Went with my friend who also came from abroad and is craving for quality Filipino food (with a twist!). I must say that Empacho exceeded our expectations, from the friendly staff, cool ambience, to mouth-watering food - it’s all perfect! Highly recommended is their Pork Belly & Crispy Pork Kare-kare - a cup of rice is not enough for this pair. Kudos again to Empacho Restaurant - this is our first and definitely will not be our last ��
Everyone must come and try this restaurant. If you're craving for Filipino food, let the menu surprise your palate with a twist of their own creation. To mention one example, the strawberry sinigang is a must if you wanna try out a different touch to this age old recipe. It actually turned out to become my personal favorite. Coupled with an awesome staff and cozy interior design, I think this place will become a hit. Just give it a chance and come on over.
I cannot think of any other way to bond with my best people since childhood but to feast over the best fancy Filo food in town Empacho PH & followed by Team Karaoke.� Thank you Empacho Ph for the VIP treatment (we were very spoilt by Julie & the other staff as well especially, Harry). Oh my gosh people, if you live nearby, make sure you drop by this restaurant & try their food. It's all heavenly delicious! And for expats like us, I tell you guys, the food, the ambience & the customer service are all worthy of your long travel! ��
Take note: We visit Empacho before our flight to France. We were well fuelled for our long flight! And as soon as we arrived back to Philippines we went to Empacho for our 2nd visit before we head back to Sydney. We find ways �
Tried their crispy sisig, liwanag cocktail and guava flavored beer. Big servings. Great cocktail mixes. Pleasant staff. Will definitely come back to try more of their dishes and drinks. :)
Its an instant tour back to memory lane through food. The gastronomis experience is superb so much to choose from, great food indeed you don't even know where to start. The Tamarind Wings were a real winner! The Tokwa't Baboy was a star of its own and my personal favorite. So good i finished an entire serving. The baked Sea Shell is a reward consoling my tired taste buds and the kalkag rice is a winner even without "ulam" to top it all it did get better and better with each meal especially the the SALTED LAVA CAKE was served! My God this the place and food i have been looking for. I am 100% EMPACHO-ated the very good way 👌👌👌
The place is really nice; our visitors from Costa Rica liked it so much. We had a very good time spent here. The food and ambiance are all great, even the staff they're friendly and so welcoming. Thanks to my co-worker for making a suggestion to have our lunch-out meeting here. ^_^
Sheim Espinosa-Palamos
+5
me and my hubby dine here tonight, we ordered seafood tinola, crispy pork kare kare and baked seashells. for appetizer the baked seashells is a must try since you will get baked oyster and mussels in one order (unlike to other resto you have to order it separately). Seafood tinola is exceptional since the seafoods were not overcooked with right amount veggies and soup. the crispy pork kare kare is my favorite since the sauce is not too sweet and salty perfect with their pandan rice. Luckily my classmate gave us a complimentary salted egg lava cake that melts in your mouth. definetely this resto gave us a perfect expperience of filipino foods with a twist. Will recommended this to our friends and relatives.
The best food I've had in the Philippines! Great vibe, relaxed atmosphere, excellent food and service! A modern and creative "re-invention" of classic Filo dishes. The strawberry pork belly sinigang was outstanding!
The place has a very nice interior design. Aside from ambiance, they also have a very well-thought menu. Two thumbs up for Empacho! :) It is a must try restaurant in Tomas Morato!
It all starts with a hide-and-seek just like its partner hidden34_ You will search the place out because its not in your usual location _ just look up the sky and that's where heavenly starts�
But, its all worth the trouble and you get your money's worth savoring all those meticulously prepared dishes you'll come again and again and again and again.
This is a promise�
Michael Villanueva Santillana
+5
I've found my new daily household for comfort Filipino food! Your Kare Kare is my new benchmark for the best Kare Kare!
It's like going back home through food! The authentic Filipino dishes modernized with innovative take on Filipino cuisine! The entire experience reminds me of home and family! I can stay with this place all the days of the year!
The servings are big; Kare-kare with krispy pork is a must try. Parking is also not a problem, because they have a designated spot. Overall, great food, nice ambience, and plenty of drink selections! �
Really wished this was closer to home (South branch please hehe). Everything we tried was yum and comforting like a lovingly prepared home-cooked meal but with great presentation so they tasted as good as they looked! Loved the tamarind wings, kare-kare, sisig and seafood tinola...reasonably priced too, great value for money! Will definitely come back for more! Kudos to the team behind it ;)
Best ever crispy kare kare! And Laing Pasta! Excellent food! The ambiance of the restaurant and staff are all awesome! Highly recommended. I keep coming back!
Good ambiance big servings for cocktails for an affordable price. Not a fan of their trisaw
The food was good but it was so hard to move around the restaurant. The place is very tight.
The kare kare is on point! Small serving though but not as much that I don't think the price isn't worth it. And I liked pairing it with their ginamos rice. The crispy pata on the other hand has a huge serving size but was too dry.
They have a great selection of drinks to choose from.
PLACE is heaven... 🤭 Highly recommended. We will definitely go back. Good food and Accomoditing Staff 👍👍👍👍
Came here on a Sunday & it was our third time. We never had problems with ordering 'till that day. Some items on the menu were unavailable from salads to beverages.
