Avenida Restaurant

I’ve passed by this place countless times and have always been curious to try it out. Finally, I had the chance, and I was really hoping to write a glowing review. The staff is definitely one of the highlights here — super friendly, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. The atmosphere is cozy and inviting, perfect for a laid-back meal. Unfortunately, the food just didn’t do it for me. I found all the dishes I ordered to be overly salty (except the squid dish), which kind of ruined the experience for me. It’s disappointing because the restaurant has so much potential, but none of the flavors quite hit the mark for my taste buds. That said, I think everyone has different preferences when it comes to seasoning, so you might feel differently. If you're in the area, it could still be worth checking out. Taste is subjective, after all. So, give it a try and see how you like it!

This place surprised me! Came here on a Friday night with 13 other people and everything went well without a hitch. (we made a reservation ahead of time - if you have a larger group you can book a private area for 3 hours with a $1250 minimum charge for up to 32 people). The servers were very accommodating and friendly. The portions of the foods are quite deceiving all of the dishes are very shareable between 3-4 people. We tried just about everything. The standouts were the pancit, the crispy Pata, the garlic rice, the sisig, and the lechon. The most disappointing dishes were the lumpia/chicken wings/fried chicken and fries - skip those and get something else. Also tried two of the desserts. The halo halo and pandan ice dessert. Definitely go for the pandan dessert if you like that flavor.

The food here is pretty clean and good quality, like definitely upscale Filipino food, but idk, the fried tofu was okay, lacked flavor imo. Lumpias were super good, super light and crispy. Sinigang was a bit too sour for my taste, the kari kari was also lacking in flavor, almost too watery. Grilled squid was super fire, soft, juicy, flavorful, perfectly cooked. So a mixed review for sure, some items were a bit too pricey for the flavor, others were more deserving.

Great place for a group of people even though it was just the two of us tonight. But it’s so you can try out more dishes as the portions are huge. We had the pork knuckle and short ribs, which we ended up taking home because we needed to have room for dessert. Yes, they have halo halo!!

Left a huge positive impression on me! Little on the expensive side, but would do it again! The food was great and well served, the service was good and location is nice. If you get 2 dishes it is easily a big meal for 2 people. Highly recommend the Beef Shank Kaldereta, if you like red meat. If you are more of a seafood, the Inihaw na Pusit (squid) was also very flavorful, deliciously grilled. The desserts seemed to be a big selling point for this restaurant, but I'll be honest and say I wasn't particularly impressed by it at all. Maybe just not my kind of dessert.

Awesome classic filipino dishes with a modern twist. The service is impeccable and the food is delicious. The calamares are a MUST TRY!

This is my second time here. This is Filipino restaurant with a little twist. We ordered a lot of dishes considering we were a party of 4. The highlights were the drink Tokyo Sour and the Jeju. I loved their lumpia, pork and chicken adobo, pinakbet, grilled octopus,beef Kare Kare and garlic rice. Update: 06/03/2025 This location is becoming one of my favorite location to hang out and eat. We ordered: lumpia, pork and chicken adobo, beef kare kare, lechon kawali, beef shank, and pinakbet. For drinks: Tokyo sour, Pandan Daiquiri, and Johnny walker black. For dessert: Halo Halo , Buco Pandan and Turon. Everything was so good and wait staff was super friendly. I would definitely come back.

I ordered Sugba Kilaw and Pancit Bihon, Sugba Kilaw was kind of impressive, but Pancit Bihon, the reason I gave 3 star is: the dishes had too much MSG, the whole afternoon was really thirsty. I had seat next to the staffs entrance to kitchen, got so many in-n-out walking by, very disturbing. And service just ok, I sit and waited for 17 minutes then someone came to me to bring the water, I almost decided to leave. And it's not that busy tho.

