was excited to try Isla. We went with two other couples and got to try a bunch of items. We tried the fresh veggie lumpia, which is almost crepe-like and covered with a sticky sweet sauce and stuff with fresh veggies. We also had the 20 piece meat lumpia, which I thought would be too much until I saw that they were little rolls the size of baby carrots. The sauce for these rolls was one of my favorite things from the meal. For an entree, I had the adobo rice, which was seriously delicious. I think next time I would get the actual chicken adobe instead of the "fried rice" version. My partner had a noodle dish with thin rice noodles, chicken, and veggies. Other folks in our party had the fried chicken, garlic rice and spaghetti and meatballs, which has more of a BBQ flavor than what you would typically expect. We did have a bit of a mix up with the service, in which our friend with the spaghetti received his dinner about 20 minutes after everyone else. Our friends were super chill about it and said it was pretty unusual to have any issues like that. The food is very inexpensive (nothing over $12, I think) and delicious. If you are looking to try Filipino food, check out Isla!
(4)
Mike H.

My first time eating Filipino food and it was amazing!! As soon as I walked in the smell of homemade food filled the air, I knew I was in for a great experience. The staff was friendly and attentive in this small but busy restaurant. The food was the star of the show, we ordered several things and shared. BYOB.
(5)
Anna D.

Great food and service. Chicago doesn't offer many Filipino restaurant selections. This is the best I've had here. The prices are very decent. Make reservations if planning to go on a Saturday night. My boyfriend and I are moving to the far SW burbs this summer, but that will not stop us from making sure we come back when craving some awesome Filipino food! Faves: lechon kawalii, inihaw na baboy (sp?? Grilled strips of pork), beef sinigang, pancit bihon and my boyfriend loves the adobo rice. Oh and it's BYOB - there's a liquor store next door. I don't recommend large groups as the space is small and "cozy", if you must have a large group, consider take out.
(5)
Tiffany K.

Came here on a Thursday night around 7:15pm. Only one group was ahead of us, which was nice. However, it was 90 degrees outside and the A/C was either broken or turned off (?) and it was SWELTERING while we waited inside. No one offered any water to us, and everyone in the restaurant was about to pass out from the heat! We sat down around 8PM, brought our own wine and asked for water and wine glasses. 10 minutes roll by, and nothing. Ask for water again, and we get it. Also reminded them of wine glasses, and they said we would get them. We had to ask the different waiters 3 MORE TIMES to get wine glasses/glasses of any sort!! This is absolutely ridiculous, considering a) this restaurant is TINY and there is no mistake of who wants what b) they were busy but not balls to the wall busy (close to closing time so they stopped taking people). What gives?!! We ordered some of the fried dumplings, a pancit dish, and the mixed adobo. The mixed adobo was the highlight. The portions are huge and the food is cheap. We also got the halo halo and it reminded me of a Korean shaved ice dessert, except the Korean shaved ice dessert is much more refreshing. I would come back here, but it would have to be on an off night. Also, they close early and take reservations - highly advised if you are coming on a weekend. Disappointing service. I hope it was just an off night.
(2)
Nora B.

Dined at Isla tonight and I was so happy with my experience. The staff was so friendly and helpful. Our server recommended I get the BBQ chicken after asking whether I liked spicy food. I do and this dish delivered on the spice!!! So spicy but had the best flavor. I will go back for that dish specifically. My date had the chicken/pork adobo which was also delicious and a lot less spicy. When we left our server gave us some Filipino chocolates to take with us which I am eating while I write this. Yummmmm!! Can't wait to go back to try a dish we saw on other tables that we found out was called crispy pata. Need to know what that was all about!! Looked amazing! Wonderful little place.:)
(5)
Victor V.

Hello, I am a Manila born guy, who came to Chicago last year and crave for my homeland food. There is so little in Chicago (I only found a few cheesy places on Kimball and Devon), so I rush to Isla. Great: I see Halo Halo, and squid, and other things whose names are like music to my ear. I am happy, and am now writing a great rev... Wait a minute! I am from Europe, have never been to Philippines, and base my review entirely on objective parameters: taste, ambiance, dÃ©cor and service. And you know what: This place is just so so: the squid is chewy and is only "stuffed" in a sense you can find a few bad tomatoes and onions inside; red snapper is bony and just ordinary; halo halo is just a trip into mystery muddy waters of an icy water... The male waiter/greeter was nice, but our table waitress was meh: not too friendly or helpful, just doing her job (and possibly not liking it too much). So unless you are the Manila boy, go to a nice thai place instead
(3)
Misty S.

La Isla BONITA! I can't believe I haven't tried Filipino food in Chicago until now! My stomach suddenly wanted adobo so I went to search online. Stomach wants, it gets. This place made the suburban Filipino restaurants seem like fast food joints. The decoration is casual and seems to say "Hello, welcome, please have a seat and enjoy a good meal. Don't forget to save room for dessert." The servers were fast and friendly. There are so many choices on the menu and everything we ordered was great. LUMPIA SHANGHAI - Delicious tiny crispy eggrolls...or as my bf described them "They're like French fries with meat inside!" TOCINO - Fried cured pork. These look like glazed BBQ pork, but taste quite different. Slightly sweet and surprisingly good with the vinegar dip. BEEF STEAK TAGALOG - Thick slices of angus chuck roast in onion and soy sauce based gravy. MIXED ADOBO - Chunks of chicken and pork marinated in a special sauce of garlic, vinegar, and black peppercorn. Stomach likes. The best part is that they use boneless chicken! GARLIC RICE - Very tasty rice, goes well with any dish. For $5, you get a huge bowl full. HALO-HALO - This ice cream dessert was topped with a heavenly miniture sized leche flan. I was so stuffed, but somehow managed to finish this amazing creation. Pure perfection.
(5)
Uniform H.

What to expect here: good food, friendly customer service, reasonable prices, and byob. I've been here many times, sometimes with friends, sometimes with family, always a good experience. My only problem with leaving a good review is that it will make them even busier and reduce my chances of getting a table there...
(5)
Ryan Y.

Two enthusiastic thumbs up! Been here a couple times now, and have yet to disappoint. One time was during the week, and the next time was on a Saturday - needless to say, despite being such a small place, seating (there was always at least 7 of us) was never an issue. Food Have had almost everything on the menu - Lumpia Shanghai: comes with about 18 per order, crispy goodness. Pancit canton: Yummy, tastes like anything your Mom (if your filipino), Lola, or Tita might make at home Chicken BBQ: Nice grill to the outside, sauce used was nice and sweet - probably the weakest dish had there though Crispy pata: I have dreams of this! Just as it is called, crispy skin on the outside, yummy pork tenderness in the inside: What else do you want?! Longanisa: Pretty much standard sausage here, can't mess it up, and can't elevate it much either Mixed adobo: Made with pork, chicken - standard here as well but still tasty! and of course, Garlic Rice: Nothing tastes better than a warm plate of this! Flavoring is perfect! Kare-kare: Tender ox-tail, yummy veggies and peanut sauce not so sweet! Halo-halo: Probably the best we can get locally, perfect for a hot day! Wish it wasn't so far, but definitely a must go-to place to get my Philly fix on!
(5)
Susan P.

Generous portions, great prices, and tasty food! I'm definitely going to return. Really recommend Bicol Express for seafood fans! They ran out of one of the desserts I wanted to try, as a big party ordered the rest of them - but it's good knowing that the place serves up fresh foods. Running out happens when you care about the quality of your ingredients!
(4)
Chuck H.

Excellent food, good size portions and friendly staff. Everything we ordered was delicious and the Halo-Halo brought me back to PI. I was in the area visiting from Boston and wished we had a restaurant like this in my backyard... ;-)
(5)
A M.

YES! I've never actually dined in here, but regularly order takeout and absolutely adore Isla Pilipina. In a perfect world, I could buy their garlic rice in bulk and eat it for every meal, everyday, forever. I'm pretty much in a permanent state of craving their chicken adobo (sometimes the pork is way too fatty so I've stopped taking the risk on it) and I love the lumpia. The spaghetti delight might not be the first thing you expect to see on the menu, but my husband loves it so much he spent a whole day running around the city looking for banana ketchup and a very specific brand of hot dog so that he could try making it at home. It's both sweet and savory and comes with two pieces of perfectly fried chicken. It's a pretty small spot with limited (albeit FREE!) parking. I would recommend being strategic and going at off-peak times so that you can take your time enjoying BYOB and those awesome looking desserts!
(4)
angela h.

Updating to 5 stars. Been back a few times, still smack-in-the-face amazing. Have yet to eat anything I didn't like, and I've been adventurous with the menu (as I trip over the names).
(5)
Francis A.

I gotta say that this may be my new favorite filipino restaurant in Chicago. The waitstaff is super helpful and friendly. And the food was spectacular. Not only was the food delicious, it came it flilipino-sized-servings :) I'll definitely be going back (every weekend).
(5)
Donna A.

This is the best Filipino food throughout Chicagoland. Just make a reservation because they get super busy for a reason. The owners should just buy the entire lot of the strip mall so they have more room to seat people. They also have cool paintings here and some are for sale.
(5)
Junchen F.

Sweet,salty and fatty. All the good stuff with a large portion at a ridiculously low price. Furthermore, BYOB. Kare kare is my favorite and Bicol express comes a close second.
(5)
Suzy D.

We came here this weekend because we'd been craving halo halo for awhile. We started with the lumpia shanghai and then we shared the pancit bihon, kare kare, and the lechon. The lumpia were so crispy and delicious. The pancit bihon was good but kind of a typical asian noodle dish. The lechon was SO crispy plus the serving was huge so we had tons to take home. The sauce that comes with lechon is great too and they gave us extra sauce to take home as well. The kare kare (oxtail in a peanut sauce) had such a great flavorful sauce and the shrimp paste was a nice touch (use sparingly because it's pretty salty). Anyways, then at the end we had the delicious halo halo. I could eat an entire halo halo by myself but I shared with my husband. Our meal was only 40 dollars and we had enough leftovers for another entire meal. Great food and very affordable. We will be back to try the seafood dishes!
(4)
Justin N.

For someone that is Filipino-American and a "faux-foodie" as I put it, Isla Pilipina hits the mark for good Filipino in Chicago. As Filipino food continues to grow in the food scene, Isla allows it to be traditional in the food sense and modern in the decor and atmosphere. My parents and I had the Fried Chicken, Calamari, Palabok, Pancit Bihon, and Fresh Lumpia. The Girlfriend had the mongo. I didn't particularly like the mongo because of the bitter melo , but that's more preference than anything. We ended the right way with some Halo-Halo which definitely hit the spot. For those that are new to Filipino food, definitely order 3-4 dishes so you have a little bit to taste. Filipino food can tend to be a "tapas" type of experience with different types of food to offer. I would definitely go back there when we are having a hankering of "home-cooked food". I also enjoyed the fact that they have local art and goods to sell in the restaurant.
(4)
Mark G.

UPDATE: So with the mindset that we should call ahead and reserve a table.... We haven't had a bad experience at all with Isla. It still does get crowded but if you go early enough on the busy days (say around 11:30am on the weekends) or if you call ahead and reserve a table, you're guaranteed to miss the large crowds. The food, as always, is fantastic. In fact my partner and I just returned from the Philippines and the options here are on par or better than the ones from the homeland- favorites include lumpia shanghai, kare-kare, bicol express, garlic rice, and lechon. Just go already!
(5)
Marie B.

Great place to take someone who has never had Filipino food. Definitely not oily or greasy. Great menu selection! Ok, so let's be hones Filipino food is not the healthest. The crispy pata and lichon kawale was SOOO goood. I haven't had the halo halo yet, but everyone I've spoken to said it was good. So nice to have a Filipino restaurant in the area!
(4)
Shannon M.

I am eating my leftovers from dinner last night as I write this review, and it just gets better and better. The to go containers? They're microwave safe. GENIUS. But let's start at the beginning. After reading the Yelp reviews, I went ahead and made a same-day reservation for 2. The woman on the phone was super polite. When my friend and I got there, the service was impeccable. The staff was welcoming and attentive without being annoying. We ordered the lumpia for an app, and it was delicious. Tiny little crispy eggrolls fried perfectly. I already want more. For dinner we ordered the Beef Steak Tagalog and the Chicken Adobo. Oh, and the garlic rice. It was all delicious. The sauce and spices were perfect, and the meat! Oh, the meat. It just pulled apart. And although both dishes came with rice, spring for the garlic rice, you will not be disappointed! For dessert we had the Halo Halo and it was interestingly delicious. The waitress came over and explained to us how to eat it - that was definitely appreciated. Did I mention it is BYOB? Seriously, go. Right now. You will not be disappointed. I just finished my leftovers and I already want to go back.
(5)
Lizz M.

oooh, yes. I have been wanting to try Isla for SO LONG now, and I'm glad my friend and I finally decided to head on over this weekend. I figured we didn't need to make reservations with it being the Sunday before Christmas and we were right. Step right into Isla and you feel like you're transported to your lola's kitchen. Or in my case, my friends from grade school's lola's kitchen--technicalities, people. Anyway, service is great and the food? Okay look, I have a guilty pleasure of hot dogs, thus, I firmly believe Filipino spaghetti was created in my honor. If you get the spaghetti delight at Isla, you're also treated to two pieces of fried chicken. Need I go on? Fine. The chicken was some of the best fried chicken I've had in a while. Seasoned and fried just right. The spaghetti was also fabulous and can do no wrong in my fat kid mind. We also started with the lumpia and it was tasty as well. My friend had the tocino and it was AMAZING. Definitely something I would get at some point. Totally coming back and making my way through the menu. Longanisa, you're next!
(5)
Adri T.

Thanks to this restaurant..I love Filipino food..there aren't a lot in the city but this one for sure beats them all....The food is FRESHLY made and I can tell they use the finest ingredients..they also don't skimp on the ingredients like their other Asian.counterparts.(I'm looking at you Chinese Restaurants and some THAI) Although the wait times are a bit long depending on the day/time, it certainly is worth the wait. The dishes are reasonably priced and for $20, My husband and I both eat with enough food to take home. The service is great as well and very attentive to your needs. You can't go wrong with choosing this gem of a restaurant. I am particularly fond of their pancit bihon..which I just can't seem to get enough of. As mentioned, the quality and freshly prepared dishes is what keeps us coming back and its finally time I gave it its due share.
(5)
Anna P.

Nothing not to love about this place. Unless you are looking for decor and interior design to match the caliber of the food. But the experts know the best food comes from the most unassuming places! The BBQ pork is one of my favorite dishes ever. Get the lumpia and the adobo and jasmine rice and don't forget the pancit! Finish it off with the halo halo. I was first brought here by Filipino friends and now it's one of my favorite spots to BYOB with a friend and order a bunch of dishes to share!
(5)
Miguel B.

The food here is great. The first time I dined here I had the caldereta. The meat was so juicy and tender. Literally fall-off-the bone good. For dessert, I has ube ice cream. This is a MUST have when you eat here. The second time I went there I had the eggplant tomato tower. This was a tasty treat before I had my Tinolang Manok. This soup really hit the spot. For dessert, I had the Halo-Halo (which has ube ice cream in it). My third visit started off with the vegetable egg roll. Followed by an order of Kare. I've had ox tail before but the shrimp paste adds a certain flair to it that I found unique. For dessert I had, you guessed it, ube ice cream.
(5)
Jo E.

Did you know their kitchen's last call is 30 mins prior to close? Now you do! I called on a Saturday night for a pickup order. My stomach needed substance before a night of bartending. Plus I craved some Filipino food. I called at exactly 8:27pm. They almost did not accept my order with hesitation. After some convincing, the girl took my order. Yay! I knew my order of Adobo Fried Rice and Lumpia Shanghai would not take too long to prepare. I usually do not dine-in at restaurants within an hour from close. I didn't think my carryout would present too much trouble. The fact that they honored it was very pleasing. If that isn't decent customer service, then I don't know what is. I got to eat before work to avoid being an angry, hungry, or lightweight bartender that night. I appreciate the accommodation. I arrived right before close to pick up my food. They still had a packed house. Literally, this place is small. I hope they expand soon. I've always liked the newer green scheme decor and art work on the walls. I tipped/signed my bill and squeezed my way out. The food was very good. Plus the amount of food was reasonable for the price. Their Lumpia Shanghai tasted as it should. The Adobo Fried Rice had chunks rather than slivers of meat. Over all, I would return to dine-in or order carryout again. The lunch special is a good deal too. This place is one of the nicer Filipino restaurants in Chicago that I would recommend.
(4)
Charlene S.

I wanted to like this place cuz of all the hype. But it was just "meh" to me. The ginitaang vegetables was "meh". Not as flavorful as I'd have expected. The pancit was "meh". Just noodles with lots of pepper. The palabok was interesting. I don't think I've ever had it with calamari and tofu sauce. It was good. I was most disappointed in the Laing. Not enough leaves as I am used to. Mostly fatty pork belly that I ate around. Boo. So the food was "meh". The service was blah. We were treated ok. Nice. But an elderly man came in. Maybe a bit "off". But harmless. He asked a lot of random questions. "Who is the manager?" "What's his name?" "Can i have a to-go menu?" (Which they ran out of). Some other random things. Can't remember. I just remember the girl who answered him. She just kept dismissing him and referring him to the website. He didn't look like a man familiar with a computer let alone a website. She wasn't busy. The restaurant wasn't busy. Her tone with him was just impatient and rude. He's an old man. Appease him. I may give it another try. Maybe other dishes. But not any time soon.
(2)
Rayid G.

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(4)
Dennis L.

Absolutely outstanding! Isla Pilipina is an outstanding Filipino restaurant. The food is absolutely delicious, and it is a must visit in the Lincoln Square neighborhood. On my visit, I ordered the Sotanghon Guisado - Vermicelli noodles sauteed with chicken and vegetable. This entire dish was awesome. The huge portion was big on flavor. Simply excellent! I cannot wait to return! Notes: BYOB and no "public" restroom.
(5)
Greg W.

My wife was craving Crispy pata, so she was disapointed when they had run out of it. But their Dinuguan, Inihaw Pusit, Inihaw Pork, and Palabok were all awesome. I can see why they always have a full restaurant. Will definately stop back next time we are in Chicago.
(4)
Dan H.

In my ongoing quest to scour the explore the diverse ethnicity of Chicago's North Side restaurants, my Filipino stop on the tour led me to Isla Pilipina. I'm a better man for it. Five stars come sparingly; I usually decide in my head toward the end of the meal whether the vibe was good enough, and that is exactly what I did at this place. You will want to make a reservation because the place is small and it's no secret that it's the bomb. You may also want to BYO because otherwise you will drink soda, so unless you're into that kinda thing, make a pit stop at the liquor store, which is right next door and sells Filipino beer (Red Horse is 7% abv, verry niice!). All that being said, you are in for a treat. Make sure you try the eggplant tomato tower, it is packed with flavor but none overpowering. The ox tail dish is unreal, as is the eggplant/shrimp one. The red snapper tasted great, required some work because they serve the fish whole. I'm not always a fan of fried meats, but the fried pork was still tender and easy to eat. The flan-like custard dessert was a treat, as was the icy red bean-slushy thing that everyone seems to like to take pictures of. The staff is really friendly, they try their best to accommodate given the limited space and random foreigners who show up without reservations and then bitch when they aren't seated. Shame on you, random foreigners. I see more and more 5-star reviews for this place recently. I will surely go back at some point. Someone even mentioned all their lunch specials, I can only imagine that is a good meal too.
(5)
J M.

Been here twice. On my initial visit, we had the BBQ pork appetizer, the shanghai fried rice and the chicken in adobo. The BBQ pork was so good, it was life-altering. Not really, but still extremely good and was hopefully a precursor to even better entrees. Sadly, the adobo was salty and fatty and the fried rice was just ok. We didn't have time to try the dessert, but the halo halo looked interesting. I ended coming back to get the BBQ pork as takeout. Again, it delivered on taste (tender, great seasoning/spices and perfect amount fat), and was a great value. Consider me a happy camper. I'd come back for the pork and maybe I will try the lumpia and halo halo. BTW, the restaurant itself is pretty tiny, and waits are pretty long on Friday nights, so come early.
(4)
Nektaria R.

Fried Butterfish - yummy! yea, I eat fish heads! Bicol Express - so good and so good! Lumpia Shanghai - fun to eat! BYOB - also, bring the automatic cork remover since they won't actually open the bottle for you and since I'm clumsy, I nearly severed my thumb, don't ask. I'd go back. I need to try more goodies since what I already had was Awesome!!! Plus desserts! I want Ube ice cream or Halo-Halo.
(4)
Jenny V.

CRISPY.PATA. if you don't order crispy pata when you go to isla then you're just a straight up fool. The pata is so crispy and flavorful, it is deeeelicious! i think it is the best crispy pata i've had in a long time.. we ordered the lumpia also and they were yummy too. The halo halo looked so pretty and tasted pretty good too, and im not a halo halo kind of gal. Isla is a small place so be on the safe side and make a reservation. i cant wait to go back and get the crispy pata again!
(5)
Rodell R.

I think this is the best Filipino restaurant in Chicago. You want non-Filipinos to be introduced to Filipino food without the overwhelming ETHNICITY of it all? Then take them to this place. My favorite is DEFINITELY the BBQ Pork on a stick. I disagree with people saying it is expensive. NO it is not. Chinese, Thai and Japanese places are dime-a-dozen and everywhere. Filipino restaurants are not. So if the dishes are $1-$2 more, it's a deal. I grew up in the Philippines until I moved to the US at 16. I KNOW what Filipino food tastes like. If you are a first generation Filipino who just go by what your mom cooks at home, and not experiencing going to other people's places to eat THEIR versions of cooking - as well as going to fiestas and going door-to-door to partake in each household's dishes, then your credibility is questionable. I LOVE THIS PLACE, and so does my black, white, Latin and Asian close friends. Go with that.
(5)
Stephen H.

Holy Mother of God. This place is so good. My girlfriend and I went here for her birthday with three other people and everything about it was amazing. For appetizers we had the lumpia shanghai which was twenty pieces for $5. I could have eaten forty by myself. We also started with the veggie egg rolls which we maybe some of the best I've ever had. Entrees are splittable but we each got one, the Paksiw ne Lechone and Beef Steak Tagalog being the favorites. The staff was super friendly and helpful, especially as none of us had had (or could pronounce) Filipino food. Our waitress also gave us a couple of recommendations for places to go in Lincoln Square. Going to go back soon... maybe today... ALSO, really glad it was BYOB.
(5)
Stacy L.

This restaurant serves delicious meals and the service is great! The staff members are very laid-back while still helpful and attentive!
(5)
An P.

Once upon a time it was Yelp Summerfest..... "This food is good!" I said to my friends while eating some jasmine rice. "That's because WE'RE THE BEST!" a Filipino behind the counter hollered. Passing back and forth through Albany Park, zipping by and always seeing the sign welcoming me, I finally found good reason and good friends who wanted to come feast on some Pacific Islander delights. Four letters: B-Y-O-B. You can get down without getting your arm ripped out of its socket at Isla Filipina. Here is a recipe for a good meal: Step One: Bring two bottles of Merlot Step Two: Drink out of their massive wine glasses ($0.00) Step Three: Order 20 lumpia shanghai ($5) Step Four: Order the Inihaw Pork ($9) Step Five: Order Garlic Rice ($6) While sipping on libations, you may notice Isla Pilipina is packed to the brim and you are thankful that you made reservations beforehand. If you made reservations and forgot to bring your wine or beer, there is a liquor store right next door. Lumpia Shanghai - Tiny bundles of crispy greatness, you will do well to pay the extra $2 for 20 instead of 10. Inihaw Pork - Marinated for a week and served with a wicked vinaigrette you'll be wondering why you've never had this dish before. It is a plate of meat and if you don't house it then and there you'll be waking up to a giant box of meat in the refrigerator tomorrow. Want great ethnic BYOB without ripoff downtown prices? Isla Pilipina FTW and THEY ARE THE BEST!
(5)
Jenny C.

First time in Chi-town for the marathon and what better place to carb load than Isla Pilipina. We made last minute reservations for a party of 5 and when we arrived we waited for about 20 minutes. The place was a cozy mom and pop restaurant but it was a full house. Everyone's dishes were huge and as I was waiting for our table I can't help but salivating over what everyone was eating. We finally got to sit down and ordered our meals. I ordered a chicken Teriyakki dish along with vegetables skewers. The chicken was nicely cooked being so tender and juicy. Everyone's entree was so delightful even my friends chicken noodle soup. We ended the meal by sharing the Halo-Halo. It was like a party in my mouth with mix flavors of ice cream, fruits, red bean.. Overall: Highly recommend for anyone visiting Chi-town to try this restaurant. Reasonable price for great food. One word: Yummy!
(4)
Jessica P.

I've both dined in and carried out at Isla and everything I've tried has been amazing. My favorites are the grilled Inihaw pork (best pork ever, without fail) and the Lumpia Shanghai eggrolls (just go for the big order, you won't regret it). This place is super affordable, delicious and the staff are very very friendly. It is a bit on the smaller side and I don't think they take reservations, so I have had some trouble going with larger groups, but only because its so good that they are too crowded to seat us quickly!
(5)
Ehow C.

Came here on a freezing Friday evening. Luckily I didn't need a reservation to get a table for two, so I was sat down immediately while I waited for my friend to arrive. The server was super cool and courteous. He told us our fried calamari had to be redone because it didn't turn out correctly the first time. When it did come out, I think it was some of the best calamari I've had in a long time. It came with a vinegar and garlic dip that was particularly tasty. We shared a sweet and sour red snapper and pancit bihon, which were absolutely delicious. The fish was cooked just right and the noodles were super flavorful. We definitely over-ordered for two people, but whatever, it was cold outside and we needed to store fat for the outside. I topped it all off with a mango drink, making it a great evening. Service was great, even the cashier was super friendly. Next time I'm in the area, I'll definitely be here to try more dishes.
(5)
Lauren P.

Of course, I need to re-review this restaurant and add in more of my favorites. Drum roll please........ - crispy vegetable egg rolls - BBQ chicken served with carrots and beans (grilled to perfection) - Inihaw na baboy aka barbecue pork but not the Chinese one. - Filipino spaghetti with fried chicken baaaaby And ...... The winner of them all....... The red snapper. This dish is beautiful with the sweet and sour sauce and veggies. This also was the biggest red snapper I've had that didn't break my wallet. For some reason I was on the hunt for an awesome red snapper from various restaurants like a Thai one, Chinese one, and who would have thought I would have found it at the most awesome Filipino restaurant in the city? Kudos!
(5)
Andrew J.

Lunch menu is cheaper than dinner and food is great. You can drop off some canned goods fir hurricane victims also.
(5)
Nicole C.

I went to Isla Pilipina with my favorite and dear Filipina (or "Pinay") friend Diane O. after seeing the restaurant featured on Check Please. The last time I had authentic Filipino food was in her parent's kitchen when we were in elementary school. Her father makes the best glass noodle dishes and egg rolls! We ate like a couple of Queens! :) Our menu was as follows: - Lumpia Shanghai (deep fried mini eggrolls served with sweet & sour sauce: pork, egg, jicama, green onions, carrots, soy sauce, and love) - Nilaga (original house broth with cabbage, potato, and green beans) - Sotanghon Caldo (vermicelli noodle, garlic and onions in chicken broth) - Pinkabet (Kabucha squash, pork, and vegetable dish sauteed in a shrimp brine paste) - Tocino (fried cured pork) - Kare-Kare (beef oxtail, tripe, and green beans in peanut sauce with a side of shrimp brine paste) - Beef Steak Tagalog (thick slices of angus chuck roast in onion and soy sauce based gravy) - Chicken Adobo (of chicken marinated in a special sauce of garlic, vinegar, and black peppercorn) - Garlic Rice (Jasmine rice pan fried with garlic) - Halo-Halo (crushed ice mixed with fruit and bean preserves topped with ice cream and leche flan) *see photos* Everything was very delicious, but I especially enjoyed the Lumpia Shanghai, soups (Nigala and Sontanghon Caldo), the Beef Steak Tagalog, and the Chicken Adobo. I actually made a big pot of homemade Nigala last week and it was super easy -- chicken broth, water, black peppercorn, garlic, rice/potato/noodles, cabbage, and green beans. Amazingly, it was just as good as the real stuff. :) This place passed Diane's test with flying colors, which says A LOT about the quality and authenticity of the food. And, I loved it -- not that I have any authority on this type of cuisine, but I do know what tastes good and this was excellent. It's a little off the beaten path, but worth the trip. It's super affordable. Our waiter was friendly and helpful with the menu (he was shocked at the amount of food we ordered, like we must have made a mistake! He clearly doesn't know us!) Service was a little slow and the food came out staggered, but that was just fine with us. We enjoyed the free time to digest between courses....and catch-up. :-)
(5)
Francis M.

Isla Pilipina is awesome. Masarap ang mga pagkain at mabuti ang service. I took my spanish friend to show him what good filipino is like and he was amazed. The portions you get are huge for it's price. Completely worth the trip.
(5)
Franny S.

Isla is where I go for a fix of the Filipino food my parents rarely make! It's located in the randomest little strip mall; handily right next to a liquor store as the place is BYOB! I ALWAYS start with an order of Lumpia Shanghai--20 pieces seems daunting at first, but they inevitably get demolished before dinner's over! I've tried a respectable variety of the menu--from the Pancit Canton, to the Adobo Rice, to the Beef Kaldereta-- and haven't been disappointed yet. My favorite go-to is the Inihaw Pork. You get a pretty nice portion for your buck here so I usually have some to nibble and snack on the next day (though my mom has been known to steal my leftovers). Overall, I adore this place! The interior is cute. I love the little lumpia and halo-halo shirts staff wear (and sell!). It's also ridiculously affordable. The first time I was there we ordered an appetizer, three entrees, and dessert and it STILL didn't break the bank. I've seen other reviews that mentioned long waits, however I've never had to wait more than 10 minutes (I typically go on the weekdays at 7 or 8).
(5)
Matt T.

Well, I finally made it here. After all this time being on my list and then a month ago being turned away due to a water main break outside, I got in the door with a sixer of beer ready to get down. I came away so impressed in the food and service I'm plotting my return and then on a search for other similar spots. The fried lumpia is so good...you think 10 pieces would be enough for $3, but these bite sized wonders go so fast. The sweet and sour sauce is perfect for dipping. My sister and I was overwhelmed by the great choices on the menu ranging from veggie to chicken, beef an seafood. We decided we had to try thie Adobo fried rice, which was a revelation. The rice was cooked so perfectly, the right blend of fluffy and sticky. The dish came back with chicken and pork and it was a huge portion. I could have had this for a meal. There's actually an adobo entree that's a bit different but one of their specialties. This is on my list for next time. We also decided to try the Kare Kare which is oxtail in a peanut sauce with string beans. Believe it or now this was my first time eating oxtail and I was definitely into it. Cooked to tender perfection on the bone the oxtail and peanut sauce was a great combination that had a ton of flavor. I didn't mind using my hands to pick the meat off the bone. The last entree we had was the Bicol Express, which is squid, shrimp, mussels and chicken cooked in a coconut milk sauce. This took a bit longer to cook and we were pretty much stuffed by the time it came out but this might have been the winner on the night. Fresh, delicious seafood in a light creamy sauce with mushrooms and green and red peppers. Overall, the food was fantastic and the service was fantastic. We were seated right away on a busy Wednesday night and our food came out quickly. The servers were very friendly and had the right balance of checking in with you and leaving you alone. I definitely cannot wait to come back and try some more dishes! This is my new favorite spot on Lawrence...besides Nhu Lan.
(5)
Maureen C.

Rating not for the food since we weren't even given a chance to eat. I've been wanting to eat here and my bf and I were driving around the area so we thought we'd drop in. It was 635pm, yelp says they closed at 7pm on a Sunday. I was hesitant as I hate being one of those last minute ppl that come into a place just before closing. But I've gone to many a restaurant probably 10 to 20 minutes before closing and they would always welcome us and tell us not to worry, to order away. Not the case w/ this place, even though the place was packed full of people and there was a table for four open. They told us kitchen was already closed. At 1/2 hour before closing. I was greatly appalled because I'm never in the area and when I am, they turn us away. Wow. I mean wow. Never again, Isla.
(1)
Janet E.

I came here for an I WISH food class and the food here was delicious! We had a five course meal which consisted of the following: Lumpia Sinigang Pancit Bihon Adobo Halo Halo My favorite was the Halo Halo dessert. Very unique and delicious! I wish my portion were larger! Everything else tasted so good I cant even pick which one I liked more between all of them (except for dessert of course). Parking was super easy! They have a private lot! Prices here are reasonable as well. It does not get better than this!!!!
(5)
Christopher D.

I'd like to say this is as good as momma's home cooking, but in truth? It's slightly better :). Sorry, mama. I love you, but the food here really hit the spot. Ordered the Beef Steak Tagalog and Mixed Adobo. Food was cooked really well and seasoned perfectly with the meat being nice and tender. The service was super fast and friendly. On top of that, the Halo Halo was the perfect ending. I haven't had it in a while, but the mix of Ube and piece of Flan on top was a nice touch. Wasn't too heavy and super refreshing. The set up is typical of small Asian restaurants... not much in way of decor or ambiance, but I don't think that matters when you're in good company and getting good eats.
(4)
Sonia B.

Everyone I know needs to go here now. Actually, even if I don't know you, you needdd to go here now. Isla has some seriously good Filipino food. I've only had Filipino food a handful of times in my life, mostly at friends' houses, so I was pretty excited to try some new dishes. My friend made reservations 3 weeks in advance for our party of 7. I wasn't quite sure why she made them so early, but when I saw its pint-size seating, I was so glad that she did. We decided to order several dishes, so that everyone could try something new. I don't even remember what the heck we ordered, or how many dishes, but all I knew was that food kept coming out of the kitchen to our table. We ended up ordering the Lumpia Shanghai, Crispy Pusit, Pork BBQ, Kare Kare, Pancit Bihon, Longanisa, Crispy Pata, Mixed Adobo, Grilled Vegetables, and most dishes came with white rice. Needless to say, we had had plenty to try, and even took home leftovers. Everything was sinfully delicious, but my absolute faves were the Grilled Vegetables, Pork BBQ, Pancit Bihon, and the Longanisa. I also had a (couple) taste(s) of the Flan, which was fabulous, and a bit thicker than traditional Mexican Flan. All together, we each ended up paying $20/person which is a steal if you saw how much food we ate and took home, and not to mention the amazing service of the staff. Everyone was so hospitable to our big party, and made our experience excellent. I don't have enough good things to say about Isla Philipina, other than I can't wait to go back. Oh!!! One last thing--did I mention it's also BYOB? Because it is :)
(5)
Bettina S.

You MUST try Isla Pilipina. The restaurant is very small, but cozy. It's definitely a typical small BYOB spot with little decor, but it's really clean and nice. The staff is definitely friendly and helpful. If you are not familiar with Filipino food, I recommend going as a small group so you can try a few different things. There are a lot of meat dishes, but they do have a few vegetable dishes. We enjoyed everything we ordered but beware the pork can be quite fatty. Two of my friends who grew up on Filipino food said that it's completely normal though. I went with a group of 5 girlfriends and we ordered an appetizer, 3 entrees, 1 noodle dish, 2 soups, 2 desserts, so we all left completely full with food left over and our bill was $68.00! I will definitely be paying this place a visit again in the near future!
(4)
Alicia K.

I love this place! It was recommended by a few friends and I am so glad I finally tried it. The lumpia appetizer is the perfect starter. I always smack myself in the head because I don't get the 20 pcs for $2 more. We ordered everything. The BBQ pork, which has an authentic name I cannot recall, was savory with a bite - I think they marinate with a pretty strong dose of vinegar. Perfect for the barbie. The adobo was only meh in my book; a little too heavy/stew-y for my liking. BBQ chicken is simple enough, but so many restaurants mess it up - not Isla Pilipina. They make it magnificent, reminding us that the simplest dishes are the best ones. The fiance hearts the grilled veggies. Moving on to the best part of the meal - dessert. Halo-halo, which directly translates to mix-mix, caps off the meal with a light hint of sweetness. I always ask for extra purple yam ice cream. IT IS SOOOOO good. Has a coconut sweetness that I am a sucker for. Next time, I have to try the crispy chicken. Heard it's heaven.
(5)
Michael M.

Whether it is dining in or taking out, Isla Pilipina is a great place for some of the best Filipino fare in the city. Walking into the small quaint restaurant, you will receive a warm welcome from staff that give excellent recommendations on new dishes to traditional Filipino cuisine. Everything is made fresh to order and served quickly. Adobo, pancit bihon, tocino, kare kare and pork filled lumpia are all winners. Isla Pilipina is also BYOB. So stop by the liquor store right next door where you can buy one of two different Filipino beers Red Horse or San Miguel.
(5)
JR A.

Very good food with reasonable prices! They also have lunch specials until 3pm that include appetizers (lumpia) and desert! The only problem I have is that the place is very small and tightly packed. But I think this is also the reason why this place is special. It has that typical Filipino restaurant feel that you would experience in the Philippines. Food was very good, and prepared fresh. We order their pancit (Filipino Noodles) for parties all the time.
(5)
Johnny T.

I should have done this from the beginning. 5 stars. I didn't know enough to know that IP is as good as it gets. That was then. This is now. I AM a halo halo-back boy. I AM a halo halo-back boy. I have moved on from Missy. Now, I am firmly on the Gwen-tip, so I will be requiring 4 Pinoy backup dancers to follow me around as I threaten high school girls to after school fights in the parking lot. I am taking resumes. I am also taking take-out orders. Seriously. The food is here is crazy good. Lumpia is still awesome. Pusit was a new addition to the repetoire and it fit nicely. Calamari with vinegar and garlic? Yes, please. Tocino and lechon kawali (gotta love that gravy) are always top picks, but I was shocked at how good the bbq chicken was. Don't sleep on the bbq chicken. The kare kare was flavorful and the Pancit Canton was good (but I prefer the other pancit a bit more). Next time I am here I need to tear up some Adobo: the chicken, pork, garlic, and pepper combo is calling my name. For dessert, I just stuck with the Ube ice cream. As much as I like saying halo halo (almost as much as this guy: youtube.com/watch?v=T9x8â€¦ ), there's too much going on in the dish. Just give me some purple ice cream (and red drink) and all is well. IP is perfection. Halo!
(5)
Vanessa R.

This place had been on our radar for a while - back to when it made an appearance on the Resto 100 list, and then more recently, when it was featured on Check Please. Just a few blocks from our place, I'm puzzled as to why we hadn't tried this place sooner. Don't be fooled by its location in a strip mall on Lawrence next to Little Cesars. Once you step inside, it's a cute, cozy restaurant where you'll find traditional Filipino cuisine presented in a manner that you'll think you're dining at a 5-star restaurant. (However, you'll get a small reality check when you have to go through the kitchen to get the bathroom.) Be sure to make a reservation - this place gets packed. Also, it's BYOB. If you forget to bring your booze, don't fret, there is a liquor store conveniently located next door. Onto the food. Appetizer: We started things off with the Pork BBQ - you get two sticks of glorious grilled chunks of BBQ pork - yum! Loved the seasoning and tenderness of the pork. This made me excited for the main course to come. EntrÃ©e: I went with the Tapa, thin cuts of deliciously seasoned grilled sirloin beef. It arrived as a little mountain of beef on my plate - awesome. I love that each entrÃ©e comes with rice. I also ordered a side of the mango salsa - so good and refreshing. If you are looking for some added spiciness, be sure to ask for some chili sauce. Dessert: The flan was so pretty, I secretly didn't want to eat it. But glad I did, it was delicious - rich and creamy, topped with a pirouline. Service: Even though it was packed, service was exceptional. We were constantly being checked up on (in a good way), and our water was always filled. The servers were really laid back and just across the board awesome. The shocking part was when the bill came. Less than $60 for a delicious 3-course meal for 4 people, what?? Awesome. We'll definitely be going back here to sample more goodness from their menu. Yum.
(5)
Mark T.

For the longest time, my sister had been dying to try out this place. The family (parents included) finally got around for an evening out last night. My immediate thought as I entered was that the place was way smaller than I thought it would be. My second immediate thought was that it was way busier than I thought it would be. There was not an empty table in the restaurant--usually a good sign. As we looked over the menu, many of the dishes were recognizable....especially since my mom made all of them on a regular basis. It was quite a high bar to jump over if these chefs could make them better than her. Anyways, my dad settled on the Bangus (milkfish), my mom and sister order the palabok (rice noodles topped with assorted veggies, fish and sauce), I went with the kaldereta (meat with veggies and sauce) and my other sister ordered the Lechon (pork with sauce). The portions were large. The food tasted good (not as good as my moms though!) . My mom makes her palabok with much thicker noodles, which gives the dish a lot more consistency than how the restaurant did it. Plus it looked like the noodles were drowning in the sauce. My dad ate his entire fish (the portion that they gave him was a similar size to what he'd cook for all five of us for one meal!). My other sister and I liked our dishes...mine was just the bit spicy and she liked hers as well. The service was kinda slow, but I give them the benefit since it was pretty packed that night. Overall the experience was definitely a step up from the Filipino buffets that my parents are used to, and definitely warrants another visit sometime soon.
(4)
Bernice L.

Everything you could ever want in delicious authentic Filipino food. Isla is my go to place for the best filipino food in Chicago. I absolutely love everything I have tried. We always start our with Lumpia Shanghai 20 pieces for only $5. I will try ox tail and pork belly anywhere I see it on the menu and Isla does not disappoint. In fact, it is one of the best. Kare Kare is their ox tail dish in the most yummy sauce. Lechon, their pork belly, is the perfect balance between crispiness and melt in your mouth! mMmMm... :) You have to top everything with their fabulous garlic rice that just brings everything together. I also love their Pancit Bihon (vermicelli noodles), Bicol Express (seafood in a yummy coconut sauce), and their Beef Kaldereta. You have to end your night with their Halo Halo which is better than most. I love their Ube ice cream mixed with the shaved ice..tastes so good! Everything is reasonably prices and tastes like home...:) They now only take reservations for parties of 6 or more so bring your own drinks, friends, and eat your heart out!
(5)
Char Y.

We came right after watching the check please episode on wttw. Big mistake. crazy crowded for a weekday lunch. it took 1 1/2 hour to each lunch, and it was crazy how the food would just sit on the counter and not be served. We didn't get our food until I walked up to the owner to ask where my food was. I understand that it was crowded, but also understaffed. Do not underestimate the check please effect. lumpia shanghai - yum sinigan pork - good kare kare - VERY good lechon - ok, slightly oily & porky halo halo - ok I'd come back when there is no more check please patrons.
(3)
Jennifer E.

Cheap good Filipino food. Eggrolls (Lumpia Shanghai) 10 pieces for $3...great appetizer for two if you have more people get the 20 pieces for $5 I ordered Sweet and Sour Red Snapper in respect to Lent and I got a whole fish! I've never really gotten full from fish but it did it for me. My hubby ordered Inihaw (Grilled) Pork which he loved. For all Filipino food virgins, Filipino specializes in PORK and SEAFOOD. Anyways, this place is good and its always packed. And for drinkers, this place is BYOB and its next to a liquor store. If you want to keep up with the Filipino theme, try San Miguel beer :)
(5)
Eric Jay D.

I never really get excited about Filipino restaurants... So it means just that much more for me to tell you: If you're ever in Chicago, definitely go check this place out! They are on-point, true to the dishes I remember eating growing up---and most importantly, they make this sadly underrepresented and undersold delicious cuisine readily accessible to the general public. My hat's off to you, Isla Pilipina! Maraming salamat---ang sarap! Of particular note: They actually LIST THE INGREDIENTS of the menu items! What a crazy concept! It's as if they're actually TRYING to reach out to the general public... ^_^
(4)
Jeff A.

In a strip mall, looking less than stellar, get over it! The food and service here is over the top, off the chain, through the roof, and at the front of the parade! They are so gracious and so quick to explain the dishes, all while suggesting traditional approaches and combinations in Filipino dining... We decided to go for a flavor tour, in classic me form, we kicked off with dessert, hey I never know when that Chicago earthquake is going to hit and I will be darned if I won't already have dessert down my gullet when it does! First course - Halo Halo - A dessert mÃ©lange of sorts, not too sweet, very complex in both flavor and texture-a truly wonderful experience-to the very last bite or sip-whichever you choose to savor last... Halo Halo is a large glass filled with sweet creamy liquids snow cone like ice, beans (yes beans), gelatin cubes, yam ice cream, flan, fresh mint, I am leaving stuff out I'm sure, it is truly an experience to be had. At first I was cautious and maybe even a bit confused, as I slurped and foraged on-I realized I had found a new sweet beginning, which I would revisit for sure! Second course - Calamari - Crispy, tender, juicy, perfect! With a complex sauce of spice vinegar and delight... Second course part B - Lil rolls that were crisp on the outside and moist and delicious on the inside... Third Course (three entrees) Mixed Adobo - Made with both chicken and beef it was succulent, fantastic meaty saucy wonderful! Pork bellies - The name on the menu is escaping me, just ask and ye shall discover, this may have been my least favorite course in the extravaganza and it was still devilishly good! Crispy Fat laden bites of pork belly fried and served up with a sweet fruity dipping sauce... Not low cal that's for sure! Filipino Sausage - Mayhaps my favorite preparation of the day... subtly sweet, a lil salty, and just enough kick to make this some darn good packed meat! Served up (on the suggestion of the staff) with two fried eggs, apparently this is a traditional breakfast dish; with the sauce and rice this meaty goodness was just perfect! Course 4 (two parts) Encore desserts... Ube Ice Cream (Yam Ice Cream) - Not too sweet, a wonderful purple color, just wonderful on the tongue! Flan - Denser then you would expect from a flan, again not too sweet, and a splendid texture to slowly masticate between your tongue and roof of your mouth, especially good with a spot of Ube... As I sipped on my loose leaf tea and nibbled on fresh mint leaves basking in the afterglow of such a wonderful flavor experience, I began to muse how the people of the Philippines came up with Halo Halo, adventuring and discovering their way through all of their wonderful food, figuring out that it is all so good-why not just cup all that goodness together and call it a halo, as if it dropped down from the heavens... Thank You Isla!
(5)
Amanda W.

It's hard to find a sit down Filipino restaurant, especially one this cute, with good food and great service. The atmosphere is adorable. Tried the adobo, lumpia shanghai, and pancit canton. We devoured it and even ordered more lumpia and lechon kawali to-go to eat later. They weren't as good after having to reheat them but still got devoured pretty quickly. The lechon was great when paired with pan de sal. My mom lives in California so the next time I need some good Filipino home cooking, Isla Pilipina is where I'm going! (until I figure out how to make this food for myself)
(5)
Rebekah H.

The lumpias were calling to me so we headed over to Isla with 2 friends. Got seated right away and while waiting for our friends to arrive we ordered 10 lumpia shanghais and a fresh eggroll. The lumpias were good as ever but the fresh eggroll was very bland. When our friends arrived they ordered the mussels and the fried calamari. The calamari was tasty but a bit overcooked, the mussels were pretty tasty and cooked well. For dinner I felt adventurous and ordered the spaghetti and chicken. I really wanted to like the spaghetti but it was so sweet it completely grossed me out. Between the hubby and I we ate 3 bites, it was seriously bad! Plus the hot dogs were the cheap, non descript kind, they couldn't even spring for beef or even the cheap Oscar Mayer pork/chicken kind. However, the chicken was awesome, perfectly seasoned, crispy, crunchy yummy goodness! Had the flan for dessert and it was also great! Service was much better this time, however, they still took forever to bring the check. I will be back for the chicken and the Pata intrigues me but stay far away from the Spaghetti! BTW, had the most bizarre dreams the night we went here, I am not necessarily blaming the Spaghetti, but I will concede that it may have Psychedelic properties! :-) It is also very odd to me that when you call and ask do they take reservations they say no, but then you get there and there are tables marked reserved and I even heard them ask someone did they make a reservation??? And she said, No I thought you didn't take reservations??? What is that about? Do you need to be in some secret club to get reservations here? Very odd!!
(3)
patricia n.

i went with several friends this week. none of us knew a thing about filipino food, but not for long! our waiter gave us a much appreciated 'fast course'. we each ordered something different and shared. not a bad bite in the bunch! we went early-ish on wednesday, heck, we're 60+. it was pretty busy, and got busier, but we were not rushed at all. the best part was when i reheated my leftovers for lunch the next day, yes there were leftovers, the quantity was impressive as well as the price. my husband was so jealous! since we live 2 blocks away, we've wanted to try it for some time. this may be the weekend. i've just learned from the reviews that they have lunch specials, perfect for the semi-retired! and they deliver...a find like this is dizzying!!
(5)
Georgia K.

My first experience with Filipino food was 100% legit. The atmosphere wasn't spectacular (but what can you expect from a strip mall). The service was slow at first, but definitely improved over the course of our meal. The waitress was extremely helpful and happy to give recommendations to a couple of newbies. The food was DEE-LISH! We split everything since, as our waitress reminded us: "sharing is caring." We ordered: Lumpia Shanghai (tasty 'lil eggrolls); Pancit Bihon (great rice noodle dish); and the Bicol Express (great for seafood lovers... a bit spicy and in a coconut milk sauce). All of the food was devoured in no time flat. Isla Pilipina, we WILL meet again. Next time taking advantage of the BYOB policy :)
(4)
Alexis A.

Based on my one and only experience, I am not a fan. I ordered the mini eggrolls, calamari, and Bicol Express. The mini eggrolls were delicious and came with a uniquely flavored sweet and sour sauce. That was the first dish I ordered, and the only dish I enjoyed to say the least. When I saw calamari on the menu I got really excited; after reading good reviews about the quality of their seafood I knew it had to be ordered! Boy, was I wrong. I normally prefer my calamari sauteed, but am always willing to try it fried. This was so intensely deep fried that there was barely any calamari within the breading. It was almost as if I ordered a deep fried batch of...nothing? The parts of the calamari that I could actually taste were so dry and fishy that I could hardly devour one bite, not to mention they were very tough. It came with a vinegar sauce that I was unable to enjoy; extremely sour - but understandable if traditional to Filipino culture. The waitress advised me to order the Bicol Express, as she said it was her favorite dish on the menu. This dish included sauteed calamari, mussels, pork and came in a coconut milk sauce. I wanted to give the seafood another shot and was hoping that the sauteed calamari was better than their fried version. It tasted a little like curry, however it was much too sweet! I'm not one to order sweet entrees, but went way off the beaten path due to my waitress's suggestion. The calamari was a lot tastier, and the mussels were fine. I wish it had more mussels. The pork was awful, I could barely eat any of it. The Bicol Express was a little spicy, and I enjoyed that - but overall, this dish was not suited for my personal taste. Their service is pretty hospitable, which I am always appreciative of. I wanted so badly to like this place, especially since they were playing Ray Charles, but was sadly let down. Since this restaurant has so many good reviews I MIGHT consider checking it out again. I had never eaten home style Filipino food before this and I am curious to try the spaghetti and hotdogs.... If you come here, whatever you do, DO NOT ORDER THE FRIED CALAMARI APPETIZER.
(2)
Sharon P.

Thought this was a turo-turo but it was an all-out sit-down restaurant with art on the wall and nice seats. Pretty good eats, not as homestyle as most FIlipino joints, but the bangus was tasty enough with vinegar sauce. Lumpia had too much wrapper, and what's up with sinigang taking like 45 to cook? Ok ok I understand, it's a small operation. Cute little restaurant and I would come back to try the other dishes, especially pork sausage and halo-halo.
(3)
Reggie M.

Nobody cooks filipino food better than my mom. My opinion is obviously biased. Since I can't (nor do I want) to go to the burbs all the time to get my fix, Isla Pilipina is the next best thing. Parking is quite sparse here so I usually take the risk of stashing my car at the nearby Burger King. But once I'm in, I'm devouring Kare Kare like it was the last time I would ever have it.
(4)
George H.

Went there yesterday as part of the Yelp Eats! event and loved it! We had seen the restaurant previously on "Check Please", so with the event going on we decided to finally make the trek down from the burbs. We went there early for lunch (got there as they opened the doors) and were greeted and told about the event as they gave us the special menu (some of the items were 'off menu'). We ordered lumpia shanghai and baked tahong (mussels) for our appetizers - the lumpia were crisp and not greasy, the mussels were succulent and flavorful--I practically had to fight my 8.5 year old daughter for the last one on the platter! ;) For entrees I had the (off menu) sizzling sisig (diced pork, vegetables,m and egg on a 'fajita' plate) which was very good and the pork was very juicy. My wife had the kare kare, it was moist and tender but very very rich (not a bad thing). And finally, our daughter had the fried chicken which was incredibly crispy and one butter fish which she made short work of, she enjoyed it so much. We were stuffed and normally would have forgone having dessert, but it came with the Yelp Eats special, so we had the (off menu) turn a la mode (fried plantain). It was good, but at that point we were so full it was overkill. All said and done, we had a great food and a great time (and plenty of leftovers).
(5)
Boon K.

This rating is compared to all the places I have tried the chicago area. For the price you pay, the portion are huge, like crazy huge. Love the lumpia, the Kare Kare( awesome) and the best of best.... Crispy Pata( to die for) and you need a run after but it was so crispy and juicy. The dinuguan was good but wish it was just a little more sour and spicy but still really good. Great service as everyone is so friendly here.
(5)
Roxy A.

MMMMM SARAP!!!!!! (delicious) Went here last Friday w/ a group of friends, it's a small restaurant, but cozy & the servers are very friendly. I'm orignally from LA and have been deprived of Filipino food since I moved out here..not too many filipino restaurants out here in Chicago..but Isla Pilipina really hit the spot! It was Filipino feast & i was super "matakaw sa mata" (hungry w/ my eyes) b/c I ordered way too much food..but it made some great leftovers the next day! We ordered: *Lumpia Shanghai *Sinigang na Hipon (Tamarind soup w/ shrimp) *Beef Tapa *Tocino *BBQ Chicken *Pancit Bihon *Garlic rice (we got 2 orders but 1 order is more than enough for 4 people) The prices are decent and it's a great place to come w/ a group of friends b/c you can eat family style and have a little bit of everything! Plus it's BYOB!!!! woo hoo!!!
(5)
Abigail D.

I love Filipino food....this place is so good.
(5)
M D.

No. Extremely over salted greasy food. Couldn't eat it.
(1)
Mandy A.

Based on a recommendation from a coworker, the Supper Club group trekked out here to the finest strip mall on the road. It seriously threw all of us off and no one could stop making jokes about the Hot and Ready's at the Little Caesar's next door. ANYWAYS... We had a group of six and they took reservations that afternoon but then apparently gave our table away. No worries, they found another table for us in the very small dining room right by the window. Nothing like finishing dinner and having some very impatient guests staring you down from the parking lot outside. Not the restaurant's fault at all, just weird vibes. Anyways, we basically ordered everything that was fried off the menu. Started obviously with the Shanghai Lumpia, 20 pieces for $5, yes please. Each is about two bites if you are civil like me, one bite if you are my husband. Fantastic sweet and sour sauce, I could have just had a plate of those. Tried the veggie egg rolls too and those were pretty awesome, lumpia won out though. I had heard the fried chicken was amazeballs so I ordered that to share and for $7 you basically got like 6 pieces of chicken, at least. I can't remember, I had drank a lot of wine by that point. (Oh yeah, BYOB in case I didn't mention.) It was good chicken but nothing that I would trek out of my way for again probably. Husband got the pork belly and it should have been an appetizer or something, it was just a big piece o' belly fried up and waiting to be eaten so it can kill you from the insides. I had one bite and it was good and delicious and decadent but as a meal, me thinks not. I asked which was the best noodle dish and our crazy but awesome server pointed out the Pancit Bihon (pan fried rice noodle sauteed in chicken and pork, mixed with shredded vegetables). It was really good and a lot of noodles. Not so great reheated the next day so just suck it up and eat all of it there while you're at it. Also, a couple of us saw the $1.50 fried butterfish... just don't. If you think you're getting an awesome piece of butterfish like you get at Roy's... you're wrong. This was a crispy freaky ass piece of fish that was very, very fishy. Avoid. So yeah it was decent, an entertaining meal as always. Cool interior, good service, maybe our group was just not in the right mindset for this place that night.
(3)
Michelle L.

I had such a good time here!! My friend and I had trouble finding Isla at first. From the outside the restaurant looked kind of sketchy, but the interior design of the place was very cool and hip. It had a coffee house vibe, but with out the coffee. The food was amazing and it was at a pretty good price range!! My friends and I were able to order appetizers, entrees, and dessert with out blowing a hole in our wallets. I also loved the staff, they were super friendly and had wonderful service! I don't give 5 stars often, but Isla totally deserves it!!
(5)
Duely Y.

I've never had Filipino food before, but this is a must go for first timers! Food is absolutely delicious and the service is excellent! This place is located inside a small lot, but there is plenty of parking. Also, the restaurant itself is really small, so be sure to plan ahead if you don't want to wait. A big plus to this place is that it is BYOB/W and that the liquor store is conveniently located next door. Our table ordered a lot of food for everyone to try out and we have absolutely nothing but good reviews. It was very delicious and tasty, so be adventurous and order anything you want. I promise you that the food is phenomenal! Also, be sure to try out the Lumpia Shanghai and the desserts! I would recommend this place to anybody who has never had Filipino food in their life.
(5)
PJ J.

Hands down the best Filipino restaurant in Chicagoland. My bulletpoints: *Finally, a safe place for virgins of Filipino cuisine to go and have their first experience *This is a place where I feel like the kitchen truly strives to make good damn food, like they cook as if they're going to eat the food themselves *This place is cozy, warm, clean, and sports some cool, sparse decor and artwork. *Good, properly volumed music *Good service Before I rant, lets do this review. Isla is in the hood yo, don't let the Lincoln Square political geography fool you, one more reason to love it. Lemme skip to the food. Bast damn Filipino food I have had in the city, or anywhere near the city, ever. EVER! My morning breakfast: A couple perfectly salted butterfish, fried crisp -ate em with vinegar and garlic fried rice. $1.50 a piece. PRICELESS! 2 BBQ pork kabobs, cooked to perfection with PERFECT fat content, and perfect char. Marinated in that crack laced, real deal "drunk uncle" Filipino marinade. Lumpia Shanghai, now...mind you, I was raised to loathe any lumpia (fried egg rolls) that aren't "blunt sized" in diameter, and these little egg rolls are definitely "pinner" sized. -I gotta say, I get it. It's all about texture and crunch. Isla's lumpia Shanghai are better than (watch your mouth!) -My mom's. Ouch! Eggs over easy, and my wife got the pancit bihon, sans shrimp...these were executed perfectly, veggies cooked just right, not greasy -bright flavors. Fresh ground French Press coffee? Really? For dessert (I know, it was breakfast)...we had halo-halo. It had flan in it. It had that purple ice cream stuff that i don't typically like....but damn. Ethereal. Service was far above and beyond any other Filipino place, ever. Prices were more than reasonable. I love this place. Thanks Isla.
(5)
Bill M.

I've tried Isla Pilipina's offerings at several Yelp events. The food was good at the events, so it has to be great at the restaurant itself, right? Why yes indeed. My friend and I trekked to the humble strip mall location yesterday, and fortunately we snagged a table upon walking in the door. The menu is loaded with Filipino specialties, and I had a hard time narrowing it down to one dish for dinner. We did start off with a plate of Lumpia Shanghai. Although the order was for ten pieces, I think we got about 13 or 14. The surplus was a welcome bonus, because these lumpia were the best I have ever eaten anywhere. As mentioned, these lumpia were good at the events, but served hot and crispy out of the kitchen with a sweet dipping sauce they were amazingly delicious (they might as well rename the restaurant Isla Lumpia). We also ordered BBQ pork skewers as an appetizer. The flavor was good but not great, a bit too fatty and chewy and totally attached to its skewers. The entrees we chose were impressive, and went well with the white rice. My friend went with the yummy mixed adobo (pork and chicken) served in a hearty sauce. I ordered the Lechon Kawali. They brought out a big plate of pork belly cut into segments not unlike one of those Body Works human cross-sections. The pork chunks were tasty, meaty and not overly chewy, and of course laden with layers of fat and crunchy skin. Ideally this dish would be an appetizer split amongst a group of four or so. Next time I might go for the kare-kare (oxtail stew), and perhaps the monumental halo-halo dessert that was one of my fondest memories of my trip to Manila last year. OK I need to dine again at Isla Pilipina in less than five years. To top it off, the staff was friendly and the food is inexpensive. Just go!
(5)
Jacque w.

Delicious! Make a reservation or you will wait! The staff are friendly and attentive. They explain all the dishes to you, and are honest enough to tell you what they like and don't like. The restaurant is a small storefront so, the tables are very close together. This lends itself to chatting with your neighbors and discussing what they ordered. You must like meat! There are vegetable dishes, but this is the kind of place that meat seems to dominate the menu. We ordered : Apetizers: Crispy Calamari Lumpia Shanghai Main course: Mixed Adobo Inihaw Pork Beef Kaldereta Beef Steak Tagalog Desert:: Flan Ube ice cream Everything was delicious! Seriously, EVERYTHNG WAS DELICIOUS! The standouts were the mixed adobo and the inihaw pork. We almost ordered a second plate of that delicious,marinated pork because it was so good! We passed on the crispy pork knuckle, which seemed to be the most popular dish in the place. Our server explained the dish to us and also told us how delicious it was. By the end of the night I have to admit we were really intrigued by the huge fried, very yummy looking plate of meat! We will probably try it on our next visit. Our calamari was good. A little tough, but the flavor made up for it! The table next to us ordered the sweet and sour snapper, and it looked really good. The deserts are the only thing that I might skip next time, The yam ice cream is a little off putting! The flan tastes good, but is very hard, not creamy at all. We will definitely be back, probably next weekend!
(4)
Y V.

I don't go to Filipino restaurants very often because I'm fortunate enough to have family in Chicago and nothing beats home cooking. But I was craving lechon paksiw for a few days, to the point where I became obsessed. So I decided to go to Isla Pilipina to try their version of it. The restaurant is small, with around 8 or so tables. We sat down and looked over the menu (although I already knew what I was going to order). Their menu is a good representation of Filipino home cooking. No weird Asian fusion cuisine here, so don't expect anything fancy schmancy. For our appetizer, we ordered the 10-piece lumpia shanghai. You can't go to a Filipino restaurant without ordering the lumpia shangai (but if you're a vegetarian, they do have vegetable egg rolls). They came out hot and crispy, with a sweet and sour sauce. Delicious. Of course, I ordered the lechon paksiw for my entree. For the uninitiated, it consists of roasted pork stewed in soy sauce, vinegar, bay leaves, liver sauce, garlic, onion, and a pinch of brown sugar. Well, that's how my mom makes it. But Isla Pilipina's version is just as good as homemade. Keep in mind that you must love pork to enjoy this dish. Tender pieces of pork with bits of pork fat and skin that melts in your mouth. It was so good that I ordered a second batch to go. He ordered the beef steak tagalog, which I picked out for him because he's a picky gringo (heh). It was tender pieces of beef in an onion and soy sauce gravy. He really enjoyed it, inhaling the dish in less than five minutes. An empty plate is always a good sign. Instead of the usual soft drinks, I ordered the gulaman sago. It's a sweet drink made with sago pearls - which are similar to tapioca pearls, (vegan) gelatin, a bit of shaved ice, and a brown sugar syrup. A very simple and pretty drink. Overall, I enjoyed my meal here and they satisfied my lechon paksiw craving. I'll be back to try their other dishes for sure.
(4)
Kevin A.

SCREW AMBIEN If you want a good nap, go to Isla Pilipina and get some hearty home-style Filipino food and you'll be counting sheep within a hour or less guaranteed. Seriously, I had plans to grab a quick lunch here then go the gym, play some tennis, and clean my house. None of those post-lunch activities happened. This hearty food warms the soul, fills the tummy, and is pretty easy on the pocketbook. Good to know as it starts to get cold again. I went here with a picky eater and a Filipino food newbie so I stuck with crowd-pleasing fare like the beef steak tagalog with onions, lumpia, and of course the mixed adobo which is among the best adobos I've had. What I really want from here though it the kare kare, an intoxicating dish consisting of ox tail, tripe, and green beans in peanut sauce. Don't knock it until you've tried it!
(4)
Michelle P.

After craving Filipino food for some time now..I decided to check out Isla Pilipina. My job is about a block away so I ordered a lunch special for carry-out. The place is simple. The woman behind the counter has a pleasant demeanor. I ordered the "Adobo lunch special" which comes with steam rice, eggrolls, a cup of soup of the day (pork sinigang that day) and a small cut of leche flan ($5.99). I also ordered a Buko (Coconut juice) I couldn't wait to dive into the Adobe based on past yelpers reviews! The Eggrolls were ok, i felt there was alot of wrapper going on & little meat. Not the same as my Lola makes ;( the sweet n' sour dipping sauce was really good though. The Adobo was sooooooooooooo Delicious!!!!!! They serve a good portion of meat. Very little fat. The sauce was so flavorful.. I felt like i was in heaven. My mouth was still watering and I was eating it. The cup of soup was sinigang with Baboy...that soup alone was a meal. Pieces of spinach, radishes, pieces of pork with the rim on it still. I was not really impressed with the Buko Juice & the price is pretty steep at $1.95. I was so stuffed that I could not budge on tasting the flan. A colleague of mine took a look at my lunch & was in awe on how much was given for the price & how happy my face was while I was enjoying it, she gave it a whirl that same day. She has never had Filipino food & was quite open-minded about trying it out. She ordered the "Chicken Teriyaki Special" She absolutely love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She was unbelievably full as well. I can't wait to go back & Try the Daing na Bangus, Tocino, Paksiw na Lechon, Pancit Palabok and the Halo-Halo...other yelpers gave it a triple thumbs up...great dessert for the summer. Isla Pilipina is real, authentic Filipino food, I'm glad they don't americanize it. I'll be back & will refer others to try them out.
(4)
Bridget M.

so growing up with my parents as cooks greatly alters what my food expectations are. both my mama and papa are amazing cooks which only means that filipino and italian cuisines will be approached with greater scrutiny. i was pretty impressed with everything that we ordered at isla pilipina - the lumpia was pretty decent. still not as good as my mom's, but i would order it again. i enjoyed the calamari aLOT, probably helps that it was served with seasoned vinegar - yum! spaghetti delight? kare kare? longanisa? you can't go wrong here. to top it off, the halo halo was spot on. the prices are super fair and the serving sizes are hefty. no complaints here and would welcome a return for sure!
(4)
Ms. R.

Great place! Been here a couple times now. Went first with a few friends to try it out and to also introduce them to Filipino food. I was excited since I have yet to discover a decent and accessible (for me without a car) Filipino place here in Chicago. Had the lumpia Shanghai as an appetizer. Of course, they were a hit! Then I ordered for the whole group - did it family style. We had adobo, tocino, kare-kare, beef steak, and vegetables guisado in coconut sauce. Yummy! We pretty much finished everything. I also had a gulaman sago for a drink. It's BYOB so it helps that there's a liquor place right next door - my boyfriend bought a six-pack of beer and a couple bottles of wine for our group. We all left there happily full and I was excited to return. I returned just yesterday when I discovered that they also offer a $5.99 lunch special, which includes a choice of entree (there's 5 to choose from), rice, soup, lumpia, and dessert. What a deal! I ended up choosing the lechon kawali. It was a very cute presentation. First you got a bowl of soup - I guess they get choose which kind. Yesterday's selection was sinigang. Then a platter with everything else arrived - four lumpias, a scoop of rice, several pieces of lechon kawali, and a little ramekin of leche flan. Again, the food was good. I actually ended up having leftovers and taking it home. Plus I ordered pancit sotanghon guisado and talong omelet to go so I have food for the week. I have been feeling a bit homesick for my mom's cooking (my family lives in NJ) so even though it doesn't replace her cooking, it does fit the bill as far as getting my Filipino food fix. I will definitely be back for lunch for the rest of the summer until school starts again. Can't pass up such a good deal! Definitely recommend it. Kat, the super nice waitress, said that they change up their entrees every week or two, but the basics are usually on there - adobo, beef steak, lechon... So, yes, definitely check this place out. You will love it!
(4)
Liz W.

I miss working in lincoln square and all the yummy restaurants that surround the neighborhood. I used to order my lunch from here before this place was featured on tv. Those little egg rolls are to die for. I can seriously eat about 20 and then pass out. I've had several lunch combos and for the price you get alot of food. The pancit is very good as well. I shall make a drive up one day to get my fix of filipino food.
(5)
A.J. M.

I had forgot to review this place a while back. I dunno why, because it was amazing. This was reaffirmed a week ago when I went back. For one, the mini eggrolls are addictive, and the BBQ pork appetizer is out of this world incredible. I'd order five of them for dinner and be happy. But for dinner, I got the deep fried pork belly with gravy. Very awesome. From the last time I was there, I recall I got the mixed adobo, which was also very good. I'd recommend this place to anybody, even people who have never had Filipino food.
(5)
Jason N.

So after the impeccable review Yelp's very own John Todd gave this place on Check Please, how could I not stop off and indulge here? Came here on a Wednesday night and we were seated right away, but it was basically a full house. We started off with the Calamari. And while it was probably the best Calamari i've tasted, it came to the table luke warm. The only question I had was if we waited over 20 minutes for an appetizer, I expect it to be hot. But nonetheless it was great, the batter was tasty and it complimented the squid. The vinaigrette sauce was different, but in a good way as it was tasty and just made it a 5 star appetizer. For the main dish I ordered the inihaw baboy and the better half ordered the Pancit Bihon. While the dishes were phenomenal here's my other gripe, they brought out the Pancit way before the Inihaw . Don't know if it's just me but I dine out frequently and have also worked in the service industry. But in my honest opinion even if one dish takes longer to prepare than the other, it should always be brought out to the table at the same time. Anyone who actually reads this please feel free to let me know if you feel the same way, or if my standards are just way too high. Now on an extremely positive note, the inihaw was the best pork dish I have ever tasted. And this is coming from a bonafide pork snob. Its grilled to perfection and what really makes it taste good is the marinade. Also, the pork has an extremely thin layer of fat when cooked to perfection give it a bit of a crispy texture and adds an additional burst of flavor. The Pancit was also very tasty and was impressed as a lot of restaurants tend to mess this dish up. The servers and staff are very personable overall. Despite a couple of hiccups, including the fact they were out of Egg Rolls I will definitely be back. The food alone is 5 star quality, but due to the negatives it knocks the review down one star. If I lived closer to here, I might be eating here 4 days a week, it was that good!
(4)
Justin G.

It's hard to find good Filipino food. You certainly can't find it in my kitchen, despite my ethnicity. It's a fairly typical strip mall restaurant.. Small, slightly cramped (though nothing severe) dining room. Simple, traditional decor. What would appear to be family members working as staff. There's nothing really remarkable about this place, but it's a solid place to get an inexpensive but good meal. It's never going to be a 5-star Yelpers giving it verbal handjobs kind of place, but I'll be going back.
(4)
Soo S.

Food was great. Adobo mix is a must to try. Great service!
(4)
Tony A.

Great food and good selection in a nice / clean restaurant. They lack delivery and have very short hours they are open.
(4)
Kevin S.

Annoying. We were waiting in line next on the list and the skinny tall guy holding the list let's his friends that just walked in grab the next table. So we ended up going to the tasty Indian restaurant down the street. Skip this place hella rude!
(1)
Mike O.

So I love this place. I've been here quite a few times now and have had experiences that have run the gamut, all of them positive. I've come as part of a pretty large group (call ahead and make reservations since the joint is kind of small) ordering 2 of everything for half of the menu, as well as quick stops with a family member or on a date with my girlfriend. Each and every time I go, the service is spectacular. Sometimes it can take a little for the food to come out but, hey, that just means they're cooking the food fresh! Like some other reviewers have already said, some of the fare is a little "off" for Filipino food one might have at home, but then again, if you're Filipino, nothing can quite compare to your mom's home cooking. Recipes vary, and the recipes here are very tasty (see what I did there?). I commented in my review of (the now defunct) Filipiniana Restaurant that, in trying to cater to non-native taste-buds, Filipino food would have to change. Filipino food is often not very visually appealing (with our many different hues of sauce), texturally strange and some people find the flavors to be too strong (or conversely, too bland). What Isla does is challenge me. They present their food beautifully and have made subtle adjustments to make the food more accessible to the inexperienced tongue. I can tell that this place is going to be successful. It's changed Filipino food enough for the non-Filipino while still maintaining as much authenticity as possible. So here's what you do: It's usually packed during peak hours, so, if you're planning on coming during the lunch rush or during dinner, make a reservation (it never hurts). If you're a little early, stop by the liquor store next door and pick up a six pack of San Miguel. Order some lumpiang shanghai to munch on while you wait for your entrees. Order A few different entrees TO SHARE. Portions are generous enough and Filipino food is meant to be shared! Enjoy. Have a cup of wonderful coffee and dessert! Rinse and repeat! - Happy eating!
(5)
Sean L.

Porkbelly is paired perfectly with gravy and the coffee is awesome.
(5)
Tammy Q.

Not quite sure how I feel about this place -- I think I need to try it again. My fiance and I came here the other night and ordered crispy pata (recommendation from Ji P.). I don't think I was terribly blown away by it -- it was decent. I think I have been tainted by my future mother and sister in law's cooking that I compare every Filipino dish I taste to theirs. The fiance ordered the caldereta and had leftovers -- the horror! He never leaves food uneaten, so I think that says a bit as well. :-\ I really liked the halo halo at the end of our meal, but I think it could have used some extra condensed milk. I'd like to come back and try the lechon kiwali as that is another dish I love. Thinking about it makes me hungry. Till we meet again.
(3)
Elizabeth C.

By far my favorite filipino restaurant in the whole country!....i've traveled enough but the presentation, the staff, the taste...highly recommended and spectacular..i brought a group of 25 and they managed to serve them and answer all of their questions for it was their first time eating Filipino food...I went there almost 2-3 times a week when I was in chicago for a month :)
(5)
Katty D.

I came here with a friend who was visitting from NYC, we had a filipino food fix and this was the place to go. Every filipino will say their mom's cooking is the best, but this comes close enough, especially for the price! They had a $5.99 lunch special which included soup, an entree, rice, lumpia shanghai (those little eggrolls) and a small dessert. You can't beat that! I had the beef steak tagalog and my friend had the lechon (fried pork). It all tasted super authentic and I had to work hard not to inhale my food and embarrass my friend. Ambiance - eh. kinda outdated, but i'm not coming here for white table cloths. Food Quality - authentic filipino food! yummy Service - very nice, only one server, so i can see them getting busy Value - great price!!! even their regular menu looked quite affordable
(4)
Ken I.

The first time I was in this restaurant was back in Sept 2007 and I have been back several times ever since. It is THE place I bring non-Filipino friends to taste Pinoy (Filipino) food. The restaurant always doesn't disappoint (except for the service when sometimes it is slow especially if they have many customers). Here is a review that I wrote back in my blog back 2007 after the first encounter. My sentiments still ring true two years later: I had a very pleasant lunch today at a small restaurant called Isla Pilipina on Lawrence Ave in Chicago (2501 W. Lawrence). The restaurant (also known as Isla) is located in a nondescript strip mall just west of Lincoln Ave. Inside, are maybe 12 - 15 tables, set in a nice understated and tasteful decor - mostly green motif, paintings and photographs on the wall, table linens (!), silk flowers. Not your usual over the top, kitschy Filipino restaurant decoration that abounds in many Chicago Filipino restaurants. We were sat by a nice amiable young man (who turned out to be the owner). The menu is ample, mostly traditional Filipino - the usual lumpia (eggrolls), nilaga and tinola (stews), pancit (noodles), adobos, seafoods (fish, shrimp and squid in various ways of cooking) and a medium list of vegetable dishes - all at modest prices (the most expensive is crispy pata - fried pork hocks - for twelve bucks). They have weekly specials at an incredibly low price of $5.99 with a choice of several entrees and side dishes. We didn't dare to be adventurous this first time around. I wanted to check how they treated the most traditional food I could think of. So we had sinigang (cooking meat, fish or fowl with water and a souring agent from fruit or vegetable), lechon kawale (pan roasted pork), adobo (meat or vegetables cooked in vinegar and spices), and something from the grill. We had the shrimp sinigang (sour soup with vegetables) which was wonderfully tart, with crisp, not overcooked, vegetables and reasonably fresh shrimp. I wasn't sure if the the tartness was from tamarind or tomatoes - it may have been from both. The owner said that the vegetables they use are home-grown by their cooks (!) especially during the summer. No wonder. The soup was delicious. The lechon kawale was nice and crisp. There was a little bit of fat (not overpowering but non-Filipinos might not like the inclusion of fat) which imparted the full flavor of the pork. It was nicely presented on a white platter with parsley garnish and the sauce (liver sauce?) placed on a small serving dish. For the adobo, we ordered mixed adobo - chicken and pork in vinegar, soy sauce and spices. Very well done. I like the idea of the sauce a little bit thickened. I don't know if they thickened it with corn starch or what but it was just right, not runny or gelatinous. Taste is very traditional adobo. Always delicious. It was served with a sprinkling of green onions. Beautiful. It so hard to make this dish nice to look at because it is brown in color... but they managed to make it presentable. Then, from the grill, we had inihaw na pusit (grilled squid). Oh boy. Huge, stuffed with assorted kinds of vegetables - tomatoes, lemons, green onions etc. Grilled to perfection ... although some parts of the squid were rubbery, but that's ok. The dip was really good though - vinegar with various kinds of spices. I totally forgot the desserts, they didn't have much and they didn't have what I wanted (buko salad - young coconut salad) so I ordered the flan instead. It was ok, light and fluffy, but nothing to write home about. Will I come back here? Definitely. It a place that I will not be ashamed to bring my non-Filipino friends (in fact my companion was non-Filipino and he highly recommends it). Ambiance is ok, table setting is nice - white Ikea plates, green linens, clean surroundings etc. I didn't check the 'comfort room' - that's for next time. But certainly, food is good - and although it took a little while for them to bring the food even if there were only a few diners when we were there - this assured me that they were cooking the orders from scratch. The owner said his chef was trained in Barrio Fiesta in the Philippines ... then worked in a 5-star hotel in Makati, then in Filipino restaurants in California, then made his way to Chicago. Great eatiing!
(5)
Steve R.

I took a large group there a few months ago, the food was delicious, prices reasonable, and service was great. I'm nervous to give it such a good review, for fear of it getting overrun. Enjoy!
(5)
Bless P.

Food was fantastic... Large portions and authentic filipino food. Would have rated it 5 stars if I didn't have to go to the back kitchen to use the facilities. Definitely have to reserve a week in advance to get the prefered date and time.
(4)
Ian S.

I can usually judge if an ethnic restaurant is good if the "natives" eat there. Well I'm a native Filipino and i love this place. Ive been here twice now, and I live 30 miles away, its definitely worth the trip. I come from Pampanga and this region is known for the best cooking in the Philippines. So I'm always leary when I come to a Filipino restaurant because they're usually not run by people from my home province. Even though the waiter/manager/host said they come from Cebu which is way south of where I come from, isla is an exception. Service is top notch. We were 13 minutes late with our reservation of 7 people and when I pulled up in the parking lot and saw that there were people waiting outside I thought for sure they gave away our table. Surprisingly, our table was held and we got seated and served right away.
(5)
Kris R.

i want to say right off the bat, i'm filipino. (i don't hit on dudes with this pickup line.) ready for a debbie downer story? my mom passed away when i was 14. her filipino food was AMAZING. i don't know how to cook filipino food, and sadly all that knowledge went to the grave with her. isla is the one place i can go to and pretend i'm a little girl, eating my mom's cooking again. my favorite, and will always be, is their mixed adobo (chick, pork, garlicky, vinegary) with adobo rice. lumpia shanghai is also a staple for me. some other faves: pork bbq skewers (sweet meat) pancit bihon (thin, translucent noodles) dinuguan (aka chocolate meat. there's no chocolate in there.) kare-kare beef steak tagalog the only thing that i tried that i didn't enjoy much was the crispy chicken. it was alotta fried, alotta skin. i recommend ordering take out from isla. you can't go wrong. and it's pretty inexpensive! to feed a family of 5 with 2 big eaters costs around $40, and there are always leftovers. for those who have never had filipino food - i always say it's a mix of chinese and mexican. saucy stews, sometimes vinegary, sometimes sweet. can be heavy. rice (um, asian)! if you like trying new things, good for you - try it now!
(4)
Allison N.

I'm not going to say that this is the best pilipino food I've ever had because I'm pinay so of course I've had amazing pinoy food. I grew up with this amazing/under-rated food. But I have to say, out of all of the pilipino restaurants I've been to you can taste the LOVE they put into their food. I would highly recommend the Kare Kare (everyone's fav) as well as the Crispy Pata! They don't over fry the meat so it's perfectly crispy on the outside and soft and tender on the inside. A great app would be the Crispy Pusit which is fried squid. The squid isn't too chewy, just right. There's a hand full of pilipino restaurants in Chicago but this one is on top of my list! Many of them fail because of the lack of appeal to the Western palette but this place does true justice to Pilipino food and will not disappoint!
(5)
Michael H.

Probably the best option for filipino food in the city. I still prefer my wife's family cooking, but this place is solid. It's become very popular over the years so there may be a bit of a wait.
(4)
Tristin M.

This place brought me back to filipino home cookin' =) See.. usually, it's tough for a place to execute that home cooked taste in a restaurant where they have to cook everything in big batches. I got the "pork sinigang" which is a tamarind soup based stew and "lumpiang shanghai" with a "sago gulaman" to drink.
(5)
Andrew K.

I have mixed feelings about this place. The restaurant is small but popular. Came at 8 pm on the weekend and it was packed still. It was hot that day and the restaurant did not have AC. Service was average. Food was kind of a mixed bag. We ordered the Shanghai Lumpia, which were a good value, but were lacking in flavor in my opinion. We also ordered the fried squid which was tough. I had the tocino which was excellent. My friend had the fried chicken which wasn't anything special and was kind of bland. I will try it again. It seems other people were enjoying their food and maybe we just ordered the wrong dishes.
(3)
Philip C.

The first time we came here the egg rolls were nice and crunchy but last night they were chewy, not good at all. The BBQ pork on the stick is always been very tasty. I love their Kare-Kare, not as good as my mom's cooking, but the best I've tasted at a restaurant. My friends always love the Bicol Express and Crispy Pata. We've had the beef Caldereta, Filipino Beefsteak, Inihaw Pusit, tocino as well, good presentation and preparation that I usually introduce my non-Filipino friends to.
(4)
Anne A.

Isla Pilipina is a great place to experience Filipino cuisine. Though I am a Kare-Kare fan and tend to order this dish at Isla every chance I get (they make delish Kare-Kare, rich, tender and generously portioned), I have my Mexican boyfriend try different dishes to sample. The camaron rebosado is his fave--as well as my mom's. The bicol express is good but could use a little more spice. Other recommended dishes are the egg rolls (get the 20 pcs), the kaldereta, and pancit palabok. The staff is friendly and attentive. Truly, Isla feels like a little piece of home.
(5)
Ian M.

Sometimes, it can suck living on the north side of Chicago. Especially on the brown line side, as it doesn't offer 24 hour service and it can get pretty inconvenient going out. But one of the pluses is the variety of world cuisine in our neighborhood, and I am proud to say Isla was my first Filipino dining experience. It's very nicely decorated with artwork on the walls you can actually purchase, and our waitress was very nice and offered menu suggestions while keeping our cups of water wet (which my girlfriend noted tasted better than the usual tap water we get for free). I got the mixed adobo, mostly because I had never seen it on a menu before. The gravy was delicious, the meat tender and the portion more than generous for $8. My girlfriend got the Tortang Talon (eggplant omelet) which was pretty good, though she didn't dig the bitter melon in it. Canned drinks were only $1, and dinner for 2 came to a very reasonable $20. Now I've just got to come back and try that halo-halo!
(5)
I L.

Saw this on a review TV show, stopped in and tried it- Seems to be Phillipino comfort food, which may not be my thing. It was pretty good- the only real complaint was that I sat very near the door and it was quite cold- but the food was good. I didn't care for the traditional dessert, but I think it is an acquired taste.
(3)
M E.

Delicious, fresh, flavorful Filipino food with a contemporary twist. We loved the tapa and seafood coconut milk dish, and the halo halo was fabulous! It is small but cute and hip. I'll be back!
(5)
Jake H.

I dunno if it's because I've never had Filipino food before, but this was amazing. Skinny egg rolls, delicious soup, $5.99 lunch special, o yah.
(5)
Jonathan C.

I've been to this place several times since the remodelling (which whas several years ago - I know I'm slow to write) and even brought my Dad here. As I've opened up the menu I have to upgrade this place to 5 stars, delicious. Recommendations for the non-Filipinos: The Kare-Kare, the Calderetta, and the Lechon Kawali (get the Crispy Pata instead if you are fearless). The only negatives about this place are that it is too small and they don't give you nearly enough rice (if you are Filipino you know what I mean). Lovely staff, although sometimes slow. A great Filipino restaurant. Open one in Logan Square!
(5)
grace s.

thanks to yelp we found a great filipino restaurant around chicago. We relocate here from California and we can compare Isla from the best fil. restaurants around the bay area..and very cheap too.. we will definitely go back here to try other sumptous dishes..
(5)
Serg F.

Meh, nothing spectacular. The kare-kare had corn starch worked into the sauce, idn, never had it that way. The sinigang was ok but not great. Nothing we ate was bad just not note worthy.
(3)
Emma D.

Delicious, authentic food and unique dessert. I went here as a part of "Fork and the Road" bike tours in Chicago. I would definitely go again!
(5)
Aileen O.

I was craving Filipino food so the BF and I went to Isla Pilipina so I could get my fix. I read up about their lunch specials - $5.99 for egg rolls, entree, rice and dessert - and definitely wanted to take advantage. The restaurant sits in a small strip mall so there was parking available - Sweet! When we entered the restaurant, I was shocked at how small the place was. People stared at us as we stood there - it was a little awkward, especially since the waiter really wasn't paying attention to us. The place is cute - pastel green walls and white plastic flowers adorned the place. It sounds tacky as I write, but it really wasn't that bad! We ordered pancit palabok, garlic rice and my lunch special with beef steak. I was scared the food was going to be super salty and greasy, but it wasn't so bad. The beef in the beef steak was very soft and seasoned well (woo hoo!). I really liked the egg rolls too - fried to perfection with a good amount of meat filling. I'm not a big fan of palabok since it tends to be super greasy, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. We were too stuffed for dessert so we didn't oder the halo halo like I was hoping to. We did get some gulaman and sago to go, but the sago balls were pretty tough and they didn't put enough water to dillute the brown sugar syrup. It was super sweet, but after we poured in some water, it wasn't so bad. Our lunch ended on a funny note with the fortunes that were wrapped inside the sweet egg-roll type desserts (a la fortune cookies). My fortune read: "Confucius say: Man who sleeps with itchy butt, wakes up with stinky fingers." Hahaha. All in all, a good place to get a Filipino food fix. Food was better than expected, but still not up to par with my Mom's. I'll be back, but I think after I check out the Mekeni restaurant that I saw a few blocks away (that place is Kapangpangan like me - it must be good!).
(4)
Nathan V.

This place was packed on a Saturday night. I highly recommend this place. Overall good food, large servings, reasonably priced and great service.
(4)
Jose S.

This is one of the best Filipino restaurants I've been to in the US. Food was great! Everything we ordered was excellent and authentic (Kare-kare, pancit palabok, lumpia shanghai, lechon kawale, and fried tilapia, halo-halo). Service was also excellent and it was fairly quick. My only knock on the food was, they ran out of Lechon Paksiw and it was only 7pm :( The only reason for downgrading them to 4 stars is due to their seating process which leaves a lot to be desired. We were there at 5:45pm on a Friday night and literally HALF their tables were sitting empty, apparently being held for reservations. There were 4 other parties in line (including us) waiting for basically half their tables to open up. Some of these empty tables were for 7:00pm reservations! During our wait, several other parties came and left as the wait was too long. Typically restaurants this small do not take reservations on weekends to maximize their throughput during busy periods. Just a pity that more people would have enjoyed their offerings (and more income for the owners too... oh well). I do not mind waiting for good food when the tables are full, but it is quite frustrating when the place is half empty and you are still waiting to be seated.
(4)
Gabby G.

My family and I decided to check this place out yesterday after seeing it on Check, Please!. 1 - It was supposed to be open at 11. It opened at 3 because of a "funeral"...I think they were just busy with the catering orders that were packed up in the corner of the restaurant when they let us in. 2 - We were the first ones in with about 8 or 9 other people behind us. Actually, it might have been more because the place filled up as soon as the door opened. We ordered our appetizers (lumpia shanghai and calamari) and our food. 45 minutes later we received our first appetizer, the lumpia shanghai. About 30 minutes later we finally received the calamari (it took so damn long that we FORGOT about the calamari). 10 minutes later our food started to show up, finally. Everyone in my group got their food besides one person. She only had received her rice. By the time her food came, the rice was cold and we were pretty much done with our food. The couple next to us had only ordered SOUP and it came when we were done with our food. Unbelievable. Oh, and we also ordered some lechon (another appetizer) after we received the calamari. The lechon NEVER came. And we were asked if we still wanted it after we were done eating. My aunt ended up complaining about 3x and the lady only said sorry when my aunt brought up ratings on the internet. We got our lechon free and was able to take it home. 3 - The lumpia shanghai was good, a bit on the small side though. The calamari was overdone. Some of the lechon was beyond crispy and hard to eat. For my main entree I had gotten the menudo (Pork and diced potatoes, prepared with tomato and peppers). Yeah...well....I don't see HOT DOGS PIECES in that list, but it was in my dish. Gross. At least make it Longanisa, not a friggen hot dog! Only had about 5 pieces of diced potatoes, no tomatoes and green and red peppers. Other than that...it was a dish worthy of a "meh".
(2)
B C.

Isla Pilipina has an incredibly nice staff and a wide selection on the menu. It seemed like a lot of Filipino families were there too, which I took as a good sign.
(4)
Katie M.

Yaaaaaay!!! Different, exciting and delicious! We started with the Lumpia Shanhai (10 was plenty) and the Pork BBQ. We were already off to a great and affordable start (3 bucks for each appetizer)! We each ordered our own dishes, but this is definitely a place for sharing and the portions support just that! There were a couple other first-timers sitting at the two tables next to us, and we ended up all passing our plates around. I don't usually share my food with strangers, but everyone was just so giddy about the place - it was a blast. The Mixed Adobo (chicken and pork) was recommended by the wait staff and was DELICIOUS. The Bicol Express was a rich, coconut-milk/pork belly/seafood combination like I've never experienced. I didn't try the Beef Kaldereta because my fiance's dad was enjoying it so much, I didn't want to get my fingers bitten off. He raved about the sauce and ate until he couldn't move. The crispy pata (pig knuckle) got passed to us from our neighbors and was certainly interesting and fun to try, though I don't think I'd order it. It's gargantuan, so maybe a cool thing to get for a large table. We shared the flan - it is AWESOME. We also had coconut juice (with little coconut pieces!) and mango juice, coffee (french press) and tea, all of which added to the fun of the dining experience. Honestly - even the rice that comes with the main dishes is delicious. Did I mention the wonderful staff? So friendly and welcoming. I can't wait to get through our leftovers so we can go back!
(5)
Mariza B.