However, food's something I'll always go back to at Empacho. They don't fall short on flavor & feel good food. Definitely visit if you're craving for pork!
Went here with my friend to catch up. Food was decent, loved the sisig and strawberry sinigang! The cocktails weren't that good, though. Would come back to try more dishes.
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There are a lot of places out there that serve you Filipino food with a twist. This place is one of them and it gives you the truth of what they in your face. You come light and you leave heavy.
They mostly serve COMFORT filipino food, high in fat and high in flavor. Featured in the pictures are only a few-- an unflattering shot of the crispy bagnet kare kare, and bulalo pares. I've tried most of their dishes and it is both delightful and worrisome. I like how flavor packed each dish is, but I do get worried about my health while and after eating. 😋
To name a few dishes I like --
The bagnet kare kare has HUGE chunks of tender and crispy pork belly with peanut sauce and few vegetables. The bulalo pares was a pleasant discovery. Im not really fond of bulalo and that fatty marrow, but this dish is always a good choice. The marrow and the tender meat crumbles as you play with it, and the sauce is a mixture of soy, star anise and garlic. The triple bypass is a must try, accompanied with ice cold beer and the salted egg seafood.
Overall, if you want to get a few drinks and steal abite or two of good, no nonsense fatty food, then this is the place for you.
We loved the food, they were of great flavor, good presentation, and good value. The ambiance was really nice too. They had just the right amount of space to make it cozy but not cramped.
The only thing we weren’t that happy about was the serving size of their sisig. The sisig was too few considering its price. Its presented in a wide circular sizzling dish, which was too shallow making it kind of deceiving. Hope they’ll be able to improve on the serving size of their sisig as i think that they are coming from the transition from their unlimited sisig promo which ended last August 2019.
Nonetheless, I would still recommend this place! Its a great place for both a gathering with family or friends!
Good Filipino Fusion restaurant, they have superb food choices. Definitely most items on the menu are a cardiacs delight. Lol
Plus they have a promo of Unli Sisig P450 only! Good for sharing super sulit.
Good food.
Good place.
Good service.
Good value for money.
Don’t forget to order their kare-kare. 😊
You must try their spicy laing carbonara pasta as well. 😊😋
Super good food! Order in advance if planning to throw a get together/party. Family friendly and friendly staff! Will definitely return to this place
We went here for lunch the other day. We’ve already been here a few months ago and were very pleased with the food and service, but our visit the other day was a little disappointing. First of all, they had no service water available. There was no water in the restroom either, not even for flushing the toilet. They only had ice. Second, they mixed up our orders as well. Food was still good, although the sisig was saltier than we remembered.
Food was great. But it took around 1 hr from ordering to serve the food. The place is jampacked and had lots of people on the waiting list since its Father's Day. Will come back when it's off-peak.
Food was good and servers were friendly and helpful. Their Kare-Kare is definitely a must-try. Also loved their buko smoothie. Will definitely be back to try their other dishes.
DO NOT GO HERE. Not worth the price. The food is just ordinary. The staff are rude and confused. They pass the blame to other staff. Bad experience. Must skip. Expected so much more.
Be sure to have an empty stomach before going in this unique resto!
The staff was attentive and polite. The waiting time was ok roughly 15 minutes. We got to try the seashell, sinigang in strawberry (surprisingly delicious) and pinakbet. All of them were quite delicious and the serving was big enough for 5-6.
I’d like to point out to the use of wooden bowls and plates for the food because the residual odor is noticeable.
Going to the food, they were all great and I look forward to my next eat out here.
Always on my list, their Kare Kare and Tofu 😍 10/10 rating because 5 is not enough. Staff were good and fast. Will surely come back time to time
Pork lovers, unite! This is the ultimate venue for us to satisfy all that greasy cravings. As you know, I love pork and anything you do with it and Empacho is my new favorite restaurant as they offer really well-cooked pork dishes to my liking. They not just offer Pork, they have Chicken, Fish, Seafood and more. We were able to try their impeccable dishes.
Tried booking via Zomato for the first time, it’s very convenient and hassle-free. They sent their confirmation within 3 minutes. We love their Kare-kare, Chicken Wings, Garlic Rice is really good, Beef Cheek was a hit! Servers accommodated us very well in spite of the huge number of clients during our visit.
We dined in for an advanced Mother’s Day celebration for my mom. It had a cozy ambiance and the food were SUPERB! My personal favorites were the Sisig Fries, Sinigang sa Tadyang, and the Crispy Pork Kare-kare. The Tres Leches cake was part of their Mother’s Day promo, but I would go back to Empacho just to buy one again. It was so good! I’d definitely come back and dine in again.
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Located on top of UCC, Empacho lies as the hidden gem of Tomas Morato.
I was definitely surprised at how beautiful the interior was. I went during lunch, so the lighting was so welcoming & open. I’m sure this place looks as amazing at night as well.
The service is also something I really appreciated. The servers were very prompt, professional, & welcoming.
The food was exactly what I was expecting: Filipino comfort food elevated & revamped. I got the Spicy Tamarind Wings & the Laing Carbonara Pasta.
The Spicy Wings really had that kick of spice, which I super enjoyed! Although you notice that the wings are more of batter & skin rather than meat. Despite that, this is a great dish to accompany with a drink & to share with friends.