I've always walked past this place but hadn't gotten around to trying it. Decided to take my mom here for her birthday dinner. We were easily able to make reservations for a party of 6 on a weekday. Upon walking in, we were greeted by friendly staff. The biggest hits were the pork knuckle and squid. Squid was tender and cooked to perfection. Pork knuckle was crunchy, flavorful, and fell right off the bone. The sissig was just ok. I think we all agreed that it was too salty so having garlic rice on the side helped. Great spot for large parties and most things are share ale so you can try their extensive menu.

Came here to have dinner while in the area for work. I came by myself. Let me tell you-bring someone with you. The portions are family style. I ordered lumpia, tortang talong, garlic rice and calamansi juice. For dessert, I ordered turon. Service was great. I like that they provide you with a carafe of water, I drink lots of water. I also asked for ice, which I was provided a carafe of ice. It was perfect. Lumpia was a huge portion for 1 person. They were a good size even after it was cut up. I had to take it to go. I make lumpia at home, so I am somewhat a critic when it comes to it. It had a lot of flavor, and good portion of filling. Nice and crunchy. The tortang talong and garlic rice came out. Talong was big. I don't use ketchup (which is what comes with it). I asked for the spicy vinegar. It was tasty with the garlic rice. Garlic rice was a nice size portion. I ordered the turon to go and took leftovers for the hotel. As I said in the beginning, do not come here alone. Portions are big. Good service, and I want to come and try their drinks with food next time. I would definitely come back. I like how the place is open and not too crowded in placement of tables and booths

This place surprised me! Came here on a Friday night with 13 other people and everything went well without a hitch. (we made a reservation ahead of time - if you have a larger group you can book a private area for 3 hours with a $1250 minimum charge for up to 32 people). The servers were very accommodating and friendly. The portions of the foods are quite deceiving all of the dishes are very shareable between 3-4 people. We tried just about everything. The standouts were the pancit, the crispy Pata, the garlic rice, the sisig, and the lechon. The most disappointing dishes were the lumpia/chicken wings/fried chicken and fries - skip those and get something else. Also tried two of the desserts. The halo halo and pandan ice dessert. Definitely go for the pandan dessert if you like that flavor.

Date: Saturday, April 12th, 2025 Time: around 4:15pm Party of: 6 What: After Lunch Drinks *Spirit Free / Mocktail ($11) x2 *Vaccine ($15) x2 *Tokyo Sour ($19) *Black Pandan Old Fashioned ($17) *Halo Halo Milky Ice ($14) *Coconut Pudding ($7) *SF Margarita ($15) *Canned Coke ($5.50) After having a late lunch nearby, my group wanted one more beverage. There wasn't much open at the time, so we decided head to Avenida. We didn't have any type of rezzie, but it wasn't too busy. We sat at the nig communal looking table int he front. I wasn't drinking at the time, so just got the soda. Yes, I paid over $5 for a can of coke. It was exactly what I expected it to be. The desserts did look pretty. And they comped us the halo halo since we were celebrating a bday. Everyone seemed to enjoy their drinks. I've been here before for food and drink back in 2022. I had a good time. Would definitely consider coming back if in the area. REVIEW #3752

