The 10 Best Filipino Restaurants In California You Need To Try
California’s Filipino food scene is absolutely exploding right now, and honestly, it’s about time everyone got to experience the magic of adobo, lumpia, and sisig done right. I’ve spent months eating my way through the state, hunting down the spots that truly capture the soul of Filipino cooking, whether that’s a family-run gem serving recipes passed down through generations or a modern kitchen putting bold new spins on classics.
If you’ve never tried Filipino cuisine before, you’re in for a wild, delicious ride full of sweet, sour, savory, and umami flavors that’ll have you coming back for more.
1. FOB Kitchen
Modern Filipino food gets its coolest expression at FOB Kitchen, where tradition meets innovation in the most delicious ways possible. Chef Janice Dulce isn’t afraid to experiment, and her menu reads like a love letter to both her heritage and her creativity.
The ube pancakes alone are worth the drive, fluffy and purple with a subtle sweetness that’ll make you rethink breakfast forever.
Located at 5628 Imhoff Dr, Concord, CA 94520, this restaurant has become a destination for anyone curious about where Filipino cuisine is headed next. Their sisig fries are legendary—crispy potatoes topped with sizzling pork, onions, and a perfectly runny egg that ties everything together.
Every bite is a textural adventure, crunchy and creamy and savory all at once.
The vibe here is casual but thoughtful, with a menu that changes seasonally to highlight the freshest ingredients. Whether you’re a Filipino food veteran or a total newbie, FOB Kitchen will surprise and delight you in equal measure.
2. Manila Inasal
Grilled chicken has never tasted this good, I promise you. Manila Inasal specializes in the kind of barbecue that makes you want to lick your fingers and order seconds immediately.
Their chicken inasal is marinated in a vibrant blend of calamansi, lemongrass, and garlic, then grilled over open flames until the skin gets crispy and slightly charred.
You’ll find this spot at 18601 Pioneer Blvd, Artesia, CA 90701, tucked into a bustling strip mall that’s become a pilgrimage site for Filipino food lovers. The rice here is unlimited, which is dangerous because you’ll want to drench every grain in their tangy chicken oil.
Don’t skip the pork barbecue skewers either—they’re sweet, smoky, and ridiculously addictive.
What I love most is how unpretentious everything feels. The staff treats you like family, the portions are generous, and the prices won’t make your wallet cry.
It’s the kind of place where you can bring your pickiest friend and watch them become a Filipino food convert by the end of the meal.
3. L.A. Rose Cafe
Stepping into L.A. Rose Cafe feels like getting invited to your cool Filipino auntie’s house for Sunday dinner.
Everything here is made with care, from the lumpia that crackles when you bite into it to the kare-kare with its rich peanut sauce that coats every vegetable and oxtail piece perfectly. This isn’t fancy food—it’s comfort food executed with serious skill and heart.
You’ll find them at 3277 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010, in a neighborhood that’s seen this restaurant become a beloved institution over the years. Their halo-halo is an absolute must-order, a towering mountain of shaved ice, sweet beans, fruit, ube ice cream, and leche flan that’s both refreshing and indulgent.
It’s messy, it’s fun, and it’s the perfect ending to any meal here.
The menu is extensive, which can be overwhelming if you’re new to Filipino food, but the staff is incredibly helpful and will guide you toward the classics. Come hungry, come curious, and come ready to fall in love with flavors you didn’t know you needed in your life.
4. Dollar Hits
Breakfast just got a whole lot more interesting, thanks to Dollar Hits and their wildly creative approach to Filipino morning food. Imagine a spam musubi but elevated, or a longanisa breakfast burrito that somehow makes perfect sense once you taste it.
This place takes the flavors you grew up with (or wish you had) and reimagines them for the grab-and-go lifestyle without sacrificing any authenticity.
Head over to 1082 E Bastanchury Rd, Fullerton, CA 92835, and prepare to have your breakfast game changed forever. Their ube lattes are Instagram-worthy but also genuinely delicious, creamy and not too sweet with that distinctive purple yam flavor shining through.
The tocino plate is another standout—sweet cured pork with garlic fried rice and a fried egg that breaks into a golden river of yolk.
What makes Dollar Hits special is how they’ve managed to stay true to Filipino flavors while making them accessible to everyone. You don’t need a PhD in Filipino cuisine to enjoy this food; you just need an appetite and an open mind.
5. Kuya Lord
Sometimes you want Filipino food that feels like a party, and Kuya Lord delivers exactly that energy. The music is bumping, the portions are huge, and the flavors are bold enough to wake up every taste bud you have.
Their kamayan feasts are the stuff of legend—whole spreads of grilled meats, seafood, and rice laid out on banana leaves for you to eat with your hands, Filipino-style.
Located at 5670 Spring Mountain Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89146—okay, technically Nevada, but close enough to California that it deserves a mention—this spot has become a pilgrimage site for food lovers up and down the West Coast. The lechon kawali is dangerously crispy, with pork belly that shatters under your teeth before melting into tender, juicy meat.
Pair it with their garlic rice and spicy vinegar, and you’ve got heaven on a plate.