The Laing Carbonara immediately envelopes your mouth with a strong laing flavor: I fell in love instantly. But as you had the next bites, the dish became pretty bland and tasted just like cream and pasta. After you cleanse your palette, that laing flavor comes back. Still a good dish, and really big dish!
Everything I ordered could easily serve 2-3 people. So this place is definitely one to enjoy with friends.
I will be back for more Filipino Comfort food, Empacho!
Had dinner with my family for my husbands birthday. Interiors impressive. Place very spacious. Love the high ceiling. Servers attentive to our needs.
Ordered the ff:
LAMB SALPICAO - found this too salty. But lamb was tender and cooked well done just the way i ordered.
KARE KARE - this one my husband loved. Pork was very tender as well yet skin crunchy.
SISIG - this one was my favorite. Dry tasty sisig.
TINAPA RICE and ALIGUE RICE
SAGO GULAMAN - not to my liking
We wanted to have dessert but the ube lava cake was out of stock :(
Serving size generous. One order is good for 4 people. Will we be back? Yes :)
I rarely leave a review but this place deserves all the credit! It’s my childhood memories and sweet dreams rolled into one! We ordered all types of rice. My fave was the tinapa! Tokwa’t baboy was ingeniously done with the bagnet sitting on top of the tofu to not lose it’s crisp. Soft shell crab pinakbet was average. The veggies were cut into huge portions and this affected the texture and softness of the veggies. Other than that, I couldn’t fault it. The service staff were all smiles and it seemed like they were enjoying what they’re doing! You made my tummy happy!
If you're looking for a good filipino restaurant, you should definitely give Empacho a try. Everything we ordered was really good and every serving was sufficient for 3 to 4 persons. The food prices were just right. The customer service and the ambience of the place were great as well. Will definitely go back!
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My collegues and I been here yesterday dinner to try this Empacho resto+bar. We ordered crispy kare-kare, tokwa't baboy, seafood pasta, 3bowls of different rice namely: aligue, tinapa and binagoongan (it was so good) this one you order is good already no need to order anything else👌😁😁 but since we are really hungry. we also tried there seafood pasta and salted egg mixed seafood and it was also damn good. The place was so homey and the staff was pleasant to answer all our questions since we are not familiar to their menu. Rating i gave was 4.5 for the food because they need some room for improvement and for the place it was also 4.5. But i will definitely recommend this to other friends who is also looking for a food place to go. And also i didn't try my book reservation i done earlier ago since yesterday when we arrived in the resto there are many tables that is already available to occupied. Hoping to come back here soon.
P.S.: I didn't try their dessert menu maybe some other time i'll be back to try their snacks and desserts👌😊😋
Enjoyed our super late lunch at Empacho. We tried their specialty Crispy Pork Kare Kare, Sizzling Tanigue, Aligue Rice, and their Puto Bumbong. Every dish was delicious, presented and plated very well. The restaurant ambiance has a rustic farmhouse vibe. A livelier welcome and service from the wait staff would have made the experience 5 stars. They seem so shy and timid. We will definitely eat here again and try the other dishes offered on the menu. Na Empacho kami dito, great food!
Best dishes for me are the spicy tamarind wings and tokwat baboy! The presentation of the tokwat baboy is so artsy! Tokwat Baboy is good because the tofu is cooked perfectly, meat is crunchy and meaty all of which complements the sauce- superb! The wings are also very yummy. I cant explain its taste but its very addicting! We ordered 2 of this! Kare Kare and pinakbet tastes normal to me nothing special! Will go back to try more dishes!
I never thought I’d eat a bare balut in my whole life and I really not expect it to be tasty but this one sets the real mood in this cuisine.
If you would visit Empacho, you must try this one! Tempura balut! Also must-try’s are crispy pata kare kare and their sisig!
We love the spicy chicken wings. It's listed under their appetizers, I think? The food is good as well as the ambiance and service. However, some of the dishes we've tried were either too salty or is lacking flavor. I guess it was the sinigang that was salty.
Took my boyfriend here for Valentine's. Good food, big servings. Dinner came with 2 glasses of sangria (pretty good), and a serving of ube panna cotta?/pudding? (meh)
What we ordered:
Spicy Tamarind Wings - BF's standout dish. Crispy skin, subtle flavor. Delicious.
Crispy Calamares Salad - Doesn't skimp on the components of the salad. Tasty dressing. Only gripe was the calamares not being crispy AT ALL.
Crispy Whole Chicken - Nothing special about this one. Nowhere near as dry as Max's though, so there's that.
Slow Cooked Beef Cheek with Adobo Sauce - My standout dish. Intense flavors. Tender meat that contrasts well with the crispy taro chips. Very much agrees with my palate. Would order again.
Book our table in zomato and its fast quick and easy!went to empacho at around 7:30 and meet our friends there...i ordered all their dishes that highly recommended by other people whose been there like the crispy kare-kare,prawns with laing,triple bypass,sizzling bulalo and sinigang with strawberry,then we had puto bungbong and salted egg lava cake for dessert...everything was excellent except for the sizzling bulalo.nothing special,i had better before...the salted egg lava cake don’t look appetizing but dont let the looks fool you,it’s delicious it taste like yema with salted egg...my only complain is the service...its a little slow,my friend ordered her drinks and we followed it up 3 times and when it arrived we’re almost done with our dinner...but rather than that we enjoyed our dinner...empacho is delicious and affordable!
nice place.resto bar ambiance.food tasted good.we ordered sisig, fried chicken, salad and mango juice? they all tasted good.nice and clean sorroundings.attentive staffs.good location.there's some noise because of people drinking liquor.overall experience 5/5 haha
This restaurant seriously needs to consider a name change BUT their bar interior is amazing (made me feel like I was in BGC) and their food is incredibly good.