Delicious- this is what summed up our entire dinner evening. It was parents-night out and we all decided it was time to get together again and enjoy a night out in beautiful San Mateo. Avenida was our choice. Parking was kind of challenging but we had great timing when one car pulled out and gave us their spot. Parking was free probably because it was already past 6pm. We were greeted warmly by our hostess and water was immediately brought to our table to satisfy our party of 6. We were seated just left of the entrance in a really nice spot. The decor of the restaurant had that island vibe and the fan blades were shaped as leaves. I was told the building was historical in some way by a friend but they really renovated it nicely. As for the food, we started out with the treviche (shrimp, fish, tuna) as our appetizer along with sugba kinilaw. Both delicious. We followed it up with our main course selections of inihaw na pusit (grilled jumbo squid), pancit palabok, beef shank kaldereta, beef shank bulalo. We topped out our evening with the Calamansi Pie (must try). White rice enough for 6 people. I really enjoyed the flavor of the jumbo grilled squid. It was well marinated and every bite had that teriyaki like flavor. The beef shank kaldereta had the most flavor and even if it had some cheese sprinkled on top, it was hardly noticeable. As for the bulalo, well seasoned and not too salty where the key ingredient of patis (fish sauce) usually provides the traditional flavor. What was a letdown was the pancit palabok. My friend makes a better palabok (malabon style) in where the Tinapa (smoked fish flakes) is the key ingredient. All in all, we had a great time in a relaxing atmosphere that allowed our group to mingle, converse and enjoy a great meal. Having dinner on an off-day like Monday creates this kind of vibe where you don't have to literally shout at each other just to be heard in a conversation because of the presence of larger crowds. Many people out having dinner in the surrounding restaurants as well. The evening was perfect for all!

My fiance and I were heading back from SF and he reminded me that I suggested this place months ago, so we stopped by. It was a Sunday around 3, and this place was still pretty busy. There was a 10 minute wait for a table, so we opted for the bar. The interior is modern and could work for something casual or a special occasion. The servers were friendly and quick to greet us. It took us a while to figure out what we wanted, but we finally decided to order the Tokyo sour, chicken and pork adobo, lechon, and two sides of garlic rice. We would've ordered an appetizer, but I wanted to hold out for dessert. The Tokyo spritz was soooo good. Honestly, maybe the best cocktail I've ever had. It had a well balanced flavor and I could taste the alcohol, but it wasn't too strong. It was refreshing, sour, sweet, and the egg white gave it a great texture. 100/10 you should order it. I definitely want to try more cocktails here. The chicken adobo was perfectly tender and flavorful. The lechon was also delicious, as expected. Served on the side were some pickled carrots that were slightly tangy, crunchy, and garlicky. Everything tasted so good with the garlic rice. For dessert, I wanted the halo halo but I noticed a maiz con hielo milky ice. I love corn, so we had to get it. I've never heard of this before and I loved it!! My new favorite dessert!! This whole experience was an 1000/10! I think it might be my new recommended go to. Definitely give it a try!

Made reservations for 5 at 6pm on a Sunday night, arrived a few minutes before, was able to checked in with the host who set up our table and led us to our seats. Space is fairly large with an open airy tropical feel. Food: Lumpia - this came with 16 pieces, nicely fried, a nice crunch and shatter on the bite, filled with meat and ground vegetables, nice savory salty seasoning with a sweet chili dipping sauce, a great appetizer to start the meal Mango salad - diced yellow mango with a medium firmness and a slightly tart flavor with red onions, chicharrons, tomatoes in a shrimp paste dressing, interesting take on a mango salad, this shrimp paste added funk, the onions a little sharp spicy bite, Crispy Pata - impressive presentation, a large portion, great for sharing, skin on the pork knuckle was nice and crispy, a mixture of fatty and lean meat that pulled apart pretty easily, seasoning was interesting almost a warm spice flavor undertone, the vinegar dipping sauce cut some of the heaviness, would have loved a spicy sauce as well to provide a bit more flavor but overall a great protein option for a group Pinakbet - nice variety of veggies from green beans, to okra, eggplant, bittermelon and kabocha squash, cooked in a savory rich seafood based sauce, a nice veggie option to round out the meal Garlic Rice - generous portion sizes, this had a nice garlic flavor, with toasted garlic pieces, was a great side to soak in all the sauces and flavors of the other dishes Leche Flan - rich, dense and delicious, not too sweet, flan was creamy and smooth with notes of caramel Calamansi Pie - tart creamy with a zestly key lime pie type experience, crust was nice and crumbly, really enjoyed this special Service was good, once we placed orders, food came out quickly. Staff was friendly with great recommendations. Water pitcher was refilled throughout the meal, mains came in really quickly. Dessert did take quite a bit of time to come but the rest of service was smooth. Overall enjoyed dining at Avenida, menu is a fun combination of classic Filipino dishes as well as some modern twists and takes. Great spot for a group to visit portion sizes are more for family style dining. Would recommend a reservation, we did see space open throughout the evening but better to be safe and secure a spot. Is on the pricey end but given the portion sizes felt it was fair.