The food is AMAZING and I'm a Filipina. I had the Sinigang Baboy (Pork Tamarind Based soup), Mixed Adobo (pork and chicken in vinegar and soy souce) and Lumpia Shanghai...LOVED them all. I'll definitely be coming back and often.
(5)
Danny S.

I went to Isla Pilipina last night with my old lady and a friend. I'd never had Philippine cuisine, so I had no idea what to expect. Here's my take: Decor: nothing flashy. Simple tables and chairs with paper napkins. They probably could put 2-3 more tables into the place but the fact that they didn't meant that no one was sitting on top of us. Service: Our server was a bubbly young woman who gave us a few tips on our meal, came over to us to let us know food was coming (and out of order) and answered all of our questions. Food: The Lechon Kawali was fantastic. It was like a pork chop plus bacon that had been fried crispy. I devoured my whole plate. Mixed Adobo is our new comfort food. The old lady couldn't get enough of it. Lumpia Shanghai came out late, but that didn't stop us from cleaning the plate. Halo-Halo is a perfect summer dessert. Light, sweet and fun. Cost: Inexpensive, especially considering the flavors of the meal. BYOB helps... Eating at Isla Pilipina is exactly why I love my town. Non-descript storefront restaurants that deliver. I'm saving a 5* review until after I've gone back a few times - which I plan to do soon.
(4)
Leo M.

Worst service I have ever experienced in a restaurant. Waiting time is really really long. They don't go to your table and check how you are doing (but I saw them several times going to other tables with foreigners asking them how they are..tsek! What a shame!).To add insult to injury, my wife found a hair in her food. You can see people working inside the kitchen and no one is wearing a hear net. They credited the food, which is good, but you can tell that they are just doing it because it's probaly part of their rules and regulations but you can really tell that they don't care. Actions speaks louder than words people! They also have this filipino mentality where they usually serve foreigners first than their own kind. Food taste is average. 1st time I have eaten here and I'm very very disappointed. I thought I really found a filipino restaurant that combines good food with good service. I'd rather eat in a restaurant that has an average taste but with a really good service. Never gonna come back here again. To all my Filipino friends Little Quiapo is still the best. Avoid this place.
(1)
Kristine R.

This is my favorite Filipino restaurant in Chicago. My brother knows the owners so he's the one that actually brought me here for the first time. They have limited parking spaces here so you might have to find street parking elsewhere. The restaurant is small inside but they can fit a good amount of people in there with the way they have it set up. It's also super clean in there! Their food here is AMAZING. I'm Filipino and never have been a big Filipino food fan until I started coming here. My favorite dish from here is the dinuguan and their halo halo is the bomb. I don't care how much food I've eaten, I always get a halo halo for dessert. I always end up going here with my husband and my brothers which is always a good time in here. The vibe is great. We always end up ordering a bunch of different food on the menu. Their calamari is great! One of my other favorite dishes from here is the lechon, and I just end up eating whatever else my brothers get, and we end up just sharing everything. The portions are definitely generous enough to share. We've pretty much ordered everything off their menu and I can definitely get down with it all.
(5)
Mawie T.

If you're looking for Filipino foods that's just like what mama used to make, this is the absolute #1 spot right here. Everything here tastes amazing. The prices are really great normally and the lunch special is out of control with lumpia, an entree, rice, soup, and some flan for dessert for $5.99. And it's BYOB! If you can fit it in your stomach, I highly recommend getting halo halo for dessert. Parking isn't too bad if you get lucky, but there's always paid parking on the street nearby.
(5)
Radha K.

Definitely make a reservation to come here because it gets packed...and for a good reason! Also note that there is a "private lot" because Isla Pilipina is in a strip mall, but the lot is quite small. If you'd rather not park on the street, get here at a "decent" hour to make sure you get a spot! BYOB w/ no uncorking fee! As an appetizer, we had the Crispy Pusit (calamari!) which was very good. The garlic dip it came with had a little spice. My family and I love spicy food and typically, Pilipino food isn't spicy. We ordered all of the following dishes "spicy," which ended up being REALLY spicy. We didn't mind, but if you'd like some spice, I suggest you specify the "level" of spiciness so they can accommodate your request! My dad and I got the Beef Steak Tagalog (think slices of angus chuck roast in onion and soy sauce based gravy) which was very good. Pretty damn spicy. My boyfriend got the Mixed Adobo with chicken (an unmistakable Filipino delicacy; Chunks of chicken and pork marinated in a special sauce of garlic, vinegar, and black peppercorn). I didn't get to try any of his, but he said he really liked it! My mom got the Laing Sa Gata (taro leaves with pork and shrimp cooked in coconut milk) - this was hands down my favorite dish at the table. Next time I come here, I'm definitely getting this. Side note about the "vegetable entrees" - not all of these entrees are strictly vegetarian, so please read the item description before you order if you require a complete vegetarian dish! For dessert, we got the yam ice cream which was absolutely delicious! A treat for the eyes and the mouth! Can't wait to come back here! *I urge you to use the bathroom before you come here and after you leave.
(5)
Gee E.

After great reviews from family and friends, I finally went to try this place out. Made my order for take out first thing Sunday morning (going to bring the Filipino food to a birthday lunch) and then drove over to pick it up when they said it'd be ready. Long story short, my order wasn't ready when I got there. After a half an hour of waiting, found out my order was lost. I had to reorder then waited some more to finally get my food. It was an hour after I originally ordered before I got my food. I got apologies from the wait staff. That's it. And, I wasn't the only one frustrated waiting for a take out order that day. Anyways, not going back any time soon. Everyone had already eaten by the time I got to my birthday lunch meeting. Food was great, but service definitely left a bad taste in my mouth.
(2)
Rose K.

Food was great and served in large portion. The time it took the food to reach our table was frustrating (a little over an hour) but it was a Friday night and the servers came by to apologize and give us an update several times. This place does seem to get pretty busy so call ahead and make a reservation! We ordered: lumpia -10 for $3 but they threw on a few extras. lechon kawali - a few pieces were way overcooked, dry, and hard to chew adobo rice - favorite of the night! definitely want to try the mixed adobo next time pancit palabok - first time ever trying this dish so can't say if it was good or bad. it just wan't my thing. all the toppings were meshed so it had no texture. BYOB - don't forget to take your favorite bottle! :)
(4)
Matt B.

I'm giving this a solid 5 stars because the experience is pretty great. I mean, considering that this is just a random store front in a run down strip mall, it would be really easy to overlook Isla Pilipina. Don't be fooled. The food here is excellent and it's well worth a visit (or three.) On my most recent visit I had the Adobo Chicken with white rice. It was excellent, filling, and even tasted great as lunch leftovers the next day! My date had their tilapia which she enjoyed - however, it is fried and the menu doesn't say that, so if that's a concern look out! Not a big deal for her but was unexpected. Lastly, we shared some grilled vegetables and those were awesome! The plate was a huge mix of grilled onions, red and green peppers, celery and eggplant. It was delicious, cooked perfectly and lightly seasoned. A nice old man at the table behind us saw the dish and came over to ask what it was because it looked so good. We shared a Halo-Halo for dessert and it was pretty good. The purple ice cream (whatever it is) is tasty and so is the shaved ice. The red bean stuff at the bottom was... interesting. Either way, a good little dessert to split! One fun note - the music here was crazy on our visit. It was all modern music but it was a really weird variety. We had some classic romantic tunes that we joked were going to lead to a candle lit dinner, shortly followed by 90s rap hits, classic rock, and even some more 'metal' tunes. It was unique and we both shared some good laughs over this. Note: It wasn't loud music, it was just slightly audible, but not enough that conversations were secondary. It was actually the perfect volume level.
(5)
Annasstasha C.

The best place on earth for Filipino food that my grams or mom or tita didn't make. Filipino spaghetti is my default order but everything here is delicious. The staff is always very welcoming and the local artists' paintings featured on the wall is a great way to showcase talented members of the community.
(5)
Marisa Y.

I ventured up here with my sister and mom and wish I had gotten to Isla sooner! If you've never had Filipino, this is the place to go. Everything is delicious and very authentic (my mom is from the Philippines). The location is small so you might have to wait, but we went kind of early for lunch so we didn't have to wait very long. The only people eating in the restaurant were Filipinos and people brought by Filipinos...which to me, means the food is legit. We ordered the lumpia shanghai, daing na bangus, bicol express, guinataang gulay at hipon, pancit bihon, leche flan, and halo halo. Yes, it was a lot for just three people and totally unnecessary, but I wanted leftovers and I wanted to try out a bunch of dishes to see how authentic the place was. The portion sizes are HUGE and an amazing value. Every dish that we ordered with meat had generous portions (I hate when I get Indian and its 10% meat; 90% sauce). Less crazy people only need to order one (maybe two) entree dishes and the most expensive entree I saw was $12. Are you kidding me?! That's incredible for Chicago! The daing na bangus and guinataang gulay were our favorite entrees. The daing is just such crispy fried deliciousness you can't go wrong ordering it. The pancit bihon and halo halo were also om nom nom delicious and I highly recommend them. The pancit bihon was on par with my mom's. The lumpia, leche flan, and bicol express were solid (4 star minimum), but I like my mom's take on the first two better (I would still recommend even those dishes!) and the Bicol Express wasn't spicy at all. I'm so excited for my leftovers for the week ;-)
(5)
Melissa C.

This place is tiny and not in a cute way but uncomfortably small. I'm not even close to being a big woman at all but I could barely maneuver down the aisle to get to the counter where my To-Go order was waiting. I accidentally bumped into someone's elbow and a waiter had to tuck himself into a corner so that I could make my way through. This place was PACKED. You'd think the food was actually delicious! First, I didn't see any Filipinos back there cooking. I seen a black man and two white guys. Anyways, the food was bland! I mean where's the flavor! I tried the pancit bihon, lumpia, bbq pork and garlic rice. The pancit was completely flavorless. One of my brothers closest friends is Filipino and his mother would always send my brother home with homemade pancit, it was amazing. I went here hoping I could get some of that but it wasn't even close. The pancit was very bland, the few pieces of chicken also lacked flavor. It reminded me of plain boiled chicken that was cut up and just tossed in some noodles. No sauce. No seasoning. Nothing. I mean there's some scallions and a lemon wedge but come on! Whats with all the great reviews? The bbq pork was ok. Nothing amazing. Same as the other items I tried. Nothing to make me crave it or want more or even go back. There won't be a next time.
(2)
Bianca D.

It's so sad that this place is not bigger. After our 4 hours drive from Ohio we were dying to pee. We had to walk through the kitchen where a cook/dishwasher lingeringly took the time to take in all the details of my outfit (shirt and jeans? not too revealing I would say). Really creepy, hence the missing star. However the food is TO DIE FOR. garlic rice, longanisa, lechon kawali, lumpia! I died and went to heaven with each bite of all of them. Other menu items looked good as well! Buko juice and pancit! I'll be back as soon as I can, just not when I have to use the restroom!
(4)
Loretta P.

I aim to try different types of cuisine on a regular basis. And I hadn't had Filipino food (other than pancit) before my visit here. For our birthdays, my fellow foodie friends and I will usually try and outdo previous forays into the cultural culinary unknown. For this birthday I wanted Filipino. I was halting between Angry Bird and Isla Pilipina. My fellow Yelpers decided the vote for me with Isla Pilipina, since it had more/better reviews. I sent around the link to their menu so everyone could get an idea of what they serve, figure out what sounds good, etc. Fast forward to the day of. My sister has to work late, one friend is in Itasca, it's pouring rain, and this birthday dinner is just not coming together! My sister said she could walk out of the door of her shop at 8 pm sharp, so I decided to just go for it. I had made the reservation for 8:30, and knew that they were closing at 9 pm, so I called to see how much grace they could extend to us. The young lady who answered the phone said that we'd be fine as long as we could get in and order by the time the kitchen closes at 8:45. Ok. I'll take it! We're totally doing 70 mph on I-94 in the rain (when traffic allowed), but were still not going to get there by 8:30, and maybe not even 8:40. Egads! I decided to call again, while en route, and beg for mercy. I explained my dilemma (and played the "It's my birthday and I want to spend it at your place" card) to the really cool guy who answered the phone, and he took our orders over the phone so that we wouldn't miss out on all of the wonderful deliciousness that is Isla Pilipina! How cool is that?!? So, yeah, I'm a fan! As for the food, I had done a survey of the reviews and picked out the offerings that garnered the most raves, as well as a couple others that caught my eye. We ordered : Lumpia Shanghai Filipino Fried Chicken w/Banana Ketchup Kare Kare Garlic Rice Shanghai Fried Rice Tilapia Filet with Mango Salsa Mixed Adobo Calamansi Juice Halo Halo Ube Ice Cream I thoroughly enjoyed my choices, the staff was super friendly and helpful (they even took pics for us to commemorate), and I plan to return so that I can work my way through the rest of the menu!
(4)
TJ C.

Filipino Food that makes me feel like a child again... This place is amazing. The Pancit Bihon, amazing. Lumpia, amazing. Adobo, amazing. Halo Halo... I'll let you guess. It's hard to find a place on the north side of the city that serves Filipino food & I for one am so glad that Isla Filipina exists. My wife and I try to make it up here as much as we can, and it never disappoints. There is only good things to say and I hope that you enjoy this humble restaurant as much as I do. Big flavor a from such a small venue. I will be back, A LOT!
(5)
Dee S.

I've been here tons of times for obvious reasons...its the spot! Things to get: Chicken Teriyaki, Pancit Canton, Lumpia, BBQ Pork or anything on their menu.. Staff is super cool, food is super cheap, the portions are huge AND it's quality.. What else could you want? Go here....Now..
(5)
Jason C.

I'll preface this with my being an intelligent eater and a food snob. That said, I have to say this place is quite fun to frequent. First, the food. Each dish is obesity sized portions, which is to say you'll be taking a to go bag. I'm a serious eater so if I have to take a to go bag, the portions are kicking my ass. The portion size generosity aside, the deliciousness and taste of home cooked is definitely in each plate. In short nothing tastes even a hint of use of a microwave which is a little detail with heavy impact on me. I also happen to love the menu, its not overwhelming with every conceivable item under the sun. It's simple and easy to scan/memorize. Last I have to address the staff. For me just as important as the grub and interiors/ambiance which everyone overly praises I always look to the staff. If they make me want to tip them well, they have that special something something. These sharp kids who work here have awesome personalities, work ethic, and attentiveness. Considering the amount of customers that flow in here (I was just here tonight) they handle it like exceptional professionals) I'm pretty impressed. They also happen to be very attractive and I think they could become Walgreens catalogue models, just throwing that out there feel free to throw it right back :) Nuff said, just go and get your eat on! Things to try: milkfish, tapa, soups, lumpia, stuffed squid, chicken, calamansi juice (reminds me of Boracay), coffee is exceptionally well crafted.
(5)
Jeremy B.

Some of tge best Filipino food I've has. Nicki(sp) made some wonderful recommendations. Mixed Adobe was my favorite followed up by Dinuguan as a close second. Also had the kawali (with soy sauce style diping sauce) and Lumpia shanghai which were both good. Top ut ak if with Ube (like an ice cream) Everyone there was super nice and I look forward to coming back and trying the rest of the menu
(5)
July H.

Been here twice. Ordered beef the first time, then chicken the second time. Both dishes were comprised of industrial grade meat. I did not feel like I was eating Pinoy food. And to top it off, they do not have a public restroom.
(2)
Hankyung C.

I honestly havent really tried a lot of philipino food so when it comes to taste, I judge based off what I know. I thought the food was phenomenal as well as the service. The waiter was very helpful and hilarious. who doesnt want good company (?) when they are dining
(4)
Esther F.

Maybe it was because we couldn't get 2 of the 3 dishes we ordered (were out of 1 of them at 3 in the afternoon and weren't finished making the other), but we didn't find the dishes we had very inspiring.
(2)
Jonn C.

Very clean, nice staff and good food. One of my favorite filipino restaurant. Try the inihaw baboy, spaghetti and fried chicken, garlic rice and dinuguan
(4)
Jennifer G.

I really wanted to like this place, but while I thought the appetizers were great, I thought the flavor of entrees was lacking. First the positives - they have a private lot so plenty of parking, and it's also only 3 blocks from the Brown Line. It's BYOB, so we saved on drinks. For appetizers - we started with Lumpia Shanghai, Fresh Eggroll Lumpia, and the Pork BBQ. All three of the dishes were really good. The Lumpia Shanghai are like little fried spring rolls, while the Fresh Lumpia is like fresh spring rolls with lots of fresh vegetables inside. The Pork BBQ was also very good and perfectly cooked. Unfortunately, the dishes went downhill from there. For our entrees, we got Tilapia Fillet with Mango Salsa, Lechon Kawali (fried pork belly), Kare - Kare (oxtail), and Mixed Adobo (chicken and pork). None of the dishes were that flavorful. The oxtail was very salty (although the meat was cooked well), the tilapia was so well done it was tasteless, the pork belly was hard to chew, and the mixed adobo (supposedly a Fillipino delicacy) was unmemorable. Each of the dishes needed more of a kick - whether it be a sauce or some spices or something. One aspect I wasn't a fan of was that each of our dishes came with scoop of rice. However, we wanted to try to garlic rice (which ultimately was pretty good). With all the food we did order (and no room on the table), we told them to skip giving us the scoop of rice that comes with our dishes. However, they then still charged us for the one order of garlic rice. I thought that was a little petty on their part. I know that garlic rice is a little more than regular rice, but I would think that 4 regular rices equals 1 garlic rice. For dessert, we tried the flan and the Halo-Halo. A server dropped off the Halo Halo and we then started eating it from the top down. A few minutes later, our server comes and tell us that we're supposed to stir the whole thing together so it's completely mixed. I wish the person who dropped it off would have told us that. Regardless, it was not that good. I wouldn't recommend it. As for the atmosphere - the restroom is across from the kitchen...in the kitchen. Oddly, someone from the wait staff has to walk you thru the kitchen to the bathroom. And it's extremely slippery in the kitchen. A little odd to say the least. All in all - while there are not that many Fillipino restaurants in Chicago, this is one place I would recommend skipping.
(2)
Xerxes C.

hands down the best filipino restaurant in town. food is good and the portion size is good. the best thing is the food is very traditional and it really hits the flavor that im looking for. a traditional filipino flavor. so me and my fiancee came here to eat at late night around 8pm and there were 3-4 more tables that night it was friday so they where probably busy earlier and we ordered for appetizers the calamari for $9 and the portion was huge probably good for 4 people. and for the entree we ordered the grille chicken and pork I recommend it. it hits the flavors back home. just the way we cook it in the streets of phillipines but on a plate. and for dessert we got the halo-halo it was average but i still commend them for putting it on the menu and doing a good job. the service is good the ambiance is more like modern, modern music and art designs everywhere. staff are friendly which you need in a good restaurant. ill be coming back here for more forsure. with my friends.
(5)
Shereene M.

I'd probably give it a 3.5. The BYOB option is awesome, the prices are amazing and the service is super quick. It is small so if you have a big group, definitely make a reservation. They are very accommodating and our server was really nice but the girl answering phones was mad at the world & super cranky. The servings are huge! So order 1 item per two people because we probably had double the amount we needed. Also, they ran out of all the juices except coconut juice so that was a bit disappointing. Lumpia Shanghai- We got two orders but I probably could have eaten an entire order myself. Highlight of the meal Isla Chicken- Very good flavor, tender, probably #2 for me Pancit Bihon- Pretty good! #3 Dain na bangus- milkfish was just ok, I'd skip Tapa- super dry, not worth it Adobo rice- good but not needed if you are ok with white rice Crispy chicken- DON'T do it! No flavor except oil Beef kaldereta- ok, nothing special All of the desserts- I'd skip them all except the ube ice cream. The flavor is different and really tasty. I didn't care for the others. $16 per person with tip and we all left full and with a to-go box. I wasn't blown away but maybe it's just not my thing or maybe we should have ordered other things. Either way, it was a good experience.
(4)
Dustin H.

Winner winner, chicken dinner! No, wait... Winner winner chicken, pork, mussels, shrimp and calamari dinner! We started with the Lumpia Shanghai egg rolls. Super tiny, full of flavor, textures and yeah.. order 20. Don't be scared. The garlic rice? REAL GOOD. Savory, garlicly on several levels and beautifully moist and oily. You could easily make a meal just out of the rice. For entrees we tried an incredible mix of flavors and textures. From our vegetables and steamed shrimp cooked in coconut milk which just coated the mouth lovely to the mixed adobo, everything was good. The beef oxtail in the Kare Kare was succulent and required you to pick up the bone and chew off the meat. My favorite dish was the "Bicol Express" which featured meat, shrimp, squid, and mussels drizzled in coconut milk. It was recommended we go with SPICY even though the menu suggests "slightly spicy" and I have no regrets. SPICY was the right choice. There was a wonderful bite to the perfectly cooked seafood with a flavorful lightly plated sauce. Beyond the absolutely delicious and wonderful food, the service was perfectly friendly and actually kind of homey. I literally felt at home, in a neighborhood I have never visited before. Nice job Isla. You are wonderful.
(5)
Laurice M.

Been here 4 times already and every time, Isla delivered! Love, love, love this place for its authenticity, presentation, affordability, and of course great food! I haven't been able to try everything on the menu but everything that I've had so far were amazing! Ada H. was right - garlic rice with the pork BBQ is a must try!
(5)
Bobo D.

I always believe in what you pay is what you get. But after reading so many positive reviews of this $ place, as a foodie, I drove 30mins here and decided to give it a try. BUT burnt meat, seriously? Sry, I am not a fan. Ordered tapa and pork BBQ. The tapa was alright. Pork BBQ was seriously way over cooked. You can taste the burnt, sour burnt wood flavor. Super disappointed. Will not come back. Throw extra few bucks and go somewhere else. Burnt meat increases cancer risk, my friend. PS, the review is only for pork BBQ and tapa. Their other dishes might be good.
(2)
Nikki L.

I've been here 3 times. You know the saying fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me...what about the 3rd time? It's unfortunate that I have not been able to find a decent Filipino restaurant in Chicago. Let's start with the service, AWFUL. I'm ashamed to share the same name as the person who was serving us. Not only did she have an attitude, but she left in the middle of serving us. Luckily the other girl at the check out counter was sweet and could sense that we were not happy and was trying to get more information. We ordered the Lumpia, Grilled beef and Pancit. The wrapper from the Lumpia was soggy, the beef was dry and tough and the pancit was bland and the chicken was dryer than the Sahara Desert. I do not recommend this to anyone looking for a Filipino food experience, it's not an accurate representation of the food and you will more than likely be disappointed.
(1)
Ruxin H.

There aren't that many filipino places in downtown chicago and this one is probably the best. Portion is decent and price is pretty reasonable too. I love their pork adobo and lumpia. I can just snack on their lumpia non-stop. Their pork adobo is very sauce, which I like a lot. The pork is very tender and juicy, which I like a lot also. I called them for catering before too and they did a very good job of packaging everything nicely and having it ready when I came to pick it up.
(5)
Jeff S.

Went to Isla today for lunch thanks to the glowing recommendations on this site. And I definitely was not disappointed. I asked the waitress for recommendations and she picked out the Lumpia Shanghai (mini egg rolls) and Mixed Adobo. Big fan of both. I must have gotten some beginner's luck as a few more than 10 pieces of the egg rolls arrived quickly. They give off a nice crunch when bitten and are filled with delicious flavors. The duck sauce that comes with it is great too. Not too long after that the mixed adobo arrived. Of the two meats, the pork was better than the chicken though both were extremely moist and tasty. The rice did a nice job of soaking up the sauce. Not sure when I will get back as it's quite a hike from where I live but if I am ever in the area, I know where to stop.
(4)
Betsy C.

I second everything good that's been said about this place. It's consistently fresh and delicious, and I've literally liked everything I've tried. There are no bad choices on the menu! My mother couldn't believe the deep fried pork knuckle, and it's now something she tells her friends about back in Michigan! BYOB and very reasonable prices push this from excellent to a beyond-excellent experience. If there's a wait, it's worth it, but reservations are a good idea. Owners of this gem, please open five more exactly like it!
(5)
Andre B.

Cheap but very good food. Be warned, most of the food is very heavy, but great. This place is my go to restaurant for good food. Downsides: It's a small restaurant, be sure make a reservation during peak hours. Moreover parking is somewhat limited.
(5)
Kristina C.

This place is a hidden gem. Food is absolutely delicious.
(5)
August B.

People come here to find out about Filipino food and leave finding out that they wish they were Filipino.
(5)
Kaman T.

More like a 4.5 star! Came here as a last minute choice for a Friday night dinner with my bf and his aunt. It's a small restaurant and they DO take reservations. Highly recommend doing that cause it got quite busy around 7:00pm. This place has a hole-in-the-wall, but turned modern feel. Service: Everyone is very friendly. Young staff. Food: Crispy Calamari: Fried calamari with a side of dipping vinegar. It was good, but not the best fried calamari I've had in Chicago. This I would skip for next time. Crispy Chicken: THIS, on the other hand, is a must get. I normally would not order fried chicken at a Filipino restaurant, but I saw EVERY other table order it and I have fomo, so I just had to order it. Thank god I did. Skin is THIN but crispy, not crunchy (big difference). Dipped in the banana ketchup = perfect match. Kare Kare: Big portion and the oxtail is super tasty. Beefy, tender, fall off the bone. At the end of it all, I picked up the bones with my hand and sucked the marrow out. Yes, I went there. Inihaw Pork: Basically bbq/grilled pork. Sliced and came with a side of the same dipping vinegar. Good, but would skip this for next time. Garlic Rice: Amazing. Love the chewy texture. Went well with the Kare Kare sauce. Calamansi juice: SO refreshing and delicious! If you like yuzu, you would love calamansi. Halo Halo: Delicious! My biggest fear with ube ice cream is having it be freezer-burned, but this place got it right. Everything was well balanced. Overall, a high 4 stars. Can not wait to return to try the other dishes.
(4)
Matt D.

Bring your appetite and your Filipino friends! This review will be short and simple: authentic food, family-style portions, friendly staff, & solid music. Enjoy this place as it is one of the few spots in the area of its kind.
(5)
Kay A.

Really, Seriously????? Four stars!!! Had one of the worst meals here I have ever had. In addition, they have just been closed by the Health Dept for unsanitary conditions. I guess they are again open again with cautions. They had several serious violations and it is not the first time. The food did not taste fresh and was not well prepared. Please - go somewhere else.
(1)
Kelley S.

This place is excellent. Prices are great and portions are large. I got the tofu noodle dish and the grilled pork. The noodles were broken which wasn't a favorite but the flavor was great. The pork was excellent. Our table also ordered the chicken teriyaki and the pork shoulder.... also excellent choices. Shared the lumpia shangai which were flavorful. Also tried the Halo Halo for dessert based on many raves here. This wasn't a favorite of mine either, but I'm glad I tried it. This is a bit of a drive from me, but I will definitely be returning here, probably very soon.
(5)
Tan L.

Food s just ok. Place is tight and dingy. Service, rudest Asian servers ever!!! Never going back!
(2)
Junella G.

I took friends here for my birthday and a lot of them had never had the Filipino dishes they ordered. Needless to say, they loved them and most of them stated they would return again to taste even more of the food. The staff was so wonderful and accommodating to our big party, and everything from the service to the atmosphere was terrific. The dinaguan did not disappoint, the lechon kawali was exquisite, and even the teryaki had a fantastic smoky flavor. As a Filipino who grew up in the DC area, a lot of the dishes reminded me of eating too much and too often over the holidays while laughing over dirty jokes. If the food at Isla can remind you of what it is like to be with your loud, boisterous Filipino family, then you know it is legit. So whether you are a seasoned veteran of Pinoy cuisine or a beginner embarking on a new culinary journey, Isla Pilipina is the place to be.
(5)
Michael K.

This is a review of my second time coming here, the first time was four years ago. This is a fairly small restaurant in a strip mall, but don't let the appearances deceive you. It is BYOB, so remember there is a liquor store next door to get wine or beer. I had the Beef Steak Tagalog and my wife had the Lechon Kawali (fried Pork Belly). The steak was very tender with a great sauce. We had vegetables too, which were a little big for the dinner we had, but we made use of taking home. The place being small comes into focus when you are trying to fit several large plates of food onto the small tables. Overall, the place is great. Staff was friendly. Music selection was excellent. Next time to though, I'll make a reservation for Friday dinner!
(4)
Ivy D.

I absolutely love this place. Maybe a little too much. I'm not going to lie I was a bit scared at first because I have never had Filipino food but I was willing to try especially since my boyfriend is Filipino. We picked up a bottle of wine since it is BYOB. The place is really small so I would suggest bringing a date or a friend. We decided to share various entrees, So I could try different things. We had Sinigang which is a Sour tamarind soup with tomato and green beans. It is just the right amount of sour. The Tortang Talong- Which is a Eggplant omelet which comes with delicious banana ketchup to dip in. and the Tilapia Fillet with Mango Salsa- so good. The prices are great, the food is great, and its BYOB. No corkage fee. I gave it 4 stars because the bathroom is in an odd spot.
(4)
neesha d.

I got my friends baby shower catered from tbis awesome place and alll the food was a big hit!! The garlic rice was so delicious I could probably eat a giant trough of it myself. Adobo- winner! The lump is were great too! Have to make it out to the actual restaurant to experience it next time but looking forward to it!
(5)
Melvin D.

Had my late birthday dinner and everything from calamari, pinakbet, boneless milk fish to chicken BBQ was soooo delicious!
(5)
Ignacio R.

Small restaurant with great food. bYOB which makes it better that you can choose what you want to drink. Liquor store is next door. Awesome food, lingers in your mouth. Food taste even better the next day. I recommend to all my friends. Lakhi (owner) made great recommendations
(5)
Maria L.

Finally reviewing Isla Pilipina after returning for my second delicious meal. Went on a Sunday afternoon and it was still pretty packed, make reservations if you can since the space is pretty small. If you are new to Filipino food, ask for recommendations from the super friendly servers and they won't steer you wrong. We had: lumpia (a must try) garlic rice (another must) longanisa (another must) kare kare with shrimp paste (a try if you're into peanutty flavors and ox tail) tamarind soup with shrimp (homey and pleasantly sour) grilled milkfish (really tasty and cooked perfectly) eggplant omelette (just ok) HALO HALO (ya GOTTA get this man, all other Asian desserts can suck it) Overall, we had a great experience and I absolutely love exploring Filipino food at Isla. All the flavors are amazing and I will definitely be back!
(5)
John F.

Just an update: This is my go-to place for impressing visiting friends with a local ethnic taste sensation. Everything on the menu is delicious, and I've tried so many different dishes now. BYOB, inexpensive, friendly service, delicious food, and an excellent value. This place is truly a gem that I hope never changes. Its always busy, and the space is intimate, so consider reservations if you have your heart set on mouth-watering Filipino food.
(5)
Gwen D.

I'm the girl who's been planning a wedding in her head since the age of ten. I used to dream of lavish banquets for 800 of my nearest and dearest. Now, if I were getting married anytime soon, I'd invite my closest friends and family to a reception at Isla Pilipina. We'd take the El to a nondescript Lincoln Square strip mall, take a seat at the largest table, open a few bottles of red, and order everything on the menu, swapping and sampling dishes 'til we were stuffed silly. (I'd probably need a large order of crispy Lumpia Shanghai eggrolls all to myself.) In my wedding scenario, I'd forever be my dad's favorite (only) daughter, since everyone can eat at Isla Pilipina for less than $20 a pop, including a shared appetizer and tip. I won't be getting married anytime soon, but I will be convincing my friends to make a return trip, stat!
(5)
P S.

Visiting Chicago for the first time and iam already missing my lola's sinigang back home!! I came across this filipino place out here and ofcourse it will never beat my lola's, but man! This came so close to it! I love their beef sinigang and their Lumpiang shanghai! Very friendly people! Love this place! It also says BYOB! Isnt that amazing? I see people bring their wines. Thats preetty cool! Come check this place out!
(5)
Ray L.

Says they close at 9, got there at 825, they said kitchen closed...food is great but if they are turning folks away before hours are up- not cool...will think twice before I come back
(2)
Dallas F.

This is one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. It appeals to me a variety of reasons including these top three: 1. The food 2. BYOB 3. The price. The food is absolutely fantastic. I love the lumpia Shanghai and often crave it. The mixed adobo and rice adobo are my favorite dishes. The crispy chicken and BBQ chicken entrees are also delicious. I have enjoyed everything I've ordered from the menu and I have ordered a LOT. Isla also has another great reason for loving them. It's a BYOB restaurant and who doesn't love a place with good food and a bring your own bottle policy? I sure do! Lastly, the price is just right. I have enjoyed multiple birthday celebrations and group dinners here and the price is always just unbelievable for the amount of food we consume.This place just can't be beat! Great. Now I am craving lumpia.
(5)
Jingo D.

I was born and raised in the Philippines, so I'd like to think that I know at thing or two about Filipino food. In several years of living in the US, Isla is probably the one that hits closest to home. Why, you ask? Two words: CRISPY. PATA. I spent many a summers in my parents' hometown of Candelaria, Quezon, where the best Crispy Pata is made (biases aside, really. Foodies can back this up). Trust me, I've had my fair share of this delectable fried dish. And let me tell you something: Isla gets it. It's pretty darn close to what I'm used to back home. If you're smart, you'll pay Isla a visit, but if you're smarter, you'll make reservations. Yes, it gets crowded. Yes, patrons tend to stay longer. But let's get real here. That's a tell-tale sign that this place is the real deal. You can blame it on their food. Did I mention you should make reservations?
(5)
Livvy O.

I've only tried homemade pancit before and I gotta tell you this place comes very close to tasting just as good as homemade pancit. I tried there sample at the Yelp event along with their eggrolls which were delicious! I will definitely be going to this restaurant to try them out and order more pancit and eggrolls! mmmmm
(5)
Drew D.

I was raised almost exclusively on Filipino food, and of course, the yardstick by which I measure Filipino restaurants is my mom's cooking. I'm happy to say that Isla Pilipina is definitely up to that standard. Maybe it even surpasses it...(just kidding, mom!). The lechon kawali is delicious, as is the beefsteak. And of course, the eggrolls are a great appetizer. The staff is very courteous, and they seem to have a great rapport with each other, which definitely helps the experience for the customers. There's fun art on the wall, and always interesting music playing. It's he perfect fusion of Filipino tradition and more modern American sensibility. I never miss the opportunity to come here when I'm in town. You can't go wrong!
(5)
Monica E.

I absolutely love the food here. There has not been one item I have ordered n didnt like. My absolute favourite was the crispy pork belly & senigang. Only thing I wish they had more sitting area and is open till later. Service is courteous and prompt too. One they they missed out a dish but we were kinda glad cos we had way over ordered for 3people.
(5)
Yoel J.

We had a serious craving Filipino fried pork. They had run out last time we came so we made sure we came early enough that this wouldn't be an issue. Both the pata and the pork belly was cooked wonderfully; so crispy, perfectly salty, and decadent. Their accompanying sauces were delicious as well. Service was okay. She forgot to bring us an ordered coke twice but she was so busy and apologetic and friendly that it didn't bother us much. Their music selection was a little odd--Whitney Houston one minute, heavy metal the next. FYI: This place packs really fast, so make your reservation prior or get there before the rush. Also on Sunday night, they close super early at 7 p.m.
(4)
Nicole G.

LOVE THIS PLACE!! I have been here a hand full of times and have never been unhappy! There food is excellent and the staff are wonderful and very friendly! Will be back many more times!!!
(5)
Lulu R.

Words cannot describe how much I love this place. I am going to try though. Lol I first caught wind of this spot on the Filipino Limewire. All this buzz about this food being delicious, straight from the mouths of other Filipinos, we had to give this a try. We walk in and its a smaller place and it is bustling in there. You can see all sorts of people eating with family, solo, dates. etc. We got seated and we ordered our food. Our Waiter, who was super patient with us and added the house recommendations. -Spicy Beef Caldereta: Beef cubes braised in a sweet tomato sauce with potatoes, carrots, green pepper, olives, and onions. I have tried many versions of this and I love to see everyone's take on it. The beef wasn't hard or over cooked. The flavors all work very well to you. Eating this over rice is a perfect marriage. -Lumpia Shanghai - Fried egg rolls with a sweet and Sour Dipping sauce. It is perfectly fried and crispy. The filling inside was perfectly seasoned. 20 pcs and between us....we killed it. - Spaghetti Delight with Fried Chicken. I know what you readers are thinking, "Spaghetti? At a Filipino joint?" And the answer is YES. They make it sweet, nothing like you have ever tasted before. The chicken is out of this world. Golden fried and a perfect accompaniment to the spaghetti. -Fried Bangus - Boneless Milkfish Marinated in Vinegar and Garlic and fried Crispy. This milkfish does not disappoint and has a chicken like taste to it. Dip it in the vinigar to amplify the flavors in it. Isla is always changing their menu and keeping things new. The owner Ray, is a super cool guy doing Filipino food right. I am very impressed with this place and will be sure to be a repeat customer for years to come. Isla is very easy to get to with street and lot parking. Also accessible by public transport. The prices are very very reasonable and you get a lot for your money. Thanks Isla for an amazing meal!
(4)
Vannah Y.

Really good food, but I was a bit let down. I was absolutely blown away the first time I went here, but this time it didn't really live up to my expectation. But once again, overall, it was really good food.
(4)
Jin W.

Nice ambience and welcoming to non-ethnic Filipinos. My Caucasian husband's favourite is garlic rice and mixed adobo. I'm privy to grilled milk fish, lumpia and sinigang. Today, I went with a whole bunch of friends and we got to sample a lot of dishes. The pancit canton and calamari are my new favorites.
(5)
Jessica H.

A friend of mine has family from the Philippines so we decided to check this place out. We were all glad that we did!! It's a tiny inconspicuous BYOB restaurant with a very small dining room. The vibe was great, they were playing some old school 90's music station and had local art on the walls. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful. We walked in around 7/730 and the dining room was full and had a few tables reserved for people that had placed reservations. They said it might be a 20 minute wait so I told them we would have to go some place else (I was extremely hungry). The guy helping us told us he would see what he could do and gave us menus to look at while we waited. We ended up getting seated shortly after and began to order. We started with an appetizer of 20 mini Lumpia Shanghai rolls that were crispy and delicious. We then ordered Adobo, Pancit and Adobo rice to share. They were all great, big portions and pretty authentic according to my Philippino friend. To end the meal I had 3 little scoops of Ube icecream which was the perfect end to my meal :) Overall great service, yummy food and awesome little hidden gem of a restaurant.
(4)
Maria M.

I've been eating at Isla a lot lately as I keep dining with people who are craving Filipino food and it tends towards the enjoyable. The sinigang is my favorite. Not quite as sour as when I make it but I like an intense level of sour and this one at least has enough that you can taste it unlike say Little Quiapo's. I prefer baboy or bangus although the hipon is good too. My other favorites on the menu are the dinuguan, the mixed adobo and the inihaw pork. All are flavourful and cooked well. The Pancit Canton is fine. Nothing special but as I confessed at Christmas this year, pancit isn't really my favourite in general. Kare kare was another dish that was fine but not to my tastes. Flavour was good but it's a very thick and heavy dish. Tortang Talong is delicious but it would be concerning if it wasn't considering what a simple dish it is. Still being able to do the basics well is always a good sign. The crispy pata, crispy chicken and daing na bangus were all over fried, especially the crispy chicken. Crispy chicken is the only dish I've had there I actively disliked.
(4)
Greg L.

Crispy Pata + Lechon Kawali= Filipino heaven. This place is a godsend. Everything is good. EVERYTHING. I've been here about 10 times and have always left full and satisfied. Portions are good and food is amazing. The place is small so if you are in a group I highly recommend calling a head and placing a reservation. I've done this a couple times and they are always accommodating. Extra plus they are BYOB. Boom.
(5)
Patrick B.

I went here for lunch once and ordered the Teriyaki Chicken lunch special. It was alright, but nothing special. I almost didn't go back, but I'm so glad I did. The Tocino is amazing, and I could eat a large order of the Lumpia by myself, it's so good. I also recommend the Bicol Express, and don't forget to follow up the meal with some Ube Ice Cream.
(4)
Anastasia B.

I can't get over it! I was there this weekend and again everything was fabulous! Only one thing I'd change about this place and that would be making it bigger! I was sad when my leftovers were gone. Time to make another trip!! Great job isla!
(5)
Erica L.

Hello #100! What better way to celebrate this landmark than by reviewing a great place to grab Filipino food. I've been here several times, and it's been consistently good. The dishes are flavorful. Everything I've tried has been tasty. The portions are generous - each entree comes with a side of rice, so keep this in mind if you order the special rice (garlic, adobo, Chinese fried rice). They also have a good offering of veggie options, some with meat, which fits the definition of "veggie" in Filipino cuisine. It's BYOB, but the store next door sells the Filipino beers San Miguel and Red Horse. The service is awesome! Last month, I brought my friend who had never tried Filipino food. The server took the time to answer his questions and gave great recommendations. My friend had a wonderful first impression of Filipino food. Thanks for representing our culture and cuisine Isla!
(5)
Beth U.

Woohoo Isla! Definitely the best Filipino food in the Chicagoland area. I've been to a good number of Filipino restaurant and they've all been more or less the same. And then there was Isla... *cue angelic entrance music* The thing that makes Isla great is that it updates traditional Filipino cuisine for the modern palate incorporating high level culinary skills. So what does that mean? That means the lumpia is just like your mama made it except it's somehow tastier, lighter, and crispier. The lechon kawali and crispy pata are nice mainstays but I think the Kare Kare and the Bicol Express really shine. They are both great traditional dishes but at Isla they have a little something extra that sets them apart. Now if you're Filipino, I know I've hyped it up too much at this point and you're in full hater mode, but just give it a chance if you haven't tried. And if you're not, I hope I've enticed you. Oh, and the calamari as a starter is really good too. And the sisig when they offer it. Now the caveats: it is byob. I would highly suggest you bring some nice beverages with you - preferably a fresh lager or something in that vein... in general Filipino is not wine food =) Finally, it is a really small place and it's pretty popular so keep that in mind if you have a large party and you want to come in on Saturday night, expect a wait.
(5)
Julius Q.

Loved my experience in this restaurant. I would be proud to bring my friends to this Filipino restaurant. I wish we have more of this kind of restaurant in Chicagoland that highlight our filipino cuisine. Although this restaurant is considered on the low to medium range, the quality super exceeds the price point. My previous and first review was for another filipino restaurant and the difference was night and day. Here is the outline of my review. Ambience: simple but inviting. I like the configuration of tables. I see lots of filipinos eating but several non-filipino patrons as well. The place does not have an intimidating feel. I saw another non-filipino couple at one of the tables and seemed like they were having a great time. This experience already preset our impression of this restaurant. Staff: friendly and professional. I wish they quickly attend to people coming in the door. Overall, fantastic place...
(4)
Johnny R.

"As good as it gets." I'd say so. We had: Fried eggrolls Pancit Bihon Crispy Chicken Pork (I need to look up the name) Chicken (I need to look up the name) We were referred to here by a friend from the Filipines, so my expectations were pretty high. And they were exceeded. This was too much food for us, next time I would order one less entree. Oh yeah, and excellent service.
(5)
Dinah T.

This is a place you got to check out if you want some delicious Filipino food. The portions are plenty to share with others; each dish comes with a big scoop of white jasmine rice (only comment was that the rice tonight was a bit al dente). The place is kind of small in a strip mall with limited parking. We ate here on a Saturday night, it's best to make reservations if you have a big party as we did. I'm glad we did cause the place was packed and the whole place smelled so good! The menus would need some tender loving care, overly used but at least you can still read it as the description was reader friendly for those non-Filipinos who want to try Filipino cuisine. So here we go because our eyes were bigger than our stomach: -Lumpia Shanghai (Deep fried mini eggrolls served with sweet & sour sauce: pork, egg, jicama, green onions, carrots, soy sauce, love.) 20pcs. for a party of 6 we devoured it. Literally true pinky size egg rolls hot, crispy, and delicious you got to order this! -Nilaga (An original house broth with cabbage, potato we chose Baka (Beef). I'd compared this with corned beef and cabbage stew, not bad. -Pancit Palabok (Tofu sauce made with garlic, fish and onions garnished with calamari and scrambled egg over thin noodles), this was ok. I'm use to eating this dish with thicker white rice noodles like spaghetti size. I wouldn't order this again. -Daing na Bangus (Sun dried boneless milkfish, marinated and deep fried). I like this fish with the vinegar sauce. To me it's like eating smoked salmon; instead of bread you eat this dish with rice. -Lechon Kawali (Deep fried pork belly served with Filipino style gravy). It's totally order this again! So crispy, presliced pieces with their sweet thick sauce that comes with it. -Kare - Kare (Beef oxtail and green beans in peanut sauce; with a side of shrimp brine paste). This was good; I wish that they cooked the fresh vegetables a bit longer. I don't care much for al dente veggies with this dish. -Beef Kaldereta (Angus chuck roast cooked in tomato and pepper based gravy with potatoes and peppers); this was good, thick and hearty like a pot roast stew. I'd order this again. -Mixed Adobo (An unmistakable Filipino delicacy; Chunks of chicken and pork marinated in a special sauce of garlic, vinegar, and black peppercorn) this was good, I'd get this again. -Beef Steak Tagalog (Think slices of angus chuck roast in onion and soy sauce based gravy), this was tasty, I would order this again. Meat was nice and tender with sweet onions and thick gravy. -Garlic Rice (Jasmine Rice pan fried with garlic), rice was a bit al dente but garlicky for sure. But don't order too much of this rice as your dishes comes with a huge scoop of white rice. Yes our table ordered two, craziness! For Dessert....a must try on a warm day: Halo-Halo (A refreshing medley of crushed ice mixed with fruit and bean preserves topped with ice cream and leche flan). Everything was so good and sweet. The bean preserves is a bit chewy and al dente. Overall, the is a good place to eat Filipino food, family style, and friendly staff. We even have food left over to bring home:) I would come back here again and again!
(4)
Michelle R.

Hands down the Best Filipino food in Chicago!! Favs are halo halo, Kare Kare, tilapia in mango salsa & Krispy pata!! Best food best service...can't beat that!
(5)
Michelle K.

Came here for dinner with a group of people to debrief a few things and connect over food. It was my first time having Filipino food and it was so yummy! The place is a bit small and nondescript on the outside--easy to miss! I drove by the first time and had to turn around! The waitress' attention was also a little hard to get but the food was delicious so 4 stars it is. We ordered 7 dishes for 8 people with an 3 extra orders of rice and a round of desserts and I am SO full. We got: Lumpia Shanghai: like mini eggrolls--a good way to ease people in who haven't really eaten Asian food. Very crispy and flaky. Crispy Pusit (Calamari): the batter was salted and peppered so it was a little saltier than I expected but yummy nonetheless! I think we got Pancit Canton. It's a noodle dish. It was fine but it wasn't my favorite out of everything we ordered. It was a little bland compared to their other yummy dishes so I don't know if I'd recommend getting this over other things you can get! Inihaw Bangus: (Grilled, marinated whole milkfish) yummy but the bottom was a little burnt but it come deboned so it's easy to eat! Lechon Kawali (Deep fried pork belly served with Filipino style gravy): very crunchy! The sauce, my new Filipino friends called it all-purpose sauce. Apparently no one knows what's in it but it's delicious though kind of thick! Don't be scared! I thought that the meat itself could be a bit more flavorful as pork belly is such a yummy part of the animal. I felt it wasn't given justice but hey, what do I know! It was my first time having it deep fried, so. Kare - Kare (Beef oxtail and green beans in peanut sauce; with a side of shrimp brine paste): This was probably one of my favorites of the night! The sauce was just sweet and savory enough to make you keep eating more and the green beans weren't overcooked as vegetables usually are in non vege-centric dishes. The oxtail was also cooked beautifully and was so tender. This was a FANTASTIC dish. Dinuguan (Chunks of pork served in a special gravy): The menu describes this as "special gravy" but I'll be 100% real. It's made of blood. That being said, everyone at the table tried this and LOVED it. It was actually so delightful and I'd get it again. We also ordered the garlic rice and made fun of my friend for wanting to order it but this was the first dish to be finished. So simple yet so delicious. We also got many halo-halos (the menu description reads: A refreshing medley of crushed ice mixed with fruit and bean preserves topped with ice cream and leche flan). It reminded me of Korean bingsoo and was so yummy! The jellies at the bottom were my favorite part! The Ube Ice Cream tastes like taro ice cream! And the flan was okay... It was my least favorite out of the three dessert options--a little harder and difficult to chew than I usually expect from flan but the two people who got the flan really enjoyed it, so to each her own! I would definitely come back and revisit some of these dishes, try some new ones, and definitely get the halo halo for myself next time!
(4)
Veronica F.

This is the best filipino restaurant in the area. Comparable to The Laughing Bird, you are going to get more food for the price at Isla as well as great service. The server (or servers, because we had so many people paying attention to us!) was friendly and accommodating. The restaurant itself is cozy yet roomy enough to not be on top of other tables. I'm very excited about having a good filipino restaurant in walking distance and recommend this place to anyone testing out their taste for filipino food.
(5)
Danny M.

I never had Filipino food at any other restaurants before and this was my first time eating here, but all I can say is, WOW!!! I always wanted to come here, but for who knows what reason, I always back out last minute. What a huge regret because now I can't wait till I come back here for more. This place is kinda small, but we found seats right away when we got there on a Thursday night. I didn't look at the menu because I came with a friend who knows what is good, so he ended up ordering everything. To be fair, I do not eat pork because I do not like the way it taste. I was told this is the wrong place because they are known for good pork dish. Anyway, I took the bait and ended up eating some pork and it was delicious! We ordered: Lumpia Shanghai (20pcs) - Even though this sounds like a lot, they are really small. Between 4 people, this was not enough lol. They are okay because you can't really taste anything besides the breading. Chicken Adobo - This good and the sauce was perfect! Bicol Express - Really good dish that is mixed with seafood and meat. Lechon Kawali - Deep fried pork. All I have to say is that I do not eat pork, but this was good and I would probably eat this again! Garlic Rice - This was really good and I would definitely recommend getting this over white rice. Halo Halo - My friends hyped this one up because I just thought it was okay at best. Still worth a try because there is always room for dessert.
(5)
Ada H.

Everything is delicious. And when I say everything, I really mean everything because I've had everything on the menu. I have been to many other Filipino places, and I still prefer the food here Isla. My favorites are the Bicol Express, the Inihaw Na Pusit, Pork BBQ, and the garlic rice. Bicol express is a slightly spicy combination of meat , shrimp, squid, and mussels drizzled in coconut milk (menu description). It's really creamy but not in a fatty way. If you love seafood, this a must try because it's such a different preparation of it. The Inihaw Na Pusit is a grilled squid stuffed with green onion, spanish onion and tomato. I really love squid so this was love at first bite. All of the Inihaw (grilled specials) are cooked well since they use a char grill, But I especially like the Pork BBQ. It's on the appeztizer menu, but it's really enough to fill me up, especially when I eat it with the garlic rice. The chunks of pork are large and slightly sweet from the marinade that they use. Such a great deal for $3. Now for my favorite dish at Isla, the GARLIC RICE! Yes the garlic rice is a side dish but it's awesome here! Soooo garlicky and perfectly seasoned. My only gripe is that it's $6. I almost deducted a star for this alone. The prices are decent but I don't know why the rice side dishes are so pricey. But honestly you can't go wrong no matter what you order. It's usually packed, especially on weekends so be prepared to wait. Call ahead to make a reservation if you can. There is a small lot that fills up fast, and also street parking in the area. It's also BYOB so can't go wrong!
(5)
John H.

Let me just preface this review with the fact that I am Filipino, born in Manila, but raised in the US... Filipino food always has a special place in my heart but I will always compare ANY Filipino food to my dad's cooking. Unfortunately Charlotte, NC (where I currently live) does not have any Filipino restaurants so I do not get to treat myself to the cuisine very often. Upon my last visit to Chicago to visit my sister and brother-in-law and run a half marathon, we went to Isla after the race to have lunch. We got there right around 11:30. Very unassuming place in a strip mall. Probably the first thing you will see is the Little Caesars pizza and/or the neon signs of the convenient store next door. Warmly greeted and seated, I started looking upon the unique menu and immediately started drooling at the offerings. The menu itself as as artful and creative as the art on the walls. I am guessing one of the owners/managers had their own creative background and makes a nice touch to the menu. Probably over-ordered, but we tried: lumpia shanghai, garlic fried rice, vegetable sinigang, mixed adobo, and the spaghetti delight. There were 3 of us, but with the restaurants generous portions, we had stuff to take home. The dishes were clean but packed a lot of complex flavor and still pretty to look upon before sinking your teeth into the food. Everything was amazing... just a tip: the spaghetti delight takes a little longer (than usual) to prepare and the waitress does preface this, but by the time it came out I think we were all already almost full. Never-the-less the spaghetti was worth the wait and also comes with two giant pieces of fried chicken. Since this place is in a strip mall, the dining area is limited and it filled up rather fast. We got there right before the lunch rush, but apparently if you are going to arrive after noon, you should call ahead and reserve a table.
(5)
K T.

I've had take-out from here quite a number of times in the past year or so. It's hard to find a good Filipino restaurant so was happy to discover this place and the first time I ordered, the food was pretty good and fresh. Unfortunately that was the only time I remembered the food being all around decent. Subsequent times - there was always something not right about 1 or more dishes I've ordered. I've had Kare Kare with undercooked vegetables, overly greasy Tortang Talong, several orders of Lechon Kawali have been overcooked to the point of over-dryness and/or burned, inihaw na baboy has been burnt. But again since there are few Filipino restaurants, I continued to order. My last order had burnt Lechon Kawali and overly cooked Lumpia Shanghai that I couldn't even eat! It's as if they were re-fried -- gross! On top of it, my bf picked up the food and service was atrocious - the young kids behind the counter just stood there - and the girl didn't even hand the food over and just pointed at the bags that belong to us. They couldn't even pack the food properly - sauce had already leaked into the bag from one of the dishes, and when I opened the food at home, the sauce for the Lechon Kawali wasn't sealed tightly and it was all over the container!! Also, their newest thing is that on their iPad register there are options in large font to give a tip, and a 'No' in tiny font! Really? Not with this type of service! I could probably forgive the service if the food had been better. But when both are equally bad, forget it, I will never order from here again.
(1)
Elina S.

Came here on a Sunday afternoon with my grandps for a little lunch, well it turned out to be a big lunch and we left full and stuffed. The place was packed to the point if we came in 5 minutes later we would have had to wait for a table and the whole place smelled of yummy Filipino home cooking and we were probably the only non Filipinos there so I thought it had to be good. And the food was good. It wasn't spectacular like I was hoping. A bunch of tables ordered the crispy pata which looked good, but I had it at Sunda, and it is a little too heavy of a dish for me, but at Isla it's MUCH cheaper so if it's your thang, you should get it here. We tried the Lumpia Shanghai as an appetizer which are these mini fried rolls, similar to spring rolls but thinner skin filled with pork and veggies. And for $3 you get 10 pieces and I think we got even more than that, but they do quick. They are tasty, but a little too greasy for me. Next we got the bbq pork on a stick which for $3 you get two sticks, also really cheap. It was a little overly chewy so not a fan of them, but the sauce was good. Then we ordered the Tocino for $9, it's fried cured pork, and that was my fave dish of the meal. Also, a little heavy, but much more moist than that bbq pork on a stick. We should have just ordered it with plain white rice, but no, we needed more food. Kind of a mistake. We got the pork, sausage and shrimp fried rice which I didn't really like. Other Asian restaurants do it much better as the sausage in there was kinda gross but we needed that rice to go well with the Tocino. Our server, however was very nice and the food was brought out super fast. They even wrapped up some leftovers for us, so I can't complain on the service. The food, on the other hand, was an experience, but it's just not for me. Too heavy, I felt full for hours after and it kinda just stuck in my tummy for too long. Maybe I should have gotten a mango smoothie to push it down, but I stuck with good ol' water. Isla, it's been fun, but I don't know if I'll be back. I did like the homey nature of this place, but I'll stick more to Thai and Japanese food.
(3)
John S.

Isla Philipina is a cozy small neighborhood restaurant. Having never tried Filipino food decided to give Isla Pilipina a try. First off the service here is top notch. Many people here must have been regulars because the people working here knew a lot of people by name. For a app we started with the Filipino egg rolls. They were amazing here, Fresh and had great flavor. For dinner I had the Beef Tagolog. It was also amazing. Portion size was generous and it was served nice and hot. Another plus is they have a free parking lot so if you are driving you will not have to go crazy looking for parking. Over all very impressed looking forward to coming back!!
(5)
Adam S.

I am thrilled that this doesn't have a 4.5 or 5 star rating (as of now it's at four stars). Why? Because I live close to Isla and I want ALL YOU PEOPLE TO STAY AWAY. MINE. It's a semi-hidden gem, it is. Everything (and I mean everything) I've had so far has been phenomenal. Fish, pork, chicken, noodles, curry, desserts . . . you name it. They care about their diners and while it's a small space with a small wait staff, they don't try to rush you through anything. They want you to really enjoy your experience. I couldn't be a bigger fan.
(5)
G L.

Pinoy kid here. I moved away from my mom and Lola's home cooked meals and I miss them terribly. Fortunately Isla eases the pain. Stellar lumpia, Bicol Express, amazing adobo that might actually be as good as my mom's. Dinuguan so delicious I managed to get all my white friends to try it (and love it!) I've come here twice with large parties and it was a huge hit both times. With ambassadors like Isla Pilipina, I'm kinda hoping Filipino food becomes the next big cuisine in America :) Keep up the delicious work, guys!
(5)
Val G.

They have redeemed themselves in my eyes!! Maybe bc I went during off peak hours but none the less food is consistently good and still affordable to feed my family. Last visit we had crispy pata, inhaw ni baboy, spaghetti (first time ordering) to name a few and again, best Filipino food around! Thank you Isla for being welcoming again!
(5)
Elaine M.

I love Isla for dinner, so I was so glad I finally made it in for the lunch special. Soup of the day, inihaw pork, a generous scoop of rice, lumpia shanghai, and a small square of leche flan. Great portions for price. I even took some home to leave room for their awesome halo-halo. Other lunch special entrees are longanisa, chicken adobo, or fried fish fillet with mango salsa. Ask for the lunch special menu, they keep it behind the counter. Extra points to Isla's owners for their social activism: thehungrylearner.com/filâ€¦
(5)
Jon O.

This place is most definitely the best Filipino restaurant in town. I've been here a couple times and both times sampled the Lumpia, Longaniza and other assorted chicken/pork dishes. The service here is always prompt and polite and they always get the orders right the first time. Also, the inside is very neat, orderly and clean. It feels a little sparse on the decorations (only a few pieces of art hanging up) but that's ok because the food is the real attraction here. The only real downside to this place is that it is kinda small and they close at 9pm so you have to plan early for dinner. Other than that this is a must hit place in my book. As a matter of fact just writing this review I've talked myself into going back as soon as possible haha. Also, for desert try their Flan.
(5)
Gabriel C.

This is the restaurant I would recommend someone to, if they wanted to try Filipino food for the first time. I love the presentation of all the dishes and whenever i'm craving Filipino food when it cannot be accessed at home, Isla is the first place that comes to mind. The parking lot isn't that convenient, so sometimes you might have to find street parking.
(4)
Amber L.

I said I'd save a 5-star for after I'd been back a few times. This place doesn't disappoint! Everything I've ordered has been amazing (ok, I just don't like lumpia as much as the next guy; that's my fault, not the restaurant's) and the service is always really great. I love the vibe that the music and art give to the restaurant.
(5)
Mark P.

I am a regular at this restaurant and I've waited a couple years to make sure I don't make a biased yelp review just because I am Filipino and I miss my mom's cooking. I also wanted to see how it compared to other Filipino restaurants in Chicago and I wanted to see how my friends liked the food when I bring them there. First, I want to list my suggested meal for two if you've never been there or eaten Filipino food: Appetizer: 10 pcs lumpia shanghai or 2 pcs pork bbq Entrees: Pancit Canton and fried Daing na Bangus Dessert: Halo Halo Now to my review---I give it a 5/5 stars on the criteria below: AUTHENTICITY: I find their menu to be very true to Filipino cuisine. There are a lot of provinces in the Philippines each having their own style on certain dishes, so some Filipinos may not feel the same way. PRICE: An average meal for 2 (1app, 2 entrees, 1 dessert) will be around $25-$30. I usually have leftovers. SERVICE: Most employees have been working here for at least 2 years and are very knowledgeable about the food. They will be able to tell you what you will like based on your preferences within seconds. I've been there enough that some servers know my name or at least spot me in the Lincoln Square area. BYOB: No corkage fee Parking: Although it may be tough to find a spot during prime hours, it's free. There's also street parking around. Tips: -Make a reservation for Friday and Sat nights (the wait can be awhile if you don't) -Use your home bathroom before you go (their bathroom is actually inside their kitchen. I don't mind but some might!) -Only order the 'Crispy Pata' if you're really hungry and in the mood for a greasy meal. It's pretty good, but it's massive.
(5)
Alicia A.

So far, my first experience went very well! I ordered carry-out. I was there for lunch and got the lunch special! $5.99 for rice, soup, lumpia and a small piece of dessert plus a meat item of your choice. If you can manage it, go get this lunch special! The selection they had was awesome! I love that I have my Filipino fix so close to home. They had me at the description of Mom's Spaghetti. Check it out, you'll know what I mean! ;) The prices there were very affordable and the food is delicious. I will be back for sure! The staff was very helpful and very friendly!
(4)
Mark C.

The food here is pretty good. The Halo Halo wasn't as good as I thought it'd be. All the dishes feed about 2-3 people. Solid. Yum.
(4)
Jenny O.

This place gets busy easily, so it's probably best to make a reservation. Came here on a Thursday night with a friend, and it was packed. However, we really wanted to try the food, so we did take-out. Ordered the adobo rice and crispy pata. The adobo rice was very good- I highly recommend it. The crispy pata was good as well, but it was a little too greasy. Since we didn't get to dine in, I'm not sure what the service is like there. But, our short interaction with the workers was positive, and they were helpful when we needed suggestions. I look forward to going back!
(4)
Erica C.

Just had a delicious meal here. Very cheap ($31) with lots of leftovers! I made a reservation at 4:30 for 6:00 on a Friday, no problem. Glad I did! Very crowded, freezing outside, and no where for people to wait. It's a one room joint. From reading reviews, we ordered 20 of the mini spring rolls. Delicious! My 18 month-old kept eating all the crumbs even when we were done. We also got these thin little noodles that had a wonderful chicken stock flavor with veggies. And a delicious beef, onion, soy sauce dish. I'm too lazy to reference their names. I've never had Filipino food before, but my best friend from Boston is Filipino so I was pumped to try it! We also had the best chicken teriyaki I've ever had. Not that I usually order that out much because I find it to be a dish that picky people order, but I saw someone else eating it and thought it looked yummy. We wanted to order dessert, but our little man was getting crabby. The nice waitresses kept picking up all his dropped toys. Definitely going back. Everything everyone around me was eating looked amazing.
(5)
Bella D.

It's not bad. It's really good when your super hungry and craving Filipino food. Just don't get the palabok. The sauce was soooo thick that the tiny skinny noodles were drowning. Lugaw was ok but the rice they use wasn't the sticky ones which made it seem dry. (Go to uncle mikes for lugaw) Fried chicken is like double fried so it seemed like there was no meat in there. It was like eating chicken chicharon. Idk if that's a good thing. Halo halo is good here though.
(2)
Jean N.

The only Filipino restaurant in Chitown that I would recommend to non-Filipino friends and family. Authentic food and as good as it gets. I've tried everything here and never disappointed. I don't know why I haven't reviewed this place sooner. We even had them cater our wedding (tapa, mixed adobo, fried rice, grilled veggies then the other half of our menu was American food). It was definitely a hit!
(5)
Monty W.

place gets packed on a saturday evening - try reservations. Kare Kare is very good - order extra rice for that its delicious with the shrimp paste. Definitely would go to again if in the neighborhood. Friendly wait-staff - tried to accommodate as best as she could given that we didnt have reservations.
(4)
Julio V.

Not only is the service great but the ambiance is high energy. It's also a BYOB. But let's not kid each other , after all we are here to eat. The food is AWESOME !! I had the Kawaii Lechon pork bellies and they were great. Fresh hot and perfectly crispy. We also had the Siniga soup which is sour but freshly made. It is the kind of soup perfect for a cold day. Finally we had the Bicol express. A mixture of seafood in a coconut sauce. Delicious !!!! And we cannot come with out the typical lumpia. Which are good. Definitely will be back because .........(Wait for it !!). GAINED MY BUSINESS !!!
(5)
Ann R.

Ordered out the 2nd time; fabulous. Ordered my favorite: the tomato eggplant tower and garlic rice. Also ordered adobo rice, egg rolls and various other items on menu. I will return again!,,
(5)
Yanyao N.

I have so much love for this place. The food. The staff. The restaurant. Their story. Love and comfort in a little strip mall on Lawrence. Who knew? I have never had anything that I didn't like. Seriously. When I first came, I knew very little about Filipino food (and I still sort of don't know much, but the constant appearances of pork, rice, garlic, and vinegar meals that we are soul mates)...but it was instantly comforting and delicious. Now that Isla is practically my neighbor (heeeeey!), on cold days I love to call them up and order a ton of food and just sit on the couch watching bad TV and eating for hours. * The sinigang soup with pork belly is a MUST. It is one of my favorite soups ever. They also serve it with a side of rice, so in itself, it is easily a meal, especially with the big hunks of pork belly. * The meats dishes are meat-tastic. Lechon kawali with THAT gravy. The longanisa. The tocino. The mixed adobo. Mmm. (Note: if you're not into pork, you are a fool and probably shouldn't come here). * You must always (ALWAYS!) order a side of garlic rice. * Order the bicol express spicy. * Their noodles dishes are tasty. Love the pancit palabok with the tofu sauce. * And no visit to Isla is complete without eating at least 20 lumpia. * Finish off your meaty meal with halo-halo. I mean really, any place that puts hot dogs in their spaghetti and serves it with a side of fried chicken is going to win my heart over. I already knew that. Johnny T helped put them on Chicago's "placed to eat NOW" dining map when he raved about them on Check, Please! So, expect Isla to be busy, busy, busy. The food is amazing, it is BYOB, and the prices are low. People want in. Make a reservation if you can, even for lunch. If not, expect to wait, as the space is small. But I assure you, once you take a bite of their food, Isla will become an instant favorite.
(5)
Kristina B.

I'll get right to it, I'm a Filipina that grew up in the Philippines and this place is l-e-g-i-t. And if you know Filipino food, I do to need to spew out the handful of dishes I enjoy here. And if you don't know Filipino food, you can't go wrong here just ask for recommendations. It might not beat your Lola's, Mama's or Auntie Baby's cooking but it'll fill that void before you go home next.
(4)
Lolita F.

Food is good , but staff are not. Panic during busy time and forget the customer's need.
(3)
Jon G.

Great Filipino food. Coming from a Filipino-Asian background, it is not easy to find authentic Filipino food in Chicago. However, Isla Filipina cooked up some of the best Filipino food I've had outside of the Philippines. The BBQ chicken is unbelievable and the pancit is a Filipino staple that you can't go without. If you're dining in and want dessert, Halo-Halo is a great Filipino Ice Cream Sundae experience (if you're mildly adventurous). ENJOY
(5)
Courtney M.

Isla Pilipina is located in a strip mall by a Little Caesars. So I probably would never have gone in if it weren't for a Dabble class being taught there. Shame on me. It was my first experience with Filipino cuisine and I was totally and completely impressed. Go with friends, order as many things on the menu as possible and save room for the halo-halo!
(5)
Rrr V.

Host: n/a Waitress: 3.5 Food-taste, presentation: 4.5 Property-style, decor, ambiance: 3.5 Authentic, tasty and inexpensive!!!
(4)
Brian C.

The first time I went here, I was not able to get a table, so be sure to make a reservation! My second time there (this time having made a reservation), I was able to be seated. This place is just a fantastic place. Great food, great ambiance, friendly service, reasonable prices. I am a huge fan, enough said. This place is BYOB so be sure to go to the liquor store next door to pick up some San Miguel!
(5)
Jeff N.

This place is still solid. I've been here a handful of times since my last review. Their red snapper is huge.
(4)
Sarah R.

LUMPIA SHANGHAI TO DIE FOR! They must be filled with crack because I can't stop popping them. I have admittedly ordered an order of 20 and devoured them myself (They're little!). The pancit is a litltle different than I'm used to, but delicious nonetheless. The restaurant is tiny, but I've always managed to get a seat. The one downfall is that the bathroom is located in the back of the tiny kitchen so you have to awkwardly cut through the prep area. Is that sanitary? I'm thankful that they have a restaurant regardless. One thing that I appreciate about this restaurant is the fact that their music is amazing. I can't tell you how many times I've had to use my Sound Hound app on tracks I like. It's BYOB and there's a liquor store conveniently located next door! WOOO!
(4)
Emann B.

I've been avoiding going to Isla, and even turned down a couple invitations from friends to join them. I knew once I tasted the amazing delights I would forever be obsessed. And so it has happened. Started off with the tasty vegetable lumpia, then split longanisa (perfect level of sweetness) and lechon kawali (like a drug it's so good!), and of course finished up with a halo halo. This is excellent Filipino food and I can't wait to work my way through the menu. Party platters are also in my future!
(4)
Demetrio P.

Finally tried Isla...and overall food was okay. Food didn't blow me away as for some reason I was expecting more, but was overly pleased. We ordered the Lumpia Shanghai (pretty tiny but eh, it's an appetizer), Kare Kare, Crispy Fried Chicken, Inihaw na Baboy (grilled pork) and the Pancit Canton. All were good, not great, but if I were to choose a fave of our order it would be the Crispy Chicken. Chicken very crispy and flavored well. The pancit canton would come in 2nd...noodles weren't overly greasy as some Filipino places, and was cooked well and tasty. I think this is a great place for those who haven't experienced Filipino food. A great starting place for novices, and also a good option for the non-novices. Overall, good food, reasonable prices, service was good.
(3)
Betsy J.

Good prices, BYOB, and a very interesting and delicious menu! It's small and crowded and you MUST make reservations (at least on a weekend night) but it's well worth calling ahead!
(4)
Barry C.

The Ube (purple) ice-cream is by far the best! The Inihaw na Pusit (grilled squid, stuffed with onions and tomatoes) was okay, though it got a little tough and chewy. (We also had a beef-rice dish which wasn't anything very special. I wasn't sure of the name and I can't find it in the menu anymore.)
(3)
MJ B.

Our whole party left the restaurant wondering why we had just eaten what we'd eaten. It's not that the food was bad, it's just so unhealthy and heavy and overwhelming. None of us had enjoyed Filipino food before, so we told the waiter we wanted to sample some classics. Again, none of the food was bad, but they served us enough oily pork belly for an army.
(2)
Tracy F.

This is a 3.5 star rating. I had heard such amazing things about this restaurant, I think my expectations may have been set a bit too high. Though, I was expecting it to be 4 star, not 5. Definitely make a reservation. By 7pm on a Tuesday night, there were already some people waiting for a table at the front. Service was very attentive - great. Food was good but not great. The main issue was the amount of fat/gristle in the dishes. I've never had more food stuck in my teeth in my life. The flavors were wonderful, I just would have preferred the meat to be leaner. Not sure if that's standard for Filipino food, though. Here is what we ordered: *Lumpia Shanghai: Cute! And delicious *Pork BBQ: The flavor was fantastic. I'd love the recipe for the sauce. However, this was one of the fattiest dishes of the night. We could barely bite through it so we had to ask for a knife to cut it into bite-sized pieces *Pancit Bihon: This was my favorite dish of the night. The flavor was great. Be warned - it's salty, but I still loved it. It could have used a bit more chicken *Kare - Kare: Though this dish is one of the most popular on Yelp, I struggled to find even a bite of meat that didn't have me pulling a lump of fat out of my mouth. I was very disappointed *Bicol Express: Great dish. A little creamy without being too heavy *Mixed Adobo: We ordered it with chicken only. I really enjoyed this dish *Halo Halo: Yummy! I would go back, but probably stay away from the Pork BBQ and Kare-Kare.
(4)
Gerry T.

The 20 egg rolls (lumpia) were devoured quickly, make sure to ask for the fiery hot green habanero sauce to accompany this. Although, we noticed that the egg rolls were kind of skinny. I'd order 40 next time. The Chicken teriyaki was ok in that they didn't use chicken breast. The beef caldareta was excellent, the beef was very lean and soft. The pancit bihon pleased my daughter and she's a pancit snob. Now the Kare Kare was a pleasant surprise, it came with generous pieces of ox tail and the sauce was on the sweet side. I loved this. Isla needs to expand, it was crowded yesterday. A lot of non-Filipinos in there, but don't let that deter you, their food is like your Mom's cooking.
(4)
Eenie J.

Food was quite tasty. But don't expect heaping amounts of food like other turo turo places. It's just "enough". The food was really good. The problem was that it took over an hour to get our food on a weekday at 2 in the afternoon. Plus, they had run out of soooooo many things, it was tough to order. But I love how their lunch combos come with a side of ube ice cream.
(3)
James Z.

I've been unable to Yelp because of school, but ya know, some places are definitely worth the time for review... and one of those places is Isla Pilipina. As someone having grown up in suburban Los Angeles saturated with - and this may come off as "ethnic food" elitism - the best Filipino restaurants in the U.S., Isla Pilipina gives some LA Filipino restaurants a run for its money. Isla Pilipina is among the best (if not the best) Filipino restaurant in Chicagoland. That's a bold statement, I know. Let me break this down... ya ready? Okay, something I've noticed with a lot of turo-turo places in Chicago is the food gets old fast because some stores/restaurants will leave precious kare-kare and pancit bihon untouched for hours. I'm not really sure why that is the case. Possibly low turnover? Low demand? You tell me. Isla Pilipina is wonderful because it is made to order and for that, you'll always get fresh Filipino food. I personally am not a fan of 6-hour old adobo. Are you? Best things to order at Isla Pilipina: pancit canton (!), sinigang, lumpia shanghai (I usually don't like lumpia shanghai. BLASPHEMY! I know. However, theirs is pretty good I have to admit.), and inihaw (gawd, I hope I spelled that right!). Though I didn't try it, my mom said their pinakbet is good. I'll take her word for it because Filipina moms are definitely hard to please when it comes to food. Trust. She keeps it real with discerning taste. I haven't come across any of their dishes I didn't like. However, the mongo was a lot soupier than I would like it to be AND... strangely enough (maybe it's just me!), there was no dried shrimp in it. Isn't that essential? I also found the barely one scoop of rice troubling. I don't know about you, but one scoop of rice for a Pinoy is like giving an athlete a drop of water after a jog. It's just not right! Or maybe, I just eat too much rice. I digress. Another thing I thought was somewhat "off" was the indie music playing. I love Yo La Tengo and Broken Social Scene like any hipster 20-something, but in a Filipino restaurant? Ehhhh... maybe I'm asking for too much of a nostalgic space, but Yo La Tengo isn't the same as hearing old school 80's Tagalog songs - the Pinoy jams relatives would play at backyard fiestas at Tita Girly's house. It appears the restaurant is family-owned and second-generation Filipinos (I hear more English than Tagalog!) operate the front of the house so that may account for music selection and ambiance. I'm second-generation too so I feel ya! However, the delicious food makes up for why I'm sometimes puzzled dining there. I went again for the fourth or fifth time last night. It was a great experience again because they gave us a chocolate mousse cake. Totally sealed the deal! (Almost as good as free halo-halo!) One last thing I want to note is how diverse the clientele is. Without a doubt, each time I've gone to Isla Pilipina, the crowd is a mix of Filipinos and non-Filipinos: 20-something hipsters and foodies, titos/titas eating lechon after church, or couples sharing a quiet meal together. Personally, I think it's precious and it's good to know more people aside from Pinoys enjoy a good heaping of bangus or tapa here and there! Anyway, in conclusion (and after babbling for a hot minute!), I highly recommend Isla Pilipina. It's even worth the trek for someone like me - car-less and Californian in the urban tundra that is Chicago. Bon AppÃ©tit!
(4)
Nicole Y.

I was looking forward to Isla Pilipina because I knew they had pancit palabok on the menu. Unimart closes too early for me to get out to the burbs in time to pick up some so I went to Isla Pilipina. MEH pretty much sums it up. The pancit palabok was bland. The noodles were disintegrating in the sauce. The sinigang na baboy was bland. Sinigang is supposed to be sour and tart. The pork barbecue was good, but it hadn't been marinated long enough. The lumpia shanghai were tiny but okay. My fiance had caldereta, and he liked the sauce, but he said the meat didn't taste like the sauce. Caldereta is supposed to be stewed for a while so the meat should pick up flavors from the sauce. I am Pinay. My family hails from Pampanga. I grew up in SoCal. Isla Pilipina doesn't taste like my lola's kitchen. It doesn't taste like my father's food. It doesn't taste like something I'd want to eat. It's a pale rendition of Filipino food. The restaurant's ambience is cute and the food is artfully plated, but the food has been watered down to fit the American palate. Try Hiromi's instead.
(2)
Tiva T.

This is one of my favorite places to eat Filipino food in Chicago. Good food at a value. My go-to is the pinoy spaghetti; it comes with two pieces of delicious fried chicken. That means there's always enough to take home for lunch the next day.
(5)
Kristen W.

Well I have to be honest in that I've not had better Filipino food but oh dear, this place scared me. I think there were either rabbits or pigeons in something I bit into. God I sound terribly snobby and honestly really ignorant. Well because when it comes to Filipino food, I am. One thing I liked was the stew with potatoes. Judging by the other reviews here they must do a mean Filipino spread but I guess it was lost on my middle america whitebread self. I should probably go back.
(2)
Jimmy M.

This place is ok. I've had better Filipino food at all my Filipino friends' houses. The people here are *really* nice though.
(3)
George P.

We decided to go here after seeing the restaurant on WTTW's Check Please show and all 3 people on the show liked it. Atmosphere is basic, but better than what I thought it might be. BYOB and we got real wine glasses and no cork fee. Another yelper wrote a review saying the Crispy Chicken was "A-mazing"....well, if you've had good fried chicken before then you will have a feel for this dish. That's all it is. It wasn't bad, but the reviewer threw me off. There appear to be far better items on the menu. I had the Mixed Adobo with pork and it was pretty good. Good enough to go back a 2nd time and try some other items. I find most restaurants have good dishes and great dishes depending on your taste, etc and I'd like to try a few more to find one that really wows me. I think I will find one there. Finally, this place is CHEAP! Entrees are $7-$12 or so. Dinner for 2 was under $20 before tip. And one more thing - just to show you they are happy you are there - early in dinner the waiter noticed our table was a little wobbly. He place a shim under the table leg to stabilize it. I thought that was pretty thoughtful.
(4)
Cynthia N.

I love that Isla has catering. I can't express how much less stressful it is for me to pick up the phone and order delicious filipino food to bring to my family holiday get together. I could fight traffic at Argyle, carry a bunch of groceries, run home, cook all day, or just call Isla and pay the same amount for someone to cook it better. Oh Isla, Cincha likey.
(5)
Jay M.

The food here was great. My (Filipino) family went here for Mothers' Day and sampled various dishes including the adobo, sinigang, crispy pata, ampalaya, longanisa, and a couple others whose names I can't remember. The prices, though it's not a buffet, came out to basically the same thing you'd pay at, e.g., Filipiniana's buffet, and I think the food was either on par or slightly better than there (Filipiniana is one of the best Filipino restaurants in the city). The service was a bit slow, but it looked like they were kinda stretched because they were preparing a big catering order. The presentation of the food is unlike I've ever seen at a Filipino restaurant before -- in a good way. Rather than just a sloppy plate piled with food, the food is arranged in a neat way and dipping sauce, if any, is in a nice little cup/dish inside. Looked great. I would absolutely go back, though maybe not if I were in a big rush. I'll be calling them up to feed my next Filipino house party though for sure!
(4)
Julie H.

So its not as good as my mothers cooking but it is pretty darn close. I love going here when I an missing filipino food back home in hawaii. The make super good kare kare, palabok, chicken adobo (kinda too salty though) and halo halo. They also serve garlic rice which is perfect. Be prepared to wait during lunch time though its small space that gets really busy! I think the last time I was there it was 12 when I got there and I was seated around 1. Unfortunately chicago surprisingly doesn't have a ton of filipino restaurants but this over is definitely a gem. Its walking distance from a brown line so don't worry you won't be walking through sketchy parts at night. Although it is a couple of blocks so its a no no in my opinion if you want to walk to this place at night alone if you are a girl or a puny guy...
(4)
Jenni B.

Great Filipino food. It needs more space and AC. handle it
(4)
Roxanne A.

I have been anti-filipino restaurants for the longest time because the taste and food preparation could not compare to my grandmother's filipino cooking. You see, she made it a point to cut, pound, etc things up until you wouldn't know where the meat originated from. I think she did it 1) to be frugal and 2) to not offend our delicate american sensibilities. I've been to a variety of filipino restaurants on the east coast especially in the jersey city area. Yeah, one furry pig ear too many and I was done with it. Then, for my birthday, I decided to give it a try again. My friends and I went to Isla Pilipina on a Friday evening and it was amazing. $5 for 20 mini lumpia can't be beat. Their mixed adobo was great. I got the tocino (typical breakfast sweet pork). FYI: They feature a lot of pork on their menu. They also give you a lot of meat, A LOT. Splitting an entree is not out of the question and is highly recommended. The waiter was really knowledgeable and definitely walked the 12 non-filipinas through the menu which was definitely appreciated. There is a slight wait for the food, but it is definitely worth it. Unfortunately, we couldn't stay for dessert. Highly recommended. A lot of bang for the buck, much like back in the Philippines.
(5)
Randy G.

The pork barbecue appetizer was average. The waiter seemed attentive but the kitchen was slow with only five tables to contend with. The adobo was excellent !
(4)
Dave K.

What a great little place. Upon walking in, we were warmly greeted and immediately seated by an incredibly friendly staff. This being our first visit, we asked for recommendations. Everything suggested was really good: BBQ pork appetizer, Taramind soup, Pancit, Inihaw pork (my favorite). I've been to a couple of other Filipino restaurants, but this is hands down my favorite. It has a great neighborhood vibe, played nice background music (kind of xrt-ish) and really nice people running the place. I look forward to going back. Great food, great value.
(4)
M D.

We have been here 2 times and LOVE LOVE LOVE this place! The pork BBQ appetizer, mixed adobo, spicy bicol express and halo-halo dessert are to die for. Definitely make a reservation and BYOB. The service can be slow, but only because they are so slammed. One of our faves in the city!
(5)
Leo M.

I have always been a picky eater. It is maybe because i grew up in a family who loves to cook. But Isla Pilipina really satisfies my palate. Their authentic Filipino Cuisine makes me feel i am home every time i visit. The food presentation is awesome and the service is good. The crew is friendly and very accommodating. I have been in the restaurant so many times that i think i've already tried everything in the menu. among my faves are the tocino and the grilled pork. Their sweet spaghetti comes with 2 pcs. of fried chicken which is actually a complete meal, is really very good. I just wish they could extend their hours, at least another hour more in the evening.
(4)
Joel C.

My quick review of this restaurant: Awesome Food. Friendly attentive Staff. Overcrowded and SLOW food service. I recommend calling for a reservation if you really want to eat-in and be prepared to be there at least 2 hours. Otherwise, call-in your carry-out order 30 minutes ahead and be prepared to wait an additional 15-30 minutes when you get there. I've visited this restaurant 3 times this week. Once on my own, another with a friend, and another with my partner. Everytime I went it was busy - I counted (6) 4-seater tables and (4) 2-seater tables - each time I visited, there were no more than 2 tables available and they were usually reserved. I visited at 6:30 pm on a Tuesday, 1:30 pm on a Saturday and 5:30 pm on a Sunday. I watched customers try to wait it out but then decide to just leave and others were turned away because the place was full and the kitchen closes in 30 minutes (it closed at 6:30 on a Sunday). There were several customers waiting for their carry-out orders. It's a small establishment and they just recently received raving reviews from the local TV show Check Please so I understand the craziness. I think they're still getting used to being popular. Whatever process they were used to serving their customers before the show aired is not working for their new found popularity. The show gave them raving reviews and I can see why, perhaps it was a slow period. If they want to succed at this, they're going to need to rethink their kitchen and service processes. On my first visit, I had to order carry-out since the restaurant was full. I waited for an hour before I left with my food! The next time, I called for a reservation and the last time I went we just popped-in (It's Sunday night - how busy can it be?) On the times we sat in the restaurant, here's what we experienced: Once we were seated, it took a while for someone to take our order (15 mins. maybe?). The server was pleasant and helpful when she finally arrived. Then we waited... for at least 30 minutes for the appetizer and another 30-45 minutes after that for SOME of our entrees. Don't get me wrong - the food tasted great. It reminded me of my mother's own cooking and what I remember eating from street vendors in Manila. I LOVE the food and the presentation was beautiful. However, the food never came out all at once. It trickled. We didn't get one of our rice dishes until after we've pretty much eaten everything else. It wasn't a mix-up either. They just planely didn't cook the rice dish for a while. I asked the server what happened and she said it was just the way it came out of the kitchen and they were aware the fried rice was taking long. The kitchen seems to pick and chose what to cook in no particular order. We watched other tables and the food coming out had NO order whatsoever. I agree with the last review - the apology didn't sound sincere. It's like they're used to having to apologize for the kitchen. I've already gone into extensive detail so I won't say much more about the way they seat customers. But let me just say that it felt uncomfortable sit there and see couples get seated on a 4-seater table while larger groups - some with kids - stood and waited for a larger table to clear while more couples get seated in front of them on 2-seater tables. I felt sorry to see them so frustrated and finally walk-off. My advise - wait 'till the hype dies down before expecting a pleasant dining experience. If you're looking for superb Filipino cousine, enjoy it at the comfort of your own home... but plan ahead 'cause it'll take you a while to get it. Cheers!
(3)
Amy L.

Mmm I had the grilled pork lunch special. It was perfect amount for me. At 6 bucks for soup, egg rolls, rice, grilled pork, and small dish of flan. It was worth it since I was full and tasted good! The grilled pork was pretty dry though but still good otherwise because of the sauce it came with. I like when there are little chunks of things in my sauce like salsa. As always I love the filipino egg rolls...so addicting. Another plus is that there is a free parking lot right in front. Service was friendly and fast. I never knew how close it was to my work place too so it was nice to try something new from the many different restaurants I've revisited closeby already.
(3)
rhoner d.

I found this restaurant using yelp. My wife and I wanted try another Filipino restaurant since there isn't a lot from where we came from (Detroit). The food was great. We had crispy pata, bicol express and crispy fried calamari. We love the food and serving size of each dish. I cant say I'm an expert of Filipino cooking since I grew up here in the US but comparing it to food that we ate from a recent trip from the Philippines, their cooking was excellent. Parking is a little bit of a hustle since they share their small parking lot with a clinic and little pizza place. I had to pay a parking meter on the side street. The place is small but clean. I will recommend this restaurant just on the taste and serving size of their dishes. The prize isn't bad too..
(4)
Mars B.

Finally i had the chance to write a review to my favorite restaurant... I've been to this restaurant first time early last year. And been back many times that I lost track. Let's say like every week. Whooahhh! Staff are friendly and place is comfortable. My favorite is lumpia sariwa, I could probably eat this everyday. It is like a crepe but with veggies topped with special sauce and garnished with chopped peanuts. The taste was superb that I wanted to pair it with rice. Another fave is grilled pork, this has an amazing flavor. Fried calamari is also a winner, cooked right and the vinegar sauce goes with it like they are partners in crime. Adobo is so good that you might order another cup of rice. Also, the pansit which i love is superb. You can ask the server if you want it specific.. just regular with chicken, pork or shrimp or tofu and make it vegetarian. Soups are great too. I love halohalo or leche flan for dessert and coonut juice for my drink. And I can still go on and on with all the menu. Send me a message if have question because I might be of help to you in your quest for good food and decide on what to taste test! Come, taste and be a happy tummy! :)
(5)
Ji K.

I've met the owner and he is such a nice guy who is really passionate and borderline obsessive about the food they serve. Isla pretty much does traditional, comforting Filipino food at a higher level of care and quality at prices that are much less than deserved. I'm adding a star for the people behind the scenes-- because I realize now that they are the reason the food tastes so darn good. My compliments to them . . .
(5)
Liza P.

Oh.....my.....god! I want to live here! I am in love with their food, and we are going to run away together and get married in Vegas. I would eat this food as a last meal before being executed. So......we started off with a 10 pc Lumpia Shanghai, which is mini pork eggrolls.....sooo good. Very hot, crispy, not too greasy, and delish! My kids even ate them, which is a huge hats-off to their goodness, because my kids, especially one of them, is very picky about what goes in their face holes. For an entree, my children had halo-halo (crushed ice mixed with fruit and bean preserves topped with ice cream and rice crispies), and they really enjoyed it. This is a dish which they would label as "weird" because they're unfamiliar with the combination of ingredients, but they polished off the whole thing. I tried some, and I liked it. We got several entrees to try, the first of which was adobo rice (fried rice with garlic pork stew), and it was sooooo very good. Something I would eat everyday if I could. Maybe I will. The next dish was Bicol Express (slightly spicy combination of seafood and meat drizzled with coconut milk), which was rich, and oh so tasty. It didn't really taste spicy to me, not like jalapeno spicy, anyways. It had squid in it (I think--whatever seafood is ring-shaped, can't remember if it is squid or conch), and it is the only time I have ever had it and it was not chewy and rubbery. This was cooked perfectly, and really delicious. The last dish we tried was Inihaw Baboy (tender strips of grilled pork served with vinaigrette), and that was great as well. The pork was a bit fatty, but not gristly. And the vinaigrette was perfect for dipping--it went well with the charcoal grilled taste of the pork. I am sighing with pleasure at my remembrance of this meal. I will definitely be returning, and I'm gonna drag all the family members I can here when they visit. Yum yum yum yum yum yum yum!!! I am very happy!
(5)
Timothy S.

best filipino food in the city!
(5)
Rachelle G.