Recommendations: Crispy Kare Kare, Slow cooked beef cheek with adobo sauce
Pass on: Balot tempura, Salted Egg lava cake
Started just the summer of last year, Empacho is all about big servings of food, intended for sharing. With a space housing two floors of deliciously rustic homey vibe, Empacho is such a perfect place for not just only eating, but definitely getting full of mouth-watering, lip-smacking yummy food!. Asking the Chef why Empacho is called as such, he answered with, “Empacho kasi maeempacho ka hindi lang dahil sa sobrang sarap, pero dahil rin sa sobrang dami. Yung tipong mahihirapan kang ubusin.” With that being stated, we knew we were in for a tough challenge of scrumptious dishes we are not even hesitating to take on and devour.
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A hidden gem along tomas morato, Empacho came as a pleasant discovery for me. I didn't expect much on their food but almost all that we've had were so good.
Amongst those I've tried, my top pick will be their crispy pork kare kare, lasagna and lechon belly. Definitely these are must try. The lechon belly was marinated well, bursting with flavor. The lasagna was so addicting that I can't help but get another serving. The kare kare was simply wow. The sauce was creamy and a bit sweet whilst the meat was crunchy, good combination.
We've also had their roast chicken and I must say it was also good. It was well marinated and every bite you can taste its flavor. I was able to try their salad as well and I like their dressing, yummy.
For appetizer, i liked their sisig bruschetta . It's like a mini shawarma, it's good.
For dessert, I was able to try their ube lava and chocnut turon and both were equally good. The ube lava looks plain but it was addicting, not too sweet as well.
For me, their buttered salted egg seafood is something you can skip. It was too oily and nothing special on its taste.
Empacho definitely brings in the WOW factor to Pinoy comfort food!
Creative interpretations of dishes makes Empacho a must-go restos in the city.
Be amazed with the biggest chicharon you have ever seen!
Order the Crispy Pork Kare-Kare! The pork belly is really crispy and meaty with the fat layer beautifully cooked off. The kare-kare sauce just burst with lots of flavor. My favorite dish for the day.
Don't miss the Lechon stuffed with Truffle Laing Rice! Crispy ckin and tender meat. The truffle laing rice just brings this dish to another level.
The rich decadent Mango Tres Leches is my favorite dessert.
Empacho also has some platters available for your Christmas Potluck so check it out.
Classic Lasagna - has that Pinoy sweet taste
Special Pansit Palabok
Inihaw Seafood Paella - Aligue paella with squid, shrimps, pork belly slices and salted egg
Ube Lava Cake
Bibingka Cassava Cake
Puto Bumbong
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I have so many good things to say about their food, this may take a while. LOL! Generally speaking, their food plating is amazing and fairly consistent. We went on a busy Friday night but the food still looked appealing, meaning not rushed to get served.
Crispy Tokwa't Baboy - it definitely is different frkm the regular tokwa't baboy you get elsewhere. The tofu and pork are not mixed altogether. You get a slice (imagine the shape of Spam when you eat it) of tofu topped with lechon - same shape and size as the tofu, multiplied 8x. it's a cleaner look but the taste is really good. they live up to the name, crispy.
Baked Seashells - I don't eat Oysters so I just ate the baked tahong. it was baked well and the cheese tasted awesome.
Salted Egg seafood - imagine tempura, but instead of breading, it's coated with salted egg. shrimp, not prawn though. and it came out really well. it tastes like your salted egg shrimp from Shrimp Bucket, except that it's dry coating. you get squid, too.
Crab Pinakbet - not your usual pinakbet. it's crab. veggies are not overcooked
Lechon Belly, Kare-Kare - we also ate these. they're good, but I don't really have anything special to share, but their lechon slices are crispy
Chichawow - humongous kropeck, which was seasoned well. didn't taste like paper even with it's size
Ambience - 5
Service - 4.5 coz of serving time. most of us ordered bottled beer, and it still took a while
Value for Money - 5
Hello! Currently eating here at the moment. Ambience is really good. Food selection was also good except for one. Salted seafood is a bit blunt in terms of taste. But everything is superb! We ordered the kare-kare, bagnet crispy pata and adobo. They are realllly gooooood!!!
This is the 4th or 5th time I have been here and Empacho always deliver.
The service is fast and the food is delish and by that I mean you get your money’s worth. The serving is good for sharing and we always end up ordering more than we can eat. Hahaha!
They also serve beer and non-alcoholoc drinks.
The ambience of this place is what I always want to go back to, they play music which reminds me of my highschool years that I always end up humming along or sometimes singing along.
The staff are courteous, they attended to our needs and made sure we enjoyed our meals.
On Saturdays (i think) they have live bands play and some acoustic too.
To be honest, when boyfie and I have nights that we just want to have good food, this is our go-to place. You can never go wrong with this place (and their food). I’ll be back, that’s for sure.