I thought this place was super tasty. It is pricer but overall the quality was good. They serve the food pretty quickly and is spacious. The servers were also attentive in case we wanted anything. They were really nice to allow us to bring in our own cake for our friend's birthday and don't charge a cake cutting fee if they don't cut the cake. They also fridged it for us until the end of dinner.

We came on a Friday evening around 5:30 and there wasn't many people. However, the restaurant filled up quickly afterwards. Pork knuckle - the skin was to a crisp, a bit of that crackling with gooey gelatinous fat and collagen underneath is heavenly, highly recommend for meat lovers Pancit - nothing out of the ordinary, great pancit Lechon with fried tofu - lechon was roasted to perfection, thick crispy skin and tender meat, the acidic and savory sauce goes very well with the meat and tofu to cut down the fattiness Jumbo squid - very tender squid but still had a good bite, great smokiness The dishes were on the pricier side, definitely worthwhile to share with others and try different varieties.

The adobo pork and chicken plate, lumpia, and garlic rice was solid. This place is super clean and bright. I really liked the design of the restaurant. We were able to make a reservation for two ahead of time. I recommend parking in the Central Parking upstairs area and walking over. Street parking can be a bit hectic if you're coming for dinner.

This is long overdue. I went here last year and it was a good experience. My friend wanted to try Filipino food so I let her choose what she wanted to try. I believe that Filipino food is amazing, but I don't agree with it being expensive, but that's a personal bias. Basically foods that those who did not have much ate, source, me being a poor kid lol. Anyway, the service was good and the day was nice. The restaurant was clean. We ordered the squid, sisig, and the tortlang, she ordered the halo halo. I always get the tortlang because it's super annoying to prep and cook lol. Overall it was good, I wish it was the not American version of sisig, but I get that it needs to be palatable. Overall as a first time filipino food enjoyer it's good, but just ask to be invited to a party lol. Nothing against the place, they need to make a dollar and I want their business to thrive. It's just too steep to justify common people food.

Ambiance & First Impressions Stepping through Avenida's doors is like being transported to a modern Southeast Asian retreat--warm wood elements beautifully balanced with clean white simplicity create an inviting atmosphere. The welcoming staff greets you with genuine Filipino hospitality, setting the perfect tone for your meal. Space & Seating Whether you're seated in: * Their cozy main dining area * The fresh-air parklet outside * Their spacious upstairs section * The stylish bar area ...each space offers its own unique experience. Pro Tips Make reservations to avoid 15-30 minute wait times during peak hours! Food Highlights **Must-Try Dishes:** * Bulalo -- A rich, comforting broth that warms you from the inside out (though meat tenderness can be hit-or-miss) * Crispy Pata -- Perfectly executed house specialty * Garlic Fried Rice -- The essential side that elevates every dish Order family-style with 2-3 dishes for a group of 4 to experience the best of what Avenida offers. Value & Service Prices run slightly higher than typical Filipino restaurants, but the attentive service and pleasant atmosphere mostly justify the premium. Even non-Filipino staff impressively know their menu inside and out, and they're accommodating with dietary restrictions. Bottom Line Not every dish hits the mark consistently, but when Avenida gets it right, they remind you why Filipino cuisine deserves more recognition in the Bay Area culinary scene.

It's my second tike being here because the first time i came, everything was so good. My go to is grilled squid and bbq pork. The portions are pretty big; it's a good place for large group gatherings. The food is just so flavorful and delicious. But the bbq pork is a bit chewy today. The noodles were ok to me but my friend loves it. Overall, i recommend this restaurant!