YUM! Easily the only Filipino restaurant I like in the city. Everything was delicious! We ordered kare kare, fried fish (I forget what kind), bbq pork, lumpia and halo halo. I know I'm leaving out a few other small dishes, but really, this is as close as you'll get to home cooking. And the best part, all of this for less than $35 for three. We still had plenty of leftovers. Service was friendly, although I found it a bit strange that she didn't clear dishes throughout the meal. We purposely pushed them off to the side in hopes she would get the hint, but no. But when we asked, the server took care of it right away. I want to come back already!
(4)
lois c.

I went to this restaurant twice. The sign says the restaurant opens at 11. I was waiting with 10 other strangers. The cook sees us, lets us wait for 10 minutes, angrily comes to the door and opens it. He spoke in his native tongue and stated it opened at 12 and slammed the door. I decided to give the place another try due to the reviews. All I can say is what planet these reviewers come from or were they drunk? Service was slow. I opted for the lunch special. I'm given my soup; a minute later I'm given my entree. The food was barely warm. The steak was like shoe leather, the eggrolls were cold. The so-called dessert was less than a tablespoon of flan.. Go at your risk and make sure you are not hungry.
(1)
Heidi D.

Ate here for the first time last night after hearing from everyone in my family how good it is! And my family definitely does not lie when it comes to food! I was very satisfied with our dinner here last night. We started off with lumpiang shanghai (eggrolls) and they were delicious - skinny but filled with meat, and crispy! We also had baked tahong (mussels) for apps and they were bursting with flavor - yumm! The crispy pata is one of the best I've had in my life - so crispy, so delicious, so artery-clogging! :) The crispy chicken is just as great! You have to try the crispy chicken! The fish were also good - we had daing na bangus (milkfish) and tilapia with mango salsa - that salsa adds just the right amount of zest to the tilapia and the milkfish, well, you can never go wrong with daing na bangus (although to be fair, this is one of my favorite fish dish). We also had grilled veggies which did not fail to impress, very flavorful and grilled just right! The kare-kare left something to be desired, but take this with a grain of salt. It was good, just not anywhere close to how my momma makes it and how i like it. The tortang talong (eggplant) also failed to impress me. Again, this is one of my favorite dish and I like it a certain way. I could barely taste the eggplant (again, it was good as food, just not a good tortang talong by my standard). This place is BYOB which I like, and if you forget to bring yours, worry not, there's a liquor store next door! Also, just to add, it's very much a FILIPINO restaurant, as in, we don't really americanize our food, they remain as they would if you were to go eat a meal from a filipino home. There were many non-filipinos eating there last night, which didn't surprise me. I just wanted to make sure people are aware coz I can see how some people can complain that some food are salty and some are fatty. Like I said above, the crispy pata is artery clogging! many filipinos actually call this and similar dishes "killing me softly" but we are aware of this and eat it anyway (hopefully only occasionally) because it's just THAT good (to us, at least). Though it's quite a drive for us, I will definitely be back!
(5)
Javier B.

Finally made it to Isla! Tried going on Sunday night before and they close at 7 pm. Not open on Monday :( It was well worth the wait. The food was outstanding. The Lumpia were delicious. I had a pork dish with a peppercorn sauce and it was very very tasty. The pork was not described well in the menu and it was pork belly, which is tasty but somewhat fatty. The sauce was incredible though. Also tried the grilled pork served with vinegar sauce and it was really good. Tried a bit of the adobo and loved it. All in all the food was really good and at very reasonable prices. My only complaint is that the menu does not fully describe some of the items. We ordered a noodle dish to start (which was kind of mediocre) and the description did not say anything about there being fried calamari on top of the noodles. Maybe they just brough us the wrong dish. I am not a huge fan of calamari and these were a little too fishy tasting for my liking. I will be going back and often. Give this place a shot!
(4)
Kristin M.

I was so excited to try this place after reading everyone else's reviews. I was planning on being in the Lincoln Square neighborhood, and looking for some good yet cheap eats Friday night. Isla Pilipina TOTALLY delivered! It was really my first experience with Filipino food, and happily we were with a group of six and everyone shared a little so I got to try a few different things. As for myself, I went with the mixed Adobo, super flavorful and melt in your mouth chicken and pork in a savory gravy. The lumpia were fantastic, I probably could have ate 20 of them myself! I was ridiculously full, and when we got the bill it was a little shocking. The six of us dined for $55... yeah, fifty-five dollars... Of course it did help that it was a byob, but SERIOUSLY? That is just fantastic, in this economy, places like this should get some kind of a medal.
(4)
Jennifer P.

I stopped in here today for a lunch special - pork in a dark gravy, rice, delicious petite egg rolls, a clear soup with chicken, cabbage, and potatoes, and a tiny piece of flan for $6.99. It was my first encounter with Filipino food, and I'd describe it as Chinese or Thai meets Cuban. I can't tell if Isla Pilipina is a good example of the cuisine, but my meal was tasty and I'll stop by again on a cold winter day.
(4)
Dillard R.

Delicious!........ Filipino comfort food , just like home cooking! The Diniguan was very tasty as it entered my mouth I wanted to cry , It is not easy to cook and find the ingredients . The last time I ate it was when my grandpa cooked it and that was ages ago. I wasn't too impressed though with the lumpia but it was good. The pinakbet was delicious but I am used to the Ilocano version which doesn't have pumpkin in it and is less stew like but I have to say it was good maybe the chef is Tagalog. Halo-Halo YUM! This place will easily become my fave, I cant wait to try some other items on the menu. If you have never had Filipino food before this is a good place to try , the decor was nice service friendly but typical Filipino style which is all good. Nice art on the walls by the way. I was surprised I did not see a wooden water buffalo sculpture , anyway I TOTALLY recommend this place.
(5)
Andrew P.

I've been looking for an authentic Filipino restaurant for quite some time, and I've been fortunate enough to find Isla Pilipina. It's a great place for all kinds of classic Filipino dishes (like pancit and adobo ) as well as famous Pan-Asian foods with a Filipino twist (such as chicken teriyaki and Shanghai eggrolls). The prices are definitely reasonable. Try their lunch specials; it will only cost you 5 to 6 bucks for an entree with egg rolls and rice. I recommend the Inihaw na Baboy (or grilled pork) and the Tocino (or Filipino bacon). You won't be disappointed. Also try the Halo Halo, which is an awesome Filipino dessert made of shaved ice, ice cream, and a wild assortment of exotic fruits. You can thank me later. Parking is not a problem, and the service is adequate. For the price, you can't find a better deal.
(5)
Kitty R.

Shanghai Lumpia+Garlic Rice=Love. Enough said.
(4)
Barb N.

If you are not Filipino....don't dine here. Get take-out. I saw Isla Pilipina on CheckPlease and was very excited to try it out. We went on a Sunday afternoon. I called ahead to make a reservation (otherwise you would have to wait a while). Our server seemed very nice and wiling to help us out. We ordered the eggs rolls and mussels. We were also prompted to order our main dish. After a few suggestions, we ordered the Adobo Grill, Bicol Express and the Pancit Bihon. The egg rolls were brought out. They were good. Immediately the Grill and the Bicol were brought out. I thought my mother's order of Pancit was on its way. A different waiter came out 5 minutes later saying our mussels were on it's way. 25 minutes later my mother's Pancit was brought out. I asked "what took so long?" and they said it's because they were making it so fresh. My grandmother and I had already finished our meal by the time they brought out the Pancit. What about the mussels you may ask. They never came and we asked for them to cancel the order which they were willing to do. Pancit takes so long because it's so fresh? I saw other tables being served left and right with the Pancit. There was even a huge catering take out order I saw someone walking out of the restaurant with while we were still waiting. Is Filipino food like tapas where they bring out food when it's ready and you have to wait? We had our water filled once. Our waiter came to see how we were doing once. The other tables were being attended to all the time. A couple who sat 40 minutes after us had their meal served right away. I also noticed we were the only Caucasian family there. Everyone else was Filipino. Now, I don't want to play "that card" but it was obvious that the other Filipino tables were being served much quicker and with much more food in a timely manner. Their waiter (our waiter in fact) went to check up on those tables more often than ours. After speaking to our waiter he was quick to take the Pancit off the check and offer us free ice cream. I was very excited to try Filipino food for the first time and go someone that was highly recommended but I will not recommend this location to any of my friends, especially if they are not Filipino.
(2)
Sonja T.

Excellent food with very reasonable prices. And it's BYOB with NO CORK FEE! Parking is easy and there is a liquor store next door. Waitstaff is very friendly and helpful too. The only thing I would like to see improve from this restaurant, is the small space. Isla Pilipina has grown too popular for its small storefront space. I hear they are looking for a larger venue, though, so this is encouraging.
(5)
Jenn s.

I'm giving this place three stars solely because of the Kare-Kare and the small (very small) lumpias. Everything else was way too salty and oily. The service was good, but we had to wait for our food one after another just like every other person's experience. The first time I was there it was pretty good so I returned with my dad (third time), and from there the food seem to have suffered tremendously. The water was scarce, and had to sit there without water for sometime. But the service was always friendly, so I'm sad to give 3 stars but maybe it'll get better.
(3)
Brian K.

This is my favorite place to go to for Filipino food. Unassumingly located in a non-descript strip-mall on Lawrence, the restaurant won't win any design awards for its appointments. But that's not the reason you or anyone else comes here. This is full-on authentic Filipino food -- I know because I'm marrying a Filipina! Service can be slow depending on how busy it is, but the food always comes out steaming hot and freshly prepared without looking soggy or oily as can be common with this kind of food. Get the lumpia shanghai, fresh lumpia, mixed adobo, or menudo -- all of which are staples. The food is plated with surprising amount of artistry and flair given the otherwise homely interior. White it's not that convenient to get to from Evanston, but Evanston isn't exactly the hub of the universe either.
(4)
Michael B.

When we walked in here, they were playing Andrew Bird, there was a cop waiting for takeout, and we were the only white people there. So that's an automatic 3 stars. The other 2 are for the fact that the meat was cooked to perfection, the portions were generous without being too huge, and the service was friendly. And to top it off, here's the fortune I got: You will have a long and wealthy life. That pretty much says it all
(5)
Samantha L.

The food here is pretty good, but the service is not so great. The server could barely understand anything that my friend or I said. I really don't care if someone has poor English, but it is typically good for a server to understand their customers enough to get their orders right. Great lunch specials though.
(4)
Cynthia S.

Very good Filipino food. Service is good. I'd eat in more, but what's with the miniature soda bottles? You used to serve soda in cans, wish you brought them back!
(4)
Shen L.

decent asian food. but nothing too impressive. will i drive all the way from downtown to here again? maybe not. will i come again if i happen to be in the neighborhood? maybe yes.
(3)
Rona J.

Yum! This is now my favorite filipino restaurant. We had Lumpia Shanghai, Lechon Kawali and Chicken and Pork Adobo. The adobo is the best ever (dont tell my mom I said that). The food was fresh and although the fried stuff is fried it wasn't greasy. The presentation of the food is very nice which is uncommon at filipino restaurants. The restaurant is in a strip mall and has about 8 tables. It has simple decor--glass top tables with table cloths and beautiful artwork on the walls. Its very clean. The service is ok and the food is delicious and very affordable. It's also BYOB.
(4)
Toshi B.

After watching Anthony Bourdain do a show on the Phillipines, we wondered, why not? First of all, I highly recommend the tomato/eggplant tower as an appetizer. It was def high restaurant quality. Calamari was also good but a bit on the salty side? For the main dishes, I thought they were all pretty rich and gut busting in terms of flavor and portion to a certain extent (mixed adobo and tocino), and probably best shared but difficult to eat by yourself. Service was very good I thought. A cute mom/pop kind of place. Would go back for sure.
(3)
Linda E.

I just found this place for lunch by searching on Yelp. I happen to be in the area and wanted to find something near by. I hate that I missed their Yelp Eats specials but am glad that I went anyway. The food was ABSOLUTELY fabulous. It's a cute little restaurant in a shopping area. The menu had lots of dishes that my sister and I were interested in. We decided to try the Baked Tahong (mussels) which I think was our favorite part of the meal. The redpepper, onion and baked mussels were DELICIOUS. There was a distinct garlic flavor and there was light olive oil in the dish. We also had the mini egg rolls which came with a delicious sweet dip. As our entrees we had the Ox tail, the Snapper (without the head - I don't like my food looking up at me), and the Guinataang Gulay at Hipon (Shrimp, vegetables in a coconut milk). Each dish was full of a different flavor. The oxtails were tender and meaty, the snapper was buttery and the coconut shrimp dish was rich and bursting with flavors also. This was my first time having philipino food and it will definitely NOT be my last. The service was fast and very good. Our waiter was extremely helpful giving us suggestions. Don't miss this place if you're in the area. I will definitely be back. I am a fan for sure!
(4)
Lynnette T.

I love Isla Pilipina. I've been here several times for takeout and they have never disappointed. Their lechon kawali and pork adobo and garlic fried rice are SO SO SO good! The food is straight up home cooking. It's tasty and yummy and... I need a thesaurus cuz I can't think of anything but how good the food was last night! This place is not fancy, but the food is awesome, and for those who need a filipino fix, this is the only place I'd recommend to go.
(5)
Nina W.

I loved that restaurant! For the very modest buck, you get an interesting and a highly fravorful meal. I am not from the Phillipines, so I have no cultural bias, but as a fan of ethnic cuisines, I enjoyed that restaurant a lot. The tomato/eggplant tower (an appetizer) is awesome! It's on the pricey side (in context of this inexpensive restaurant), but it's memorable: it has an interesting and complex taste that I still remember about a month later. We got all kinds of grilled things there, and they were all juicy and cooked just the right way. I also got something with coconut milk and bamboo leaves, and it was delightful. The staff is nice and friendly. Service is slightly on the slow side, but I didn't mind it. Will definitely go back.
(5)
Chris Z.

My brother went there with his wife and had a great experience like I did. Try the calamari. Beef steak flip style. Leave some room for halo halo. The food is great and It's not expensive.
(5)
Michelle B.

everything we tried on the menu was amazing. though i am not, technically, Filipino, i am an honorary. and mama st___s would have agreed with me. these folks know what they're doing! the lumpia was crispy and served w the perfect sauce. the pancit is the kind of thing one dreams about. the place doesn't look like much from the outside, as it is situated in a strip mall. but the waitstaff is awesome and willing to explain their menu selections. don't be afraid to order a variety of food. the portions are large, but it reheats great. if i lived closer to this little gem, i would be a regular.
(5)
Carter G.

Traveled here with a few friends this past weekend. First and foremost, EVEN FOR LUNCH, you must make a RESERVATION otherwise you will have a 45min-1hr wait. The food was good, but I was expecting to be blown away. The Lumpia App were tasteful, we had a noodle dish with seafood that I was was excellent. However, everyone keeps saying how great that one seafood dish is (the name escapes me), but it's one the everyone mentions and its in a curry sauce. This dish not meet my expectations. If you don't like curry don't order this dish. We also had the Kare Kare which was ok, but nothing spectacular. There were a ton of great pork dishes, but i let my friends order the one with Pork skins which I do NOT recommend. It was really fatty and not worth ordering (maybe it's a delicacy I just didn't appreciate). What I recommend you do if you choose to check out Isla is to take a look around at what everyone else is eating and choose your dishes by what looks great.
(3)
April L.

Perhaps I will have to go back to try the oxtail or another pork dish, but I was less than pleased with the Yelp Eats fare. Though I can appreciate the flavor combinations in the Halo-Halo and the sisig (off-menu), I could not come to grips with the textures of either one. The sisig in particular felt in my mouth like I was eating ground-up gristle (similar to eating the chewy connective tissue in chicken). It seems that sisig may essentially be just that. I couldn't eat more than a few bites. Plus it was topped with what I thought were beans that turned out to be garnishes of extremely hot green peppers. (I assume they were garnishes; who on earth could eat one is beyond me.) I took a bite of one pepper, and my mouth was on fire. It took about a half gallon of milk before my throat cooled off and my nose and eyes stopped flowing. Not cool. Not cool at all. I will try something else on their menu someday, but am in no hurry. I may never "get" the textures.
(2)
Aztlan S.

The lumpias are delicious and the sauce that accompanied them on the side was sweet, vinegary with a hint of spice. YUM! I had the (chicken and pork) adobo: pure vinegar/soy/spice bliss! My friend had the longanisa and he loved it. I had a taste and liked it too --although I'm not much of a sausage person. The server (there was only one) was attentive and helpful. When I asked him if the sauces they served were the hottest they carried, he offered to bring us some chopped chiles and a bottle of hot sauce. Which he did. The chopped up chile/ onion sauce gave the food that extra kick my Mexican mouth was craving (but in all honesty, the food was so good, it really didn't need the extra hotness of the chiles). Excellent food! I didn't go there for the ambiance, let's face it, how much ambiance can you really expect at this price level? WE LOVED IT and will definitely return with many more friends. PS: According to Wikipedia, adobo "is commonly packed for Filipino mountaineers and travelers. Its relatively long shelf-life is due to one of its primary ingredients, vinegar, which inhibits the growth of bacteria." Makes sense, the Philippines are in the tropics, after all. Whatever the reason, I love the way the spicy and vinegary flavors mix so perfectly.
(5)
Dalibor Z.

Eating this crispy chicken should get you 8-10 for possession. If you never eat anything again in your life, you'll want to have the Crispy Chicken at Isla. A-MAZING. Also, having come straight from the beach and some alcohol imbibing, I was thirsty. So when the waitress walked up, with two glasses of water for me and my lady, I asked for four more. I was not disappointed. The longest time I waited for a water refill was 45 seconds. On top of that, every server took care of us, not just our immediate waitress. As soon as I needed a refill a different waitress would notice and say "I'll be right back with refills." Fantastic. Best water service ever. The food, aside from the DELICIOUS chicken, was also very good. The garlic rice, pork leftovers and what I can only equate to Gulash from Bosna. Really tasty, the -Gulash- was a bit spicy which added to the flavor. I'm don't have Gordon Ramsey palette like my lady, but really good food nonetheless. I was less than impressed with the dessert, but my lady assures me that I wasn't fully aware of it's fantastic flavor. If you haven't been, go. Don't question it, just do it.
(5)
Aashish J.

Contrary to most reviewers who went to eat the restaurant itself, my reviews are based on recent Yelp event where Isla served their food. My taste buds were excited for the deep fried pork and fried rice but by the time I finished chewing two pork strips my molars and gums were begging for retirement. Chewy as a rubber, those pork!!! Fried rice was better but not spectacular. I stil think I am going to visit the restaurants one of these days and try their in-house food. I hope that I will be compelled to give them more stars then.
(2)
Hoang L.

Yesterday was my first experience of eating at a Filipino restaurant even though most of my friends are Filipino. I've had countless homemade dishes so I knew exactly what I was getting into... GREASE. This place seemed quite authentic and the service was great. My friends and I can have a good time no matter where we go so little things that happen won't affect us... (e.g. power went out a few times during our meal). Oxtail and the fish dishes were really good. It's a nice cozy place and the food is cheap. We order so much food. But with all that grease, be prepared for some food coma. We had multiple apps, entrees, desserts, and a few doggy bags. It came out to $16/person. Tip: they close a bit earlier on Sundays so don't come at 6:45pm even though the door says they are open until 7pm.
(5)
Michelle Z.

Service consistently sucks but the food is good and its BYOB. Ask questions about the food. I ordered some pork dish and it was ALL fat. Not an exaggeration, I really couldn't find any actual meat in the dish. It was stewed, chopped, fat. I mentioned how fatty it was to the waiter who told me that is how it always comes out. Kinda feel like he should have mentioned that when I ordered it or it should say something to that effect on the menu but no. Timing of food is also a problem for the kitchen. Your apps may or may not come out before the meal. They need to work out these kind of kinks at some point. I want to go back for the food but I know I will probably be annoyed by the time I leave so I am not in a rush to return. They close too early too. Hate that.
(2)
Keely J.

Delicious eats, huge plates, made for sharing, come hungry, leave happy. Staff was awesome. I'm coming again and again and again.
(4)
Jennie T.

I like 4 items out of the 5 that my friend and I ordered, so I guess it isn't bad. I used to say that I don't like Filipino food -- mix of Spanish and Chinese cuisines? Uh... give me Spanish or give me Chinese and never the twain shall meet. That said, I think that when my friends order big trays of food for their house parties, it's probably from here, but half the stuff I don't know what it is. Either way, I usually only like half of it. Yesterday was different. I liked FOUR out of FIVE items. What a significant difference that is from my past experiences with Filipino food. I loved the fried butterfish. Yes, I know it's not really flavored with anything. It was still tasty though! It reminds me of the Korean fried mackerel a little bit... only it's not a mackerel. The vegetable eggrolls were okay. Eggrolls are just eggrolls to me. Nothing really special but it's not something I like or dislike. My friend got the pancit palabok. She gave me a spoonful to try and I wish I had gotten this for my entree instead. I think I was hesitant because I wasn't sure what kind of fish they'd use. I once had some fried noodles with tuna pieces in it and while it was tasty, it's still not something I'd order. Next time, I'll know that this is a safe dish for me to order. Based on our server's recommendation, I tried the mixed adobo. I have to admit that I did not know what adobo is (and because I'm somewhat of a techie, I am almost typed to spell Adobe instead... please excuse me), and if I had known, I wouldn't have ordered this. It's not that it's bad... It certainly taste like what it's probably supposed to taste like (unless it's supposed to be different-- I wouldn't know). It just reminded me horribly of a dish that my mom really enjoyed making one too many times and I eventually got sick of it. The only difference that I can tell is that my mom's version has hardboiled eggs and pork OR chicken (without mixing the two as this dish called for). Meh. So this was the one item I did not like. For dessert, we had the halo halo (no, you do not pronounce it like Halo the video game-- it sounds more like you're trying to say Hello). My friend and I had this before when our friends made it but I think I like the restaurant's version more... The difference is that my friends put jackfruit in theirs, and the restaurant, as far as I can tell, did not. I dislike jackfruit. P.S. We first tasted food from this restaurant at the Yelp event at the Shedd. I don't know what they were serving then but whatever it was, it was good enough for us to want to try it at the restaurant. I have a bad feeling it was the adobo, and so I'm not really sure what happened...
(4)
Danielle G.

not a good place to go if you have allergies/sensitivities/or a special diet. They told me an item on their menu was dairy free and when I got it, it clearly tasted of dairy. My friend tasted it and agreed. I sent it back and ordered something safer (Tapas) and got my bill and was charged for the meal they served me with dairy in it that I couldnt even eat and they threw away. I am allergic to dairy and explained this yet they served it to me and then charged me for it. Never going back! Also, the bathroom is in the back in the kitchen. Gross. Maybe a good place to get pick up when you are feeling like unhealthy take out food, with large portions for decent price.
(2)
Luan N.

Usual mode of my filipino food intake consists of my friend inviting me for lunch. Dessert consists of getting blind-sided with a task such as moving heavy objects or fixing her laptop. Time after time I have been falling for the same bait on the hook, that is until I found Isla Pilipina. Isla Pilipina is my revolutionary discovery that has opened my eyes... that I no longer have to be conned into menial labor just to get tasty filipino food. Seriously, the lechon kawali is excellent here. The mixed adobo was a bit different from the adobo I'm used to, so I wasn't sure what to make of it. The adobo gravy here was a thicker and oilier. I'm used to a looser sauce that is soy sauce heavy with pungent vinegar that just trickles down when poured over my rice. I think this is going to be my go to restaurant for flip food in the city!
(5)
Abby M.

I love their food. Lumpia Shanghai is delicious (get 20!) and their adobo is out of this world. I've had homemade adobo from friends that were taught by their parent/grandparent, but those dishes are like soup compared to the delicious gravy that comes with the mixed adobo. I also love the eggplant appetizer they have. I've had the pancit and have to admit I wasn't "wowed" by it - it wasn't as flavorful as the adobo. Next to try is the kare kare, but it's so hard to venture away from the adobo! I gave 4 stars only because it can be hit or miss with the timing and temperature of the food. We went with a group of 6 once on a Tuesday night, and they basically forgot to bring out an appetizer until we were finished with all of the other appetizers (this wouldn't have been a big deal - but it was the only vegetarian app we got for the vegetarian at the table). Then, my entree didn't come out until everyone were basically finished with their entrees. The servers apologized, but didn't offer to comp anything - which I thought was necessary given the 2 mix-ups instead of just 1. This last time, the lumpia were cold. :( About broke my heart. . The service is always very friendly and the food is very reasonably priced and ridiculously delicious. How can I forget the no-cork fee BYOB!?! I'll still be back, lumpia cold or not cold. They had my heart at Adobo.
(4)
Kev L.

Sweet Baby Jesus! Thank you for allowing whoever the owners of this place are to have created such an amazing place for me to trash my diet and ruin all of my jeans! If someone had told my my favorite restaurant in Chicago would be a Filipino restaurant, I would have said it was a long shot. It has however placed in first and is now the apple of my culinary eye in Chicago. I never had any idea Filipino food could taste so good. . . so right . . . so stupid craveable . . . . Im just going to be real with you. If you are a guy and you haven't been here, you should have your licence to eat revoked. Ladies. If your man has not taken you here, you should have his man card suspended. Please understand this is NOT a place to go if you are dying of hunger. You will die before you get your food. However, come here at 11Am or 4-5PM right before you are going to die. It could easily take an hour for you to get your entree. Apparently it's because everything is made from scratch. And with pinoy food, this is how it should be. Filipino food is complicated and requires the labor of love and attention to detail. The stupendous folks here understand that and are happy to oblige. For appetisers we promptly ordered the lumpia shanghai and lumpia sariwa. Be sure to not cheap out and get the 20 piece of the shanghai rolls. The sariwa is more of a personal appetiser, but it's very delicious. Kare Kare is a dish of ox tail and beef tripe slathered in peanut sauce. When my wife tasted this, Her eyes rolled back into her skull and she sort of disappeared for a moment. More on her later . . . Inihaw Na Baboy (I think? it's grilled pork). This is BY FAR my FAVORITE dish of pig anywhere on this planet. The outside crust is absolutely perfect. When you bite into it, it's like biting cold pineapple. Juices just explode in your mouth and your tongue instantly begins to suffer culinary shock. YOU MUST TRY THIS DISH. While you are at it, get a plate of garlic fried rice. This Filipino home staple is very simple, yet taste like bliss. It goes perfectly with the grilled pork. Back to my wife. Once she returned wherever the heck she had lost herself after trying the Kare Kare, she promptly let me know that I was still the #1 in her life, but that if I were to ever get stupid with her, Kare Kare would be there to keep me honest. Anyway, Chicago should be proud to call this joint home.
(5)
David G.

I scrutinize Filipino food according to whether or not it stands up in the same league as Mom's cooking. Most of the time it doesn't. After all, what's better than a home cooked meal with the extra love added? It's difficult to compete with that. But with all apologies to Mom, I think I found a substitute. Maybe Isla Pilipina can adopt me. Be my foster Mom while mine is in the Philippines. Let's talk about the food. Sinagang. A hot soup just tangy enough and not overpowering, loaded with vegetables and meat. We had the beef, but you can also ask for fish, chicken or pork. I was never a big fan because this is difficult to get right. Isla Pilipina definitely comes close. Eggplant Tomato Tower. This is interesting because I couldn't tell if this was Filipino or not. I would have to guess no. It's an appetizer to add spice to the meal. It was tasty, but the meal could have gone without. Lumpia Shanghai. Ahh, the infamous Chinese-inspired egg roll. Smaller than a traditional Chinese egg roll, lumpia is like the perfect finger food. The lumpia was pretty good. A lot of places tend to overcook their lumpia leaving you with a cylinder of carbon, but this was done just right. Pancit Bihon. The staple Filipino noodle dish. Pretty basic and I couldn't complain. Mixed Adobo. This was probably my favorite part of the meal. The mixed adobo is chicken and pork, and the meat was very tender. Perfect with rice. Tocino. This was also strange because I used to consider Tocino a breakfast food, eaten with rice and egg, but as a complement to dinner it couldn't go wrong. Also, this dish is often tough and overcooked, but Isla cooked it perfectly. It tasted closer to Chinese barbecue pork, but sweeter and with larger cuts of pork. Finally for dessert, Halo-Halo. This was an interesting choice because it was freezing outside and Halo-Halo is considered a summer dessert, made of shaved ice and loaded with... pretty much anything you can find in a jar: coconut, red beans, palm nuts, and other ingredients. It was topped with ubi ice cream (made of a purple yam) and leche flan. I'm not usually a fan of ubi, but I practically inhaled this. And to eat such a cold dessert on a sub zero day means a lot in terms of detectability. Well, Mom. I can't say you've met your match, but Isla Pilipina is definitely worth checking out. The place gets a bit crowded these days, thanks to media publicity, so reservations is a must. The service was decent. I think Isla may need to set their aspirations higher and get a larger space, because word will catch on that Filipino food is worth the trip.
(4)
Doug F.

Can't say it loud enough. AWESOME. MUST GO! I had many, many bad experiences with Philippine food in general, but my very very picky cousin wanted to try it. So we gave it a try. WOW! Everything we ordered was very good. We had: Lumpia Shanghai $3 (10 pcs) $5 (20 pcs) Deep fried mini eggrolls served with sweet & sour sauce: pork, egg, jicama, green onions, carrots, soy sauce, love. Soo small and tasty! Pinakbet $8 Kabucha squash, pork, and vegetable dish sauteed in a shrimp brine paste Flavorful and gone quickly! Kare - Kare $11 Beef oxtail, tripe, and green beans in peanut sauce; with a side of shrimp brine paste Hard to find oxtail at a restaurant and this was so well executed and delicious. Mixed Adobo $9 An unmistakable Filipino delicacy; Chunks of chicken and pork marinated in a special sauce of garlic, vinegar, and black peppercorn I'm still licking my lips! Halo-Halo $5 A refreshing medley of crushed ice mixed with fruit and bean preserves topped with ice cream and leche flan If u never had it, u gotta try this unique, flavorful dessert. Do NOT let the dumpy strip mall fool you! The inside is nice and the service is great. And the prices are cheap. And the quality of food is down right AMAZING. While we were there I heard every table complement the waitress on how good the food was. People in the restaurant were just buzzing with how good the food was. Everyone at my table loved it. A MUST TRY RESTAURANT.
(5)
Annie N.

While traveling, I often got mistaken to be Filipino - and sometimes I would want to play along, but I know nothing about these islands and the people - so when I found Isla Pilipina's lunch special - I knew it was a must try. Not only would I get a lunch for $5.99, but also I'd gain some knowledge to fake an identity (you know, in case my future career gets me there). Back to reality - we got here at 1:00pm on a ridiculously hot day - air conditioning was running full force. Very good. Upon entering, we realized that there were some lighting instruments inside - they were filming something here. Wow - now not only I would be able to try some famous food but also I would have a shot at stardom (you know, given they'd ask to film me). But no, the film crew was too busy eating and talking to the manager. I finally decided to sit down and order some food. Now their lunch special menu is not completely the same with the one they had online - but not much different. They had: - Chicken Teriyaki - Fried Butterfish - Tapa (grilled beef) - A grilled pork of short. Their lunch special comes with egg rolls, soup, rice and a tiny desert (which they didn't mention in the menu but it appeared later on). I had the Tapa while my friend had the Butterfish. The soup came out first, and it was --- uhmmm --- a lot like Vietnamese food. It was tasty and simple - with pieces of vegetable, green peppers and pork. Perfect for a summer day. Then came our main course - just a simple dish, but everything was sooooo good. The egg rolls were crispy - dipped in delicious sweet and sour sauce - perfection. The beef were marinated and done so well I could have not asked for anything better. It reminds me of vietnamese pork chop, or a bit like korean kalbi. If you like either of those, you'd like this dish. My friend's butterfish was excellent as well - lightly marinated and deep fried. The fishes have bones (i.e. they are smaller fishes that were served as whole - not filet), so make sure you're ok with it. As we started eating, the camera man started go walk around and do some more filming of the restaurant (which was rather small). Then to my delight-ment he came over and ask to film us. That was the cherry on top of my sundae. Now all I need to do is catch the show and make sure I have a cameo - you should do the same too, but before then, make a visit to this authentic delicious place, you won't regret it.
(5)
April P.

As any restaurant that's been graced with Check Please's presence (done rightfully so by our very own JOHNNY T), expect for the place to be SLAMMING for the first few months. That includes long wait times and maybe a little slower service with the new population So PLEASE!!!!!! Don't judge this place based on the traffic. Be patient and do know when they work their *down home pinoy cooking* to you, it will be FABULOUS!!!
(5)
Chris L.

This place is amazing! Cheap, great lunch specials, and hard to match quality all around. Highly recommended!
(5)
Elizabeth S.

Phenomenal Filipino. Isla Pilipina: What a gem. And Go Yelp Eats! Initially, I had reservations (and curiosities) about the Yelp Eats! picks. Nothing was really in my neighborhood, or in the path of my typical transit, and I had only heard of a couple of the restaurants. Cut me some slack: 2 year Chicagoan, here. Genius, yelp. True genius. Isla Pilipina caught my eye (as I have a sweet Filipino pal who always shares delicious-coco-nutty-and-spicy treats from his homeland). Upon investigation: the food & reviews looked great...not to mention BYO. Nothing disappointed, and I was so happy that Yelp Eats! helped me experience a fantastic spot in a great Chicago neighborhood that I otherwise might not have. We ordered the items from the Yelp Eats! menu and also lassoed in a dish called Bicol Express - with squid, shrimp, mussels, meat, squid...oh yeah, I already mentioned that one... (so good I am daydreaming, now). It had that great sweet, gently spicy, clean combo that my friend also uses in his traditional dishes. BEST OF ALL: the music was killa'. Beatles-esque, touch of modern, and some bad-bad soul. The energy was incredible, and it was super exciting to be there. I can't tell you how many times they asked us how things were. It was truly gracious. And yes, I'm coming back for the Ox Tail. THE END!!!
(5)
Jackie O.

The only aspect of Isla that out shined the cuisine was the service. Completely ignorant about Philippine Island dishes, our server talked us through every dish on the menu till we were salivating. After an order of the mini deep-fried eggrolls and bbq pork skewers, I was already out of room before our meat dishes arrived. We took the recommendations of our server, and I couldn't tell you what it was - but everything was char-grilled, marinated, and delicious! Apparently, there are quite a few vegetarian options, but carnivores rejoice at this joint! The food and the service took us by surprise, but the biggest shock was the tab. Two appetizers, Two entrees and a dessert for under $30? Unbelievable!
(5)
Ay D.

I used to date a Pinoy that was constantly saying "just like home" whether it applied to food, rainy weather or rapidly developing countryside. Well, Isla Pilipina's food is is pretty close to that of my childhood home and my Filipino friends' homes. Coincidentally, Chicago spring and the Ravenswood industrial area mirror the other "home" comparisons. The comprehensive menu of rice dishes, pancits, soups, fish, Filipino specialties (lechon, kare kare, adobo) makes my eyes bulge and my heart yearn for a buffet-style homecoming. I've been here for lunch and have gotten takeaway plenty of times. The $6 weekday lunch special is awesome! It's a soup, 3 tiny lumpia rolls, entree, steamed rice, and small square of flan. When my friend and I came here, the soup was tinalong manok (cabbage, ginger, scallions, chicken). The lumpia is slim with a nice ground pork filling. The pork menudo is solid, and I enjoyed the bangus fish, as well. The flan is sweet, light, and an ideal finish for the special. Their mongobean soup is just right: steaming lentil-like beans, spinach, onion, ginger, and pork swimming in a simple broth. The crispy pata is deep-fried fatty pig-feet perfection. I called in an order for tapa (tender grilled top sirloin), but was pleasantly surprised by the dish we got instead. Can't complain because it was tasty and "pata" and "tapa" are literally anagrams of one another. Happy times with the Shanghai fried rice - longanisa sausage, pork, egg, and jasmine rice. Isla serves Asado coffee in a coffee press, which is a great choice! So glad they nixed the more authentic Filipino practice of instant coffee. Their halo halo is the best I've had in a restaurant in a while! Good amount of condensed milk, bean preserves, and tropical fruit topped with ube, a shortbread straw and cherry. I love the ube, that vibrant purple yam-based ice cream. They serve ube as a dessert on its own, too. Isla Pilipina has a decent dining room with great local island-inspired art and friendly young Fil-Ams manning the register and tables. My only regret is not knowing about this place last time my parents visited Chicago.
(5)
Marco T.

I used to go here before it was remodeled and the menu was revamped. Really digging what they've done recently. We actually prefer getting Filipino food a la carte then hitting up the buffet. Quality over quantity right? The dishes we like the most are the lechon kawali (sp?), lumpia sariwa, and the fried squid. But it seems like anything else we've gotten has been top notch. Last time we went and I totally saw the gals next to us had friend chicken and spaghetti so I know what I'm getting next time we're there. The food and atmosphere were both pretty relaxed. It's also BYOB and the liquor store next door sells San Mig and San Mig Light.
(5)
Cameron H.

A friend of mine got me into eating Filipino foods. We initially started our dining at Little Quiapo (used to be on Clark and Montrose). However, since they moved, then we went to the restaurant across the street called Fishpond. Not bad either. However, other friends of mine recommended Isla. I am glad they did. There were four of us. We started off with the Crispy Pusit (Calamari) and the Lumpia Shanghai (egg rolls). Awesome. Then we each had separate dishes (Chicken Adobo, Kare-Kare, Chicken con Limon, and the Guinataang Gulay at Hipon. Everyone loved each dish as we shared them all. Overall, we all were very pleased with the service, food, and experience. Will definitely go back.
(4)
CheChe N.

Isla Pilipina has definitely made a name for itself in the most recent years. They even went through renovations to make the place look less of an eatery and more stylish, with the sleek lines and hanging art on the wall. They are located in Lincoln Square, on Lawrence Ave, by Western, across the post office. I remember that back in the early 2000's, this place looked like it was going bankrupt and that they were in the verge of closing down. But just last year, I moved to the Albany Park neighborhood and drove by to find, much to my surprise, Isla Pilipina still open for business. I wasn't trying to be pessimistic, but really, that's how it used to look. After seeing them still in business, I wanted to try it again. I was so glad I gave this place another chance because the food was delicious. I'm probably a little more critical than other because I come from a family of excellent cooks and have been spoiled with really well made and very tasty filipino food. Even so, I would still recommend this restaurant to someone who wants to try filipino food. Being that I am also filipino, I am able to make some of the dishes they have on the menu, so I try to order the ones that I haven't been able to make. They have a good array of different dishes which have originated from different regions in the Philippines. It's a really good place to try out filipino food for the first time. The service has always been paired with a smile and the price is definitely affordable for the amount of food you get. The downside is that they only have several tables and therefore can get packed easy. Due to the increase of popularity, I have seen this place so full that they even had people waiting outside. In times like that, I would recommend taking the food to-go because the food still tastes really good even when reheated. So if you are a little curious and want to try filipino food but don't want something weird and funky on your plate, then you should definitely visit Isla Pilipina. The staff is always nice. The food is very delicious and has flavors that are very non-invasive (I just thought that would be a good way to describe it to somebody who never had filipino food before) especially if you are a first timer. Don't forget to say "Salamat" (Thank you in Tagalog) before you walk out the door :)
(5)
Dimitri P.

I had a terrific experience at Isla Pilipina. My friends and I showed up at 7 pm on Friday night, and not surprisingly we were informed that there was a forty minute wait for a table. We were reallly hungry, so the waiter was kind enough to make recommendations for other Filipino restaurants in the neighborhood. On our way out, a patron who had just finished dining ran out to catch us and said "I overheard you and we decided to finish up so you can get a chance to try it". Wow. The food: we tried Pork BBQ skewers (just like homemade... charred and nicely marinated), mini eggrolls (delicious), mixed adobo (hearty and delicious), Bicol Express (a curry-like mixture with light coconut sauce over a plate FULL of great seafood), and red snapper (delicious whole fish over vegetables with a deliciously light and tasty sauce). We're all big eaters and could not finish the meal (a bit surprising in and of itself). As with all food I enjoy the most, the flavor profiles were based on slow development of flavors, light seasoning and restraint when layering flavors on the food so that the natural essence of the pork, fish, vegetables, etc., shines through. Service: Great! Waitstaff was very attentive, made recommendations and, most of all, seemed generally quite interested in making sure the diners were happy--and appeared to take great pleasure in doing it. While IP would certainly not be labeled "fine dining", I rarely receive better service from "fine dining" establishments. Price: two appetizers and three huge entrees, without tax, was less than $15 a person. ARE YOU SERIOUS??!!??? Decor: Clean and simple, nothing fancy. Had it been a little roomier, IP would have gotten the elusive 5-star rating from me (but then the meal would have cost $100 rather than $45, so I'm ultimately happier with the 4-star type of restaurant!). Do yourself a favor and treat yourself to a little bit of Filipino soul. Your stomach (and pocketbook) will thank you. I can't wait to go back and try something else from the menu!
(4)
Christine R.

I am very critical of Filipino food as I am a Filipina and I have to say, despite the small cramped dining area, that has not stopped me from giving them repeat business. This place makes very tasty Filipino food! I've been here several times and here is what I usually order: Appetizers: ~ Crispy Pusit (Calamari) - super crispy which is the way I like it! ~ Lumpiang Shanghai - rolled tightly, skinnier than your average, but makes it even tastier Main Course: ~ Garlic Rice - of course...helllloooo! ~ Beef Steak Tagalog - stack it on top of the rice and let the rice soak in the juices (oh. mah. gawd.) ~ Sinigang - this dish makes me feel like I'm back in the Philippines. I order it with the shrimp and put some white rice in the soup - WOW. My mouth is watering as I'm typing...AGAIN! (I have problems.) Beverage: ~ Mango Juice - Okay, so I only ordered this one time. Do not order it. So watered down. But, hey...that's not why you come here. Just get a diet coke or something. Overall grade = A+ They do a great job with presentation of their food and have a very friendly and courteous staff. I come here when I'm cravin' some good home cookin'. Love it, love it, LOOOOVE IT!
(5)
Carmen A.

I dont even remember the last time i waited an hour and fourty minutes to be seated in a restaurant. Probably never. However, after seeing Check please feature this restaurant I decided to go on a Friday around seven, and it turns out so did most of Chicago. As you approach the restaurant you see a huddle of people outside my first thougt was " are they giving cheese or what?" so this little tiny restaurant unobstrustively nested in a parking lot mall did not seem to be at all prepared for the amount of people standing inside and outside to be seated. As a previous reviewer noted if you are starving you may need to move on. The bads: they had tables with a reserve sign on them for over an hour while a million people waited to eat. This place should not take reservations it is super tiny. The poor waiter was so overwhelmed that although he tried really hard to be attentive it was virtually impossible. Even after finally sitting down it did take some time to get the menus ( they ran out) and to take out order. And last but not least, I dont know about you , but having people standing against the wall , slobbering and giving you the evil eye hoping you will rush through your meal is more than a bit unnerving. The goods: the food is UNBELIEVABLE. Yes, i will have to say well worth the wait . It was almost like each plate was made just for you an dnot in mass quantities. The quality was excellant, serving size was good and the price is definetly a plus. So, if you are good at ignorning the heathens, dont mind waiting and can be understanding to over worked wait staff.,,,,then GO FOR IT! PS the hao halo is an aquired taste.
(4)
Cindy K.

I tried Isla again, this time utilizing lessons learned from my previous experience. I called a full hour ahead of time so I didnt have to wait there alternating between Angry Birds and Words With Friends for 30 minutes. The two dishes that I wanted last time but were unavailable were ok to go this night. I ordered pancit palabok, mixed adobe, and shanghai rice. The pancit palabok's awesomeness is no exaggeration. The shanghai rice was also great. The mixed adobe was different from what I expected. It was very saucy and salty. This was the second time I ordered a meat dish with sauce and both times they were quite oily and salty. Lesson for next time: ask them to hold the salt on sauces or skip saucy dishes all together.
(4)
Tommy C.

This place was great! Great wait staff, great food and affordable prices! Quaint too, which I like. I highly recommend if you are looking to try something new. One of those gems hidden in a strip mall.
(5)
John E.

I love this place. It is the best Filipino restaurant in Chicago that I've been to. I just hope there is still some room for them to expand since the place is too small (so I don't have to pass through the kitchen when going to the restroom). But anyway, I come for the food so that is something bearable. I forgot to mention... the servers are very friendly; I give them 5 stars!
(4)
Irene G.

First time I've ever eaten at a Filipino restaurant in Chicago and I'm Filipina! Went here on a Sunday for dinner and it's a good thing we made reservations because the place was packed even at two hours before closing time. We ordered 20 lumpias (egg rolls) for $5 which is a good deal if you ask me. I had the tocino and for dessert, Halo Halo! Mmmm love ube ice cream! This place is BYOB. :) The only negative is the bathroom situation. You have to cut through the kitchen to use a uni-sex bathroom which is a little weird/inconvenient. Overall, the servers are friendly and would come here again when I have a craving for Filipino food and don't feel like coming home to eat at my parents'. :)
(4)
Bryan Y.

I use to live five minutes away from Isla and never noticed it being there or heard of it. It wasn't until I Yelped for Filipino cuisine that I found it. The employees there are extremely nice! They even wanted to sing happy birthday day to me even though it wasn't my birthday. Here is what we ordered: 1. Lumpia(egg rolls) Shanghai 2. Grilled BBQ Pork Sticks 3. Beef Kaldereta 4. Pancit(noodles) Palabok 5. Menudo(pork and potatoes) 6. Garlic Fried Rice 7. Daing Bangus (boneless milk fish) 8. Sinigang(Sour Soup w/fish) 9. Kare Kare (beef oxtail) Dessert 1. Halo Halo 2. Ube Ice Cream: The food tasted very traditional and surpassed my expectations. However, if I had to knit pick here are my concerns: 1) When I think about Filipino food, I think about my family making huge portions. I understand smaller portions makes for a more efficient and profitable business, but it wouldn't hurt to add a little more food. 2) The garlic fried rice tasted a bit soft which makes assume they used fresh rice to make it. When my grandmother use to make it, she used a day old rice so it gives it the crunchy texture. 3. The ube ice cream tasted more like taro. Ube is much more sweeter and is a darker purple. I would definitely come here again. Perhaps, next time I'll come on my actual birthday! So if you have never had Filipino food, this place would be a great place to start.
(5)
Mel R.

As good as it gets if it's not my papa's kitchen! lumpia shanghai nice BIG order, very worth it (if you dont know how to make it at home). gata sa laing- also very good- i was expecting it more spicy, but everyone's recipe is different. tocino- it was a little fatty, but that's where the flavor is right? i only wish they had sisig on the menu. everything was great, authentic filipino food. i cant wait to go back and review more dishes!
(4)
MaryEllen S.

The vegetable egg rolls are amazing! Wanted to try the spring rolls too but they must be good as well because they were out of them. Be sure to get the grilled veggies--especially if you order the Tapa, it's just a plate of beef so you really need something to go with it. The Pancit Bihon was blah but I'm not sure what it's supposed to taste like. The servers were attentive (mostly) and we'll definitely go back--especially to try the lunch specials mentioned by another reviewer. BTW, they could use a curtain or divider on the lower part of the front window so diners don't get blinded when cars pull in or out of the parking spaces.
(4)
Tony M.

My gf and I visited Isla Filipina in mid-October after seeing the establishment receiving some TV coverage and were glad to see a Filipino restaurant getting some air time. We were seated rather quickly and ordered the calamari, laing, lechon and Halo-halo. It seems once food was prepared and placed at the window, the food was then placed on the main counter and then figured out which table received what. It didn't seem like the system was very organized. We received the calamari in about 15 mins with the waiter apologizing for the wait. 10 mins later our laing arrived and 15 mins after that, the lechon arrived. For dessert, the halo-halo was somewhat bland and not too sweet. Being a Filipino-American who has eaten home cooked Filipino food, turo turo (fast Filipino food) and sit down Filipino restaurant food, I would rate Isla's food as pretty good and chalked the wait and inconsistent food arrival times to new business in response to the new press. So we went back this past Saturday evening 30 mins before close and waited at the front to be seated. During the 5-10 min wait, the wait staff walked by at least 3 times and did not acknowledge us. I went to the front and asked if we could sit at the empty table. The lady behind the counter said "I'm sorry we're closed and sold out for the night". I said to myself "sold out?" and "closed"? That would have been nice to know while we were waiting to be seated or acknowledged. Why not just inform customers they close at 8:30pm? My first experience at Isla was ok, and this second visit has confirmed that they need to improve operations and service. After reading other reviews with similar experiences(long waits, poor inconsistent food arrival times), my assertions seem to be confirmed. My recommendation to Isla... Good food is only part of a dining experience. Get it together, listen to what customers are saying and continue/improve to be able to meet the demand this new found publicity is providing.
(2)
Eliza Z.

Came here with a large group of people, one of whom was Filipino. She gave her approval of all our dishes! We started with huge orders of the lumpia shanghai. These are addictive little fried eggrolls. I briefly considered ordering another large appetizer platter as my meal, but then our very boisterous waiter came and gave us a nice little intro to Filipino food and also gave recommendations on what to order. I split the mixed adobo and the panchit bahon with another person. The panchit bahon was really flavorful, most rice noodle dishes are usually lacking in flavor and need a ton of hot sauce or something, but these were awesome just on their own. The mixed adobo was really good, very tasty, but a little on the salty side for me. It was also super cheap - with a bunch of appetizers and an entree each, it came out to $10-11 per person. Add in BYOB, and it's a perfect cheap date night.
(4)
J M.

First, the place is small but that's okay. Second, service is very slow - we ordered 2 appetizers. Appetizer 1 (lumpiang shanghai) was served after 35 minutes (shanghai). I cooked these many times so I know it doesn't take that long to make. I ordered this simply because I want to compare my own version. Taste was average and my question is this - how come for some reason those photos posted here don't resemble the one I had, the lumpia in these photos are 2x longer. Appetizer 2 (calamari) served 10 minutes after - the consistency is rubbery. Third, main course - laing. Surprised!!! Looks tasty to me unfortunately there was a hair strand so I didn't touch it. I asked them to change it to Bicol Express. Now I was really looking forward to it. Waah! Where's the spiciness? Can't seem to taste it at all. Isn't it supposed to have a lot of chilis? I understand they are trying to make it different because it was a seafood version, taste was okay but not authentic at all. The tocino was too sweet for me. We also ordered another course but end up cancelling it because we have been waiting for it for 1hr and 15 minutes and still not serve. Fourth, if this place was excellent - how come a lot of the customers were bringing their food home? The servings are just average. Most of the time, we end up finishing our food because it's so delicious and no leftovers. Fortunately, the servers are nice and this place could improve.
(2)
Edzellou A.

Food is great, we tried two dishes, the pork nilaga and pork inihaw and both were really good! Also, we had to try the famous lumpia shanghai which everyone is raving about: just like my mum's, so good! :) The meals overall are healthier than other Filipino restaurants I've tried in Chicagoland. The pork is not too greasy or fatty and the soup has plenty of nice, fresh greens. Serving sizes are good to share for two, but not enormous. For dessert, even though we were pretty full, I really wanted to try the halo-halo as I haven't had it for ages, so we shared. Reminded me a bit of Chowking back in Philippines, so delicious! I wish we had found this place earlier... can't wait to go back again to try more dishes. Left with a satisfied stomach. Great service and staff are very friendly! Overall, a great Filipino restaurant that you can be proud of, small but very cosy. I would have given them 5 stars if it weren't for the restroom, which was run down and a bit grimy looking.
(4)
Erin L.

Some of the reviews on here were based on silly things like being closed on days they would come in, which is only on Monday, and the comparison to the food not tasting like how their moms made it. I KNOW my lola (grandma) and titas didn't make the food like this, but that's definitely not a terrible thing. Isla Pilipina has a sort of modern fusion twist to traditional filipino dishes, which in a way makes it not as oily and very unique. For example, their Garlic Rice has a softer texture than the way I had it as a child. My mom doesn't cook, so I'm basing it off of my lola's cooking. Their Bangus portion is huge! Much bigger than what the filipino groceries sell. Other dishes I would FOR SURE recommend are the Tocino, Longanisa, Ginataang ng Gata, Inihaw na Baboy, and Fried Calamari. Their lunch portions could fill you pretty well and are under $8.00. They come with 3 lumpia shanghais, a generous scoop of rice, the main dish, and a cute petite side of their sample dessert that makes you linger for more. Their presentation on the dishes were pretty elegant (don't let the strip-mall, unpleasent atmosphere outside fool you) and the restaurant gives a warm, comforting vibe. It is hands down the cleanest filipino restaurant i've ever been too. The staff is always friendly and quick refill your glass of water. Some negatives: the restaurant DOES get really busy on certain days and the place is rather small so make sure to get a reservation. that being said, service tends to get slow with that and the numerous amount of catering/take out orders taken throughout the day. also, parking SUCKS. I really really hope Isla expands. They get so much business and they deserve more and more people to experience their awesome food. Quick-Tip: When you get your Thai fortune cookie at the end, TAKE OUT THE FORTUNE. I've seen other customers eat the cookie with the rolled paper inside...
(5)
Gina F.

We went back last week & I got the veggies again. I was soooo looking forward to it, but it was served nearly cold. Not chilled, but left-in-the-window-too-long cold. Not only that, but some veggies weren't even cooked through. Raw eggplant? Ick. But the flavorof the other veggies was still good. The eggrolls were great, and roughly the temperature of the sun. Plus, husband loved the tilapia. Note: The fish is served whole--head, bones, & tail. They had a big party, so they may have been rushing. Our service was fine (I didn't mention the temperature).
(4)
Victor M.

My first time eating Filipino food and this has certainly set the bar. I don't remember the specifics of what we ordered but the basics: Oxtail stew, seafood stuff in a coconut sauce, chicken and beef mix, fried pork, fried beef, o-m-g deep fried pork belly, sausages, scoops of rice, and about 40 egg rolls (we're not crazy, they're bite size). I think that's all of it.. its BYOB with a liquor store next door. Service is extremely kind, friendly, attentive, and down to earth. They knew we were complete noobs to filipino food. When we ordered the very popular Halo Halo, we began eating all the components separately. The kind waitress kindly recommended that we should stir it. hahaha. Then.. like Whoa! There's a purpose for the crushed ice.
(5)
Sherry N.

My husband (who is Filipino) was in the mood for some home-style cooking today, and so we checked out this restaurant after having seen great reviews on "Check, Please!" We ordered Lumpia Shanghai, mixed adobo (a classic), and the Bikol Express (shrimp, mussels and squid with coconut sauce). Basically, everything was delicious. It was the best Filipino food I've had in a restaurant in the States. Service was friendly, and the space is newly painted and has a fresh look, compared to how it looked during the show. The only draw back is that it's a small space and the wait is longer than at most restaurants. Reservations are accepted, probably recommended. We happened to get there at a good time. In any case, it's worth the extra wait/planning.
(4)
Jerome M.

I ate here a couple years ago when the place was basically a lunch counter and everything was served out of styrofoam containers. It was kinda ghetto, but still pretty good, because let's face it, it's hard to fuck up tocino and garlic rice. I completely forgot about it until recently when it started popping up on yelp and my mouth watered from reading the reviews and looking at pictures people took of the food. I went here a week and a half ago with my girlfriend and her daughter. The place looked much better. Okay decor, table settings, etc. but what was really noteworthy was the place was PACKED an hour before closing. We ordered the kare kare, mixed adobo, the 20 piece lumpia shanghai, sinigang bangus, guinataang gulay with shrimp, and grilled teriyaki chicken. We totally destroyed the lumpia. Even the girl liked it, and she's far from adventurous. The kare kare was awesome, though my girlfriend wasn't keen on the bagoong at all. Not many non-filipinos are. She also was wary of the sinigang bangus, but I thought it was delicious. The teriyaki reminded me of chicken tocino. The gulay was also delicious. The only thing I didn't like as much as everything else was the adobo. If you're filipino, you know that adobo is comfort food. I like it with pork, but mixed with chicken was okay, too, and they cut the pork without trimming the fat, which is the ONLY way to cook pork in filipino cuisine! The sauce, though, was just OFF for me. It wasn't bad, just not what I was expecting. It was more of a gravy, and I was expecting a thinner sauce. The only other complaint was they were waaaaay skimpy on the rice. Way skimpy. So of course, we ordered way too much and ate leftovers for days, and didn't have room for halo halo, but we did have the flan, which, like tocino, is hard to fuck up. Delicious. So overall, it was pretty fucking tasty. The wait wasn't long at all, unlike at the Pampanga restaurant on Caldwell and Devon, which is crazy delicious, as long as you have several hours to spare, and I liked it better than Little Quiapo, which I haven't been to since I was a kid, but always seemed pretty dark and dingy.
(4)
Christina H.

I LOVE this place. The food is delicious, especially the lechon! Filipino food, by nature, isn't the most visually appealing food in the world, and most places make no effort to present the food in 5-star manner, but Isla Pilipina serves traditional dishes in a modern presentation. I came here with a non-filipino friend who ordered the halo halo, and the servers were very enthusiastic about her first-time experience with the dessert. They explained to her how it's meant to be eaten and what halo-halo means. She thoroughly enjoyed her experience here, as did I. Unfortunately, I recently moved out Chicago, but if I hadn't, I'd make this a weekly stop!
(5)
Joanne B.

Isla Pilipina's cuisine is not as good as my mom's cooking... it is BETTER!!! (Sorry, Mamacita... I still love you!) We first decided to go to Isla Pilipina when our Partners-in-Food-Crime wanted to try Filipino food. There was a restaurant in the suburbs which we had planned to go to but since it was a Friday night and we are all city-dwellers, we decided to stay local. Never having seen or even been to the restaurant and only going on the faint memory that someone I knew once mentioned that there was a Filipino restaurant in my 'hood, we looked on Yelp, found it and made reservations. The rest, as they say, is a match made in food heaven... On the first visit (which was shortly before the "Check, Please!" review), we went in 10-strong and with eyes as big as flying saucers, ordered and devoured almost everything on the menu. As I mentioned, we were introducing our friends to the cuisine so we insisted they sample all the foodstuffs, in the event a new world order was created and Filipino food was outlawed the very next day! Needless to say, we were not disappointed... The general consensus was that it was easily the best Filipino food in the city, nay... in the Chicagoland area! We enjoyed: Lumpia Shanghai, Crispy Pata, Kare-Kare, Longanisa, Beef Steak Tagalog, Crispy Chicken, Dinuguan, Beef Kaldereta, Inihaw na Baboy, Fried Butterfish, Garlic Rice, Halo-Halo... there may have been more dishes but that was all I could fit in my body before bursting at the seams! I am Filipino... I have never craved Filipino food... Nor did I really care for it that much... One visit changed me! Two weeks later, with the full knowledge that "Check, Please!" had caused a fanaticism of epic proportions, we ordered take-out and enjoyed someone else's home-cooking in our own home :-) Today, we sampled the lunch special: $5.99 for soup of the day, eggrolls, protein of your choice, white rice and a dessert bite. We had the Longanisa and Beef Steak... still as good as we remembered! Now, I am laying on the sofa, barely able to reach the laptop over my burgeoning food-buddha-belly, desperately trying to complete my review before I succumb to siesta... The place is small, charming with some interesting artwork and music selections and is BYOB. The service is courteous and more than adequate. But, the food is what keeps us coming back for more...
(4)
Jen P.

The food is mom n pop style (delicious) while the interior is like the college kid's art studio (eclectic). Should definitely come check it out~but the place is small and the place gets busy so call ahead and make a reservation!
(5)
Jason V.

I'll admit it. This review, my trip to Isla Pilipina--it was all set up to fail. Expectations were just too high. The allowed margin for error was too small. I've been blessed with growing up around great, homemade Filipino cooking, and Isla Pilipina was the first Filipino restaurant that I had ever been to. (After visiting it, I don't consider Kapit Bahay in Las Vegas a restaurant.) Just looking at the menu, I wanted to order . . . everything. I had to restrain myself. Choices had to be made. There were only five of us. Had to get the fresh lumpia. Get the lechon and kare-kare but pass on the mongo. Longanisa, but not tocino. Kaldereta, but not menudo. Throw in the adobo. Okay, how about the garlic rice? But the fried rice has Chinese sausage! Dessert: halo-halo or leche flan? And I forgot to get some pancit! It would have been easier just finding more people to share all these dishes with. Then the first bombshell: The Kare-Kare--the dish I was most looking forward to, my favorite Filipino dish--was out. I was devastated. I considered postponing my Isla Pilipina dinner to the next day or maybe some other day I would be visiting Chicago. The server saw the disappointment in my face and apologized profusely. We ended up substituting a dish, but this was not a good start. On to the food, we started off with an order of the Vegetable Eggrolls--pretty average, but sufficiently crispy and with a nice mix of vegetables including green beans and carrots. I was totally surprised at the Fresh Eggroll Lumpia: I expected smaller crepe rolls filled with crab meat, chick peas, lettuce, carrots, and jicama combined with a white garlic sauce. Instead we got rather large, loosely-filled triangular rolls filled with vegetables and topped with peanuts and a brown sauce. The crepe wrapping was still great, but I wasn't crazy about the dish as a whole (and admittedly due in no small part to my surprise). An order of Longanisa was spot on--can't really diverge much from the traditional Filipino sausage. For the heavier items, the Beef Kaldareta was the consensus best dish of the night. The beef was maybe just a little bit tougher than I would have liked, but I did enjoy the tangy sauce with the potatoes and peppers. I got thrown another surprise with our order of Chicken Adobo. While I was expected the cooked bits of marinated chicken, this dish was more like Chicken in Adobo Sauce. It was still tasty, and I wouldn't mind having it again. The Lechon Kawali was a major disappointment--it was overcooked, which just burned up the savoriness of the pork. Even the side of Mang Tomas accompanying the dish couldn't resurrect the flavor. I was also disappointed with the Shanghai Fried Rice--the pieces of Chinese sausage were cut too large. I'd prefer smaller cuts across the sausage followed by a quick pan frying to get a slightly crispy outside to the sausage. All could have been forgiven if the restaurant could have delivered a superior Leche Flan than what I was accustomed to, but, instead, the second bombshell hit: They had run out of Leche Flan. Hence, the #1 and #2 dishes I was mostly looking forward to and most talking up to my friends were out. Instead of the Leche Flan, we split one order of Halo Halo, which is fine for two, or maybe even three, people, but really doesn't work out well for sharing among five. Nevertheless, the Halo Halo was refreshing and probably something I would recommend (to share) to other diners. As for non-food notes, the service was polite and friendly. With only 30 seats, the restaurant is quite small, and I would highly recommend reservations (which we got for our group of five just from calling the day before). By the time we were leaving, there were two tables of six that were reserved. The restaurant has its own parking lot, which is a pleasant bonus. All in all, and subject to all my earlier disclaimers, Isla Pilipina was a bit of a letdown for me. Maybe it goes to show that there is just no place like home. Perhaps a grade of "Incomplete" might be more appropriate because I disappointingly wasn't able to try the Kare Kare or Leche Flan. My two star rating is intended to reflect that disappointment along with major misses with the Lechon Kawali, Shanghai Fried Rice, and, to a lesser extent, the Fresh Eggroll Lumpia.
(2)
Carly O.

This was my first experience with Filipino food. Based on everything I had, I believe the bar has been set fairly high. While this assumption is probably not completely valid as I have no idea how authentic the dishes are, they are were all DAMN GOOD. Lumpia Shanghai is a must. Oh, you don't like fried goodness served with a side of sweet and sour sauce? I'll eat yours then. Longanisa? YES PLEASE. Sausage is not just sausage in this case. I'm not a soup person. Given a choice, I typically choose salad, and I hate lettuce. But the sinigang was so flavorful and aromatic, I'd say it ranked up there with one of my favorite dishes of the evening. I've also tried the Shanghai fried rice: good, though not particularly different from Thai or Chinese fried rice. The barbeque chicken was quite tasty...cooked to perfection and slathered in what tasted like a tomato based sauce. And the pancit palabok, a common Filipino noodle dish that is unlike anything I've ever had. Definitely not like Thai noodles. BYOB, friendly servers, clean (though small) space...why haven't you gone yet?
(5)
Carrie D.

I was honestly dreading the experience because of the recent Yelp reviews, but as my husband so aptly put it, "Alcohol can fix bad service, nothing can fix bad food!" I had confidence in my brethren and continued to book a 10 person birthday dinner. At first they were not able to accommodate us and then I got a call and an e-mail that we were all set. My brother and I, both 100% Filipino were very excited about the prospect of good Filipino food without having to get caught up in a "family" party where saying goodbye takes an hour! Unbeknownst to me, all of my non-Filipino dinner dates were also looking forward to the food! Two of us arrived at 7 pm and were seated and the remainder trickled in finally filling the table at 7:30 ish. The staff was accommodating and looking out for us, each time a new member joined they got a glass of water and a wine glass. We ordered appetizers and were told right away what they were out of, this made deciding on dinners much easier, although it was only one item and no one from our table was ordering it! We ate our appetizers and drank our wine and our dinner entrees started coming in, we ordered: 2 Crispy Patas, 2 Beef Steaks, 1 Longanisa, 2 Mixed Adobos, 1 Lechon Kawali, 1 Beef Kaldareta, Garlic Rice and a Sontanghon Guisado. They were all excellent and hot and timely! They came and asked what we needed in a timely manner. They made sure people who needed corkscrews and bottle openers had them. They brought me a birthday leche flan with a candle and gave us plates for a cake we brought in. We had wonderful food and a great experience!
(4)
Rilindo F.

Wow. Just wow. Its been years since I have been to a Filipino restaurant. Except for that little shop down in Macon (now closed), its been 7 years since I last ate at a Filipino restaurant. So when I came to Chicago, I was determine that my first meal be at a Filipino restaurant. More importantly, I must eat as much as I can, as I won't get another chance for a while. Therefore, I came, I saw, and I ate. . . . . and ate. . . . and ate. . . and ate . . - Pancit Palabok - Mixed Adobo. - Halo-Halo - Ensaymada. Everything was delicious. Not only that, the presentation and ambience was quite accessible. In the restaurants I ate in the past, the decor in the Filipino restaurants I have been to would either be fairly spartan and homely or overly ornate. Meanwhile, while the food would tasty, the dish won't not necessarily look appetizing. Isla fixed both issues with a very simple but attractive decor (it seems that they took their inspiration from some of the Thai shops I have been to) and food that while familiar, looks strikingly pretty. In other words, its wide-eyed friendly - drop this place to a neighbor full of hipster and it will be packed within a few days. I really hope I can get back soon. Thank goods I can jump to it from the train. I got a lot of catching up with the food.
(5)
Jessica F.

Passes the authenticity test with flying colors by picky Filipinos, and aces the tasty test by everyone else! :) I must have been here at least a dozen times by now, since learning about this place about a year ago. At one point I think we went three times in two weeks with various friends and family. In fact, we've been here so much we now own a piece hanging on the wall made by a local artist (the Goya inspired one!) and the next time I'm there I'm scoring one of those lumpia t-shirts they sell. The BF is Filipino, and I only know how to make a few dishes, so we went in search of a good place for some home cookin'. We found it. For those not used to the type of food you'll get - it's rich, very rich. Also, vegetarians need not apply - even the veg dishes have meat in them! Many dishes are slow cooked and savory. If I ate here daily I think I'd probably weigh 1,250 lbs and end up on Maury Povich. I'm seriously considering this as a life option. Things you have to try if you're new: Lumpia Shanghai. Crispy and served hot out of the fryer. A fitting vector for the sweet and sour sauce. Mixed Adobo. It's amazing. It is done in the cultural style - lots of vinegar. Just add rice. Delicious! Kare-Kare. Oxtail in a rich sauce with shrimp paste. I can't even explain this dish - but it's absolutely my favorite, and when there are more then two of us at the table, we always order two. Halo-Halo for dessert. Not my all time fave, but that's probably because there's something wrong with me. It's different wherever you go - at this place they serve it with taro ice cream plus all of the other goodies. Things to be aware of: This place gets PACKED on the weekends and some evenings in the span of about 14 minutes, and you can only make reservations for big parties. Also, the plaza is small and sometimes parking can be a challenge. Are you still reading this?? Go, go, GO!!
(5)
James G.

Nice hole-in-the-wall. I've never had Filipino, but I'm now a fan. Super cheap but delicious. Get the lumpia. Fair warning: the kitchen closes early (8:30 on the Friday I went).
(4)
Howard L.

We were in the area at an off-peak hour, and decided to pick up a carryout dinner from Isla P, which was also on our bookmark list. Wow, this place is tiny, with maybe 12 tables and seating for ~40. I can see why it's packed at peak hours. We picked up Inihaw na Pusit - grilled squid stuffed with onions and tomatoes, and Pancit Palabok, which is a dish with a nice fish/tofu sauce and calamari over thin noodles. Both dishes had to survive an hour trip back to Naperville, and taste did suffer a little. The squid was ok, but was tougher by the time it arrived home, and was basically like a BBQ grill item. I enjoyed the noodle dish more, as the sauce was flavorful and the calamari chunks added nice texture. We'll plan to go back sometime for the halo halo and some pork dishes, which we deliberately skipped due to our current inventory. They do take reservations, and I wouldn't try to dine there without one. They've been in business for 4 years now.
(4)
Christina S.

I set up a group outing of about 15 people to check this place out since it had recently been featured on check please. I originally intended to go with a smaller group of about 6 maybe but it just kinda got out of control.... Anyway so I called them a few days ahead of making the actual reservation to make sure that they would be able to handle such a large group. Once I was somewhat sure of the number of people going I called them to make the reservation for our group for a Friday evening at 8pm. Since they close at 9pm and we were such a large group, they asked if I could pre-order the food ahead of time, which I actually thought was a great idea since we had to be somewhere else soon afterwards anyway. I had everything planned and timed perfectly....so I thought.... Literally 15 minutes before the time of our reservation (I was less than 10 minutes away by car), I get a call from them saying that another large group before us just barely received their food....I was like so what are you saying?!?! Basically part of the previous group was late for their reservation but since a few of them were there on time they let them keep it and allowed them to wait for the rest of the group, which I can understand if they were a larger establishment and if my group wasn't such a large group, but this was not the case. We ended having to wait maybe 30-40 minutes before being seated and another 20 minutes or so before we got our food which had already been pre-ordered so I expected the food to be out right after we were seated. We did not receive everything that we ordered and the two dishes that I was really looking forward to trying were the chicken adobo and kare kare, the adobo was absolutely awful and the kare kare was not flavorful at all. From what I know adobo to be, this was not. The color was off, and I could not taste any vinegar, that is if there was any and there were no peppercorns. It was salty chicken in a weird thick salty light beige gravy.... I will say that some of the other dishes were good and quite tasty like the Pinakbet and the Laing sa gata. I was really annoyed because I had to leave early to meet others at our next stop so I was not able to try the halo halo.....grrrr, if only they seated us on time!
(2)
Raana A.

We tried Isla Pilipina a week ago with a group of friends. This is my first time trying Filipino food, which was a nice change of pace. For appetizers, I tried the vegetarian egg rolls, which were good and fairly standard across most types of Asian cuisine. I also tried a spinach with shrimp, which was my favorite dish out of everything I tried. I would definitely order this as an appetizer or small dinner next time around. I couldn't have the Lumpia since it had pork, but it got good reviews from the table. For dinner, I tried the Chicken Adobo, which is meant to be a specialty. It was pretty good, but you have to like food with a bit of the vinegar kick to it. I also had the milk fish which was nice and subtle, but it was a tad on the dry side. This restaurant is BYOB. I would definitely want to come back to try other dishes. The staff and service was very good - for a smaller establishment, they managed to handle our group of about 12 very well.
(3)
Joshua S.

If you're new to Filipino food, you can just randomly point to anything on this menu, and it will be a revelation. If you're experienced, and know what chocolate meat REALLY is, then the food here is as good as anything you've ever had! Good energy in the small dining room. And very reasonably priced, as well. Service could be a tad friendlier--it wasn't rude, just indifferent.
(4)
Erin E.

let me just start by saying, "do not go here if you're in a hurry." but if you have time for a lazy meal, you enjoy long breaks between courses, and you don't mind asking for drinks or sauce or to-go containers multiple times, and still not getting them, this is your place! that being said, i really enjoyed our meal here. (the friendly but lackluster service is the only reason it did not get a perfect score.) the food was fantastic and totally reasonable. perhaps that's why we ordered so much of it. the best: -lumpia (great deal, you get about 20 of 'em for $5) -crispy pata- i probably enjoyed this more because my girlfriend was doing all the work for me- not sure i would want to work at getting the meat off the bone and seeing all the fat n stuff. but damn, it was good! -adobo! yum yum -ube ice cream really good: -sweet & sour red snapper ok: -laing sa gata- taro leaves with pork and shrimp cooked in coconut milk
(4)
Kevin G.

Went here a couple of weeks ago on a Saturday night. Even though I called just a few hours earlier, we had no problem getting a reservation. I am glad that we did, because this place got packed within minutes after we arrived. This was my first time having Filipino food and I will definitely be back for more. We started off with the lumpia shanghai. Despite being small, the lumpia was very tasty. The sweet and sour sauce that came with it was also very good. For our entrees, my girlfriend had the teriyaki chicken with bell peppers and I had the bicol express. My girlfriend did not like the teriyaki chicken. The few pieces that I had were decent, but nothing special. The bicol express, on the other hand, was very very good. It consists of pieces of seafood and pork made in coconut milk sauce. The taste was unbelievably good! The service here was also very good. The wait staff regularly checked in on us and was very friendly. The only thing I did not like about this restaurant is how close the tables were to each other (basically you are shoulder to shoulder with the table next to you). That's always been a pet peeve I have had about small restaurants as it makes it difficult to actually have a conversation without others eavesdropping in on you and the always awkward circumstance of having people stare at your food while eating. Nonetheless, I definitely recommend this place.
(4)
Yvonne O.

This is a really tough review to explain. The food here is wonderful, and the servers are friendly, but the timing of everything is totally messed-up. If you have been here, you know the place holds about 24 people max. So, when we arrived at about 6:45, we were outside behind a group of four waiting to sit. Once they were seated, we stayed right by the door, but no one seemed to notice us standing right there and didn't ask. We had to basically block the entrance to get them to seat us in the last two person table there. Then the real problems started. We tried to order appetizers, but they were out of three on the menu that only has like 7. Okay, just move on to entrees. I got a nooodle dish and a side of rice and the husband ordered the pork belly. After about 35-40 minutes, my noodles came out along with both of our rice scoops. I started eating, figuring his was coming in the next trip to the kitchen. Nope. I finished the entire thing before his meal came out - and he had basically finished his rice because he was starving and it would get cold. My rice - on the same plate as his, was totally undercooked and crunchy, yet his was fine. I LOVED the noodle dish - full of pepper and bok choy - not much "chicken" to speak of and the "veggies" they mentioned were two slices of carrot and a bunch of bok choy. He loved the pork once it came. I would rather order out and not deal with these problems, but we live so far that it would be impossible. Maybe lunch would be better?
(3)
Cookie k.

one of the best places to grab authentic filipino food!! ive been to other places that just microwave their food and it doesnt taste fresh and its alot more expensive than here. cheap prices and great food!!!
(5)
George L.

This was the worst restaurant experience I've had in quite some time. At least we didn't get food poisoning. We were excited to come here after all of the positive yelp reviews - maybe they just had a bad night? We were a group of four - 2 got dinners and 2 of us got the 4 course sampler. The 2 dinners were decent although not nearly as impressive as expected. The sampler was not good, but the service was even worse. It took a good 15 minutes or more to order. Then, only 3 of the 4 courses were delivered. After a while we brought it up to the waiter, and it still never came. Then the waiter noticed it. And it still didn't come. After waiting another 15 minutes or so, we just decided to pay and go get food from Little Caesars next door. They realized how horrible their service was and said they'd give us the final course on the house. After taking forever to pay, they gave us the 4th course - and it was the wrong food! It was the 3rd course that we already ate.
(1)
Donaye N.

Crispy pata is a must have! Skip the adobo! Lumpiang shanghai were tiny, but tasty!
(3)
S.Y. D.

As a Filipino, the food passes with flying colors! I hate to admit it but some of the dishes rivaled my own family's cooking. Being a first generation Filipino-American in the Midwest, you really don't have a wide array of options when it comes to Filipino restaurants compared to the West coast. I've been here a handful of times with friends and they loved the food. Often times I find it hard to fully describe Filipino cuisine to my friends. Filipino food has so many influences from other cultures (Chinese, Spanish, Japanese, etc.) and the complexity and variety of food changes from each region of the country. I simply say the food is amazing and just try it. We decided to order family style, which I highly recommend. It gave everyone a chance to taste all the dishes we ordered. For appertizers, we started off with Lumpia Shanghai (friend mini-eggrolls) and Fresh Lumpia (veggie egg-roll but not friend). Both appetizers were great. My group of friends are pretty adventurous when it comes to food, so I didn't hold back in recommending the dishes. Here's what we ordered: 1. Mixed Adobo 2. Beef Kaldereta 3. Crispy Pata 4. Tilapia Fillet with Mango Salsa 5. Inihaw Bangus (Grilled Milkfish) 6. Pancit Bihon 7. Inihaw Pork (Grilled Pork) 8. Sotanghon Caldo (Soup dish with noodles) The biggest hits were the Inihaw Pork, Beef Kaldereta, Mixed Adobo and Crispy Pata. Although they were all meat dishes, for anyone who is vegetarian the non-meat options are just as amazing. Also, this place is BYOB. The food is super-affordable and reasonably priced. There's a liquor store in the plaza it's located in so if you forget to grab a bottle of wine, just stop by before you head in. Although, I love this place, there's a couple of things holding me back from giving it 5 stars. It's a small place so it can get pretty crowded. Although, I've eaten in smaller places. Overall the service was good but they were busy that night and I think a couple of our dishes came a bit late. We got the feeling that they somewhat forgot a dish or two but we were pre-occupied with what we had in front of us, it wasn't that big of a deal. Also to access the washroom, you actually have to walk through the kitchen. It's not a deal breaker for me but I can see how that can be awkward for some other people. I hope they expand to a larger location one day and that will probably take care of that issue.
(4)
Allison E.

I picked this place for my birthday because it had been on my "to try" list and because I love a good food adventure. As I had never before had Filipino food, this place fit the bill. We approached the menu like babes in the wood and asked our server for recommendations, which he happily provided. We were a good sized group and we ate family style so I had a chance to try many things. I am still not entirely sure what i ate, but it was all incredibly delicious. The pork belly dish was divine. The mixed adobe was lovely. Everything else was so so so good. Isla Pilipina gets a full 5 stars on the food alone. We even got to try all of the deserts. The halo halo was yummy even though I can't really tell you what was in it, nor did I recognize any of the flavors. But ah, a food adventure. Our server was great. He patiently helped us through the menu. Sorted us out when our klutzy actions result in not one, but two spills. He checked in regularly. Perfect really. He was also pretty cute. Oh, and as it was my birthday, my friends picked up the bill. But I do know that it was ridiculously inexpensive, and I did not have to feel guilty about them buying me dinner. I highly recommend Isla Pilipina and will certainly be coming back.
(5)
Terrence C.

This place caters to a neglected niche in Chicago. The only time I have had better Filipino food was either in the Philippines, or a home cooked meal. The venue is small and humble, as I think it should be, but really really delivers well prepared authentic tasting food. lechon kawali was perfect. So good. Crispy pata was AMAZINGLY good, and equally unhealthy, but who cares. Pork sinigang was definitely my favorite. If this place has sisig, it would be hands down my favorite Filipino chow spot (locally) to date.
(4)
Jillian D.

omg. i am so sad it took me this long to dine here!! a girlfriend and i had a long overdue catch-up dinner at isla last month. when i walked into the unassuming restaurant located on a sleepy stretch of lawrence, in a strip mall no less, i was greeted and asked if i had a reservation. oh no, i thought! how could i possibly need a reservation on a monday night? oh yes. it's *that* popular!! fortunately, they were able to seat us at a two-top after a reasonable wait. everything on the menu sounded amazing. we went with the lumpia to start. 20 delightful little eggrolls with a sweet and sour dipping sauce. my friend had the inihaw pork and i had the mixed adobo. both were delicious, but i think i preferred hers more. it was so simple and so delicious! portions are HUGE so come hungry and be prepared to take home leftovers. oh, and don't forget to BYOB. highly recommended.
(5)
Josh E.

Delicious food and I don't know what all the hullabaloo is about having to wait for a table.My g.f. and I went here on a Thursday night (yes, post Check Please review) and got seated immediately. Granted, we were right by the cashier's station but who cares. We had the lumpia, a couple of soups (they're huge and can beshared) a couple of dishes off of the specialty section. All very good and we took a lot home. The tab with tip was around $50 for two but you can spend a lot less and still be stuffed with good food (eyes bigger than stomachs, or something like that..). Stop the whining and go here.
(5)
Sharon S.

Went here for an I WISH food event. I can't say I'd recall every really having Filipino food but it was definitely a treat. There was probably a group of 20 of us. The restaurant is relatively small so they highly encourage making reservations. I'd say they can probably hold 50 people max at a time...maybe a little less depending on groups. Our host was Lakhi who is originally from the Philippines, having just moved here 6 years ago. Throughout our dinner he gave us the history behind all the food along with their culture. (Read a complete review of the I WISH experience at shartron.blogspot.com ). The place is BYOB so bring as you like. There's a liquor store close as well if you forget or just walk in. We started with the Lumpia Shanghai rolls, which basically reminded me of spring rolls but smaller. Next we had a soup, Sinigang, which I think was my favorite of the mean. I think that was the soup. It had a tomato based taste with pork, cabbage, and lettuce. We had 3 entrees - Sontanghon Guisado, Bicol Express, and Lechon Kawali (think that's what they were called). I'm basically looking at their menu and going off my food descriptions to match the names to them. Nonetheless, the food was really good and incorporates a mixture of cultures. We finished the dinner with a dessert - this fried thing that Filipinos eat as a snack, with added ice cream. Overall the dinner was really great. I live in Lincoln Park and I'd take the ride up on the Brown Line to go there again. Definitely check it out for something different!
(4)
Ross R.

Wandered in for lunch last week all by my lonesome self. Had the (snausages) lunch special which was very good and cheap. Came with soup, rice (which was excellent), lumpia, and a scoop of electric purple ice cream. I'll definitely be back for dinner to try some of the other menu items.
(5)
patrick h.

we went in februray so i'm a little behind. the chicken dish was incredible. the pork was right up there too. prices are very reasonable. it's just an awesome find. the only negative is they have to do something about the entrance. if you were there in the winter you know what i mean.
(4)
Mark F.

My wife is from Cebu, and is a pretty good cook. I also like Filipino food, so when we had to go to Chicago for business, we stayed a few extra days to take in the sites...and go to a Filipino restaurant as there are NONE within 150 miles of where we live here in Iowa. So, I did my research on YELP, and was really jazzed to find this place. Based on the reviews here on YELP, it was a MUST GO HERE!!! Well, I was disappointed. While the place was very clean, the service very polite and smiling, and the food LOOKED incredible...it was very bland. Our son had the Longanisa. It was sweet, but no spice to it at all.( I make my own sausages as a hobby... have been doing it for some time now. So, after marrying a filipina, I wanted to learn how to make longanisa as the store bought was waaaay too fatty and waaaay too expensive.) My wife had the Sinigang baboy (sour soup) and Lechon Kawali(deep fried pork) The soup was made from pork bellies, so my asawa would not eat it. The Lechon Kawali was also made from pork bellies....meaning at least half of the plate was fat! What's more, is she says there was no seasoning in it, thus making it very bland. I had the "Inihaw na Pusi" or stuffed grilled squid. While it was stuffed with onion and tomatoes, as the menu describes....they were raw. I assumed they were sauteed THEN stuffed. Also, the squid had no seasoning either, so it tasted like the grill it was cooked on. But, all was not lost...their "halo-halo" was awesome! The wife says it reminded her of "Chow King" back in the Philippines. While writing this, I understand that there are so many "flavors" to the same dish...as there are so many islands and regions to the Philippines. But, even my wife was disappointed. She ended up taking her food home in a "doggy bag" and throwing it away so not to insult the cooks. So, if we every go back, it will be for the Halo-Halo only.
(3)
James R.

Great Filipino food, very tasty and delectable. I had the lunch special Longanisa, fried Filipino style sausage served with white rice, soup, egg roll and melon it was very delightful and a great price. I also tried the Lechon Kawali, a deep fried pork belly served with Filipino style gravy, it was incredibly piquant. Although it is a very large portion, it welcomes you to tasty porkville. I would definitely eat here again and again.
(4)
Monica M.

This place is delicious! My parents are first generation filipino immigrants, and I grew up with my mother's cooking - - this is the closest I've found! Even though I love all the filipino restaurants in the area, I would always recommend Isla especially to those who are newcomers to Filipino food - it has a great atmosphere (I wish they'd expand!) The one drawback is that there's no regular buffet like the others, but if you order "family style" from the menu and share all the food, you can try quite a bit! GO THERE NOW! Oh and if you're not sure what to order... Kare kare and crispy pata is the way to go!
(5)
Vanessa I.

I came here twice, once for lunch on a Thursday and once during lunchtime on a weekend. On Thursday, our waitress was very kind an inviting. Lizelle made frequent, but not too many, stops to fill up our water and to see if everything else was going well. I definitely enjoyed the tocino. It was cooked perfectly! Plus I got my food very soon, perhaps it was because there were about 6 other customers eating. During the weekend it was almost halfway packed with hungry people. We didn't get our food until half an hour later and my inihaw baboy was burnt while my boyfriend's tocino was a little more greasy than expected. This is why I rate this restaurant a 4/5. Overall, this is the only Filipino restaurant in Chicago I would go to.
(4)
Lee M.

2 words Ginataang Hipon! (Shrimp in Cocounut Milk sauce) Its was so good. I recommend tocino for kids and adults who like sweet meat :) I LOVE ISLA FILIPINA!!!
(5)
Eric G.

The wait staff was average. The space was alright. It was a bit drafty. The prices were very reasonable. The food was authentic and yummy. Get the Lumpia. Seriously. Your mouth will thank you for it. The halo halo is all kinds of crazy good too. Based on food alone A+.. everything else B+. I'll be back for the food.
(4)
Steve C.

I had relatives in town for the weekend and we wanted to get a taste of Filipino fare in Chicago. So Yelp! lead me to this place and it was the closest restaurant to me. Filipino restaurants are a tough niche to break into because the cuisine isn't familiar to most people and there's also that lingering bias for mom or lola's cooking. That said, everything we got was delicious. The highlight for me was the lechon kiwali. It was fatty, rich and the bits of meat were tender and luscious. The skin was crispy, which is a must for lechon. This place pays great respect to the cuisine, and I applaud this place for pleasing the entire fam. To further enhance your meal grab a 6 pack of San Miguel beer at the liquor store next door, the restaurant is BYOB! It'll go well with palutan. You gotta end the meal with halo-halo. It's enough for at least two people. It's topped with ube ice cream and creamy leche flan. Four stars for smooth service and solid filipino food.
(4)
Eric V.

Isla just keeps getting better and better. Their flavorful, award winning Adobo definitely lives up to its top billing. Some Adobos have too much soy. Some have too much vinegar. Isla's Adobo is juuuuuust right. If you're looking to go on a serious pork binge - and I mean SERIOUS - then the Crispy Pata is a must. Crispy and golden skinned on the outside, moist & succulent on the inside - this stuff is seriously addicting. The vinegar-soy-onion dipping sauce also makes the perfect accompaniment to cut through the fattiness of the dish. Take note, this pork leg (with the knuckles, or "pata", included) is ginormous so I highly recommend sharing with friends. Or be selfish, eat the entire thing yourself, and compensate by eating oatmeal everyday for the rest of the month (it's cool, I don't judge).
(5)
Anna C.

can this place move closer to where i live pleaseeee? everything my friends and i ordered were so good. that has not happened in so so so long we ordered a lot of food because we wanted to try everything. we did finish everything cause it was so hard not to stop eating and it would have been such a waste! if you never liked eggplants or tomatoes you HAVE to give them another change and try the Eggplant and Tomato Tower Must try: Guinataang Gulay at Hipon, Inihaw Bangus, Bicol Express and Chicken BBQ no lie, they were all super delicious we were all so satisfied with the meal and definitely want to come back the guy serving us was really nice and the atmosphere was great. (every single time the server brought food to other tables, we couldn't help but to stare because everything looked so good) oh, and the portions are definitely well worth the money! they do not cheap out at all
(5)
Jake F.

Just got back from Isla Pilipina for lunch. I ordered the mixed adobo, and the lumpia shanghi, and a can of coke. My bill came to just over $13. The lumpia shanghi were crisp and delicious and plentiful. The sauce they came with was a slightly more fruity version of sweet and sour sauce, which complemented the crisp, meaty lumpia perfectly. Now, as a disclaimer, this was my first time trying Filipino food. I thought that the flavors in the mixed adobo were on the salty side, and it somewhat overwhelmed the dish (which, with my limited knowledge, may be perfect adobo). That being said, I'm going to try something different next time (and yes, there will be a next time). The waiters were extremely helpful, and seemed to want to make sure i liked everything. They obviously take pride in their cuisine, and it showed- from their attitudes to the ambiance that said "this would be a great place for a date" while also conveying an island vibe that made me feel perfectly at home in my jeans and sandals.
(3)
TS W.

This place was awesome! Great price great food & great service! Thanks Isla Pilipina! I will definately go back there again! p.s. BYOB Liquor store right next door.
(5)
Soc T.

Located a short walk away from the Brown Line, this restaurant is just a hole in the wall, but designed very nicely. Unlike most Filipino restaurants where standard boring chairs, tables, and a few paintings will do, someone put in the effort to make this place look contemporary. I came in by myself during a late afternoon weekday in mid-June. The restaurant wasn't busy, but there were a good number of people in there eating. However, it wasn't until I ordered when a big family came in and took up most of the tables and space, so it was good that I came in before them. The server at the counter was busy with another customer. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to seat myself or wait for her to tell me where to sit, so I stood there and waited until I could ask her. She let me know I could choose to sit anywhere I wanted. I couldn't tell if she was friendly at first, but she definitely was friendly when she was serving me. I ordered two dishes... The Kare-Kare and the Lechon Kawali. While I really liked the Kare-Kare, I absolutely loved the Lechon. Though, the gravy that came with it on the side wasn't that good. It was probably the best Lechon I have ever eaten because it tasted so fresh. You can tell they make their food fresh here. While there was only one server at the counter, you could see a number of chefs working hard in the back. Plus, the food presentation is excellent. The chefs don't just put your food on the plate... they make it look nice and appetizing. The only thing I am concerned about is this place is quite small. If the restaurant is full, you'd probably have to order take out or wait outside since there isn't a place for people to wait. Plus, I really didn't see a bathroom except it may have been through the "Employees Only" door. With all that being said, when I am back in Chicago I definitely would love to come back and visit again. The food and the atmosphere are definitely worth it.
(4)
Brandon W.