I’ll have to go way back to find a photo for this place. But this restaurant is most definitely one of the best in the area. Their take on Filipino food brings back good old memories while giving a new modern experience. I always go for their sisig, Kare-Kare and a personal favourite their strawberry sinigang. If you’re in Tomas Morato Avenue, don’t miss out.
Went here for sunday lunch and the place is just super packed. Service is good- the waiters were all very attentive, not just those assigned to our table. Love their karekare and salpicao! Id love to try other stuff fr their menu. Will definitely return, highly recommend
We dined in on a Thursday so there is less crowd. We ordered 1. Iced Tea Carafe - good for 2-3 persons only 2. Crispy Pata - very flavorful and the sauce is great too. 3. Pinakbet with Softshell Crab- big chunks of squash/ampalaya/okra . The vegetables should be cooked a little longer because the squash is still tough. Ampalaya si 5/5 bitter. 3. Tanigue Steak-no after taste of malansa.
My family and I went to Empacho to celebrate my mom’s birthday. I’ve always wanted to try there since I have seen that it has a high rating in zomato. All the good reviews didn’t fail us! We did enjoy the food and we’ll definitely come back :)
Come Back Is real😍! Yung babalik balikan mo talaga. Super love ko yung place and yung food nila na tamarind wings and Kare Kare ng EMPACHO. The Best Filipino Cuisine in Metro manila! 🙌❤❤
We’ve celebrated our 3rd anniversary today. And we’re really glad that we’ve chosen this place to celebrate. Their quote “come light, leave heavy” says it all. Must try is the tokwa’t baboy and kare kare. Also their ambiance is so relaxing. Perfect for long day from work. Lastly, their staff is so friendly and accommodating. Thanks for the service! Sa uulitin po. ❤️😊
SO YUMMY! All the food that we ordered are very scrumptious! We were just two and I think we ordered for more than two! Haha. We had sisig, sinigang na lechon with strawberry, baked seashells, sisig bruschetta, two servings of kalkag rice and shakes for the both of us. I love their sisig bruschetta! We will definitely go back here to try their other specialities. Kudos Empacho! Na Empacho talaga kami. We had a lot! Haha! 😍😂
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The food here is crazy good! Right off, I'm going to say I'm definitely coming back to try their other dishes. The Lamb Chop Salpicao was delicious, flavorful, and tender juicy. Crispy Pork Kare-kare was delicious too. And the ChichaWOW! Wow! A whole solid strip of crispy, crunchy pork skin (*angel chorus*)! This was the definite highlight of my dining experience here. When this got in, the people at the nearby table saw it and ordered one right away. Eating this was a challenge, though. Got in and got my hands dirty and oily, but it was worth it.
Tried the Empacho Bitters. It's interesting, akin to drinking homemade sprite. Refreshing, but I prefer their iced tea. Pistachio Sansrival and Bibingka Cassava Cake for dessert. Both were good, but I liked the Pistachio Sansrival more. Bibingka Cassava Cake took quite a while to make, which is a good thing for me because it means they make it fresh, and which the waitstaff didn't forget to tell me. It's a very nice concept, and it's good, too, but a bit heavy and hard to finish off alone.
It was Saturday lunchtime when I went here with my family, and it was raining a bit, so the place wasn't packed, so getting the attention of the waitstaff wasn't too difficult. They have sufficient parking space outside, but a little difficult to navigate when you're not familiar with the Tomas Morato area. Worth several visits.
Had dinner with colleague as we celebrated a birthday and an after event party. Empacho is a Filipino restaurant that even foreigners will love 😊 The foods are very well presented, the staff were friendly and provided good service. Im not a pork lover but I very much love their Crispy Pork Kare-kare.I love the dish a lot.The sauce is creamy. A little bit sweet but bagoong on the side will make it balance. It was so yummy, the crispy pork on top was good.I also like their Triple Bypass. All foods are delicious.Their sinigang, sisig and crispy lechon belly. The restaurant had a good atmosphere.I will definitely be coming back and will recommend to family and friends. 💖😊 This is true in Empacho "Come Light, Leave Heavy"
Try it guys and will surely love it 👍👍👍
Had a great time here! The ambience is great, the service is prompt, and it's very accessible!
My personal favorites from the menu would be their Triple Bypass, Crispy Sisig, Crispy Pork Kare Kare, Sinigang na Lechon with Strawberry, and Chichawow but honestly. All of their food is a must-try. 😍
Celebrated our officemates' birthdays and an event after party in Empacho, and we knew we chose the right place with the kind of ambiance, service, and dishes they offer.
Everything is a must try, but here are my personal top faves: Triple Bypass, Crispy Tokwa't Baboy, Empacho's Crispy Sisig, Crispy Pork Kare-kare, Sinigang na Lechon with Strawberry, and Empacho's Lechon Belly.
It is true, in Empacho, you'll come light, and you will leave heavy, while it also serves a home away from home. 🤗👌
I have been curious about this place. It says "Come light, leave heavy" 🐷
The place has a good location because there is ample parking. But not good for people with leg impairment as the stairs is a bit high. No elevator access.
We had the sinigang with strawberry. It was good but a bit too sour to my taste. Balut tempura is a must try especially for those who have not eaten balut. Lamb salpicao is a must try! Loved this dish. Crispy pata was also good. The sauce was goood too!
I just wish they have more choices for vegetable dish other than pinakbet. They can add spicy gising gising to their menu.