Came here on a Sunday with no reservation and the only table available was a high table top which was not a problem but could be for others. I would recommend a reservation if you can! Service was good, our server was nice and frequently checked in on us. The inside was really cool and it was a vibe. As far as the food, it was really expensive and not that good. (Context: Filipino born and raised in the bay who grew up eating Filipino food from family cooking and also going to Filipino restaurants, mostly San Bruno and Daly City) The flavors were very mild/bland. The biggest disappointment was the sisig. It didn't really taste like anything and was not crunchy in the slightest. Overall, the taste of Avenida was not authentic. It's too bad because I really wanted to like it. But for people who are unfamiliar with Filipino food, I guess it's a okay super mild introduction to the flavors. But if you want authentic Filipino flavor, you're better off going to San Bruno or Daly City where the taste and price is better.

Mark was our server today! We made a reservation at 1P, highly recommended btw, it gets really busy and for a good reason Food was well seasoned, my favorite is the soup and refreshing Halo Halo at the end We sat upstairs on the second level Everyone was very attentive Good food, good service A great experience overall Thanks Mark!

Really rare for me to be able to find Filipino food, really cool to be able to find an elevated Filipino food place. I'm not too familiar with this cuisine as there usually aren't too many Filipinos restaurants in general besides Jollibee which I'm sure there's more to the culture than just fried chicken and spaghetti. Pretty much tried one of each category; appetizer, meat, veggies, soup. The soup is very very sour so it could throw some people off. Other than that, everything else is excellent. Love the egg with eggplant, fried pork belly, and sauteed mushrooms. Tell me about your experience if you've been here or is going to after reading this review:)

- Price point: $$ (~$30 per person) - Cuisine: Filipino - Ambience: The interior is spacious and has a tropical vibe. Very cozy atmosphere with friendly service! - Food review: 1. Pancit Palabok: Noodles with shrimp and hard boiled eggs! This was one of the most popular dishes recommended by the server and it didnot disappoint! Portion was huge (sufficient for 2 ppl), Super delicious (9/10). 2. Chicken inasal: Grilled chicken marinaded with soy based sauce, very soft and juicy! Again very generous with their portion size (8.5/10) 3. Jeju holiday: Very refreshing light drink, perfect for hot summers! (10/10). 4. Pan-Daiquiri: Drink with Pandan and rum, again delicious and great for coconut lovers (9.5/10) They have so many other dishes which we would love to try next time! Definitely give them a try, if you are local and want to try filipino dishes! OF COURSE, WE WILL BE BACK TO TRY THE OTHER DISHES(Overall, 9.5/10)! Recommended for: Filipino dishes; generous portions; great bang for one's buck

Downtown San Mateo has some of the best restaurants in the Bay Area and Avenida is definitely one of them. I'd say Avenida is part of my highest tier of Filipino restaurants that I have been to. Every single dish that I've tasted from here has been so enjoyable. A bit pricier compared to most other Filipino restaurants, but who says Filipino food can't match the prices of other cuisines? Their sisig was packed with flavor. I'm usually not a huge fan of Palabok, but their Palabok was quite addicting. Great balance of noodles and sauce. For taste, service, and overall quality - Avenida is very worth a visit or two or just your favorite go-to place.