Great place! We came because I had seen the episode of Check Please! starring the one and only Johnny T. After watching the episode I thought it necessary to gather the SDDC of Illinois to try out this joint. Our resident Filipino, Ian S. was on hand to guide us through the menu as well. For apps, we all shared the Crispy Pusit (calamari) was good, not great - but good. The pieces were very large and plentiful, but some of the pieces were very chewy and tough. The breading, however, was awesome. Very light and not overpowering to where you couldn't taste the squid. The vinegar garlic dip served with it is an excellent addition to the dish Next, the Lumpia Shanghai was a great deal! 20 pieces for only $5. They were small, but more then enough for our table to share! Pork and veggie filled rolls that are deep fried, you can't go wrong. For my entree, I ordered the Mixed Adobo: An unmistakable Filipino delicacy; chunks of chicken and pork marinated in a special sauce of garlic, vinegar, and black peppercorn. Phenomenal! Another dish I tried was the Tapa - which is strips of Sirloin grilled to a perfect tenderness. A little bit salty, but it was good! I also tried the Kare-Kare, which is Beef Oxtail, tripe and green beans in peanut sauce. I gotta say, that is not my thing... really. But regardless, this place was great - that atmosphere laid back AND....its BYOB!! WOOOOO! So bring some wine or a sixer... or a handle of tequila if you roll that way and enjoy a great meal!
(4)
Cynthia E.

Best lumpia ever, the pork barbecue is delicious, and the chicken adobo, OMG. I'm going to rent a permanent table at this place!
(5)
David C.

I had a bad first experience with Philipine cuisine, but I decided to give it a second try with Isla Pilipina. Well, I am glad I did because this restaurant rectified my first bad experience and then some! Isla Pilipina is housed in a small strip mall on the north side of Chicago. The restaurant is small, cozy, and unpretentious. The lights are dimmed, creating a warm ambience matched only by the wamth and kindess of its service staff. I was there with a group of friends and we ordered about half the menu, and that is just a slight exaggeration. For appetizers we ordered Vegetable Eggrolls and Lumpia Shanghai (mini-egg rolls). They make their Lumpia Shanghai's with TLC (tender loving care) according to their menu, for what it's worth. For $5, you get 20 of these mini delicacies. They are stuffed with pork, egg, jicama, green onions, and carrots. Dip them in either soy sauce or sweet and sour sauce for a savory appetizer that will be sure to get you ready for the main course. For the health conscious amongst us, the vegetable egg rolls are filled with tofu, lettuce, jicama,carrots, green beans. The special sauce which accompanies the vegetable egg rolls has a smoky taste with a splash of vinegar. I also detected a hint of sesame oil in it. Whatever it is made of, it is delicious and a perfect complement with the vegetable egg rolls. For the main course, our party had Crispy Pata (deep fried pork knuckle), Lechon Kawali (deep fried pork belly), Kare-Kare (oxtail and greens in peanut sauce w/ shrimp paste), Bicol Express (shrimp, meat, squid, and mussels w/ coconut milk), Garlic Rice, and Camaron Rebosado (deep fried shrimp), and a dish or two whose name slips my mind at the moment. The Crispy Pata had to be the most impressive dish of the night in my opinion. What really makes the dish so great is its simplicity and savagery. A whole pork knuckle, which is about the size of half a soccer ball with a thick bone sticking out of one end, is deep fried and served on a plate, whole. I really don't think they added any spices or anything to it. It is simply deep fried. Nonetheless, it just begs for one to forget all his table manners and let his instincts take over by grabbing the knuckle with both hands and devouring it whole. The Lechon Kawali was rich in flavor, as was the Kare-Kare but the shrimp paste added saltiness to the mix so may want to have a side of garlic rice to go with it. The hint of sweetness from the coconut milk mixed well with the assortment of seafood in the Biocol Express. It was so good, I was not disappointed that we ordered two plates of it. The Camaron Rebosado was not heavily breaded. It was savory, but you can tell its breading batter had MSG mixed in like most other asian restarants however. The plates are very affordable. Most of the items on the menu are under $10 with good-sized portions, and none of the items we ordered was more than $13. The restaurant is also BYOB. I would have given this restaurant six stars if it was possible!
(5)
Daniel H.

A quaint little place that is indicative of the confluence of culinary influences that define Filipino cuisine. By category: Food: the flavors were amazing, the marinade for the pork skewer appetizer was outstanding. Moreover, the entrees achieved elegant and rustic styles simultaneously - a difficult accomplishment. The Tocino was a masterful blend of sweet and tangy flavors, and their stews, adobo etc, were hearty and flavorful. My only critique might be a biased one, but I will assert it nonetheless: use better cuts of meat, especially for the pork dishes! It's quite annoying to have to eat constantly around cartilage and gristle. I mean, with pork knuckles I expect all kinds of odd textures and "things," but for just regular bite-sized cuts of pork in entrees, come on! Just let me chew in peace. We're not on the islands and pork is cheap... This flaw is primarily responsible for bumping down a star. Ambiance: It's a kind of modern, cooky, cabana motif. It's very "cozy" - cramped, but it didn't detract from our experience. This place is busy on the weekends, so you may want to make a reservation. Service: Nice young ladies. Friendly, no complaints.
(4)
Jen B.

I wanted to love you. I was craving good old Filipino food from my days living in Washington DC. I enjoyed the interior and thought for a moment I would get home cooked food. And then the food came. We tried: Lumpia - good. Spaghetti Delight - disappointing. Beef Kaldereta - our fave of the bunch. Paksiw na Lechon - ick. Instead of the yummy Filipino food I was hoping for, we got goopy, stew like dishes with chunks of meat. Instead of a homestyle spaghetti with hot dogs - a Filipino food staple - we got a sweet tasting sauce with smokey flavor and cocktail links. Oh how I wanted to love you but sadly, not this time.
(1)
Hillary M.

So good, so great!
(4)
K. M.

First of all, this place has table cloths. This is HUGE. Not a typical Filipino joint - it has menus and everything. I had stuff I don't normally eat at home: fresh lumpia, pancit canton, caldereta, and finished with halo halo. All was amazing. The pancit canton was a bit greasy, but I think I'm just used to my Filipino health nut mother (she refuses to make pork adobo - chicken only). The halo halo was a sweet ending to a delicious meal! Everyone there is super nice and even gave directions to the nearby Filipino store so I could pick up some ube ice cream. Yum! I'm coming back. Please don't tell me mom. She will be jealous.
(4)
Ian S.

There's not that many Filipino restaurants to begin with in this great city of ours. Since this is purely based on my opinion, hands down Isla Pilipina is the BEST! Everything in their menu is great. From seafood, chicken, pork, beef, they have something for everyone. My favorite at this spot is the Teriyaki Chicken, Crispy Pata, Inihaw na Baboy, Beef Tapa, Tocino, Palabok (best in town), and everything that has broth. The staff and service are great, very friendly people and will answer anything you ask of in the menu. So stop in and visit this delightful spot right off Lincoln Square. Mabuhay! NOTE: it is BYOB and no corkage fee
(5)
Luis L.

I came here with a friend and fellow carnivore. We don't only eat meat, but we do like meat very much. We ordered three meat dishes, one for him, one for me, and one to share. One was a beef and pork dish, the other a chicken dish, and the other.... oh lordy... what was the other one? I think it was ANOTHER chicken dish, but I'm not sure. (Aside: this is why I need to Yelp as SOON as I visit a restaurant. Otherwise, I always forget what I had) Moving right along, the place is spiffy and clean. One downside , and reason enough to only give three stars, was that I had to go through the kitchen to get to the bathroom. If you're a bathroom person, like I am (don't ask me what it means to be a bathroom person, just read my other reviews) you know that you need SPACE and that you prefer your bathroom to NOT be so close to where your food is being prepared. I'm not a germ-o-phobe, but I do think a set up like that can be a little too close for comfort. And I realize this is not a big deal to most people. In fact, what are the owners gonna do, readjust the plumbing so the bathroom is away from the kitchen according to my specifications? No. However, I am unmoved. Three stars it is. So back to the food, it was DELISH! The chicken dish I remember (I think it was teriyaki) was a bit sweet. I understand that this is the nature of teriyaki, but I wish that it wasn't. It didn't stop me, however, from eating as much as I could, taking the rest home, and finishing it later. The pork and beef dish was flavorful, well prepared, and savory! I wish I remembered what it was, but alas, I'm drawing a blank. Good service, but they young boys and girls (it's a family business) are a bit too shy and too sweet. Know the dishes, don't apologize for your cuisine, and enunciate a little more when you're telling us what your specials are. Don't be so shy. This place shows a lot of promise. The interior shows that they are on the right track; clean, trendy, modern... and the food is pretty yummy. Not exactly my cup of tea (sweet = sugar = simple carbs = me getting fat = hell to the no). They're A-OK, and you should pay them a visit, but I'll only come back when I'm having one of those cheat days we all have once in a while. Well, some more than others. :-P
(3)
Frances H.

My husband and I went on the search for Mekene originally, which turned out to be an abandoned storefront...so on our sad journey towards other food we happened to pass by Isla. Since I'm a yelp junkie, I recalled seeing i before and promptly yelped the restaurant. Looked very promising so that was our new lunch plan... My husband is Filipino and I've been begging him to introduce me to more real "authentic" food of his culture, these attempts have been pretty futile. But at Isla he actually had some recommendations and comments on which foods to try. We ended up with the following: Sinigang w/ Beef - very flavorful, good tang of the tamarind however the beef was a bit chewy. I would opt for pork next time. Kare kare - delicious and rich. Well balanced with the shrimp brine paste (which after much training from my husband I still can't pronounce...let alone try to spell). It is a bit orange in color compared to other kare kare I've had but, still very tasty! Bicol Express - kind of like a thai curry since it's a melange of seafood and pork, veggies and coconut milk. Just a bit spicy w/o the curry flavor. Overall, I'm not a rice eater (blasphemy as an asian I know!), however I totally understood the need for rice with these dishes as they are sauce heavy and rich in taste. Though the one negative is that the food took forever! I wasn't super hungry or anything, but I still noticed it took awhile. This could have been because a large party sat down immediately before use..and to note the servers were a apologetic. My husband also says that if the food is being made to serve, Filipino food just takes a while to cook. However, if I came in hungry, trust me there would have tears before the food came...( I don't do well w/ low blood sugar). We'll definitely be back to try some other goodies! Maybe we can order along the road so that it would be ready when we arrive....
(4)
Brian R.

Authentic and yummy. Great service.
(5)
L W.

Being a Filipino-American, yes, I grew up eating Filipino food. I must admit, I was a bit skeptical about going to Isla Pilipina. First, I felt as though I was betraying my mom because, of course, she is the best cook ever, especially with Flip food. Second, eating Filipino food at a restaurant and not at a family member's house or family party?!? That's is foreign to me. Anyway, I must admit, it was pretty darn tasty, and REALLY close to mom's cooking. I had the lumpia, which seemed very untraditional to me. I am not used to lumpia being so tiny, but it was still good. The lechon, tocino, and caldereta were very satisfying as well--again, all meals pretty close to perfect compared to my mom's food. Isla Pilipina is worth checking out, whether you are a Filipino or not!
(5)
Colleen O.

Always great authentic Filipino food! Super friendly service! They've really been working on the front of the house ambience in the last year or so, very comfortable and just enough class to make you want to come back again and a gain with family, a quick week day crave, or even as a datenight. Great fresh ingredients, awesome Dinaguan baboy, Adobo, and Paksiw. I could eat about a million of their lumpia, in a single.sitting...
(5)
Kate H.

There are a few wonderful things about Isla Pilipina: 1) very cheap/affordable with large and filling portions 2) for most people, it will be an opportunity to try something different 3) the servers are very friendly. Now, onto the not so good: 1) dishes are a little salty 2) it turns out that Filipino food is quite heavy 3) the servers are so friendly you don't want to complain. We arrived here starving for a 7:45pm reservation. The space is small, so we had to wait a little longer for a table to open up, increasing our appetite for overordering and overeating. Seeing the awning in the storefront, we knew we wanted to try the Adobo and Pancit. From other Yelp reviews, we added the Lumpia Shanghai. Then, wanting to complement our meal with some veggies, we narrowed our choices to half of the "Vegetables" menu, almost all which included meat, but we're not complaining about that =) The Lumpia Shanghai are similar to mini egg rolls but further deep-fried. Neither of us really like fried food, so there was too much fried wrapper to filling ratio for us. Then came the Mixed Adobo. We like meat, but the braise was pretty salty, and the rice didn't really soak up the flavor enough. The pork was also somewhat overcooked and tough to chew. The Pancit Palabok that came next was better--although this was also saltier than we'd like, the lemon juice squeezed on top brings out the flavor and does a good job of cutting the saltiness. For our vegetable, we went with the Guinataang Gulay At Hipon the server recommended. This ended up being our favorite dish by far--the eggplant and green beans were cooked perfectly and had a crisp bite. The kabocha squash was plentiful. Overall, I thought the meal was good for the price/quantity--skip the meat-centric dishes, and you'll be okay. But, that just doesn't seem like a true Filipino meal.
(3)
Adisak P.

I went there for the IWISH Filipino Food class last night. It's in a dingy strip mall so I didn't have high expectations but the food turned out to be surprisingly good. My buddy's comment was the food tastes like it was "home cooked" rather than made in a restaurant. That's actually a pretty good compliment. We had lumpia, a sour soup with tamarind broth (probably my favorite), pancit, adobo, and a dessert with plaintains and jackfruit fried in a wonton skin.
(4)
Hugh B.

This place was a pleasant surprise. It is located in a somewhat dreary strip mall on Lawrence Ave. The restaurant itself, however, is clean and pleasant. Service is low key and quite informal, but warm, friendly, and accommodating. The strong suit is the food. We started with lumpia -- an order of 20 mini eggrolls. These were snarfed down in seconds flat. We really liked three of the entrees -- pancit, chicken adobo (one of our party doesn't eat pork so we got all chicken), and something called bicol express, which is spicy seafood with coconut milk. Mmmmm. The only loser was beef steak tagalog, which was bland. Actually the waiter was less enthusiastic about us ordering that last one, and we should have picked up on the fact that he was damning it with faint praise. Our dessert -- something called halo halo -- was bad. Maybe if I were Filipino and I grew up with it I would like it. But I'm not and I didn't. Eminently skippable. For all the food we had, our bill was $27 a couple. Yes, a couple. Gotta love BYOB.
(4)
NoÃ«lle C.

Another first this was for me, Filipino food. Three stars because maybe it just isn't my favorite kind of food, but it was still an enjoyable meal. We began with the shrimp lumpia which I must say were delicious. Crunchy and tasty served with a sweet dipping sauce. Next we ordered the whole grilled squid stuffed with onions and tomatoes as well as the Mixed Adobo. The Mixed Adobo came out first and looked to be really good. But as we cut into our mixed pieces of chicken and beef it really just tasted like beef stew. The sauce was salty and and the meat tender, but nothing about it shouted "Delicious!". Instead it said to me, "Have I had this before?". We were excited to try our whole squid. I like octopus and squid in many other forms, but this was definitely a new experience. The body of the squid was served with the head unattached but present and the tentacles chopped up and displayed as decor. It was char-grilled and tasted as such. It was a new taste for me and squid but I liked it. We sliced into the sea monster as one might slice into a stuff pork loin. The tomatoes and onions were cooked and steamy inside, while the squid was smoky and chewy. A good combination. The dipping sauce was tangy and essential. As yummy and new-tasting as the squid was... it was intimidating. I couldn't quite bring myself to eat the squid's head but the tentacles were my favorite part, crispy like chips! We took our leftovers home in to-go boxes like the typical poor college students. Unfortunately nothing we brought back really sounded good to eat afterwards. The Mixed Adobo sat in my fridge until it met the trash can. Sad fate. I think my boyfriend passed the squid+head off to an international student in his dorm... Im not sure. In conclusion, it was an adventure, perhaps one to be repeated, perhaps not.
(3)
D M.

Went there for dinner saturday nite, pretty awesome! And that's coming from someone very picky about good authentic filipino food. Tastes like I'm back in phil! I love the food presentation.
(5)
anne a.

I came here for the first time since i read good reviews from Yelp. I had their lunch special which was the Tapa and my friend had the chicken adobo. The food was good, however their service wasn't that good. I know that it was during lunch hour and there was a moderate amount of people. We ordered some eggrolls but never received it. However I want to come back and try the rest of the food, hopefully the service will be better.
(3)
Rainier R.

I was expecting for my head to explode. I ordered 4 dishes, and to my dismay I concluded that nothing beats home cooked Filipino meals. This does not cut it. I'm glad I tried it out. I give it up to them though it is hard to make Filipino food quick and tasty.
(3)
Zen-s-asia N.

If you crave authentic Filipino food... this is the place you want. The service is very nice and friendly... a relaxed, casual mood and very good food! My favorite dish is the Pinakbet! It reminds me of "Mom's cooking".
(5)
Elaine H.

Just like my mom makes but BETTER! (Sorry, mommy!) Wow, did this ever hit the spot. This is top notch Filipino food without the 18-hour plane trip and the need to avoid drinking the water. The mixed adobo (as other reviewers have pointed out, somewhat more gravy-like than others) rightfully earns the Best Adobo 2008 award that they proudly display. The tocino and pancit bihon are as good as I've ever had, including in the Philippines. And the halo halo is to die for!! Service is so cheerful, casual, and genuinely good-natured that you'll swear you've left Chicago and entered Manila (those who haven't been, take my word for it, the Philippines has got to be home to some of the friendliest people in the world). They really want you to have a great experience there and treat you like old friends. And rather adorably, when you ask for their recommendations for dishes, not only do they tell you their favorites, they pull out a little list that they keep behind the counter of standout dishes that Yelpers have mentioned in their reviews. And the prices are well beyond reasonable. My bf and I couldn't decide on just two entrees we wanted, so we ended up getting *four* entrees with rice plus dessert plus two mango juices and the total came to just over $40 before tip with plenty of leftovers dividends. Once they've run out, I'm going back for more. PS. Don't tell my mom I wrote this review.
(5)
Nate C.

Well I finally got to go here and check this place out for lunch......I was very impressed after checking out the menu online, looking at what I already wanted to eat.....I ended up with a lunch special...which had tamarind soup with pork, I got teriyaki chicken with rice as the entree and a lil piece of flan for dessert......yummy! I had the feeling that the place was run by somebody younger as it didn't have the typical filipino atmosphere that seems to scare non-filipinos away. My only complaint was that as with all the other filipino restaurants, they also close on Mondays. I'll have to go back a few more times so I can try out the rest of the menu!
(4)
Kris H.

Went with a couple of friends and the food was excellent. They ran out of Adobo, but they gave one one dish free. The fried chicken is the best! And it's byob. I'll come back soon.
(5)
Lesley A.

I had high expectations for this restaurant after hearing some friends rave about it. However, after being spoiled by Filipino buffets, I wasn't too impressed with this restaurant, but I'll probably come back. Rule of thumb, DO NOT serve a portion of rice smaller than your fist to a patron. Especially a Filipino patron, who is used to eating more rice than the main dish. We ordered the lumpia shanghai (eggrolls), dinaguan (pork in special brown sauce), the spaghetti with lots of meat, and lechon inihaw (pork with vinegar). The lumpia shanghai was the tiniest lumpia I've ever seen or eaten, but it was interesting in that it was triple wrapped so it was extra crispy (even 3 hours later, so it's great to order for a long family party). However, the meat filling wasn't particularly flavorful. I couldn't even tell what type of meat it was based on taste. Dinaguan should have a characteristically sour taste, but Isla's dinaguan had sugar so it tasted like an entirely different Filipino dish: pork adobo. The spaghetti was confusing in that it was nicely mixed with several types of meat, then topped with three pieces of fried chicken. I did, however, like how they added hot dogs to this dish. My favorite dish was the pork inihaw, the restaurant's specialty. The meat was tender and appropriately came with a side of vinegar for dipping. I just wished the portion was bigger! I ate with three Filipino guys and we quickly ran out of rice. It took us over 10 minutes to hail down the waiter to get us to notice us, despite how tiny the restaurant is. He charged us 50 cents for each, extra (tiny) cup of rice. What is nice about this place though is that it is the most accessible Filipino restaurant in Chicago. It is two blocks west of the Brown Line western El stop, AND there's a parking lot. Despite how I've had better Filipino food, I think I'd come back here for the sake of accessibility. It's also a nice place to bring friends who want to try Filipino food, without the buffet experience. The bill in the end was so cheap for the amount we ate, so you won't hurt your wallet by eating here. The restaurant is also BYOB, and conveniently next door to a liquor store where you can buy a six-pack of San Miguel Filipino beer. The desserts here are also excellent. I ordered the ube (purple yam) ice cream: three scoops of ice cream, served in a martini glass, and topped with macapuno (coconut) strings. The dessert more than made up for the food and service! My friend got a halo halo (mixed tropical fruit in milk and shaved ice dessert, topped with ube ice cream and a piece of custard). It looked delicious and I'll have to come back and try it. To recap, I wasn't too impressed with the place but I'll probably come back.
(3)
Romy S.

I find Isla Pilipina to be cramped small restaurant which is tucked away in a stripped mall. Despite their cramped area, they make good and decent filipino food. They give you decent portion and not overly price. I would suggest their Lumpia Shanghai; It was delish!! And Adobo was meaty, humongous and made to perfection. Not so much on Halo-Halo. I thought it was too sweet..maybe it just me. On the negative side, they take too long for the food to arrive on your table.I think the last time I was there, I waited for for my food for over 20 mins..Also, waiting for a table was just as horrible. Once you get in, they just stare at you and say nothing. I've called and placed an order multiple times and everytime I get there, my food wasn't ready. About a month ago I called ahead to place an order to be picked up in a few days, but when I arrived, they have this look on her face as if she has no clue whatsoever. She turned around and looked for the order, hidden somewhere. When she found it, she told me it'll take 15 min..I'm like what??? Their service is ok. I just think they they should be trained professionaly when something goes wrong, they should at least let their customer know ahead of time before their customer get upset.
(3)
Jessica S.

Came here for dinner and not terribly familiar with the cuisine so I wasn't sure what to expect. It was BYOB and we had wine, they were fantastic with bringing wine glasses and a corkscrew. The calamari was crispy and delicious and I went with the "famous adobo" which did not disappoint. I can't recall the other dish ordered, some sort of pork and it was delicous. We did have reservations, which I would reccommend as this tiny place gets packed fast. I look forward to going back again, as they have spaghetti with hot dogs and fried chicken!
(4)
Tony R.

This is a really prototypical family run restaurant. Great food, friendly albeit unpolished service, and low prices. For less than $20 we had mini eggrolls(very good), Mixed Adobo(amazing), and BBQ Chix(very good). I can't wait to go back and try some of the other dishes. Will probably go the Carryout route as the food took a while to get to the table. Honestly, they could charge $2 more per entree, hire a busboy, another cook and a Host. Just not staffed to handle a lot of covers.
(4)
Susie C.

I love this place. My friend brought me to this place for one of our girls night out. My friend who is half Filipino ordered all the food for us. The food is amazing and I would definitely come back even tho it is pretty far from where I love. The restaurant is small, but the food is to die for. I'm not Filipino but I loved every dish she ordered. The lumpia was good - it is a must order. The other entree were delicious!
(5)
Ali R.

Oh Isla, how I love you. Isla has the best quality authentic Filipino food in Chicago. My Filipino husband and I have been venturing out to any Filipino restaurant we could to experience/find the nearest thing to Filipino home cooking. When we found Isla, we knew we didn't have to search any more. This is the place to share family style so you can have a little bit of everything. For appetizers, we always get the Lumpia Shanghai (20 pieces please!). For $5, it's worth it. The Baked Tahong (Mussels) are also great. Perfect starter for 2-4 people. For entrees, dishes are not huge, but plenty for sharing between 4 people. We always order their Kare Kare (Oxtail) and it's amazing. The Oxtail is not fatty and has plenty of meat. Their Kawali (Pork Belly) is excellent. The perfect amount of fat and meat. They always fry it perfectly as well. Next up, their spaghetti. If you've never had Filipino spaghetti before, it's a sweet version and a bit drier. It comes with a piece of fried chicken which is simple but a perfect compliment. When I'm with a party of 4, we usually order their Kaldereta or Mixed Adobo. While good, I usually find these a bit salty. The Mixed Adobo comes with pork and chicken. Feel free to request "just chicken" or "just pork" and they'll be happy to accommodate you. Their sinigang (Sour tamarind soup) is also a great accompaniment to balance the saltiness of your meal. Last, we always order garlic rice. It's not oily and perfectly fried. I don't often get dessert but their Halo Halo is pretty good and Leche Flan is the perfect consistency, not too hard and fresh. Service is always friendly. Sometimes the food comes out a bit slow because everything is made to order. I usually just spend the time day dreaming about what's to come next. They've gained popularity through Check Please so make a reservation to be sure you don't have to wait long for delicious Lumpia, Lechon Kawali, Kare Kare, and more! ENJOY!
(4)
Erin R.

Delicious food. Awesome atmosphere. Super friendly staff. I had no idea what to expect at this place, but I was pleasantly surprised. It's situated in a seedy-looking strip mall on Lawrence Ave. You almost miss it! Had a friend of mine not suggested this place, I might've written it off as another weird food place in Lincoln Square. The artwork on the walls is pretty awesome, the lighting is perfect - not too bright, and the overall feel of the place is warm and inviting. I wanted to try one of every appetizer - and we practically did. At a restaurant with such a fresh food selection, arriving 50 mins before closing posed a problem. They were out of a couple of the appetizers we wanted. We ordered a few more, and they comped one of them for us, which was really nice. After that we each ordered a noodle and rice dish. The portions were great. Everything was cooked perfectly and the vegetables were crisp and delicious. Oh man, I want more RIGHT NOW. We each had a mango juice with our meals (but it is also BYOB). For the amount of food we had, I feel like we got a great deal. And we had a doggie bag. I will definitely be back.
(5)
Elysia L.

I've recently purchased my first home, which means I've been cruising my new 'hood for cheap food, +2 points if we can bring in our own booze. I decided to try Isla Philipina on a whim last week when I didn't feel like cooking and wanted something different. I'm glad I finally decided to give this place a try. We started with the mini eggrolls, the Lumpia Shanghai, and honestly it's worth going there for those delicious little nuggets alone. I could probably eat 20 of them myself, and the dipping sauce is sweet and yummy. I got the Inihaw Baboy, which had a great flavor, but I wish they had used a better cut of pork as it was a little chewy & fatty. My wonderful loving husband, who is reading over my shoulder as I write this, got the Crispy Pata. It's a gigantic deep fried "pork knuckle" (which is really a hunk o' pig leg), and he is still waxing poetic about it. He has asked me every day since then to go back. I'd recommend this to anybody who wants to eat a lot of delicious food for not a lot of money... so pretty much everybody. The ambiance isn't anything to speak of but the service is excellent and enthusiastic.
(4)
Dee W.

Lunch specials on the weekends until 4pm?! What steal and deal. It's only $5.99 and included a decently sized bowl of soup full of chicken. Their lunch platter had a scoop of rice, entree, four small lumpia, and a taste of their flan. I had the marinated beef which was thinly sliced and well seasoned. Overall, the food was pretty good and a really good deal. Our server took his time and service was a bit slow, but it worked out well since my friend and I were enjoying our conversation. Their regular menu looks delicious and affordable, as well, so I'm looking forward to coming back to check out the rest of the menu.
(4)
Rolo R.

Love the lumpia shanghai and all the authentic Filipino food, also awesome crew!
(4)
Liz P.

Another super awesome eatery in Chicago. The Lumpia Shanghai mini-eggrolls are so good--tiny and crispy and full of flavor. My friends and I tend to splurge on the order of 20. The Inihaw pork is so far my favorite thing I've had on the menu. It's a tiny bit blackened and crispy, and tastes great with or without the vinegarette. The mixed Adobo is a great foray into what Isla Philipina has to offer, and it tastes truly wonderful. The Lechon Kawali is also superb. Needles to say, I've never been dissatisfied with the food here.
(5)
Aimee M.

There's always a fear that I will find Filipino food better than my Mom's cooking. Whenever I have Filipino food in restaurants or even eating in the Philippines, it's with a sense of pride that I can say, "well, honestly, my Mom's cooking is better." Isla Pilipina comes really close to that high bar that Mom has set. Each dish that I tried was fresh and had good flavor--without the over-salt and over-grease that I've noticed at other Filipino restaurants. Food is served family style (as it should be with Filipino food). My friend and I had the lumpia shanghai, pork sinigang (tamarind base soup/stew) and kare kare (oxtail, tripe and beans in a peanut sauce). The lumpia were the skinniest little rolls I've ever seen but had good flavor and were so crispy. The Sinigang was good-- I like mine a little bit more on the sour side, but that's just personal taste. Good amounts of veggies and pork. The Kare Kare had a great peanuty sauce and I loved how they served a little dish of bagoong (shrimp paste) on the side to add a little burst of flavor. I didn't see the "Best Adobo" award so I'll have to go back and try that another time. This is definitely a good place for anyone that wants to try Filipino food. Service was friendly and timely. One of these days I'll learn to cook like my Mom, but if I'm in a pinch for some good Filipino food I'd definitely go back.
(4)
Jamil T.

Love this place! Great Filipino food. Recommend the mixed adobo set, garlic rice, and of course the shanghai lumpia. Place gets pretty busy with a small seating area and parking lot, so choose your feeding time wisely. It's BYOB, so bring a 12-pack of your favorite beer or a couple bottles of wine. The waitstaff and kitchen staff stay on point every time.
(4)
Rod D.

So I visited this place again for lunch and noticed that they had daily lunch specials. What a great find because let me tell ya, the food was SO good for lunch. You would think that you were getting a dinner special with the food served. There were 5 different lunch specials. You get a really yummy soup with meat in it to start you off. When the entree arrived (I got the menudo "sliced pork, potatoes, in tomato based sauce" lunch special), it also came with rice and 4 cigarette sized long egg rolls. I went with my girlfriend to lunch and she didn't get a lunch special. Even though she didn't get a lunch special, they gave her a soup alongside with mine anyway. Great servers and people working at this place. I found out that the lunch specials change frequently so if you get one dish one week, it may not be there the following week. I love this because you can always try something new during lunch. Lastly, my girlfriend is holding a fundraiser for this little boy Carter with cancer. She reached out to Isla for any type of cooperation to the fundraiser and they were fully cooperative to display anything in store and possibly provide things to a silent auction she is hosting. What else can you ask for from a business. I definitely recommend this place!
(4)
Angelo C.

I took my girlfriends father here, he is Filipino and when he saw our $55 bill, I thought his eyes were going to pop out of his head! We both agreed the food tasted great and the decor was nice. However, it in no way, shape or form, justified the $55 bill. We did order a dish out but it is still outrageous. This place is BYOB and it is way over rated. The portions will leave you hungry. We could have ate at several Filipino "All You Ca Eat" Buffets for half that price! The space is tight and crowded. It's my opinion good initial reviews have carried them further than they deserve. It's time for a more honest review.
(1)
Shantel M.

Yummy food!!! Great prices. BBQ Pork was yummmmy! Strongly recommended.
(4)
James D.

this place is bomb!! i ripped one of my fav jeans on the booth though - i blame myself more than anything but it doesn't matter whose fault it is- that denim is never gonna be the same.. I'm turning them into shorts though,... and when it gets warm I'll revisit this place in my new shorts!!!
(5)
Marissa G.

Upgrade to 5 stars after spending my BFF's birthday here last night. The menu has been redone into a hand drawn smaller piece with cartoons, which is very cute. Upon finding out it was my friend's birthday, they took special care of us, and even brought out a free leche flan with a candle and barquillios cookie sprinkled with coconut. Just the best.
(5)
Dennis S.

I've been hoping to find a good casual place for Filipino food in Chicago. This is it. Based on the reviews of Luan N, Rachelle G, and Hugh B, we tried Isla Pilipina. In a nondescript strip mall, with clean tables, "back home" decorations, posters, and newspapers, and a counter across the back with a window to the kitchen behind the counter, this presents itself as the atypical family-owned ethnic restaurant. Of the several dozen other patrons when we were there on a Sunday afternoon, all were Filipino. So either some in the Filipino community like this place, or the owner has a very large extended family. The food was terrific, just what we hoped for. We had Lechon Kawali - deep fried pork belly with a heavy gravy-like sauce for dipping; Mixed Adobo - chicken and pork, with garlic, vinegar and black peppercorn sauce, over rice; and Pancit Bihon - Pan fried rice noodles sautÃ©ed, with chicken and shredded vegetables. Large portions. It was all delicious, especially the adobo. No wonder they won an award for the best adobo in Chicago. The lechon kawali is a very unique dish, tasty, a bit chewy, but very flavorful. And the rice noodles were exactly like they should be, not oily but tender and a perfect contrast to the other dishes. Isla Pilipina is a small casual place with a take-out atmosphere. But the service is great. We enjoyed eating there, then taking home another meal worth of leftovers.
(4)
Ryne D.

Had a much better time here this past Sunday. I guess it helped that there were far fewer people here (there was a Bears game on, after all...), but service was prompt and the food came fast. This time I gave the kare kare a spin, which has a good consistency (unlike my mom's. which is too watery...fail!). They also have a little cup of bagoong, which is a necessary condiment for it. I think they've been hiring more wait staff, so I'm interested to see how they handle a full house. Still, this is some of the best Filipino dining you'll find close to the city. Oh, and disappointed that I forgot to order the adobo, which won Chicago's best adobo in '08! Whoops!
(4)
Natalie S.

We went in last night at 6:40 and were told "sorry, guys... kitchen closes at 7:00" so we left. We had no idea what time it was until we got to the car. Ummm... kitchen was supposed to be open for another 20 minutes. Who closes at 7:00 anyways??? I know it's their business, their rules, but you don't win good Yelp reviews with that attitude. Maaaaaybe we'll try again sometime... but not if I get my way.
(1)
Kyle I.

Filipino food for me is the pinnacle exotic cuisine. Not because of the flavors, but because of its rarity, especially in Chicago. The first time I sampled filipino cooking was when I was 13 and I went to a birthday party at a friends house (who is filipino.) That being said, there are not many filipino restaurants in the Chicagoland area. Over the years I have drifted apart from my ethnic filipino friends. The only filipino friend I have now does not eat the food very often at home because his mother has become very health conscious at their home. Filipino food is not the healthiest of the asian foods. In fact, it might be the most unhealthy. Think soul food of Asia. But, if you are in the mood for some tocino (cured pork) or diniguan (pork parts in "special" gravy sauce) then Isla is the place. They have a lunch special that is a very great deal. You get an entree, soup, egg rolls and small dessert.
(5)
Darren F.

its a small restaurant with a small parking lot and it can be hard to find parking sometimes, since it shares the parking lot with a few stores next to it.. interior of the place is nice and simple.. the service is great.. we ordered the Lumpia Shanghai to start out with .. its like a must order when you come here! they are like mini egg rolls and its nice and crispy.. for our entree, we ordered Lechon Kawali, garlic rice, and mixed adobo... the garlic rice is to die for!! rice taste so good with the garlic flavor.. the lechon kawali is good too.. its like chinese roasted pork except they deep fried the whole thing, which makes its so delicious (I'm a sucker for fried food)... the mixed adobo is basically a must get when you order in a Filipino restaurant.. it has chicken, beef, and pork if i recall.. all covered in sauce which is great! tasted a little on the salty side but that's what the rice is for! haha .... for dessert we had the halo halo... it was awesome! it has a scoop of Ube ice cream,a wafer straw thing, small slice of flan, ice, few different types of beans, jelly, and milk.. now that was a great meal! i would recommend this to people that haven't tried Filipino food before.. its a great little place with good food and good pricing! will return back here soon!
(5)
Dustin G.

After seeing this place on "Check, Please!" I really wanted to try it out. I went online and found that they have a $5.99 lunch special. First, let me just say, best cheap lunch in Chicago! For $5.99 you get an entree, rice, a bowl of soup, several big egg rolls, and one (very small) scoop of ice cream. I had the fried butterfish and my boyfriend had the teriyaki chicken. All of the food was delicious. I'd never had Filipino cuisine before and I was pleasantly surprised. A piece of advice: bring a couple mints. Everything is served with a spicy-garlic vinegar dipping sauce. Although delicious, it leads to lethal breath. The food was so good I hate to say anything negative, but the service needs to be stepped up. Two people were covering four tables so there really shouldn't have been any problems. We waited ten minutes to put in our order. Cokes came before water. Food came before napkins. And, the chicken was too big for a knife not to be brought to the table. The wait staff should ask if you need anything explained as some of the items have very unusual names. I will go back. The food is really delicious. I imagine that after appearing on TV they're going to get a lot of new business. They need to invest in training their wait staff so as not to drive away any new customers.
(4)
carolyn h.

Service: 5 stars Food: 3.5 We went here with a group of 8 people. I had the mixed adobo. It was good, but it wasn't fantastic. The food was a little oily//greasy for my taste buds. For an app (like the other reviews stated) I highly recommend the lumpia shanghai! The service was fantastic. So fantastic that I would highly recommend this place if you have a large group. They were on top of their game, and we were there on a friday night.
(3)
Jose B.

anyone who doesnt give this place a 4-5 stars fits into the following categories: 1- came in last minute expecting to be seated (make an reservation) 2- doesnt know how real filipino food tastes like 3- just mean LOL!!! It was introduced to me by my looooovely filipino fiance and seriously ive been here like 5 times already, and i think they put crack in their food cuz im addicted. yes its small but think ahead and make reservations! food is FILTHY CHEAP!!!! i cant believe they make a profit! lol IM A LIFE LONG FAN!!! P.s. NOM NOM NOM!!!!
(5)
Malana W.

I was initially drawn to Isla Pilipina from a review I read/saw (I can't remember which). What drew me to visit Isla was the chef who was trained in Manila on Philippine customs and traditions. Too often you can find the meat in certain dishes to be too fatty and at Isla the food was cooked to perfection. We went on a busy day but the server was very kind and courteous. There was a rather long wait for one of our dishes and so she brought my date and I a complimentary order of lumpia to tide us over. The wait was totally worth it because I give the food five stars. Isla gets three starts from me because of the seating. It was very cramped--if sitting on the people next to me was possible we were doing it. No. Had I sneezed it would've been on the couple's food who were sitting next to us. In fact, I think I made small talk with them asking about their dish because I felt like we were sitting so close that someone needed to say something. Being one who works with the disabled population, Isla is not a place that is very handicap accessible due to this reason. For as packed as they were at 2pm I foresee an expansion in their future. So if you plan on bringing a wheelchair--phone ahead and tell them so that space can be made. Also, we did not see a public bathroom from where we were sitting which made for interesting conversation when one of us did have to find a restroom--which I think ended up being next door!? I want to visit Isla again but will make reservations next time so we sit at a table hopefully the experience will be a bit different.
(3)
Richie D.

I can't say I had truly experienced Filipino cuisine...until I got hooked. Unfortunately I have recommended the wazoo out of Isla P in person but had put off Yelping it for quite some time. Well the time has now arrived! Attention Newbies: A liquor store that sits next door is perfect to purchase your beverage for Isla P's BYOB-friendly ambiance. If you're not Filipino, you'll probably be the only outsider in the place which only shows its authenticity. And take my warning that those Filipinos looooove to stare so just ignore it and chow down. As a side short story, I brought one of my "more picky" friends here and that same week we had to bring his boyfriend to try it out. It's that good and not too "odd." What brought me in here were the "Filipino eggrolls" called Lumpia. DO NOT leave here without ordering the Lumpia Shanghai appetizer (only $2.95 for 10 rolls or $5.50 for 20). As a pork hater, these little fried guys have converted me into a pork tolerator, especially once I dunk them in the sweet and sour sauce. I will give you a heads up and say "skip the rice and noodles" and go straight for the Inihaw or Grilled Specialties. Our favorite dish is probably the Tapa (seasoned cuts of top sirloin beef with rice). The Chicken Teriyaki is also pretty delicious but I found it to be very fatty. If you don't mind that, then all the right flavors are there (most likely due to the fat factor). All the pork dishes are enjoyed by friends of mine, but I stick to just the Lumpia as my share of pork. Attention Vegans and Vegetarians: When you look at the Vegetable Dishes, the majority have some type of meat in them. I think they are primarily comprised of vegetables and the name sort of points to that fact but keep this in mind when ordering to ask for it without meat. If you work in the area, be sure to check out their lunch deal for $5.99 (rice, soup, egg rolls and dessert). Put a twist to your tastes by giving Thai lunch specials a break. If you enjoy Chinese food and Latin food (probably most comparably Cuban) due to Spain's and China's influence, then do not pass up Isla Pilipina. Need I mention the Lumpia again?!
(5)
Joanne W.

So, I've been here twice now and all I can say is if I lived closer to this little gem I'd be here on a weekly basis. Ok, I lied...I have a little more to say. The lumpia are the bomb, yo. I could eat a 20 piece serving by myself. In fact I scoffed at my fellow diners when they suggested we only order ONE 20 pc serving of these fried pieces of heaven. I know it sounds like a lot but just go for it - you'll thank me later. FYI: skip the calamari. I love the pancit, this is my go-to dish. I really enjoy it and could eat it every week. It's no frills but it's delish and it makes my belly happy. What else makes me happy? The crispy pata. It's a little scary looking but worth every crispy porky fatty bite. Mmm. The paksiw na lechon is also a very good dish and something I'd order again. I've also tried the ox tail and it was really not my thing..nor were the filipino sausages. The mixed adobo is also a solid choice as is the bichol express. I was turned on to the garlic rice and I've actually craved it since I've had it....so good! This place is small and if you are party under 4, a reservation will not be made for you. Keep that in mind when planning your visit. BYOB makes Isla even more affordable. I've not spent over 20 dollars here on each visit and have had leftovers to take home. Gotta love it!
(4)
Marisol B.

Yesterday (after checking Yelp, of course) my manslave and I took the Metra to Ravenswood and walked to Isla Pilipina. It's in a small stripmall with Little Ceasar's...if I hadn't been looking for it, I'd never have guessed that this is where you can find some of the best filipino food in Chicago. $5.99 Weekly Lunch Specials Apr. 21 - Apr. 26 , 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM The choices for main entree were Inihaw Pork| Fried Bangus | Beef Steak Teriyaki Chicken| BBQ Pork meal incl. Nilaga (an original house broth w/cabbage, potato, and beef) Lumpia Shanghai (deep fried mini eggrolls w/pork served w/sweet and sour sauce), rice and leche flan (rich custard of egg and milk) for dessert. My take on the food: DELISHUS. I'm normally not fond of filipino food (shocking, I know) but I AM a fan of filipino bbq. The potatoes and beef in the Nilaga soup just melted in my mouth, and the pork bbq didn't disappoint. Leche flan is one of my fave desserts, so it was cool that there was a bite size portion incl. with our meals. Highly recommended :)
(4)
Krsna V.

This is going to be one of those cheesy, sappy, love-filled reviews. If you think I am going to be my usual self and write a review filled with filthy language and sexual escapades, you are shit out of luck. There I go with my cussing again. I should stop. The man loves making me happy, especially when I am leaving him for almost 2 weeks to travel across the world (even though he is joining me for a part of the trip). He knows I love trying different ethnic foods. I would eat a different cuisine everyday if I have the chance. In order to please me he has been taking me out for a different kind of ethnic food every day. I picked Isla Pilipina to test Philippine food. I do not have much experience with Philippine food. I wanted to change that with a trip to Isla Pilipina. The restaurant is pretty nondescript. It is located in a strip mall, with a bare bones decor. We were greeted by a lovely waitress who sat us down. We ordered the calamari and lumpia shangai for appetizers. I am not sure if fried calamari is authentic Philippine food, but it was excellent. The dipping sauce, made out of vinegar, was tangy and added to the flavor. A 5 star dish. The lumpia shangai are mini pork egg rolls served with a spicy dipping sauce. Another 5 star dish. I also ordered the Gulaman Sago: the Philippine version of bubble tea. It was surprisingly bland even though the description said it contains brown sugar syrup. Maybe my tongue is burned from all these years of eating spicy food. We got Paksiw na Lechon and Mixed Adobo for entrees. The man did not like his Paksiw, he was not eager to eat all the cubes of pork fat and skin. The dish was 70% cubes of pork fat, 20% pork skin, and 10% meat. We ended up eating my Adobo dish, which is the winner here. The tangy adobo sauce mixed with rice was to both of our liking. Overall, the food is 4/5 stars. It is not their fault that my man didn't like the Paksiw. We will still go back, but refrain from ordering the Paksiw. Service was super. In fact, I got worried for a second because I am not used to such friendly service from hole-in-the-wall ethnic eateries. They usually throw food on the table and you have to fend for yourself like a wild animal. I looked at the waitress with skepticism when she approached us with all smiles, explained the menu to us, and checked on us repeatedly. It made me wonder if she is trying to steal my man. Don't you even dare, I will cut you. Turned out she is just a sweet and kind soul who genuinely cares about the patrons' happiness. I am glad we went, even though the man didn't eat most of his entree. There is this thing called love that makes you do things you wouldn't normally do. He rarely ate ethnic food before meeting me (blame it on the waspy upbringing in the Hamptons), and I rarely ate steak and bland food before I met him. We have come a long way since then. He does everything to make me happy, and I return the favor (told you this is going to be sappy and cheesy). Anyway, enough of my teenage love banter. I am no way near being a teenager and I should stop sounding like one. Go to Isla, get a taste of Philippine cuisine, definitely get the calamari and lumpia, but stay away from Paksiw if you do not like lots of pork fat. Here's to love!!!
(4)
Aubrey R.

I love Isla. I cannot believe I haven't been here and have been settling for Little Quiapo and Fishpond to get my fix of Filipino home cooking. Isla doesn't have a buffet, which is fine by me. What I have tried and have loved so far: Lumpia - Nice and crispy, not greasy. Adobo fried rice - this is really tasty. Comes with pieces of adobo in it. Tapa - Meat with a nice smokey flavor and it comes with a vinegar, pepper sauce. Meat is tender. Lechon - Nice, crispy skin. They serve it with Mang Thomas, can't go wrong. Sweet and sour red snapper - Fish is crispy, sauce has a nice flavor and little zing to it and it was under $15. Palabok - This is the only dish we ordered that was just okay to me. It had too much sauce and it had calamari on it, not use to that. I will try to order pancit next time. On a side note, since we dined here and loved the tapa, I ordered a half tray for Thanksgiving. Everyone loved it. I will be coming here from now on whenever I crave a home cooked meal. If you come during dinner, make a reservation. It's a nice, cozy place, but it gets crowded. Prices are reasonable and the service is great. Everyone working comes to check on you quite a few times. You never have to flag anyone down. I seriously cannot believe I haven't been here until now!
(5)
Nick C.

Everything was great! You have to go there now!
(5)
Emily K.

I love Isla Pilipina! It's located in a small strip mall on Lawrence with a shared parking lot. It's a smaller sized lot but I've never had a problem parking. It's also a quick couple-block walk from both the Western and Rockwell brown line stations. Call ahead with a reservation since it's a small dining area and it fills up quickly. It's also BYOB. I prefer eating here with a large group so we can all order something different and pass the plates around to try a little of everything. It's always more than enough food (plus orders of garlic rice!) and it makes you try something you wouldn't necessarily order off the menu. Case in point: their pork served in "special" gravy (aka blood!). It's fantastic. I always leave here totally dehydrated and so full I think I'm gonna barf. Which is my most favorite feeling in the world.
(4)
Dolly V.

How the hell did I missed this place in the past? So. Damn. Good. Now I gotta be honest. I've never had Filipino food before and I'm asian. So disappointed in myself. Hah. So I went here with my coworker (who is Filipino) and some of his friends for dinner. There were about 10 of us so we decided to go family style! It seemed like we ordered everything off the menu because there wasn't a single free space on the table. I had to chug half a glass of wine down to make some room. (oh also, BYOB). Some of my favorite things that I had - The Lumpia Shanghai, BBQ Pork skewers, Chicken Adobo, Sweet and Sour Red Snapper, Garlic Rice...it was all fabulous and tasted very home style. Everything tasted similar to what my family ate on a daily basis but slightly classier. Service was friendly and attentive. Apparently the group that I went with go there quite often so they are pretty close with the staff. Only thing is that I wish they had air conditioning. The night we went it was hot as balls! The good food made me forget all about it though ;) The Halo Halo was great and cooled me off instantly! Yum, I want more!!
(5)
Angie R.

I've heard great things about this place and finally got the chance to experience it for myself. My boyfriend and I went on a Sunday afternoon and it was pretty full but we were able to get a table within 10 mins. The host informed us that they strongly recommend reservations on the weekends. The service was great and the food was amazing...especially the halo halo.
(5)
Eric G.

My only wish is that hotels and resorts in the Philippines had food as good as Isla Pilipina. This is some of the best Filipino food I've had... and I've had a lot. The Lumpia Shanghai (egg-rolls) are very very tasty compared to the thousands I've had, I'm not sure how they got them as flaky as they did. The Sontanghon Guisado and Palabok are done very well as is the Crispy Pusit (calamari). You can't go wrong with most of the menu, if you're new to Filipino food, here's the place to start. End it all with some nice cold halo-halo and you've got a great meal!
(4)
Colleen O.

After two hours of waiting at the unemployment office on Lawrence ave. I was starving! I couldn't bring myself to eat from burger king which is right across the street, so i searched my mobile yelp app. I'm so glad i found this little gem! I too had close philipino friends growing up and the food i would eat at their houses made a indelible mark on me. I haven't had philipino food in years and am thrilled to have found this place. The place was busy but not overly crowded when i came in for lunch. I was told to sit where i'd like. I ordered the 10 piece order of lumpia and the chicken adobo. The lumpia were smaller than i thought they would be but just as delish! The presentation of them was actually kind of surprising, seeing that they took time to stack and garnish them into a pyramid. It was a nice touch. After scarfing down the lumpia in record time, my adobo came. The chicken was tender and flavorful. The portion was fairly large so i wrapped it up to bring it home to my boyfriend. When he ate it, he was surprised by how good Philippino food was. We both will be making a trip to this lovely little restaurant soon
(4)
Darlene R.

i've only been once and maybe 5 stars so soon is a little premature. however, this was damn good filipino food and so reasonably priced! we went for lunch and i had the kaldaretta and my bf had tapas. lunch was served with soup which was great! the portions were large, the lumpia was crispy and hot, and all of our food was outstanding. i grew up on filipino food and this is some good stuff. i can't wait to come back. also, as far as filipino restaurants this was one of the nicest presentations i've ever seen.
(5)
BurtK D.

Loved it! my husband and I have never had philipino food before and decided to go there one Saturday night - and were very pleasantly surprised! We had the Adobo and another dish that was seafood/pork and they both were very very good. The only thing I would say is if you don't eat pork - this isn't the place for you bc everything has pork in it! Our server was SUPER nice, she gave recommendations and was very helpful. Oh - we had the little eggrolls (lumpia Shanghai) for appetizer, they were sooo good! I would go back - and it is BYOB.
(4)
Mark P.

Doesn't compare to Mom's home cooking. But a suitable alternative. For American palates, stick to basics like pancit, adobo, and lumpia. If you like oxtail, their kare kare isn't bad.
(3)
Corinna K.

I never had Filipino food and wasn't sure what to expect really especially when I saw this small little place in a strip mall. But Isla Pilipina sure provided a great experience for me. The employees were friendly and there was a fun upbeat atmosphere. We made reservations, but part of our group was late. However, the host did not show any irritation whatsoever and remained as friendly as ever which was greatly appreciated. Our server was also very nice and took time to patiently give us dish suggestions. Our group of seven ordered the following (if I can remember everything): 1) These mini eggrolls called Lumpia which were pretty good. Loved the sweet and sour sauce that it came with. 2) Fried Calamari - Tasty especially with the vinegary sauce, but it was a bit drier and chewier than what I would've liked. 3) Mussel appetizer - Very very yummy and I normally don't even eat mussels 4) Noodles (Pancit) - reminds me of the thai pad woon sen dish, but with chunkier veggies in it. Thought this was only ok. 5) This pork belly dish was scrumptious! Tender tender meat with a nice crunchy skin. I didn't care too much for the sauce though as i prefer the chinese hoisin sauce, but the pork was flavorful enough without the dippin. 6)Garlic Fried Rice - Loved it. I like the fact that the rice is a bit on the softer, chewy side. Might need a few mints after eating it, but well worth it. 7)Tapa - beef (steak?) - Basically grilled thin beef slices. Flavorful, but nothing special as it just seemed like regular grilled beef. 8) Mixed adobo - Large chunks of tender Pork and chicken meat in this brown sauce (soy & vinegar?). I only had the chicken piece and that was good. the meat was tender enough to separate with a fork and the sauce worked so well with the white rice! 9) Taro leaves with shrimp in coconut milk - very interesting, but definitely a dish that would order again. Reminds me a bit of creamed spinach only this is with shrimp. 10) Some sort of red sausage - Tasty and flavorful, but a bit on the fatty side though i suppose that's probably how it's suppoed to be. We probably had enough food to feed more like 9 people so we all were very full by the time dinner was finished. Some of the dishes may not look very big, but let me tell you that it was more than enough for all 7 of us. And what makes it even better? the Price is right. all in all, I highly recommend this little gem and will probably bring my hubby here in the very near future!
(5)
Rey A.

was biking around Lincoln Square and I came across this place. It is definitely a diamond in the rough. The place inside looks awesome, it is the most cleanest Filipino restaurant I've been to. The waiter/attendant person was friendly and welcoming and showed me to my seat. I ordered the egg rolls, the calamari, and the chicken terriyaki. I was told that the chicken terriyaki is their specialty and it is delicious. This place has upgraded through the years I've gone and it definitely beats Moms, Marigolds, Filipiniana by taste, price, and ambiance. I will go again and again and highly recommend it to anyone wanting GOOD really GOOD Filipino food!!!
(5)
Callie S.

This place is amazing! Went there after reading some great reviews on Yelp, and it lived up to them. The place is in a little strip mall area next to a Domino's or something, so it's completely unassuming. The inside is clean and comfortable, and the food was DELICIOUS! I've never had Filipino food, but if it's all as good as what I got at Isla, I will be a happy camper.
(4)
Linda M.

SERIOUSLY? wow. . .I was so impressed with this place the first time I went. I was afraid that it was so good 'cuz we were starving that day. The first time 3 of us ordered the lumpia (of course we should have gotten the 20 piece-GONE in a sec) The Fried Chicken was A M A Z I N G. The best I have ever had. Sorry Ma! loved that it came with a few pieces of Platano. The diniguan was so so so good. I was afraid it was going to be a greasy fatty mess. I couldn't have been more wrong. No mystery pig-all meat and teriffic sauce. The Laing could have been hotter (temp) but it was still to die for. The Bistec was crazy good-the sauce was thicket than I am used to-Mom makes it lots thinner. So good, and the perfectly cooked onions melted in your mouth and exploded with flavor. We had to get more rice-THREE times. Thats my only complaint-rice portions should be bigger. Or maybe Flilipino sized?! Went again yesterday, and lo and behold they have a $5.99 lunch special. Soup was awesome, I had lechon, another fab choice and my friend had the bistec. Yummy AGAIN. Eggrolls were once again yummy. LOOOVE me some Ube ice cream! will continue to go to this place. I'm bringing my Mom next time-she'll die. God bless IP!
(4)
andrea l.

Wow so good! As recommended we ordered the 20 lumpia instead of the 10...excellent suggestion as we devoured all of them no problem...the chicken adobo was amazing and I love that I got my own perfectly formed rice ball! Some people have stated the service was slow but I definitely did not have that problem, service was quick and friendly and overall an excellent experience!
(5)
Tabitha G.

I rarely crave filipino food and that's probably because I've eaten it my whole life, but the food is not bad. Honestly, I would have given them 3 or 4 stars had the service not been HORRIBLE. At 6:05pm we sat ourselves, after 5 minutes of waiting I went up asking for a menu, after 15 minutes of waiting for water and someone to take our order I went back up to ask if we can order, food came at 7:05pm (1 hour after we sat down) and we ate in less than 10 minutes and wanted to leave quickly. The sad thing is that there was a larger party who was seated and ordered before us and they DIDN'T have their food by the time we left. The whole table was complaining and mind you the restaurant is teeny. The food was ok, but living in cities where there are larger filipino communities I can definitely say this isn't the best. Pancit canton was good, bistik was tender, but the adobo was too salty. The best part of the whole experience was the lumpia shanghai. Would only go back for take out - NEVER EAT IN AGAIN!
(2)
Kristina S.

This place is really good. I can't give it five stars because we're comparing their cooking to my parent's home cooked meals, but it is REALLY REALLY good. Their food hits the spot when you're craving mom's food, but you just can't make the drive to the burbs. Just go...trust me, you will leave happy.
(4)
Chocolate H.

eh..horrible parking and food was just ok. the only upside was good service.
(3)
M G.

Best representation of Filipino food! I went here with my husband and ordered garlic rice, barbeque, longganisa and lechon paksiw. All of them are way too good.The barbeque is not dry and they brushed an extra layer of sauce , and it came with atchara (pickled papaya) which has the right amount of vinegar and sugar; the longganisa had a different take, slicing it lengthwise and it was crispy on the outside, tender on the inside;the lechon paksiw is the way it should be and they're one of the few Filipino restaurants in Chicago that have this on their menu. We ended it with an order of halo halo, a dessert made of different beans and fruits, topped with shaved ice, milk, leche flan and a scoop of ice cream. All dishes have very nice plating and presentation.The restaurant is clean, decor is appealing with paintings created by a local Filipino artist. Service is also excellent. They also take credit cards! I would say that among all Filipino restaurants in Chicago this is by far the best I had.
(5)
Scott B.

Just, wow. My girlfriend (who is Filipina) and I moved to Chicago from Portland, OR a few months ago, and haven't had any Filipino food since. Opted to try Isla today - and our experience was golden! We are used to getting really small portions at Filipino restaurants we go to, so we called and ordered a ton of food for pick-up - Kare-Kare, crispy pata, BBQ sticks, pork/chicken adobo, siningag, Shanghai lumpia, and pancit canton. We figured we would run some errands before picking it up, since it would take awhile. Well, they quoted us 25 minutes, and portions were generous. We certainly ordered too much! Charles assisted us when we arrived to pay. He was friendly and tried to make a lot of personal connections with us through conversation, which I thought was stellar (I work in a hotel that promotes such things). We spent 70 bucks - but it was well worth it. Service was excellent. Food quality was excellent (crispy pata: best ever and easily three lbs worth for 16 bucks!) My special lady-friend was extremely happy with everything and was really comforted by the amazing food. Thank you!! We will be back for sure!
(5)
Frances A.

Been craving Filipino... Too bad this little gem is in such an obscure location. Great service, good pacing, and it definitelycompared well to some of the great Filipino places in Vegas! Veggie fresh lumpia was light abd a good start. I wish there was more peanut sauce though. Mixed adobo, was good, but i do prefer mine slightly more citrus. And the tilalia was on point. Halo Halo was a great ending... Maybe a bowl is better than just a tall glass though. All in all, Looking forward to going back.
(4)
Global G.

PROS: 1. Rich, succulent and Pancit- or rice-sopping dishes, with more than enough to feed our family over a couple days. 2. Something unique to eat other than Ethiopian, Indian or Mexican? YAY!!! 3. Host was wonderfully accommodating - He actually called my cell to give me a heads-up about my wait list status. CONS: 1. Extremely limited (and cramped) parking in the restaurant's strip mall; street parking was more ample. 2. Crazy tight and tiny dining conditions. 3. The seating wait was almost an hour, so don't come famished...
(4)
Maria A.

My go-to place for Filipino food in the Chicago. Dishes to try: lechon kawali, lumpia, nilaga, bangus. garlic fried rice, and halo-halo. My least favorite dish is the palabok but that's because I am partial to my mom's version of the dish. We've celebrated many a family/ or friends dinners here. We've also introduced newbies to Filipino food to the cuisine here. Go with a group and eat "family style"! Wait staff, including the owners, are all super nice and friendly. Only negative IMHO is their hours. I wish they were open later on the weekends. Usually though I call in advance and make a reservation, especially when going with a group. It's BYOB and their is a liquor store next door.
(4)
Joy C.

There is no other place that I have been taking my non-Filipino friends or recommend to non-Filipino who want to taste authentic and good Filipino dishes here in the Chicago area... Except for Isla Pilipina. All the dishes that I have tried are all great. Simple, fresh and just how I love the dishes to be cooked. Kare kare, the oxtail in peanut butter sauce is hands down wonderful and I wouldn't try this dish anywhere else. Dinuguan, crispy pata, grilled squid, adobo, bistek, pork inihaw, fresh vegetable lumpia, garlic fried rice, and I could go on. Everything is simply delicious. The prices are very reasonable and the service has been consistently amazing. It is a small place so it is recommended to call for reservations. Another plus, it's BYOB:)
(5)
Taylor J.

This was amazing! The restaurant has a small and quaint atmosphere which gives a home-y ambiance. My server Locke, was a sweet heart and recommended the Mixed Adobe dish. I had already devoured the Lumpia Shanghai rolls but saved enough room to appreciate the Adobe dish. It was truly amazing. The meat was marinated and cooked to perfection which can be a challenge for a dish with two different meats. This restaurant, is now an officially monthly must-eat for me. Can't wait to visit again and explore the rest of the menu.
(5)
Monica S.

I first had Isla Pilipina's food at a Yelp event in Chicago and vowed that I'd dine in to try their food. Nearly 2 years later, I finally came here. Parking wasn't difficult, as they have both street and private lot parking. The wait was longer than usual (30 mins for us) at ~2pm on Easter Sunday. Since there aren't many seats, I'd make reservations to avoid waiting. Despite this, our waiter was conscientious and made sure to take our order while we were in line. That way, our food arrival would coincide with our table availability. I don't have a point of reference for Filipino decor, but it is very simple here. They have bamboo decorations at their entrance and in some of their wall art. They have bilingual signs, so I learned how to say "welcome" and "thank you" while waiting. Quick lesson in Tagalog for sure. The eggplant tomato tower was delicious; notably, the homemade dressing of mustard, garlic, chive and cheese married all the flavors perfectly! I was in an eggplant mood, so I also got the tortang talong. Again, the sauce (i.e. banana ketchup) really made the dish. I finished off with a halo-halo, which allowed me to try the purple yam ice cream for the first time (yummy!) and vaguely reminded me of Taiwanese shaved ice. The only thing that threw me off was the green-striped wafer stick, but that was a welcome addition to the ice cold dessert. Overall, I'd definitely come back if I ever have cravings for Filipino food in the Chicago area!
(5)
Evie H.

Isla Pilipina has delicious Filipino food that reminds me of good Asian home cooking. My friend and I stopped by for a late lunch (missed that lunch special, darn!) but were still pretty satisfied with our entrees. We started off with the Lumpia Shanghai which I enjoyed a lot. We got the 10 piece but it came out with 14 pieces which was super nice. I loved the mixed adobo (chicken and pork) - both meats were delicious and that sauce was yummy yummy yummy. I liked how it didn't taste overly oily either - it's a perfect topping for rice. The shanghai fried rice was pretty good too - it had a lot of hong kong style sausage which is a nice treat. We ended our lovely lunch with the halo halo dessert which wasn't my favorite. I loved the ube ice cream that topped it off but I wasn't too much of a fan of the shaved ice + stuff at the bottom. In general, I never really like this type of dessert even in similar forms from other countries. The small bites of flan on top was super thick but otherwise had really good flavor. It's a really small place inside and was even still pretty crowded at 3 in the afternoon so I can't imagine what it's like during regular lunch/dinner hours. Our service was standard, food came out quickly, it's a good portion for the price, and basically I want to come back again!
(4)
Emily K.

I came here with a group of 5 today and got to try the sinigang beef, kare kare, beef kaldereta, mixed adobo, pancit palabok, garlic rice, halo halo and cinnamon turon (see pictures attached with this review!). Everything was AMAZING!! My favorites were the mixed adobo, which is a chicken and pork dish and the meat pretty much melted in my mouth, and the kare kare, which is a oxtail stew with peanut butter sauce. The garlic rice was a great combination with all of the dishes. The restaurant is very small (maybe 25 people max??) so it'd be a good idea to call ahead to make a reservation or go during non-peak hours. The service was so-so, but the food came out pretty fast and made up for it. The price is also VERY reasonable. The bill was about $80 for everything we ordered above! Tip: It's BYOB!
(5)
Mink L.

Isla Pilipina is my favorite Filipino restaurant in the nation! Their sinigang with Pork is perfect on any day with their friend chicken or milkfish. Oh yeah and their lumpias are amazing. I can probably kill 20 on my own. Mini crispy egg rolls with a sweet sauce. Wish I could have them every day! The service is always pleasant and food has never failed to please. I'm not a big fan of the sweet spaghetti, but some of my friends love the hot dog spaghetti. I love both but just separately.
(5)
Susan S.

Went here a while ago, great food , warm and friendly service. Super in expensive food packed with flavor. Beware high caloric deliciousness. Loved the le chin? Fried pork oozing with an outer golden crispness and very moist succulent meat. Mmmmm I think I'll have to return to this little hole in the wall. So lucky to live in Illinois and having such a diverse selection of ethnic delights.
(5)
Rose O.

Love the food but you need to go there early as it is very difficult to find a table. Wait times can be very long - up to an hour or so. My favorite is the adobo rice and crispy pata!
(4)
Keith H.

Before Isla took over this space, other Filipino restaurants inhabited this space. Actually, they may have just kept changing their names as their "image" changed. Let me say that their attempt to modernize traditional Philippine cuisine is a valiant effort. But I don't feel that their service and attempts to modernize the Filipino menu is not the correct approach. I went with some of my friends from the islands and we had their pansit and their lechon. This didn't remind them of the cuisine they grew up with. I thought it was tasty, but not quite right. What was most disappointing is that we asked for a Filipino dessert which is a national dish and were told that the restaurant was out of ice cream (the key ingredient to Halo Halo). To run out of that in the middle of week it like McDonald's running out of French fries or Polish restaurant running out of pirogies. If they are to modernize Philippine cuisine, they're not doing it right. I suppose things happen and maybe it's better now, but bottom line, I'd rather eat at Little Quiapo than deal with an unbalanced meal.
(3)
Joseph M.

Excellent food, great atmosphere and very reasonable prices! Best Filipino food in Chicago!
(5)
Jessy P.

I have returned several times since my original review and like I predicted MUCH better when it is not busy. The veggie rolls are good, the grilled veggies are SUPER yummy and the garlic rice is one point! Whenever I get a craving I come here...just not at "regular" dinner time to make sure that it is not crazy packed. I still get my same desert every time too!
(4)
Chrystine Marie M.

Being from LA, it's very hard to be content with Filipino places in the Midwest. They're also really hard to find and/or are only located in the city. Faaaar from where we live. My boyfriend and I live in the suburbs far north of downtown Chicago, so it's even worse up there. No Filipino places at all. (Granted, I didn't do a lot of research trying to find any since I moved here in 2013, because I just thought I'd never find anything good.) Yesterday, my boyfriend and I had a reason to go to the city and I thought, "Hey, it's been 3 gruesome months since my vacation to LA and I haven't had Filipino food since then. Let's get some freakin' Filipino food." And of course, I took to Yelp to find some. Some places looked promising and I stumbled upon this one. Thanks to all the pictures people have been posting on Yelp, I was like, "Yup, this place looks good. Let's try it." Naturally, I'm a snob when it comes to Filipino food, because I'm from LA so I was a little skeptical at first. "What if it's not good?" The place is located in a plaza with a liquor store. Parking is decent. We walk in and are greeted by the waitress. The place is decked out in cool art and they have a funny sign up front that said something along the lines of "The price changes based on the customers' attitude" which I thought was totally appropriate since it is located in the city where most clientele tend to be rude, from what I hear lol. The place is really small, so it's not a good place to bring 20+ people. The menu is pretty simple. It's got all your basic Filipino foods that you would expect. (I posted pictures of the menu.) What I really thought was interesting is that they have something called Adobo Rice. It's basically Adobo-flavored sinangag (fried rice). It's got pork, green onions, etc. I was like, "YES, WE ARE ORDERING THAT." We also ordered Lumpiang Shanghai and Longanisa. (ugh, I wish I could've ordered way more entrÃ©es, like Daing na Bangus, but they were served family style with big portions and not turo-turo combo style where you get two small entrÃ©es and rice.) I was impressed with the Lumpia. I have really high standards for Lumpia, because to me, no one can beat my parents' Lumpia. But this place makes really good Lumpia. Definitely coming back just for that. They nailed the filling to wrapper ratio. Some places always mess it up. Sometimes there's too much wrapper or too much filling. But this place definitely nailed it. The Longanisa was great. Loved the vinegar sauce that it came with. Longanisa tastes almost the same anywhere you order it and it was good here. Now what I really wanted to talk about was the Adobo rice. First of all, they give you a copious amount of it. Second of all, I'll take this over regular sinangag (just fried with garlic) any day. It was such a large portion, we took it home and had it for dinner. Definitely coming back for that again. I really wanted to order Halo Halo, but unfortunately, we were in a hurry. Definitely coming back to try their take on Halo Halo. (Also, I didn't realize until I looked at the pictures of the menu that I took that they served Buco, Mango, and Calamansi juice. I should've ordered some too.) This place definitely exceeded my expectations and I'm coming back.
(4)
Emily B.

My first time having Filipino cuisine and I'm glad it was here! I met 4 other moms here, we all had our 2 year olds with us... oh my gosh. We took up half the restaurant! But everyone was so nice and accommodating and the food... delicious! Even our kids were stuffing their faces. For an appetizer we had the Lumpia Shanghai. Definitely recommend. And for an entree I got the Longanisa. Recommend that as well. So good, came out hot, I left full, son fell asleep on way home. Thumbs up all around! I will definitely be back.
(4)
Angela P.

This was my first time trying Filipino food, and it was quite good. A lot of the menu items were sort of Chinese-Polynesian food hybrid, with a heavy focus on pork. I came here on a Saturday afternoon with my parents and husband. We arrived around 5:00 p.m., and it wasn't too busy yet, but before we even ordered appetizers, the restaurant was full. I highly recommend making reservations, because the restaurant is small with maybe 10-12 tables. They also do carryout if that's your thing. Thanks to some recommendations from my friend Ericka A., and Isla Pilipina's menu descriptions, we didn't really make any bad decisions. Here is what we ordered: APPETIZERS: Crispy Pusit (calamari): Good, but it wasn't a "must have." I wouldn't order it again. Lumpia Shanghai (egg rolls): These are so simple, but so good! We ordered 20 and devoured every single one. This was a hit with all four of us. They're tiny, so 20 isn't as crazy as it sounds. Pork BBQ: I really liked this one. Each order comes with 2 skewers of BBQ pork, so we ordered enough so that we each got to try a skewer. The pork was grilled nicely and had a chewy, caramelized texture to it. NOODLES/RICE: Pancit Bihon (pan fried noodles with chicken & vegetables): This is a fairly straightforward dish, and I would recommend it to any fussy eaters that are hesitant to try anything new. It's noodles, chicken, and vegetables. This was one of my dad's favorites. It was good, but I'm also filing it as a "not a must-have." Garlic Rice: This was my favorite part! I don't know how rice could possibly be this good. The rice is fluffy, garlicky, and super buttery. I could have eaten the giant, $6 portion all by myself. ENTREES: Crispy Pata (deep fried pork knuckle): This was a big disappointment. Either it was very overcooked, or Filipino cuisine calls for deep frying it until it is blackened. My mom said it "tasted like ash." It was difficult to cut into, and we didn't come close to finishing this - and it was the most expensive item we ordered! Bicol Express (seafood and peppers in a coconut sauce): The shrimp, scallops, and squid along with green peppers in a creamy coconut sauce was packed with flavor, but the dish was served room temperature. My dad kept picking out the green peppers and was amazed how delicious the combo was with the sauce. Crispy Chicken (fried chicken): This was another disappointing dish for us. Without a doubt, this was overcooked. I'm only giving Isla Pilipina a 3, because our favorite dishes were the appetizers, noodles & rice. The entrees were a big disappointment for all of us.
(3)
C.C. H.

Isla Pilipina is staffed by a crew of young men with a penchant for alternative rock and a kitchen turning out delicious Filipino food. The only thing stopping us from completely devouring our mixed adobo and Bicol Express dishes was our desire to have the halo halo. Dessert was actually the low point of the meal because we struggled to break through the a large ball of crushed ice to get to the goodies at the bottom of the glass. That being said, the halo halo was topped with a luscious wedge of flan and the best taro ice cream I have had outside of China. The lumpia Shanghai were tasty although I still prefer the freshness of Cantonese spring rolls but this appetizer was served with an excellent sweet and sour and spicy sauce. The mixed adobo had complex and well-balanced flavors of sweet and savory with an edge of tanginess and was beautifully adorned with shreds of scallion. The Bicol Express was also packed with flavor and generous amounts of seafood.
(5)
Kristin R.

Great service and great food! Easy to find and lots of parking since it's in a plaza with other food places. It may be a little overpriced but it's Chicago prices. It was busy too - great place for someone who hasn't had any Filipino food before. I would say the places in California are better but I think it's because there's more of a concentration of Filipinos on the west coast. The Lechon Kawali was the best - big pieces of pork and sweet sauce. The pancit palabok was ok - too many onions and not enough noodles, but still ok. Loved the lumpia, but a little on the smaller side; however, amazing sauce! It wasn't the regular sweet and tangy taste - there was a little bit of spice in it, which I liked. I definitely want to try the other food there, especially the longanissa. It was a busy atmosphere with a young, hip staff and very good about quick service.
(4)
Julie T.

Their venue is quite small and tight but the food is really good. The only thing I didn't like was the garlic fried rice was too oily but other than that, it was still pretty good. People should definitely try the tapa. It was really good! This place is an affordable eatery too so I really like their pricing.
(4)
Karl C.

I've been to Isla Pilipina twice now and it's a very good Filipino restaurant in the Lincoln Square area. I came in thinking that they'd serve Americanized Filipino food or fusion Filipino, but I was delightfully surprised to find out that this is a pretty legit Pinoy place. (Albeit, Isla Pilipina isn't in a dilapidated storefront so I'm not sure my Filipino parents would frequent this restaurant but that's not a bad thing.) The food here is good, for the most part. The Lumpia Shanghai, Mongo, and Lechon Kawali are cooked well. I really like their Sinigang and Daing na Bangus. These two dishes are usually on point. However, I was really, really disappointed with their Pork Adobo. I'm not sure what happened with that one but I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt that it was a subpar batch. The servers are all very friendly and attentive. Most of them seem to speak Tagalog, if you prefer to eschew English for a meal. All-in-all, I'm pretty happy with this find. It's not my mom's cooking but it's a safe bet to introduce non-Filipinos to Filipino food in the city.
(5)
Natalie C.

There definitely needs to be more Filipino restaurants in the city - especially ones that are churning out food as good as Isla Pilipina! Came here for lunch and ordered the pork sinigang, fried lechon, beef kalderata, and of course an order of garlic rice. Everything was delicious! If I lived in the area I would probably come in all the time strictly for their miraculously delicious garlic rice. I make it at home sometimes, but the rice at Isla Pilipina is on point - they get the garlic fried to the point of perfection. You get a LOT of food with each other (and everything comes w a scoop of white rice, hello carb overload), so get ready to bring some leftovers home... or to be carted out in a wheelbarrow. My only wish is that they opened earlier on the weekends for Filipino breakfast, oh how I dream of their garlic rice topped with fried eggs, some fried bangus and spam or longinisa, and some tomatoes in vinegar. Will definitely be back!!
(4)
Cathy M.

After several years of eating at Isla, I still feel like family. The food is just as great as ever...if not better. I often catch my friends taking their new dates to Isla in an attempt to impress and share an exotic, yet relate-able experiences. It works. The Beef Tapas is still tender, flavor packed, and amazing as is the Chicken BBQ, Chicken Teriyaki, and every appetizer on the menu! These days, I find myself calling ahead and picking up my ready to run order. Ray and his staff still make me smile and feel at home with every order. Isla is very easily my favorite place to eat and smile.
(5)
Bill M.

Let me start by saying, the food here is awesome! I do not care what you order the food served will be blasting your taste buds with flavor, flavor, flavor. This is a restaurant I would defiantly return too. It is small and I have seen cleaner, and clean is very important to me. I would have given 5 stars.
(4)
Jenny O.

This place gets busy easily, so it's probably best to make a reservation. Came here on a Thursday night with a friend, and it was packed. However, we really wanted to try the food, so we did take-out. Ordered the adobo rice and crispy pata. The adobo rice was very good- I highly recommend it. The crispy pata was good as well, but it was a little too greasy. Since we didn't get to dine in, I'm not sure what the service is like there. But, our short interaction with the workers was positive, and they were helpful when we needed suggestions. I look forward to going back!
(4)
Angie R.

I've heard great things about this place and finally got the chance to experience it for myself. My boyfriend and I went on a Sunday afternoon and it was pretty full but we were able to get a table within 10 mins. The host informed us that they strongly recommend reservations on the weekends. The service was great and the food was amazing...especially the halo halo.
(5)
Eric G.

My only wish is that hotels and resorts in the Philippines had food as good as Isla Pilipina. This is some of the best Filipino food I've had... and I've had a lot. The Lumpia Shanghai (egg-rolls) are very very tasty compared to the thousands I've had, I'm not sure how they got them as flaky as they did. The Sontanghon Guisado and Palabok are done very well as is the Crispy Pusit (calamari). You can't go wrong with most of the menu, if you're new to Filipino food, here's the place to start. End it all with some nice cold halo-halo and you've got a great meal!
(4)
Gabriel C.

This is the restaurant I would recommend someone to, if they wanted to try Filipino food for the first time. I love the presentation of all the dishes and whenever i'm craving Filipino food when it cannot be accessed at home, Isla is the first place that comes to mind. The parking lot isn't that convenient, so sometimes you might have to find street parking.
(4)
Amber L.

I said I'd save a 5-star for after I'd been back a few times. This place doesn't disappoint! Everything I've ordered has been amazing (ok, I just don't like lumpia as much as the next guy; that's my fault, not the restaurant's) and the service is always really great. I love the vibe that the music and art give to the restaurant.
(5)
John F.

Just an update: This is my go-to place for impressing visiting friends with a local ethnic taste sensation. Everything on the menu is delicious, and I've tried so many different dishes now. BYOB, inexpensive, friendly service, delicious food, and an excellent value. This place is truly a gem that I hope never changes. Its always busy, and the space is intimate, so consider reservations if you have your heart set on mouth-watering Filipino food.
(5)
Gwen D.

I'm the girl who's been planning a wedding in her head since the age of ten. I used to dream of lavish banquets for 800 of my nearest and dearest. Now, if I were getting married anytime soon, I'd invite my closest friends and family to a reception at Isla Pilipina. We'd take the El to a nondescript Lincoln Square strip mall, take a seat at the largest table, open a few bottles of red, and order everything on the menu, swapping and sampling dishes 'til we were stuffed silly. (I'd probably need a large order of crispy Lumpia Shanghai eggrolls all to myself.) In my wedding scenario, I'd forever be my dad's favorite (only) daughter, since everyone can eat at Isla Pilipina for less than $20 a pop, including a shared appetizer and tip. I won't be getting married anytime soon, but I will be convincing my friends to make a return trip, stat!
(5)
Rey A.

was biking around Lincoln Square and I came across this place. It is definitely a diamond in the rough. The place inside looks awesome, it is the most cleanest Filipino restaurant I've been to. The waiter/attendant person was friendly and welcoming and showed me to my seat. I ordered the egg rolls, the calamari, and the chicken terriyaki. I was told that the chicken terriyaki is their specialty and it is delicious. This place has upgraded through the years I've gone and it definitely beats Moms, Marigolds, Filipiniana by taste, price, and ambiance. I will go again and again and highly recommend it to anyone wanting GOOD really GOOD Filipino food!!!
(5)
Callie S.

This place is amazing! Went there after reading some great reviews on Yelp, and it lived up to them. The place is in a little strip mall area next to a Domino's or something, so it's completely unassuming. The inside is clean and comfortable, and the food was DELICIOUS! I've never had Filipino food, but if it's all as good as what I got at Isla, I will be a happy camper.
(4)
Kristin R.

Great service and great food! Easy to find and lots of parking since it's in a plaza with other food places. It may be a little overpriced but it's Chicago prices. It was busy too - great place for someone who hasn't had any Filipino food before. I would say the places in California are better but I think it's because there's more of a concentration of Filipinos on the west coast. The Lechon Kawali was the best - big pieces of pork and sweet sauce. The pancit palabok was ok - too many onions and not enough noodles, but still ok. Loved the lumpia, but a little on the smaller side; however, amazing sauce! It wasn't the regular sweet and tangy taste - there was a little bit of spice in it, which I liked. I definitely want to try the other food there, especially the longanissa. It was a busy atmosphere with a young, hip staff and very good about quick service.
(4)
Julie T.

Their venue is quite small and tight but the food is really good. The only thing I didn't like was the garlic fried rice was too oily but other than that, it was still pretty good. People should definitely try the tapa. It was really good! This place is an affordable eatery too so I really like their pricing.
(4)
Karl C.

I've been to Isla Pilipina twice now and it's a very good Filipino restaurant in the Lincoln Square area. I came in thinking that they'd serve Americanized Filipino food or fusion Filipino, but I was delightfully surprised to find out that this is a pretty legit Pinoy place. (Albeit, Isla Pilipina isn't in a dilapidated storefront so I'm not sure my Filipino parents would frequent this restaurant but that's not a bad thing.) The food here is good, for the most part. The Lumpia Shanghai, Mongo, and Lechon Kawali are cooked well. I really like their Sinigang and Daing na Bangus. These two dishes are usually on point. However, I was really, really disappointed with their Pork Adobo. I'm not sure what happened with that one but I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt that it was a subpar batch. The servers are all very friendly and attentive. Most of them seem to speak Tagalog, if you prefer to eschew English for a meal. All-in-all, I'm pretty happy with this find. It's not my mom's cooking but it's a safe bet to introduce non-Filipinos to Filipino food in the city.
(5)
Natalie C.

There definitely needs to be more Filipino restaurants in the city - especially ones that are churning out food as good as Isla Pilipina! Came here for lunch and ordered the pork sinigang, fried lechon, beef kalderata, and of course an order of garlic rice. Everything was delicious! If I lived in the area I would probably come in all the time strictly for their miraculously delicious garlic rice. I make it at home sometimes, but the rice at Isla Pilipina is on point - they get the garlic fried to the point of perfection. You get a LOT of food with each other (and everything comes w a scoop of white rice, hello carb overload), so get ready to bring some leftovers home... or to be carted out in a wheelbarrow. My only wish is that they opened earlier on the weekends for Filipino breakfast, oh how I dream of their garlic rice topped with fried eggs, some fried bangus and spam or longinisa, and some tomatoes in vinegar. Will definitely be back!!
(4)
Kristine R.

This is my favorite Filipino restaurant in Chicago. My brother knows the owners so he's the one that actually brought me here for the first time. They have limited parking spaces here so you might have to find street parking elsewhere. The restaurant is small inside but they can fit a good amount of people in there with the way they have it set up. It's also super clean in there! Their food here is AMAZING. I'm Filipino and never have been a big Filipino food fan until I started coming here. My favorite dish from here is the dinuguan and their halo halo is the bomb. I don't care how much food I've eaten, I always get a halo halo for dessert. I always end up going here with my husband and my brothers which is always a good time in here. The vibe is great. We always end up ordering a bunch of different food on the menu. Their calamari is great! One of my other favorite dishes from here is the lechon, and I just end up eating whatever else my brothers get, and we end up just sharing everything. The portions are definitely generous enough to share. We've pretty much ordered everything off their menu and I can definitely get down with it all.
(5)
Mawie T.

If you're looking for Filipino foods that's just like what mama used to make, this is the absolute #1 spot right here. Everything here tastes amazing. The prices are really great normally and the lunch special is out of control with lumpia, an entree, rice, soup, and some flan for dessert for $5.99. And it's BYOB! If you can fit it in your stomach, I highly recommend getting halo halo for dessert. Parking isn't too bad if you get lucky, but there's always paid parking on the street nearby.
(5)
Radha K.

Definitely make a reservation to come here because it gets packed...and for a good reason! Also note that there is a "private lot" because Isla Pilipina is in a strip mall, but the lot is quite small. If you'd rather not park on the street, get here at a "decent" hour to make sure you get a spot! BYOB w/ no uncorking fee! As an appetizer, we had the Crispy Pusit (calamari!) which was very good. The garlic dip it came with had a little spice. My family and I love spicy food and typically, Pilipino food isn't spicy. We ordered all of the following dishes "spicy," which ended up being REALLY spicy. We didn't mind, but if you'd like some spice, I suggest you specify the "level" of spiciness so they can accommodate your request! My dad and I got the Beef Steak Tagalog (think slices of angus chuck roast in onion and soy sauce based gravy) which was very good. Pretty damn spicy. My boyfriend got the Mixed Adobo with chicken (an unmistakable Filipino delicacy; Chunks of chicken and pork marinated in a special sauce of garlic, vinegar, and black peppercorn). I didn't get to try any of his, but he said he really liked it! My mom got the Laing Sa Gata (taro leaves with pork and shrimp cooked in coconut milk) - this was hands down my favorite dish at the table. Next time I come here, I'm definitely getting this. Side note about the "vegetable entrees" - not all of these entrees are strictly vegetarian, so please read the item description before you order if you require a complete vegetarian dish! For dessert, we got the yam ice cream which was absolutely delicious! A treat for the eyes and the mouth! Can't wait to come back here! *I urge you to use the bathroom before you come here and after you leave.
(5)
Gee E.

After great reviews from family and friends, I finally went to try this place out. Made my order for take out first thing Sunday morning (going to bring the Filipino food to a birthday lunch) and then drove over to pick it up when they said it'd be ready. Long story short, my order wasn't ready when I got there. After a half an hour of waiting, found out my order was lost. I had to reorder then waited some more to finally get my food. It was an hour after I originally ordered before I got my food. I got apologies from the wait staff. That's it. And, I wasn't the only one frustrated waiting for a take out order that day. Anyways, not going back any time soon. Everyone had already eaten by the time I got to my birthday lunch meeting. Food was great, but service definitely left a bad taste in my mouth.
(2)
Rose K.

Food was great and served in large portion. The time it took the food to reach our table was frustrating (a little over an hour) but it was a Friday night and the servers came by to apologize and give us an update several times. This place does seem to get pretty busy so call ahead and make a reservation! We ordered: lumpia -10 for $3 but they threw on a few extras. lechon kawali - a few pieces were way overcooked, dry, and hard to chew adobo rice - favorite of the night! definitely want to try the mixed adobo next time pancit palabok - first time ever trying this dish so can't say if it was good or bad. it just wan't my thing. all the toppings were meshed so it had no texture. BYOB - don't forget to take your favorite bottle! :)
(4)
Matt B.

I'm giving this a solid 5 stars because the experience is pretty great. I mean, considering that this is just a random store front in a run down strip mall, it would be really easy to overlook Isla Pilipina. Don't be fooled. The food here is excellent and it's well worth a visit (or three.) On my most recent visit I had the Adobo Chicken with white rice. It was excellent, filling, and even tasted great as lunch leftovers the next day! My date had their tilapia which she enjoyed - however, it is fried and the menu doesn't say that, so if that's a concern look out! Not a big deal for her but was unexpected. Lastly, we shared some grilled vegetables and those were awesome! The plate was a huge mix of grilled onions, red and green peppers, celery and eggplant. It was delicious, cooked perfectly and lightly seasoned. A nice old man at the table behind us saw the dish and came over to ask what it was because it looked so good. We shared a Halo-Halo for dessert and it was pretty good. The purple ice cream (whatever it is) is tasty and so is the shaved ice. The red bean stuff at the bottom was... interesting. Either way, a good little dessert to split! One fun note - the music here was crazy on our visit. It was all modern music but it was a really weird variety. We had some classic romantic tunes that we joked were going to lead to a candle lit dinner, shortly followed by 90s rap hits, classic rock, and even some more 'metal' tunes. It was unique and we both shared some good laughs over this. Note: It wasn't loud music, it was just slightly audible, but not enough that conversations were secondary. It was actually the perfect volume level.
(5)
Annasstasha C.

The best place on earth for Filipino food that my grams or mom or tita didn't make. Filipino spaghetti is my default order but everything here is delicious. The staff is always very welcoming and the local artists' paintings featured on the wall is a great way to showcase talented members of the community.
(5)
Marisa Y.

I ventured up here with my sister and mom and wish I had gotten to Isla sooner! If you've never had Filipino, this is the place to go. Everything is delicious and very authentic (my mom is from the Philippines). The location is small so you might have to wait, but we went kind of early for lunch so we didn't have to wait very long. The only people eating in the restaurant were Filipinos and people brought by Filipinos...which to me, means the food is legit. We ordered the lumpia shanghai, daing na bangus, bicol express, guinataang gulay at hipon, pancit bihon, leche flan, and halo halo. Yes, it was a lot for just three people and totally unnecessary, but I wanted leftovers and I wanted to try out a bunch of dishes to see how authentic the place was. The portion sizes are HUGE and an amazing value. Every dish that we ordered with meat had generous portions (I hate when I get Indian and its 10% meat; 90% sauce). Less crazy people only need to order one (maybe two) entree dishes and the most expensive entree I saw was $12. Are you kidding me?! That's incredible for Chicago! The daing na bangus and guinataang gulay were our favorite entrees. The daing is just such crispy fried deliciousness you can't go wrong ordering it. The pancit bihon and halo halo were also om nom nom delicious and I highly recommend them. The pancit bihon was on par with my mom's. The lumpia, leche flan, and bicol express were solid (4 star minimum), but I like my mom's take on the first two better (I would still recommend even those dishes!) and the Bicol Express wasn't spicy at all. I'm so excited for my leftovers for the week ;-)
(5)
Melissa C.

This place is tiny and not in a cute way but uncomfortably small. I'm not even close to being a big woman at all but I could barely maneuver down the aisle to get to the counter where my To-Go order was waiting. I accidentally bumped into someone's elbow and a waiter had to tuck himself into a corner so that I could make my way through. This place was PACKED. You'd think the food was actually delicious! First, I didn't see any Filipinos back there cooking. I seen a black man and two white guys. Anyways, the food was bland! I mean where's the flavor! I tried the pancit bihon, lumpia, bbq pork and garlic rice. The pancit was completely flavorless. One of my brothers closest friends is Filipino and his mother would always send my brother home with homemade pancit, it was amazing. I went here hoping I could get some of that but it wasn't even close. The pancit was very bland, the few pieces of chicken also lacked flavor. It reminded me of plain boiled chicken that was cut up and just tossed in some noodles. No sauce. No seasoning. Nothing. I mean there's some scallions and a lemon wedge but come on! Whats with all the great reviews? The bbq pork was ok. Nothing amazing. Same as the other items I tried. Nothing to make me crave it or want more or even go back. There won't be a next time.
(2)
Bianca D.