Good service too!
We went there on a Saturday night for dinner & the place was packed. They sat us under the stairs but we noticed dirt falling when people climb up, so we asked for another table. The staff were apologetic & they moved us as soon as one cleared.
The food was great! We ordered two from their menu which we thought wasn’t enough for us (just the two of us) but we were pleasantly surprised by the size of their serving (good for three according to the waitstaff). We were quite full after!
The music wasn’t too loud, too, & the crowd seemed decent when we were there.
Just give them a ring to get the good tables (beside the windows), and avoid the queue.
It was raining hard and late, then we saw the huge Empacho sign atop the UCC Vienna Café, got confused because the last time I saw the place, the signage was Wangfu... Since it has its own parking, we tried the place. The industrial interiors was very impressive. The place was also full despite the heavy rains. The food were served on native wooden tablewares, which reminded me of my mom's collections when I was a kid. The food were bit expensive.
Nice new place along Tomas Morato, Quezon City’s dine central. Great ambience with that world-class bar look. Love the interior embellishments of oak, brick, and iron. Food’s comfortably good and the service friendly.
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We chose this restaurant for our anniversary dinner date and they did not disappoint! True to its name, the servings were huge so if you ordered a lot for 2 people and finish them all up, you’ll definitely get empacho!
Let’s start with the food:
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad – the dressing I a bit heavy on the citrus but it was ok since it would open up your palate for the main course, the grilled chicken was marinated and seasoned just right
Lomi – a hearty dish with a lot of toppings. I would’ve preferred if they used home-made or Chinese kikiam though but the dish was filling and they didn’t scrimp on the ingredients.
Garlic Rice – a bit on the oily side
Crispy Pork Kare Kare – I love the dish a lot – a little bit on the sweet side but the bagoong balanced it all out perfectly. The pork was crispy (even when reheated the next day) and the sauce was thick and creamy. They could, however, add more veggies though.
Sizzling Tanigue Steak – another pleasant surprise – although it wasn’t sizzling when served, the fish was seasoned perfectly and instead of using just onions (just like bistek), they serve lightly battered onion rings with the dish.
Johnny Walker Mojito – not my favorite thing in the world – the smell of the whiskey is overpowering the drink – I think I’ll stick to white rhum in my mojito.
There’s a lot of parking spaces around. The ambience was also great and we had a window booth so the space really felt huge. The staff were all friendly and attentive and service was fast and efficient. This definitely was a great dining experience I would recommend this place to my friends and family.
Service is very good. Servers were attentive and knew their menu well. Food presentation was delightful. Taste was ... hmmm.. it wasn't bad. Let's just say that the food looked a bit better than it tasted. It just wasn't spectacular. The service alone is enough to make me come back and try their other dishes as well.
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In for an exotic gastronomic adventure? Get Balut Tempura (PhP 350) on your table. Known as a tasty aphrodisiac, balut is that terrifying hard-boiled duck embryo that’s been popularized in Fear Factor. Battered tempura-style with micro arugula salad and salted egg aioli, the fertilized duck egg was soft and tender, dissolving in your mouth almost like a mousse. Just leave the albumen—the white part of the egg—behind, as it has the flavor and texture of a pencil eraser.
Cooked with Empacho’s scrumptious and rich annatto peanut sauce and served with bagoong, the Crispy Pork Kare-Kare (PhP 395) was delivered in spades. The spicy deep-fried salted pork belly was juicy and properly seasoned. The exterior was salty and extra crispy, while the interior remained tender and moist. It’s a rich combination that paired surprisingly well with the nuttiness of kare-kare. Two thumbs up!
We tried both the Aligue Rice (PhP 65) and Tinapa Rice (PhP 65), and liked the latter better. It’s every bit of delicious you could imagine it to be and every mouthful will get you satisfied! Aligue rice consisted of garlic and aligue topped with fried chili, while tinapa rice was made with tinapa flakes topped with salted egg and tomato.
Empacho literally translates to indigestion. Whoever named this restaurant must be a genius. Dishes here are so indulgent and sinful. Every bite tempts you to eat more, and thus make you feel like your stomach would be bursting in fullness. Usually, that doesn’t sound good. But in true Empacho fashion, this just proves how much you enjoyed their food. Price for value is quite fair, considering the creativity and ingenuity of their offerings. Names of the food are also clearly well thought out of. This restaurant/bar in Tomas Morato is a must-try!
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Actual rating: 4.1
Generally, it was a good experience. Service was great. Although there is one thing I noticed, their dishes were hit or miss. It’s either super good or no good at all. We ordered a lot, so we mostly took ‘em out.
We started with the salted egg balut tempura, which was very underwhelming. I expected a lot more. It was served not hot anymore, the breading for it to be a “tempura” was too thin. No crisp. The sauce was a bit bland.
The tokwa’t baboy saved it. The pork was seasoned perfectly and sliced just right thickness. It’s skin was crispy and flavorful. Tofu was cooked well as well, wasn’t overcooked. The sauce was perfect, not too salty, with calamansi flavor and a kick of sweetness. Just, wow.
The next was pares lomi. It looked so appetizing, but it was nothing special. The noodles were too thick and kinda hard for the dish. It lacked soup. It was filled with toppings, although those were mainly cheap ones (ie. kikiam, fishball, etc.).
