"Kamayan is where you should have a birthday party when you don’t actually like to party. It’s fun but in a low-key, comfy way, and they've mastered the art of family-style dining. So pull up to this Buford Highway spot with your celebratory crew and eat your way through a table filled with Filipino plates. Spicy sisig arrives still sizzling in a large skillet, slippery pancit noodles are topped with fried pork belly that achieves an unfathomable level of crispiness, and sinigang pork ribs swim in a rich, meaty broth that'll demand another scoop of rice to sop it all up. Atlanta isn’t a reservations-needed city, but this is a restaurant you’ll want to book a couple weeks in advance because the demand is high and the space is tight. And if you want to try their popular kamayan feast, it has to be booked as a private dinner." - nina reeder, jacinta howard