It's so sad that this place is not bigger. After our 4 hours drive from Ohio we were dying to pee. We had to walk through the kitchen where a cook/dishwasher lingeringly took the time to take in all the details of my outfit (shirt and jeans? not too revealing I would say). Really creepy, hence the missing star. However the food is TO DIE FOR. garlic rice, longanisa, lechon kawali, lumpia! I died and went to heaven with each bite of all of them. Other menu items looked good as well! Buko juice and pancit! I'll be back as soon as I can, just not when I have to use the restroom!
(4)
Loretta P.

I aim to try different types of cuisine on a regular basis. And I hadn't had Filipino food (other than pancit) before my visit here. For our birthdays, my fellow foodie friends and I will usually try and outdo previous forays into the cultural culinary unknown. For this birthday I wanted Filipino. I was halting between Angry Bird and Isla Pilipina. My fellow Yelpers decided the vote for me with Isla Pilipina, since it had more/better reviews. I sent around the link to their menu so everyone could get an idea of what they serve, figure out what sounds good, etc. Fast forward to the day of. My sister has to work late, one friend is in Itasca, it's pouring rain, and this birthday dinner is just not coming together! My sister said she could walk out of the door of her shop at 8 pm sharp, so I decided to just go for it. I had made the reservation for 8:30, and knew that they were closing at 9 pm, so I called to see how much grace they could extend to us. The young lady who answered the phone said that we'd be fine as long as we could get in and order by the time the kitchen closes at 8:45. Ok. I'll take it! We're totally doing 70 mph on I-94 in the rain (when traffic allowed), but were still not going to get there by 8:30, and maybe not even 8:40. Egads! I decided to call again, while en route, and beg for mercy. I explained my dilemma (and played the "It's my birthday and I want to spend it at your place" card) to the really cool guy who answered the phone, and he took our orders over the phone so that we wouldn't miss out on all of the wonderful deliciousness that is Isla Pilipina! How cool is that?!? So, yeah, I'm a fan! As for the food, I had done a survey of the reviews and picked out the offerings that garnered the most raves, as well as a couple others that caught my eye. We ordered : Lumpia Shanghai Filipino Fried Chicken w/Banana Ketchup Kare Kare Garlic Rice Shanghai Fried Rice Tilapia Filet with Mango Salsa Mixed Adobo Calamansi Juice Halo Halo Ube Ice Cream I thoroughly enjoyed my choices, the staff was super friendly and helpful (they even took pics for us to commemorate), and I plan to return so that I can work my way through the rest of the menu!
(4)
TJ C.

Filipino Food that makes me feel like a child again... This place is amazing. The Pancit Bihon, amazing. Lumpia, amazing. Adobo, amazing. Halo Halo... I'll let you guess. It's hard to find a place on the north side of the city that serves Filipino food & I for one am so glad that Isla Filipina exists. My wife and I try to make it up here as much as we can, and it never disappoints. There is only good things to say and I hope that you enjoy this humble restaurant as much as I do. Big flavor a from such a small venue. I will be back, A LOT!
(5)
Hankyung C.

I honestly havent really tried a lot of philipino food so when it comes to taste, I judge based off what I know. I thought the food was phenomenal as well as the service. The waiter was very helpful and hilarious. who doesnt want good company (?) when they are dining
(4)
Esther F.

Maybe it was because we couldn't get 2 of the 3 dishes we ordered (were out of 1 of them at 3 in the afternoon and weren't finished making the other), but we didn't find the dishes we had very inspiring.
(2)
Jonn C.

Very clean, nice staff and good food. One of my favorite filipino restaurant. Try the inihaw baboy, spaghetti and fried chicken, garlic rice and dinuguan
(4)
Jason C.

I'll preface this with my being an intelligent eater and a food snob. That said, I have to say this place is quite fun to frequent. First, the food. Each dish is obesity sized portions, which is to say you'll be taking a to go bag. I'm a serious eater so if I have to take a to go bag, the portions are kicking my ass. The portion size generosity aside, the deliciousness and taste of home cooked is definitely in each plate. In short nothing tastes even a hint of use of a microwave which is a little detail with heavy impact on me. I also happen to love the menu, its not overwhelming with every conceivable item under the sun. It's simple and easy to scan/memorize. Last I have to address the staff. For me just as important as the grub and interiors/ambiance which everyone overly praises I always look to the staff. If they make me want to tip them well, they have that special something something. These sharp kids who work here have awesome personalities, work ethic, and attentiveness. Considering the amount of customers that flow in here (I was just here tonight) they handle it like exceptional professionals) I'm pretty impressed. They also happen to be very attractive and I think they could become Walgreens catalogue models, just throwing that out there feel free to throw it right back :) Nuff said, just go and get your eat on! Things to try: milkfish, tapa, soups, lumpia, stuffed squid, chicken, calamansi juice (reminds me of Boracay), coffee is exceptionally well crafted.
(5)
Jeremy B.

Some of tge best Filipino food I've has. Nicki(sp) made some wonderful recommendations. Mixed Adobe was my favorite followed up by Dinuguan as a close second. Also had the kawali (with soy sauce style diping sauce) and Lumpia shanghai which were both good. Top ut ak if with Ube (like an ice cream) Everyone there was super nice and I look forward to coming back and trying the rest of the menu
(5)
July H.

Been here twice. Ordered beef the first time, then chicken the second time. Both dishes were comprised of industrial grade meat. I did not feel like I was eating Pinoy food. And to top it off, they do not have a public restroom.
(2)
Dee S.

I've been here tons of times for obvious reasons...its the spot! Things to get: Chicken Teriyaki, Pancit Canton, Lumpia, BBQ Pork or anything on their menu.. Staff is super cool, food is super cheap, the portions are huge AND it's quality.. What else could you want? Go here....Now..
(5)
Yoel J.

We had a serious craving Filipino fried pork. They had run out last time we came so we made sure we came early enough that this wouldn't be an issue. Both the pata and the pork belly was cooked wonderfully; so crispy, perfectly salty, and decadent. Their accompanying sauces were delicious as well. Service was okay. She forgot to bring us an ordered coke twice but she was so busy and apologetic and friendly that it didn't bother us much. Their music selection was a little odd--Whitney Houston one minute, heavy metal the next. FYI: This place packs really fast, so make your reservation prior or get there before the rush. Also on Sunday night, they close super early at 7 p.m.
(4)
Nicole G.

LOVE THIS PLACE!! I have been here a hand full of times and have never been unhappy! There food is excellent and the staff are wonderful and very friendly! Will be back many more times!!!
(5)
Jennifer G.

I really wanted to like this place, but while I thought the appetizers were great, I thought the flavor of entrees was lacking. First the positives - they have a private lot so plenty of parking, and it's also only 3 blocks from the Brown Line. It's BYOB, so we saved on drinks. For appetizers - we started with Lumpia Shanghai, Fresh Eggroll Lumpia, and the Pork BBQ. All three of the dishes were really good. The Lumpia Shanghai are like little fried spring rolls, while the Fresh Lumpia is like fresh spring rolls with lots of fresh vegetables inside. The Pork BBQ was also very good and perfectly cooked. Unfortunately, the dishes went downhill from there. For our entrees, we got Tilapia Fillet with Mango Salsa, Lechon Kawali (fried pork belly), Kare - Kare (oxtail), and Mixed Adobo (chicken and pork). None of the dishes were that flavorful. The oxtail was very salty (although the meat was cooked well), the tilapia was so well done it was tasteless, the pork belly was hard to chew, and the mixed adobo (supposedly a Fillipino delicacy) was unmemorable. Each of the dishes needed more of a kick - whether it be a sauce or some spices or something. One aspect I wasn't a fan of was that each of our dishes came with scoop of rice. However, we wanted to try to garlic rice (which ultimately was pretty good). With all the food we did order (and no room on the table), we told them to skip giving us the scoop of rice that comes with our dishes. However, they then still charged us for the one order of garlic rice. I thought that was a little petty on their part. I know that garlic rice is a little more than regular rice, but I would think that 4 regular rices equals 1 garlic rice. For dessert, we tried the flan and the Halo-Halo. A server dropped off the Halo Halo and we then started eating it from the top down. A few minutes later, our server comes and tell us that we're supposed to stir the whole thing together so it's completely mixed. I wish the person who dropped it off would have told us that. Regardless, it was not that good. I wouldn't recommend it. As for the atmosphere - the restroom is across from the kitchen...in the kitchen. Oddly, someone from the wait staff has to walk you thru the kitchen to the bathroom. And it's extremely slippery in the kitchen. A little odd to say the least. All in all - while there are not that many Fillipino restaurants in Chicago, this is one place I would recommend skipping.
(2)
Xerxes C.

hands down the best filipino restaurant in town. food is good and the portion size is good. the best thing is the food is very traditional and it really hits the flavor that im looking for. a traditional filipino flavor. so me and my fiancee came here to eat at late night around 8pm and there were 3-4 more tables that night it was friday so they where probably busy earlier and we ordered for appetizers the calamari for $9 and the portion was huge probably good for 4 people. and for the entree we ordered the grille chicken and pork I recommend it. it hits the flavors back home. just the way we cook it in the streets of phillipines but on a plate. and for dessert we got the halo-halo it was average but i still commend them for putting it on the menu and doing a good job. the service is good the ambiance is more like modern, modern music and art designs everywhere. staff are friendly which you need in a good restaurant. ill be coming back here for more forsure. with my friends.
(5)
Shereene M.

I'd probably give it a 3.5. The BYOB option is awesome, the prices are amazing and the service is super quick. It is small so if you have a big group, definitely make a reservation. They are very accommodating and our server was really nice but the girl answering phones was mad at the world & super cranky. The servings are huge! So order 1 item per two people because we probably had double the amount we needed. Also, they ran out of all the juices except coconut juice so that was a bit disappointing. Lumpia Shanghai- We got two orders but I probably could have eaten an entire order myself. Highlight of the meal Isla Chicken- Very good flavor, tender, probably #2 for me Pancit Bihon- Pretty good! #3 Dain na bangus- milkfish was just ok, I'd skip Tapa- super dry, not worth it Adobo rice- good but not needed if you are ok with white rice Crispy chicken- DON'T do it! No flavor except oil Beef kaldereta- ok, nothing special All of the desserts- I'd skip them all except the ube ice cream. The flavor is different and really tasty. I didn't care for the others. $16 per person with tip and we all left full and with a to-go box. I wasn't blown away but maybe it's just not my thing or maybe we should have ordered other things. Either way, it was a good experience.
(4)
Dustin H.

Winner winner, chicken dinner! No, wait... Winner winner chicken, pork, mussels, shrimp and calamari dinner! We started with the Lumpia Shanghai egg rolls. Super tiny, full of flavor, textures and yeah.. order 20. Don't be scared. The garlic rice? REAL GOOD. Savory, garlicly on several levels and beautifully moist and oily. You could easily make a meal just out of the rice. For entrees we tried an incredible mix of flavors and textures. From our vegetables and steamed shrimp cooked in coconut milk which just coated the mouth lovely to the mixed adobo, everything was good. The beef oxtail in the Kare Kare was succulent and required you to pick up the bone and chew off the meat. My favorite dish was the "Bicol Express" which featured meat, shrimp, squid, and mussels drizzled in coconut milk. It was recommended we go with SPICY even though the menu suggests "slightly spicy" and I have no regrets. SPICY was the right choice. There was a wonderful bite to the perfectly cooked seafood with a flavorful lightly plated sauce. Beyond the absolutely delicious and wonderful food, the service was perfectly friendly and actually kind of homey. I literally felt at home, in a neighborhood I have never visited before. Nice job Isla. You are wonderful.
(5)
Laurice M.

Been here 4 times already and every time, Isla delivered! Love, love, love this place for its authenticity, presentation, affordability, and of course great food! I haven't been able to try everything on the menu but everything that I've had so far were amazing! Ada H. was right - garlic rice with the pork BBQ is a must try!
(5)
Bobo D.

I always believe in what you pay is what you get. But after reading so many positive reviews of this $ place, as a foodie, I drove 30mins here and decided to give it a try. BUT burnt meat, seriously? Sry, I am not a fan. Ordered tapa and pork BBQ. The tapa was alright. Pork BBQ was seriously way over cooked. You can taste the burnt, sour burnt wood flavor. Super disappointed. Will not come back. Throw extra few bucks and go somewhere else. Burnt meat increases cancer risk, my friend. PS, the review is only for pork BBQ and tapa. Their other dishes might be good.
(2)
Nikki L.

I've been here 3 times. You know the saying fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me...what about the 3rd time? It's unfortunate that I have not been able to find a decent Filipino restaurant in Chicago. Let's start with the service, AWFUL. I'm ashamed to share the same name as the person who was serving us. Not only did she have an attitude, but she left in the middle of serving us. Luckily the other girl at the check out counter was sweet and could sense that we were not happy and was trying to get more information. We ordered the Lumpia, Grilled beef and Pancit. The wrapper from the Lumpia was soggy, the beef was dry and tough and the pancit was bland and the chicken was dryer than the Sahara Desert. I do not recommend this to anyone looking for a Filipino food experience, it's not an accurate representation of the food and you will more than likely be disappointed.
(1)
Ruxin H.

There aren't that many filipino places in downtown chicago and this one is probably the best. Portion is decent and price is pretty reasonable too. I love their pork adobo and lumpia. I can just snack on their lumpia non-stop. Their pork adobo is very sauce, which I like a lot. The pork is very tender and juicy, which I like a lot also. I called them for catering before too and they did a very good job of packaging everything nicely and having it ready when I came to pick it up.
(5)
Jeff S.

Went to Isla today for lunch thanks to the glowing recommendations on this site. And I definitely was not disappointed. I asked the waitress for recommendations and she picked out the Lumpia Shanghai (mini egg rolls) and Mixed Adobo. Big fan of both. I must have gotten some beginner's luck as a few more than 10 pieces of the egg rolls arrived quickly. They give off a nice crunch when bitten and are filled with delicious flavors. The duck sauce that comes with it is great too. Not too long after that the mixed adobo arrived. Of the two meats, the pork was better than the chicken though both were extremely moist and tasty. The rice did a nice job of soaking up the sauce. Not sure when I will get back as it's quite a hike from where I live but if I am ever in the area, I know where to stop.
(4)
Betsy C.

I second everything good that's been said about this place. It's consistently fresh and delicious, and I've literally liked everything I've tried. There are no bad choices on the menu! My mother couldn't believe the deep fried pork knuckle, and it's now something she tells her friends about back in Michigan! BYOB and very reasonable prices push this from excellent to a beyond-excellent experience. If there's a wait, it's worth it, but reservations are a good idea. Owners of this gem, please open five more exactly like it!
(5)
Andre B.

Cheap but very good food. Be warned, most of the food is very heavy, but great. This place is my go to restaurant for good food. Downsides: It's a small restaurant, be sure make a reservation during peak hours. Moreover parking is somewhat limited.
(5)
Kaman T.

More like a 4.5 star! Came here as a last minute choice for a Friday night dinner with my bf and his aunt. It's a small restaurant and they DO take reservations. Highly recommend doing that cause it got quite busy around 7:00pm. This place has a hole-in-the-wall, but turned modern feel. Service: Everyone is very friendly. Young staff. Food: Crispy Calamari: Fried calamari with a side of dipping vinegar. It was good, but not the best fried calamari I've had in Chicago. This I would skip for next time. Crispy Chicken: THIS, on the other hand, is a must get. I normally would not order fried chicken at a Filipino restaurant, but I saw EVERY other table order it and I have fomo, so I just had to order it. Thank god I did. Skin is THIN but crispy, not crunchy (big difference). Dipped in the banana ketchup = perfect match. Kare Kare: Big portion and the oxtail is super tasty. Beefy, tender, fall off the bone. At the end of it all, I picked up the bones with my hand and sucked the marrow out. Yes, I went there. Inihaw Pork: Basically bbq/grilled pork. Sliced and came with a side of the same dipping vinegar. Good, but would skip this for next time. Garlic Rice: Amazing. Love the chewy texture. Went well with the Kare Kare sauce. Calamansi juice: SO refreshing and delicious! If you like yuzu, you would love calamansi. Halo Halo: Delicious! My biggest fear with ube ice cream is having it be freezer-burned, but this place got it right. Everything was well balanced. Overall, a high 4 stars. Can not wait to return to try the other dishes.
(4)
Matt D.

Bring your appetite and your Filipino friends! This review will be short and simple: authentic food, family-style portions, friendly staff, & solid music. Enjoy this place as it is one of the few spots in the area of its kind.
(5)
Kay A.

Really, Seriously????? Four stars!!! Had one of the worst meals here I have ever had. In addition, they have just been closed by the Health Dept for unsanitary conditions. I guess they are again open again with cautions. They had several serious violations and it is not the first time. The food did not taste fresh and was not well prepared. Please - go somewhere else.
(1)
Kelley S.

This place is excellent. Prices are great and portions are large. I got the tofu noodle dish and the grilled pork. The noodles were broken which wasn't a favorite but the flavor was great. The pork was excellent. Our table also ordered the chicken teriyaki and the pork shoulder.... also excellent choices. Shared the lumpia shangai which were flavorful. Also tried the Halo Halo for dessert based on many raves here. This wasn't a favorite of mine either, but I'm glad I tried it. This is a bit of a drive from me, but I will definitely be returning here, probably very soon.
(5)
Tan L.

Food s just ok. Place is tight and dingy. Service, rudest Asian servers ever!!! Never going back!
(2)
Junella G.

I took friends here for my birthday and a lot of them had never had the Filipino dishes they ordered. Needless to say, they loved them and most of them stated they would return again to taste even more of the food. The staff was so wonderful and accommodating to our big party, and everything from the service to the atmosphere was terrific. The dinaguan did not disappoint, the lechon kawali was exquisite, and even the teryaki had a fantastic smoky flavor. As a Filipino who grew up in the DC area, a lot of the dishes reminded me of eating too much and too often over the holidays while laughing over dirty jokes. If the food at Isla can remind you of what it is like to be with your loud, boisterous Filipino family, then you know it is legit. So whether you are a seasoned veteran of Pinoy cuisine or a beginner embarking on a new culinary journey, Isla Pilipina is the place to be.
(5)
Michael K.

This is a review of my second time coming here, the first time was four years ago. This is a fairly small restaurant in a strip mall, but don't let the appearances deceive you. It is BYOB, so remember there is a liquor store next door to get wine or beer. I had the Beef Steak Tagalog and my wife had the Lechon Kawali (fried Pork Belly). The steak was very tender with a great sauce. We had vegetables too, which were a little big for the dinner we had, but we made use of taking home. The place being small comes into focus when you are trying to fit several large plates of food onto the small tables. Overall, the place is great. Staff was friendly. Music selection was excellent. Next time to though, I'll make a reservation for Friday dinner!
(4)
Ivy D.

I absolutely love this place. Maybe a little too much. I'm not going to lie I was a bit scared at first because I have never had Filipino food but I was willing to try especially since my boyfriend is Filipino. We picked up a bottle of wine since it is BYOB. The place is really small so I would suggest bringing a date or a friend. We decided to share various entrees, So I could try different things. We had Sinigang which is a Sour tamarind soup with tomato and green beans. It is just the right amount of sour. The Tortang Talong- Which is a Eggplant omelet which comes with delicious banana ketchup to dip in. and the Tilapia Fillet with Mango Salsa- so good. The prices are great, the food is great, and its BYOB. No corkage fee. I gave it 4 stars because the bathroom is in an odd spot.
(4)
neesha d.

I got my friends baby shower catered from tbis awesome place and alll the food was a big hit!! The garlic rice was so delicious I could probably eat a giant trough of it myself. Adobo- winner! The lump is were great too! Have to make it out to the actual restaurant to experience it next time but looking forward to it!
(5)
Melvin D.

Had my late birthday dinner and everything from calamari, pinakbet, boneless milk fish to chicken BBQ was soooo delicious!
(5)
Ignacio R.

Small restaurant with great food. bYOB which makes it better that you can choose what you want to drink. Liquor store is next door. Awesome food, lingers in your mouth. Food taste even better the next day. I recommend to all my friends. Lakhi (owner) made great recommendations
(5)
Lulu R.

Words cannot describe how much I love this place. I am going to try though. Lol I first caught wind of this spot on the Filipino Limewire. All this buzz about this food being delicious, straight from the mouths of other Filipinos, we had to give this a try. We walk in and its a smaller place and it is bustling in there. You can see all sorts of people eating with family, solo, dates. etc. We got seated and we ordered our food. Our Waiter, who was super patient with us and added the house recommendations. -Spicy Beef Caldereta: Beef cubes braised in a sweet tomato sauce with potatoes, carrots, green pepper, olives, and onions. I have tried many versions of this and I love to see everyone's take on it. The beef wasn't hard or over cooked. The flavors all work very well to you. Eating this over rice is a perfect marriage. -Lumpia Shanghai - Fried egg rolls with a sweet and Sour Dipping sauce. It is perfectly fried and crispy. The filling inside was perfectly seasoned. 20 pcs and between us....we killed it. - Spaghetti Delight with Fried Chicken. I know what you readers are thinking, "Spaghetti? At a Filipino joint?" And the answer is YES. They make it sweet, nothing like you have ever tasted before. The chicken is out of this world. Golden fried and a perfect accompaniment to the spaghetti. -Fried Bangus - Boneless Milkfish Marinated in Vinegar and Garlic and fried Crispy. This milkfish does not disappoint and has a chicken like taste to it. Dip it in the vinigar to amplify the flavors in it. Isla is always changing their menu and keeping things new. The owner Ray, is a super cool guy doing Filipino food right. I am very impressed with this place and will be sure to be a repeat customer for years to come. Isla is very easy to get to with street and lot parking. Also accessible by public transport. The prices are very very reasonable and you get a lot for your money. Thanks Isla for an amazing meal!
(4)
Vannah Y.

Really good food, but I was a bit let down. I was absolutely blown away the first time I went here, but this time it didn't really live up to my expectation. But once again, overall, it was really good food.
(4)
Jin W.

Nice ambience and welcoming to non-ethnic Filipinos. My Caucasian husband's favourite is garlic rice and mixed adobo. I'm privy to grilled milk fish, lumpia and sinigang. Today, I went with a whole bunch of friends and we got to sample a lot of dishes. The pancit canton and calamari are my new favorites.
(5)
Kristina C.

This place is a hidden gem. Food is absolutely delicious.
(5)
August B.

People come here to find out about Filipino food and leave finding out that they wish they were Filipino.
(5)
Veronica F.

This is the best filipino restaurant in the area. Comparable to The Laughing Bird, you are going to get more food for the price at Isla as well as great service. The server (or servers, because we had so many people paying attention to us!) was friendly and accommodating. The restaurant itself is cozy yet roomy enough to not be on top of other tables. I'm very excited about having a good filipino restaurant in walking distance and recommend this place to anyone testing out their taste for filipino food.
(5)
Jessica H.

A friend of mine has family from the Philippines so we decided to check this place out. We were all glad that we did!! It's a tiny inconspicuous BYOB restaurant with a very small dining room. The vibe was great, they were playing some old school 90's music station and had local art on the walls. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful. We walked in around 7/730 and the dining room was full and had a few tables reserved for people that had placed reservations. They said it might be a 20 minute wait so I told them we would have to go some place else (I was extremely hungry). The guy helping us told us he would see what he could do and gave us menus to look at while we waited. We ended up getting seated shortly after and began to order. We started with an appetizer of 20 mini Lumpia Shanghai rolls that were crispy and delicious. We then ordered Adobo, Pancit and Adobo rice to share. They were all great, big portions and pretty authentic according to my Philippino friend. To end the meal I had 3 little scoops of Ube icecream which was the perfect end to my meal :) Overall great service, yummy food and awesome little hidden gem of a restaurant.
(4)
Maria M.

I've been eating at Isla a lot lately as I keep dining with people who are craving Filipino food and it tends towards the enjoyable. The sinigang is my favorite. Not quite as sour as when I make it but I like an intense level of sour and this one at least has enough that you can taste it unlike say Little Quiapo's. I prefer baboy or bangus although the hipon is good too. My other favorites on the menu are the dinuguan, the mixed adobo and the inihaw pork. All are flavourful and cooked well. The Pancit Canton is fine. Nothing special but as I confessed at Christmas this year, pancit isn't really my favourite in general. Kare kare was another dish that was fine but not to my tastes. Flavour was good but it's a very thick and heavy dish. Tortang Talong is delicious but it would be concerning if it wasn't considering what a simple dish it is. Still being able to do the basics well is always a good sign. The crispy pata, crispy chicken and daing na bangus were all over fried, especially the crispy chicken. Crispy chicken is the only dish I've had there I actively disliked.
(4)
Greg L.

Crispy Pata + Lechon Kawali= Filipino heaven. This place is a godsend. Everything is good. EVERYTHING. I've been here about 10 times and have always left full and satisfied. Portions are good and food is amazing. The place is small so if you are in a group I highly recommend calling a head and placing a reservation. I've done this a couple times and they are always accommodating. Extra plus they are BYOB. Boom.
(5)
Patrick B.

I went here for lunch once and ordered the Teriyaki Chicken lunch special. It was alright, but nothing special. I almost didn't go back, but I'm so glad I did. The Tocino is amazing, and I could eat a large order of the Lumpia by myself, it's so good. I also recommend the Bicol Express, and don't forget to follow up the meal with some Ube Ice Cream.
(4)
Anastasia B.

I can't get over it! I was there this weekend and again everything was fabulous! Only one thing I'd change about this place and that would be making it bigger! I was sad when my leftovers were gone. Time to make another trip!! Great job isla!
(5)
Erica L.

Hello #100! What better way to celebrate this landmark than by reviewing a great place to grab Filipino food. I've been here several times, and it's been consistently good. The dishes are flavorful. Everything I've tried has been tasty. The portions are generous - each entree comes with a side of rice, so keep this in mind if you order the special rice (garlic, adobo, Chinese fried rice). They also have a good offering of veggie options, some with meat, which fits the definition of "veggie" in Filipino cuisine. It's BYOB, but the store next door sells the Filipino beers San Miguel and Red Horse. The service is awesome! Last month, I brought my friend who had never tried Filipino food. The server took the time to answer his questions and gave great recommendations. My friend had a wonderful first impression of Filipino food. Thanks for representing our culture and cuisine Isla!
(5)
Beth U.

Woohoo Isla! Definitely the best Filipino food in the Chicagoland area. I've been to a good number of Filipino restaurant and they've all been more or less the same. And then there was Isla... *cue angelic entrance music* The thing that makes Isla great is that it updates traditional Filipino cuisine for the modern palate incorporating high level culinary skills. So what does that mean? That means the lumpia is just like your mama made it except it's somehow tastier, lighter, and crispier. The lechon kawali and crispy pata are nice mainstays but I think the Kare Kare and the Bicol Express really shine. They are both great traditional dishes but at Isla they have a little something extra that sets them apart. Now if you're Filipino, I know I've hyped it up too much at this point and you're in full hater mode, but just give it a chance if you haven't tried. And if you're not, I hope I've enticed you. Oh, and the calamari as a starter is really good too. And the sisig when they offer it. Now the caveats: it is byob. I would highly suggest you bring some nice beverages with you - preferably a fresh lager or something in that vein... in general Filipino is not wine food =) Finally, it is a really small place and it's pretty popular so keep that in mind if you have a large party and you want to come in on Saturday night, expect a wait.
(5)
Julius Q.

Loved my experience in this restaurant. I would be proud to bring my friends to this Filipino restaurant. I wish we have more of this kind of restaurant in Chicagoland that highlight our filipino cuisine. Although this restaurant is considered on the low to medium range, the quality super exceeds the price point. My previous and first review was for another filipino restaurant and the difference was night and day. Here is the outline of my review. Ambience: simple but inviting. I like the configuration of tables. I see lots of filipinos eating but several non-filipino patrons as well. The place does not have an intimidating feel. I saw another non-filipino couple at one of the tables and seemed like they were having a great time. This experience already preset our impression of this restaurant. Staff: friendly and professional. I wish they quickly attend to people coming in the door. Overall, fantastic place...
(4)
Johnny R.

"As good as it gets." I'd say so. We had: Fried eggrolls Pancit Bihon Crispy Chicken Pork (I need to look up the name) Chicken (I need to look up the name) We were referred to here by a friend from the Filipines, so my expectations were pretty high. And they were exceeded. This was too much food for us, next time I would order one less entree. Oh yeah, and excellent service.
(5)
Dinah T.

This is a place you got to check out if you want some delicious Filipino food. The portions are plenty to share with others; each dish comes with a big scoop of white jasmine rice (only comment was that the rice tonight was a bit al dente). The place is kind of small in a strip mall with limited parking. We ate here on a Saturday night, it's best to make reservations if you have a big party as we did. I'm glad we did cause the place was packed and the whole place smelled so good! The menus would need some tender loving care, overly used but at least you can still read it as the description was reader friendly for those non-Filipinos who want to try Filipino cuisine. So here we go because our eyes were bigger than our stomach: -Lumpia Shanghai (Deep fried mini eggrolls served with sweet & sour sauce: pork, egg, jicama, green onions, carrots, soy sauce, love.) 20pcs. for a party of 6 we devoured it. Literally true pinky size egg rolls hot, crispy, and delicious you got to order this! -Nilaga (An original house broth with cabbage, potato we chose Baka (Beef). I'd compared this with corned beef and cabbage stew, not bad. -Pancit Palabok (Tofu sauce made with garlic, fish and onions garnished with calamari and scrambled egg over thin noodles), this was ok. I'm use to eating this dish with thicker white rice noodles like spaghetti size. I wouldn't order this again. -Daing na Bangus (Sun dried boneless milkfish, marinated and deep fried). I like this fish with the vinegar sauce. To me it's like eating smoked salmon; instead of bread you eat this dish with rice. -Lechon Kawali (Deep fried pork belly served with Filipino style gravy). It's totally order this again! So crispy, presliced pieces with their sweet thick sauce that comes with it. -Kare - Kare (Beef oxtail and green beans in peanut sauce; with a side of shrimp brine paste). This was good; I wish that they cooked the fresh vegetables a bit longer. I don't care much for al dente veggies with this dish. -Beef Kaldereta (Angus chuck roast cooked in tomato and pepper based gravy with potatoes and peppers); this was good, thick and hearty like a pot roast stew. I'd order this again. -Mixed Adobo (An unmistakable Filipino delicacy; Chunks of chicken and pork marinated in a special sauce of garlic, vinegar, and black peppercorn) this was good, I'd get this again. -Beef Steak Tagalog (Think slices of angus chuck roast in onion and soy sauce based gravy), this was tasty, I would order this again. Meat was nice and tender with sweet onions and thick gravy. -Garlic Rice (Jasmine Rice pan fried with garlic), rice was a bit al dente but garlicky for sure. But don't order too much of this rice as your dishes comes with a huge scoop of white rice. Yes our table ordered two, craziness! For Dessert....a must try on a warm day: Halo-Halo (A refreshing medley of crushed ice mixed with fruit and bean preserves topped with ice cream and leche flan). Everything was so good and sweet. The bean preserves is a bit chewy and al dente. Overall, the is a good place to eat Filipino food, family style, and friendly staff. We even have food left over to bring home:) I would come back here again and again!
(4)
Michelle R.

Hands down the Best Filipino food in Chicago!! Favs are halo halo, Kare Kare, tilapia in mango salsa & Krispy pata!! Best food best service...can't beat that!
(5)
Michelle K.

Came here for dinner with a group of people to debrief a few things and connect over food. It was my first time having Filipino food and it was so yummy! The place is a bit small and nondescript on the outside--easy to miss! I drove by the first time and had to turn around! The waitress' attention was also a little hard to get but the food was delicious so 4 stars it is. We ordered 7 dishes for 8 people with an 3 extra orders of rice and a round of desserts and I am SO full. We got: Lumpia Shanghai: like mini eggrolls--a good way to ease people in who haven't really eaten Asian food. Very crispy and flaky. Crispy Pusit (Calamari): the batter was salted and peppered so it was a little saltier than I expected but yummy nonetheless! I think we got Pancit Canton. It's a noodle dish. It was fine but it wasn't my favorite out of everything we ordered. It was a little bland compared to their other yummy dishes so I don't know if I'd recommend getting this over other things you can get! Inihaw Bangus: (Grilled, marinated whole milkfish) yummy but the bottom was a little burnt but it come deboned so it's easy to eat! Lechon Kawali (Deep fried pork belly served with Filipino style gravy): very crunchy! The sauce, my new Filipino friends called it all-purpose sauce. Apparently no one knows what's in it but it's delicious though kind of thick! Don't be scared! I thought that the meat itself could be a bit more flavorful as pork belly is such a yummy part of the animal. I felt it wasn't given justice but hey, what do I know! It was my first time having it deep fried, so. Kare - Kare (Beef oxtail and green beans in peanut sauce; with a side of shrimp brine paste): This was probably one of my favorites of the night! The sauce was just sweet and savory enough to make you keep eating more and the green beans weren't overcooked as vegetables usually are in non vege-centric dishes. The oxtail was also cooked beautifully and was so tender. This was a FANTASTIC dish. Dinuguan (Chunks of pork served in a special gravy): The menu describes this as "special gravy" but I'll be 100% real. It's made of blood. That being said, everyone at the table tried this and LOVED it. It was actually so delightful and I'd get it again. We also ordered the garlic rice and made fun of my friend for wanting to order it but this was the first dish to be finished. So simple yet so delicious. We also got many halo-halos (the menu description reads: A refreshing medley of crushed ice mixed with fruit and bean preserves topped with ice cream and leche flan). It reminded me of Korean bingsoo and was so yummy! The jellies at the bottom were my favorite part! The Ube Ice Cream tastes like taro ice cream! And the flan was okay... It was my least favorite out of the three dessert options--a little harder and difficult to chew than I usually expect from flan but the two people who got the flan really enjoyed it, so to each her own! I would definitely come back and revisit some of these dishes, try some new ones, and definitely get the halo halo for myself next time!
(4)
G L.

Pinoy kid here. I moved away from my mom and Lola's home cooked meals and I miss them terribly. Fortunately Isla eases the pain. Stellar lumpia, Bicol Express, amazing adobo that might actually be as good as my mom's. Dinuguan so delicious I managed to get all my white friends to try it (and love it!) I've come here twice with large parties and it was a huge hit both times. With ambassadors like Isla Pilipina, I'm kinda hoping Filipino food becomes the next big cuisine in America :) Keep up the delicious work, guys!
(5)
Danny M.

I never had Filipino food at any other restaurants before and this was my first time eating here, but all I can say is, WOW!!! I always wanted to come here, but for who knows what reason, I always back out last minute. What a huge regret because now I can't wait till I come back here for more. This place is kinda small, but we found seats right away when we got there on a Thursday night. I didn't look at the menu because I came with a friend who knows what is good, so he ended up ordering everything. To be fair, I do not eat pork because I do not like the way it taste. I was told this is the wrong place because they are known for good pork dish. Anyway, I took the bait and ended up eating some pork and it was delicious! We ordered: Lumpia Shanghai (20pcs) - Even though this sounds like a lot, they are really small. Between 4 people, this was not enough lol. They are okay because you can't really taste anything besides the breading. Chicken Adobo - This good and the sauce was perfect! Bicol Express - Really good dish that is mixed with seafood and meat. Lechon Kawali - Deep fried pork. All I have to say is that I do not eat pork, but this was good and I would probably eat this again! Garlic Rice - This was really good and I would definitely recommend getting this over white rice. Halo Halo - My friends hyped this one up because I just thought it was okay at best. Still worth a try because there is always room for dessert.
(5)
Ada H.

Everything is delicious. And when I say everything, I really mean everything because I've had everything on the menu. I have been to many other Filipino places, and I still prefer the food here Isla. My favorites are the Bicol Express, the Inihaw Na Pusit, Pork BBQ, and the garlic rice. Bicol express is a slightly spicy combination of meat , shrimp, squid, and mussels drizzled in coconut milk (menu description). It's really creamy but not in a fatty way. If you love seafood, this a must try because it's such a different preparation of it. The Inihaw Na Pusit is a grilled squid stuffed with green onion, spanish onion and tomato. I really love squid so this was love at first bite. All of the Inihaw (grilled specials) are cooked well since they use a char grill, But I especially like the Pork BBQ. It's on the appeztizer menu, but it's really enough to fill me up, especially when I eat it with the garlic rice. The chunks of pork are large and slightly sweet from the marinade that they use. Such a great deal for $3. Now for my favorite dish at Isla, the GARLIC RICE! Yes the garlic rice is a side dish but it's awesome here! Soooo garlicky and perfectly seasoned. My only gripe is that it's $6. I almost deducted a star for this alone. The prices are decent but I don't know why the rice side dishes are so pricey. But honestly you can't go wrong no matter what you order. It's usually packed, especially on weekends so be prepared to wait. Call ahead to make a reservation if you can. There is a small lot that fills up fast, and also street parking in the area. It's also BYOB so can't go wrong!
(5)
John H.

Let me just preface this review with the fact that I am Filipino, born in Manila, but raised in the US... Filipino food always has a special place in my heart but I will always compare ANY Filipino food to my dad's cooking. Unfortunately Charlotte, NC (where I currently live) does not have any Filipino restaurants so I do not get to treat myself to the cuisine very often. Upon my last visit to Chicago to visit my sister and brother-in-law and run a half marathon, we went to Isla after the race to have lunch. We got there right around 11:30. Very unassuming place in a strip mall. Probably the first thing you will see is the Little Caesars pizza and/or the neon signs of the convenient store next door. Warmly greeted and seated, I started looking upon the unique menu and immediately started drooling at the offerings. The menu itself as as artful and creative as the art on the walls. I am guessing one of the owners/managers had their own creative background and makes a nice touch to the menu. Probably over-ordered, but we tried: lumpia shanghai, garlic fried rice, vegetable sinigang, mixed adobo, and the spaghetti delight. There were 3 of us, but with the restaurants generous portions, we had stuff to take home. The dishes were clean but packed a lot of complex flavor and still pretty to look upon before sinking your teeth into the food. Everything was amazing... just a tip: the spaghetti delight takes a little longer (than usual) to prepare and the waitress does preface this, but by the time it came out I think we were all already almost full. Never-the-less the spaghetti was worth the wait and also comes with two giant pieces of fried chicken. Since this place is in a strip mall, the dining area is limited and it filled up rather fast. We got there right before the lunch rush, but apparently if you are going to arrive after noon, you should call ahead and reserve a table.
(5)
K T.

I've had take-out from here quite a number of times in the past year or so. It's hard to find a good Filipino restaurant so was happy to discover this place and the first time I ordered, the food was pretty good and fresh. Unfortunately that was the only time I remembered the food being all around decent. Subsequent times - there was always something not right about 1 or more dishes I've ordered. I've had Kare Kare with undercooked vegetables, overly greasy Tortang Talong, several orders of Lechon Kawali have been overcooked to the point of over-dryness and/or burned, inihaw na baboy has been burnt. But again since there are few Filipino restaurants, I continued to order. My last order had burnt Lechon Kawali and overly cooked Lumpia Shanghai that I couldn't even eat! It's as if they were re-fried -- gross! On top of it, my bf picked up the food and service was atrocious - the young kids behind the counter just stood there - and the girl didn't even hand the food over and just pointed at the bags that belong to us. They couldn't even pack the food properly - sauce had already leaked into the bag from one of the dishes, and when I opened the food at home, the sauce for the Lechon Kawali wasn't sealed tightly and it was all over the container!! Also, their newest thing is that on their iPad register there are options in large font to give a tip, and a 'No' in tiny font! Really? Not with this type of service! I could probably forgive the service if the food had been better. But when both are equally bad, forget it, I will never order from here again.
(1)
Elina S.

Came here on a Sunday afternoon with my grandps for a little lunch, well it turned out to be a big lunch and we left full and stuffed. The place was packed to the point if we came in 5 minutes later we would have had to wait for a table and the whole place smelled of yummy Filipino home cooking and we were probably the only non Filipinos there so I thought it had to be good. And the food was good. It wasn't spectacular like I was hoping. A bunch of tables ordered the crispy pata which looked good, but I had it at Sunda, and it is a little too heavy of a dish for me, but at Isla it's MUCH cheaper so if it's your thang, you should get it here. We tried the Lumpia Shanghai as an appetizer which are these mini fried rolls, similar to spring rolls but thinner skin filled with pork and veggies. And for $3 you get 10 pieces and I think we got even more than that, but they do quick. They are tasty, but a little too greasy for me. Next we got the bbq pork on a stick which for $3 you get two sticks, also really cheap. It was a little overly chewy so not a fan of them, but the sauce was good. Then we ordered the Tocino for $9, it's fried cured pork, and that was my fave dish of the meal. Also, a little heavy, but much more moist than that bbq pork on a stick. We should have just ordered it with plain white rice, but no, we needed more food. Kind of a mistake. We got the pork, sausage and shrimp fried rice which I didn't really like. Other Asian restaurants do it much better as the sausage in there was kinda gross but we needed that rice to go well with the Tocino. Our server, however was very nice and the food was brought out super fast. They even wrapped up some leftovers for us, so I can't complain on the service. The food, on the other hand, was an experience, but it's just not for me. Too heavy, I felt full for hours after and it kinda just stuck in my tummy for too long. Maybe I should have gotten a mango smoothie to push it down, but I stuck with good ol' water. Isla, it's been fun, but I don't know if I'll be back. I did like the homey nature of this place, but I'll stick more to Thai and Japanese food.
(3)
John S.

Isla Philipina is a cozy small neighborhood restaurant. Having never tried Filipino food decided to give Isla Pilipina a try. First off the service here is top notch. Many people here must have been regulars because the people working here knew a lot of people by name. For a app we started with the Filipino egg rolls. They were amazing here, Fresh and had great flavor. For dinner I had the Beef Tagolog. It was also amazing. Portion size was generous and it was served nice and hot. Another plus is they have a free parking lot so if you are driving you will not have to go crazy looking for parking. Over all very impressed looking forward to coming back!!
(5)
Adam S.

I am thrilled that this doesn't have a 4.5 or 5 star rating (as of now it's at four stars). Why? Because I live close to Isla and I want ALL YOU PEOPLE TO STAY AWAY. MINE. It's a semi-hidden gem, it is. Everything (and I mean everything) I've had so far has been phenomenal. Fish, pork, chicken, noodles, curry, desserts . . . you name it. They care about their diners and while it's a small space with a small wait staff, they don't try to rush you through anything. They want you to really enjoy your experience. I couldn't be a bigger fan.
(5)
Jon O.

This place is most definitely the best Filipino restaurant in town. I've been here a couple times and both times sampled the Lumpia, Longaniza and other assorted chicken/pork dishes. The service here is always prompt and polite and they always get the orders right the first time. Also, the inside is very neat, orderly and clean. It feels a little sparse on the decorations (only a few pieces of art hanging up) but that's ok because the food is the real attraction here. The only real downside to this place is that it is kinda small and they close at 9pm so you have to plan early for dinner. Other than that this is a must hit place in my book. As a matter of fact just writing this review I've talked myself into going back as soon as possible haha. Also, for desert try their Flan.
(5)
Mark P.

I am a regular at this restaurant and I've waited a couple years to make sure I don't make a biased yelp review just because I am Filipino and I miss my mom's cooking. I also wanted to see how it compared to other Filipino restaurants in Chicago and I wanted to see how my friends liked the food when I bring them there. First, I want to list my suggested meal for two if you've never been there or eaten Filipino food: Appetizer: 10 pcs lumpia shanghai or 2 pcs pork bbq Entrees: Pancit Canton and fried Daing na Bangus Dessert: Halo Halo Now to my review---I give it a 5/5 stars on the criteria below: AUTHENTICITY: I find their menu to be very true to Filipino cuisine. There are a lot of provinces in the Philippines each having their own style on certain dishes, so some Filipinos may not feel the same way. PRICE: An average meal for 2 (1app, 2 entrees, 1 dessert) will be around $25-$30. I usually have leftovers. SERVICE: Most employees have been working here for at least 2 years and are very knowledgeable about the food. They will be able to tell you what you will like based on your preferences within seconds. I've been there enough that some servers know my name or at least spot me in the Lincoln Square area. BYOB: No corkage fee Parking: Although it may be tough to find a spot during prime hours, it's free. There's also street parking around. Tips: -Make a reservation for Friday and Sat nights (the wait can be awhile if you don't) -Use your home bathroom before you go (their bathroom is actually inside their kitchen. I don't mind but some might!) -Only order the 'Crispy Pata' if you're really hungry and in the mood for a greasy meal. It's pretty good, but it's massive.
(5)
Alicia A.

So far, my first experience went very well! I ordered carry-out. I was there for lunch and got the lunch special! $5.99 for rice, soup, lumpia and a small piece of dessert plus a meat item of your choice. If you can manage it, go get this lunch special! The selection they had was awesome! I love that I have my Filipino fix so close to home. They had me at the description of Mom's Spaghetti. Check it out, you'll know what I mean! ;) The prices there were very affordable and the food is delicious. I will be back for sure! The staff was very helpful and very friendly!
(4)
Mark C.

The food here is pretty good. The Halo Halo wasn't as good as I thought it'd be. All the dishes feed about 2-3 people. Solid. Yum.
(4)
Erica C.

Just had a delicious meal here. Very cheap ($31) with lots of leftovers! I made a reservation at 4:30 for 6:00 on a Friday, no problem. Glad I did! Very crowded, freezing outside, and no where for people to wait. It's a one room joint. From reading reviews, we ordered 20 of the mini spring rolls. Delicious! My 18 month-old kept eating all the crumbs even when we were done. We also got these thin little noodles that had a wonderful chicken stock flavor with veggies. And a delicious beef, onion, soy sauce dish. I'm too lazy to reference their names. I've never had Filipino food before, but my best friend from Boston is Filipino so I was pumped to try it! We also had the best chicken teriyaki I've ever had. Not that I usually order that out much because I find it to be a dish that picky people order, but I saw someone else eating it and thought it looked yummy. We wanted to order dessert, but our little man was getting crabby. The nice waitresses kept picking up all his dropped toys. Definitely going back. Everything everyone around me was eating looked amazing.
(5)
Bella D.

It's not bad. It's really good when your super hungry and craving Filipino food. Just don't get the palabok. The sauce was soooo thick that the tiny skinny noodles were drowning. Lugaw was ok but the rice they use wasn't the sticky ones which made it seem dry. (Go to uncle mikes for lugaw) Fried chicken is like double fried so it seemed like there was no meat in there. It was like eating chicken chicharon. Idk if that's a good thing. Halo halo is good here though.
(2)
Jean N.

The only Filipino restaurant in Chitown that I would recommend to non-Filipino friends and family. Authentic food and as good as it gets. I've tried everything here and never disappointed. I don't know why I haven't reviewed this place sooner. We even had them cater our wedding (tapa, mixed adobo, fried rice, grilled veggies then the other half of our menu was American food). It was definitely a hit!
(5)
Monty W.

place gets packed on a saturday evening - try reservations. Kare Kare is very good - order extra rice for that its delicious with the shrimp paste. Definitely would go to again if in the neighborhood. Friendly wait-staff - tried to accommodate as best as she could given that we didnt have reservations.
(4)
Julio V.

Not only is the service great but the ambiance is high energy. It's also a BYOB. But let's not kid each other , after all we are here to eat. The food is AWESOME !! I had the Kawaii Lechon pork bellies and they were great. Fresh hot and perfectly crispy. We also had the Siniga soup which is sour but freshly made. It is the kind of soup perfect for a cold day. Finally we had the Bicol express. A mixture of seafood in a coconut sauce. Delicious !!!! And we cannot come with out the typical lumpia. Which are good. Definitely will be back because .........(Wait for it !!). GAINED MY BUSINESS !!!
(5)
Ann R.

Ordered out the 2nd time; fabulous. Ordered my favorite: the tomato eggplant tower and garlic rice. Also ordered adobo rice, egg rolls and various other items on menu. I will return again!,,
(5)
Yanyao N.

I have so much love for this place. The food. The staff. The restaurant. Their story. Love and comfort in a little strip mall on Lawrence. Who knew? I have never had anything that I didn't like. Seriously. When I first came, I knew very little about Filipino food (and I still sort of don't know much, but the constant appearances of pork, rice, garlic, and vinegar meals that we are soul mates)...but it was instantly comforting and delicious. Now that Isla is practically my neighbor (heeeeey!), on cold days I love to call them up and order a ton of food and just sit on the couch watching bad TV and eating for hours. * The sinigang soup with pork belly is a MUST. It is one of my favorite soups ever. They also serve it with a side of rice, so in itself, it is easily a meal, especially with the big hunks of pork belly. * The meats dishes are meat-tastic. Lechon kawali with THAT gravy. The longanisa. The tocino. The mixed adobo. Mmm. (Note: if you're not into pork, you are a fool and probably shouldn't come here). * You must always (ALWAYS!) order a side of garlic rice. * Order the bicol express spicy. * Their noodles dishes are tasty. Love the pancit palabok with the tofu sauce. * And no visit to Isla is complete without eating at least 20 lumpia. * Finish off your meaty meal with halo-halo. I mean really, any place that puts hot dogs in their spaghetti and serves it with a side of fried chicken is going to win my heart over. I already knew that. Johnny T helped put them on Chicago's "placed to eat NOW" dining map when he raved about them on Check, Please! So, expect Isla to be busy, busy, busy. The food is amazing, it is BYOB, and the prices are low. People want in. Make a reservation if you can, even for lunch. If not, expect to wait, as the space is small. But I assure you, once you take a bite of their food, Isla will become an instant favorite.
(5)
Kristina B.

I'll get right to it, I'm a Filipina that grew up in the Philippines and this place is l-e-g-i-t. And if you know Filipino food, I do to need to spew out the handful of dishes I enjoy here. And if you don't know Filipino food, you can't go wrong here just ask for recommendations. It might not beat your Lola's, Mama's or Auntie Baby's cooking but it'll fill that void before you go home next.
(4)
Lolita F.

Food is good , but staff are not. Panic during busy time and forget the customer's need.
(3)
Maria L.

Finally reviewing Isla Pilipina after returning for my second delicious meal. Went on a Sunday afternoon and it was still pretty packed, make reservations if you can since the space is pretty small. If you are new to Filipino food, ask for recommendations from the super friendly servers and they won't steer you wrong. We had: lumpia (a must try) garlic rice (another must) longanisa (another must) kare kare with shrimp paste (a try if you're into peanutty flavors and ox tail) tamarind soup with shrimp (homey and pleasantly sour) grilled milkfish (really tasty and cooked perfectly) eggplant omelette (just ok) HALO HALO (ya GOTTA get this man, all other Asian desserts can suck it) Overall, we had a great experience and I absolutely love exploring Filipino food at Isla. All the flavors are amazing and I will definitely be back!
(5)
Dallas F.

This is one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. It appeals to me a variety of reasons including these top three: 1. The food 2. BYOB 3. The price. The food is absolutely fantastic. I love the lumpia Shanghai and often crave it. The mixed adobo and rice adobo are my favorite dishes. The crispy chicken and BBQ chicken entrees are also delicious. I have enjoyed everything I've ordered from the menu and I have ordered a LOT. Isla also has another great reason for loving them. It's a BYOB restaurant and who doesn't love a place with good food and a bring your own bottle policy? I sure do! Lastly, the price is just right. I have enjoyed multiple birthday celebrations and group dinners here and the price is always just unbelievable for the amount of food we consume.This place just can't be beat! Great. Now I am craving lumpia.
(5)
Jingo D.

I was born and raised in the Philippines, so I'd like to think that I know at thing or two about Filipino food. In several years of living in the US, Isla is probably the one that hits closest to home. Why, you ask? Two words: CRISPY. PATA. I spent many a summers in my parents' hometown of Candelaria, Quezon, where the best Crispy Pata is made (biases aside, really. Foodies can back this up). Trust me, I've had my fair share of this delectable fried dish. And let me tell you something: Isla gets it. It's pretty darn close to what I'm used to back home. If you're smart, you'll pay Isla a visit, but if you're smarter, you'll make reservations. Yes, it gets crowded. Yes, patrons tend to stay longer. But let's get real here. That's a tell-tale sign that this place is the real deal. You can blame it on their food. Did I mention you should make reservations?
(5)
Livvy O.

I've only tried homemade pancit before and I gotta tell you this place comes very close to tasting just as good as homemade pancit. I tried there sample at the Yelp event along with their eggrolls which were delicious! I will definitely be going to this restaurant to try them out and order more pancit and eggrolls! mmmmm
(5)
Drew D.

I was raised almost exclusively on Filipino food, and of course, the yardstick by which I measure Filipino restaurants is my mom's cooking. I'm happy to say that Isla Pilipina is definitely up to that standard. Maybe it even surpasses it...(just kidding, mom!). The lechon kawali is delicious, as is the beefsteak. And of course, the eggrolls are a great appetizer. The staff is very courteous, and they seem to have a great rapport with each other, which definitely helps the experience for the customers. There's fun art on the wall, and always interesting music playing. It's he perfect fusion of Filipino tradition and more modern American sensibility. I never miss the opportunity to come here when I'm in town. You can't go wrong!
(5)
Monica E.

I absolutely love the food here. There has not been one item I have ordered n didnt like. My absolute favourite was the crispy pork belly & senigang. Only thing I wish they had more sitting area and is open till later. Service is courteous and prompt too. One they they missed out a dish but we were kinda glad cos we had way over ordered for 3people.
(5)
Harty K.

Best Filipino food I've had. Amazing, happy and friendly staff. Definitely going back
(5)
Shannon S.

I've been quietly stalking Isla Pilipina for a few years now. Like most accomplished stalkers I didn't show myself until I was sure the timing was right. Up until my dinner the other week I was mostly just lurking in the shadows of other people's Yelp reviews and Check Please reruns. When my family decided we needed a dinner date near Lincoln Square I knew that it was time for me and Isla at last. I made a reservation about a week and half out for a group of 6. The day of our reservation came, I filled my growler for BYOB craft beer sharing and came suited in my black stretch jeans (this is the preferred uniform for dining = more room, less obvious stains when you spill all over yourself ... which I always do). We started off with the Lumpia Shanghai (mini eggrolls). These things were like little pieces of fried crack. My son was literally in tears when they were gone and he rarely likes anything I order him. We also ordered the Eggplant Tomato Tower which was fantastic and again left everyone sad when it was gone. It was creamy and garlicky with the perfect al dente texture I love when eating eggplant. I would definitely get this again. For the main dishes we shared Chicken BBQ, Lechon Kawali, Bicol Express, Inihaw Bangus, Crispy Chicken (my 7 year old's choice) and Garlic Rice. Everyone at the table was in equal appreciation of each of the dishes. My favorites were the Lechon Kawali (deep fried pork belly with a Filipino gravy) and the Bicol Express (meat, shrimp, squid and mussels in a coconut milk sauce). The Garlic Rice was also delicious. When i mentioned wanting to order it everyone kind of groaned about rice being a such a boring thing to order especially since we were already getting plain white rice with each dish. However, when the time came there was not a grain left of the Garlic Rice. It was just so perfectly sticky and garlicky that you couldn't help but love it. For dessert we got the Halo-Halo. I honestly have never had anything like it. The flavor was excellent but everyone was a little weirded out by the beans, coconut skin and coconut gelatin clumps floating around in it. Nevertheless, we ate every bite. Based on this experience I don't see how you could go wrong ordering at Isla Pilipina. There wasn't one thing that I wouldn't get again. Ok ... so the bathroom situation is a little odd (you have to walk through the kitchen dodging dish washers and fry cooks) but it was just something for us to laugh about while eating mass quantities of unique and delicious foods. The only advice I have, other than to EAT IT ALL!!!, is to make reservations well in advance. The dining room is very small and people really want to eat here. I definitely wouldn't try to walk in on a weekend night. Once I called ahead to see what the wait would be on a Saturday and they told me 2.5 hours. Trust me. Make a reservation.
(5)
Gail D.

Food great but not worth the wait!!! It would have helped if they told us they were all booked when we called that evening. FYI if you see customers waiting for a table, don't take your sweet time sipping your byob beverage. Be considerate to other patrons!
(1)
Eileen Z.

When I grade Filipino restaurants in my head, I think whether or not I can bring my non-Filipino friends there (and still be happy with it myself). That's pretty much it. Isla passes that test. There aren't many Filipino choices in the Chicagoland area I'm happy with, and we don't have our own version of National City so in some respects we're sorta forced to settle with a lot. But I'm happy we at least have something like Isla. Like any daughter, I believe no one can cook like my dad but here are some things I like to order: - Daing na bangus (sun dried boneless milkfish with a vinegar sauce) - Sinigang na baboy or baka (sour tamarind soup, pork or beef) - Kare Kare (beef oxtail and green beans in peanut sauce) - Lechon kawali (deep fried pork belly) - BBQ pork or longanisa (Filipino style sausage) - Adobo fried rice + a fried egg on top... or 2 - Leche flan (custard) They serve Dark Matter coffee! Or if you need a beer, grab some San Migs or Red Horse at the liquor store next door. Be prepared to wait especially on weekends.
(4)
Jon O.

Good Food at a decent price. I will go back again.
(4)
Darlene O.

Best Filipino food in Chicago! Very hospitable service as well. We really enjoyed the dinuguan, pancit palabok, lechon kawali, and caldereta.
(5)
Lorelei C.

Yes.. I am guilty.. Ever since last months Yelp's Ditch Day Pool Party I have been dreaming of a visit to Isla Pillipina.. You see.. Isla brought in food for the party and.. okay.. they were my all time favorite.. the best of the best.. And.. yes Isla.. you rocked at the party and you definitely rocked for my visit today! This marvel of a restaurant is located in a small strip mall, And.. as you enter you will find the most welcoming of restaurants.. There are about 10 tables and the inside/interior is so welcoming.. Isla Pillipina has a great staff of people working there.. To Ray and the lovely Zyra.. I would like to Thank You both for being so welcoming to everyone.. Everyone dining in your restaurant today was so well taken care of.. and happy! I would also like to say Thank You to the lovely gentleman who was spreading his food around for other diners to try, he was a true gem! I literally could not stop dreaming of the mini eggrolls and the garlic rice.. with the chili sauce of course! I am so impressed with Isla Pillipina.. this is definitely on my top 5 list of favorite places.. And.. menu prices cannot be beat.. such a small cost for greatness..:) So.. in closing.. I am truly happy that I visited your restaurant today.. You have all the right stuff here.. great food, a great atmosphere, and the nicest of employees..:) I will be recommending you to all my friends.. You are a class act 100%.. none better! Thank You for all you do.. Wishing you every success... But.. how could you not be successful?? You brought it once again..:) I'll be seeing you soon I'm sure..:)
(5)
Ericka A.

Isla is easily one of my favorite places to eat in the city. The food is so good and the prices can't be beat. I don't think we've ever spent more than $20pp here when we've come as a group. Family-style is definitely the way to go! They are quite popular, so I strongly suggest making reservations. We never try and show up here anymore because we know the wait can be long. They've honored our reservations each time, but even calling ahead we've had to wait about 10 minutes for tables to be cleared. We typically show up with a large group and they'll have one table set aside and another waiting to be vacated by the previous party. We came here with our BYOB Dinner Group last year and it was so good that we've decided to make it a yearly event. We returned in June for our anniversary and just came back again this past weekend for a birthday party. We're now playing with the idea of coming a third time in November when three of us have birthdays and I joked that we should come three times that month and celebrate individually. It's that good. It's hard to chose what my favorite dish would be. There are some I like more than others, but I enjoy them all. The Paksiw na Lechon is fatty (made from pork skin and fat) and there is another stew-like dish with a blood sauce. Those might be my least favorite, but I don't turn them down when they are ordered. I'd have to say my top three might be Crispy Pata (deep fried pork knuckle), Bichol Express (seafood medley in creamy coconut milk sauce) and the Tocino (meat strips with a tangy glaze). We've also ordered Crispy Pusit (their version of Calamari) and found it to be delightful. The outside is crispy without being greasy and the squid is very tender instead of chewy. I'm also a huge fan of the Crispy Chicken, which is easily some of the greatest fried chicken you will find in the city, and you can't go wrong with Pancit, Lechon Kawali or Beef Kaldereta. We sometimes change up what we order, but we do stick to some traditions. We start the meal off with a pile of Lumpia Shanghai (mini pork egg rolls). You can get 20 small pieces for $5. We typically order 40 and end up ordering 40 more. We discovered the suggested serving size is 10 pieces per person. We also don't consider it a complete dinner without at least splitting a side of Garlic Rice (I could eat it by the bowlful) and a Halo Halo dessert to round off the meal.
(5)
Mrs. W.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! Tastes like mom and dad's cooking but looks like super gourmet Michigan Ave, food! The presentation was lovely, the dishes were delicious and the staff was super friendly and fast! They didn't have calamansi juice though, but I won't minus a star for that! I definitely had a "Ratatouille moment..." ya know, when the rat remembers his childhood after he eats that special dish? The entree that did it for me was their beef steak tagalog! oh mah gawd! Just like daddy would make it. It had me all teary eyed and I loved every bite of it! My mom loved it too...and coming from my somewhat picky filipina momma...that's a VERY good thing! Go get you some Isla Pilipina!!
(5)
Sarah S.

Once again I owe it to Check Please for showing me this restaurant. Not only did I see it on Check Please but right after that it was one of the restaurants during Yelp eats! Yelpie does me so good! My friend and I went right as they opened at 11 and so we were sat right away of course, first table in! No shame in that! Right after we sat, the music started pumpin'. They started with some hip hop then went into a all Boyz II Men track listing which I was seriously feeling. It allowed me to remind me dining partner of the Boyz II Men concert I went to, sat first row, and had Nathan hold the mic for me to sing into during On Bended Knee! And now I've shared it with all y'all. Booyah. Point is, good R&B and Hip Hop music playing! We started with the Lumpia Shanghai...awesome! Better then your average eggroll - Filipino tiny style! And at just $3 for 10? Is you crazy! Awesome price for an awesome appetizer. We are beasts so got a second appetizer, again at just $3 and you get a couple of big ol' BBQ Pork pieces! Very flavorful and yummy in my tummy. I tried my friend's Sizzling Sisig which literally was sizzling when it was brought to our table. My least favorite of the dishes but still had very good flavor to it. It was a bit overloaded with veggies for me so I could have done without all that! For my main entree, I got the mixed adobo. As shameful as this is, and with all the Filipino friends I have, this was my first time having Adobo a true staple of Filipino food. It was amazingly good! The gravy base had garlic and black peppercorn in it and I was lovin' it. Chicken and pork meat made this mixed dish superb! For dessert we shared a Halo Halo, but honestly I just ate the Ube ice cream in it as my friend picked all the other goodies out. After since tasting the purple yammy flavor, I've been completely obsessed with it so devoured it down at Isla Pilipina. Halo Halo is a lot like Korean Bapingsoo which I'm very familiar with and never been a fan of. Shaved ice and beans and a ton of other jumbled food all together in an ice cream dish is a bit too much for me. I'm a crazy person that eats one food at a time and I like keeping each one separate so things like Halo Halo are a nightmare for me! Each element of it though is very good and their Ube ice cream is great! I wish I worked close by because those lunch specials for $5.99 look very tasty and the price can't be beat!
(5)
Phill C.

Thanks to Yelp Eats! and my love for all things porky, I finally had a chance to pig out at Isla P. Out of all the different types of eggrolls you can find in the world, I think my favorite is the Filipino style and they cook up some great Lumpia Shanghai. Crispy deep-fried skinny egg rolls, just packed full of meaty pork. I've also tried the BBQ Pork appetizer, which is the tastiest thing I've tried here. First off, hunks of grilled pork on a stick, then slathered with some lip smacking good BBQ sauce... you just can't beat that. I definitely want to try their BBQ Chicken on my next trip, with an extra side of sauce. The Mixed Adobo was good, with huge chunks of fork tender beef and chicken, swimming in traditional adobo sauce. What I liked even better was the Sizzling Sisig - think of a breakfast hash skillet, but a lot more porky and yolky. Served in a hot hot skillet, you get a heaping platter of diced pork served hash style with garlic, soy sauce, and peppers, topped with a yolky fried egg. Just break the egg apart and mix all the yolky goodness around. I tried some delicious Halo Halo for dessert, which was a very refreshing end to my belly busting meal. I especially liked the pieces of lychee jelly cubes. Had a delicious meal and now knowing this place exists, I'll for sure be back for dinner!
(5)
Ale O.

Bicol express was amazing! Right amount of spice yet slightly sweet with coconut milk. It's my first experience with Filipino food and I will be back for more. The coconut water was thirst quenching. It's byob and there's a liquor store next door for our convenience :-) the place is small and artsy, staff is super friendly.
(5)
Kika W.

This place is AWE-SOME... Nuff said!!!Lechon and crispy pata...ohhh...and all the pork dishes in the menu, just order them. Good and good and good Only downside is limited seating, but BYOB makes it even lol
(5)
Vida S.

Finally made it here! Just keep forgetting to give this a try since my husband always favors the "Eat all you can" fare. Was not disappointed at all! Quick service, food was great! Had the lechon kawali and it was crispy and tender at the same time. Generous portions. Staff was very attentive and friendly. At last I found a restaurant that I can bring my non-Filipino friends without apologizing that it's not up to my standards, which is home cook meal the way I remembered it back home. Thumbs up from the hubby too!
(5)
Theresa C.

First time here yesterday and wow amazing!! Everything we had was soo good. Lumpia Shanghai, Kare Kare, Sinagang, Daing na Bungus, Crispy Pata, Longinisa, everythinf was good! Too bad thus is a drive for me since I live in Naperville but next time I'm in the area I'm stopping by!
(5)
Kim B.

My boyfriend and I drove for 30 minutes in a storm just to eat here. It's not often that you see a Filipino restaurant with so many reviews (and all of them GOOD). Sadly, I think we drove all that way for nothing. The restaurant is nice and the servers are all very friendly but I didn't think the food was anything out of the ordinary. Maybe my mom spoiled me with all of her home-cooked Filipino food? We tried the sinigang with shrimp, crispy pata, pancit palabok, garlic rice and halo-halo. Everything tasted okay but was definitely not worth the high price tag. Our meal for 2 cost us about $50!! My mom could cook a bigger, tastier feast for probably about half that price! The sinigang was good. The crispy pata was very crispy but had very little meat. The pancit palabok had way too much sauce for my taste. The garlic rice was too sticky and did not have enough garlic flavor. And I could probably make better halo-halo at home. It's times like these where I wish my mom lived nearby..or at least in the same state.
(2)
Jay L.

AMAZING, Honestly.....BUT MAKE RESERVATIONS!!!!!!! Staff has really made a conscious effort to connect with their diners.. And keeping the place tiny and cozy really maximizes that affect...... I will update this post with the dished I had soon!!!! But had some Tamarind SOUP THAT WAS THE BOMB...I was hesitant at first to try "SOUR" soup, but it is honestly TO DIE FOR :)
(5)
Scott T.

I really enjoy the food here. Their lunch specials are always more than enough food. I took my coworkers here as they have never had Filipino food, and they LOVED it! The service here is always excellent and if you order carry out its usually ready pretty quick.
(5)
AC C.

This place is awesome!!!! It is that one place you find and call, "the hole in the wall" yet everyone loves. Everything there is great tasting and reasonably priced. The place is kind of small and fills up fast, so get their early if you don't make reservations. Ohhhh! Byob as well? Without any additional charge. Unless you go to the liquor store next door? You then pay a premium called "we know the place next door is BYoB". Stop at a Binny's or grocery store and pick up a bottle.
(5)
Roger M.

They do everything right that Filipino restaurants present and past do/have done wrong. The hip atmosphere and elevated, but not so much that it's inaccessible, cuisine are a winning combination wrapped up with staff that go out of their way to please you. Highlights are lechon kawali, lumpia shanghai and adobo. Standard dishes, but elevated in presentation. This not my "go to" place, it IS my only place for cuisine of the motherland.
(5)
Nancy H.

LOVED everything I had on my first trip here. We ordered the sinigang (sour soup broth with veggies & your choice of meat or seafood), mixed adobo (savory chicken & pork stew that you eat with rice), crispy pata (deep fried bone-in pork knuckle served with a soy sauce & vinegar dip), and halo halo with ube ice cream (shaved ice dessert with cream & fruit). I am definitely coming back for more! The atmosphere was laid back, and our waitress was so sweet and friendly. They take a lot of take-out orders, we noticed. Word to the wise: finish the crispy pata there because the leftovers won't be the same, even after you bake, broil, or toaster oven it.
(5)
Donna L.

Best halo halo I've EVER had. With surprise flan inside... Some jackfruit and red beans, I'm in love! And so close to my house.. This could be bad... But GOOD! The appetizer mini eggrolls were perfect to start. Plus we ordered so much for entrees that we new it was going to be a feast. For only two! Crispy Pata was sooooo delicious! Tasty and like they say- crispy! We still got Lechon Kawali which is like the same thing but cut to pieces. So choose one or the other... Veggies- taro leaves?!?! I've had taro smoothies, but leaves? The closest I can compare us creamed spinach.. And AMAZINGLY delicious! I couldn't have asked for better veggies! Chicken adobo was awesome. Tender and tasty. We also had adobo rice which had the same chicken in the rice so it was a little too much. But man was it good!! All in all it was very good, but also very high in calories, so don't go too much... :)
(5)
Mike H.

My first time eating Filipino food and it was amazing!! As soon as I walked in the smell of homemade food filled the air, I knew I was in for a great experience. The staff was friendly and attentive in this small but busy restaurant. The food was the star of the show, we ordered several things and shared. BYOB.
(5)
Stacy S.

I absolutely hate hate HATE to have to do this because I really enjoy the cuisine here, but I'll give Isla benefit of the doubt that perhaps it was an off day for them. I was super excited because I was in the area to try the $5.99 weekday lunch special, which I never get the chance to do because of work. Soup, Rice, Eggrolls, Leche Flan, your choice of Entree...such a great deal! Now I've been raving to my friends about Isla Pilipina for awhile now, so I invited two first-timers to come along with me. I plotted my order beforehand by looking on the website menu. I was SET on the Tilapia Fillet. Crispy, Fried Tilapia and a bed of white rice was just what I needed. When I went to make my order, I was saddened to see that the Tilapia was no longer on the physical menu. If this is really truly the case, please update your website Isla! To add, some reason our service was really slow! It took about 15-20 minutes for the waitress to take our order. Then, we saw that another table that arrived after us got their food before us!! When we were ready to pay, the waitress was nowhere to be seen, so we had to go up to the register. Quite disappointing. Now, I still have to admit, I think Isla Pilipina is one of the best tasting, best value Filipino restaurants in the area, which is why I still give it 4 stars. My first-timer friends enjoyed the food too. Immediately when they walked in, they said the restaurant "smelled so good, so you know the food is good". Not to mention, the place was crowded for a Thursday at 1pm. My friends ordered the beef steak, as did I, and I was very satisfied... but again based on what I explained above I have to knock down a star. Sorry guys.
(4)
Melanie V.

Alright...time to be honest. Let's start with the good: Isla went through a major face-lift! The interior looks a LOT more modern and cozy. Do I see new furniture, new paint, new booth seating against the wall? Nice touch, Isla! And now, the not-so-good: My sis ordered a ton of food for Thanksgiving from here. (Don't judge! Our parents were outta town and we needed to feed our aunts/uncles/cousins on Thanksgiving.) She placed her order via phone a couple days before and asked that the food be ready by 8pm. Filipinos have a tendency to be late (I'm guilty!), so we knew that the food really wouldn't be ready by 8. Maybe 8:15? But no no...how about they didn't even START cooking any of the food at 7:45. Sounds about right. We got outta there closer to 9ish. To kill time, we ordered some flan and halo-halo. You know how long this took to come out? 15 minutes! The flan is pre-made and...you don't need to cook ANYTHING for halo-halo. They also neglected to give us napkins. I mean, really. Anyway, the food we ordered for Thanksgiving was pretty decent. The calamari and camaron rebosado were waaaaay too salty, though. Pancit bihon, inihaw baboy, caldereta and pinakbet were wins! Pricing was pretty reasonable (as compared to when you order from Uni-Mart). Also, previously, my parents came here for the lunch specials 'cuz my dad loves the inihaw. On a WEEKDAY. They had to wait close to an hour for their food. Tables that got there AFTER them got their food first. That's just unacceptable. C'mon now! I understand that the restaurant got a whole lotta exposure thanks to Check, Please! Great - finally a Filipino restaurant that's on the Chicago restaurant map! I'm ALL for that! The food IS good, too - very close to home cooking! I've gone here countless, countless times with my family AND friends since it's opened. But, before the hype dies down, I just hope that the service improves or they hire more cooks. THEN it'll be a true Filipino restaurant, ftw!
(3)
Katie K.

I am absolutely in LOVE with this place! I've been wanting to try Isla Pilipina for a while now and finally had the chance yesterday for dinner. We walked in on a full restaurant with a few people ahead of us but was able to grab a table within 15 minutes. As soon as I walked in, the aroma of everyone's food took over and I just couldn't wait to order. We ordered the Pancit Palabok, Inihaw Bangus (grilled milkfish), and the Crispy Chicken. Later on, the three of us each tried the delicious halo-halo. Everything was DELICIOUS! Sadly, we were not able to get the crispy chicken because they ran out for the night. However, the waiter was suuuper nice and apologetic about it which was okay anyways because we were already full. (Great portions!) I guess I have an excuse to go back since I wasn't able to get everything I ordered this time!
(5)
Christa Lei S.

I was with my mother and uncle, who are helping me move out to my new place, when she turned to me and asked if there were any good Filipino restaurants around the area-- because she was in the mood for Filipino food. Of course, I turned to Yelp, which suggested Isla Pilipina, and it wasn't that far away from my place. So, we ended up going. We actually ended up passing by another restaurant, but it wouldn't open for another hour, and my mom was already hungry. Now, since I was born and raised on Filipino food, I'm a bit picky on how it's served. The problem with growing up on Filipino food is that it always tastes better cooked at home, or at a Filipino party. The food is good, the portions are huge (and served family style! We werent' aware) But it's not as good as good old fashioned Filipino cooking... I'd bring my friends who are unfamiliar with exotic foods here. I'd bring my best friend here to get used to Filipino food and to try it. The lumpia is great-- but small. But other than that, the food is good, as long as you've never tried the cuisine before. If you're familiar with Filipino food, you might just want to head to a Filipino party...
(4)
Janna N.

This place is awesome! The food is fresh with good cuts of meat and delectable fruits and veggies. Everything I've ever ordered here has been good...best Filipino food I've had at a restaurant! They share a parking lot with the rest of the stores in the strip mall and the restaurant is fairly small, so you may have to wait a bit for a table on busier days...but the wait is worth it!
(5)
Cris G.

Great food ! The calamari is soooo good .. The atmosphere is okay a little bit dark inside .. But other than everything is delicious !
(5)
Rhoda G.

I have been here twice. I took my cousin in August 2011 to get some Filipino food and meet up with some of his friends. It was great and my cousin said it was just as good as the Filipino restaurants in California, which is a compliment. Some of the best Filipino restaurants can be found in the SF Bay Area. Then for my second visit, I organized a dinner for seven and made reservations about 3 weeks ahead since I knew how small the place was and it was a Friday night. Since it was BYOB, I brought a 12 pack of San Miguel with me from Binny's. But I didn't know they had San Miguel at the liquor store next door. I made a mental note for next time. We got traditional dishes - Lumpia Shanghai, Crispy Pusit, Pork BBQ, Kare Kare, Pancit Bihon, Longanisa, Crispy Pata, Mixed Adobo, which also came with 4 or 5 servings of rice. We also ordered grilled vegetables (2 servings), crispy fried chicken, adobo fried rice. Even for a party of 7, this is a lot of food since they serve family style and the portions were huge. When the Kare Kare came out, we were like "More food?" LOL Everything was fantastic especially the longanisa and crispy pata. I can eat the longanisa all week long. After being stuffed, I got leche flan for dessert. It's denser than traditional Mexican flan imo. It reminded me of my mom's flan. My friend had a bite or two and she liked it as well. When we received our bill including tax and gratuity, we were amazed how cheap this place was and brought home 5 leftover containers all together. Fantastic Filipino food and great deal.
(5)
Nina F.

I;ve been going there since I was pregnant with my first child. The food was really good even my non Filipino friends love it. The calamari was to die for and I think that it is the best one that I've ever tasted. I gave it a 3 star for 2 reasons, one is the music is too loud! its like we are in a bar or something and we have to talk loud during lunch. The second one is the waitress with the glasses.... very bad energy... She never smiles and when my friend spilled water on the table, she was passing by and didn't even offer to give us paper towel. we had to ask for it. Then she mumbled to say "I'll do that later" . so we ended wiping the table coz it's spilling all over and she saw us and said," I SAID I'LL DO THAT LATER". What the heck? If not for the food, I would give it 1 star just because of bad Service........
(3)
Rachel S.

I don't have a lot of experience with Filipino food, so I was excited to try Isla. We went with two other couples and got to try a bunch of items. We tried the fresh veggie lumpia, which is almost crepe-like and covered with a sticky sweet sauce and stuff with fresh veggies. We also had the 20 piece meat lumpia, which I thought would be too much until I saw that they were little rolls the size of baby carrots. The sauce for these rolls was one of my favorite things from the meal. For an entree, I had the adobo rice, which was seriously delicious. I think next time I would get the actual chicken adobe instead of the "fried rice" version. My partner had a noodle dish with thin rice noodles, chicken, and veggies. Other folks in our party had the fried chicken, garlic rice and spaghetti and meatballs, which has more of a BBQ flavor than what you would typically expect. We did have a bit of a mix up with the service, in which our friend with the spaghetti received his dinner about 20 minutes after everyone else. Our friends were super chill about it and said it was pretty unusual to have any issues like that. The food is very inexpensive (nothing over $12, I think) and delicious. If you are looking to try Filipino food, check out Isla!
(4)
Anna D.

Great food and service. Chicago doesn't offer many Filipino restaurant selections. This is the best I've had here. The prices are very decent. Make reservations if planning to go on a Saturday night. My boyfriend and I are moving to the far SW burbs this summer, but that will not stop us from making sure we come back when craving some awesome Filipino food! Faves: lechon kawalii, inihaw na baboy (sp?? Grilled strips of pork), beef sinigang, pancit bihon and my boyfriend loves the adobo rice. Oh and it's BYOB - there's a liquor store next door. I don't recommend large groups as the space is small and "cozy", if you must have a large group, consider take out.
(5)
Tiffany K.

Came here on a Thursday night around 7:15pm. Only one group was ahead of us, which was nice. However, it was 90 degrees outside and the A/C was either broken or turned off (?) and it was SWELTERING while we waited inside. No one offered any water to us, and everyone in the restaurant was about to pass out from the heat! We sat down around 8PM, brought our own wine and asked for water and wine glasses. 10 minutes roll by, and nothing. Ask for water again, and we get it. Also reminded them of wine glasses, and they said we would get them. We had to ask the different waiters 3 MORE TIMES to get wine glasses/glasses of any sort!! This is absolutely ridiculous, considering a) this restaurant is TINY and there is no mistake of who wants what b) they were busy but not balls to the wall busy (close to closing time so they stopped taking people). What gives?!! We ordered some of the fried dumplings, a pancit dish, and the mixed adobo. The mixed adobo was the highlight. The portions are huge and the food is cheap. We also got the halo halo and it reminded me of a Korean shaved ice dessert, except the Korean shaved ice dessert is much more refreshing. I would come back here, but it would have to be on an off night. Also, they close early and take reservations - highly advised if you are coming on a weekend. Disappointing service. I hope it was just an off night.
(2)
Nora B.

Dined at Isla tonight and I was so happy with my experience. The staff was so friendly and helpful. Our server recommended I get the BBQ chicken after asking whether I liked spicy food. I do and this dish delivered on the spice!!! So spicy but had the best flavor. I will go back for that dish specifically. My date had the chicken/pork adobo which was also delicious and a lot less spicy. When we left our server gave us some Filipino chocolates to take with us which I am eating while I write this. Yummmmm!! Can't wait to go back to try a dish we saw on other tables that we found out was called crispy pata. Need to know what that was all about!! Looked amazing! Wonderful little place.:)
(5)
Donna A.

This is the best Filipino food throughout Chicagoland. Just make a reservation because they get super busy for a reason. The owners should just buy the entire lot of the strip mall so they have more room to seat people. They also have cool paintings here and some are for sale.
(5)
Junchen F.

Sweet,salty and fatty. All the good stuff with a large portion at a ridiculously low price. Furthermore, BYOB. Kare kare is my favorite and Bicol express comes a close second.
(5)
Victor V.

Hello, I am a Manila born guy, who came to Chicago last year and crave for my homeland food. There is so little in Chicago (I only found a few cheesy places on Kimball and Devon), so I rush to Isla. Great: I see Halo Halo, and squid, and other things whose names are like music to my ear. I am happy, and am now writing a great rev... Wait a minute! I am from Europe, have never been to Philippines, and base my review entirely on objective parameters: taste, ambiance, dÃ©cor and service. And you know what: This place is just so so: the squid is chewy and is only "stuffed" in a sense you can find a few bad tomatoes and onions inside; red snapper is bony and just ordinary; halo halo is just a trip into mystery muddy waters of an icy water... The male waiter/greeter was nice, but our table waitress was meh: not too friendly or helpful, just doing her job (and possibly not liking it too much). So unless you are the Manila boy, go to a nice thai place instead
(3)
Misty S.

La Isla BONITA! I can't believe I haven't tried Filipino food in Chicago until now! My stomach suddenly wanted adobo so I went to search online. Stomach wants, it gets. This place made the suburban Filipino restaurants seem like fast food joints. The decoration is casual and seems to say "Hello, welcome, please have a seat and enjoy a good meal. Don't forget to save room for dessert." The servers were fast and friendly. There are so many choices on the menu and everything we ordered was great. LUMPIA SHANGHAI - Delicious tiny crispy eggrolls...or as my bf described them "They're like French fries with meat inside!" TOCINO - Fried cured pork. These look like glazed BBQ pork, but taste quite different. Slightly sweet and surprisingly good with the vinegar dip. BEEF STEAK TAGALOG - Thick slices of angus chuck roast in onion and soy sauce based gravy. MIXED ADOBO - Chunks of chicken and pork marinated in a special sauce of garlic, vinegar, and black peppercorn. Stomach likes. The best part is that they use boneless chicken! GARLIC RICE - Very tasty rice, goes well with any dish. For $5, you get a huge bowl full. HALO-HALO - This ice cream dessert was topped with a heavenly miniture sized leche flan. I was so stuffed, but somehow managed to finish this amazing creation. Pure perfection.
(5)
Uniform H.

What to expect here: good food, friendly customer service, reasonable prices, and byob. I've been here many times, sometimes with friends, sometimes with family, always a good experience. My only problem with leaving a good review is that it will make them even busier and reduce my chances of getting a table there...
(5)
Ryan Y.

Two enthusiastic thumbs up! Been here a couple times now, and have yet to disappoint. One time was during the week, and the next time was on a Saturday - needless to say, despite being such a small place, seating (there was always at least 7 of us) was never an issue. Food Have had almost everything on the menu - Lumpia Shanghai: comes with about 18 per order, crispy goodness. Pancit canton: Yummy, tastes like anything your Mom (if your filipino), Lola, or Tita might make at home Chicken BBQ: Nice grill to the outside, sauce used was nice and sweet - probably the weakest dish had there though Crispy pata: I have dreams of this! Just as it is called, crispy skin on the outside, yummy pork tenderness in the inside: What else do you want?! Longanisa: Pretty much standard sausage here, can't mess it up, and can't elevate it much either Mixed adobo: Made with pork, chicken - standard here as well but still tasty! and of course, Garlic Rice: Nothing tastes better than a warm plate of this! Flavoring is perfect! Kare-kare: Tender ox-tail, yummy veggies and peanut sauce not so sweet! Halo-halo: Probably the best we can get locally, perfect for a hot day! Wish it wasn't so far, but definitely a must go-to place to get my Philly fix on!
(5)
Susan P.

Generous portions, great prices, and tasty food! I'm definitely going to return. Really recommend Bicol Express for seafood fans! They ran out of one of the desserts I wanted to try, as a big party ordered the rest of them - but it's good knowing that the place serves up fresh foods. Running out happens when you care about the quality of your ingredients!
(4)
Chuck H.

Excellent food, good size portions and friendly staff. Everything we ordered was delicious and the Halo-Halo brought me back to PI. I was in the area visiting from Boston and wished we had a restaurant like this in my backyard... ;-)
(5)
A M.

YES! I've never actually dined in here, but regularly order takeout and absolutely adore Isla Pilipina. In a perfect world, I could buy their garlic rice in bulk and eat it for every meal, everyday, forever. I'm pretty much in a permanent state of craving their chicken adobo (sometimes the pork is way too fatty so I've stopped taking the risk on it) and I love the lumpia. The spaghetti delight might not be the first thing you expect to see on the menu, but my husband loves it so much he spent a whole day running around the city looking for banana ketchup and a very specific brand of hot dog so that he could try making it at home. It's both sweet and savory and comes with two pieces of perfectly fried chicken. It's a pretty small spot with limited (albeit FREE!) parking. I would recommend being strategic and going at off-peak times so that you can take your time enjoying BYOB and those awesome looking desserts!
(4)
angela h.

Updating to 5 stars. Been back a few times, still smack-in-the-face amazing. Have yet to eat anything I didn't like, and I've been adventurous with the menu (as I trip over the names).
(5)
Francis A.

I gotta say that this may be my new favorite filipino restaurant in Chicago. The waitstaff is super helpful and friendly. And the food was spectacular. Not only was the food delicious, it came it flilipino-sized-servings :) I'll definitely be going back (every weekend).
(5)
Suzy D.

We came here this weekend because we'd been craving halo halo for awhile. We started with the lumpia shanghai and then we shared the pancit bihon, kare kare, and the lechon. The lumpia were so crispy and delicious. The pancit bihon was good but kind of a typical asian noodle dish. The lechon was SO crispy plus the serving was huge so we had tons to take home. The sauce that comes with lechon is great too and they gave us extra sauce to take home as well. The kare kare (oxtail in a peanut sauce) had such a great flavorful sauce and the shrimp paste was a nice touch (use sparingly because it's pretty salty). Anyways, then at the end we had the delicious halo halo. I could eat an entire halo halo by myself but I shared with my husband. Our meal was only 40 dollars and we had enough leftovers for another entire meal. Great food and very affordable. We will be back to try the seafood dishes!
(4)
Amy A.

Isla has some pretty darn good Filipino food in Chicago and i have been to several other Filipino restaurants. I would give the food a 5 star, but those lumpia are smaller than my mother-in-laws. makes. I wanna taste the meat! I love the adobo and tocino. Pancit is also very good! I would still give a 5 for the food. the Halo-Halo is yummy good! Why only 4? Place is to small and cozy. I know, I know, that's not a bad thing. Service can be spotty. Sometimes you are treated like royalty. Depending on when they are really slow or extremely busy if they are all chatty with each other behind the counter...you are gonna have to wait on them. But, i keep coming back for the good food.
(4)
Charlee G.

Second experience at Isla Filipino and it just keeps getting better. Because it was Father's Day we were smart enough to make reservations and they were needed. Absolutely great dinner all the way around. Eggrolls, pork BBQ for appetizers and Tapa, mixed adobo, beef steak Tagabg and a beautiful whole grilled stuff squid made the dinner for four of us. This is the type of restaurant we seek out, small, locally owned with real food not reheated from Gordon Foods that I could do myself. Everything here was real food, great upbeat service and my only complaint is that we don't live closer so I could go more often without driving the Kennedy to get there.
(5)
Cathy M.

After several years of eating at Isla, I still feel like family. The food is just as great as ever...if not better. I often catch my friends taking their new dates to Isla in an attempt to impress and share an exotic, yet relate-able experiences. It works. The Beef Tapas is still tender, flavor packed, and amazing as is the Chicken BBQ, Chicken Teriyaki, and every appetizer on the menu! These days, I find myself calling ahead and picking up my ready to run order. Ray and his staff still make me smile and feel at home with every order. Isla is very easily my favorite place to eat and smile.
(5)
Justin N.

For someone that is Filipino-American and a "faux-foodie" as I put it, Isla Pilipina hits the mark for good Filipino in Chicago. As Filipino food continues to grow in the food scene, Isla allows it to be traditional in the food sense and modern in the decor and atmosphere. My parents and I had the Fried Chicken, Calamari, Palabok, Pancit Bihon, and Fresh Lumpia. The Girlfriend had the mongo. I didn't particularly like the mongo because of the bitter melo , but that's more preference than anything. We ended the right way with some Halo-Halo which definitely hit the spot. For those that are new to Filipino food, definitely order 3-4 dishes so you have a little bit to taste. Filipino food can tend to be a "tapas" type of experience with different types of food to offer. I would definitely go back there when we are having a hankering of "home-cooked food". I also enjoyed the fact that they have local art and goods to sell in the restaurant.
(4)
Mark G.

UPDATE: So with the mindset that we should call ahead and reserve a table.... We haven't had a bad experience at all with Isla. It still does get crowded but if you go early enough on the busy days (say around 11:30am on the weekends) or if you call ahead and reserve a table, you're guaranteed to miss the large crowds. The food, as always, is fantastic. In fact my partner and I just returned from the Philippines and the options here are on par or better than the ones from the homeland- favorites include lumpia shanghai, kare-kare, bicol express, garlic rice, and lechon. Just go already!
(5)
Marie B.

Great place to take someone who has never had Filipino food. Definitely not oily or greasy. Great menu selection! Ok, so let's be hones Filipino food is not the healthest. The crispy pata and lichon kawale was SOOO goood. I haven't had the halo halo yet, but everyone I've spoken to said it was good. So nice to have a Filipino restaurant in the area!
(4)
Shannon M.