I've been wanting to try this place since they opened in downtown San Mateo and my first experience wasn't a pleasant one. Back in 2023, I had emailed them to reserve a table for 12 people for a celebration reunion with my classmates from the Philippines. Thought this restaurant it would be ideal (for obvious reasons), but nobody ever got back to me. Even calls to speak with the manager went nowhere. I had to reserve another venue, and I finally received a response from them after the planned reunion. In a nutshell, the excuse given was they were busy and will use it as a learning experience. Water under the bridge so moving on, I decided to take the Wifey here for dinner back in November of last year with the two dogs in tow. We didn't have reservations, so the only option was to dine on their parklet. We didn't mind the cold, as long as we had a nice heater to keep us warm. We ordered the following: Pork Sisig ($27 with egg +$2) Seasoned pork, chopped and sauteed with spices on a sizzling plate. Looking at the picture, let me state the obvious: the egg yolk was already broken, and it was already cooked. They didn't even allow us the experience of mixing the egg with the rest of the dish, and the taste was mid at best. The texture of the pork was also flossy as it wasn't the typical sisig that I'm used to. Crispy Pata ($39.50) They describe it as crispy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside. All true, but at this price point, I wanted it to wow me. It was lacking in flavor, and it was cooked inconsistently with some chunks of meat being too hard. Nothing too special, and you can get a similar dish at other Filipino restaurants at half the price. Sinigang ($11) Veggies and broth only. This hits the spot as the sourness of the broth was just right and it warmed us on a cold, chilly night. Pinakbet ($23) Stir-fried string beans, eggplant, bittermelon, okra, squash, shrimp, pork, shrimp paste and topped with chicharrones. This was the best-tasting food among the dishes that we ordered. All the ingredients complemented each other as it was well-balanced. As far as service goes, it was also inconsistent as we were initially told that we could sit at a table near the door but then changed it to the parklet as that table was reserved. Our server also changed (understandable) that caused us to wait on a request that we had to repeat. All in all, there were hits and misses and a mix bag of everything else from my very first experience to the most recent one. I'm still giving them 3 stars, and that's being generous since I want them to improve, be more consistent and be better. Hopefully on our next visit.

I love a good a Filipino spot. Most trendy places these days are Filipino fusion spots and not a true Filipino restaurant. But the dishes here definitely remind me of my mom's and aunties home cooking. Very flavorful and aromatic. Our group got the palabok, kaldereta, and sisig. All of which are just Filipino comfort food to me. Food came out quickly and in big portions. Staff was friendly and always checked in on us. The food here is pricey, but part of that is for the ambiance and knowing for sure you're going to love the food.

Located centrally in downtown. Parking is a hit or miss, it's either metered parking or the parking garage. This place is easy to do walk in, but do recommend reservations for the weekend. Service is always amazing. I have eaten here multiple times being seated outside, in the dining area, and at the bar. The restaurant is really nice inside, the bar area is tastefully done. 5/5 - for the lumpia and garlic rice. The pandan old fashion is the best alcoholic dish there. Get the halo halo, it's done really well here. 3.5/5 - for the pancit and pork belly/tofu appetizer. Everything I have eaten here in the past has been relatively good. Recommend the pork knuckles. It's super crispy and the portion size is easily shared amongst 3-4 people.

I went here on a Saturday night and was able to get seated pretty quick! I usually don't get filipino food much, but this restaurant made me love filipino food more :') The beef kare kare was amazing!! The beef itself was super tender and the kare kare went so well together. It was on the pricier side though for around $40. But I wanted to give it a one time try and it was worth it for me. The pork sisig got salty at times. But i liked how it came with a lotttt of pork. Like the value was great, and otherwise it tasted good! The garlic rice sides were a nice touch. One annoying thing was the table being wobbly where we were seated. But we got used to it over time.

I never eat Filipino food because I am Filipino & I rather cook it myself but this place did NOT disappoint. Usually Filipino restaurants have a TON of salt & oil, but this place doesn't make their food like that. The service was great, and the ambiance reminds me of the Philippines. We ate at the bar since it was booked on a Friday night. Drink 5/5: SPICED TRADE SANGRIA- delicious drink & it was beautiful too! Food 5/5: -Chicken skewers: great seasoning, not dry at all & tons of flavor! -Garlic rice: great amount of garlic -Beef kare kare: soft beef, great mix of veggies, and very tasty! -Tortang tolang: egg plant omelette cooked to perfection! Definitely coming back again. I'm Bisaya, so dahang salamat, mobisita mi puhon :)