Chicken pops was okay. It was crispy, but the flavor was lacking. A little bit more salt and pepper would have complimented it. Cooked perfectly though.
The crispy pork kare-kare was a winner! Almost the whole pork was crispy, as expected. Especially the pork skin: crunch all through out. The consistency and flavor of the sauce was on point, not too thick, not too nutty, just the best! It’s not even oily.
We also had salted egg seafood, it was a disaster. Just don’t get it.
The garlic rice was good, although it was a bit sticky for a “fried rice,” I liked it though. My sister didn’t enjoy it.
Wait, we had crispy sisig din pala. Haha! It was great, truly crispy and cooked well. It was neither fatty not oily. I’d recommend it.
Anyway, I’d go back to try their other dishes. And of course, for their kare-kare and tokwa’t baboy.
Empacho offers a variety of Filipino food. I celebrated my birthday here with my family. The place looks cool and the interiors were pretty nice. Their balut tempura, crispy pata, fries with sisig and kare-kare were delicious. Their aligue pasta and baked seashells were so-so. We did enjoy the food and we’ll probably come back.
We went here because we saw a picture of our friend eating a huge chicharon and we wanted to check it out. Tried the Sisig, and the Kare-Kare, and it exceeded my expectations, they were delicious and a must-try. It was also hard not to miss their bar so I’ll be trying that next time I go back here.
I barely make food restaurant reviews but Empacho deserve all praises, especially their crew! Super crew! Such a wonderful and memorable experience for celebrating my cousin's birthday. Thank you! You won't regret stepping in. My favorite dish was (dishes were) the spicy tamarind wings... and the kare-kare... and the best sisig.. and the salted egg dulce lava cake.. i can continue if you want LOL thank you!
Personally Im not fond of adding too many twist on a well known recipe. The food is a must try. The quality and quality of food is there. But I must say the taste I didnt quite bought what they were going for.
we ordered:
fried chicken - 4
kare kare (i didnt eat this)
sinigang with strawberry - 4
slow cook beef (reworded) - 4
sisig - 3 too salty
Lechon belly - 5
garlic rice - 4
Sagot Gulaman - 4
If you you like a twist on your classic pinoy recipe. go here.
Food-4
Service-5
OverAll-4
Yung sisig sobrang sarap. Yung tahong masarap pero yung talaba medyo off kasi parang luma na. But definitely my girlfriend and I will be back to try other food in their menu :)
I spent my Bday here last Jan 27 I love the place and the food is good, Empacho is really an awesome experience. Spend time with family and friends at Empacho.
Even though I live in Quezon City, it took me a long while before I finally got to visit Empacho in Tomas Morato. They've been around for almost a year now and it's really unfortunate I didn't get to try them sooner because I really missed out on good Filipino food all those months. Oh well, better late than never, right?
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Went to Empacho with friends to have a nice dinner while bonding. I must say that the place has a good ambiance plus we all pointed out that Empacho is such a good spot for group meetings around Tomas Morato. It was a sudden decision for us to go there that night and try the food, though we've been eyeing the place for a long time already.
We ordered three main courses paired with Pandan Rice:
1. Crispy Pork Kare Kare - This has to be the favorite among the three viands we ordered. The Crispy Pork Kare Kare actually looked too few of a serving when we looked at it at first, but it's actually good for 3 to 4 pax. And the best part of eating this is the kare kare sauce. We guessed that they did not use peanut butter at all, instead, they must've used quality peanuts which were crushed well until you won't actually bite any peanut at all and mixed it with the sauce. The pork was good to eat, crispy on the outside but actually soft to chew on the inside. Good choice for first timers, you won't get disappointed.
2. Crispy Soft Shell Crab Pinakbet - I am not a fan of Pinakbet, but I am actually a fan of crabs and I didn't know small crabs can be soft shelled so you'll be able to eat it without hurting your mouth. Haha. I am just really amazed by its taste. I liked it a lot. I think one serving of this has three soft-shelled crabs included so I must say it's worth the price.
3. Slow Cooked Beef Cheek with Adobo Sauce - This has become my personal favorite. I first liked it because of the Taro Chips that goes with it. The elders of the group said it's a little salty, but for me it has the kind of spice that is enough to taste. The beef is easy to chew and also tasty. I recommend this for first timers at Empacho as well.
All in all, we enjoyed our stay. They also had a band that played when we went there around 9 PM. It's not too noisy of a place and the servers are actually attentive. Most of them will stand near the tables just waiting to be called in case you need anything. Empacho also has a bar where you can order beers and cocktails.
This place is good for spending time with family, officemates and for dates. :)
At first, I thought Empacho was just the usual Filipino restaurant and I didnt expect much in terms of taste. But I was wrong. Their food are not oily and yet very flavorful. Price is reasonable and worth it.