I am eating my leftovers from dinner last night as I write this review, and it just gets better and better. The to go containers? They're microwave safe. GENIUS. But let's start at the beginning. After reading the Yelp reviews, I went ahead and made a same-day reservation for 2. The woman on the phone was super polite. When my friend and I got there, the service was impeccable. The staff was welcoming and attentive without being annoying. We ordered the lumpia for an app, and it was delicious. Tiny little crispy eggrolls fried perfectly. I already want more. For dinner we ordered the Beef Steak Tagalog and the Chicken Adobo. Oh, and the garlic rice. It was all delicious. The sauce and spices were perfect, and the meat! Oh, the meat. It just pulled apart. And although both dishes came with rice, spring for the garlic rice, you will not be disappointed! For dessert we had the Halo Halo and it was interestingly delicious. The waitress came over and explained to us how to eat it - that was definitely appreciated. Did I mention it is BYOB? Seriously, go. Right now. You will not be disappointed. I just finished my leftovers and I already want to go back.
(5)
Lizz M.

oooh, yes. I have been wanting to try Isla for SO LONG now, and I'm glad my friend and I finally decided to head on over this weekend. I figured we didn't need to make reservations with it being the Sunday before Christmas and we were right. Step right into Isla and you feel like you're transported to your lola's kitchen. Or in my case, my friends from grade school's lola's kitchen--technicalities, people. Anyway, service is great and the food? Okay look, I have a guilty pleasure of hot dogs, thus, I firmly believe Filipino spaghetti was created in my honor. If you get the spaghetti delight at Isla, you're also treated to two pieces of fried chicken. Need I go on? Fine. The chicken was some of the best fried chicken I've had in a while. Seasoned and fried just right. The spaghetti was also fabulous and can do no wrong in my fat kid mind. We also started with the lumpia and it was tasty as well. My friend had the tocino and it was AMAZING. Definitely something I would get at some point. Totally coming back and making my way through the menu. Longanisa, you're next!
(5)
Adri T.

Thanks to this restaurant..I love Filipino food..there aren't a lot in the city but this one for sure beats them all....The food is FRESHLY made and I can tell they use the finest ingredients..they also don't skimp on the ingredients like their other Asian.counterparts.(I'm looking at you Chinese Restaurants and some THAI) Although the wait times are a bit long depending on the day/time, it certainly is worth the wait. The dishes are reasonably priced and for $20, My husband and I both eat with enough food to take home. The service is great as well and very attentive to your needs. You can't go wrong with choosing this gem of a restaurant. I am particularly fond of their pancit bihon..which I just can't seem to get enough of. As mentioned, the quality and freshly prepared dishes is what keeps us coming back and its finally time I gave it its due share.
(5)
Anna P.

Nothing not to love about this place. Unless you are looking for decor and interior design to match the caliber of the food. But the experts know the best food comes from the most unassuming places! The BBQ pork is one of my favorite dishes ever. Get the lumpia and the adobo and jasmine rice and don't forget the pancit! Finish it off with the halo halo. I was first brought here by Filipino friends and now it's one of my favorite spots to BYOB with a friend and order a bunch of dishes to share!
(5)
Miguel B.

The food here is great. The first time I dined here I had the caldereta. The meat was so juicy and tender. Literally fall-off-the bone good. For dessert, I has ube ice cream. This is a MUST have when you eat here. The second time I went there I had the eggplant tomato tower. This was a tasty treat before I had my Tinolang Manok. This soup really hit the spot. For dessert, I had the Halo-Halo (which has ube ice cream in it). My third visit started off with the vegetable egg roll. Followed by an order of Kare. I've had ox tail before but the shrimp paste adds a certain flair to it that I found unique. For dessert I had, you guessed it, ube ice cream.
(5)
Jo E.

Did you know their kitchen's last call is 30 mins prior to close? Now you do! I called on a Saturday night for a pickup order. My stomach needed substance before a night of bartending. Plus I craved some Filipino food. I called at exactly 8:27pm. They almost did not accept my order with hesitation. After some convincing, the girl took my order. Yay! I knew my order of Adobo Fried Rice and Lumpia Shanghai would not take too long to prepare. I usually do not dine-in at restaurants within an hour from close. I didn't think my carryout would present too much trouble. The fact that they honored it was very pleasing. If that isn't decent customer service, then I don't know what is. I got to eat before work to avoid being an angry, hungry, or lightweight bartender that night. I appreciate the accommodation. I arrived right before close to pick up my food. They still had a packed house. Literally, this place is small. I hope they expand soon. I've always liked the newer green scheme decor and art work on the walls. I tipped/signed my bill and squeezed my way out. The food was very good. Plus the amount of food was reasonable for the price. Their Lumpia Shanghai tasted as it should. The Adobo Fried Rice had chunks rather than slivers of meat. Over all, I would return to dine-in or order carryout again. The lunch special is a good deal too. This place is one of the nicer Filipino restaurants in Chicago that I would recommend.
(4)
Charlene S.

I wanted to like this place cuz of all the hype. But it was just "meh" to me. The ginitaang vegetables was "meh". Not as flavorful as I'd have expected. The pancit was "meh". Just noodles with lots of pepper. The palabok was interesting. I don't think I've ever had it with calamari and tofu sauce. It was good. I was most disappointed in the Laing. Not enough leaves as I am used to. Mostly fatty pork belly that I ate around. Boo. So the food was "meh". The service was blah. We were treated ok. Nice. But an elderly man came in. Maybe a bit "off". But harmless. He asked a lot of random questions. "Who is the manager?" "What's his name?" "Can i have a to-go menu?" (Which they ran out of). Some other random things. Can't remember. I just remember the girl who answered him. She just kept dismissing him and referring him to the website. He didn't look like a man familiar with a computer let alone a website. She wasn't busy. The restaurant wasn't busy. Her tone with him was just impatient and rude. He's an old man. Appease him. I may give it another try. Maybe other dishes. But not any time soon.
(2)
Rayid G.

v
(4)
Dennis L.

Absolutely outstanding! Isla Pilipina is an outstanding Filipino restaurant. The food is absolutely delicious, and it is a must visit in the Lincoln Square neighborhood. On my visit, I ordered the Sotanghon Guisado - Vermicelli noodles sauteed with chicken and vegetable. This entire dish was awesome. The huge portion was big on flavor. Simply excellent! I cannot wait to return! Notes: BYOB and no "public" restroom.
(5)
Greg W.

My wife was craving Crispy pata, so she was disapointed when they had run out of it. But their Dinuguan, Inihaw Pusit, Inihaw Pork, and Palabok were all awesome. I can see why they always have a full restaurant. Will definately stop back next time we are in Chicago.
(4)
Mr And Mrs G.

MR says ...lechon paksiw TO DIE FOR!!! MRS says ..This place knows how to make Filipino food upscale and fine dining. Portions are elegantly presented..ADOBO not saucy but the reduction of the vinegar and soysauce is flavorful. DINUGUAN is meaty and no "unusual" ingredients that could be featured in Fear Factor. GRILLED PORK is tender and well seasoned. HALO-HALO is ok. I hope they move to a bigger and much spacious location. The current location can get really crowded and tables are just hard to come by.
(4)
Marco H.

hmmmmm....I wish the food was better. I've been looking forward to eating great filipino food in chicago. Friendly service, but my apps came to the table cold. My main dish was lukewarm, so I think the kitchen just warmed up leftovers from lunch. Also, this place may want to call pest control because i lost my appetite after a little uninvited "guest" showed up at my table. I'll leave it at that.
(1)
Thongsy S.

Man, this serves up food that will clog your arteries, in a good way of course. The place is really tiny (about 10 tables tops) but the service is friendly and food is fresh. My mistake was ordering too much fried foods. I think I'll have to return and try the infamous mixed adobo next time. We had the following: lumpia shanghai (mini egg rolls) - crispy and delicious but not outstanding steamed mussels - quite flavorful and there's enough to go around crispy pata (deep fried pork knuckle) - i was really overwhelmed by how much food came with this dish. it was definitely crispy but by itself, it wasn't too flavorful. You must dip it in the sauce they provide. crispy chicken - definitely love the crispiness and the portion is quite large. I would order this again. Tilapia fillet with mango salsa - probably the best out of all the dishes we ordered. last but not least, halo halo - this was actually my favorite dish of the evening. It helped to wash down all the greasy food I just ate and I love the flan on top - just absolutely delish! I will definitely return to try some of their other dishes.
(3)
Mary Y.

Really good food. Lumpia was the best I have ever had! We ordered a lot of stuff but the Lumpia is what stick out in my mind also the garlic fried rice. The only down fall is the restaurant is so small and packed. So its really loud in there.
(4)
Chet M.

Value Value Value! A must visit - 1) Free parking 2) Service is very friendly and upbeat 3) Food has "the taste" 4) Prices are very friendly 5) Filipino restaurants are a rare find Just don't go during peak hours cause you'll wait a long time.
(4)
Bill M.

Let me start by saying, the food here is awesome! I do not care what you order the food served will be blasting your taste buds with flavor, flavor, flavor. This is a restaurant I would defiantly return too. It is small and I have seen cleaner, and clean is very important to me. I would have given 5 stars.
(4)
Dan H.

In my ongoing quest to scour the explore the diverse ethnicity of Chicago's North Side restaurants, my Filipino stop on the tour led me to Isla Pilipina. I'm a better man for it. Five stars come sparingly; I usually decide in my head toward the end of the meal whether the vibe was good enough, and that is exactly what I did at this place. You will want to make a reservation because the place is small and it's no secret that it's the bomb. You may also want to BYO because otherwise you will drink soda, so unless you're into that kinda thing, make a pit stop at the liquor store, which is right next door and sells Filipino beer (Red Horse is 7% abv, verry niice!). All that being said, you are in for a treat. Make sure you try the eggplant tomato tower, it is packed with flavor but none overpowering. The ox tail dish is unreal, as is the eggplant/shrimp one. The red snapper tasted great, required some work because they serve the fish whole. I'm not always a fan of fried meats, but the fried pork was still tender and easy to eat. The flan-like custard dessert was a treat, as was the icy red bean-slushy thing that everyone seems to like to take pictures of. The staff is really friendly, they try their best to accommodate given the limited space and random foreigners who show up without reservations and then bitch when they aren't seated. Shame on you, random foreigners. I see more and more 5-star reviews for this place recently. I will surely go back at some point. Someone even mentioned all their lunch specials, I can only imagine that is a good meal too.
(5)
J M.

Been here twice. On my initial visit, we had the BBQ pork appetizer, the shanghai fried rice and the chicken in adobo. The BBQ pork was so good, it was life-altering. Not really, but still extremely good and was hopefully a precursor to even better entrees. Sadly, the adobo was salty and fatty and the fried rice was just ok. We didn't have time to try the dessert, but the halo halo looked interesting. I ended coming back to get the BBQ pork as takeout. Again, it delivered on taste (tender, great seasoning/spices and perfect amount fat), and was a great value. Consider me a happy camper. I'd come back for the pork and maybe I will try the lumpia and halo halo. BTW, the restaurant itself is pretty tiny, and waits are pretty long on Friday nights, so come early.
(4)
Nektaria R.

Fried Butterfish - yummy! yea, I eat fish heads! Bicol Express - so good and so good! Lumpia Shanghai - fun to eat! BYOB - also, bring the automatic cork remover since they won't actually open the bottle for you and since I'm clumsy, I nearly severed my thumb, don't ask. I'd go back. I need to try more goodies since what I already had was Awesome!!! Plus desserts! I want Ube ice cream or Halo-Halo.
(4)
Jenny V.

CRISPY.PATA. if you don't order crispy pata when you go to isla then you're just a straight up fool. The pata is so crispy and flavorful, it is deeeelicious! i think it is the best crispy pata i've had in a long time.. we ordered the lumpia also and they were yummy too. The halo halo looked so pretty and tasted pretty good too, and im not a halo halo kind of gal. Isla is a small place so be on the safe side and make a reservation. i cant wait to go back and get the crispy pata again!
(5)
Rodell R.

I think this is the best Filipino restaurant in Chicago. You want non-Filipinos to be introduced to Filipino food without the overwhelming ETHNICITY of it all? Then take them to this place. My favorite is DEFINITELY the BBQ Pork on a stick. I disagree with people saying it is expensive. NO it is not. Chinese, Thai and Japanese places are dime-a-dozen and everywhere. Filipino restaurants are not. So if the dishes are $1-$2 more, it's a deal. I grew up in the Philippines until I moved to the US at 16. I KNOW what Filipino food tastes like. If you are a first generation Filipino who just go by what your mom cooks at home, and not experiencing going to other people's places to eat THEIR versions of cooking - as well as going to fiestas and going door-to-door to partake in each household's dishes, then your credibility is questionable. I LOVE THIS PLACE, and so does my black, white, Latin and Asian close friends. Go with that.
(5)
Stephen H.

Holy Mother of God. This place is so good. My girlfriend and I went here for her birthday with three other people and everything about it was amazing. For appetizers we had the lumpia shanghai which was twenty pieces for $5. I could have eaten forty by myself. We also started with the veggie egg rolls which we maybe some of the best I've ever had. Entrees are splittable but we each got one, the Paksiw ne Lechone and Beef Steak Tagalog being the favorites. The staff was super friendly and helpful, especially as none of us had had (or could pronounce) Filipino food. Our waitress also gave us a couple of recommendations for places to go in Lincoln Square. Going to go back soon... maybe today... ALSO, really glad it was BYOB.
(5)
Stacy L.

This restaurant serves delicious meals and the service is great! The staff members are very laid-back while still helpful and attentive!
(5)
An P.

Once upon a time it was Yelp Summerfest..... "This food is good!" I said to my friends while eating some jasmine rice. "That's because WE'RE THE BEST!" a Filipino behind the counter hollered. Passing back and forth through Albany Park, zipping by and always seeing the sign welcoming me, I finally found good reason and good friends who wanted to come feast on some Pacific Islander delights. Four letters: B-Y-O-B. You can get down without getting your arm ripped out of its socket at Isla Filipina. Here is a recipe for a good meal: Step One: Bring two bottles of Merlot Step Two: Drink out of their massive wine glasses ($0.00) Step Three: Order 20 lumpia shanghai ($5) Step Four: Order the Inihaw Pork ($9) Step Five: Order Garlic Rice ($6) While sipping on libations, you may notice Isla Pilipina is packed to the brim and you are thankful that you made reservations beforehand. If you made reservations and forgot to bring your wine or beer, there is a liquor store right next door. Lumpia Shanghai - Tiny bundles of crispy greatness, you will do well to pay the extra $2 for 20 instead of 10. Inihaw Pork - Marinated for a week and served with a wicked vinaigrette you'll be wondering why you've never had this dish before. It is a plate of meat and if you don't house it then and there you'll be waking up to a giant box of meat in the refrigerator tomorrow. Want great ethnic BYOB without ripoff downtown prices? Isla Pilipina FTW and THEY ARE THE BEST!
(5)
Jenny C.

First time in Chi-town for the marathon and what better place to carb load than Isla Pilipina. We made last minute reservations for a party of 5 and when we arrived we waited for about 20 minutes. The place was a cozy mom and pop restaurant but it was a full house. Everyone's dishes were huge and as I was waiting for our table I can't help but salivating over what everyone was eating. We finally got to sit down and ordered our meals. I ordered a chicken Teriyakki dish along with vegetables skewers. The chicken was nicely cooked being so tender and juicy. Everyone's entree was so delightful even my friends chicken noodle soup. We ended the meal by sharing the Halo-Halo. It was like a party in my mouth with mix flavors of ice cream, fruits, red bean.. Overall: Highly recommend for anyone visiting Chi-town to try this restaurant. Reasonable price for great food. One word: Yummy!
(4)
Jessica P.

I've both dined in and carried out at Isla and everything I've tried has been amazing. My favorites are the grilled Inihaw pork (best pork ever, without fail) and the Lumpia Shanghai eggrolls (just go for the big order, you won't regret it). This place is super affordable, delicious and the staff are very very friendly. It is a bit on the smaller side and I don't think they take reservations, so I have had some trouble going with larger groups, but only because its so good that they are too crowded to seat us quickly!
(5)
Ehow C.

Came here on a freezing Friday evening. Luckily I didn't need a reservation to get a table for two, so I was sat down immediately while I waited for my friend to arrive. The server was super cool and courteous. He told us our fried calamari had to be redone because it didn't turn out correctly the first time. When it did come out, I think it was some of the best calamari I've had in a long time. It came with a vinegar and garlic dip that was particularly tasty. We shared a sweet and sour red snapper and pancit bihon, which were absolutely delicious. The fish was cooked just right and the noodles were super flavorful. We definitely over-ordered for two people, but whatever, it was cold outside and we needed to store fat for the outside. I topped it all off with a mango drink, making it a great evening. Service was great, even the cashier was super friendly. Next time I'm in the area, I'll definitely be here to try more dishes.
(5)
Lauren P.

Of course, I need to re-review this restaurant and add in more of my favorites. Drum roll please........ - crispy vegetable egg rolls - BBQ chicken served with carrots and beans (grilled to perfection) - Inihaw na baboy aka barbecue pork but not the Chinese one. - Filipino spaghetti with fried chicken baaaaby And ...... The winner of them all....... The red snapper. This dish is beautiful with the sweet and sour sauce and veggies. This also was the biggest red snapper I've had that didn't break my wallet. For some reason I was on the hunt for an awesome red snapper from various restaurants like a Thai one, Chinese one, and who would have thought I would have found it at the most awesome Filipino restaurant in the city? Kudos!
(5)
Andrew J.

Lunch menu is cheaper than dinner and food is great. You can drop off some canned goods fir hurricane victims also.
(5)
Nicole C.

I went to Isla Pilipina with my favorite and dear Filipina (or "Pinay") friend Diane O. after seeing the restaurant featured on Check Please. The last time I had authentic Filipino food was in her parent's kitchen when we were in elementary school. Her father makes the best glass noodle dishes and egg rolls! We ate like a couple of Queens! :) Our menu was as follows: - Lumpia Shanghai (deep fried mini eggrolls served with sweet & sour sauce: pork, egg, jicama, green onions, carrots, soy sauce, and love) - Nilaga (original house broth with cabbage, potato, and green beans) - Sotanghon Caldo (vermicelli noodle, garlic and onions in chicken broth) - Pinkabet (Kabucha squash, pork, and vegetable dish sauteed in a shrimp brine paste) - Tocino (fried cured pork) - Kare-Kare (beef oxtail, tripe, and green beans in peanut sauce with a side of shrimp brine paste) - Beef Steak Tagalog (thick slices of angus chuck roast in onion and soy sauce based gravy) - Chicken Adobo (of chicken marinated in a special sauce of garlic, vinegar, and black peppercorn) - Garlic Rice (Jasmine rice pan fried with garlic) - Halo-Halo (crushed ice mixed with fruit and bean preserves topped with ice cream and leche flan) *see photos* Everything was very delicious, but I especially enjoyed the Lumpia Shanghai, soups (Nigala and Sontanghon Caldo), the Beef Steak Tagalog, and the Chicken Adobo. I actually made a big pot of homemade Nigala last week and it was super easy -- chicken broth, water, black peppercorn, garlic, rice/potato/noodles, cabbage, and green beans. Amazingly, it was just as good as the real stuff. :) This place passed Diane's test with flying colors, which says A LOT about the quality and authenticity of the food. And, I loved it -- not that I have any authority on this type of cuisine, but I do know what tastes good and this was excellent. It's a little off the beaten path, but worth the trip. It's super affordable. Our waiter was friendly and helpful with the menu (he was shocked at the amount of food we ordered, like we must have made a mistake! He clearly doesn't know us!) Service was a little slow and the food came out staggered, but that was just fine with us. We enjoyed the free time to digest between courses....and catch-up. :-)
(5)
Francis M.

Isla Pilipina is awesome. Masarap ang mga pagkain at mabuti ang service. I took my spanish friend to show him what good filipino is like and he was amazed. The portions you get are huge for it's price. Completely worth the trip.
(5)
JR A.

Very good food with reasonable prices! They also have lunch specials until 3pm that include appetizers (lumpia) and desert! The only problem I have is that the place is very small and tightly packed. But I think this is also the reason why this place is special. It has that typical Filipino restaurant feel that you would experience in the Philippines. Food was very good, and prepared fresh. We order their pancit (Filipino Noodles) for parties all the time.
(5)
Abigail D.

I love Filipino food....this place is so good.
(5)
M D.

No. Extremely over salted greasy food. Couldn't eat it.
(1)
Johnny T.

I should have done this from the beginning. 5 stars. I didn't know enough to know that IP is as good as it gets. That was then. This is now. I AM a halo halo-back boy. I AM a halo halo-back boy. I have moved on from Missy. Now, I am firmly on the Gwen-tip, so I will be requiring 4 Pinoy backup dancers to follow me around as I threaten high school girls to after school fights in the parking lot. I am taking resumes. I am also taking take-out orders. Seriously. The food is here is crazy good. Lumpia is still awesome. Pusit was a new addition to the repetoire and it fit nicely. Calamari with vinegar and garlic? Yes, please. Tocino and lechon kawali (gotta love that gravy) are always top picks, but I was shocked at how good the bbq chicken was. Don't sleep on the bbq chicken. The kare kare was flavorful and the Pancit Canton was good (but I prefer the other pancit a bit more). Next time I am here I need to tear up some Adobo: the chicken, pork, garlic, and pepper combo is calling my name. For dessert, I just stuck with the Ube ice cream. As much as I like saying halo halo (almost as much as this guy: youtube.com/watch?v=T9x8â€¦ ), there's too much going on in the dish. Just give me some purple ice cream (and red drink) and all is well. IP is perfection. Halo!
(5)
Vanessa R.

This place had been on our radar for a while - back to when it made an appearance on the Resto 100 list, and then more recently, when it was featured on Check Please. Just a few blocks from our place, I'm puzzled as to why we hadn't tried this place sooner. Don't be fooled by its location in a strip mall on Lawrence next to Little Cesars. Once you step inside, it's a cute, cozy restaurant where you'll find traditional Filipino cuisine presented in a manner that you'll think you're dining at a 5-star restaurant. (However, you'll get a small reality check when you have to go through the kitchen to get the bathroom.) Be sure to make a reservation - this place gets packed. Also, it's BYOB. If you forget to bring your booze, don't fret, there is a liquor store conveniently located next door. Onto the food. Appetizer: We started things off with the Pork BBQ - you get two sticks of glorious grilled chunks of BBQ pork - yum! Loved the seasoning and tenderness of the pork. This made me excited for the main course to come. EntrÃ©e: I went with the Tapa, thin cuts of deliciously seasoned grilled sirloin beef. It arrived as a little mountain of beef on my plate - awesome. I love that each entrÃ©e comes with rice. I also ordered a side of the mango salsa - so good and refreshing. If you are looking for some added spiciness, be sure to ask for some chili sauce. Dessert: The flan was so pretty, I secretly didn't want to eat it. But glad I did, it was delicious - rich and creamy, topped with a pirouline. Service: Even though it was packed, service was exceptional. We were constantly being checked up on (in a good way), and our water was always filled. The servers were really laid back and just across the board awesome. The shocking part was when the bill came. Less than $60 for a delicious 3-course meal for 4 people, what?? Awesome. We'll definitely be going back here to sample more goodness from their menu. Yum.
(5)
Mark T.

For the longest time, my sister had been dying to try out this place. The family (parents included) finally got around for an evening out last night. My immediate thought as I entered was that the place was way smaller than I thought it would be. My second immediate thought was that it was way busier than I thought it would be. There was not an empty table in the restaurant--usually a good sign. As we looked over the menu, many of the dishes were recognizable....especially since my mom made all of them on a regular basis. It was quite a high bar to jump over if these chefs could make them better than her. Anyways, my dad settled on the Bangus (milkfish), my mom and sister order the palabok (rice noodles topped with assorted veggies, fish and sauce), I went with the kaldereta (meat with veggies and sauce) and my other sister ordered the Lechon (pork with sauce). The portions were large. The food tasted good (not as good as my moms though!) . My mom makes her palabok with much thicker noodles, which gives the dish a lot more consistency than how the restaurant did it. Plus it looked like the noodles were drowning in the sauce. My dad ate his entire fish (the portion that they gave him was a similar size to what he'd cook for all five of us for one meal!). My other sister and I liked our dishes...mine was just the bit spicy and she liked hers as well. The service was kinda slow, but I give them the benefit since it was pretty packed that night. Overall the experience was definitely a step up from the Filipino buffets that my parents are used to, and definitely warrants another visit sometime soon.
(4)
Bernice L.

Everything you could ever want in delicious authentic Filipino food. Isla is my go to place for the best filipino food in Chicago. I absolutely love everything I have tried. We always start our with Lumpia Shanghai 20 pieces for only $5. I will try ox tail and pork belly anywhere I see it on the menu and Isla does not disappoint. In fact, it is one of the best. Kare Kare is their ox tail dish in the most yummy sauce. Lechon, their pork belly, is the perfect balance between crispiness and melt in your mouth! mMmMm... :) You have to top everything with their fabulous garlic rice that just brings everything together. I also love their Pancit Bihon (vermicelli noodles), Bicol Express (seafood in a yummy coconut sauce), and their Beef Kaldereta. You have to end your night with their Halo Halo which is better than most. I love their Ube ice cream mixed with the shaved ice..tastes so good! Everything is reasonably prices and tastes like home...:) They now only take reservations for parties of 6 or more so bring your own drinks, friends, and eat your heart out!
(5)
Char Y.

We came right after watching the check please episode on wttw. Big mistake. crazy crowded for a weekday lunch. it took 1 1/2 hour to each lunch, and it was crazy how the food would just sit on the counter and not be served. We didn't get our food until I walked up to the owner to ask where my food was. I understand that it was crowded, but also understaffed. Do not underestimate the check please effect. lumpia shanghai - yum sinigan pork - good kare kare - VERY good lechon - ok, slightly oily & porky halo halo - ok I'd come back when there is no more check please patrons.
(3)
Jennifer E.

Cheap good Filipino food. Eggrolls (Lumpia Shanghai) 10 pieces for $3...great appetizer for two if you have more people get the 20 pieces for $5 I ordered Sweet and Sour Red Snapper in respect to Lent and I got a whole fish! I've never really gotten full from fish but it did it for me. My hubby ordered Inihaw (Grilled) Pork which he loved. For all Filipino food virgins, Filipino specializes in PORK and SEAFOOD. Anyways, this place is good and its always packed. And for drinkers, this place is BYOB and its next to a liquor store. If you want to keep up with the Filipino theme, try San Miguel beer :)
(5)
Jeff A.

In a strip mall, looking less than stellar, get over it! The food and service here is over the top, off the chain, through the roof, and at the front of the parade! They are so gracious and so quick to explain the dishes, all while suggesting traditional approaches and combinations in Filipino dining... We decided to go for a flavor tour, in classic me form, we kicked off with dessert, hey I never know when that Chicago earthquake is going to hit and I will be darned if I won't already have dessert down my gullet when it does! First course - Halo Halo - A dessert mÃ©lange of sorts, not too sweet, very complex in both flavor and texture-a truly wonderful experience-to the very last bite or sip-whichever you choose to savor last... Halo Halo is a large glass filled with sweet creamy liquids snow cone like ice, beans (yes beans), gelatin cubes, yam ice cream, flan, fresh mint, I am leaving stuff out I'm sure, it is truly an experience to be had. At first I was cautious and maybe even a bit confused, as I slurped and foraged on-I realized I had found a new sweet beginning, which I would revisit for sure! Second course - Calamari - Crispy, tender, juicy, perfect! With a complex sauce of spice vinegar and delight... Second course part B - Lil rolls that were crisp on the outside and moist and delicious on the inside... Third Course (three entrees) Mixed Adobo - Made with both chicken and beef it was succulent, fantastic meaty saucy wonderful! Pork bellies - The name on the menu is escaping me, just ask and ye shall discover, this may have been my least favorite course in the extravaganza and it was still devilishly good! Crispy Fat laden bites of pork belly fried and served up with a sweet fruity dipping sauce... Not low cal that's for sure! Filipino Sausage - Mayhaps my favorite preparation of the day... subtly sweet, a lil salty, and just enough kick to make this some darn good packed meat! Served up (on the suggestion of the staff) with two fried eggs, apparently this is a traditional breakfast dish; with the sauce and rice this meaty goodness was just perfect! Course 4 (two parts) Encore desserts... Ube Ice Cream (Yam Ice Cream) - Not too sweet, a wonderful purple color, just wonderful on the tongue! Flan - Denser then you would expect from a flan, again not too sweet, and a splendid texture to slowly masticate between your tongue and roof of your mouth, especially good with a spot of Ube... As I sipped on my loose leaf tea and nibbled on fresh mint leaves basking in the afterglow of such a wonderful flavor experience, I began to muse how the people of the Philippines came up with Halo Halo, adventuring and discovering their way through all of their wonderful food, figuring out that it is all so good-why not just cup all that goodness together and call it a halo, as if it dropped down from the heavens... Thank You Isla!
(5)
Amanda W.

It's hard to find a sit down Filipino restaurant, especially one this cute, with good food and great service. The atmosphere is adorable. Tried the adobo, lumpia shanghai, and pancit canton. We devoured it and even ordered more lumpia and lechon kawali to-go to eat later. They weren't as good after having to reheat them but still got devoured pretty quickly. The lechon was great when paired with pan de sal. My mom lives in California so the next time I need some good Filipino home cooking, Isla Pilipina is where I'm going! (until I figure out how to make this food for myself)
(5)
Rebekah H.

The lumpias were calling to me so we headed over to Isla with 2 friends. Got seated right away and while waiting for our friends to arrive we ordered 10 lumpia shanghais and a fresh eggroll. The lumpias were good as ever but the fresh eggroll was very bland. When our friends arrived they ordered the mussels and the fried calamari. The calamari was tasty but a bit overcooked, the mussels were pretty tasty and cooked well. For dinner I felt adventurous and ordered the spaghetti and chicken. I really wanted to like the spaghetti but it was so sweet it completely grossed me out. Between the hubby and I we ate 3 bites, it was seriously bad! Plus the hot dogs were the cheap, non descript kind, they couldn't even spring for beef or even the cheap Oscar Mayer pork/chicken kind. However, the chicken was awesome, perfectly seasoned, crispy, crunchy yummy goodness! Had the flan for dessert and it was also great! Service was much better this time, however, they still took forever to bring the check. I will be back for the chicken and the Pata intrigues me but stay far away from the Spaghetti! BTW, had the most bizarre dreams the night we went here, I am not necessarily blaming the Spaghetti, but I will concede that it may have Psychedelic properties! :-) It is also very odd to me that when you call and ask do they take reservations they say no, but then you get there and there are tables marked reserved and I even heard them ask someone did they make a reservation??? And she said, No I thought you didn't take reservations??? What is that about? Do you need to be in some secret club to get reservations here? Very odd!!
(3)
patricia n.

i went with several friends this week. none of us knew a thing about filipino food, but not for long! our waiter gave us a much appreciated 'fast course'. we each ordered something different and shared. not a bad bite in the bunch! we went early-ish on wednesday, heck, we're 60+. it was pretty busy, and got busier, but we were not rushed at all. the best part was when i reheated my leftovers for lunch the next day, yes there were leftovers, the quantity was impressive as well as the price. my husband was so jealous! since we live 2 blocks away, we've wanted to try it for some time. this may be the weekend. i've just learned from the reviews that they have lunch specials, perfect for the semi-retired! and they deliver...a find like this is dizzying!!
(5)
Georgia K.

My first experience with Filipino food was 100% legit. The atmosphere wasn't spectacular (but what can you expect from a strip mall). The service was slow at first, but definitely improved over the course of our meal. The waitress was extremely helpful and happy to give recommendations to a couple of newbies. The food was DEE-LISH! We split everything since, as our waitress reminded us: "sharing is caring." We ordered: Lumpia Shanghai (tasty 'lil eggrolls); Pancit Bihon (great rice noodle dish); and the Bicol Express (great for seafood lovers... a bit spicy and in a coconut milk sauce). All of the food was devoured in no time flat. Isla Pilipina, we WILL meet again. Next time taking advantage of the BYOB policy :)
(4)
Eric Jay D.

I never really get excited about Filipino restaurants... So it means just that much more for me to tell you: If you're ever in Chicago, definitely go check this place out! They are on-point, true to the dishes I remember eating growing up---and most importantly, they make this sadly underrepresented and undersold delicious cuisine readily accessible to the general public. My hat's off to you, Isla Pilipina! Maraming salamat---ang sarap! Of particular note: They actually LIST THE INGREDIENTS of the menu items! What a crazy concept! It's as if they're actually TRYING to reach out to the general public... ^_^
(4)
Alexis A.

Based on my one and only experience, I am not a fan. I ordered the mini eggrolls, calamari, and Bicol Express. The mini eggrolls were delicious and came with a uniquely flavored sweet and sour sauce. That was the first dish I ordered, and the only dish I enjoyed to say the least. When I saw calamari on the menu I got really excited; after reading good reviews about the quality of their seafood I knew it had to be ordered! Boy, was I wrong. I normally prefer my calamari sauteed, but am always willing to try it fried. This was so intensely deep fried that there was barely any calamari within the breading. It was almost as if I ordered a deep fried batch of...nothing? The parts of the calamari that I could actually taste were so dry and fishy that I could hardly devour one bite, not to mention they were very tough. It came with a vinegar sauce that I was unable to enjoy; extremely sour - but understandable if traditional to Filipino culture. The waitress advised me to order the Bicol Express, as she said it was her favorite dish on the menu. This dish included sauteed calamari, mussels, pork and came in a coconut milk sauce. I wanted to give the seafood another shot and was hoping that the sauteed calamari was better than their fried version. It tasted a little like curry, however it was much too sweet! I'm not one to order sweet entrees, but went way off the beaten path due to my waitress's suggestion. The calamari was a lot tastier, and the mussels were fine. I wish it had more mussels. The pork was awful, I could barely eat any of it. The Bicol Express was a little spicy, and I enjoyed that - but overall, this dish was not suited for my personal taste. Their service is pretty hospitable, which I am always appreciative of. I wanted so badly to like this place, especially since they were playing Ray Charles, but was sadly let down. Since this restaurant has so many good reviews I MIGHT consider checking it out again. I had never eaten home style Filipino food before this and I am curious to try the spaghetti and hotdogs.... If you come here, whatever you do, DO NOT ORDER THE FRIED CALAMARI APPETIZER.
(2)
Sharon P.

Thought this was a turo-turo but it was an all-out sit-down restaurant with art on the wall and nice seats. Pretty good eats, not as homestyle as most FIlipino joints, but the bangus was tasty enough with vinegar sauce. Lumpia had too much wrapper, and what's up with sinigang taking like 45 to cook? Ok ok I understand, it's a small operation. Cute little restaurant and I would come back to try the other dishes, especially pork sausage and halo-halo.
(3)
George H.

Went there yesterday as part of the Yelp Eats! event and loved it! We had seen the restaurant previously on "Check Please", so with the event going on we decided to finally make the trek down from the burbs. We went there early for lunch (got there as they opened the doors) and were greeted and told about the event as they gave us the special menu (some of the items were 'off menu'). We ordered lumpia shanghai and baked tahong (mussels) for our appetizers - the lumpia were crisp and not greasy, the mussels were succulent and flavorful--I practically had to fight my 8.5 year old daughter for the last one on the platter! ;) For entrees I had the (off menu) sizzling sisig (diced pork, vegetables,m and egg on a 'fajita' plate) which was very good and the pork was very juicy. My wife had the kare kare, it was moist and tender but very very rich (not a bad thing). And finally, our daughter had the fried chicken which was incredibly crispy and one butter fish which she made short work of, she enjoyed it so much. We were stuffed and normally would have forgone having dessert, but it came with the Yelp Eats special, so we had the (off menu) turn a la mode (fried plantain). It was good, but at that point we were so full it was overkill. All said and done, we had a great food and a great time (and plenty of leftovers).
(5)
Boon K.

This rating is compared to all the places I have tried the chicago area. For the price you pay, the portion are huge, like crazy huge. Love the lumpia, the Kare Kare( awesome) and the best of best.... Crispy Pata( to die for) and you need a run after but it was so crispy and juicy. The dinuguan was good but wish it was just a little more sour and spicy but still really good. Great service as everyone is so friendly here.
(5)
Reggie M.

Nobody cooks filipino food better than my mom. My opinion is obviously biased. Since I can't (nor do I want) to go to the burbs all the time to get my fix, Isla Pilipina is the next best thing. Parking is quite sparse here so I usually take the risk of stashing my car at the nearby Burger King. But once I'm in, I'm devouring Kare Kare like it was the last time I would ever have it.
(4)
Roxy A.

MMMMM SARAP!!!!!! (delicious) Went here last Friday w/ a group of friends, it's a small restaurant, but cozy & the servers are very friendly. I'm orignally from LA and have been deprived of Filipino food since I moved out here..not too many filipino restaurants out here in Chicago..but Isla Pilipina really hit the spot! It was Filipino feast & i was super "matakaw sa mata" (hungry w/ my eyes) b/c I ordered way too much food..but it made some great leftovers the next day! We ordered: *Lumpia Shanghai *Sinigang na Hipon (Tamarind soup w/ shrimp) *Beef Tapa *Tocino *BBQ Chicken *Pancit Bihon *Garlic rice (we got 2 orders but 1 order is more than enough for 4 people) The prices are decent and it's a great place to come w/ a group of friends b/c you can eat family style and have a little bit of everything! Plus it's BYOB!!!! woo hoo!!!
(5)
Mandy A.

Based on a recommendation from a coworker, the Supper Club group trekked out here to the finest strip mall on the road. It seriously threw all of us off and no one could stop making jokes about the Hot and Ready's at the Little Caesar's next door. ANYWAYS... We had a group of six and they took reservations that afternoon but then apparently gave our table away. No worries, they found another table for us in the very small dining room right by the window. Nothing like finishing dinner and having some very impatient guests staring you down from the parking lot outside. Not the restaurant's fault at all, just weird vibes. Anyways, we basically ordered everything that was fried off the menu. Started obviously with the Shanghai Lumpia, 20 pieces for $5, yes please. Each is about two bites if you are civil like me, one bite if you are my husband. Fantastic sweet and sour sauce, I could have just had a plate of those. Tried the veggie egg rolls too and those were pretty awesome, lumpia won out though. I had heard the fried chicken was amazeballs so I ordered that to share and for $7 you basically got like 6 pieces of chicken, at least. I can't remember, I had drank a lot of wine by that point. (Oh yeah, BYOB in case I didn't mention.) It was good chicken but nothing that I would trek out of my way for again probably. Husband got the pork belly and it should have been an appetizer or something, it was just a big piece o' belly fried up and waiting to be eaten so it can kill you from the insides. I had one bite and it was good and delicious and decadent but as a meal, me thinks not. I asked which was the best noodle dish and our crazy but awesome server pointed out the Pancit Bihon (pan fried rice noodle sauteed in chicken and pork, mixed with shredded vegetables). It was really good and a lot of noodles. Not so great reheated the next day so just suck it up and eat all of it there while you're at it. Also, a couple of us saw the $1.50 fried butterfish... just don't. If you think you're getting an awesome piece of butterfish like you get at Roy's... you're wrong. This was a crispy freaky ass piece of fish that was very, very fishy. Avoid. So yeah it was decent, an entertaining meal as always. Cool interior, good service, maybe our group was just not in the right mindset for this place that night.
(3)
Michelle L.

I had such a good time here!! My friend and I had trouble finding Isla at first. From the outside the restaurant looked kind of sketchy, but the interior design of the place was very cool and hip. It had a coffee house vibe, but with out the coffee. The food was amazing and it was at a pretty good price range!! My friends and I were able to order appetizers, entrees, and dessert with out blowing a hole in our wallets. I also loved the staff, they were super friendly and had wonderful service! I don't give 5 stars often, but Isla totally deserves it!!
(5)
Duely Y.

I've never had Filipino food before, but this is a must go for first timers! Food is absolutely delicious and the service is excellent! This place is located inside a small lot, but there is plenty of parking. Also, the restaurant itself is really small, so be sure to plan ahead if you don't want to wait. A big plus to this place is that it is BYOB/W and that the liquor store is conveniently located next door. Our table ordered a lot of food for everyone to try out and we have absolutely nothing but good reviews. It was very delicious and tasty, so be adventurous and order anything you want. I promise you that the food is phenomenal! Also, be sure to try out the Lumpia Shanghai and the desserts! I would recommend this place to anybody who has never had Filipino food in their life.
(5)
PJ J.

Hands down the best Filipino restaurant in Chicagoland. My bulletpoints: *Finally, a safe place for virgins of Filipino cuisine to go and have their first experience *This is a place where I feel like the kitchen truly strives to make good damn food, like they cook as if they're going to eat the food themselves *This place is cozy, warm, clean, and sports some cool, sparse decor and artwork. *Good, properly volumed music *Good service Before I rant, lets do this review. Isla is in the hood yo, don't let the Lincoln Square political geography fool you, one more reason to love it. Lemme skip to the food. Bast damn Filipino food I have had in the city, or anywhere near the city, ever. EVER! My morning breakfast: A couple perfectly salted butterfish, fried crisp -ate em with vinegar and garlic fried rice. $1.50 a piece. PRICELESS! 2 BBQ pork kabobs, cooked to perfection with PERFECT fat content, and perfect char. Marinated in that crack laced, real deal "drunk uncle" Filipino marinade. Lumpia Shanghai, now...mind you, I was raised to loathe any lumpia (fried egg rolls) that aren't "blunt sized" in diameter, and these little egg rolls are definitely "pinner" sized. -I gotta say, I get it. It's all about texture and crunch. Isla's lumpia Shanghai are better than (watch your mouth!) -My mom's. Ouch! Eggs over easy, and my wife got the pancit bihon, sans shrimp...these were executed perfectly, veggies cooked just right, not greasy -bright flavors. Fresh ground French Press coffee? Really? For dessert (I know, it was breakfast)...we had halo-halo. It had flan in it. It had that purple ice cream stuff that i don't typically like....but damn. Ethereal. Service was far above and beyond any other Filipino place, ever. Prices were more than reasonable. I love this place. Thanks Isla.
(5)
Bill M.

I've tried Isla Pilipina's offerings at several Yelp events. The food was good at the events, so it has to be great at the restaurant itself, right? Why yes indeed. My friend and I trekked to the humble strip mall location yesterday, and fortunately we snagged a table upon walking in the door. The menu is loaded with Filipino specialties, and I had a hard time narrowing it down to one dish for dinner. We did start off with a plate of Lumpia Shanghai. Although the order was for ten pieces, I think we got about 13 or 14. The surplus was a welcome bonus, because these lumpia were the best I have ever eaten anywhere. As mentioned, these lumpia were good at the events, but served hot and crispy out of the kitchen with a sweet dipping sauce they were amazingly delicious (they might as well rename the restaurant Isla Lumpia). We also ordered BBQ pork skewers as an appetizer. The flavor was good but not great, a bit too fatty and chewy and totally attached to its skewers. The entrees we chose were impressive, and went well with the white rice. My friend went with the yummy mixed adobo (pork and chicken) served in a hearty sauce. I ordered the Lechon Kawali. They brought out a big plate of pork belly cut into segments not unlike one of those Body Works human cross-sections. The pork chunks were tasty, meaty and not overly chewy, and of course laden with layers of fat and crunchy skin. Ideally this dish would be an appetizer split amongst a group of four or so. Next time I might go for the kare-kare (oxtail stew), and perhaps the monumental halo-halo dessert that was one of my fondest memories of my trip to Manila last year. OK I need to dine again at Isla Pilipina in less than five years. To top it off, the staff was friendly and the food is inexpensive. Just go!
(5)
Jon G.

Great Filipino food. Coming from a Filipino-Asian background, it is not easy to find authentic Filipino food in Chicago. However, Isla Filipina cooked up some of the best Filipino food I've had outside of the Philippines. The BBQ chicken is unbelievable and the pancit is a Filipino staple that you can't go without. If you're dining in and want dessert, Halo-Halo is a great Filipino Ice Cream Sundae experience (if you're mildly adventurous). ENJOY
(5)
Courtney M.

Isla Pilipina is located in a strip mall by a Little Caesars. So I probably would never have gone in if it weren't for a Dabble class being taught there. Shame on me. It was my first experience with Filipino cuisine and I was totally and completely impressed. Go with friends, order as many things on the menu as possible and save room for the halo-halo!
(5)
Rrr V.

Host: n/a Waitress: 3.5 Food-taste, presentation: 4.5 Property-style, decor, ambiance: 3.5 Authentic, tasty and inexpensive!!!
(4)
Brian C.

The first time I went here, I was not able to get a table, so be sure to make a reservation! My second time there (this time having made a reservation), I was able to be seated. This place is just a fantastic place. Great food, great ambiance, friendly service, reasonable prices. I am a huge fan, enough said. This place is BYOB so be sure to go to the liquor store next door to pick up some San Miguel!
(5)
Jeff N.

This place is still solid. I've been here a handful of times since my last review. Their red snapper is huge.
(4)
Sarah R.

LUMPIA SHANGHAI TO DIE FOR! They must be filled with crack because I can't stop popping them. I have admittedly ordered an order of 20 and devoured them myself (They're little!). The pancit is a litltle different than I'm used to, but delicious nonetheless. The restaurant is tiny, but I've always managed to get a seat. The one downfall is that the bathroom is located in the back of the tiny kitchen so you have to awkwardly cut through the prep area. Is that sanitary? I'm thankful that they have a restaurant regardless. One thing that I appreciate about this restaurant is the fact that their music is amazing. I can't tell you how many times I've had to use my Sound Hound app on tracks I like. It's BYOB and there's a liquor store conveniently located next door! WOOO!
(4)
Emann B.

I've been avoiding going to Isla, and even turned down a couple invitations from friends to join them. I knew once I tasted the amazing delights I would forever be obsessed. And so it has happened. Started off with the tasty vegetable lumpia, then split longanisa (perfect level of sweetness) and lechon kawali (like a drug it's so good!), and of course finished up with a halo halo. This is excellent Filipino food and I can't wait to work my way through the menu. Party platters are also in my future!
(4)
Demetrio P.

Finally tried Isla...and overall food was okay. Food didn't blow me away as for some reason I was expecting more, but was overly pleased. We ordered the Lumpia Shanghai (pretty tiny but eh, it's an appetizer), Kare Kare, Crispy Fried Chicken, Inihaw na Baboy (grilled pork) and the Pancit Canton. All were good, not great, but if I were to choose a fave of our order it would be the Crispy Chicken. Chicken very crispy and flavored well. The pancit canton would come in 2nd...noodles weren't overly greasy as some Filipino places, and was cooked well and tasty. I think this is a great place for those who haven't experienced Filipino food. A great starting place for novices, and also a good option for the non-novices. Overall, good food, reasonable prices, service was good.
(3)
Betsy J.

Good prices, BYOB, and a very interesting and delicious menu! It's small and crowded and you MUST make reservations (at least on a weekend night) but it's well worth calling ahead!
(4)
Barry C.

The Ube (purple) ice-cream is by far the best! The Inihaw na Pusit (grilled squid, stuffed with onions and tomatoes) was okay, though it got a little tough and chewy. (We also had a beef-rice dish which wasn't anything very special. I wasn't sure of the name and I can't find it in the menu anymore.)
(3)
MJ B.

Our whole party left the restaurant wondering why we had just eaten what we'd eaten. It's not that the food was bad, it's just so unhealthy and heavy and overwhelming. None of us had enjoyed Filipino food before, so we told the waiter we wanted to sample some classics. Again, none of the food was bad, but they served us enough oily pork belly for an army.
(2)
Tracy F.

This is a 3.5 star rating. I had heard such amazing things about this restaurant, I think my expectations may have been set a bit too high. Though, I was expecting it to be 4 star, not 5. Definitely make a reservation. By 7pm on a Tuesday night, there were already some people waiting for a table at the front. Service was very attentive - great. Food was good but not great. The main issue was the amount of fat/gristle in the dishes. I've never had more food stuck in my teeth in my life. The flavors were wonderful, I just would have preferred the meat to be leaner. Not sure if that's standard for Filipino food, though. Here is what we ordered: *Lumpia Shanghai: Cute! And delicious *Pork BBQ: The flavor was fantastic. I'd love the recipe for the sauce. However, this was one of the fattiest dishes of the night. We could barely bite through it so we had to ask for a knife to cut it into bite-sized pieces *Pancit Bihon: This was my favorite dish of the night. The flavor was great. Be warned - it's salty, but I still loved it. It could have used a bit more chicken *Kare - Kare: Though this dish is one of the most popular on Yelp, I struggled to find even a bite of meat that didn't have me pulling a lump of fat out of my mouth. I was very disappointed *Bicol Express: Great dish. A little creamy without being too heavy *Mixed Adobo: We ordered it with chicken only. I really enjoyed this dish *Halo Halo: Yummy! I would go back, but probably stay away from the Pork BBQ and Kare-Kare.
(4)
James Z.

I've been unable to Yelp because of school, but ya know, some places are definitely worth the time for review... and one of those places is Isla Pilipina. As someone having grown up in suburban Los Angeles saturated with - and this may come off as "ethnic food" elitism - the best Filipino restaurants in the U.S., Isla Pilipina gives some LA Filipino restaurants a run for its money. Isla Pilipina is among the best (if not the best) Filipino restaurant in Chicagoland. That's a bold statement, I know. Let me break this down... ya ready? Okay, something I've noticed with a lot of turo-turo places in Chicago is the food gets old fast because some stores/restaurants will leave precious kare-kare and pancit bihon untouched for hours. I'm not really sure why that is the case. Possibly low turnover? Low demand? You tell me. Isla Pilipina is wonderful because it is made to order and for that, you'll always get fresh Filipino food. I personally am not a fan of 6-hour old adobo. Are you? Best things to order at Isla Pilipina: pancit canton (!), sinigang, lumpia shanghai (I usually don't like lumpia shanghai. BLASPHEMY! I know. However, theirs is pretty good I have to admit.), and inihaw (gawd, I hope I spelled that right!). Though I didn't try it, my mom said their pinakbet is good. I'll take her word for it because Filipina moms are definitely hard to please when it comes to food. Trust. She keeps it real with discerning taste. I haven't come across any of their dishes I didn't like. However, the mongo was a lot soupier than I would like it to be AND... strangely enough (maybe it's just me!), there was no dried shrimp in it. Isn't that essential? I also found the barely one scoop of rice troubling. I don't know about you, but one scoop of rice for a Pinoy is like giving an athlete a drop of water after a jog. It's just not right! Or maybe, I just eat too much rice. I digress. Another thing I thought was somewhat "off" was the indie music playing. I love Yo La Tengo and Broken Social Scene like any hipster 20-something, but in a Filipino restaurant? Ehhhh... maybe I'm asking for too much of a nostalgic space, but Yo La Tengo isn't the same as hearing old school 80's Tagalog songs - the Pinoy jams relatives would play at backyard fiestas at Tita Girly's house. It appears the restaurant is family-owned and second-generation Filipinos (I hear more English than Tagalog!) operate the front of the house so that may account for music selection and ambiance. I'm second-generation too so I feel ya! However, the delicious food makes up for why I'm sometimes puzzled dining there. I went again for the fourth or fifth time last night. It was a great experience again because they gave us a chocolate mousse cake. Totally sealed the deal! (Almost as good as free halo-halo!) One last thing I want to note is how diverse the clientele is. Without a doubt, each time I've gone to Isla Pilipina, the crowd is a mix of Filipinos and non-Filipinos: 20-something hipsters and foodies, titos/titas eating lechon after church, or couples sharing a quiet meal together. Personally, I think it's precious and it's good to know more people aside from Pinoys enjoy a good heaping of bangus or tapa here and there! Anyway, in conclusion (and after babbling for a hot minute!), I highly recommend Isla Pilipina. It's even worth the trek for someone like me - car-less and Californian in the urban tundra that is Chicago. Bon AppÃ©tit!
(4)
Gerry T.

The 20 egg rolls (lumpia) were devoured quickly, make sure to ask for the fiery hot green habanero sauce to accompany this. Although, we noticed that the egg rolls were kind of skinny. I'd order 40 next time. The Chicken teriyaki was ok in that they didn't use chicken breast. The beef caldareta was excellent, the beef was very lean and soft. The pancit bihon pleased my daughter and she's a pancit snob. Now the Kare Kare was a pleasant surprise, it came with generous pieces of ox tail and the sauce was on the sweet side. I loved this. Isla needs to expand, it was crowded yesterday. A lot of non-Filipinos in there, but don't let that deter you, their food is like your Mom's cooking.
(4)
Nicole Y.

I was looking forward to Isla Pilipina because I knew they had pancit palabok on the menu. Unimart closes too early for me to get out to the burbs in time to pick up some so I went to Isla Pilipina. MEH pretty much sums it up. The pancit palabok was bland. The noodles were disintegrating in the sauce. The sinigang na baboy was bland. Sinigang is supposed to be sour and tart. The pork barbecue was good, but it hadn't been marinated long enough. The lumpia shanghai were tiny but okay. My fiance had caldereta, and he liked the sauce, but he said the meat didn't taste like the sauce. Caldereta is supposed to be stewed for a while so the meat should pick up flavors from the sauce. I am Pinay. My family hails from Pampanga. I grew up in SoCal. Isla Pilipina doesn't taste like my lola's kitchen. It doesn't taste like my father's food. It doesn't taste like something I'd want to eat. It's a pale rendition of Filipino food. The restaurant's ambience is cute and the food is artfully plated, but the food has been watered down to fit the American palate. Try Hiromi's instead.
(2)
Aimee M.

There's always a fear that I will find Filipino food better than my Mom's cooking. Whenever I have Filipino food in restaurants or even eating in the Philippines, it's with a sense of pride that I can say, "well, honestly, my Mom's cooking is better." Isla Pilipina comes really close to that high bar that Mom has set. Each dish that I tried was fresh and had good flavor--without the over-salt and over-grease that I've noticed at other Filipino restaurants. Food is served family style (as it should be with Filipino food). My friend and I had the lumpia shanghai, pork sinigang (tamarind base soup/stew) and kare kare (oxtail, tripe and beans in a peanut sauce). The lumpia were the skinniest little rolls I've ever seen but had good flavor and were so crispy. The Sinigang was good-- I like mine a little bit more on the sour side, but that's just personal taste. Good amounts of veggies and pork. The Kare Kare had a great peanuty sauce and I loved how they served a little dish of bagoong (shrimp paste) on the side to add a little burst of flavor. I didn't see the "Best Adobo" award so I'll have to go back and try that another time. This is definitely a good place for anyone that wants to try Filipino food. Service was friendly and timely. One of these days I'll learn to cook like my Mom, but if I'm in a pinch for some good Filipino food I'd definitely go back.
(4)
Jamil T.

Love this place! Great Filipino food. Recommend the mixed adobo set, garlic rice, and of course the shanghai lumpia. Place gets pretty busy with a small seating area and parking lot, so choose your feeding time wisely. It's BYOB, so bring a 12-pack of your favorite beer or a couple bottles of wine. The waitstaff and kitchen staff stay on point every time.
(4)
Rod D.

So I visited this place again for lunch and noticed that they had daily lunch specials. What a great find because let me tell ya, the food was SO good for lunch. You would think that you were getting a dinner special with the food served. There were 5 different lunch specials. You get a really yummy soup with meat in it to start you off. When the entree arrived (I got the menudo "sliced pork, potatoes, in tomato based sauce" lunch special), it also came with rice and 4 cigarette sized long egg rolls. I went with my girlfriend to lunch and she didn't get a lunch special. Even though she didn't get a lunch special, they gave her a soup alongside with mine anyway. Great servers and people working at this place. I found out that the lunch specials change frequently so if you get one dish one week, it may not be there the following week. I love this because you can always try something new during lunch. Lastly, my girlfriend is holding a fundraiser for this little boy Carter with cancer. She reached out to Isla for any type of cooperation to the fundraiser and they were fully cooperative to display anything in store and possibly provide things to a silent auction she is hosting. What else can you ask for from a business. I definitely recommend this place!
(4)
Angelo C.

I took my girlfriends father here, he is Filipino and when he saw our $55 bill, I thought his eyes were going to pop out of his head! We both agreed the food tasted great and the decor was nice. However, it in no way, shape or form, justified the $55 bill. We did order a dish out but it is still outrageous. This place is BYOB and it is way over rated. The portions will leave you hungry. We could have ate at several Filipino "All You Ca Eat" Buffets for half that price! The space is tight and crowded. It's my opinion good initial reviews have carried them further than they deserve. It's time for a more honest review.
(1)
Shantel M.

Yummy food!!! Great prices. BBQ Pork was yummmmy! Strongly recommended.
(4)
James D.

this place is bomb!! i ripped one of my fav jeans on the booth though - i blame myself more than anything but it doesn't matter whose fault it is- that denim is never gonna be the same.. I'm turning them into shorts though,... and when it gets warm I'll revisit this place in my new shorts!!!
(5)
Dennis S.

I've been hoping to find a good casual place for Filipino food in Chicago. This is it. Based on the reviews of Luan N, Rachelle G, and Hugh B, we tried Isla Pilipina. In a nondescript strip mall, with clean tables, "back home" decorations, posters, and newspapers, and a counter across the back with a window to the kitchen behind the counter, this presents itself as the atypical family-owned ethnic restaurant. Of the several dozen other patrons when we were there on a Sunday afternoon, all were Filipino. So either some in the Filipino community like this place, or the owner has a very large extended family. The food was terrific, just what we hoped for. We had Lechon Kawali - deep fried pork belly with a heavy gravy-like sauce for dipping; Mixed Adobo - chicken and pork, with garlic, vinegar and black peppercorn sauce, over rice; and Pancit Bihon - Pan fried rice noodles sautÃ©ed, with chicken and shredded vegetables. Large portions. It was all delicious, especially the adobo. No wonder they won an award for the best adobo in Chicago. The lechon kawali is a very unique dish, tasty, a bit chewy, but very flavorful. And the rice noodles were exactly like they should be, not oily but tender and a perfect contrast to the other dishes. Isla Pilipina is a small casual place with a take-out atmosphere. But the service is great. We enjoyed eating there, then taking home another meal worth of leftovers.
(4)
Ryne D.

Had a much better time here this past Sunday. I guess it helped that there were far fewer people here (there was a Bears game on, after all...), but service was prompt and the food came fast. This time I gave the kare kare a spin, which has a good consistency (unlike my mom's. which is too watery...fail!). They also have a little cup of bagoong, which is a necessary condiment for it. I think they've been hiring more wait staff, so I'm interested to see how they handle a full house. Still, this is some of the best Filipino dining you'll find close to the city. Oh, and disappointed that I forgot to order the adobo, which won Chicago's best adobo in '08! Whoops!
(4)
Natalie S.

We went in last night at 6:40 and were told "sorry, guys... kitchen closes at 7:00" so we left. We had no idea what time it was until we got to the car. Ummm... kitchen was supposed to be open for another 20 minutes. Who closes at 7:00 anyways??? I know it's their business, their rules, but you don't win good Yelp reviews with that attitude. Maaaaaybe we'll try again sometime... but not if I get my way.
(1)
Franny S.

Isla is where I go for a fix of the Filipino food my parents rarely make! It's located in the randomest little strip mall; handily right next to a liquor store as the place is BYOB! I ALWAYS start with an order of Lumpia Shanghai--20 pieces seems daunting at first, but they inevitably get demolished before dinner's over! I've tried a respectable variety of the menu--from the Pancit Canton, to the Adobo Rice, to the Beef Kaldereta-- and haven't been disappointed yet. My favorite go-to is the Inihaw Pork. You get a pretty nice portion for your buck here so I usually have some to nibble and snack on the next day (though my mom has been known to steal my leftovers). Overall, I adore this place! The interior is cute. I love the little lumpia and halo-halo shirts staff wear (and sell!). It's also ridiculously affordable. The first time I was there we ordered an appetizer, three entrees, and dessert and it STILL didn't break the bank. I've seen other reviews that mentioned long waits, however I've never had to wait more than 10 minutes (I typically go on the weekdays at 7 or 8).
(5)
Matt T.

Well, I finally made it here. After all this time being on my list and then a month ago being turned away due to a water main break outside, I got in the door with a sixer of beer ready to get down. I came away so impressed in the food and service I'm plotting my return and then on a search for other similar spots. The fried lumpia is so good...you think 10 pieces would be enough for $3, but these bite sized wonders go so fast. The sweet and sour sauce is perfect for dipping. My sister and I was overwhelmed by the great choices on the menu ranging from veggie to chicken, beef an seafood. We decided we had to try thie Adobo fried rice, which was a revelation. The rice was cooked so perfectly, the right blend of fluffy and sticky. The dish came back with chicken and pork and it was a huge portion. I could have had this for a meal. There's actually an adobo entree that's a bit different but one of their specialties. This is on my list for next time. We also decided to try the Kare Kare which is oxtail in a peanut sauce with string beans. Believe it or now this was my first time eating oxtail and I was definitely into it. Cooked to tender perfection on the bone the oxtail and peanut sauce was a great combination that had a ton of flavor. I didn't mind using my hands to pick the meat off the bone. The last entree we had was the Bicol Express, which is squid, shrimp, mussels and chicken cooked in a coconut milk sauce. This took a bit longer to cook and we were pretty much stuffed by the time it came out but this might have been the winner on the night. Fresh, delicious seafood in a light creamy sauce with mushrooms and green and red peppers. Overall, the food was fantastic and the service was fantastic. We were seated right away on a busy Wednesday night and our food came out quickly. The servers were very friendly and had the right balance of checking in with you and leaving you alone. I definitely cannot wait to come back and try some more dishes! This is my new favorite spot on Lawrence...besides Nhu Lan.
(5)
Maureen C.

Rating not for the food since we weren't even given a chance to eat. I've been wanting to eat here and my bf and I were driving around the area so we thought we'd drop in. It was 635pm, yelp says they closed at 7pm on a Sunday. I was hesitant as I hate being one of those last minute ppl that come into a place just before closing. But I've gone to many a restaurant probably 10 to 20 minutes before closing and they would always welcome us and tell us not to worry, to order away. Not the case w/ this place, even though the place was packed full of people and there was a table for four open. They told us kitchen was already closed. At 1/2 hour before closing. I was greatly appalled because I'm never in the area and when I am, they turn us away. Wow. I mean wow. Never again, Isla.
(1)
Janet E.

I came here for an I WISH food class and the food here was delicious! We had a five course meal which consisted of the following: Lumpia Sinigang Pancit Bihon Adobo Halo Halo My favorite was the Halo Halo dessert. Very unique and delicious! I wish my portion were larger! Everything else tasted so good I cant even pick which one I liked more between all of them (except for dessert of course). Parking was super easy! They have a private lot! Prices here are reasonable as well. It does not get better than this!!!!
(5)
Christopher D.

I'd like to say this is as good as momma's home cooking, but in truth? It's slightly better :). Sorry, mama. I love you, but the food here really hit the spot. Ordered the Beef Steak Tagalog and Mixed Adobo. Food was cooked really well and seasoned perfectly with the meat being nice and tender. The service was super fast and friendly. On top of that, the Halo Halo was the perfect ending. I haven't had it in a while, but the mix of Ube and piece of Flan on top was a nice touch. Wasn't too heavy and super refreshing. The set up is typical of small Asian restaurants... not much in way of decor or ambiance, but I don't think that matters when you're in good company and getting good eats.
(4)
Sonia B.

Everyone I know needs to go here now. Actually, even if I don't know you, you needdd to go here now. Isla has some seriously good Filipino food. I've only had Filipino food a handful of times in my life, mostly at friends' houses, so I was pretty excited to try some new dishes. My friend made reservations 3 weeks in advance for our party of 7. I wasn't quite sure why she made them so early, but when I saw its pint-size seating, I was so glad that she did. We decided to order several dishes, so that everyone could try something new. I don't even remember what the heck we ordered, or how many dishes, but all I knew was that food kept coming out of the kitchen to our table. We ended up ordering the Lumpia Shanghai, Crispy Pusit, Pork BBQ, Kare Kare, Pancit Bihon, Longanisa, Crispy Pata, Mixed Adobo, Grilled Vegetables, and most dishes came with white rice. Needless to say, we had had plenty to try, and even took home leftovers. Everything was sinfully delicious, but my absolute faves were the Grilled Vegetables, Pork BBQ, Pancit Bihon, and the Longanisa. I also had a (couple) taste(s) of the Flan, which was fabulous, and a bit thicker than traditional Mexican Flan. All together, we each ended up paying $20/person which is a steal if you saw how much food we ate and took home, and not to mention the amazing service of the staff. Everyone was so hospitable to our big party, and made our experience excellent. I don't have enough good things to say about Isla Philipina, other than I can't wait to go back. Oh!!! One last thing--did I mention it's also BYOB? Because it is :)
(5)
Bettina S.

You MUST try Isla Pilipina. The restaurant is very small, but cozy. It's definitely a typical small BYOB spot with little decor, but it's really clean and nice. The staff is definitely friendly and helpful. If you are not familiar with Filipino food, I recommend going as a small group so you can try a few different things. There are a lot of meat dishes, but they do have a few vegetable dishes. We enjoyed everything we ordered but beware the pork can be quite fatty. Two of my friends who grew up on Filipino food said that it's completely normal though. I went with a group of 5 girlfriends and we ordered an appetizer, 3 entrees, 1 noodle dish, 2 soups, 2 desserts, so we all left completely full with food left over and our bill was $68.00! I will definitely be paying this place a visit again in the near future!
(4)
Jade W.

I wanted to order everything on the menu as soon as we walked in! We ordered the lumpia shanghai, they were good, but wished there was more filling involved. The Crispy Pata was delicious and definitely crispy. Kare Kare was like silk in your mouth. Daing Bangus very traditional, nothing too fancy there. Laing sa gata was delightful and flavorful. Their specialty chicken got 2 thumbs up from my nephew! Great food, good service. Will definitely come back to try more items and request a larger table to accommodate more dishes. Though the dessert was good...it could be better. The leche flan wasn't smooth and creamy...maybe that's just the way I like it though.
(4)
Alicia K.

I love this place! It was recommended by a few friends and I am so glad I finally tried it. The lumpia appetizer is the perfect starter. I always smack myself in the head because I don't get the 20 pcs for $2 more. We ordered everything. The BBQ pork, which has an authentic name I cannot recall, was savory with a bite - I think they marinate with a pretty strong dose of vinegar. Perfect for the barbie. The adobo was only meh in my book; a little too heavy/stew-y for my liking. BBQ chicken is simple enough, but so many restaurants mess it up - not Isla Pilipina. They make it magnificent, reminding us that the simplest dishes are the best ones. The fiance hearts the grilled veggies. Moving on to the best part of the meal - dessert. Halo-halo, which directly translates to mix-mix, caps off the meal with a light hint of sweetness. I always ask for extra purple yam ice cream. IT IS SOOOOO good. Has a coconut sweetness that I am a sucker for. Next time, I have to try the crispy chicken. Heard it's heaven.
(5)
Michael M.

Whether it is dining in or taking out, Isla Pilipina is a great place for some of the best Filipino fare in the city. Walking into the small quaint restaurant, you will receive a warm welcome from staff that give excellent recommendations on new dishes to traditional Filipino cuisine. Everything is made fresh to order and served quickly. Adobo, pancit bihon, tocino, kare kare and pork filled lumpia are all winners. Isla Pilipina is also BYOB. So stop by the liquor store right next door where you can buy one of two different Filipino beers Red Horse or San Miguel.
(5)
Emily K.

I love Isla Pilipina! It's located in a small strip mall on Lawrence with a shared parking lot. It's a smaller sized lot but I've never had a problem parking. It's also a quick couple-block walk from both the Western and Rockwell brown line stations. Call ahead with a reservation since it's a small dining area and it fills up quickly. It's also BYOB. I prefer eating here with a large group so we can all order something different and pass the plates around to try a little of everything. It's always more than enough food (plus orders of garlic rice!) and it makes you try something you wouldn't necessarily order off the menu. Case in point: their pork served in "special" gravy (aka blood!). It's fantastic. I always leave here totally dehydrated and so full I think I'm gonna barf. Which is my most favorite feeling in the world.
(4)
Dolly V.

How the hell did I missed this place in the past? So. Damn. Good. Now I gotta be honest. I've never had Filipino food before and I'm asian. So disappointed in myself. Hah. So I went here with my coworker (who is Filipino) and some of his friends for dinner. There were about 10 of us so we decided to go family style! It seemed like we ordered everything off the menu because there wasn't a single free space on the table. I had to chug half a glass of wine down to make some room. (oh also, BYOB). Some of my favorite things that I had - The Lumpia Shanghai, BBQ Pork skewers, Chicken Adobo, Sweet and Sour Red Snapper, Garlic Rice...it was all fabulous and tasted very home style. Everything tasted similar to what my family ate on a daily basis but slightly classier. Service was friendly and attentive. Apparently the group that I went with go there quite often so they are pretty close with the staff. Only thing is that I wish they had air conditioning. The night we went it was hot as balls! The good food made me forget all about it though ;) The Halo Halo was great and cooled me off instantly! Yum, I want more!!
(5)
Dalibor Z.

Eating this crispy chicken should get you 8-10 for possession. If you never eat anything again in your life, you'll want to have the Crispy Chicken at Isla. A-MAZING. Also, having come straight from the beach and some alcohol imbibing, I was thirsty. So when the waitress walked up, with two glasses of water for me and my lady, I asked for four more. I was not disappointed. The longest time I waited for a water refill was 45 seconds. On top of that, every server took care of us, not just our immediate waitress. As soon as I needed a refill a different waitress would notice and say "I'll be right back with refills." Fantastic. Best water service ever. The food, aside from the DELICIOUS chicken, was also very good. The garlic rice, pork leftovers and what I can only equate to Gulash from Bosna. Really tasty, the -Gulash- was a bit spicy which added to the flavor. I'm don't have Gordon Ramsey palette like my lady, but really good food nonetheless. I was less than impressed with the dessert, but my lady assures me that I wasn't fully aware of it's fantastic flavor. If you haven't been, go. Don't question it, just do it.
(5)
Aashish J.

Contrary to most reviewers who went to eat the restaurant itself, my reviews are based on recent Yelp event where Isla served their food. My taste buds were excited for the deep fried pork and fried rice but by the time I finished chewing two pork strips my molars and gums were begging for retirement. Chewy as a rubber, those pork!!! Fried rice was better but not spectacular. I stil think I am going to visit the restaurants one of these days and try their in-house food. I hope that I will be compelled to give them more stars then.
(2)
Jennie T.

I like 4 items out of the 5 that my friend and I ordered, so I guess it isn't bad. I used to say that I don't like Filipino food -- mix of Spanish and Chinese cuisines? Uh... give me Spanish or give me Chinese and never the twain shall meet. That said, I think that when my friends order big trays of food for their house parties, it's probably from here, but half the stuff I don't know what it is. Either way, I usually only like half of it. Yesterday was different. I liked FOUR out of FIVE items. What a significant difference that is from my past experiences with Filipino food. I loved the fried butterfish. Yes, I know it's not really flavored with anything. It was still tasty though! It reminds me of the Korean fried mackerel a little bit... only it's not a mackerel. The vegetable eggrolls were okay. Eggrolls are just eggrolls to me. Nothing really special but it's not something I like or dislike. My friend got the pancit palabok. She gave me a spoonful to try and I wish I had gotten this for my entree instead. I think I was hesitant because I wasn't sure what kind of fish they'd use. I once had some fried noodles with tuna pieces in it and while it was tasty, it's still not something I'd order. Next time, I'll know that this is a safe dish for me to order. Based on our server's recommendation, I tried the mixed adobo. I have to admit that I did not know what adobo is (and because I'm somewhat of a techie, I am almost typed to spell Adobe instead... please excuse me), and if I had known, I wouldn't have ordered this. It's not that it's bad... It certainly taste like what it's probably supposed to taste like (unless it's supposed to be different-- I wouldn't know). It just reminded me horribly of a dish that my mom really enjoyed making one too many times and I eventually got sick of it. The only difference that I can tell is that my mom's version has hardboiled eggs and pork OR chicken (without mixing the two as this dish called for). Meh. So this was the one item I did not like. For dessert, we had the halo halo (no, you do not pronounce it like Halo the video game-- it sounds more like you're trying to say Hello). My friend and I had this before when our friends made it but I think I like the restaurant's version more... The difference is that my friends put jackfruit in theirs, and the restaurant, as far as I can tell, did not. I dislike jackfruit. P.S. We first tasted food from this restaurant at the Yelp event at the Shedd. I don't know what they were serving then but whatever it was, it was good enough for us to want to try it at the restaurant. I have a bad feeling it was the adobo, and so I'm not really sure what happened...
(4)
Danielle G.

not a good place to go if you have allergies/sensitivities/or a special diet. They told me an item on their menu was dairy free and when I got it, it clearly tasted of dairy. My friend tasted it and agreed. I sent it back and ordered something safer (Tapas) and got my bill and was charged for the meal they served me with dairy in it that I couldnt even eat and they threw away. I am allergic to dairy and explained this yet they served it to me and then charged me for it. Never going back! Also, the bathroom is in the back in the kitchen. Gross. Maybe a good place to get pick up when you are feeling like unhealthy take out food, with large portions for decent price.
(2)
Hoang L.

Yesterday was my first experience of eating at a Filipino restaurant even though most of my friends are Filipino. I've had countless homemade dishes so I knew exactly what I was getting into... GREASE. This place seemed quite authentic and the service was great. My friends and I can have a good time no matter where we go so little things that happen won't affect us... (e.g. power went out a few times during our meal). Oxtail and the fish dishes were really good. It's a nice cozy place and the food is cheap. We order so much food. But with all that grease, be prepared for some food coma. We had multiple apps, entrees, desserts, and a few doggy bags. It came out to $16/person. Tip: they close a bit earlier on Sundays so don't come at 6:45pm even though the door says they are open until 7pm.
(5)
Michelle Z.

Service consistently sucks but the food is good and its BYOB. Ask questions about the food. I ordered some pork dish and it was ALL fat. Not an exaggeration, I really couldn't find any actual meat in the dish. It was stewed, chopped, fat. I mentioned how fatty it was to the waiter who told me that is how it always comes out. Kinda feel like he should have mentioned that when I ordered it or it should say something to that effect on the menu but no. Timing of food is also a problem for the kitchen. Your apps may or may not come out before the meal. They need to work out these kind of kinks at some point. I want to go back for the food but I know I will probably be annoyed by the time I leave so I am not in a rush to return. They close too early too. Hate that.
(2)
Keely J.

Delicious eats, huge plates, made for sharing, come hungry, leave happy. Staff was awesome. I'm coming again and again and again.
(4)
Luan N.

Usual mode of my filipino food intake consists of my friend inviting me for lunch. Dessert consists of getting blind-sided with a task such as moving heavy objects or fixing her laptop. Time after time I have been falling for the same bait on the hook, that is until I found Isla Pilipina. Isla Pilipina is my revolutionary discovery that has opened my eyes... that I no longer have to be conned into menial labor just to get tasty filipino food. Seriously, the lechon kawali is excellent here. The mixed adobo was a bit different from the adobo I'm used to, so I wasn't sure what to make of it. The adobo gravy here was a thicker and oilier. I'm used to a looser sauce that is soy sauce heavy with pungent vinegar that just trickles down when poured over my rice. I think this is going to be my go to restaurant for flip food in the city!
(5)
Abby M.

I love their food. Lumpia Shanghai is delicious (get 20!) and their adobo is out of this world. I've had homemade adobo from friends that were taught by their parent/grandparent, but those dishes are like soup compared to the delicious gravy that comes with the mixed adobo. I also love the eggplant appetizer they have. I've had the pancit and have to admit I wasn't "wowed" by it - it wasn't as flavorful as the adobo. Next to try is the kare kare, but it's so hard to venture away from the adobo! I gave 4 stars only because it can be hit or miss with the timing and temperature of the food. We went with a group of 6 once on a Tuesday night, and they basically forgot to bring out an appetizer until we were finished with all of the other appetizers (this wouldn't have been a big deal - but it was the only vegetarian app we got for the vegetarian at the table). Then, my entree didn't come out until everyone were basically finished with their entrees. The servers apologized, but didn't offer to comp anything - which I thought was necessary given the 2 mix-ups instead of just 1. This last time, the lumpia were cold. :( About broke my heart. . The service is always very friendly and the food is very reasonably priced and ridiculously delicious. How can I forget the no-cork fee BYOB!?! I'll still be back, lumpia cold or not cold. They had my heart at Adobo.
(4)
Kev L.

Sweet Baby Jesus! Thank you for allowing whoever the owners of this place are to have created such an amazing place for me to trash my diet and ruin all of my jeans! If someone had told my my favorite restaurant in Chicago would be a Filipino restaurant, I would have said it was a long shot. It has however placed in first and is now the apple of my culinary eye in Chicago. I never had any idea Filipino food could taste so good. . . so right . . . so stupid craveable . . . . Im just going to be real with you. If you are a guy and you haven't been here, you should have your licence to eat revoked. Ladies. If your man has not taken you here, you should have his man card suspended. Please understand this is NOT a place to go if you are dying of hunger. You will die before you get your food. However, come here at 11Am or 4-5PM right before you are going to die. It could easily take an hour for you to get your entree. Apparently it's because everything is made from scratch. And with pinoy food, this is how it should be. Filipino food is complicated and requires the labor of love and attention to detail. The stupendous folks here understand that and are happy to oblige. For appetisers we promptly ordered the lumpia shanghai and lumpia sariwa. Be sure to not cheap out and get the 20 piece of the shanghai rolls. The sariwa is more of a personal appetiser, but it's very delicious. Kare Kare is a dish of ox tail and beef tripe slathered in peanut sauce. When my wife tasted this, Her eyes rolled back into her skull and she sort of disappeared for a moment. More on her later . . . Inihaw Na Baboy (I think? it's grilled pork). This is BY FAR my FAVORITE dish of pig anywhere on this planet. The outside crust is absolutely perfect. When you bite into it, it's like biting cold pineapple. Juices just explode in your mouth and your tongue instantly begins to suffer culinary shock. YOU MUST TRY THIS DISH. While you are at it, get a plate of garlic fried rice. This Filipino home staple is very simple, yet taste like bliss. It goes perfectly with the grilled pork. Back to my wife. Once she returned wherever the heck she had lost herself after trying the Kare Kare, she promptly let me know that I was still the #1 in her life, but that if I were to ever get stupid with her, Kare Kare would be there to keep me honest. Anyway, Chicago should be proud to call this joint home.
(5)
David G.

I scrutinize Filipino food according to whether or not it stands up in the same league as Mom's cooking. Most of the time it doesn't. After all, what's better than a home cooked meal with the extra love added? It's difficult to compete with that. But with all apologies to Mom, I think I found a substitute. Maybe Isla Pilipina can adopt me. Be my foster Mom while mine is in the Philippines. Let's talk about the food. Sinagang. A hot soup just tangy enough and not overpowering, loaded with vegetables and meat. We had the beef, but you can also ask for fish, chicken or pork. I was never a big fan because this is difficult to get right. Isla Pilipina definitely comes close. Eggplant Tomato Tower. This is interesting because I couldn't tell if this was Filipino or not. I would have to guess no. It's an appetizer to add spice to the meal. It was tasty, but the meal could have gone without. Lumpia Shanghai. Ahh, the infamous Chinese-inspired egg roll. Smaller than a traditional Chinese egg roll, lumpia is like the perfect finger food. The lumpia was pretty good. A lot of places tend to overcook their lumpia leaving you with a cylinder of carbon, but this was done just right. Pancit Bihon. The staple Filipino noodle dish. Pretty basic and I couldn't complain. Mixed Adobo. This was probably my favorite part of the meal. The mixed adobo is chicken and pork, and the meat was very tender. Perfect with rice. Tocino. This was also strange because I used to consider Tocino a breakfast food, eaten with rice and egg, but as a complement to dinner it couldn't go wrong. Also, this dish is often tough and overcooked, but Isla cooked it perfectly. It tasted closer to Chinese barbecue pork, but sweeter and with larger cuts of pork. Finally for dessert, Halo-Halo. This was an interesting choice because it was freezing outside and Halo-Halo is considered a summer dessert, made of shaved ice and loaded with... pretty much anything you can find in a jar: coconut, red beans, palm nuts, and other ingredients. It was topped with ubi ice cream (made of a purple yam) and leche flan. I'm not usually a fan of ubi, but I practically inhaled this. And to eat such a cold dessert on a sub zero day means a lot in terms of detectability. Well, Mom. I can't say you've met your match, but Isla Pilipina is definitely worth checking out. The place gets a bit crowded these days, thanks to media publicity, so reservations is a must. The service was decent. I think Isla may need to set their aspirations higher and get a larger space, because word will catch on that Filipino food is worth the trip.
(4)
Eenie J.

Food was quite tasty. But don't expect heaping amounts of food like other turo turo places. It's just "enough". The food was really good. The problem was that it took over an hour to get our food on a weekday at 2 in the afternoon. Plus, they had run out of soooooo many things, it was tough to order. But I love how their lunch combos come with a side of ube ice cream.
(3)
Josh E.

Delicious food and I don't know what all the hullabaloo is about having to wait for a table.My g.f. and I went here on a Thursday night (yes, post Check Please review) and got seated immediately. Granted, we were right by the cashier's station but who cares. We had the lumpia, a couple of soups (they're huge and can beshared) a couple of dishes off of the specialty section. All very good and we took a lot home. The tab with tip was around $50 for two but you can spend a lot less and still be stuffed with good food (eyes bigger than stomachs, or something like that..). Stop the whining and go here.
(5)
Doug F.

Can't say it loud enough. AWESOME. MUST GO! I had many, many bad experiences with Philippine food in general, but my very very picky cousin wanted to try it. So we gave it a try. WOW! Everything we ordered was very good. We had: Lumpia Shanghai $3 (10 pcs) $5 (20 pcs) Deep fried mini eggrolls served with sweet & sour sauce: pork, egg, jicama, green onions, carrots, soy sauce, love. Soo small and tasty! Pinakbet $8 Kabucha squash, pork, and vegetable dish sauteed in a shrimp brine paste Flavorful and gone quickly! Kare - Kare $11 Beef oxtail, tripe, and green beans in peanut sauce; with a side of shrimp brine paste Hard to find oxtail at a restaurant and this was so well executed and delicious. Mixed Adobo $9 An unmistakable Filipino delicacy; Chunks of chicken and pork marinated in a special sauce of garlic, vinegar, and black peppercorn I'm still licking my lips! Halo-Halo $5 A refreshing medley of crushed ice mixed with fruit and bean preserves topped with ice cream and leche flan If u never had it, u gotta try this unique, flavorful dessert. Do NOT let the dumpy strip mall fool you! The inside is nice and the service is great. And the prices are cheap. And the quality of food is down right AMAZING. While we were there I heard every table complement the waitress on how good the food was. People in the restaurant were just buzzing with how good the food was. Everyone at my table loved it. A MUST TRY RESTAURANT.
(5)
Elizabeth S.

Phenomenal Filipino. Isla Pilipina: What a gem. And Go Yelp Eats! Initially, I had reservations (and curiosities) about the Yelp Eats! picks. Nothing was really in my neighborhood, or in the path of my typical transit, and I had only heard of a couple of the restaurants. Cut me some slack: 2 year Chicagoan, here. Genius, yelp. True genius. Isla Pilipina caught my eye (as I have a sweet Filipino pal who always shares delicious-coco-nutty-and-spicy treats from his homeland). Upon investigation: the food & reviews looked great...not to mention BYO. Nothing disappointed, and I was so happy that Yelp Eats! helped me experience a fantastic spot in a great Chicago neighborhood that I otherwise might not have. We ordered the items from the Yelp Eats! menu and also lassoed in a dish called Bicol Express - with squid, shrimp, mussels, meat, squid...oh yeah, I already mentioned that one... (so good I am daydreaming, now). It had that great sweet, gently spicy, clean combo that my friend also uses in his traditional dishes. BEST OF ALL: the music was killa'. Beatles-esque, touch of modern, and some bad-bad soul. The energy was incredible, and it was super exciting to be there. I can't tell you how many times they asked us how things were. It was truly gracious. And yes, I'm coming back for the Ox Tail. THE END!!!
(5)
Jackie O.

The only aspect of Isla that out shined the cuisine was the service. Completely ignorant about Philippine Island dishes, our server talked us through every dish on the menu till we were salivating. After an order of the mini deep-fried eggrolls and bbq pork skewers, I was already out of room before our meat dishes arrived. We took the recommendations of our server, and I couldn't tell you what it was - but everything was char-grilled, marinated, and delicious! Apparently, there are quite a few vegetarian options, but carnivores rejoice at this joint! The food and the service took us by surprise, but the biggest shock was the tab. Two appetizers, Two entrees and a dessert for under $30? Unbelievable!
(5)
Annie N.

While traveling, I often got mistaken to be Filipino - and sometimes I would want to play along, but I know nothing about these islands and the people - so when I found Isla Pilipina's lunch special - I knew it was a must try. Not only would I get a lunch for $5.99, but also I'd gain some knowledge to fake an identity (you know, in case my future career gets me there). Back to reality - we got here at 1:00pm on a ridiculously hot day - air conditioning was running full force. Very good. Upon entering, we realized that there were some lighting instruments inside - they were filming something here. Wow - now not only I would be able to try some famous food but also I would have a shot at stardom (you know, given they'd ask to film me). But no, the film crew was too busy eating and talking to the manager. I finally decided to sit down and order some food. Now their lunch special menu is not completely the same with the one they had online - but not much different. They had: - Chicken Teriyaki - Fried Butterfish - Tapa (grilled beef) - A grilled pork of short. Their lunch special comes with egg rolls, soup, rice and a tiny desert (which they didn't mention in the menu but it appeared later on). I had the Tapa while my friend had the Butterfish. The soup came out first, and it was --- uhmmm --- a lot like Vietnamese food. It was tasty and simple - with pieces of vegetable, green peppers and pork. Perfect for a summer day. Then came our main course - just a simple dish, but everything was sooooo good. The egg rolls were crispy - dipped in delicious sweet and sour sauce - perfection. The beef were marinated and done so well I could have not asked for anything better. It reminds me of vietnamese pork chop, or a bit like korean kalbi. If you like either of those, you'd like this dish. My friend's butterfish was excellent as well - lightly marinated and deep fried. The fishes have bones (i.e. they are smaller fishes that were served as whole - not filet), so make sure you're ok with it. As we started eating, the camera man started go walk around and do some more filming of the restaurant (which was rather small). Then to my delight-ment he came over and ask to film us. That was the cherry on top of my sundae. Now all I need to do is catch the show and make sure I have a cameo - you should do the same too, but before then, make a visit to this authentic delicious place, you won't regret it.
(5)
April P.

As any restaurant that's been graced with Check Please's presence (done rightfully so by our very own JOHNNY T), expect for the place to be SLAMMING for the first few months. That includes long wait times and maybe a little slower service with the new population So PLEASE!!!!!! Don't judge this place based on the traffic. Be patient and do know when they work their *down home pinoy cooking* to you, it will be FABULOUS!!!
(5)
Chris L.

This place is amazing! Cheap, great lunch specials, and hard to match quality all around. Highly recommended!
(5)
Ay D.

I used to date a Pinoy that was constantly saying "just like home" whether it applied to food, rainy weather or rapidly developing countryside. Well, Isla Pilipina's food is is pretty close to that of my childhood home and my Filipino friends' homes. Coincidentally, Chicago spring and the Ravenswood industrial area mirror the other "home" comparisons. The comprehensive menu of rice dishes, pancits, soups, fish, Filipino specialties (lechon, kare kare, adobo) makes my eyes bulge and my heart yearn for a buffet-style homecoming. I've been here for lunch and have gotten takeaway plenty of times. The $6 weekday lunch special is awesome! It's a soup, 3 tiny lumpia rolls, entree, steamed rice, and small square of flan. When my friend and I came here, the soup was tinalong manok (cabbage, ginger, scallions, chicken). The lumpia is slim with a nice ground pork filling. The pork menudo is solid, and I enjoyed the bangus fish, as well. The flan is sweet, light, and an ideal finish for the special. Their mongobean soup is just right: steaming lentil-like beans, spinach, onion, ginger, and pork swimming in a simple broth. The crispy pata is deep-fried fatty pig-feet perfection. I called in an order for tapa (tender grilled top sirloin), but was pleasantly surprised by the dish we got instead. Can't complain because it was tasty and "pata" and "tapa" are literally anagrams of one another. Happy times with the Shanghai fried rice - longanisa sausage, pork, egg, and jasmine rice. Isla serves Asado coffee in a coffee press, which is a great choice! So glad they nixed the more authentic Filipino practice of instant coffee. Their halo halo is the best I've had in a restaurant in a while! Good amount of condensed milk, bean preserves, and tropical fruit topped with ube, a shortbread straw and cherry. I love the ube, that vibrant purple yam-based ice cream. They serve ube as a dessert on its own, too. Isla Pilipina has a decent dining room with great local island-inspired art and friendly young Fil-Ams manning the register and tables. My only regret is not knowing about this place last time my parents visited Chicago.
(5)
Marco T.

I used to go here before it was remodeled and the menu was revamped. Really digging what they've done recently. We actually prefer getting Filipino food a la carte then hitting up the buffet. Quality over quantity right? The dishes we like the most are the lechon kawali (sp?), lumpia sariwa, and the fried squid. But it seems like anything else we've gotten has been top notch. Last time we went and I totally saw the gals next to us had friend chicken and spaghetti so I know what I'm getting next time we're there. The food and atmosphere were both pretty relaxed. It's also BYOB and the liquor store next door sells San Mig and San Mig Light.
(5)
Cameron H.

A friend of mine got me into eating Filipino foods. We initially started our dining at Little Quiapo (used to be on Clark and Montrose). However, since they moved, then we went to the restaurant across the street called Fishpond. Not bad either. However, other friends of mine recommended Isla. I am glad they did. There were four of us. We started off with the Crispy Pusit (Calamari) and the Lumpia Shanghai (egg rolls). Awesome. Then we each had separate dishes (Chicken Adobo, Kare-Kare, Chicken con Limon, and the Guinataang Gulay at Hipon. Everyone loved each dish as we shared them all. Overall, we all were very pleased with the service, food, and experience. Will definitely go back.
(4)
CheChe N.

Isla Pilipina has definitely made a name for itself in the most recent years. They even went through renovations to make the place look less of an eatery and more stylish, with the sleek lines and hanging art on the wall. They are located in Lincoln Square, on Lawrence Ave, by Western, across the post office. I remember that back in the early 2000's, this place looked like it was going bankrupt and that they were in the verge of closing down. But just last year, I moved to the Albany Park neighborhood and drove by to find, much to my surprise, Isla Pilipina still open for business. I wasn't trying to be pessimistic, but really, that's how it used to look. After seeing them still in business, I wanted to try it again. I was so glad I gave this place another chance because the food was delicious. I'm probably a little more critical than other because I come from a family of excellent cooks and have been spoiled with really well made and very tasty filipino food. Even so, I would still recommend this restaurant to someone who wants to try filipino food. Being that I am also filipino, I am able to make some of the dishes they have on the menu, so I try to order the ones that I haven't been able to make. They have a good array of different dishes which have originated from different regions in the Philippines. It's a really good place to try out filipino food for the first time. The service has always been paired with a smile and the price is definitely affordable for the amount of food you get. The downside is that they only have several tables and therefore can get packed easy. Due to the increase of popularity, I have seen this place so full that they even had people waiting outside. In times like that, I would recommend taking the food to-go because the food still tastes really good even when reheated. So if you are a little curious and want to try filipino food but don't want something weird and funky on your plate, then you should definitely visit Isla Pilipina. The staff is always nice. The food is very delicious and has flavors that are very non-invasive (I just thought that would be a good way to describe it to somebody who never had filipino food before) especially if you are a first timer. Don't forget to say "Salamat" (Thank you in Tagalog) before you walk out the door :)
(5)
Dimitri P.