Kuya Lord isn’t subtle, and that’s exactly the point. This is Filipino food that celebrates abundance, flavor, and the joy of eating with people you love.
Bring a crew, order way too much, and enjoy every second of it.
6. Lasita Rotisserie & Natural Wine
Filipino food meets natural wine in the most unexpectedly perfect pairing at Lasita, where Chef Charlie Socher has created something truly special. The menu here is all about rotisserie meats done the Filipino way—think chicken marinated in coconut vinegar and spices, spinning slowly until the skin turns golden and crispy.
It’s simple cooking elevated by technique and quality ingredients that shine through in every bite.
You’ll find this gem at 1700 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA 94709, in a space that feels both modern and warmly inviting. The natural wine list is carefully curated to complement the rich, savory flavors of the food, and the staff actually knows their stuff when it comes to pairing recommendations.
Their kinilaw (Filipino ceviche) is bright and acidic, a perfect starter that cleanses your palate and prepares you for the heartier dishes to come.
What sets Lasita apart is the attention to detail and the willingness to let Filipino flavors stand proudly alongside fine dining sensibilities. It’s proof that Filipino cuisine belongs in every culinary conversation, not just the casual ones.
7. Sampa
Creativity runs wild at Sampa, where Filipino flavors get remixed into dishes that feel both familiar and completely new. Chef Chad Valencia isn’t interested in playing it safe, and his menu reflects a fearless approach to Filipino-American cooking that pushes boundaries while respecting tradition.
The adobo fried chicken is a perfect example—crispy, tangy, garlicky, and utterly crave-worthy in a way that honors the classic while taking it somewhere unexpected.
Find them at 162 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036, in a neighborhood that’s become a hotspot for innovative dining. Their pancit gets the royal treatment here, with perfectly cooked noodles tossed with quality proteins and vegetables that still have some snap to them.
The cocktail program is equally impressive, featuring tropical flavors and Filipino ingredients like calamansi and pandan that make each drink feel like a mini vacation.
Sampa is where you go when you want to see what Filipino food can become when given the space to evolve and experiment. It’s exciting, it’s delicious, and it’s exactly the kind of restaurant that makes you proud of Filipino culinary innovation.
8. Neri’s Casual Filipino Dining
Authenticity is the name of the game at Neri’s, where home-style Filipino cooking gets the respect and attention it deserves. Walking in here feels like being transported to Manila, with familiar dishes prepared exactly the way your lola would make them—maybe even better, if I’m being honest.
The sinigang is perfectly sour and loaded with vegetables and tender pork that falls apart at the slightest touch of your spoon.
Located at 3439 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90020, Neri’s has built a loyal following of homesick Filipinos and curious food explorers alike. Their daily specials board is where the real magic happens, featuring regional dishes and seasonal preparations that change based on what’s fresh and what the kitchen feels inspired to cook.
The bibingka during the holidays is legendary, sweet and coconutty with a slightly charred bottom that adds the perfect textural contrast.
This is the kind of restaurant where you can taste the love in every dish, where recipes have been perfected over years of practice, and where eating feels less like dining out and more like coming home.
9. The Philippine Kitchen
Classic Filipino cuisine gets the spotlight it deserves at The Philippine Kitchen, where the menu reads like a greatest hits compilation of beloved dishes from across the archipelago. Their crispy pata is the stuff dreams are made of—an entire pork leg deep-fried until the skin becomes impossibly crunchy while the meat inside stays moist and flavorful.
It’s a dish meant for sharing, though you might not want to once you taste it.
You’ll discover this treasure at 1640 W Redondo Beach Blvd, Gardena, CA 90247, in a humble space that lets the food do all the talking. The pancit palabok here is spectacular, with thick rice noodles swimming in a rich shrimp sauce and topped with all the fixings—hard-boiled eggs, chicharron, and a generous squeeze of calamansi.
Every element plays its part in creating a dish that’s greater than the sum of its parts.
The Philippine Kitchen represents Filipino cooking at its most comforting and satisfying, the kind of food that nourishes both body and soul. It’s not trying to be trendy or revolutionary—it’s just being excellent at what it does.
10. Batchoyan Ilonggo Restaurant
Regional Filipino cuisine gets its moment to shine at Batchoyan Ilonggo, a restaurant dedicated to the flavors of the Visayas region that you won’t find at every Filipino spot. The batchoy is what they’re known for, and rightfully so—a rich pork noodle soup loaded with organ meats, crushed chicharron, and a depth of flavor that can only come from hours of careful simmering.
It’s warming, satisfying, and completely addictive once you develop a taste for it.
Head to 14841 Pioneer Blvd, Norwalk, CA 90650, and prepare to expand your Filipino food vocabulary beyond the usual suspects. Their KBL (kadyos, baboy, langka) is another Ilonggo specialty worth trying—a hearty stew made with pigeon peas, pork, and jackfruit that tastes like a warm hug from the inside.
The combination of ingredients might sound unusual, but trust me, it works beautifully together.
Batchoyan Ilonggo is proof that Filipino cuisine is incredibly diverse, with each region offering its own unique flavors and specialties. If you think you know Filipino food, this place will happily prove you’ve only scratched the surface.