The Ultimate Empacho Salad ans Salted Egg Lava Cake were super yummy and must try. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
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Been wanting to try this place for a while now since I've been hearing about it from friends and social media. Luckily, after our trip to HK, we decided to eat here because it reminds us of home. Needless to say, this place was beyond my expectations. I loved everything despite me being picky on Filipino food because it's not really my fave cuisine. We ordered the trisaw (3 kinds of isaw), tokwa't baboy, bulalong pares, empacho's sisig, and their pork belly kare kare. I like the dipping sauce for the isaw, it's spicy and tangy. I didn't like the beef isaw though, I found it having a strange taste. I liked the pork and chicken ones. For tokwa't baboy, the tofu is crispy, and the lechon belly is soft and the skin crispy. Normally tokwa't baboy is tough, so this was good. The presentation is really nice too. The bulalo pares tasted like regular pares, but with bulalo. No complaints though 'cause pares is life. Sisig is nice and crispy. I liked the rice, it's served hot and soft. The kind of rice that is like the ones served in Japanese restos, the soft and moist kind. I rarely see Filipino restaurants serve their rice this way, so it's definitely a good kind of change. My favorite of all is the kare kare! Loved the vegetables ~ loved the pork belly ~ it's soft and melts in your mouth, and skin crispy. I loved the kare kare sauce too, it's rich and thick, not diluted, and has a very prominent peanut taste which I really like. Will definitely come back again!
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"Empacho"
Translation: indigestion
Definition: obstruction of the stomach and/or intestine, resulting in abdominal pain and bloating
Empacho might seem to have a negative connotation but I know for sure you'll leave the restaurant with only positive words for its food.
Empacho provides a smorgasbord of appetizing Filipino dishes that's sure to make you full to the brim albeit in the brink of indigestion.
Appetizers and Bites:
Crispy Tokwa't Baboy P350
Spicy chicharon bagnet and fried tofu with Empacho's special sauce. This came in a long platter, with the fried tofu and the crispy bagnet together in ample sized skewers like hor d erves swimming in a special soy vinegar sauce. The sauce ties everything together, the spice of the bagnet and the soft crunch of the tofu. It's time to call on the cocktails and the shots!
Spicy Tamarind Wings P370
Crispy wings in spicy tamarind sauce with fried chili. Arranged like a blossoming flower, these red gold wings are perfectly seasoned to be sweet spicy, again great for bar chow or as a starter.
Pasta:
Soft Shell Crab Aligue Pasta P420
Creamy aligue sauce topped with crispy soft shell crabs.
The crispy soft shell crabs create a perfect foil to the creamy aligue pasta underneath. Get the pineapple juice ready!
Mains and Platters:
Crispy Pork Kare-Kare P395
Spicy deep fried salted pork belly with Empacho's annatto peanut sauce and bagoong. Empacho did a great job with their kare-kare as there was that much-coveted whole nutty flavor countered by their equally tasty bagoong. Very appetizing, even the sauce serves as a viand on it own! I recommend getting bowls of hot white rice ready for this!
Empacho's Lechon Belly P790
Crispy and juicy oven roasted marinated pork belly, stuffed with herbs and spices served with sinamak. A lechon belly that'll make any celebration picture worthy, you can't say no to the crispy skin and flavorful meat made even more ddragrant with the tanglad leaves and spices.
Seafood Tinola P380
Mixed seafood boiled in special broth infused with ginger and lemongrass. Seldom do I hear of seafood tinola, most tinolas I have eaten are served with chicken as its main meat. Empacho used crab, shrimps, clams and fish in their version, and once you taste its gingery soup, you know you didn't make a mistake in choosing this. The gingery soup was comforting and brought out the umami taste in each of the seafood present in the dish. Great sub for the sinigang if you want something different for your next Filipino lunch.
Sinigang na Lechon with Strawberry P490
Empacho's lechon belly in tamarind and taro broth with strawberries. I remember the strawberry sinigang I have tasted in Baguio because of this! Empacho's version has a thicker soup because of the taro, and used both sliced and whole strawberries to as additional souring agent.
Empacho's Crispy Sisig P350
Crispy fried bagnet and pork ears seasoned with calamansi, chili and spices
They used chopped bagnet and pork ears instead of the usual face and cheeks, making it a crispy version. Again, best enjoyed with rice (or a bottle of beer!)
They feature different types of rice for different tastebuds too.
The Guinamos Kalkag Rice (P75) has dried alamang and shrimp paste with a kick of sampaloc. The Aligue Rice (P65) is peppered with Garlic and aligue topped with fried chili, a spicy fried rice sure to make your meal more enticing. For more local flavors, try the Tinapa Rice (P65), topped with yummy tinapa flakes, salted egg and tomato.
Empacho completes your meal with these fantastic sweet treats:
Salted Egg Lava Cake P150
- This is a Dulce lava cake with salted egg custard filling. You would think this would turn super sweet but the salted egg custard center balances out this cake's taste.
Kamias Cheesecake P180
- A sour sweet treat that features a fluffy cheesecake and meringue topped with cashew praline.
Pistachio Sansrival P250
- Another promising sweet treat comprising of layers of nutty meringue, coated with butter cream icing and sprinkled with pistacio nuts.
For drinks and beverages, choose between glasses or carafes. But I highly encourage getting the carafes.
Empacho Bitters
- The golden gem of all drinks, simple but classy
P95 per glass
P360 per caraffe
Empacho Iced Tea
- Empacho's version of freshly brewed iced tea
P95 per glass
P360 per caraffe
Nothing can ever compare to that wonderful feeling of being full, but I highly recommend to bring your whole family or barkada here at Empacho to share that fullness!
PS: They have Kantahan Sesyon every Thursdays and Fridays, perfect for after-office gimmicks and laid back chilling out. Of course, as Empacho promises, come light, and leave heavy! Hehehe
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