I had a terrific experience at Isla Pilipina. My friends and I showed up at 7 pm on Friday night, and not surprisingly we were informed that there was a forty minute wait for a table. We were reallly hungry, so the waiter was kind enough to make recommendations for other Filipino restaurants in the neighborhood. On our way out, a patron who had just finished dining ran out to catch us and said "I overheard you and we decided to finish up so you can get a chance to try it". Wow. The food: we tried Pork BBQ skewers (just like homemade... charred and nicely marinated), mini eggrolls (delicious), mixed adobo (hearty and delicious), Bicol Express (a curry-like mixture with light coconut sauce over a plate FULL of great seafood), and red snapper (delicious whole fish over vegetables with a deliciously light and tasty sauce). We're all big eaters and could not finish the meal (a bit surprising in and of itself). As with all food I enjoy the most, the flavor profiles were based on slow development of flavors, light seasoning and restraint when layering flavors on the food so that the natural essence of the pork, fish, vegetables, etc., shines through. Service: Great! Waitstaff was very attentive, made recommendations and, most of all, seemed generally quite interested in making sure the diners were happy--and appeared to take great pleasure in doing it. While IP would certainly not be labeled "fine dining", I rarely receive better service from "fine dining" establishments. Price: two appetizers and three huge entrees, without tax, was less than $15 a person. ARE YOU SERIOUS??!!??? Decor: Clean and simple, nothing fancy. Had it been a little roomier, IP would have gotten the elusive 5-star rating from me (but then the meal would have cost $100 rather than $45, so I'm ultimately happier with the 4-star type of restaurant!). Do yourself a favor and treat yourself to a little bit of Filipino soul. Your stomach (and pocketbook) will thank you. I can't wait to go back and try something else from the menu!
(4)
Christine R.

I am very critical of Filipino food as I am a Filipina and I have to say, despite the small cramped dining area, that has not stopped me from giving them repeat business. This place makes very tasty Filipino food! I've been here several times and here is what I usually order: Appetizers: ~ Crispy Pusit (Calamari) - super crispy which is the way I like it! ~ Lumpiang Shanghai - rolled tightly, skinnier than your average, but makes it even tastier Main Course: ~ Garlic Rice - of course...helllloooo! ~ Beef Steak Tagalog - stack it on top of the rice and let the rice soak in the juices (oh. mah. gawd.) ~ Sinigang - this dish makes me feel like I'm back in the Philippines. I order it with the shrimp and put some white rice in the soup - WOW. My mouth is watering as I'm typing...AGAIN! (I have problems.) Beverage: ~ Mango Juice - Okay, so I only ordered this one time. Do not order it. So watered down. But, hey...that's not why you come here. Just get a diet coke or something. Overall grade = A+ They do a great job with presentation of their food and have a very friendly and courteous staff. I come here when I'm cravin' some good home cookin'. Love it, love it, LOOOOVE IT!
(5)
Carmen A.

I dont even remember the last time i waited an hour and fourty minutes to be seated in a restaurant. Probably never. However, after seeing Check please feature this restaurant I decided to go on a Friday around seven, and it turns out so did most of Chicago. As you approach the restaurant you see a huddle of people outside my first thougt was " are they giving cheese or what?" so this little tiny restaurant unobstrustively nested in a parking lot mall did not seem to be at all prepared for the amount of people standing inside and outside to be seated. As a previous reviewer noted if you are starving you may need to move on. The bads: they had tables with a reserve sign on them for over an hour while a million people waited to eat. This place should not take reservations it is super tiny. The poor waiter was so overwhelmed that although he tried really hard to be attentive it was virtually impossible. Even after finally sitting down it did take some time to get the menus ( they ran out) and to take out order. And last but not least, I dont know about you , but having people standing against the wall , slobbering and giving you the evil eye hoping you will rush through your meal is more than a bit unnerving. The goods: the food is UNBELIEVABLE. Yes, i will have to say well worth the wait . It was almost like each plate was made just for you an dnot in mass quantities. The quality was excellant, serving size was good and the price is definetly a plus. So, if you are good at ignorning the heathens, dont mind waiting and can be understanding to over worked wait staff.,,,,then GO FOR IT! PS the hao halo is an aquired taste.
(4)
Cindy K.

I tried Isla again, this time utilizing lessons learned from my previous experience. I called a full hour ahead of time so I didnt have to wait there alternating between Angry Birds and Words With Friends for 30 minutes. The two dishes that I wanted last time but were unavailable were ok to go this night. I ordered pancit palabok, mixed adobe, and shanghai rice. The pancit palabok's awesomeness is no exaggeration. The shanghai rice was also great. The mixed adobe was different from what I expected. It was very saucy and salty. This was the second time I ordered a meat dish with sauce and both times they were quite oily and salty. Lesson for next time: ask them to hold the salt on sauces or skip saucy dishes all together.
(4)
Tommy C.

This place was great! Great wait staff, great food and affordable prices! Quaint too, which I like. I highly recommend if you are looking to try something new. One of those gems hidden in a strip mall.
(5)
John E.

I love this place. It is the best Filipino restaurant in Chicago that I've been to. I just hope there is still some room for them to expand since the place is too small (so I don't have to pass through the kitchen when going to the restroom). But anyway, I come for the food so that is something bearable. I forgot to mention... the servers are very friendly; I give them 5 stars!
(4)
Irene G.

First time I've ever eaten at a Filipino restaurant in Chicago and I'm Filipina! Went here on a Sunday for dinner and it's a good thing we made reservations because the place was packed even at two hours before closing time. We ordered 20 lumpias (egg rolls) for $5 which is a good deal if you ask me. I had the tocino and for dessert, Halo Halo! Mmmm love ube ice cream! This place is BYOB. :) The only negative is the bathroom situation. You have to cut through the kitchen to use a uni-sex bathroom which is a little weird/inconvenient. Overall, the servers are friendly and would come here again when I have a craving for Filipino food and don't feel like coming home to eat at my parents'. :)
(4)
Bryan Y.

I use to live five minutes away from Isla and never noticed it being there or heard of it. It wasn't until I Yelped for Filipino cuisine that I found it. The employees there are extremely nice! They even wanted to sing happy birthday day to me even though it wasn't my birthday. Here is what we ordered: 1. Lumpia(egg rolls) Shanghai 2. Grilled BBQ Pork Sticks 3. Beef Kaldereta 4. Pancit(noodles) Palabok 5. Menudo(pork and potatoes) 6. Garlic Fried Rice 7. Daing Bangus (boneless milk fish) 8. Sinigang(Sour Soup w/fish) 9. Kare Kare (beef oxtail) Dessert 1. Halo Halo 2. Ube Ice Cream: The food tasted very traditional and surpassed my expectations. However, if I had to knit pick here are my concerns: 1) When I think about Filipino food, I think about my family making huge portions. I understand smaller portions makes for a more efficient and profitable business, but it wouldn't hurt to add a little more food. 2) The garlic fried rice tasted a bit soft which makes assume they used fresh rice to make it. When my grandmother use to make it, she used a day old rice so it gives it the crunchy texture. 3. The ube ice cream tasted more like taro. Ube is much more sweeter and is a darker purple. I would definitely come here again. Perhaps, next time I'll come on my actual birthday! So if you have never had Filipino food, this place would be a great place to start.
(5)
Mel R.

As good as it gets if it's not my papa's kitchen! lumpia shanghai nice BIG order, very worth it (if you dont know how to make it at home). gata sa laing- also very good- i was expecting it more spicy, but everyone's recipe is different. tocino- it was a little fatty, but that's where the flavor is right? i only wish they had sisig on the menu. everything was great, authentic filipino food. i cant wait to go back and review more dishes!
(4)
Jose B.

anyone who doesnt give this place a 4-5 stars fits into the following categories: 1- came in last minute expecting to be seated (make an reservation) 2- doesnt know how real filipino food tastes like 3- just mean LOL!!! It was introduced to me by my looooovely filipino fiance and seriously ive been here like 5 times already, and i think they put crack in their food cuz im addicted. yes its small but think ahead and make reservations! food is FILTHY CHEAP!!!! i cant believe they make a profit! lol IM A LIFE LONG FAN!!! P.s. NOM NOM NOM!!!!
(5)
Marissa G.

Upgrade to 5 stars after spending my BFF's birthday here last night. The menu has been redone into a hand drawn smaller piece with cartoons, which is very cute. Upon finding out it was my friend's birthday, they took special care of us, and even brought out a free leche flan with a candle and barquillios cookie sprinkled with coconut. Just the best.
(5)
Tony M.

My gf and I visited Isla Filipina in mid-October after seeing the establishment receiving some TV coverage and were glad to see a Filipino restaurant getting some air time. We were seated rather quickly and ordered the calamari, laing, lechon and Halo-halo. It seems once food was prepared and placed at the window, the food was then placed on the main counter and then figured out which table received what. It didn't seem like the system was very organized. We received the calamari in about 15 mins with the waiter apologizing for the wait. 10 mins later our laing arrived and 15 mins after that, the lechon arrived. For dessert, the halo-halo was somewhat bland and not too sweet. Being a Filipino-American who has eaten home cooked Filipino food, turo turo (fast Filipino food) and sit down Filipino restaurant food, I would rate Isla's food as pretty good and chalked the wait and inconsistent food arrival times to new business in response to the new press. So we went back this past Saturday evening 30 mins before close and waited at the front to be seated. During the 5-10 min wait, the wait staff walked by at least 3 times and did not acknowledge us. I went to the front and asked if we could sit at the empty table. The lady behind the counter said "I'm sorry we're closed and sold out for the night". I said to myself "sold out?" and "closed"? That would have been nice to know while we were waiting to be seated or acknowledged. Why not just inform customers they close at 8:30pm? My first experience at Isla was ok, and this second visit has confirmed that they need to improve operations and service. After reading other reviews with similar experiences(long waits, poor inconsistent food arrival times), my assertions seem to be confirmed. My recommendation to Isla... Good food is only part of a dining experience. Get it together, listen to what customers are saying and continue/improve to be able to meet the demand this new found publicity is providing.
(2)
Eliza Z.

Came here with a large group of people, one of whom was Filipino. She gave her approval of all our dishes! We started with huge orders of the lumpia shanghai. These are addictive little fried eggrolls. I briefly considered ordering another large appetizer platter as my meal, but then our very boisterous waiter came and gave us a nice little intro to Filipino food and also gave recommendations on what to order. I split the mixed adobo and the panchit bahon with another person. The panchit bahon was really flavorful, most rice noodle dishes are usually lacking in flavor and need a ton of hot sauce or something, but these were awesome just on their own. The mixed adobo was really good, very tasty, but a little on the salty side for me. It was also super cheap - with a bunch of appetizers and an entree each, it came out to $10-11 per person. Add in BYOB, and it's a perfect cheap date night.
(4)
J M.

First, the place is small but that's okay. Second, service is very slow - we ordered 2 appetizers. Appetizer 1 (lumpiang shanghai) was served after 35 minutes (shanghai). I cooked these many times so I know it doesn't take that long to make. I ordered this simply because I want to compare my own version. Taste was average and my question is this - how come for some reason those photos posted here don't resemble the one I had, the lumpia in these photos are 2x longer. Appetizer 2 (calamari) served 10 minutes after - the consistency is rubbery. Third, main course - laing. Surprised!!! Looks tasty to me unfortunately there was a hair strand so I didn't touch it. I asked them to change it to Bicol Express. Now I was really looking forward to it. Waah! Where's the spiciness? Can't seem to taste it at all. Isn't it supposed to have a lot of chilis? I understand they are trying to make it different because it was a seafood version, taste was okay but not authentic at all. The tocino was too sweet for me. We also ordered another course but end up cancelling it because we have been waiting for it for 1hr and 15 minutes and still not serve. Fourth, if this place was excellent - how come a lot of the customers were bringing their food home? The servings are just average. Most of the time, we end up finishing our food because it's so delicious and no leftovers. Fortunately, the servers are nice and this place could improve.
(2)
Edzellou A.

Food is great, we tried two dishes, the pork nilaga and pork inihaw and both were really good! Also, we had to try the famous lumpia shanghai which everyone is raving about: just like my mum's, so good! :) The meals overall are healthier than other Filipino restaurants I've tried in Chicagoland. The pork is not too greasy or fatty and the soup has plenty of nice, fresh greens. Serving sizes are good to share for two, but not enormous. For dessert, even though we were pretty full, I really wanted to try the halo-halo as I haven't had it for ages, so we shared. Reminded me a bit of Chowking back in Philippines, so delicious! I wish we had found this place earlier... can't wait to go back again to try more dishes. Left with a satisfied stomach. Great service and staff are very friendly! Overall, a great Filipino restaurant that you can be proud of, small but very cosy. I would have given them 5 stars if it weren't for the restroom, which was run down and a bit grimy looking.
(4)
Erin L.

Some of the reviews on here were based on silly things like being closed on days they would come in, which is only on Monday, and the comparison to the food not tasting like how their moms made it. I KNOW my lola (grandma) and titas didn't make the food like this, but that's definitely not a terrible thing. Isla Pilipina has a sort of modern fusion twist to traditional filipino dishes, which in a way makes it not as oily and very unique. For example, their Garlic Rice has a softer texture than the way I had it as a child. My mom doesn't cook, so I'm basing it off of my lola's cooking. Their Bangus portion is huge! Much bigger than what the filipino groceries sell. Other dishes I would FOR SURE recommend are the Tocino, Longanisa, Ginataang ng Gata, Inihaw na Baboy, and Fried Calamari. Their lunch portions could fill you pretty well and are under $8.00. They come with 3 lumpia shanghais, a generous scoop of rice, the main dish, and a cute petite side of their sample dessert that makes you linger for more. Their presentation on the dishes were pretty elegant (don't let the strip-mall, unpleasent atmosphere outside fool you) and the restaurant gives a warm, comforting vibe. It is hands down the cleanest filipino restaurant i've ever been too. The staff is always friendly and quick refill your glass of water. Some negatives: the restaurant DOES get really busy on certain days and the place is rather small so make sure to get a reservation. that being said, service tends to get slow with that and the numerous amount of catering/take out orders taken throughout the day. also, parking SUCKS. I really really hope Isla expands. They get so much business and they deserve more and more people to experience their awesome food. Quick-Tip: When you get your Thai fortune cookie at the end, TAKE OUT THE FORTUNE. I've seen other customers eat the cookie with the rolled paper inside...
(5)
Gina F.

We went back last week & I got the veggies again. I was soooo looking forward to it, but it was served nearly cold. Not chilled, but left-in-the-window-too-long cold. Not only that, but some veggies weren't even cooked through. Raw eggplant? Ick. But the flavorof the other veggies was still good. The eggrolls were great, and roughly the temperature of the sun. Plus, husband loved the tilapia. Note: The fish is served whole--head, bones, & tail. They had a big party, so they may have been rushing. Our service was fine (I didn't mention the temperature).
(4)
Victor M.

My first time eating Filipino food and this has certainly set the bar. I don't remember the specifics of what we ordered but the basics: Oxtail stew, seafood stuff in a coconut sauce, chicken and beef mix, fried pork, fried beef, o-m-g deep fried pork belly, sausages, scoops of rice, and about 40 egg rolls (we're not crazy, they're bite size). I think that's all of it.. its BYOB with a liquor store next door. Service is extremely kind, friendly, attentive, and down to earth. They knew we were complete noobs to filipino food. When we ordered the very popular Halo Halo, we began eating all the components separately. The kind waitress kindly recommended that we should stir it. hahaha. Then.. like Whoa! There's a purpose for the crushed ice.
(5)
Sherry N.

My husband (who is Filipino) was in the mood for some home-style cooking today, and so we checked out this restaurant after having seen great reviews on "Check, Please!" We ordered Lumpia Shanghai, mixed adobo (a classic), and the Bikol Express (shrimp, mussels and squid with coconut sauce). Basically, everything was delicious. It was the best Filipino food I've had in a restaurant in the States. Service was friendly, and the space is newly painted and has a fresh look, compared to how it looked during the show. The only draw back is that it's a small space and the wait is longer than at most restaurants. Reservations are accepted, probably recommended. We happened to get there at a good time. In any case, it's worth the extra wait/planning.
(4)
Jerome M.

I ate here a couple years ago when the place was basically a lunch counter and everything was served out of styrofoam containers. It was kinda ghetto, but still pretty good, because let's face it, it's hard to fuck up tocino and garlic rice. I completely forgot about it until recently when it started popping up on yelp and my mouth watered from reading the reviews and looking at pictures people took of the food. I went here a week and a half ago with my girlfriend and her daughter. The place looked much better. Okay decor, table settings, etc. but what was really noteworthy was the place was PACKED an hour before closing. We ordered the kare kare, mixed adobo, the 20 piece lumpia shanghai, sinigang bangus, guinataang gulay with shrimp, and grilled teriyaki chicken. We totally destroyed the lumpia. Even the girl liked it, and she's far from adventurous. The kare kare was awesome, though my girlfriend wasn't keen on the bagoong at all. Not many non-filipinos are. She also was wary of the sinigang bangus, but I thought it was delicious. The teriyaki reminded me of chicken tocino. The gulay was also delicious. The only thing I didn't like as much as everything else was the adobo. If you're filipino, you know that adobo is comfort food. I like it with pork, but mixed with chicken was okay, too, and they cut the pork without trimming the fat, which is the ONLY way to cook pork in filipino cuisine! The sauce, though, was just OFF for me. It wasn't bad, just not what I was expecting. It was more of a gravy, and I was expecting a thinner sauce. The only other complaint was they were waaaaay skimpy on the rice. Way skimpy. So of course, we ordered way too much and ate leftovers for days, and didn't have room for halo halo, but we did have the flan, which, like tocino, is hard to fuck up. Delicious. So overall, it was pretty fucking tasty. The wait wasn't long at all, unlike at the Pampanga restaurant on Caldwell and Devon, which is crazy delicious, as long as you have several hours to spare, and I liked it better than Little Quiapo, which I haven't been to since I was a kid, but always seemed pretty dark and dingy.
(4)
Christina H.

I LOVE this place. The food is delicious, especially the lechon! Filipino food, by nature, isn't the most visually appealing food in the world, and most places make no effort to present the food in 5-star manner, but Isla Pilipina serves traditional dishes in a modern presentation. I came here with a non-filipino friend who ordered the halo halo, and the servers were very enthusiastic about her first-time experience with the dessert. They explained to her how it's meant to be eaten and what halo-halo means. She thoroughly enjoyed her experience here, as did I. Unfortunately, I recently moved out Chicago, but if I hadn't, I'd make this a weekly stop!
(5)
Joanne B.

Isla Pilipina's cuisine is not as good as my mom's cooking... it is BETTER!!! (Sorry, Mamacita... I still love you!) We first decided to go to Isla Pilipina when our Partners-in-Food-Crime wanted to try Filipino food. There was a restaurant in the suburbs which we had planned to go to but since it was a Friday night and we are all city-dwellers, we decided to stay local. Never having seen or even been to the restaurant and only going on the faint memory that someone I knew once mentioned that there was a Filipino restaurant in my 'hood, we looked on Yelp, found it and made reservations. The rest, as they say, is a match made in food heaven... On the first visit (which was shortly before the "Check, Please!" review), we went in 10-strong and with eyes as big as flying saucers, ordered and devoured almost everything on the menu. As I mentioned, we were introducing our friends to the cuisine so we insisted they sample all the foodstuffs, in the event a new world order was created and Filipino food was outlawed the very next day! Needless to say, we were not disappointed... The general consensus was that it was easily the best Filipino food in the city, nay... in the Chicagoland area! We enjoyed: Lumpia Shanghai, Crispy Pata, Kare-Kare, Longanisa, Beef Steak Tagalog, Crispy Chicken, Dinuguan, Beef Kaldereta, Inihaw na Baboy, Fried Butterfish, Garlic Rice, Halo-Halo... there may have been more dishes but that was all I could fit in my body before bursting at the seams! I am Filipino... I have never craved Filipino food... Nor did I really care for it that much... One visit changed me! Two weeks later, with the full knowledge that "Check, Please!" had caused a fanaticism of epic proportions, we ordered take-out and enjoyed someone else's home-cooking in our own home :-) Today, we sampled the lunch special: $5.99 for soup of the day, eggrolls, protein of your choice, white rice and a dessert bite. We had the Longanisa and Beef Steak... still as good as we remembered! Now, I am laying on the sofa, barely able to reach the laptop over my burgeoning food-buddha-belly, desperately trying to complete my review before I succumb to siesta... The place is small, charming with some interesting artwork and music selections and is BYOB. The service is courteous and more than adequate. But, the food is what keeps us coming back for more...
(4)
Jen P.

The food is mom n pop style (delicious) while the interior is like the college kid's art studio (eclectic). Should definitely come check it out~but the place is small and the place gets busy so call ahead and make a reservation!
(5)
Jason V.

I'll admit it. This review, my trip to Isla Pilipina--it was all set up to fail. Expectations were just too high. The allowed margin for error was too small. I've been blessed with growing up around great, homemade Filipino cooking, and Isla Pilipina was the first Filipino restaurant that I had ever been to. (After visiting it, I don't consider Kapit Bahay in Las Vegas a restaurant.) Just looking at the menu, I wanted to order . . . everything. I had to restrain myself. Choices had to be made. There were only five of us. Had to get the fresh lumpia. Get the lechon and kare-kare but pass on the mongo. Longanisa, but not tocino. Kaldereta, but not menudo. Throw in the adobo. Okay, how about the garlic rice? But the fried rice has Chinese sausage! Dessert: halo-halo or leche flan? And I forgot to get some pancit! It would have been easier just finding more people to share all these dishes with. Then the first bombshell: The Kare-Kare--the dish I was most looking forward to, my favorite Filipino dish--was out. I was devastated. I considered postponing my Isla Pilipina dinner to the next day or maybe some other day I would be visiting Chicago. The server saw the disappointment in my face and apologized profusely. We ended up substituting a dish, but this was not a good start. On to the food, we started off with an order of the Vegetable Eggrolls--pretty average, but sufficiently crispy and with a nice mix of vegetables including green beans and carrots. I was totally surprised at the Fresh Eggroll Lumpia: I expected smaller crepe rolls filled with crab meat, chick peas, lettuce, carrots, and jicama combined with a white garlic sauce. Instead we got rather large, loosely-filled triangular rolls filled with vegetables and topped with peanuts and a brown sauce. The crepe wrapping was still great, but I wasn't crazy about the dish as a whole (and admittedly due in no small part to my surprise). An order of Longanisa was spot on--can't really diverge much from the traditional Filipino sausage. For the heavier items, the Beef Kaldareta was the consensus best dish of the night. The beef was maybe just a little bit tougher than I would have liked, but I did enjoy the tangy sauce with the potatoes and peppers. I got thrown another surprise with our order of Chicken Adobo. While I was expected the cooked bits of marinated chicken, this dish was more like Chicken in Adobo Sauce. It was still tasty, and I wouldn't mind having it again. The Lechon Kawali was a major disappointment--it was overcooked, which just burned up the savoriness of the pork. Even the side of Mang Tomas accompanying the dish couldn't resurrect the flavor. I was also disappointed with the Shanghai Fried Rice--the pieces of Chinese sausage were cut too large. I'd prefer smaller cuts across the sausage followed by a quick pan frying to get a slightly crispy outside to the sausage. All could have been forgiven if the restaurant could have delivered a superior Leche Flan than what I was accustomed to, but, instead, the second bombshell hit: They had run out of Leche Flan. Hence, the #1 and #2 dishes I was mostly looking forward to and most talking up to my friends were out. Instead of the Leche Flan, we split one order of Halo Halo, which is fine for two, or maybe even three, people, but really doesn't work out well for sharing among five. Nevertheless, the Halo Halo was refreshing and probably something I would recommend (to share) to other diners. As for non-food notes, the service was polite and friendly. With only 30 seats, the restaurant is quite small, and I would highly recommend reservations (which we got for our group of five just from calling the day before). By the time we were leaving, there were two tables of six that were reserved. The restaurant has its own parking lot, which is a pleasant bonus. All in all, and subject to all my earlier disclaimers, Isla Pilipina was a bit of a letdown for me. Maybe it goes to show that there is just no place like home. Perhaps a grade of "Incomplete" might be more appropriate because I disappointingly wasn't able to try the Kare Kare or Leche Flan. My two star rating is intended to reflect that disappointment along with major misses with the Lechon Kawali, Shanghai Fried Rice, and, to a lesser extent, the Fresh Eggroll Lumpia.
(2)
Kyle I.

Filipino food for me is the pinnacle exotic cuisine. Not because of the flavors, but because of its rarity, especially in Chicago. The first time I sampled filipino cooking was when I was 13 and I went to a birthday party at a friends house (who is filipino.) That being said, there are not many filipino restaurants in the Chicagoland area. Over the years I have drifted apart from my ethnic filipino friends. The only filipino friend I have now does not eat the food very often at home because his mother has become very health conscious at their home. Filipino food is not the healthiest of the asian foods. In fact, it might be the most unhealthy. Think soul food of Asia. But, if you are in the mood for some tocino (cured pork) or diniguan (pork parts in "special" gravy sauce) then Isla is the place. They have a lunch special that is a very great deal. You get an entree, soup, egg rolls and small dessert.
(5)
Darren F.

its a small restaurant with a small parking lot and it can be hard to find parking sometimes, since it shares the parking lot with a few stores next to it.. interior of the place is nice and simple.. the service is great.. we ordered the Lumpia Shanghai to start out with .. its like a must order when you come here! they are like mini egg rolls and its nice and crispy.. for our entree, we ordered Lechon Kawali, garlic rice, and mixed adobo... the garlic rice is to die for!! rice taste so good with the garlic flavor.. the lechon kawali is good too.. its like chinese roasted pork except they deep fried the whole thing, which makes its so delicious (I'm a sucker for fried food)... the mixed adobo is basically a must get when you order in a Filipino restaurant.. it has chicken, beef, and pork if i recall.. all covered in sauce which is great! tasted a little on the salty side but that's what the rice is for! haha .... for dessert we had the halo halo... it was awesome! it has a scoop of Ube ice cream,a wafer straw thing, small slice of flan, ice, few different types of beans, jelly, and milk.. now that was a great meal! i would recommend this to people that haven't tried Filipino food before.. its a great little place with good food and good pricing! will return back here soon!
(5)
Dustin G.

After seeing this place on "Check, Please!" I really wanted to try it out. I went online and found that they have a $5.99 lunch special. First, let me just say, best cheap lunch in Chicago! For $5.99 you get an entree, rice, a bowl of soup, several big egg rolls, and one (very small) scoop of ice cream. I had the fried butterfish and my boyfriend had the teriyaki chicken. All of the food was delicious. I'd never had Filipino cuisine before and I was pleasantly surprised. A piece of advice: bring a couple mints. Everything is served with a spicy-garlic vinegar dipping sauce. Although delicious, it leads to lethal breath. The food was so good I hate to say anything negative, but the service needs to be stepped up. Two people were covering four tables so there really shouldn't have been any problems. We waited ten minutes to put in our order. Cokes came before water. Food came before napkins. And, the chicken was too big for a knife not to be brought to the table. The wait staff should ask if you need anything explained as some of the items have very unusual names. I will go back. The food is really delicious. I imagine that after appearing on TV they're going to get a lot of new business. They need to invest in training their wait staff so as not to drive away any new customers.
(4)
Malana W.

I was initially drawn to Isla Pilipina from a review I read/saw (I can't remember which). What drew me to visit Isla was the chef who was trained in Manila on Philippine customs and traditions. Too often you can find the meat in certain dishes to be too fatty and at Isla the food was cooked to perfection. We went on a busy day but the server was very kind and courteous. There was a rather long wait for one of our dishes and so she brought my date and I a complimentary order of lumpia to tide us over. The wait was totally worth it because I give the food five stars. Isla gets three starts from me because of the seating. It was very cramped--if sitting on the people next to me was possible we were doing it. No. Had I sneezed it would've been on the couple's food who were sitting next to us. In fact, I think I made small talk with them asking about their dish because I felt like we were sitting so close that someone needed to say something. Being one who works with the disabled population, Isla is not a place that is very handicap accessible due to this reason. For as packed as they were at 2pm I foresee an expansion in their future. So if you plan on bringing a wheelchair--phone ahead and tell them so that space can be made. Also, we did not see a public bathroom from where we were sitting which made for interesting conversation when one of us did have to find a restroom--which I think ended up being next door!? I want to visit Isla again but will make reservations next time so we sit at a table hopefully the experience will be a bit different.
(3)
Richie D.

I can't say I had truly experienced Filipino cuisine...until I got hooked. Unfortunately I have recommended the wazoo out of Isla P in person but had put off Yelping it for quite some time. Well the time has now arrived! Attention Newbies: A liquor store that sits next door is perfect to purchase your beverage for Isla P's BYOB-friendly ambiance. If you're not Filipino, you'll probably be the only outsider in the place which only shows its authenticity. And take my warning that those Filipinos looooove to stare so just ignore it and chow down. As a side short story, I brought one of my "more picky" friends here and that same week we had to bring his boyfriend to try it out. It's that good and not too "odd." What brought me in here were the "Filipino eggrolls" called Lumpia. DO NOT leave here without ordering the Lumpia Shanghai appetizer (only $2.95 for 10 rolls or $5.50 for 20). As a pork hater, these little fried guys have converted me into a pork tolerator, especially once I dunk them in the sweet and sour sauce. I will give you a heads up and say "skip the rice and noodles" and go straight for the Inihaw or Grilled Specialties. Our favorite dish is probably the Tapa (seasoned cuts of top sirloin beef with rice). The Chicken Teriyaki is also pretty delicious but I found it to be very fatty. If you don't mind that, then all the right flavors are there (most likely due to the fat factor). All the pork dishes are enjoyed by friends of mine, but I stick to just the Lumpia as my share of pork. Attention Vegans and Vegetarians: When you look at the Vegetable Dishes, the majority have some type of meat in them. I think they are primarily comprised of vegetables and the name sort of points to that fact but keep this in mind when ordering to ask for it without meat. If you work in the area, be sure to check out their lunch deal for $5.99 (rice, soup, egg rolls and dessert). Put a twist to your tastes by giving Thai lunch specials a break. If you enjoy Chinese food and Latin food (probably most comparably Cuban) due to Spain's and China's influence, then do not pass up Isla Pilipina. Need I mention the Lumpia again?!
(5)
Joanne W.

So, I've been here twice now and all I can say is if I lived closer to this little gem I'd be here on a weekly basis. Ok, I lied...I have a little more to say. The lumpia are the bomb, yo. I could eat a 20 piece serving by myself. In fact I scoffed at my fellow diners when they suggested we only order ONE 20 pc serving of these fried pieces of heaven. I know it sounds like a lot but just go for it - you'll thank me later. FYI: skip the calamari. I love the pancit, this is my go-to dish. I really enjoy it and could eat it every week. It's no frills but it's delish and it makes my belly happy. What else makes me happy? The crispy pata. It's a little scary looking but worth every crispy porky fatty bite. Mmm. The paksiw na lechon is also a very good dish and something I'd order again. I've also tried the ox tail and it was really not my thing..nor were the filipino sausages. The mixed adobo is also a solid choice as is the bichol express. I was turned on to the garlic rice and I've actually craved it since I've had it....so good! This place is small and if you are party under 4, a reservation will not be made for you. Keep that in mind when planning your visit. BYOB makes Isla even more affordable. I've not spent over 20 dollars here on each visit and have had leftovers to take home. Gotta love it!
(4)
Marisol B.

Yesterday (after checking Yelp, of course) my manslave and I took the Metra to Ravenswood and walked to Isla Pilipina. It's in a small stripmall with Little Ceasar's...if I hadn't been looking for it, I'd never have guessed that this is where you can find some of the best filipino food in Chicago. $5.99 Weekly Lunch Specials Apr. 21 - Apr. 26 , 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM The choices for main entree were Inihaw Pork| Fried Bangus | Beef Steak Teriyaki Chicken| BBQ Pork meal incl. Nilaga (an original house broth w/cabbage, potato, and beef) Lumpia Shanghai (deep fried mini eggrolls w/pork served w/sweet and sour sauce), rice and leche flan (rich custard of egg and milk) for dessert. My take on the food: DELISHUS. I'm normally not fond of filipino food (shocking, I know) but I AM a fan of filipino bbq. The potatoes and beef in the Nilaga soup just melted in my mouth, and the pork bbq didn't disappoint. Leche flan is one of my fave desserts, so it was cool that there was a bite size portion incl. with our meals. Highly recommended :)
(4)
Krsna V.

This is going to be one of those cheesy, sappy, love-filled reviews. If you think I am going to be my usual self and write a review filled with filthy language and sexual escapades, you are shit out of luck. There I go with my cussing again. I should stop. The man loves making me happy, especially when I am leaving him for almost 2 weeks to travel across the world (even though he is joining me for a part of the trip). He knows I love trying different ethnic foods. I would eat a different cuisine everyday if I have the chance. In order to please me he has been taking me out for a different kind of ethnic food every day. I picked Isla Pilipina to test Philippine food. I do not have much experience with Philippine food. I wanted to change that with a trip to Isla Pilipina. The restaurant is pretty nondescript. It is located in a strip mall, with a bare bones decor. We were greeted by a lovely waitress who sat us down. We ordered the calamari and lumpia shangai for appetizers. I am not sure if fried calamari is authentic Philippine food, but it was excellent. The dipping sauce, made out of vinegar, was tangy and added to the flavor. A 5 star dish. The lumpia shangai are mini pork egg rolls served with a spicy dipping sauce. Another 5 star dish. I also ordered the Gulaman Sago: the Philippine version of bubble tea. It was surprisingly bland even though the description said it contains brown sugar syrup. Maybe my tongue is burned from all these years of eating spicy food. We got Paksiw na Lechon and Mixed Adobo for entrees. The man did not like his Paksiw, he was not eager to eat all the cubes of pork fat and skin. The dish was 70% cubes of pork fat, 20% pork skin, and 10% meat. We ended up eating my Adobo dish, which is the winner here. The tangy adobo sauce mixed with rice was to both of our liking. Overall, the food is 4/5 stars. It is not their fault that my man didn't like the Paksiw. We will still go back, but refrain from ordering the Paksiw. Service was super. In fact, I got worried for a second because I am not used to such friendly service from hole-in-the-wall ethnic eateries. They usually throw food on the table and you have to fend for yourself like a wild animal. I looked at the waitress with skepticism when she approached us with all smiles, explained the menu to us, and checked on us repeatedly. It made me wonder if she is trying to steal my man. Don't you even dare, I will cut you. Turned out she is just a sweet and kind soul who genuinely cares about the patrons' happiness. I am glad we went, even though the man didn't eat most of his entree. There is this thing called love that makes you do things you wouldn't normally do. He rarely ate ethnic food before meeting me (blame it on the waspy upbringing in the Hamptons), and I rarely ate steak and bland food before I met him. We have come a long way since then. He does everything to make me happy, and I return the favor (told you this is going to be sappy and cheesy). Anyway, enough of my teenage love banter. I am no way near being a teenager and I should stop sounding like one. Go to Isla, get a taste of Philippine cuisine, definitely get the calamari and lumpia, but stay away from Paksiw if you do not like lots of pork fat. Here's to love!!!
(4)
Aubrey R.

I love Isla. I cannot believe I haven't been here and have been settling for Little Quiapo and Fishpond to get my fix of Filipino home cooking. Isla doesn't have a buffet, which is fine by me. What I have tried and have loved so far: Lumpia - Nice and crispy, not greasy. Adobo fried rice - this is really tasty. Comes with pieces of adobo in it. Tapa - Meat with a nice smokey flavor and it comes with a vinegar, pepper sauce. Meat is tender. Lechon - Nice, crispy skin. They serve it with Mang Thomas, can't go wrong. Sweet and sour red snapper - Fish is crispy, sauce has a nice flavor and little zing to it and it was under $15. Palabok - This is the only dish we ordered that was just okay to me. It had too much sauce and it had calamari on it, not use to that. I will try to order pancit next time. On a side note, since we dined here and loved the tapa, I ordered a half tray for Thanksgiving. Everyone loved it. I will be coming here from now on whenever I crave a home cooked meal. If you come during dinner, make a reservation. It's a nice, cozy place, but it gets crowded. Prices are reasonable and the service is great. Everyone working comes to check on you quite a few times. You never have to flag anyone down. I seriously cannot believe I haven't been here until now!
(5)
Nick C.

Everything was great! You have to go there now!
(5)
Carly O.

This was my first experience with Filipino food. Based on everything I had, I believe the bar has been set fairly high. While this assumption is probably not completely valid as I have no idea how authentic the dishes are, they are were all DAMN GOOD. Lumpia Shanghai is a must. Oh, you don't like fried goodness served with a side of sweet and sour sauce? I'll eat yours then. Longanisa? YES PLEASE. Sausage is not just sausage in this case. I'm not a soup person. Given a choice, I typically choose salad, and I hate lettuce. But the sinigang was so flavorful and aromatic, I'd say it ranked up there with one of my favorite dishes of the evening. I've also tried the Shanghai fried rice: good, though not particularly different from Thai or Chinese fried rice. The barbeque chicken was quite tasty...cooked to perfection and slathered in what tasted like a tomato based sauce. And the pancit palabok, a common Filipino noodle dish that is unlike anything I've ever had. Definitely not like Thai noodles. BYOB, friendly servers, clean (though small) space...why haven't you gone yet?
(5)
Carrie D.

I was honestly dreading the experience because of the recent Yelp reviews, but as my husband so aptly put it, "Alcohol can fix bad service, nothing can fix bad food!" I had confidence in my brethren and continued to book a 10 person birthday dinner. At first they were not able to accommodate us and then I got a call and an e-mail that we were all set. My brother and I, both 100% Filipino were very excited about the prospect of good Filipino food without having to get caught up in a "family" party where saying goodbye takes an hour! Unbeknownst to me, all of my non-Filipino dinner dates were also looking forward to the food! Two of us arrived at 7 pm and were seated and the remainder trickled in finally filling the table at 7:30 ish. The staff was accommodating and looking out for us, each time a new member joined they got a glass of water and a wine glass. We ordered appetizers and were told right away what they were out of, this made deciding on dinners much easier, although it was only one item and no one from our table was ordering it! We ate our appetizers and drank our wine and our dinner entrees started coming in, we ordered: 2 Crispy Patas, 2 Beef Steaks, 1 Longanisa, 2 Mixed Adobos, 1 Lechon Kawali, 1 Beef Kaldareta, Garlic Rice and a Sontanghon Guisado. They were all excellent and hot and timely! They came and asked what we needed in a timely manner. They made sure people who needed corkscrews and bottle openers had them. They brought me a birthday leche flan with a candle and gave us plates for a cake we brought in. We had wonderful food and a great experience!
(4)
Rilindo F.

Wow. Just wow. Its been years since I have been to a Filipino restaurant. Except for that little shop down in Macon (now closed), its been 7 years since I last ate at a Filipino restaurant. So when I came to Chicago, I was determine that my first meal be at a Filipino restaurant. More importantly, I must eat as much as I can, as I won't get another chance for a while. Therefore, I came, I saw, and I ate. . . . . and ate. . . . and ate. . . and ate . . - Pancit Palabok - Mixed Adobo. - Halo-Halo - Ensaymada. Everything was delicious. Not only that, the presentation and ambience was quite accessible. In the restaurants I ate in the past, the decor in the Filipino restaurants I have been to would either be fairly spartan and homely or overly ornate. Meanwhile, while the food would tasty, the dish won't not necessarily look appetizing. Isla fixed both issues with a very simple but attractive decor (it seems that they took their inspiration from some of the Thai shops I have been to) and food that while familiar, looks strikingly pretty. In other words, its wide-eyed friendly - drop this place to a neighbor full of hipster and it will be packed within a few days. I really hope I can get back soon. Thank goods I can jump to it from the train. I got a lot of catching up with the food.
(5)
Jessica F.

Passes the authenticity test with flying colors by picky Filipinos, and aces the tasty test by everyone else! :) I must have been here at least a dozen times by now, since learning about this place about a year ago. At one point I think we went three times in two weeks with various friends and family. In fact, we've been here so much we now own a piece hanging on the wall made by a local artist (the Goya inspired one!) and the next time I'm there I'm scoring one of those lumpia t-shirts they sell. The BF is Filipino, and I only know how to make a few dishes, so we went in search of a good place for some home cookin'. We found it. For those not used to the type of food you'll get - it's rich, very rich. Also, vegetarians need not apply - even the veg dishes have meat in them! Many dishes are slow cooked and savory. If I ate here daily I think I'd probably weigh 1,250 lbs and end up on Maury Povich. I'm seriously considering this as a life option. Things you have to try if you're new: Lumpia Shanghai. Crispy and served hot out of the fryer. A fitting vector for the sweet and sour sauce. Mixed Adobo. It's amazing. It is done in the cultural style - lots of vinegar. Just add rice. Delicious! Kare-Kare. Oxtail in a rich sauce with shrimp paste. I can't even explain this dish - but it's absolutely my favorite, and when there are more then two of us at the table, we always order two. Halo-Halo for dessert. Not my all time fave, but that's probably because there's something wrong with me. It's different wherever you go - at this place they serve it with taro ice cream plus all of the other goodies. Things to be aware of: This place gets PACKED on the weekends and some evenings in the span of about 14 minutes, and you can only make reservations for big parties. Also, the plaza is small and sometimes parking can be a challenge. Are you still reading this?? Go, go, GO!!
(5)
James G.

Nice hole-in-the-wall. I've never had Filipino, but I'm now a fan. Super cheap but delicious. Get the lumpia. Fair warning: the kitchen closes early (8:30 on the Friday I went).
(4)
MaryEllen S.

The vegetable egg rolls are amazing! Wanted to try the spring rolls too but they must be good as well because they were out of them. Be sure to get the grilled veggies--especially if you order the Tapa, it's just a plate of beef so you really need something to go with it. The Pancit Bihon was blah but I'm not sure what it's supposed to taste like. The servers were attentive (mostly) and we'll definitely go back--especially to try the lunch specials mentioned by another reviewer. BTW, they could use a curtain or divider on the lower part of the front window so diners don't get blinded when cars pull in or out of the parking spaces.
(4)
carolyn h.

Service: 5 stars Food: 3.5 We went here with a group of 8 people. I had the mixed adobo. It was good, but it wasn't fantastic. The food was a little oily//greasy for my taste buds. For an app (like the other reviews stated) I highly recommend the lumpia shanghai! The service was fantastic. So fantastic that I would highly recommend this place if you have a large group. They were on top of their game, and we were there on a friday night.
(3)
Howard L.

We were in the area at an off-peak hour, and decided to pick up a carryout dinner from Isla P, which was also on our bookmark list. Wow, this place is tiny, with maybe 12 tables and seating for ~40. I can see why it's packed at peak hours. We picked up Inihaw na Pusit - grilled squid stuffed with onions and tomatoes, and Pancit Palabok, which is a dish with a nice fish/tofu sauce and calamari over thin noodles. Both dishes had to survive an hour trip back to Naperville, and taste did suffer a little. The squid was ok, but was tougher by the time it arrived home, and was basically like a BBQ grill item. I enjoyed the noodle dish more, as the sauce was flavorful and the calamari chunks added nice texture. We'll plan to go back sometime for the halo halo and some pork dishes, which we deliberately skipped due to our current inventory. They do take reservations, and I wouldn't try to dine there without one. They've been in business for 4 years now.
(4)
Christina S.

I set up a group outing of about 15 people to check this place out since it had recently been featured on check please. I originally intended to go with a smaller group of about 6 maybe but it just kinda got out of control.... Anyway so I called them a few days ahead of making the actual reservation to make sure that they would be able to handle such a large group. Once I was somewhat sure of the number of people going I called them to make the reservation for our group for a Friday evening at 8pm. Since they close at 9pm and we were such a large group, they asked if I could pre-order the food ahead of time, which I actually thought was a great idea since we had to be somewhere else soon afterwards anyway. I had everything planned and timed perfectly....so I thought.... Literally 15 minutes before the time of our reservation (I was less than 10 minutes away by car), I get a call from them saying that another large group before us just barely received their food....I was like so what are you saying?!?! Basically part of the previous group was late for their reservation but since a few of them were there on time they let them keep it and allowed them to wait for the rest of the group, which I can understand if they were a larger establishment and if my group wasn't such a large group, but this was not the case. We ended having to wait maybe 30-40 minutes before being seated and another 20 minutes or so before we got our food which had already been pre-ordered so I expected the food to be out right after we were seated. We did not receive everything that we ordered and the two dishes that I was really looking forward to trying were the chicken adobo and kare kare, the adobo was absolutely awful and the kare kare was not flavorful at all. From what I know adobo to be, this was not. The color was off, and I could not taste any vinegar, that is if there was any and there were no peppercorns. It was salty chicken in a weird thick salty light beige gravy.... I will say that some of the other dishes were good and quite tasty like the Pinakbet and the Laing sa gata. I was really annoyed because I had to leave early to meet others at our next stop so I was not able to try the halo halo.....grrrr, if only they seated us on time!
(2)
Raana A.

We tried Isla Pilipina a week ago with a group of friends. This is my first time trying Filipino food, which was a nice change of pace. For appetizers, I tried the vegetarian egg rolls, which were good and fairly standard across most types of Asian cuisine. I also tried a spinach with shrimp, which was my favorite dish out of everything I tried. I would definitely order this as an appetizer or small dinner next time around. I couldn't have the Lumpia since it had pork, but it got good reviews from the table. For dinner, I tried the Chicken Adobo, which is meant to be a specialty. It was pretty good, but you have to like food with a bit of the vinegar kick to it. I also had the milk fish which was nice and subtle, but it was a tad on the dry side. This restaurant is BYOB. I would definitely want to come back to try other dishes. The staff and service was very good - for a smaller establishment, they managed to handle our group of about 12 very well.
(3)
Joshua S.

If you're new to Filipino food, you can just randomly point to anything on this menu, and it will be a revelation. If you're experienced, and know what chocolate meat REALLY is, then the food here is as good as anything you've ever had! Good energy in the small dining room. And very reasonably priced, as well. Service could be a tad friendlier--it wasn't rude, just indifferent.
(4)
Erin E.

let me just start by saying, "do not go here if you're in a hurry." but if you have time for a lazy meal, you enjoy long breaks between courses, and you don't mind asking for drinks or sauce or to-go containers multiple times, and still not getting them, this is your place! that being said, i really enjoyed our meal here. (the friendly but lackluster service is the only reason it did not get a perfect score.) the food was fantastic and totally reasonable. perhaps that's why we ordered so much of it. the best: -lumpia (great deal, you get about 20 of 'em for $5) -crispy pata- i probably enjoyed this more because my girlfriend was doing all the work for me- not sure i would want to work at getting the meat off the bone and seeing all the fat n stuff. but damn, it was good! -adobo! yum yum -ube ice cream really good: -sweet & sour red snapper ok: -laing sa gata- taro leaves with pork and shrimp cooked in coconut milk
(4)
Kevin G.

Went here a couple of weeks ago on a Saturday night. Even though I called just a few hours earlier, we had no problem getting a reservation. I am glad that we did, because this place got packed within minutes after we arrived. This was my first time having Filipino food and I will definitely be back for more. We started off with the lumpia shanghai. Despite being small, the lumpia was very tasty. The sweet and sour sauce that came with it was also very good. For our entrees, my girlfriend had the teriyaki chicken with bell peppers and I had the bicol express. My girlfriend did not like the teriyaki chicken. The few pieces that I had were decent, but nothing special. The bicol express, on the other hand, was very very good. It consists of pieces of seafood and pork made in coconut milk sauce. The taste was unbelievably good! The service here was also very good. The wait staff regularly checked in on us and was very friendly. The only thing I did not like about this restaurant is how close the tables were to each other (basically you are shoulder to shoulder with the table next to you). That's always been a pet peeve I have had about small restaurants as it makes it difficult to actually have a conversation without others eavesdropping in on you and the always awkward circumstance of having people stare at your food while eating. Nonetheless, I definitely recommend this place.
(4)
Yvonne O.

This is a really tough review to explain. The food here is wonderful, and the servers are friendly, but the timing of everything is totally messed-up. If you have been here, you know the place holds about 24 people max. So, when we arrived at about 6:45, we were outside behind a group of four waiting to sit. Once they were seated, we stayed right by the door, but no one seemed to notice us standing right there and didn't ask. We had to basically block the entrance to get them to seat us in the last two person table there. Then the real problems started. We tried to order appetizers, but they were out of three on the menu that only has like 7. Okay, just move on to entrees. I got a nooodle dish and a side of rice and the husband ordered the pork belly. After about 35-40 minutes, my noodles came out along with both of our rice scoops. I started eating, figuring his was coming in the next trip to the kitchen. Nope. I finished the entire thing before his meal came out - and he had basically finished his rice because he was starving and it would get cold. My rice - on the same plate as his, was totally undercooked and crunchy, yet his was fine. I LOVED the noodle dish - full of pepper and bok choy - not much "chicken" to speak of and the "veggies" they mentioned were two slices of carrot and a bunch of bok choy. He loved the pork once it came. I would rather order out and not deal with these problems, but we live so far that it would be impossible. Maybe lunch would be better?
(3)
Cookie k.

one of the best places to grab authentic filipino food!! ive been to other places that just microwave their food and it doesnt taste fresh and its alot more expensive than here. cheap prices and great food!!!
(5)
George L.

This was the worst restaurant experience I've had in quite some time. At least we didn't get food poisoning. We were excited to come here after all of the positive yelp reviews - maybe they just had a bad night? We were a group of four - 2 got dinners and 2 of us got the 4 course sampler. The 2 dinners were decent although not nearly as impressive as expected. The sampler was not good, but the service was even worse. It took a good 15 minutes or more to order. Then, only 3 of the 4 courses were delivered. After a while we brought it up to the waiter, and it still never came. Then the waiter noticed it. And it still didn't come. After waiting another 15 minutes or so, we just decided to pay and go get food from Little Caesars next door. They realized how horrible their service was and said they'd give us the final course on the house. After taking forever to pay, they gave us the 4th course - and it was the wrong food! It was the 3rd course that we already ate.
(1)
Donaye N.

Crispy pata is a must have! Skip the adobo! Lumpiang shanghai were tiny, but tasty!
(3)
S.Y. D.

As a Filipino, the food passes with flying colors! I hate to admit it but some of the dishes rivaled my own family's cooking. Being a first generation Filipino-American in the Midwest, you really don't have a wide array of options when it comes to Filipino restaurants compared to the West coast. I've been here a handful of times with friends and they loved the food. Often times I find it hard to fully describe Filipino cuisine to my friends. Filipino food has so many influences from other cultures (Chinese, Spanish, Japanese, etc.) and the complexity and variety of food changes from each region of the country. I simply say the food is amazing and just try it. We decided to order family style, which I highly recommend. It gave everyone a chance to taste all the dishes we ordered. For appertizers, we started off with Lumpia Shanghai (friend mini-eggrolls) and Fresh Lumpia (veggie egg-roll but not friend). Both appetizers were great. My group of friends are pretty adventurous when it comes to food, so I didn't hold back in recommending the dishes. Here's what we ordered: 1. Mixed Adobo 2. Beef Kaldereta 3. Crispy Pata 4. Tilapia Fillet with Mango Salsa 5. Inihaw Bangus (Grilled Milkfish) 6. Pancit Bihon 7. Inihaw Pork (Grilled Pork) 8. Sotanghon Caldo (Soup dish with noodles) The biggest hits were the Inihaw Pork, Beef Kaldereta, Mixed Adobo and Crispy Pata. Although they were all meat dishes, for anyone who is vegetarian the non-meat options are just as amazing. Also, this place is BYOB. The food is super-affordable and reasonably priced. There's a liquor store in the plaza it's located in so if you forget to grab a bottle of wine, just stop by before you head in. Although, I love this place, there's a couple of things holding me back from giving it 5 stars. It's a small place so it can get pretty crowded. Although, I've eaten in smaller places. Overall the service was good but they were busy that night and I think a couple of our dishes came a bit late. We got the feeling that they somewhat forgot a dish or two but we were pre-occupied with what we had in front of us, it wasn't that big of a deal. Also to access the washroom, you actually have to walk through the kitchen. It's not a deal breaker for me but I can see how that can be awkward for some other people. I hope they expand to a larger location one day and that will probably take care of that issue.
(4)
Allison E.

I picked this place for my birthday because it had been on my "to try" list and because I love a good food adventure. As I had never before had Filipino food, this place fit the bill. We approached the menu like babes in the wood and asked our server for recommendations, which he happily provided. We were a good sized group and we ate family style so I had a chance to try many things. I am still not entirely sure what i ate, but it was all incredibly delicious. The pork belly dish was divine. The mixed adobe was lovely. Everything else was so so so good. Isla Pilipina gets a full 5 stars on the food alone. We even got to try all of the deserts. The halo halo was yummy even though I can't really tell you what was in it, nor did I recognize any of the flavors. But ah, a food adventure. Our server was great. He patiently helped us through the menu. Sorted us out when our klutzy actions result in not one, but two spills. He checked in regularly. Perfect really. He was also pretty cute. Oh, and as it was my birthday, my friends picked up the bill. But I do know that it was ridiculously inexpensive, and I did not have to feel guilty about them buying me dinner. I highly recommend Isla Pilipina and will certainly be coming back.
(5)
Terrence C.

This place caters to a neglected niche in Chicago. The only time I have had better Filipino food was either in the Philippines, or a home cooked meal. The venue is small and humble, as I think it should be, but really really delivers well prepared authentic tasting food. lechon kawali was perfect. So good. Crispy pata was AMAZINGLY good, and equally unhealthy, but who cares. Pork sinigang was definitely my favorite. If this place has sisig, it would be hands down my favorite Filipino chow spot (locally) to date.
(4)
Jillian D.

omg. i am so sad it took me this long to dine here!! a girlfriend and i had a long overdue catch-up dinner at isla last month. when i walked into the unassuming restaurant located on a sleepy stretch of lawrence, in a strip mall no less, i was greeted and asked if i had a reservation. oh no, i thought! how could i possibly need a reservation on a monday night? oh yes. it's *that* popular!! fortunately, they were able to seat us at a two-top after a reasonable wait. everything on the menu sounded amazing. we went with the lumpia to start. 20 delightful little eggrolls with a sweet and sour dipping sauce. my friend had the inihaw pork and i had the mixed adobo. both were delicious, but i think i preferred hers more. it was so simple and so delicious! portions are HUGE so come hungry and be prepared to take home leftovers. oh, and don't forget to BYOB. highly recommended.
(5)
Sharon S.

Went here for an I WISH food event. I can't say I'd recall every really having Filipino food but it was definitely a treat. There was probably a group of 20 of us. The restaurant is relatively small so they highly encourage making reservations. I'd say they can probably hold 50 people max at a time...maybe a little less depending on groups. Our host was Lakhi who is originally from the Philippines, having just moved here 6 years ago. Throughout our dinner he gave us the history behind all the food along with their culture. (Read a complete review of the I WISH experience at shartron.blogspot.com ). The place is BYOB so bring as you like. There's a liquor store close as well if you forget or just walk in. We started with the Lumpia Shanghai rolls, which basically reminded me of spring rolls but smaller. Next we had a soup, Sinigang, which I think was my favorite of the mean. I think that was the soup. It had a tomato based taste with pork, cabbage, and lettuce. We had 3 entrees - Sontanghon Guisado, Bicol Express, and Lechon Kawali (think that's what they were called). I'm basically looking at their menu and going off my food descriptions to match the names to them. Nonetheless, the food was really good and incorporates a mixture of cultures. We finished the dinner with a dessert - this fried thing that Filipinos eat as a snack, with added ice cream. Overall the dinner was really great. I live in Lincoln Park and I'd take the ride up on the Brown Line to go there again. Definitely check it out for something different!
(4)
Ross R.

Wandered in for lunch last week all by my lonesome self. Had the (snausages) lunch special which was very good and cheap. Came with soup, rice (which was excellent), lumpia, and a scoop of electric purple ice cream. I'll definitely be back for dinner to try some of the other menu items.
(5)
patrick h.

we went in februray so i'm a little behind. the chicken dish was incredible. the pork was right up there too. prices are very reasonable. it's just an awesome find. the only negative is they have to do something about the entrance. if you were there in the winter you know what i mean.
(4)
Mark F.

My wife is from Cebu, and is a pretty good cook. I also like Filipino food, so when we had to go to Chicago for business, we stayed a few extra days to take in the sites...and go to a Filipino restaurant as there are NONE within 150 miles of where we live here in Iowa. So, I did my research on YELP, and was really jazzed to find this place. Based on the reviews here on YELP, it was a MUST GO HERE!!! Well, I was disappointed. While the place was very clean, the service very polite and smiling, and the food LOOKED incredible...it was very bland. Our son had the Longanisa. It was sweet, but no spice to it at all.( I make my own sausages as a hobby... have been doing it for some time now. So, after marrying a filipina, I wanted to learn how to make longanisa as the store bought was waaaay too fatty and waaaay too expensive.) My wife had the Sinigang baboy (sour soup) and Lechon Kawali(deep fried pork) The soup was made from pork bellies, so my asawa would not eat it. The Lechon Kawali was also made from pork bellies....meaning at least half of the plate was fat! What's more, is she says there was no seasoning in it, thus making it very bland. I had the "Inihaw na Pusi" or stuffed grilled squid. While it was stuffed with onion and tomatoes, as the menu describes....they were raw. I assumed they were sauteed THEN stuffed. Also, the squid had no seasoning either, so it tasted like the grill it was cooked on. But, all was not lost...their "halo-halo" was awesome! The wife says it reminded her of "Chow King" back in the Philippines. While writing this, I understand that there are so many "flavors" to the same dish...as there are so many islands and regions to the Philippines. But, even my wife was disappointed. She ended up taking her food home in a "doggy bag" and throwing it away so not to insult the cooks. So, if we every go back, it will be for the Halo-Halo only.
(3)
James R.

Great Filipino food, very tasty and delectable. I had the lunch special Longanisa, fried Filipino style sausage served with white rice, soup, egg roll and melon it was very delightful and a great price. I also tried the Lechon Kawali, a deep fried pork belly served with Filipino style gravy, it was incredibly piquant. Although it is a very large portion, it welcomes you to tasty porkville. I would definitely eat here again and again.
(4)
Monica M.

This place is delicious! My parents are first generation filipino immigrants, and I grew up with my mother's cooking - - this is the closest I've found! Even though I love all the filipino restaurants in the area, I would always recommend Isla especially to those who are newcomers to Filipino food - it has a great atmosphere (I wish they'd expand!) The one drawback is that there's no regular buffet like the others, but if you order "family style" from the menu and share all the food, you can try quite a bit! GO THERE NOW! Oh and if you're not sure what to order... Kare kare and crispy pata is the way to go!
(5)
Vanessa I.

I came here twice, once for lunch on a Thursday and once during lunchtime on a weekend. On Thursday, our waitress was very kind an inviting. Lizelle made frequent, but not too many, stops to fill up our water and to see if everything else was going well. I definitely enjoyed the tocino. It was cooked perfectly! Plus I got my food very soon, perhaps it was because there were about 6 other customers eating. During the weekend it was almost halfway packed with hungry people. We didn't get our food until half an hour later and my inihaw baboy was burnt while my boyfriend's tocino was a little more greasy than expected. This is why I rate this restaurant a 4/5. Overall, this is the only Filipino restaurant in Chicago I would go to.
(4)
Lee M.

2 words Ginataang Hipon! (Shrimp in Cocounut Milk sauce) Its was so good. I recommend tocino for kids and adults who like sweet meat :) I LOVE ISLA FILIPINA!!!
(5)
Eric G.

The wait staff was average. The space was alright. It was a bit drafty. The prices were very reasonable. The food was authentic and yummy. Get the Lumpia. Seriously. Your mouth will thank you for it. The halo halo is all kinds of crazy good too. Based on food alone A+.. everything else B+. I'll be back for the food.
(4)
Steve C.

I had relatives in town for the weekend and we wanted to get a taste of Filipino fare in Chicago. So Yelp! lead me to this place and it was the closest restaurant to me. Filipino restaurants are a tough niche to break into because the cuisine isn't familiar to most people and there's also that lingering bias for mom or lola's cooking. That said, everything we got was delicious. The highlight for me was the lechon kiwali. It was fatty, rich and the bits of meat were tender and luscious. The skin was crispy, which is a must for lechon. This place pays great respect to the cuisine, and I applaud this place for pleasing the entire fam. To further enhance your meal grab a 6 pack of San Miguel beer at the liquor store next door, the restaurant is BYOB! It'll go well with palutan. You gotta end the meal with halo-halo. It's enough for at least two people. It's topped with ube ice cream and creamy leche flan. Four stars for smooth service and solid filipino food.
(4)
Eric V.

Isla just keeps getting better and better. Their flavorful, award winning Adobo definitely lives up to its top billing. Some Adobos have too much soy. Some have too much vinegar. Isla's Adobo is juuuuuust right. If you're looking to go on a serious pork binge - and I mean SERIOUS - then the Crispy Pata is a must. Crispy and golden skinned on the outside, moist & succulent on the inside - this stuff is seriously addicting. The vinegar-soy-onion dipping sauce also makes the perfect accompaniment to cut through the fattiness of the dish. Take note, this pork leg (with the knuckles, or "pata", included) is ginormous so I highly recommend sharing with friends. Or be selfish, eat the entire thing yourself, and compensate by eating oatmeal everyday for the rest of the month (it's cool, I don't judge).
(5)
Anna C.

can this place move closer to where i live pleaseeee? everything my friends and i ordered were so good. that has not happened in so so so long we ordered a lot of food because we wanted to try everything. we did finish everything cause it was so hard not to stop eating and it would have been such a waste! if you never liked eggplants or tomatoes you HAVE to give them another change and try the Eggplant and Tomato Tower Must try: Guinataang Gulay at Hipon, Inihaw Bangus, Bicol Express and Chicken BBQ no lie, they were all super delicious we were all so satisfied with the meal and definitely want to come back the guy serving us was really nice and the atmosphere was great. (every single time the server brought food to other tables, we couldn't help but to stare because everything looked so good) oh, and the portions are definitely well worth the money! they do not cheap out at all
(5)
Jake F.

Just got back from Isla Pilipina for lunch. I ordered the mixed adobo, and the lumpia shanghi, and a can of coke. My bill came to just over $13. The lumpia shanghi were crisp and delicious and plentiful. The sauce they came with was a slightly more fruity version of sweet and sour sauce, which complemented the crisp, meaty lumpia perfectly. Now, as a disclaimer, this was my first time trying Filipino food. I thought that the flavors in the mixed adobo were on the salty side, and it somewhat overwhelmed the dish (which, with my limited knowledge, may be perfect adobo). That being said, I'm going to try something different next time (and yes, there will be a next time). The waiters were extremely helpful, and seemed to want to make sure i liked everything. They obviously take pride in their cuisine, and it showed- from their attitudes to the ambiance that said "this would be a great place for a date" while also conveying an island vibe that made me feel perfectly at home in my jeans and sandals.
(3)
TS W.

This place was awesome! Great price great food & great service! Thanks Isla Pilipina! I will definately go back there again! p.s. BYOB Liquor store right next door.
(5)
Darlene R.

i've only been once and maybe 5 stars so soon is a little premature. however, this was damn good filipino food and so reasonably priced! we went for lunch and i had the kaldaretta and my bf had tapas. lunch was served with soup which was great! the portions were large, the lumpia was crispy and hot, and all of our food was outstanding. i grew up on filipino food and this is some good stuff. i can't wait to come back. also, as far as filipino restaurants this was one of the nicest presentations i've ever seen.
(5)
BurtK D.

Loved it! my husband and I have never had philipino food before and decided to go there one Saturday night - and were very pleasantly surprised! We had the Adobo and another dish that was seafood/pork and they both were very very good. The only thing I would say is if you don't eat pork - this isn't the place for you bc everything has pork in it! Our server was SUPER nice, she gave recommendations and was very helpful. Oh - we had the little eggrolls (lumpia Shanghai) for appetizer, they were sooo good! I would go back - and it is BYOB.
(4)
Mark P.

Doesn't compare to Mom's home cooking. But a suitable alternative. For American palates, stick to basics like pancit, adobo, and lumpia. If you like oxtail, their kare kare isn't bad.
(3)
Soc T.

Located a short walk away from the Brown Line, this restaurant is just a hole in the wall, but designed very nicely. Unlike most Filipino restaurants where standard boring chairs, tables, and a few paintings will do, someone put in the effort to make this place look contemporary. I came in by myself during a late afternoon weekday in mid-June. The restaurant wasn't busy, but there were a good number of people in there eating. However, it wasn't until I ordered when a big family came in and took up most of the tables and space, so it was good that I came in before them. The server at the counter was busy with another customer. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to seat myself or wait for her to tell me where to sit, so I stood there and waited until I could ask her. She let me know I could choose to sit anywhere I wanted. I couldn't tell if she was friendly at first, but she definitely was friendly when she was serving me. I ordered two dishes... The Kare-Kare and the Lechon Kawali. While I really liked the Kare-Kare, I absolutely loved the Lechon. Though, the gravy that came with it on the side wasn't that good. It was probably the best Lechon I have ever eaten because it tasted so fresh. You can tell they make their food fresh here. While there was only one server at the counter, you could see a number of chefs working hard in the back. Plus, the food presentation is excellent. The chefs don't just put your food on the plate... they make it look nice and appetizing. The only thing I am concerned about is this place is quite small. If the restaurant is full, you'd probably have to order take out or wait outside since there isn't a place for people to wait. Plus, I really didn't see a bathroom except it may have been through the "Employees Only" door. With all that being said, when I am back in Chicago I definitely would love to come back and visit again. The food and the atmosphere are definitely worth it.
(4)
Brandon W.

Great place! We came because I had seen the episode of Check Please! starring the one and only Johnny T. After watching the episode I thought it necessary to gather the SDDC of Illinois to try out this joint. Our resident Filipino, Ian S. was on hand to guide us through the menu as well. For apps, we all shared the Crispy Pusit (calamari) was good, not great - but good. The pieces were very large and plentiful, but some of the pieces were very chewy and tough. The breading, however, was awesome. Very light and not overpowering to where you couldn't taste the squid. The vinegar garlic dip served with it is an excellent addition to the dish Next, the Lumpia Shanghai was a great deal! 20 pieces for only $5. They were small, but more then enough for our table to share! Pork and veggie filled rolls that are deep fried, you can't go wrong. For my entree, I ordered the Mixed Adobo: An unmistakable Filipino delicacy; chunks of chicken and pork marinated in a special sauce of garlic, vinegar, and black peppercorn. Phenomenal! Another dish I tried was the Tapa - which is strips of Sirloin grilled to a perfect tenderness. A little bit salty, but it was good! I also tried the Kare-Kare, which is Beef Oxtail, tripe and green beans in peanut sauce. I gotta say, that is not my thing... really. But regardless, this place was great - that atmosphere laid back AND....its BYOB!! WOOOOO! So bring some wine or a sixer... or a handle of tequila if you roll that way and enjoy a great meal!
(4)
Cynthia E.

Best lumpia ever, the pork barbecue is delicious, and the chicken adobo, OMG. I'm going to rent a permanent table at this place!
(5)
David C.

I had a bad first experience with Philipine cuisine, but I decided to give it a second try with Isla Pilipina. Well, I am glad I did because this restaurant rectified my first bad experience and then some! Isla Pilipina is housed in a small strip mall on the north side of Chicago. The restaurant is small, cozy, and unpretentious. The lights are dimmed, creating a warm ambience matched only by the wamth and kindess of its service staff. I was there with a group of friends and we ordered about half the menu, and that is just a slight exaggeration. For appetizers we ordered Vegetable Eggrolls and Lumpia Shanghai (mini-egg rolls). They make their Lumpia Shanghai's with TLC (tender loving care) according to their menu, for what it's worth. For $5, you get 20 of these mini delicacies. They are stuffed with pork, egg, jicama, green onions, and carrots. Dip them in either soy sauce or sweet and sour sauce for a savory appetizer that will be sure to get you ready for the main course. For the health conscious amongst us, the vegetable egg rolls are filled with tofu, lettuce, jicama,carrots, green beans. The special sauce which accompanies the vegetable egg rolls has a smoky taste with a splash of vinegar. I also detected a hint of sesame oil in it. Whatever it is made of, it is delicious and a perfect complement with the vegetable egg rolls. For the main course, our party had Crispy Pata (deep fried pork knuckle), Lechon Kawali (deep fried pork belly), Kare-Kare (oxtail and greens in peanut sauce w/ shrimp paste), Bicol Express (shrimp, meat, squid, and mussels w/ coconut milk), Garlic Rice, and Camaron Rebosado (deep fried shrimp), and a dish or two whose name slips my mind at the moment. The Crispy Pata had to be the most impressive dish of the night in my opinion. What really makes the dish so great is its simplicity and savagery. A whole pork knuckle, which is about the size of half a soccer ball with a thick bone sticking out of one end, is deep fried and served on a plate, whole. I really don't think they added any spices or anything to it. It is simply deep fried. Nonetheless, it just begs for one to forget all his table manners and let his instincts take over by grabbing the knuckle with both hands and devouring it whole. The Lechon Kawali was rich in flavor, as was the Kare-Kare but the shrimp paste added saltiness to the mix so may want to have a side of garlic rice to go with it. The hint of sweetness from the coconut milk mixed well with the assortment of seafood in the Biocol Express. It was so good, I was not disappointed that we ordered two plates of it. The Camaron Rebosado was not heavily breaded. It was savory, but you can tell its breading batter had MSG mixed in like most other asian restarants however. The plates are very affordable. Most of the items on the menu are under $10 with good-sized portions, and none of the items we ordered was more than $13. The restaurant is also BYOB. I would have given this restaurant six stars if it was possible!
(5)
Andrew K.

I have mixed feelings about this place. The restaurant is small but popular. Came at 8 pm on the weekend and it was packed still. It was hot that day and the restaurant did not have AC. Service was average. Food was kind of a mixed bag. We ordered the Shanghai Lumpia, which were a good value, but were lacking in flavor in my opinion. We also ordered the fried squid which was tough. I had the tocino which was excellent. My friend had the fried chicken which wasn't anything special and was kind of bland. I will try it again. It seems other people were enjoying their food and maybe we just ordered the wrong dishes.
(3)
Daniel H.

A quaint little place that is indicative of the confluence of culinary influences that define Filipino cuisine. By category: Food: the flavors were amazing, the marinade for the pork skewer appetizer was outstanding. Moreover, the entrees achieved elegant and rustic styles simultaneously - a difficult accomplishment. The Tocino was a masterful blend of sweet and tangy flavors, and their stews, adobo etc, were hearty and flavorful. My only critique might be a biased one, but I will assert it nonetheless: use better cuts of meat, especially for the pork dishes! It's quite annoying to have to eat constantly around cartilage and gristle. I mean, with pork knuckles I expect all kinds of odd textures and "things," but for just regular bite-sized cuts of pork in entrees, come on! Just let me chew in peace. We're not on the islands and pork is cheap... This flaw is primarily responsible for bumping down a star. Ambiance: It's a kind of modern, cooky, cabana motif. It's very "cozy" - cramped, but it didn't detract from our experience. This place is busy on the weekends, so you may want to make a reservation. Service: Nice young ladies. Friendly, no complaints.
(4)
Jen B.

I wanted to love you. I was craving good old Filipino food from my days living in Washington DC. I enjoyed the interior and thought for a moment I would get home cooked food. And then the food came. We tried: Lumpia - good. Spaghetti Delight - disappointing. Beef Kaldereta - our fave of the bunch. Paksiw na Lechon - ick. Instead of the yummy Filipino food I was hoping for, we got goopy, stew like dishes with chunks of meat. Instead of a homestyle spaghetti with hot dogs - a Filipino food staple - we got a sweet tasting sauce with smokey flavor and cocktail links. Oh how I wanted to love you but sadly, not this time.
(1)
Hillary M.

So good, so great!
(4)
K. M.

First of all, this place has table cloths. This is HUGE. Not a typical Filipino joint - it has menus and everything. I had stuff I don't normally eat at home: fresh lumpia, pancit canton, caldereta, and finished with halo halo. All was amazing. The pancit canton was a bit greasy, but I think I'm just used to my Filipino health nut mother (she refuses to make pork adobo - chicken only). The halo halo was a sweet ending to a delicious meal! Everyone there is super nice and even gave directions to the nearby Filipino store so I could pick up some ube ice cream. Yum! I'm coming back. Please don't tell me mom. She will be jealous.
(4)
Ian S.

There's not that many Filipino restaurants to begin with in this great city of ours. Since this is purely based on my opinion, hands down Isla Pilipina is the BEST! Everything in their menu is great. From seafood, chicken, pork, beef, they have something for everyone. My favorite at this spot is the Teriyaki Chicken, Crispy Pata, Inihaw na Baboy, Beef Tapa, Tocino, Palabok (best in town), and everything that has broth. The staff and service are great, very friendly people and will answer anything you ask of in the menu. So stop in and visit this delightful spot right off Lincoln Square. Mabuhay! NOTE: it is BYOB and no corkage fee
(5)
Luis L.

I came here with a friend and fellow carnivore. We don't only eat meat, but we do like meat very much. We ordered three meat dishes, one for him, one for me, and one to share. One was a beef and pork dish, the other a chicken dish, and the other.... oh lordy... what was the other one? I think it was ANOTHER chicken dish, but I'm not sure. (Aside: this is why I need to Yelp as SOON as I visit a restaurant. Otherwise, I always forget what I had) Moving right along, the place is spiffy and clean. One downside , and reason enough to only give three stars, was that I had to go through the kitchen to get to the bathroom. If you're a bathroom person, like I am (don't ask me what it means to be a bathroom person, just read my other reviews) you know that you need SPACE and that you prefer your bathroom to NOT be so close to where your food is being prepared. I'm not a germ-o-phobe, but I do think a set up like that can be a little too close for comfort. And I realize this is not a big deal to most people. In fact, what are the owners gonna do, readjust the plumbing so the bathroom is away from the kitchen according to my specifications? No. However, I am unmoved. Three stars it is. So back to the food, it was DELISH! The chicken dish I remember (I think it was teriyaki) was a bit sweet. I understand that this is the nature of teriyaki, but I wish that it wasn't. It didn't stop me, however, from eating as much as I could, taking the rest home, and finishing it later. The pork and beef dish was flavorful, well prepared, and savory! I wish I remembered what it was, but alas, I'm drawing a blank. Good service, but they young boys and girls (it's a family business) are a bit too shy and too sweet. Know the dishes, don't apologize for your cuisine, and enunciate a little more when you're telling us what your specials are. Don't be so shy. This place shows a lot of promise. The interior shows that they are on the right track; clean, trendy, modern... and the food is pretty yummy. Not exactly my cup of tea (sweet = sugar = simple carbs = me getting fat = hell to the no). They're A-OK, and you should pay them a visit, but I'll only come back when I'm having one of those cheat days we all have once in a while. Well, some more than others. :-P
(3)
Colleen O.

Always great authentic Filipino food! Super friendly service! They've really been working on the front of the house ambience in the last year or so, very comfortable and just enough class to make you want to come back again and a gain with family, a quick week day crave, or even as a datenight. Great fresh ingredients, awesome Dinaguan baboy, Adobo, and Paksiw. I could eat about a million of their lumpia, in a single.sitting...
(5)
Luis C.

Based on the food alone i am giving this place 4 stars. I haven't had the pleasure of dining in but was caught off guard with great food and it's probably because i wasn't expecting much to begin with. I will definitely dine in at Isla Pilipna soon and will bring some wine (BYOB) and rate the place again.
(4)
Frances H.

My husband and I went on the search for Mekene originally, which turned out to be an abandoned storefront...so on our sad journey towards other food we happened to pass by Isla. Since I'm a yelp junkie, I recalled seeing i before and promptly yelped the restaurant. Looked very promising so that was our new lunch plan... My husband is Filipino and I've been begging him to introduce me to more real "authentic" food of his culture, these attempts have been pretty futile. But at Isla he actually had some recommendations and comments on which foods to try. We ended up with the following: Sinigang w/ Beef - very flavorful, good tang of the tamarind however the beef was a bit chewy. I would opt for pork next time. Kare kare - delicious and rich. Well balanced with the shrimp brine paste (which after much training from my husband I still can't pronounce...let alone try to spell). It is a bit orange in color compared to other kare kare I've had but, still very tasty! Bicol Express - kind of like a thai curry since it's a melange of seafood and pork, veggies and coconut milk. Just a bit spicy w/o the curry flavor. Overall, I'm not a rice eater (blasphemy as an asian I know!), however I totally understood the need for rice with these dishes as they are sauce heavy and rich in taste. Though the one negative is that the food took forever! I wasn't super hungry or anything, but I still noticed it took awhile. This could have been because a large party sat down immediately before use..and to note the servers were a apologetic. My husband also says that if the food is being made to serve, Filipino food just takes a while to cook. However, if I came in hungry, trust me there would have tears before the food came...( I don't do well w/ low blood sugar). We'll definitely be back to try some other goodies! Maybe we can order along the road so that it would be ready when we arrive....
(4)
Brian R.

Authentic and yummy. Great service.
(5)
L W.

Being a Filipino-American, yes, I grew up eating Filipino food. I must admit, I was a bit skeptical about going to Isla Pilipina. First, I felt as though I was betraying my mom because, of course, she is the best cook ever, especially with Flip food. Second, eating Filipino food at a restaurant and not at a family member's house or family party?!? That's is foreign to me. Anyway, I must admit, it was pretty darn tasty, and REALLY close to mom's cooking. I had the lumpia, which seemed very untraditional to me. I am not used to lumpia being so tiny, but it was still good. The lechon, tocino, and caldereta were very satisfying as well--again, all meals pretty close to perfect compared to my mom's food. Isla Pilipina is worth checking out, whether you are a Filipino or not!
(5)
Kate H.

There are a few wonderful things about Isla Pilipina: 1) very cheap/affordable with large and filling portions 2) for most people, it will be an opportunity to try something different 3) the servers are very friendly. Now, onto the not so good: 1) dishes are a little salty 2) it turns out that Filipino food is quite heavy 3) the servers are so friendly you don't want to complain. We arrived here starving for a 7:45pm reservation. The space is small, so we had to wait a little longer for a table to open up, increasing our appetite for overordering and overeating. Seeing the awning in the storefront, we knew we wanted to try the Adobo and Pancit. From other Yelp reviews, we added the Lumpia Shanghai. Then, wanting to complement our meal with some veggies, we narrowed our choices to half of the "Vegetables" menu, almost all which included meat, but we're not complaining about that =) The Lumpia Shanghai are similar to mini egg rolls but further deep-fried. Neither of us really like fried food, so there was too much fried wrapper to filling ratio for us. Then came the Mixed Adobo. We like meat, but the braise was pretty salty, and the rice didn't really soak up the flavor enough. The pork was also somewhat overcooked and tough to chew. The Pancit Palabok that came next was better--although this was also saltier than we'd like, the lemon juice squeezed on top brings out the flavor and does a good job of cutting the saltiness. For our vegetable, we went with the Guinataang Gulay At Hipon the server recommended. This ended up being our favorite dish by far--the eggplant and green beans were cooked perfectly and had a crisp bite. The kabocha squash was plentiful. Overall, I thought the meal was good for the price/quantity--skip the meat-centric dishes, and you'll be okay. But, that just doesn't seem like a true Filipino meal.
(3)
Adisak P.

I went there for the IWISH Filipino Food class last night. It's in a dingy strip mall so I didn't have high expectations but the food turned out to be surprisingly good. My buddy's comment was the food tastes like it was "home cooked" rather than made in a restaurant. That's actually a pretty good compliment. We had lumpia, a sour soup with tamarind broth (probably my favorite), pancit, adobo, and a dessert with plaintains and jackfruit fried in a wonton skin.
(4)
Hugh B.

This place was a pleasant surprise. It is located in a somewhat dreary strip mall on Lawrence Ave. The restaurant itself, however, is clean and pleasant. Service is low key and quite informal, but warm, friendly, and accommodating. The strong suit is the food. We started with lumpia -- an order of 20 mini eggrolls. These were snarfed down in seconds flat. We really liked three of the entrees -- pancit, chicken adobo (one of our party doesn't eat pork so we got all chicken), and something called bicol express, which is spicy seafood with coconut milk. Mmmmm. The only loser was beef steak tagalog, which was bland. Actually the waiter was less enthusiastic about us ordering that last one, and we should have picked up on the fact that he was damning it with faint praise. Our dessert -- something called halo halo -- was bad. Maybe if I were Filipino and I grew up with it I would like it. But I'm not and I didn't. Eminently skippable. For all the food we had, our bill was $27 a couple. Yes, a couple. Gotta love BYOB.
(4)
NoÃ«lle C.

Another first this was for me, Filipino food. Three stars because maybe it just isn't my favorite kind of food, but it was still an enjoyable meal. We began with the shrimp lumpia which I must say were delicious. Crunchy and tasty served with a sweet dipping sauce. Next we ordered the whole grilled squid stuffed with onions and tomatoes as well as the Mixed Adobo. The Mixed Adobo came out first and looked to be really good. But as we cut into our mixed pieces of chicken and beef it really just tasted like beef stew. The sauce was salty and and the meat tender, but nothing about it shouted "Delicious!". Instead it said to me, "Have I had this before?". We were excited to try our whole squid. I like octopus and squid in many other forms, but this was definitely a new experience. The body of the squid was served with the head unattached but present and the tentacles chopped up and displayed as decor. It was char-grilled and tasted as such. It was a new taste for me and squid but I liked it. We sliced into the sea monster as one might slice into a stuff pork loin. The tomatoes and onions were cooked and steamy inside, while the squid was smoky and chewy. A good combination. The dipping sauce was tangy and essential. As yummy and new-tasting as the squid was... it was intimidating. I couldn't quite bring myself to eat the squid's head but the tentacles were my favorite part, crispy like chips! We took our leftovers home in to-go boxes like the typical poor college students. Unfortunately nothing we brought back really sounded good to eat afterwards. The Mixed Adobo sat in my fridge until it met the trash can. Sad fate. I think my boyfriend passed the squid+head off to an international student in his dorm... Im not sure. In conclusion, it was an adventure, perhaps one to be repeated, perhaps not.
(3)
D M.

Went there for dinner saturday nite, pretty awesome! And that's coming from someone very picky about good authentic filipino food. Tastes like I'm back in phil! I love the food presentation.
(5)
anne a.

I came here for the first time since i read good reviews from Yelp. I had their lunch special which was the Tapa and my friend had the chicken adobo. The food was good, however their service wasn't that good. I know that it was during lunch hour and there was a moderate amount of people. We ordered some eggrolls but never received it. However I want to come back and try the rest of the food, hopefully the service will be better.
(3)
Rainier R.

I was expecting for my head to explode. I ordered 4 dishes, and to my dismay I concluded that nothing beats home cooked Filipino meals. This does not cut it. I'm glad I tried it out. I give it up to them though it is hard to make Filipino food quick and tasty.
(3)
Zen-s-asia N.

If you crave authentic Filipino food... this is the place you want. The service is very nice and friendly... a relaxed, casual mood and very good food! My favorite dish is the Pinakbet! It reminds me of "Mom's cooking".
(5)
Elaine H.

Just like my mom makes but BETTER! (Sorry, mommy!) Wow, did this ever hit the spot. This is top notch Filipino food without the 18-hour plane trip and the need to avoid drinking the water. The mixed adobo (as other reviewers have pointed out, somewhat more gravy-like than others) rightfully earns the Best Adobo 2008 award that they proudly display. The tocino and pancit bihon are as good as I've ever had, including in the Philippines. And the halo halo is to die for!! Service is so cheerful, casual, and genuinely good-natured that you'll swear you've left Chicago and entered Manila (those who haven't been, take my word for it, the Philippines has got to be home to some of the friendliest people in the world). They really want you to have a great experience there and treat you like old friends. And rather adorably, when you ask for their recommendations for dishes, not only do they tell you their favorites, they pull out a little list that they keep behind the counter of standout dishes that Yelpers have mentioned in their reviews. And the prices are well beyond reasonable. My bf and I couldn't decide on just two entrees we wanted, so we ended up getting *four* entrees with rice plus dessert plus two mango juices and the total came to just over $40 before tip with plenty of leftovers dividends. Once they've run out, I'm going back for more. PS. Don't tell my mom I wrote this review.
(5)
Nate C.

Well I finally got to go here and check this place out for lunch......I was very impressed after checking out the menu online, looking at what I already wanted to eat.....I ended up with a lunch special...which had tamarind soup with pork, I got teriyaki chicken with rice as the entree and a lil piece of flan for dessert......yummy! I had the feeling that the place was run by somebody younger as it didn't have the typical filipino atmosphere that seems to scare non-filipinos away. My only complaint was that as with all the other filipino restaurants, they also close on Mondays. I'll have to go back a few more times so I can try out the rest of the menu!
(4)
Kris H.

Went with a couple of friends and the food was excellent. They ran out of Adobo, but they gave one one dish free. The fried chicken is the best! And it's byob. I'll come back soon.
(5)
Philip C.

The first time we came here the egg rolls were nice and crunchy but last night they were chewy, not good at all. The BBQ pork on the stick is always been very tasty. I love their Kare-Kare, not as good as my mom's cooking, but the best I've tasted at a restaurant. My friends always love the Bicol Express and Crispy Pata. We've had the beef Caldereta, Filipino Beefsteak, Inihaw Pusit, tocino as well, good presentation and preparation that I usually introduce my non-Filipino friends to.
(4)
Serg F.

Meh, nothing spectacular. The kare-kare had corn starch worked into the sauce, idn, never had it that way. The sinigang was ok but not great. Nothing we ate was bad just not note worthy.
(3)
Emma D.

Delicious, authentic food and unique dessert. I went here as a part of "Fork and the Road" bike tours in Chicago. I would definitely go again!
(5)
Lesley A.

I had high expectations for this restaurant after hearing some friends rave about it. However, after being spoiled by Filipino buffets, I wasn't too impressed with this restaurant, but I'll probably come back. Rule of thumb, DO NOT serve a portion of rice smaller than your fist to a patron. Especially a Filipino patron, who is used to eating more rice than the main dish. We ordered the lumpia shanghai (eggrolls), dinaguan (pork in special brown sauce), the spaghetti with lots of meat, and lechon inihaw (pork with vinegar). The lumpia shanghai was the tiniest lumpia I've ever seen or eaten, but it was interesting in that it was triple wrapped so it was extra crispy (even 3 hours later, so it's great to order for a long family party). However, the meat filling wasn't particularly flavorful. I couldn't even tell what type of meat it was based on taste. Dinaguan should have a characteristically sour taste, but Isla's dinaguan had sugar so it tasted like an entirely different Filipino dish: pork adobo. The spaghetti was confusing in that it was nicely mixed with several types of meat, then topped with three pieces of fried chicken. I did, however, like how they added hot dogs to this dish. My favorite dish was the pork inihaw, the restaurant's specialty. The meat was tender and appropriately came with a side of vinegar for dipping. I just wished the portion was bigger! I ate with three Filipino guys and we quickly ran out of rice. It took us over 10 minutes to hail down the waiter to get us to notice us, despite how tiny the restaurant is. He charged us 50 cents for each, extra (tiny) cup of rice. What is nice about this place though is that it is the most accessible Filipino restaurant in Chicago. It is two blocks west of the Brown Line western El stop, AND there's a parking lot. Despite how I've had better Filipino food, I think I'd come back here for the sake of accessibility. It's also a nice place to bring friends who want to try Filipino food, without the buffet experience. The bill in the end was so cheap for the amount we ate, so you won't hurt your wallet by eating here. The restaurant is also BYOB, and conveniently next door to a liquor store where you can buy a six-pack of San Miguel Filipino beer. The desserts here are also excellent. I ordered the ube (purple yam) ice cream: three scoops of ice cream, served in a martini glass, and topped with macapuno (coconut) strings. The dessert more than made up for the food and service! My friend got a halo halo (mixed tropical fruit in milk and shaved ice dessert, topped with ube ice cream and a piece of custard). It looked delicious and I'll have to come back and try it. To recap, I wasn't too impressed with the place but I'll probably come back.
(3)
Amy L.

Mmm I had the grilled pork lunch special. It was perfect amount for me. At 6 bucks for soup, egg rolls, rice, grilled pork, and small dish of flan. It was worth it since I was full and tasted good! The grilled pork was pretty dry though but still good otherwise because of the sauce it came with. I like when there are little chunks of things in my sauce like salsa. As always I love the filipino egg rolls...so addicting. Another plus is that there is a free parking lot right in front. Service was friendly and fast. I never knew how close it was to my work place too so it was nice to try something new from the many different restaurants I've revisited closeby already.
(3)
Romy S.

I find Isla Pilipina to be cramped small restaurant which is tucked away in a stripped mall. Despite their cramped area, they make good and decent filipino food. They give you decent portion and not overly price. I would suggest their Lumpia Shanghai; It was delish!! And Adobo was meaty, humongous and made to perfection. Not so much on Halo-Halo. I thought it was too sweet..maybe it just me. On the negative side, they take too long for the food to arrive on your table.I think the last time I was there, I waited for for my food for over 20 mins..Also, waiting for a table was just as horrible. Once you get in, they just stare at you and say nothing. I've called and placed an order multiple times and everytime I get there, my food wasn't ready. About a month ago I called ahead to place an order to be picked up in a few days, but when I arrived, they have this look on her face as if she has no clue whatsoever. She turned around and looked for the order, hidden somewhere. When she found it, she told me it'll take 15 min..I'm like what??? Their service is ok. I just think they they should be trained professionaly when something goes wrong, they should at least let their customer know ahead of time before their customer get upset.
(3)
Jessica S.

Came here for dinner and not terribly familiar with the cuisine so I wasn't sure what to expect. It was BYOB and we had wine, they were fantastic with bringing wine glasses and a corkscrew. The calamari was crispy and delicious and I went with the "famous adobo" which did not disappoint. I can't recall the other dish ordered, some sort of pork and it was delicous. We did have reservations, which I would reccommend as this tiny place gets packed fast. I look forward to going back again, as they have spaghetti with hot dogs and fried chicken!
(4)
Tony R.

This is a really prototypical family run restaurant. Great food, friendly albeit unpolished service, and low prices. For less than $20 we had mini eggrolls(very good), Mixed Adobo(amazing), and BBQ Chix(very good). I can't wait to go back and try some of the other dishes. Will probably go the Carryout route as the food took a while to get to the table. Honestly, they could charge $2 more per entree, hire a busboy, another cook and a Host. Just not staffed to handle a lot of covers.
(4)
Susie C.

