Eating out in Tacloban

[Simply Steve]

Hi Everone

I have been living on the outskirts of Tacloban City for a few months now and thought i would drop in my 2 cents worth on the places i have eaten that I have enjoyed. There are a few expats hanging around in Leyte and most of the ones i have met have been decent enough but there seems little information here so i thought i would do my bit.

Here is a list of the places i would eat, i can't say if others would like it but the prices are not expensive and the food has been consistently good so far, I have no interest in these businesses other than being a trained chef so I tend to place close attention to food hygiene and standards of cleanliness. There are a few places i certainly would not eat again but i am not here to talk about those, just the ones i would.

Dining in Tacloban City - Meals i have actually ordered and enjoyed

Ocho Grill - Lechon Kawali - Guinatang Kangkon - Club Burger and fries - fresh fish by weight from the counter, pick your own fish and vegetables, seaweed salad is excellent - Korean BBQ ( separate area with good aircon and extractor fans ) good value for a table of 4 or more  - smoking area at the front - pilsen 50 pesos a bottle 

Guiseppe's - Baby back ribs - pizza - has condiments for sale but i haven't checked the prices, food is good but not that cheap - cafe tables at the front where smoking is allowed  

Chew Love - Halo Halo dessert - battered fish and fries - no website but its designed like a dolls house and has another American style diner on the left of the Dolls house entrance, a great place to take your kids for a snack in the city. Trip advisor has a few good reviews of the place.

Julio's Jazz Bar - Opposite the Alejandro Hotel ( Paterno St, Downtown, Tacloban City ), I never ate the at the buffet but they have live acoustic music on a Saturday night, a very pleasant place for a few drinks and and music at a volume that won't make your ears bleed, if you want to have a sing they are very accommodating. The last time 8 of went there on a Saturday night they ran out of beer, we were all happy though both the customers and the owner ching ching! Pilsen or san mig light/apple is 50 pesos.

Cafe Juan Luna - Juan Luna street Tacloban city, food is toro toro style and beer is 50 pesos, nice gardens and a nippa roof cover with fans, comfortable and friendly with unlimited rice, the steamed pumpkin and beef stew was excellent.

There are number of places i can add as i have the opportunity to eat there.

Dining at Robinsons Mall

Mexemup - Fish and Chips, Taco's, pilsen is about 50 pesos for a small bottle and there is an outside smoking area. They offer a pork sissig dish and bucket of pilsen/san miguel light for around 350 for 6 bottles

Highside Cafe - Beef Rendang - Beef in mushroom sauce, Chicken Terryaki, Chicken Basil. Prices are 180-220 per dish so a bit more than most, pilsen is 50 pesos a bottle has an outside seating area under cover where you can smoke, prices are a little higher but its a motorbike themed cafe run by the owners of the local ducati dealership. A couple of nice bikes on display for petrol heads.

Hukad - baby back ribs - bicol express - indoor seating area in the mall - sadly their outside seating area is gone. They also do a sissig dish deal with 6 bottles of beer.

There are plenty of other places there that are good value such as the ginger wok next to Globe but i have yet to try that, other expats recommend it. 

Texas Grill - Diversion Road ( near city hardware ) absolutely huge porterhouse steak, a bit pricey at 699 pesos but worth every penny, run by an a Texan guy who does a lot of good burgers and the home made fries are the big chunky lumps potato that give an English expat like myself a treat I can only make myself. I will get more information on the location when i go there next, Joe the owner is a friendly enough guy and has a table outside for smokers, beer is 50 pesos a bottle.

Red Beach - Tacloban National Highway near Pawing - Fish BBQ restaurant with lots of tables but no aircon, the BBQ tuna was excellent but the menu can sometimes be limited subject to availability. They charge per weight 250 gram for 175 pesos. 

HQ - Multiple drinking and eating establishments in a funky compound on the National highway between the city and Robinson's Mall, not a bad place for some beers and a variety of foods on a Saturday night, closes at about 10 beers are cheap and the food is reasonably priced too with a wide variety, may have live music at weekends, they have dart boards and snooker tables.

Cafe Lucia - national highway between the city and Robinsons mall, I can't recommend the food but this gets a mention as it has a nice view of Tacloban harbour with a nice grassy area to sit with friends and chill, the beer is cold but don't expect table service as the staff's attention seems to be directed to mobile phones.

I hope anyone who is visiting Tacloban has a better idea of whats on offer for dining and light entertainment and it gives a clearer picture of where to go and what to do.

 

A couple of places i have not been that have good reviews are the XYZ hotel which apparently has a very good restaurant and the Ironwood hotel has a nice cafe that serves good chocolate cake. If anyone wants further information on locations in Tacloban just drop me a line.

Kind regards and hello all expats 

Steve

Edited January 23, 2017 by Dave Hounddriver
links

[Dave Hounddriver]

Hi and welcome

I had to moderate out the links.  Nothing wrong with them but new members are not allowed to post links but feel free to put in links when you have been around a while.  

[Simply Steve]

No worries, just getting the hang on it.

[Queenie O.]

Steve--I've yet to visit Leyte, but you seem to have some nice choices there.

Being that I live in northern Cebu, I know that our area suffered damage from super typhoon Yolanda in 2013. From your perspective living on the outskirts of Tacloban City which was the hardest hit, could you share with us how the city has recovered, and if there is still more work to be done? 

[Old55]

Thanks for sharing that Steve. We have family south of there so its helpful to read you review