I love this place. My friend brought me to this place for one of our girls night out. My friend who is half Filipino ordered all the food for us. The food is amazing and I would definitely come back even tho it is pretty far from where I love. The restaurant is small, but the food is to die for. I'm not Filipino but I loved every dish she ordered. The lumpia was good - it is a must order. The other entree were delicious!
(5)
Mariza B.

The food is AMAZING and I'm a Filipina. I had the Sinigang Baboy (Pork Tamarind Based soup), Mixed Adobo (pork and chicken in vinegar and soy souce) and Lumpia Shanghai...LOVED them all. I'll definitely be coming back and often.
(5)
Ali R.

Oh Isla, how I love you. Isla has the best quality authentic Filipino food in Chicago. My Filipino husband and I have been venturing out to any Filipino restaurant we could to experience/find the nearest thing to Filipino home cooking. When we found Isla, we knew we didn't have to search any more. This is the place to share family style so you can have a little bit of everything. For appetizers, we always get the Lumpia Shanghai (20 pieces please!). For $5, it's worth it. The Baked Tahong (Mussels) are also great. Perfect starter for 2-4 people. For entrees, dishes are not huge, but plenty for sharing between 4 people. We always order their Kare Kare (Oxtail) and it's amazing. The Oxtail is not fatty and has plenty of meat. Their Kawali (Pork Belly) is excellent. The perfect amount of fat and meat. They always fry it perfectly as well. Next up, their spaghetti. If you've never had Filipino spaghetti before, it's a sweet version and a bit drier. It comes with a piece of fried chicken which is simple but a perfect compliment. When I'm with a party of 4, we usually order their Kaldereta or Mixed Adobo. While good, I usually find these a bit salty. The Mixed Adobo comes with pork and chicken. Feel free to request "just chicken" or "just pork" and they'll be happy to accommodate you. Their sinigang (Sour tamarind soup) is also a great accompaniment to balance the saltiness of your meal. Last, we always order garlic rice. It's not oily and perfectly fried. I don't often get dessert but their Halo Halo is pretty good and Leche Flan is the perfect consistency, not too hard and fresh. Service is always friendly. Sometimes the food comes out a bit slow because everything is made to order. I usually just spend the time day dreaming about what's to come next. They've gained popularity through Check Please so make a reservation to be sure you don't have to wait long for delicious Lumpia, Lechon Kawali, Kare Kare, and more! ENJOY!
(4)
Erin R.

Delicious food. Awesome atmosphere. Super friendly staff. I had no idea what to expect at this place, but I was pleasantly surprised. It's situated in a seedy-looking strip mall on Lawrence Ave. You almost miss it! Had a friend of mine not suggested this place, I might've written it off as another weird food place in Lincoln Square. The artwork on the walls is pretty awesome, the lighting is perfect - not too bright, and the overall feel of the place is warm and inviting. I wanted to try one of every appetizer - and we practically did. At a restaurant with such a fresh food selection, arriving 50 mins before closing posed a problem. They were out of a couple of the appetizers we wanted. We ordered a few more, and they comped one of them for us, which was really nice. After that we each ordered a noodle and rice dish. The portions were great. Everything was cooked perfectly and the vegetables were crisp and delicious. Oh man, I want more RIGHT NOW. We each had a mango juice with our meals (but it is also BYOB). For the amount of food we had, I feel like we got a great deal. And we had a doggie bag. I will definitely be back.
(5)
Elysia L.

I've recently purchased my first home, which means I've been cruising my new 'hood for cheap food, +2 points if we can bring in our own booze. I decided to try Isla Philipina on a whim last week when I didn't feel like cooking and wanted something different. I'm glad I finally decided to give this place a try. We started with the mini eggrolls, the Lumpia Shanghai, and honestly it's worth going there for those delicious little nuggets alone. I could probably eat 20 of them myself, and the dipping sauce is sweet and yummy. I got the Inihaw Baboy, which had a great flavor, but I wish they had used a better cut of pork as it was a little chewy & fatty. My wonderful loving husband, who is reading over my shoulder as I write this, got the Crispy Pata. It's a gigantic deep fried "pork knuckle" (which is really a hunk o' pig leg), and he is still waxing poetic about it. He has asked me every day since then to go back. I'd recommend this to anybody who wants to eat a lot of delicious food for not a lot of money... so pretty much everybody. The ambiance isn't anything to speak of but the service is excellent and enthusiastic.
(4)
Dee W.

Lunch specials on the weekends until 4pm?! What steal and deal. It's only $5.99 and included a decently sized bowl of soup full of chicken. Their lunch platter had a scoop of rice, entree, four small lumpia, and a taste of their flan. I had the marinated beef which was thinly sliced and well seasoned. Overall, the food was pretty good and a really good deal. Our server took his time and service was a bit slow, but it worked out well since my friend and I were enjoying our conversation. Their regular menu looks delicious and affordable, as well, so I'm looking forward to coming back to check out the rest of the menu.
(4)
Rolo R.

Love the lumpia shanghai and all the authentic Filipino food, also awesome crew!
(4)
Liz P.

Another super awesome eatery in Chicago. The Lumpia Shanghai mini-eggrolls are so good--tiny and crispy and full of flavor. My friends and I tend to splurge on the order of 20. The Inihaw pork is so far my favorite thing I've had on the menu. It's a tiny bit blackened and crispy, and tastes great with or without the vinegarette. The mixed Adobo is a great foray into what Isla Philipina has to offer, and it tastes truly wonderful. The Lechon Kawali is also superb. Needles to say, I've never been dissatisfied with the food here.
(5)
Jacque w.

Delicious! Make a reservation or you will wait! The staff are friendly and attentive. They explain all the dishes to you, and are honest enough to tell you what they like and don't like. The restaurant is a small storefront so, the tables are very close together. This lends itself to chatting with your neighbors and discussing what they ordered. You must like meat! There are vegetable dishes, but this is the kind of place that meat seems to dominate the menu. We ordered : Apetizers: Crispy Calamari Lumpia Shanghai Main course: Mixed Adobo Inihaw Pork Beef Kaldereta Beef Steak Tagalog Desert:: Flan Ube ice cream Everything was delicious! Seriously, EVERYTHNG WAS DELICIOUS! The standouts were the mixed adobo and the inihaw pork. We almost ordered a second plate of that delicious,marinated pork because it was so good! We passed on the crispy pork knuckle, which seemed to be the most popular dish in the place. Our server explained the dish to us and also told us how delicious it was. By the end of the night I have to admit we were really intrigued by the huge fried, very yummy looking plate of meat! We will probably try it on our next visit. Our calamari was good. A little tough, but the flavor made up for it! The table next to us ordered the sweet and sour snapper, and it looked really good. The deserts are the only thing that I might skip next time, The yam ice cream is a little off putting! The flan tastes good, but is very hard, not creamy at all. We will definitely be back, probably next weekend!
(4)
Y V.

I don't go to Filipino restaurants very often because I'm fortunate enough to have family in Chicago and nothing beats home cooking. But I was craving lechon paksiw for a few days, to the point where I became obsessed. So I decided to go to Isla Pilipina to try their version of it. The restaurant is small, with around 8 or so tables. We sat down and looked over the menu (although I already knew what I was going to order). Their menu is a good representation of Filipino home cooking. No weird Asian fusion cuisine here, so don't expect anything fancy schmancy. For our appetizer, we ordered the 10-piece lumpia shanghai. You can't go to a Filipino restaurant without ordering the lumpia shangai (but if you're a vegetarian, they do have vegetable egg rolls). They came out hot and crispy, with a sweet and sour sauce. Delicious. Of course, I ordered the lechon paksiw for my entree. For the uninitiated, it consists of roasted pork stewed in soy sauce, vinegar, bay leaves, liver sauce, garlic, onion, and a pinch of brown sugar. Well, that's how my mom makes it. But Isla Pilipina's version is just as good as homemade. Keep in mind that you must love pork to enjoy this dish. Tender pieces of pork with bits of pork fat and skin that melts in your mouth. It was so good that I ordered a second batch to go. He ordered the beef steak tagalog, which I picked out for him because he's a picky gringo (heh). It was tender pieces of beef in an onion and soy sauce gravy. He really enjoyed it, inhaling the dish in less than five minutes. An empty plate is always a good sign. Instead of the usual soft drinks, I ordered the gulaman sago. It's a sweet drink made with sago pearls - which are similar to tapioca pearls, (vegan) gelatin, a bit of shaved ice, and a brown sugar syrup. A very simple and pretty drink. Overall, I enjoyed my meal here and they satisfied my lechon paksiw craving. I'll be back to try their other dishes for sure.
(4)
Jessy P.

I have returned several times since my original review and like I predicted MUCH better when it is not busy. The veggie rolls are good, the grilled veggies are SUPER yummy and the garlic rice is one point! Whenever I get a craving I come here...just not at "regular" dinner time to make sure that it is not crazy packed. I still get my same desert every time too!
(4)
Val G.

They have redeemed themselves in my eyes!! Maybe bc I went during off peak hours but none the less food is consistently good and still affordable to feed my family. Last visit we had crispy pata, inhaw ni baboy, spaghetti (first time ordering) to name a few and again, best Filipino food around! Thank you Isla for being welcoming again!
(5)
Elaine M.

I love Isla for dinner, so I was so glad I finally made it in for the lunch special. Soup of the day, inihaw pork, a generous scoop of rice, lumpia shanghai, and a small square of leche flan. Great portions for price. I even took some home to leave room for their awesome halo-halo. Other lunch special entrees are longanisa, chicken adobo, or fried fish fillet with mango salsa. Ask for the lunch special menu, they keep it behind the counter. Extra points to Isla's owners for their social activism: thehungrylearner.com/filâ€¦
(5)
P S.

Visiting Chicago for the first time and iam already missing my lola's sinigang back home!! I came across this filipino place out here and ofcourse it will never beat my lola's, but man! This came so close to it! I love their beef sinigang and their Lumpiang shanghai! Very friendly people! Love this place! It also says BYOB! Isnt that amazing? I see people bring their wines. Thats preetty cool! Come check this place out!
(5)
Ray L.

Says they close at 9, got there at 825, they said kitchen closed...food is great but if they are turning folks away before hours are up- not cool...will think twice before I come back
(2)
Emily B.

My first time having Filipino cuisine and I'm glad it was here! I met 4 other moms here, we all had our 2 year olds with us... oh my gosh. We took up half the restaurant! But everyone was so nice and accommodating and the food... delicious! Even our kids were stuffing their faces. For an appetizer we had the Lumpia Shanghai. Definitely recommend. And for an entree I got the Longanisa. Recommend that as well. So good, came out hot, I left full, son fell asleep on way home. Thumbs up all around! I will definitely be back.
(4)
Joseph M.

Excellent food, great atmosphere and very reasonable prices! Best Filipino food in Chicago!
(5)
Maria A.

My go-to place for Filipino food in the Chicago. Dishes to try: lechon kawali, lumpia, nilaga, bangus. garlic fried rice, and halo-halo. My least favorite dish is the palabok but that's because I am partial to my mom's version of the dish. We've celebrated many a family/ or friends dinners here. We've also introduced newbies to Filipino food to the cuisine here. Go with a group and eat "family style"! Wait staff, including the owners, are all super nice and friendly. Only negative IMHO is their hours. I wish they were open later on the weekends. Usually though I call in advance and make a reservation, especially when going with a group. It's BYOB and their is a liquor store next door.
(4)
Frances A.

Been craving Filipino... Too bad this little gem is in such an obscure location. Great service, good pacing, and it definitelycompared well to some of the great Filipino places in Vegas! Veggie fresh lumpia was light abd a good start. I wish there was more peanut sauce though. Mixed adobo, was good, but i do prefer mine slightly more citrus. And the tilalia was on point. Halo Halo was a great ending... Maybe a bowl is better than just a tall glass though. All in all, Looking forward to going back.
(4)
Global G.

PROS: 1. Rich, succulent and Pancit- or rice-sopping dishes, with more than enough to feed our family over a couple days. 2. Something unique to eat other than Ethiopian, Indian or Mexican? YAY!!! 3. Host was wonderfully accommodating - He actually called my cell to give me a heads-up about my wait list status. CONS: 1. Extremely limited (and cramped) parking in the restaurant's strip mall; street parking was more ample. 2. Crazy tight and tiny dining conditions. 3. The seating wait was almost an hour, so don't come famished...
(4)
Scott B.

Just, wow. My girlfriend (who is Filipina) and I moved to Chicago from Portland, OR a few months ago, and haven't had any Filipino food since. Opted to try Isla today - and our experience was golden! We are used to getting really small portions at Filipino restaurants we go to, so we called and ordered a ton of food for pick-up - Kare-Kare, crispy pata, BBQ sticks, pork/chicken adobo, siningag, Shanghai lumpia, and pancit canton. We figured we would run some errands before picking it up, since it would take awhile. Well, they quoted us 25 minutes, and portions were generous. We certainly ordered too much! Charles assisted us when we arrived to pay. He was friendly and tried to make a lot of personal connections with us through conversation, which I thought was stellar (I work in a hotel that promotes such things). We spent 70 bucks - but it was well worth it. Service was excellent. Food quality was excellent (crispy pata: best ever and easily three lbs worth for 16 bucks!) My special lady-friend was extremely happy with everything and was really comforted by the amazing food. Thank you!! We will be back for sure!
(5)
Angela P.

This was my first time trying Filipino food, and it was quite good. A lot of the menu items were sort of Chinese-Polynesian food hybrid, with a heavy focus on pork. I came here on a Saturday afternoon with my parents and husband. We arrived around 5:00 p.m., and it wasn't too busy yet, but before we even ordered appetizers, the restaurant was full. I highly recommend making reservations, because the restaurant is small with maybe 10-12 tables. They also do carryout if that's your thing. Thanks to some recommendations from my friend Ericka A., and Isla Pilipina's menu descriptions, we didn't really make any bad decisions. Here is what we ordered: APPETIZERS: Crispy Pusit (calamari): Good, but it wasn't a "must have." I wouldn't order it again. Lumpia Shanghai (egg rolls): These are so simple, but so good! We ordered 20 and devoured every single one. This was a hit with all four of us. They're tiny, so 20 isn't as crazy as it sounds. Pork BBQ: I really liked this one. Each order comes with 2 skewers of BBQ pork, so we ordered enough so that we each got to try a skewer. The pork was grilled nicely and had a chewy, caramelized texture to it. NOODLES/RICE: Pancit Bihon (pan fried noodles with chicken & vegetables): This is a fairly straightforward dish, and I would recommend it to any fussy eaters that are hesitant to try anything new. It's noodles, chicken, and vegetables. This was one of my dad's favorites. It was good, but I'm also filing it as a "not a must-have." Garlic Rice: This was my favorite part! I don't know how rice could possibly be this good. The rice is fluffy, garlicky, and super buttery. I could have eaten the giant, $6 portion all by myself. ENTREES: Crispy Pata (deep fried pork knuckle): This was a big disappointment. Either it was very overcooked, or Filipino cuisine calls for deep frying it until it is blackened. My mom said it "tasted like ash." It was difficult to cut into, and we didn't come close to finishing this - and it was the most expensive item we ordered! Bicol Express (seafood and peppers in a coconut sauce): The shrimp, scallops, and squid along with green peppers in a creamy coconut sauce was packed with flavor, but the dish was served room temperature. My dad kept picking out the green peppers and was amazed how delicious the combo was with the sauce. Crispy Chicken (fried chicken): This was another disappointing dish for us. Without a doubt, this was overcooked. I'm only giving Isla Pilipina a 3, because our favorite dishes were the appetizers, noodles & rice. The entrees were a big disappointment for all of us.
(3)
C.C. H.

Isla Pilipina is staffed by a crew of young men with a penchant for alternative rock and a kitchen turning out delicious Filipino food. The only thing stopping us from completely devouring our mixed adobo and Bicol Express dishes was our desire to have the halo halo. Dessert was actually the low point of the meal because we struggled to break through the a large ball of crushed ice to get to the goodies at the bottom of the glass. That being said, the halo halo was topped with a luscious wedge of flan and the best taro ice cream I have had outside of China. The lumpia Shanghai were tasty although I still prefer the freshness of Cantonese spring rolls but this appetizer was served with an excellent sweet and sour and spicy sauce. The mixed adobo had complex and well-balanced flavors of sweet and savory with an edge of tanginess and was beautifully adorned with shreds of scallion. The Bicol Express was also packed with flavor and generous amounts of seafood.
(5)
Kevin A.

SCREW AMBIEN If you want a good nap, go to Isla Pilipina and get some hearty home-style Filipino food and you'll be counting sheep within a hour or less guaranteed. Seriously, I had plans to grab a quick lunch here then go the gym, play some tennis, and clean my house. None of those post-lunch activities happened. This hearty food warms the soul, fills the tummy, and is pretty easy on the pocketbook. Good to know as it starts to get cold again. I went here with a picky eater and a Filipino food newbie so I stuck with crowd-pleasing fare like the beef steak tagalog with onions, lumpia, and of course the mixed adobo which is among the best adobos I've had. What I really want from here though it the kare kare, an intoxicating dish consisting of ox tail, tripe, and green beans in peanut sauce. Don't knock it until you've tried it!
(4)
Michelle P.

After craving Filipino food for some time now..I decided to check out Isla Pilipina. My job is about a block away so I ordered a lunch special for carry-out. The place is simple. The woman behind the counter has a pleasant demeanor. I ordered the "Adobo lunch special" which comes with steam rice, eggrolls, a cup of soup of the day (pork sinigang that day) and a small cut of leche flan ($5.99). I also ordered a Buko (Coconut juice) I couldn't wait to dive into the Adobe based on past yelpers reviews! The Eggrolls were ok, i felt there was alot of wrapper going on & little meat. Not the same as my Lola makes ;( the sweet n' sour dipping sauce was really good though. The Adobo was sooooooooooooo Delicious!!!!!! They serve a good portion of meat. Very little fat. The sauce was so flavorful.. I felt like i was in heaven. My mouth was still watering and I was eating it. The cup of soup was sinigang with Baboy...that soup alone was a meal. Pieces of spinach, radishes, pieces of pork with the rim on it still. I was not really impressed with the Buko Juice & the price is pretty steep at $1.95. I was so stuffed that I could not budge on tasting the flan. A colleague of mine took a look at my lunch & was in awe on how much was given for the price & how happy my face was while I was enjoying it, she gave it a whirl that same day. She has never had Filipino food & was quite open-minded about trying it out. She ordered the "Chicken Teriyaki Special" She absolutely love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She was unbelievably full as well. I can't wait to go back & Try the Daing na Bangus, Tocino, Paksiw na Lechon, Pancit Palabok and the Halo-Halo...other yelpers gave it a triple thumbs up...great dessert for the summer. Isla Pilipina is real, authentic Filipino food, I'm glad they don't americanize it. I'll be back & will refer others to try them out.
(4)
Bridget M.

so growing up with my parents as cooks greatly alters what my food expectations are. both my mama and papa are amazing cooks which only means that filipino and italian cuisines will be approached with greater scrutiny. i was pretty impressed with everything that we ordered at isla pilipina - the lumpia was pretty decent. still not as good as my mom's, but i would order it again. i enjoyed the calamari aLOT, probably helps that it was served with seasoned vinegar - yum! spaghetti delight? kare kare? longanisa? you can't go wrong here. to top it off, the halo halo was spot on. the prices are super fair and the serving sizes are hefty. no complaints here and would welcome a return for sure!
(4)
Ms. R.

Great place! Been here a couple times now. Went first with a few friends to try it out and to also introduce them to Filipino food. I was excited since I have yet to discover a decent and accessible (for me without a car) Filipino place here in Chicago. Had the lumpia Shanghai as an appetizer. Of course, they were a hit! Then I ordered for the whole group - did it family style. We had adobo, tocino, kare-kare, beef steak, and vegetables guisado in coconut sauce. Yummy! We pretty much finished everything. I also had a gulaman sago for a drink. It's BYOB so it helps that there's a liquor place right next door - my boyfriend bought a six-pack of beer and a couple bottles of wine for our group. We all left there happily full and I was excited to return. I returned just yesterday when I discovered that they also offer a $5.99 lunch special, which includes a choice of entree (there's 5 to choose from), rice, soup, lumpia, and dessert. What a deal! I ended up choosing the lechon kawali. It was a very cute presentation. First you got a bowl of soup - I guess they get choose which kind. Yesterday's selection was sinigang. Then a platter with everything else arrived - four lumpias, a scoop of rice, several pieces of lechon kawali, and a little ramekin of leche flan. Again, the food was good. I actually ended up having leftovers and taking it home. Plus I ordered pancit sotanghon guisado and talong omelet to go so I have food for the week. I have been feeling a bit homesick for my mom's cooking (my family lives in NJ) so even though it doesn't replace her cooking, it does fit the bill as far as getting my Filipino food fix. I will definitely be back for lunch for the rest of the summer until school starts again. Can't pass up such a good deal! Definitely recommend it. Kat, the super nice waitress, said that they change up their entrees every week or two, but the basics are usually on there - adobo, beef steak, lechon... So, yes, definitely check this place out. You will love it!
(4)
Liz W.

I miss working in lincoln square and all the yummy restaurants that surround the neighborhood. I used to order my lunch from here before this place was featured on tv. Those little egg rolls are to die for. I can seriously eat about 20 and then pass out. I've had several lunch combos and for the price you get alot of food. The pancit is very good as well. I shall make a drive up one day to get my fix of filipino food.
(5)
A.J. M.

I had forgot to review this place a while back. I dunno why, because it was amazing. This was reaffirmed a week ago when I went back. For one, the mini eggrolls are addictive, and the BBQ pork appetizer is out of this world incredible. I'd order five of them for dinner and be happy. But for dinner, I got the deep fried pork belly with gravy. Very awesome. From the last time I was there, I recall I got the mixed adobo, which was also very good. I'd recommend this place to anybody, even people who have never had Filipino food.
(5)
Jason N.

So after the impeccable review Yelp's very own John Todd gave this place on Check Please, how could I not stop off and indulge here? Came here on a Wednesday night and we were seated right away, but it was basically a full house. We started off with the Calamari. And while it was probably the best Calamari i've tasted, it came to the table luke warm. The only question I had was if we waited over 20 minutes for an appetizer, I expect it to be hot. But nonetheless it was great, the batter was tasty and it complimented the squid. The vinaigrette sauce was different, but in a good way as it was tasty and just made it a 5 star appetizer. For the main dish I ordered the inihaw baboy and the better half ordered the Pancit Bihon. While the dishes were phenomenal here's my other gripe, they brought out the Pancit way before the Inihaw . Don't know if it's just me but I dine out frequently and have also worked in the service industry. But in my honest opinion even if one dish takes longer to prepare than the other, it should always be brought out to the table at the same time. Anyone who actually reads this please feel free to let me know if you feel the same way, or if my standards are just way too high. Now on an extremely positive note, the inihaw was the best pork dish I have ever tasted. And this is coming from a bonafide pork snob. Its grilled to perfection and what really makes it taste good is the marinade. Also, the pork has an extremely thin layer of fat when cooked to perfection give it a bit of a crispy texture and adds an additional burst of flavor. The Pancit was also very tasty and was impressed as a lot of restaurants tend to mess this dish up. The servers and staff are very personable overall. Despite a couple of hiccups, including the fact they were out of Egg Rolls I will definitely be back. The food alone is 5 star quality, but due to the negatives it knocks the review down one star. If I lived closer to here, I might be eating here 4 days a week, it was that good!
(4)
Bless P.

Food was fantastic... Large portions and authentic filipino food. Would have rated it 5 stars if I didn't have to go to the back kitchen to use the facilities. Definitely have to reserve a week in advance to get the prefered date and time.
(4)
Ian S.

I can usually judge if an ethnic restaurant is good if the "natives" eat there. Well I'm a native Filipino and i love this place. Ive been here twice now, and I live 30 miles away, its definitely worth the trip. I come from Pampanga and this region is known for the best cooking in the Philippines. So I'm always leary when I come to a Filipino restaurant because they're usually not run by people from my home province. Even though the waiter/manager/host said they come from Cebu which is way south of where I come from, isla is an exception. Service is top notch. We were 13 minutes late with our reservation of 7 people and when I pulled up in the parking lot and saw that there were people waiting outside I thought for sure they gave away our table. Surprisingly, our table was held and we got seated and served right away.
(5)
Kris R.

i want to say right off the bat, i'm filipino. (i don't hit on dudes with this pickup line.) ready for a debbie downer story? my mom passed away when i was 14. her filipino food was AMAZING. i don't know how to cook filipino food, and sadly all that knowledge went to the grave with her. isla is the one place i can go to and pretend i'm a little girl, eating my mom's cooking again. my favorite, and will always be, is their mixed adobo (chick, pork, garlicky, vinegary) with adobo rice. lumpia shanghai is also a staple for me. some other faves: pork bbq skewers (sweet meat) pancit bihon (thin, translucent noodles) dinuguan (aka chocolate meat. there's no chocolate in there.) kare-kare beef steak tagalog the only thing that i tried that i didn't enjoy much was the crispy chicken. it was alotta fried, alotta skin. i recommend ordering take out from isla. you can't go wrong. and it's pretty inexpensive! to feed a family of 5 with 2 big eaters costs around $40, and there are always leftovers. for those who have never had filipino food - i always say it's a mix of chinese and mexican. saucy stews, sometimes vinegary, sometimes sweet. can be heavy. rice (um, asian)! if you like trying new things, good for you - try it now!
(4)
Elizabeth C.

By far my favorite filipino restaurant in the whole country!....i've traveled enough but the presentation, the staff, the taste...highly recommended and spectacular..i brought a group of 25 and they managed to serve them and answer all of their questions for it was their first time eating Filipino food...I went there almost 2-3 times a week when I was in chicago for a month :)
(5)
Allison N.

I'm not going to say that this is the best pilipino food I've ever had because I'm pinay so of course I've had amazing pinoy food. I grew up with this amazing/under-rated food. But I have to say, out of all of the pilipino restaurants I've been to you can taste the LOVE they put into their food. I would highly recommend the Kare Kare (everyone's fav) as well as the Crispy Pata! They don't over fry the meat so it's perfectly crispy on the outside and soft and tender on the inside. A great app would be the Crispy Pusit which is fried squid. The squid isn't too chewy, just right. There's a hand full of pilipino restaurants in Chicago but this one is on top of my list! Many of them fail because of the lack of appeal to the Western palette but this place does true justice to Pilipino food and will not disappoint!
(5)
Michael H.

Probably the best option for filipino food in the city. I still prefer my wife's family cooking, but this place is solid. It's become very popular over the years so there may be a bit of a wait.
(4)
Tristin M.

This place brought me back to filipino home cookin' =) See.. usually, it's tough for a place to execute that home cooked taste in a restaurant where they have to cook everything in big batches. I got the "pork sinigang" which is a tamarind soup based stew and "lumpiang shanghai" with a "sago gulaman" to drink.
(5)
Ian M.

Sometimes, it can suck living on the north side of Chicago. Especially on the brown line side, as it doesn't offer 24 hour service and it can get pretty inconvenient going out. But one of the pluses is the variety of world cuisine in our neighborhood, and I am proud to say Isla was my first Filipino dining experience. It's very nicely decorated with artwork on the walls you can actually purchase, and our waitress was very nice and offered menu suggestions while keeping our cups of water wet (which my girlfriend noted tasted better than the usual tap water we get for free). I got the mixed adobo, mostly because I had never seen it on a menu before. The gravy was delicious, the meat tender and the portion more than generous for $8. My girlfriend got the Tortang Talon (eggplant omelet) which was pretty good, though she didn't dig the bitter melon in it. Canned drinks were only $1, and dinner for 2 came to a very reasonable $20. Now I've just got to come back and try that halo-halo!
(5)
I L.

Saw this on a review TV show, stopped in and tried it- Seems to be Phillipino comfort food, which may not be my thing. It was pretty good- the only real complaint was that I sat very near the door and it was quite cold- but the food was good. I didn't care for the traditional dessert, but I think it is an acquired taste.
(3)
M E.

Delicious, fresh, flavorful Filipino food with a contemporary twist. We loved the tapa and seafood coconut milk dish, and the halo halo was fabulous! It is small but cute and hip. I'll be back!
(5)
Jake H.

I dunno if it's because I've never had Filipino food before, but this was amazing. Skinny egg rolls, delicious soup, $5.99 lunch special, o yah.
(5)
Jonathan C.

I've been to this place several times since the remodelling (which whas several years ago - I know I'm slow to write) and even brought my Dad here. As I've opened up the menu I have to upgrade this place to 5 stars, delicious. Recommendations for the non-Filipinos: The Kare-Kare, the Calderetta, and the Lechon Kawali (get the Crispy Pata instead if you are fearless). The only negatives about this place are that it is too small and they don't give you nearly enough rice (if you are Filipino you know what I mean). Lovely staff, although sometimes slow. A great Filipino restaurant. Open one in Logan Square!
(5)
Anne A.

Isla Pilipina is a great place to experience Filipino cuisine. Though I am a Kare-Kare fan and tend to order this dish at Isla every chance I get (they make delish Kare-Kare, rich, tender and generously portioned), I have my Mexican boyfriend try different dishes to sample. The camaron rebosado is his fave--as well as my mom's. The bicol express is good but could use a little more spice. Other recommended dishes are the egg rolls (get the 20 pcs), the kaldereta, and pancit palabok. The staff is friendly and attentive. Truly, Isla feels like a little piece of home.
(5)
grace s.

thanks to yelp we found a great filipino restaurant around chicago. We relocate here from California and we can compare Isla from the best fil. restaurants around the bay area..and very cheap too.. we will definitely go back here to try other sumptous dishes..
(5)
Aileen O.

I was craving Filipino food so the BF and I went to Isla Pilipina so I could get my fix. I read up about their lunch specials - $5.99 for egg rolls, entree, rice and dessert - and definitely wanted to take advantage. The restaurant sits in a small strip mall so there was parking available - Sweet! When we entered the restaurant, I was shocked at how small the place was. People stared at us as we stood there - it was a little awkward, especially since the waiter really wasn't paying attention to us. The place is cute - pastel green walls and white plastic flowers adorned the place. It sounds tacky as I write, but it really wasn't that bad! We ordered pancit palabok, garlic rice and my lunch special with beef steak. I was scared the food was going to be super salty and greasy, but it wasn't so bad. The beef in the beef steak was very soft and seasoned well (woo hoo!). I really liked the egg rolls too - fried to perfection with a good amount of meat filling. I'm not a big fan of palabok since it tends to be super greasy, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. We were too stuffed for dessert so we didn't oder the halo halo like I was hoping to. We did get some gulaman and sago to go, but the sago balls were pretty tough and they didn't put enough water to dillute the brown sugar syrup. It was super sweet, but after we poured in some water, it wasn't so bad. Our lunch ended on a funny note with the fortunes that were wrapped inside the sweet egg-roll type desserts (a la fortune cookies). My fortune read: "Confucius say: Man who sleeps with itchy butt, wakes up with stinky fingers." Hahaha. All in all, a good place to get a Filipino food fix. Food was better than expected, but still not up to par with my Mom's. I'll be back, but I think after I check out the Mekeni restaurant that I saw a few blocks away (that place is Kapangpangan like me - it must be good!).
(4)
Nathan V.

This place was packed on a Saturday night. I highly recommend this place. Overall good food, large servings, reasonably priced and great service.
(4)
Jose S.

This is one of the best Filipino restaurants I've been to in the US. Food was great! Everything we ordered was excellent and authentic (Kare-kare, pancit palabok, lumpia shanghai, lechon kawale, and fried tilapia, halo-halo). Service was also excellent and it was fairly quick. My only knock on the food was, they ran out of Lechon Paksiw and it was only 7pm :( The only reason for downgrading them to 4 stars is due to their seating process which leaves a lot to be desired. We were there at 5:45pm on a Friday night and literally HALF their tables were sitting empty, apparently being held for reservations. There were 4 other parties in line (including us) waiting for basically half their tables to open up. Some of these empty tables were for 7:00pm reservations! During our wait, several other parties came and left as the wait was too long. Typically restaurants this small do not take reservations on weekends to maximize their throughput during busy periods. Just a pity that more people would have enjoyed their offerings (and more income for the owners too... oh well). I do not mind waiting for good food when the tables are full, but it is quite frustrating when the place is half empty and you are still waiting to be seated.
(4)
Gabby G.

My family and I decided to check this place out yesterday after seeing it on Check, Please!. 1 - It was supposed to be open at 11. It opened at 3 because of a "funeral"...I think they were just busy with the catering orders that were packed up in the corner of the restaurant when they let us in. 2 - We were the first ones in with about 8 or 9 other people behind us. Actually, it might have been more because the place filled up as soon as the door opened. We ordered our appetizers (lumpia shanghai and calamari) and our food. 45 minutes later we received our first appetizer, the lumpia shanghai. About 30 minutes later we finally received the calamari (it took so damn long that we FORGOT about the calamari). 10 minutes later our food started to show up, finally. Everyone in my group got their food besides one person. She only had received her rice. By the time her food came, the rice was cold and we were pretty much done with our food. The couple next to us had only ordered SOUP and it came when we were done with our food. Unbelievable. Oh, and we also ordered some lechon (another appetizer) after we received the calamari. The lechon NEVER came. And we were asked if we still wanted it after we were done eating. My aunt ended up complaining about 3x and the lady only said sorry when my aunt brought up ratings on the internet. We got our lechon free and was able to take it home. 3 - The lumpia shanghai was good, a bit on the small side though. The calamari was overdone. Some of the lechon was beyond crispy and hard to eat. For my main entree I had gotten the menudo (Pork and diced potatoes, prepared with tomato and peppers). Yeah...well....I don't see HOT DOGS PIECES in that list, but it was in my dish. Gross. At least make it Longanisa, not a friggen hot dog! Only had about 5 pieces of diced potatoes, no tomatoes and green and red peppers. Other than that...it was a dish worthy of a "meh".
(2)
B C.

Isla Pilipina has an incredibly nice staff and a wide selection on the menu. It seemed like a lot of Filipino families were there too, which I took as a good sign.
(4)
Katie M.

Yaaaaaay!!! Different, exciting and delicious! We started with the Lumpia Shanhai (10 was plenty) and the Pork BBQ. We were already off to a great and affordable start (3 bucks for each appetizer)! We each ordered our own dishes, but this is definitely a place for sharing and the portions support just that! There were a couple other first-timers sitting at the two tables next to us, and we ended up all passing our plates around. I don't usually share my food with strangers, but everyone was just so giddy about the place - it was a blast. The Mixed Adobo (chicken and pork) was recommended by the wait staff and was DELICIOUS. The Bicol Express was a rich, coconut-milk/pork belly/seafood combination like I've never experienced. I didn't try the Beef Kaldereta because my fiance's dad was enjoying it so much, I didn't want to get my fingers bitten off. He raved about the sauce and ate until he couldn't move. The crispy pata (pig knuckle) got passed to us from our neighbors and was certainly interesting and fun to try, though I don't think I'd order it. It's gargantuan, so maybe a cool thing to get for a large table. We shared the flan - it is AWESOME. We also had coconut juice (with little coconut pieces!) and mango juice, coffee (french press) and tea, all of which added to the fun of the dining experience. Honestly - even the rice that comes with the main dishes is delicious. Did I mention the wonderful staff? So friendly and welcoming. I can't wait to get through our leftovers so we can go back!
(5)
Danny S.

I went to Isla Pilipina last night with my old lady and a friend. I'd never had Philippine cuisine, so I had no idea what to expect. Here's my take: Decor: nothing flashy. Simple tables and chairs with paper napkins. They probably could put 2-3 more tables into the place but the fact that they didn't meant that no one was sitting on top of us. Service: Our server was a bubbly young woman who gave us a few tips on our meal, came over to us to let us know food was coming (and out of order) and answered all of our questions. Food: The Lechon Kawali was fantastic. It was like a pork chop plus bacon that had been fried crispy. I devoured my whole plate. Mixed Adobo is our new comfort food. The old lady couldn't get enough of it. Lumpia Shanghai came out late, but that didn't stop us from cleaning the plate. Halo-Halo is a perfect summer dessert. Light, sweet and fun. Cost: Inexpensive, especially considering the flavors of the meal. BYOB helps... Eating at Isla Pilipina is exactly why I love my town. Non-descript storefront restaurants that deliver. I'm saving a 5* review until after I've gone back a few times - which I plan to do soon.
(4)
Leo M.

Worst service I have ever experienced in a restaurant. Waiting time is really really long. They don't go to your table and check how you are doing (but I saw them several times going to other tables with foreigners asking them how they are..tsek! What a shame!).To add insult to injury, my wife found a hair in her food. You can see people working inside the kitchen and no one is wearing a hear net. They credited the food, which is good, but you can tell that they are just doing it because it's probaly part of their rules and regulations but you can really tell that they don't care. Actions speaks louder than words people! They also have this filipino mentality where they usually serve foreigners first than their own kind. Food taste is average. 1st time I have eaten here and I'm very very disappointed. I thought I really found a filipino restaurant that combines good food with good service. I'd rather eat in a restaurant that has an average taste but with a really good service. Never gonna come back here again. To all my Filipino friends Little Quiapo is still the best. Avoid this place.
(1)
Tiva T.

This is one of my favorite places to eat Filipino food in Chicago. Good food at a value. My go-to is the pinoy spaghetti; it comes with two pieces of delicious fried chicken. That means there's always enough to take home for lunch the next day.
(5)
Kristen W.

Well I have to be honest in that I've not had better Filipino food but oh dear, this place scared me. I think there were either rabbits or pigeons in something I bit into. God I sound terribly snobby and honestly really ignorant. Well because when it comes to Filipino food, I am. One thing I liked was the stew with potatoes. Judging by the other reviews here they must do a mean Filipino spread but I guess it was lost on my middle america whitebread self. I should probably go back.
(2)
Jimmy M.

This place is ok. I've had better Filipino food at all my Filipino friends' houses. The people here are *really* nice though.
(3)
George P.

We decided to go here after seeing the restaurant on WTTW's Check Please show and all 3 people on the show liked it. Atmosphere is basic, but better than what I thought it might be. BYOB and we got real wine glasses and no cork fee. Another yelper wrote a review saying the Crispy Chicken was "A-mazing"....well, if you've had good fried chicken before then you will have a feel for this dish. That's all it is. It wasn't bad, but the reviewer threw me off. There appear to be far better items on the menu. I had the Mixed Adobo with pork and it was pretty good. Good enough to go back a 2nd time and try some other items. I find most restaurants have good dishes and great dishes depending on your taste, etc and I'd like to try a few more to find one that really wows me. I think I will find one there. Finally, this place is CHEAP! Entrees are $7-$12 or so. Dinner for 2 was under $20 before tip. And one more thing - just to show you they are happy you are there - early in dinner the waiter noticed our table was a little wobbly. He place a shim under the table leg to stabilize it. I thought that was pretty thoughtful.
(4)
Cynthia N.

I love that Isla has catering. I can't express how much less stressful it is for me to pick up the phone and order delicious filipino food to bring to my family holiday get together. I could fight traffic at Argyle, carry a bunch of groceries, run home, cook all day, or just call Isla and pay the same amount for someone to cook it better. Oh Isla, Cincha likey.
(5)
Jay M.

The food here was great. My (Filipino) family went here for Mothers' Day and sampled various dishes including the adobo, sinigang, crispy pata, ampalaya, longanisa, and a couple others whose names I can't remember. The prices, though it's not a buffet, came out to basically the same thing you'd pay at, e.g., Filipiniana's buffet, and I think the food was either on par or slightly better than there (Filipiniana is one of the best Filipino restaurants in the city). The service was a bit slow, but it looked like they were kinda stretched because they were preparing a big catering order. The presentation of the food is unlike I've ever seen at a Filipino restaurant before -- in a good way. Rather than just a sloppy plate piled with food, the food is arranged in a neat way and dipping sauce, if any, is in a nice little cup/dish inside. Looked great. I would absolutely go back, though maybe not if I were in a big rush. I'll be calling them up to feed my next Filipino house party though for sure!
(4)
Julie H.

So its not as good as my mothers cooking but it is pretty darn close. I love going here when I an missing filipino food back home in hawaii. The make super good kare kare, palabok, chicken adobo (kinda too salty though) and halo halo. They also serve garlic rice which is perfect. Be prepared to wait during lunch time though its small space that gets really busy! I think the last time I was there it was 12 when I got there and I was seated around 1. Unfortunately chicago surprisingly doesn't have a ton of filipino restaurants but this over is definitely a gem. Its walking distance from a brown line so don't worry you won't be walking through sketchy parts at night. Although it is a couple of blocks so its a no no in my opinion if you want to walk to this place at night alone if you are a girl or a puny guy...
(4)
Jenni B.

Great Filipino food. It needs more space and AC. handle it
(4)
Roxanne A.

I have been anti-filipino restaurants for the longest time because the taste and food preparation could not compare to my grandmother's filipino cooking. You see, she made it a point to cut, pound, etc things up until you wouldn't know where the meat originated from. I think she did it 1) to be frugal and 2) to not offend our delicate american sensibilities. I've been to a variety of filipino restaurants on the east coast especially in the jersey city area. Yeah, one furry pig ear too many and I was done with it. Then, for my birthday, I decided to give it a try again. My friends and I went to Isla Pilipina on a Friday evening and it was amazing. $5 for 20 mini lumpia can't be beat. Their mixed adobo was great. I got the tocino (typical breakfast sweet pork). FYI: They feature a lot of pork on their menu. They also give you a lot of meat, A LOT. Splitting an entree is not out of the question and is highly recommended. The waiter was really knowledgeable and definitely walked the 12 non-filipinas through the menu which was definitely appreciated. There is a slight wait for the food, but it is definitely worth it. Unfortunately, we couldn't stay for dessert. Highly recommended. A lot of bang for the buck, much like back in the Philippines.
(5)
Randy G.

The pork barbecue appetizer was average. The waiter seemed attentive but the kitchen was slow with only five tables to contend with. The adobo was excellent !
(4)
Dave K.

What a great little place. Upon walking in, we were warmly greeted and immediately seated by an incredibly friendly staff. This being our first visit, we asked for recommendations. Everything suggested was really good: BBQ pork appetizer, Taramind soup, Pancit, Inihaw pork (my favorite). I've been to a couple of other Filipino restaurants, but this is hands down my favorite. It has a great neighborhood vibe, played nice background music (kind of xrt-ish) and really nice people running the place. I look forward to going back. Great food, great value.
(4)
M D.

We have been here 2 times and LOVE LOVE LOVE this place! The pork BBQ appetizer, mixed adobo, spicy bicol express and halo-halo dessert are to die for. Definitely make a reservation and BYOB. The service can be slow, but only because they are so slammed. One of our faves in the city!
(5)
Leo M.

I have always been a picky eater. It is maybe because i grew up in a family who loves to cook. But Isla Pilipina really satisfies my palate. Their authentic Filipino Cuisine makes me feel i am home every time i visit. The food presentation is awesome and the service is good. The crew is friendly and very accommodating. I have been in the restaurant so many times that i think i've already tried everything in the menu. among my faves are the tocino and the grilled pork. Their sweet spaghetti comes with 2 pcs. of fried chicken which is actually a complete meal, is really very good. I just wish they could extend their hours, at least another hour more in the evening.
(4)
Joel C.

My quick review of this restaurant: Awesome Food. Friendly attentive Staff. Overcrowded and SLOW food service. I recommend calling for a reservation if you really want to eat-in and be prepared to be there at least 2 hours. Otherwise, call-in your carry-out order 30 minutes ahead and be prepared to wait an additional 15-30 minutes when you get there. I've visited this restaurant 3 times this week. Once on my own, another with a friend, and another with my partner. Everytime I went it was busy - I counted (6) 4-seater tables and (4) 2-seater tables - each time I visited, there were no more than 2 tables available and they were usually reserved. I visited at 6:30 pm on a Tuesday, 1:30 pm on a Saturday and 5:30 pm on a Sunday. I watched customers try to wait it out but then decide to just leave and others were turned away because the place was full and the kitchen closes in 30 minutes (it closed at 6:30 on a Sunday). There were several customers waiting for their carry-out orders. It's a small establishment and they just recently received raving reviews from the local TV show Check Please so I understand the craziness. I think they're still getting used to being popular. Whatever process they were used to serving their customers before the show aired is not working for their new found popularity. The show gave them raving reviews and I can see why, perhaps it was a slow period. If they want to succed at this, they're going to need to rethink their kitchen and service processes. On my first visit, I had to order carry-out since the restaurant was full. I waited for an hour before I left with my food! The next time, I called for a reservation and the last time I went we just popped-in (It's Sunday night - how busy can it be?) On the times we sat in the restaurant, here's what we experienced: Once we were seated, it took a while for someone to take our order (15 mins. maybe?). The server was pleasant and helpful when she finally arrived. Then we waited... for at least 30 minutes for the appetizer and another 30-45 minutes after that for SOME of our entrees. Don't get me wrong - the food tasted great. It reminded me of my mother's own cooking and what I remember eating from street vendors in Manila. I LOVE the food and the presentation was beautiful. However, the food never came out all at once. It trickled. We didn't get one of our rice dishes until after we've pretty much eaten everything else. It wasn't a mix-up either. They just planely didn't cook the rice dish for a while. I asked the server what happened and she said it was just the way it came out of the kitchen and they were aware the fried rice was taking long. The kitchen seems to pick and chose what to cook in no particular order. We watched other tables and the food coming out had NO order whatsoever. I agree with the last review - the apology didn't sound sincere. It's like they're used to having to apologize for the kitchen. I've already gone into extensive detail so I won't say much more about the way they seat customers. But let me just say that it felt uncomfortable sit there and see couples get seated on a 4-seater table while larger groups - some with kids - stood and waited for a larger table to clear while more couples get seated in front of them on 2-seater tables. I felt sorry to see them so frustrated and finally walk-off. My advise - wait 'till the hype dies down before expecting a pleasant dining experience. If you're looking for superb Filipino cousine, enjoy it at the comfort of your own home... but plan ahead 'cause it'll take you a while to get it. Cheers!
(3)
rhoner d.

I found this restaurant using yelp. My wife and I wanted try another Filipino restaurant since there isn't a lot from where we came from (Detroit). The food was great. We had crispy pata, bicol express and crispy fried calamari. We love the food and serving size of each dish. I cant say I'm an expert of Filipino cooking since I grew up here in the US but comparing it to food that we ate from a recent trip from the Philippines, their cooking was excellent. Parking is a little bit of a hustle since they share their small parking lot with a clinic and little pizza place. I had to pay a parking meter on the side street. The place is small but clean. I will recommend this restaurant just on the taste and serving size of their dishes. The prize isn't bad too..
(4)
Mars B.

Finally i had the chance to write a review to my favorite restaurant... I've been to this restaurant first time early last year. And been back many times that I lost track. Let's say like every week. Whooahhh! Staff are friendly and place is comfortable. My favorite is lumpia sariwa, I could probably eat this everyday. It is like a crepe but with veggies topped with special sauce and garnished with chopped peanuts. The taste was superb that I wanted to pair it with rice. Another fave is grilled pork, this has an amazing flavor. Fried calamari is also a winner, cooked right and the vinegar sauce goes with it like they are partners in crime. Adobo is so good that you might order another cup of rice. Also, the pansit which i love is superb. You can ask the server if you want it specific.. just regular with chicken, pork or shrimp or tofu and make it vegetarian. Soups are great too. I love halohalo or leche flan for dessert and coonut juice for my drink. And I can still go on and on with all the menu. Send me a message if have question because I might be of help to you in your quest for good food and decide on what to taste test! Come, taste and be a happy tummy! :)
(5)
Rachelle G.

YUM! Easily the only Filipino restaurant I like in the city. Everything was delicious! We ordered kare kare, fried fish (I forget what kind), bbq pork, lumpia and halo halo. I know I'm leaving out a few other small dishes, but really, this is as close as you'll get to home cooking. And the best part, all of this for less than $35 for three. We still had plenty of leftovers. Service was friendly, although I found it a bit strange that she didn't clear dishes throughout the meal. We purposely pushed them off to the side in hopes she would get the hint, but no. But when we asked, the server took care of it right away. I want to come back already!
(4)
lois c.

I went to this restaurant twice. The sign says the restaurant opens at 11. I was waiting with 10 other strangers. The cook sees us, lets us wait for 10 minutes, angrily comes to the door and opens it. He spoke in his native tongue and stated it opened at 12 and slammed the door. I decided to give the place another try due to the reviews. All I can say is what planet these reviewers come from or were they drunk? Service was slow. I opted for the lunch special. I'm given my soup; a minute later I'm given my entree. The food was barely warm. The steak was like shoe leather, the eggrolls were cold. The so-called dessert was less than a tablespoon of flan.. Go at your risk and make sure you are not hungry.
(1)
Liza P.

Oh.....my.....god! I want to live here! I am in love with their food, and we are going to run away together and get married in Vegas. I would eat this food as a last meal before being executed. So......we started off with a 10 pc Lumpia Shanghai, which is mini pork eggrolls.....sooo good. Very hot, crispy, not too greasy, and delish! My kids even ate them, which is a huge hats-off to their goodness, because my kids, especially one of them, is very picky about what goes in their face holes. For an entree, my children had halo-halo (crushed ice mixed with fruit and bean preserves topped with ice cream and rice crispies), and they really enjoyed it. This is a dish which they would label as "weird" because they're unfamiliar with the combination of ingredients, but they polished off the whole thing. I tried some, and I liked it. We got several entrees to try, the first of which was adobo rice (fried rice with garlic pork stew), and it was sooooo very good. Something I would eat everyday if I could. Maybe I will. The next dish was Bicol Express (slightly spicy combination of seafood and meat drizzled with coconut milk), which was rich, and oh so tasty. It didn't really taste spicy to me, not like jalapeno spicy, anyways. It had squid in it (I think--whatever seafood is ring-shaped, can't remember if it is squid or conch), and it is the only time I have ever had it and it was not chewy and rubbery. This was cooked perfectly, and really delicious. The last dish we tried was Inihaw Baboy (tender strips of grilled pork served with vinaigrette), and that was great as well. The pork was a bit fatty, but not gristly. And the vinaigrette was perfect for dipping--it went well with the charcoal grilled taste of the pork. I am sighing with pleasure at my remembrance of this meal. I will definitely be returning, and I'm gonna drag all the family members I can here when they visit. Yum yum yum yum yum yum yum!!! I am very happy!
(5)
Timothy S.

best filipino food in the city!
(5)
Justin G.

It's hard to find good Filipino food. You certainly can't find it in my kitchen, despite my ethnicity. It's a fairly typical strip mall restaurant.. Small, slightly cramped (though nothing severe) dining room. Simple, traditional decor. What would appear to be family members working as staff. There's nothing really remarkable about this place, but it's a solid place to get an inexpensive but good meal. It's never going to be a 5-star Yelpers giving it verbal handjobs kind of place, but I'll be going back.
(4)
Soo S.

Food was great. Adobo mix is a must to try. Great service!
(4)
Tony A.

Great food and good selection in a nice / clean restaurant. They lack delivery and have very short hours they are open.
(4)
Kevin S.

Annoying. We were waiting in line next on the list and the skinny tall guy holding the list let's his friends that just walked in grab the next table. So we ended up going to the tasty Indian restaurant down the street. Skip this place hella rude!
(1)
Heidi D.

Ate here for the first time last night after hearing from everyone in my family how good it is! And my family definitely does not lie when it comes to food! I was very satisfied with our dinner here last night. We started off with lumpiang shanghai (eggrolls) and they were delicious - skinny but filled with meat, and crispy! We also had baked tahong (mussels) for apps and they were bursting with flavor - yumm! The crispy pata is one of the best I've had in my life - so crispy, so delicious, so artery-clogging! :) The crispy chicken is just as great! You have to try the crispy chicken! The fish were also good - we had daing na bangus (milkfish) and tilapia with mango salsa - that salsa adds just the right amount of zest to the tilapia and the milkfish, well, you can never go wrong with daing na bangus (although to be fair, this is one of my favorite fish dish). We also had grilled veggies which did not fail to impress, very flavorful and grilled just right! The kare-kare left something to be desired, but take this with a grain of salt. It was good, just not anywhere close to how my momma makes it and how i like it. The tortang talong (eggplant) also failed to impress me. Again, this is one of my favorite dish and I like it a certain way. I could barely taste the eggplant (again, it was good as food, just not a good tortang talong by my standard). This place is BYOB which I like, and if you forget to bring yours, worry not, there's a liquor store next door! Also, just to add, it's very much a FILIPINO restaurant, as in, we don't really americanize our food, they remain as they would if you were to go eat a meal from a filipino home. There were many non-filipinos eating there last night, which didn't surprise me. I just wanted to make sure people are aware coz I can see how some people can complain that some food are salty and some are fatty. Like I said above, the crispy pata is artery clogging! many filipinos actually call this and similar dishes "killing me softly" but we are aware of this and eat it anyway (hopefully only occasionally) because it's just THAT good (to us, at least). Though it's quite a drive for us, I will definitely be back!
(5)
Javier B.

Finally made it to Isla! Tried going on Sunday night before and they close at 7 pm. Not open on Monday :( It was well worth the wait. The food was outstanding. The Lumpia were delicious. I had a pork dish with a peppercorn sauce and it was very very tasty. The pork was not described well in the menu and it was pork belly, which is tasty but somewhat fatty. The sauce was incredible though. Also tried the grilled pork served with vinegar sauce and it was really good. Tried a bit of the adobo and loved it. All in all the food was really good and at very reasonable prices. My only complaint is that the menu does not fully describe some of the items. We ordered a noodle dish to start (which was kind of mediocre) and the description did not say anything about there being fried calamari on top of the noodles. Maybe they just brough us the wrong dish. I am not a huge fan of calamari and these were a little too fishy tasting for my liking. I will be going back and often. Give this place a shot!
(4)
Mike O.

So I love this place. I've been here quite a few times now and have had experiences that have run the gamut, all of them positive. I've come as part of a pretty large group (call ahead and make reservations since the joint is kind of small) ordering 2 of everything for half of the menu, as well as quick stops with a family member or on a date with my girlfriend. Each and every time I go, the service is spectacular. Sometimes it can take a little for the food to come out but, hey, that just means they're cooking the food fresh! Like some other reviewers have already said, some of the fare is a little "off" for Filipino food one might have at home, but then again, if you're Filipino, nothing can quite compare to your mom's home cooking. Recipes vary, and the recipes here are very tasty (see what I did there?). I commented in my review of (the now defunct) Filipiniana Restaurant that, in trying to cater to non-native taste-buds, Filipino food would have to change. Filipino food is often not very visually appealing (with our many different hues of sauce), texturally strange and some people find the flavors to be too strong (or conversely, too bland). What Isla does is challenge me. They present their food beautifully and have made subtle adjustments to make the food more accessible to the inexperienced tongue. I can tell that this place is going to be successful. It's changed Filipino food enough for the non-Filipino while still maintaining as much authenticity as possible. So here's what you do: It's usually packed during peak hours, so, if you're planning on coming during the lunch rush or during dinner, make a reservation (it never hurts). If you're a little early, stop by the liquor store next door and pick up a six pack of San Miguel. Order some lumpiang shanghai to munch on while you wait for your entrees. Order A few different entrees TO SHARE. Portions are generous enough and Filipino food is meant to be shared! Enjoy. Have a cup of wonderful coffee and dessert! Rinse and repeat! - Happy eating!
(5)
Sean L.

Porkbelly is paired perfectly with gravy and the coffee is awesome.
(5)
Tammy Q.

Not quite sure how I feel about this place -- I think I need to try it again. My fiance and I came here the other night and ordered crispy pata (recommendation from Ji P.). I don't think I was terribly blown away by it -- it was decent. I think I have been tainted by my future mother and sister in law's cooking that I compare every Filipino dish I taste to theirs. The fiance ordered the caldereta and had leftovers -- the horror! He never leaves food uneaten, so I think that says a bit as well. :-\ I really liked the halo halo at the end of our meal, but I think it could have used some extra condensed milk. I'd like to come back and try the lechon kiwali as that is another dish I love. Thinking about it makes me hungry. Till we meet again.
(3)
Toshi B.

After watching Anthony Bourdain do a show on the Phillipines, we wondered, why not? First of all, I highly recommend the tomato/eggplant tower as an appetizer. It was def high restaurant quality. Calamari was also good but a bit on the salty side? For the main dishes, I thought they were all pretty rich and gut busting in terms of flavor and portion to a certain extent (mixed adobo and tocino), and probably best shared but difficult to eat by yourself. Service was very good I thought. A cute mom/pop kind of place. Would go back for sure.
(3)
Katty D.

I came here with a friend who was visitting from NYC, we had a filipino food fix and this was the place to go. Every filipino will say their mom's cooking is the best, but this comes close enough, especially for the price! They had a $5.99 lunch special which included soup, an entree, rice, lumpia shanghai (those little eggrolls) and a small dessert. You can't beat that! I had the beef steak tagalog and my friend had the lechon (fried pork). It all tasted super authentic and I had to work hard not to inhale my food and embarrass my friend. Ambiance - eh. kinda outdated, but i'm not coming here for white table cloths. Food Quality - authentic filipino food! yummy Service - very nice, only one server, so i can see them getting busy Value - great price!!! even their regular menu looked quite affordable
(4)
Ken I.

The first time I was in this restaurant was back in Sept 2007 and I have been back several times ever since. It is THE place I bring non-Filipino friends to taste Pinoy (Filipino) food. The restaurant always doesn't disappoint (except for the service when sometimes it is slow especially if they have many customers). Here is a review that I wrote back in my blog back 2007 after the first encounter. My sentiments still ring true two years later: I had a very pleasant lunch today at a small restaurant called Isla Pilipina on Lawrence Ave in Chicago (2501 W. Lawrence). The restaurant (also known as Isla) is located in a nondescript strip mall just west of Lincoln Ave. Inside, are maybe 12 - 15 tables, set in a nice understated and tasteful decor - mostly green motif, paintings and photographs on the wall, table linens (!), silk flowers. Not your usual over the top, kitschy Filipino restaurant decoration that abounds in many Chicago Filipino restaurants. We were sat by a nice amiable young man (who turned out to be the owner). The menu is ample, mostly traditional Filipino - the usual lumpia (eggrolls), nilaga and tinola (stews), pancit (noodles), adobos, seafoods (fish, shrimp and squid in various ways of cooking) and a medium list of vegetable dishes - all at modest prices (the most expensive is crispy pata - fried pork hocks - for twelve bucks). They have weekly specials at an incredibly low price of $5.99 with a choice of several entrees and side dishes. We didn't dare to be adventurous this first time around. I wanted to check how they treated the most traditional food I could think of. So we had sinigang (cooking meat, fish or fowl with water and a souring agent from fruit or vegetable), lechon kawale (pan roasted pork), adobo (meat or vegetables cooked in vinegar and spices), and something from the grill. We had the shrimp sinigang (sour soup with vegetables) which was wonderfully tart, with crisp, not overcooked, vegetables and reasonably fresh shrimp. I wasn't sure if the the tartness was from tamarind or tomatoes - it may have been from both. The owner said that the vegetables they use are home-grown by their cooks (!) especially during the summer. No wonder. The soup was delicious. The lechon kawale was nice and crisp. There was a little bit of fat (not overpowering but non-Filipinos might not like the inclusion of fat) which imparted the full flavor of the pork. It was nicely presented on a white platter with parsley garnish and the sauce (liver sauce?) placed on a small serving dish. For the adobo, we ordered mixed adobo - chicken and pork in vinegar, soy sauce and spices. Very well done. I like the idea of the sauce a little bit thickened. I don't know if they thickened it with corn starch or what but it was just right, not runny or gelatinous. Taste is very traditional adobo. Always delicious. It was served with a sprinkling of green onions. Beautiful. It so hard to make this dish nice to look at because it is brown in color... but they managed to make it presentable. Then, from the grill, we had inihaw na pusit (grilled squid). Oh boy. Huge, stuffed with assorted kinds of vegetables - tomatoes, lemons, green onions etc. Grilled to perfection ... although some parts of the squid were rubbery, but that's ok. The dip was really good though - vinegar with various kinds of spices. I totally forgot the desserts, they didn't have much and they didn't have what I wanted (buko salad - young coconut salad) so I ordered the flan instead. It was ok, light and fluffy, but nothing to write home about. Will I come back here? Definitely. It a place that I will not be ashamed to bring my non-Filipino friends (in fact my companion was non-Filipino and he highly recommends it). Ambiance is ok, table setting is nice - white Ikea plates, green linens, clean surroundings etc. I didn't check the 'comfort room' - that's for next time. But certainly, food is good - and although it took a little while for them to bring the food even if there were only a few diners when we were there - this assured me that they were cooking the orders from scratch. The owner said his chef was trained in Barrio Fiesta in the Philippines ... then worked in a 5-star hotel in Makati, then in Filipino restaurants in California, then made his way to Chicago. Great eatiing!
(5)
Steve R.

I took a large group there a few months ago, the food was delicious, prices reasonable, and service was great. I'm nervous to give it such a good review, for fear of it getting overrun. Enjoy!
(5)
Michael B.

When we walked in here, they were playing Andrew Bird, there was a cop waiting for takeout, and we were the only white people there. So that's an automatic 3 stars. The other 2 are for the fact that the meat was cooked to perfection, the portions were generous without being too huge, and the service was friendly. And to top it off, here's the fortune I got: You will have a long and wealthy life. That pretty much says it all
(5)
Samantha L.

The food here is pretty good, but the service is not so great. The server could barely understand anything that my friend or I said. I really don't care if someone has poor English, but it is typically good for a server to understand their customers enough to get their orders right. Great lunch specials though.
(4)
Cynthia S.

Very good Filipino food. Service is good. I'd eat in more, but what's with the miniature soda bottles? You used to serve soda in cans, wish you brought them back!
(4)
Shen L.

decent asian food. but nothing too impressive. will i drive all the way from downtown to here again? maybe not. will i come again if i happen to be in the neighborhood? maybe yes.
(3)
Rona J.

Yum! This is now my favorite filipino restaurant. We had Lumpia Shanghai, Lechon Kawali and Chicken and Pork Adobo. The adobo is the best ever (dont tell my mom I said that). The food was fresh and although the fried stuff is fried it wasn't greasy. The presentation of the food is very nice which is uncommon at filipino restaurants. The restaurant is in a strip mall and has about 8 tables. It has simple decor--glass top tables with table cloths and beautiful artwork on the walls. Its very clean. The service is ok and the food is delicious and very affordable. It's also BYOB.
(4)
Linda E.

I just found this place for lunch by searching on Yelp. I happen to be in the area and wanted to find something near by. I hate that I missed their Yelp Eats specials but am glad that I went anyway. The food was ABSOLUTELY fabulous. It's a cute little restaurant in a shopping area. The menu had lots of dishes that my sister and I were interested in. We decided to try the Baked Tahong (mussels) which I think was our favorite part of the meal. The redpepper, onion and baked mussels were DELICIOUS. There was a distinct garlic flavor and there was light olive oil in the dish. We also had the mini egg rolls which came with a delicious sweet dip. As our entrees we had the Ox tail, the Snapper (without the head - I don't like my food looking up at me), and the Guinataang Gulay at Hipon (Shrimp, vegetables in a coconut milk). Each dish was full of a different flavor. The oxtails were tender and meaty, the snapper was buttery and the coconut shrimp dish was rich and bursting with flavors also. This was my first time having philipino food and it will definitely NOT be my last. The service was fast and very good. Our waiter was extremely helpful giving us suggestions. Don't miss this place if you're in the area. I will definitely be back. I am a fan for sure!
(4)
Lynnette T.

I love Isla Pilipina. I've been here several times for takeout and they have never disappointed. Their lechon kawali and pork adobo and garlic fried rice are SO SO SO good! The food is straight up home cooking. It's tasty and yummy and... I need a thesaurus cuz I can't think of anything but how good the food was last night! This place is not fancy, but the food is awesome, and for those who need a filipino fix, this is the only place I'd recommend to go.
(5)
Nina W.

I loved that restaurant! For the very modest buck, you get an interesting and a highly fravorful meal. I am not from the Phillipines, so I have no cultural bias, but as a fan of ethnic cuisines, I enjoyed that restaurant a lot. The tomato/eggplant tower (an appetizer) is awesome! It's on the pricey side (in context of this inexpensive restaurant), but it's memorable: it has an interesting and complex taste that I still remember about a month later. We got all kinds of grilled things there, and they were all juicy and cooked just the right way. I also got something with coconut milk and bamboo leaves, and it was delightful. The staff is nice and friendly. Service is slightly on the slow side, but I didn't mind it. Will definitely go back.
(5)
Chris Z.

My brother went there with his wife and had a great experience like I did. Try the calamari. Beef steak flip style. Leave some room for halo halo. The food is great and It's not expensive.
(5)
Michelle B.

everything we tried on the menu was amazing. though i am not, technically, Filipino, i am an honorary. and mama st___s would have agreed with me. these folks know what they're doing! the lumpia was crispy and served w the perfect sauce. the pancit is the kind of thing one dreams about. the place doesn't look like much from the outside, as it is situated in a strip mall. but the waitstaff is awesome and willing to explain their menu selections. don't be afraid to order a variety of food. the portions are large, but it reheats great. if i lived closer to this little gem, i would be a regular.
(5)
Carter G.

Traveled here with a few friends this past weekend. First and foremost, EVEN FOR LUNCH, you must make a RESERVATION otherwise you will have a 45min-1hr wait. The food was good, but I was expecting to be blown away. The Lumpia App were tasteful, we had a noodle dish with seafood that I was was excellent. However, everyone keeps saying how great that one seafood dish is (the name escapes me), but it's one the everyone mentions and its in a curry sauce. This dish not meet my expectations. If you don't like curry don't order this dish. We also had the Kare Kare which was ok, but nothing spectacular. There were a ton of great pork dishes, but i let my friends order the one with Pork skins which I do NOT recommend. It was really fatty and not worth ordering (maybe it's a delicacy I just didn't appreciate). What I recommend you do if you choose to check out Isla is to take a look around at what everyone else is eating and choose your dishes by what looks great.
(3)
April L.

Perhaps I will have to go back to try the oxtail or another pork dish, but I was less than pleased with the Yelp Eats fare. Though I can appreciate the flavor combinations in the Halo-Halo and the sisig (off-menu), I could not come to grips with the textures of either one. The sisig in particular felt in my mouth like I was eating ground-up gristle (similar to eating the chewy connective tissue in chicken). It seems that sisig may essentially be just that. I couldn't eat more than a few bites. Plus it was topped with what I thought were beans that turned out to be garnishes of extremely hot green peppers. (I assume they were garnishes; who on earth could eat one is beyond me.) I took a bite of one pepper, and my mouth was on fire. It took about a half gallon of milk before my throat cooled off and my nose and eyes stopped flowing. Not cool. Not cool at all. I will try something else on their menu someday, but am in no hurry. I may never "get" the textures.
(2)
Aztlan S.

The lumpias are delicious and the sauce that accompanied them on the side was sweet, vinegary with a hint of spice. YUM! I had the (chicken and pork) adobo: pure vinegar/soy/spice bliss! My friend had the longanisa and he loved it. I had a taste and liked it too --although I'm not much of a sausage person. The server (there was only one) was attentive and helpful. When I asked him if the sauces they served were the hottest they carried, he offered to bring us some chopped chiles and a bottle of hot sauce. Which he did. The chopped up chile/ onion sauce gave the food that extra kick my Mexican mouth was craving (but in all honesty, the food was so good, it really didn't need the extra hotness of the chiles). Excellent food! I didn't go there for the ambiance, let's face it, how much ambiance can you really expect at this price level? WE LOVED IT and will definitely return with many more friends. PS: According to Wikipedia, adobo "is commonly packed for Filipino mountaineers and travelers. Its relatively long shelf-life is due to one of its primary ingredients, vinegar, which inhibits the growth of bacteria." Makes sense, the Philippines are in the tropics, after all. Whatever the reason, I love the way the spicy and vinegary flavors mix so perfectly.
(5)
Colleen O.

After two hours of waiting at the unemployment office on Lawrence ave. I was starving! I couldn't bring myself to eat from burger king which is right across the street, so i searched my mobile yelp app. I'm so glad i found this little gem! I too had close philipino friends growing up and the food i would eat at their houses made a indelible mark on me. I haven't had philipino food in years and am thrilled to have found this place. The place was busy but not overly crowded when i came in for lunch. I was told to sit where i'd like. I ordered the 10 piece order of lumpia and the chicken adobo. The lumpia were smaller than i thought they would be but just as delish! The presentation of them was actually kind of surprising, seeing that they took time to stack and garnish them into a pyramid. It was a nice touch. After scarfing down the lumpia in record time, my adobo came. The chicken was tender and flavorful. The portion was fairly large so i wrapped it up to bring it home to my boyfriend. When he ate it, he was surprised by how good Philippino food was. We both will be making a trip to this lovely little restaurant soon
(4)
Corinna K.

I never had Filipino food and wasn't sure what to expect really especially when I saw this small little place in a strip mall. But Isla Pilipina sure provided a great experience for me. The employees were friendly and there was a fun upbeat atmosphere. We made reservations, but part of our group was late. However, the host did not show any irritation whatsoever and remained as friendly as ever which was greatly appreciated. Our server was also very nice and took time to patiently give us dish suggestions. Our group of seven ordered the following (if I can remember everything): 1) These mini eggrolls called Lumpia which were pretty good. Loved the sweet and sour sauce that it came with. 2) Fried Calamari - Tasty especially with the vinegary sauce, but it was a bit drier and chewier than what I would've liked. 3) Mussel appetizer - Very very yummy and I normally don't even eat mussels 4) Noodles (Pancit) - reminds me of the thai pad woon sen dish, but with chunkier veggies in it. Thought this was only ok. 5) This pork belly dish was scrumptious! Tender tender meat with a nice crunchy skin. I didn't care too much for the sauce though as i prefer the chinese hoisin sauce, but the pork was flavorful enough without the dippin. 6)Garlic Fried Rice - Loved it. I like the fact that the rice is a bit on the softer, chewy side. Might need a few mints after eating it, but well worth it. 7)Tapa - beef (steak?) - Basically grilled thin beef slices. Flavorful, but nothing special as it just seemed like regular grilled beef. 8) Mixed adobo - Large chunks of tender Pork and chicken meat in this brown sauce (soy & vinegar?). I only had the chicken piece and that was good. the meat was tender enough to separate with a fork and the sauce worked so well with the white rice! 9) Taro leaves with shrimp in coconut milk - very interesting, but definitely a dish that would order again. Reminds me a bit of creamed spinach only this is with shrimp. 10) Some sort of red sausage - Tasty and flavorful, but a bit on the fatty side though i suppose that's probably how it's suppoed to be. We probably had enough food to feed more like 9 people so we all were very full by the time dinner was finished. Some of the dishes may not look very big, but let me tell you that it was more than enough for all 7 of us. And what makes it even better? the Price is right. all in all, I highly recommend this little gem and will probably bring my hubby here in the very near future!
(5)
Linda M.

SERIOUSLY? wow. . .I was so impressed with this place the first time I went. I was afraid that it was so good 'cuz we were starving that day. The first time 3 of us ordered the lumpia (of course we should have gotten the 20 piece-GONE in a sec) The Fried Chicken was A M A Z I N G. The best I have ever had. Sorry Ma! loved that it came with a few pieces of Platano. The diniguan was so so so good. I was afraid it was going to be a greasy fatty mess. I couldn't have been more wrong. No mystery pig-all meat and teriffic sauce. The Laing could have been hotter (temp) but it was still to die for. The Bistec was crazy good-the sauce was thicket than I am used to-Mom makes it lots thinner. So good, and the perfectly cooked onions melted in your mouth and exploded with flavor. We had to get more rice-THREE times. Thats my only complaint-rice portions should be bigger. Or maybe Flilipino sized?! Went again yesterday, and lo and behold they have a $5.99 lunch special. Soup was awesome, I had lechon, another fab choice and my friend had the bistec. Yummy AGAIN. Eggrolls were once again yummy. LOOOVE me some Ube ice cream! will continue to go to this place. I'm bringing my Mom next time-she'll die. God bless IP!
(4)
andrea l.

Wow so good! As recommended we ordered the 20 lumpia instead of the 10...excellent suggestion as we devoured all of them no problem...the chicken adobo was amazing and I love that I got my own perfectly formed rice ball! Some people have stated the service was slow but I definitely did not have that problem, service was quick and friendly and overall an excellent experience!
(5)
Tabitha G.

I rarely crave filipino food and that's probably because I've eaten it my whole life, but the food is not bad. Honestly, I would have given them 3 or 4 stars had the service not been HORRIBLE. At 6:05pm we sat ourselves, after 5 minutes of waiting I went up asking for a menu, after 15 minutes of waiting for water and someone to take our order I went back up to ask if we can order, food came at 7:05pm (1 hour after we sat down) and we ate in less than 10 minutes and wanted to leave quickly. The sad thing is that there was a larger party who was seated and ordered before us and they DIDN'T have their food by the time we left. The whole table was complaining and mind you the restaurant is teeny. The food was ok, but living in cities where there are larger filipino communities I can definitely say this isn't the best. Pancit canton was good, bistik was tender, but the adobo was too salty. The best part of the whole experience was the lumpia shanghai. Would only go back for take out - NEVER EAT IN AGAIN!
(2)
Kristina S.

This place is really good. I can't give it five stars because we're comparing their cooking to my parent's home cooked meals, but it is REALLY REALLY good. Their food hits the spot when you're craving mom's food, but you just can't make the drive to the burbs. Just go...trust me, you will leave happy.
(4)
Chocolate H.

eh..horrible parking and food was just ok. the only upside was good service.
(3)
M G.

Best representation of Filipino food! I went here with my husband and ordered garlic rice, barbeque, longganisa and lechon paksiw. All of them are way too good.The barbeque is not dry and they brushed an extra layer of sauce , and it came with atchara (pickled papaya) which has the right amount of vinegar and sugar; the longganisa had a different take, slicing it lengthwise and it was crispy on the outside, tender on the inside;the lechon paksiw is the way it should be and they're one of the few Filipino restaurants in Chicago that have this on their menu. We ended it with an order of halo halo, a dessert made of different beans and fruits, topped with shaved ice, milk, leche flan and a scoop of ice cream. All dishes have very nice plating and presentation.The restaurant is clean, decor is appealing with paintings created by a local Filipino artist. Service is also excellent. They also take credit cards! I would say that among all Filipino restaurants in Chicago this is by far the best I had.
(5)
Ji K.

I've met the owner and he is such a nice guy who is really passionate and borderline obsessive about the food they serve. Isla pretty much does traditional, comforting Filipino food at a higher level of care and quality at prices that are much less than deserved. I'm adding a star for the people behind the scenes-- because I realize now that they are the reason the food tastes so darn good. My compliments to them . . .
(5)
Kristin M.

I was so excited to try this place after reading everyone else's reviews. I was planning on being in the Lincoln Square neighborhood, and looking for some good yet cheap eats Friday night. Isla Pilipina TOTALLY delivered! It was really my first experience with Filipino food, and happily we were with a group of six and everyone shared a little so I got to try a few different things. As for myself, I went with the mixed Adobo, super flavorful and melt in your mouth chicken and pork in a savory gravy. The lumpia were fantastic, I probably could have ate 20 of them myself! I was ridiculously full, and when we got the bill it was a little shocking. The six of us dined for $55... yeah, fifty-five dollars... Of course it did help that it was a byob, but SERIOUSLY? That is just fantastic, in this economy, places like this should get some kind of a medal.
(4)
Jennifer P.

I stopped in here today for a lunch special - pork in a dark gravy, rice, delicious petite egg rolls, a clear soup with chicken, cabbage, and potatoes, and a tiny piece of flan for $6.99. It was my first encounter with Filipino food, and I'd describe it as Chinese or Thai meets Cuban. I can't tell if Isla Pilipina is a good example of the cuisine, but my meal was tasty and I'll stop by again on a cold winter day.
(4)
Dillard R.

Delicious!........ Filipino comfort food , just like home cooking! The Diniguan was very tasty as it entered my mouth I wanted to cry , It is not easy to cook and find the ingredients . The last time I ate it was when my grandpa cooked it and that was ages ago. I wasn't too impressed though with the lumpia but it was good. The pinakbet was delicious but I am used to the Ilocano version which doesn't have pumpkin in it and is less stew like but I have to say it was good maybe the chef is Tagalog. Halo-Halo YUM! This place will easily become my fave, I cant wait to try some other items on the menu. If you have never had Filipino food before this is a good place to try , the decor was nice service friendly but typical Filipino style which is all good. Nice art on the walls by the way. I was surprised I did not see a wooden water buffalo sculpture , anyway I TOTALLY recommend this place.
(5)
Andrew P.

I've been looking for an authentic Filipino restaurant for quite some time, and I've been fortunate enough to find Isla Pilipina. It's a great place for all kinds of classic Filipino dishes (like pancit and adobo ) as well as famous Pan-Asian foods with a Filipino twist (such as chicken teriyaki and Shanghai eggrolls). The prices are definitely reasonable. Try their lunch specials; it will only cost you 5 to 6 bucks for an entree with egg rolls and rice. I recommend the Inihaw na Baboy (or grilled pork) and the Tocino (or Filipino bacon). You won't be disappointed. Also try the Halo Halo, which is an awesome Filipino dessert made of shaved ice, ice cream, and a wild assortment of exotic fruits. You can thank me later. Parking is not a problem, and the service is adequate. For the price, you can't find a better deal.
(5)
Kitty R.

Shanghai Lumpia+Garlic Rice=Love. Enough said.
(4)
Barb N.

If you are not Filipino....don't dine here. Get take-out. I saw Isla Pilipina on CheckPlease and was very excited to try it out. We went on a Sunday afternoon. I called ahead to make a reservation (otherwise you would have to wait a while). Our server seemed very nice and wiling to help us out. We ordered the eggs rolls and mussels. We were also prompted to order our main dish. After a few suggestions, we ordered the Adobo Grill, Bicol Express and the Pancit Bihon. The egg rolls were brought out. They were good. Immediately the Grill and the Bicol were brought out. I thought my mother's order of Pancit was on its way. A different waiter came out 5 minutes later saying our mussels were on it's way. 25 minutes later my mother's Pancit was brought out. I asked "what took so long?" and they said it's because they were making it so fresh. My grandmother and I had already finished our meal by the time they brought out the Pancit. What about the mussels you may ask. They never came and we asked for them to cancel the order which they were willing to do. Pancit takes so long because it's so fresh? I saw other tables being served left and right with the Pancit. There was even a huge catering take out order I saw someone walking out of the restaurant with while we were still waiting. Is Filipino food like tapas where they bring out food when it's ready and you have to wait? We had our water filled once. Our waiter came to see how we were doing once. The other tables were being attended to all the time. A couple who sat 40 minutes after us had their meal served right away. I also noticed we were the only Caucasian family there. Everyone else was Filipino. Now, I don't want to play "that card" but it was obvious that the other Filipino tables were being served much quicker and with much more food in a timely manner. Their waiter (our waiter in fact) went to check up on those tables more often than ours. After speaking to our waiter he was quick to take the Pancit off the check and offer us free ice cream. I was very excited to try Filipino food for the first time and go someone that was highly recommended but I will not recommend this location to any of my friends, especially if they are not Filipino.
(2)
Sonja T.

Excellent food with very reasonable prices. And it's BYOB with NO CORK FEE! Parking is easy and there is a liquor store next door. Waitstaff is very friendly and helpful too. The only thing I would like to see improve from this restaurant, is the small space. Isla Pilipina has grown too popular for its small storefront space. I hear they are looking for a larger venue, though, so this is encouraging.
(5)
Jenn s.

I'm giving this place three stars solely because of the Kare-Kare and the small (very small) lumpias. Everything else was way too salty and oily. The service was good, but we had to wait for our food one after another just like every other person's experience. The first time I was there it was pretty good so I returned with my dad (third time), and from there the food seem to have suffered tremendously. The water was scarce, and had to sit there without water for sometime. But the service was always friendly, so I'm sad to give 3 stars but maybe it'll get better.
(3)
Brian K.

This is my favorite place to go to for Filipino food. Unassumingly located in a non-descript strip-mall on Lawrence, the restaurant won't win any design awards for its appointments. But that's not the reason you or anyone else comes here. This is full-on authentic Filipino food -- I know because I'm marrying a Filipina! Service can be slow depending on how busy it is, but the food always comes out steaming hot and freshly prepared without looking soggy or oily as can be common with this kind of food. Get the lumpia shanghai, fresh lumpia, mixed adobo, or menudo -- all of which are staples. The food is plated with surprising amount of artistry and flair given the otherwise homely interior. White it's not that convenient to get to from Evanston, but Evanston isn't exactly the hub of the universe either.
(4)
Joy C.

There is no other place that I have been taking my non-Filipino friends or recommend to non-Filipino who want to taste authentic and good Filipino dishes here in the Chicago area... Except for Isla Pilipina. All the dishes that I have tried are all great. Simple, fresh and just how I love the dishes to be cooked. Kare kare, the oxtail in peanut butter sauce is hands down wonderful and I wouldn't try this dish anywhere else. Dinuguan, crispy pata, grilled squid, adobo, bistek, pork inihaw, fresh vegetable lumpia, garlic fried rice, and I could go on. Everything is simply delicious. The prices are very reasonable and the service has been consistently amazing. It is a small place so it is recommended to call for reservations. Another plus, it's BYOB:)
(5)
Taylor J.

This was amazing! The restaurant has a small and quaint atmosphere which gives a home-y ambiance. My server Locke, was a sweet heart and recommended the Mixed Adobe dish. I had already devoured the Lumpia Shanghai rolls but saved enough room to appreciate the Adobe dish. It was truly amazing. The meat was marinated and cooked to perfection which can be a challenge for a dish with two different meats. This restaurant, is now an officially monthly must-eat for me. Can't wait to visit again and explore the rest of the menu.
(5)
Monica S.

I first had Isla Pilipina's food at a Yelp event in Chicago and vowed that I'd dine in to try their food. Nearly 2 years later, I finally came here. Parking wasn't difficult, as they have both street and private lot parking. The wait was longer than usual (30 mins for us) at ~2pm on Easter Sunday. Since there aren't many seats, I'd make reservations to avoid waiting. Despite this, our waiter was conscientious and made sure to take our order while we were in line. That way, our food arrival would coincide with our table availability. I don't have a point of reference for Filipino decor, but it is very simple here. They have bamboo decorations at their entrance and in some of their wall art. They have bilingual signs, so I learned how to say "welcome" and "thank you" while waiting. Quick lesson in Tagalog for sure. The eggplant tomato tower was delicious; notably, the homemade dressing of mustard, garlic, chive and cheese married all the flavors perfectly! I was in an eggplant mood, so I also got the tortang talong. Again, the sauce (i.e. banana ketchup) really made the dish. I finished off with a halo-halo, which allowed me to try the purple yam ice cream for the first time (yummy!) and vaguely reminded me of Taiwanese shaved ice. The only thing that threw me off was the green-striped wafer stick, but that was a welcome addition to the ice cold dessert. Overall, I'd definitely come back if I ever have cravings for Filipino food in the Chicago area!
(5)
Evie H.

Isla Pilipina has delicious Filipino food that reminds me of good Asian home cooking. My friend and I stopped by for a late lunch (missed that lunch special, darn!) but were still pretty satisfied with our entrees. We started off with the Lumpia Shanghai which I enjoyed a lot. We got the 10 piece but it came out with 14 pieces which was super nice. I loved the mixed adobo (chicken and pork) - both meats were delicious and that sauce was yummy yummy yummy. I liked how it didn't taste overly oily either - it's a perfect topping for rice. The shanghai fried rice was pretty good too - it had a lot of hong kong style sausage which is a nice treat. We ended our lovely lunch with the halo halo dessert which wasn't my favorite. I loved the ube ice cream that topped it off but I wasn't too much of a fan of the shaved ice + stuff at the bottom. In general, I never really like this type of dessert even in similar forms from other countries. The small bites of flan on top was super thick but otherwise had really good flavor. It's a really small place inside and was even still pretty crowded at 3 in the afternoon so I can't imagine what it's like during regular lunch/dinner hours. Our service was standard, food came out quickly, it's a good portion for the price, and basically I want to come back again!
(4)
Emily K.

I came here with a group of 5 today and got to try the sinigang beef, kare kare, beef kaldereta, mixed adobo, pancit palabok, garlic rice, halo halo and cinnamon turon (see pictures attached with this review!). Everything was AMAZING!! My favorites were the mixed adobo, which is a chicken and pork dish and the meat pretty much melted in my mouth, and the kare kare, which is a oxtail stew with peanut butter sauce. The garlic rice was a great combination with all of the dishes. The restaurant is very small (maybe 25 people max??) so it'd be a good idea to call ahead to make a reservation or go during non-peak hours. The service was so-so, but the food came out pretty fast and made up for it. The price is also VERY reasonable. The bill was about $80 for everything we ordered above! Tip: It's BYOB!
(5)
Mink L.

Isla Pilipina is my favorite Filipino restaurant in the nation! Their sinigang with Pork is perfect on any day with their friend chicken or milkfish. Oh yeah and their lumpias are amazing. I can probably kill 20 on my own. Mini crispy egg rolls with a sweet sauce. Wish I could have them every day! The service is always pleasant and food has never failed to please. I'm not a big fan of the sweet spaghetti, but some of my friends love the hot dog spaghetti. I love both but just separately.
(5)
Susan S.

Went here a while ago, great food , warm and friendly service. Super in expensive food packed with flavor. Beware high caloric deliciousness. Loved the le chin? Fried pork oozing with an outer golden crispness and very moist succulent meat. Mmmmm I think I'll have to return to this little hole in the wall. So lucky to live in Illinois and having such a diverse selection of ethnic delights.
(5)
Rose O.

Love the food but you need to go there early as it is very difficult to find a table. Wait times can be very long - up to an hour or so. My favorite is the adobo rice and crispy pata!
(4)
Keith H.

Before Isla took over this space, other Filipino restaurants inhabited this space. Actually, they may have just kept changing their names as their "image" changed. Let me say that their attempt to modernize traditional Philippine cuisine is a valiant effort. But I don't feel that their service and attempts to modernize the Filipino menu is not the correct approach. I went with some of my friends from the islands and we had their pansit and their lechon. This didn't remind them of the cuisine they grew up with. I thought it was tasty, but not quite right. What was most disappointing is that we asked for a Filipino dessert which is a national dish and were told that the restaurant was out of ice cream (the key ingredient to Halo Halo). To run out of that in the middle of week it like McDonald's running out of French fries or Polish restaurant running out of pirogies. If they are to modernize Philippine cuisine, they're not doing it right. I suppose things happen and maybe it's better now, but bottom line, I'd rather eat at Little Quiapo than deal with an unbalanced meal.
(3)
Chrystine Marie M.

Being from LA, it's very hard to be content with Filipino places in the Midwest. They're also really hard to find and/or are only located in the city. Faaaar from where we live. My boyfriend and I live in the suburbs far north of downtown Chicago, so it's even worse up there. No Filipino places at all. (Granted, I didn't do a lot of research trying to find any since I moved here in 2013, because I just thought I'd never find anything good.) Yesterday, my boyfriend and I had a reason to go to the city and I thought, "Hey, it's been 3 gruesome months since my vacation to LA and I haven't had Filipino food since then. Let's get some freakin' Filipino food." And of course, I took to Yelp to find some. Some places looked promising and I stumbled upon this one. Thanks to all the pictures people have been posting on Yelp, I was like, "Yup, this place looks good. Let's try it." Naturally, I'm a snob when it comes to Filipino food, because I'm from LA so I was a little skeptical at first. "What if it's not good?" The place is located in a plaza with a liquor store. Parking is decent. We walk in and are greeted by the waitress. The place is decked out in cool art and they have a funny sign up front that said something along the lines of "The price changes based on the customers' attitude" which I thought was totally appropriate since it is located in the city where most clientele tend to be rude, from what I hear lol. The place is really small, so it's not a good place to bring 20+ people. The menu is pretty simple. It's got all your basic Filipino foods that you would expect. (I posted pictures of the menu.) What I really thought was interesting is that they have something called Adobo Rice. It's basically Adobo-flavored sinangag (fried rice). It's got pork, green onions, etc. I was like, "YES, WE ARE ORDERING THAT." We also ordered Lumpiang Shanghai and Longanisa. (ugh, I wish I could've ordered way more entrÃ©es, like Daing na Bangus, but they were served family style with big portions and not turo-turo combo style where you get two small entrÃ©es and rice.) I was impressed with the Lumpia. I have really high standards for Lumpia, because to me, no one can beat my parents' Lumpia. But this place makes really good Lumpia. Definitely coming back just for that. They nailed the filling to wrapper ratio. Some places always mess it up. Sometimes there's too much wrapper or too much filling. But this place definitely nailed it. The Longanisa was great. Loved the vinegar sauce that it came with. Longanisa tastes almost the same anywhere you order it and it was good here. Now what I really wanted to talk about was the Adobo rice. First of all, they give you a copious amount of it. Second of all, I'll take this over regular sinangag (just fried with garlic) any day. It was such a large portion, we took it home and had it for dinner. Definitely coming back for that again. I really wanted to order Halo Halo, but unfortunately, we were in a hurry. Definitely coming back to try their take on Halo Halo. (Also, I didn't realize until I looked at the pictures of the menu that I took that they served Buco, Mango, and Calamansi juice. I should've ordered some too.) This place definitely exceeded my expectations and I'm coming back.
(4)

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Address : 2501 W Lawrence Ave,Unit D
Chicago, IL, 60625
Phone (773) 271-2988
Website https://www.islapilipina.com
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes

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Isla Pilipina

2501 W Lawrence Ave,Unit D, Chicago, IL, 60625

Isla Pilipina Menu

Appetizers

Soup

Noodles

Rice

House Specials

Inihaw (grilled Specials)

Seafood

Vegetable Dishes

Weekly Lunch Specials

Beverages

Desserts

Healthy Meal suggestions for Isla Pilipina

Appetizers

Soup

Noodles

Rice

House Specials

Inihaw (grilled Specials)

Seafood

Vegetable Dishes

Weekly Lunch Specials

Beverages

Desserts

Ale O.

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Vida S.

Theresa C.

Mr And Mrs G.

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Jade W.

Mary Y.

Chet M.

Harty K.

Thongsy S.

Shannon S.

Gail D.

Eileen Z.

Jon O.

Darlene O.

Lorelei C.

Ericka A.

Mrs. W.

Sarah S.

Phill C.

Kim B.

Jay L.

Scott T.

AC C.

Roger M.

Nancy H.

Donna L.

Stacy S.

Amy A.

Melanie V.

Katie K.

Charlee G.

Christa Lei S.

Janna N.

Cris G.

Rhoda G.

Nina F.

Rachel S.

Mike H.

Anna D.

Tiffany K.

Nora B.

Victor V.

Misty S.

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Ryan Y.

Susan P.

Chuck H.

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angela h.

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