Had a great "eat and yap" session with the girls! We came in as a party of four and were surprised by how quiet the restaurant was. We had a reservation for 6:30PM, which seemed unnecessary since there was still plenty of seating even after we left two hours later. The ambiance is modern and well put together. Definitely not your typical Filipino restaurant. Everything was spotless, including the bathroom which, thankfully, didn't have any unpleasant odors lol. Service was excellent; our food arrived in a timely manner, and the servers consistently refilled our water container without us having to ask. As for the food, it was amazing! The portions were generous, perfect for family-style dining. We only ordered two dishes which were the Crispy Pata and Beef Kare Kare along with three bowls of garlic rice to share, and we ALMOST finished everything. The flavors were well balanced, and I especially appreciated that the Kare Kare wasn't overwhelmingly peanut buttery or watered down. Given the portion sizes, food quality, and overall cleanliness of the restaurant, the pricing felt absolutely worth it. I highly recommend this place and will definitely be back! It's a great spot for larger gatherings like birthdays or celebrations, where you can try a wider variety of dishes in one sitting.

We celebrated Mothers Day here so we had a party of 15. We sat up stairs and the staff was so attentive and accommodating. Although the first thing I noticed was the diversity of people in the restaurant enjoying Filipino food. I totally understand why.... The food was amazing!!!! They served classic dishes, but let me tell you it seemed elevated. The kaldereta was a different color, darker, browner, but the flavor was amazing. It was like some braised beef. The salmon sinigang was amazing, the sour on it was perfect. The garlic rice... I can still feel it between my teeth!!! The decor is modern and Filipino contemporary. Let me tell you, this place is a must go. Good luck with parking though Overall: yes!!! This is a must go

Came here for lunch on a Sunday when it first opened. There were six of us in the party. As we sat, we were told that there's a time limit and we would be asked to leave after 2 hours. We were a bit taken back by this, not that we were planning to stay that long anyway, but how it was said and the fact that we were the only ones in the restaurant. This was my first time having modern Filipino food and I was glad that there were many dishes that I recognized. The portions were big enough to share. Shrimp gambas (5/5) Sautéed shrimp and mushrooms served with baguette. The dish was on a smaller side but very flavorful. Sugba Kilaw (4/5) Tuna ceviche topped with grilled pork belly. It was an interesting combo that feels a bit forced. I liked the two separately. Beef kare kare (5/5) Ox tail stew with peanut sauce. This is a traditional dish and they loaded it with veggies as well. Delicious! Bangus sisig (3/5) Sautéed milkfish. This was my least favorite. I like grilled bangus but this chopped and sautéed version just was not hitting it for me. Pancit bihon (4/5) Classic stir fried rice noodles. It was a healthy portion and we liked the protein and veggies in it. Pinakbet (5/5) Stir fried veggies with shrimp paste. This was really tasty and even had bitter melon which is a classic ingredient for this dish. Halo halo milky ice (5/5) Classic halo halo dessert! We liked the ube ice cream and leche flan on top. Overall, it was a good experience. We liked the ambiance, the dishes, and the staff (besides the offputting interaction at the very beginning). It's a bit pricey here considering many of the dishes are more traditional than modern.

If you have never tried Filipino cuisine, Avenida is a great place to start! Avenida has a great variety of selections to choose from, ensuring to hit all the required Filipino flavor profiles of salty, acidic, sweet, sour, grilled, and of course, FRIED! I myself am Filipino-American, and I will say that it is TOUGH to win over every single person who comes in looking for something to match up to how someone in their family cooks their favorite home-cooked meals. So from MY perspective, I think Avenida does a good job! And as a 2nd generation Filipina, the restaurant definitely gives me that sense of belonging. Location: Downtown San Mateo - Street Parking is rough on the weekends, and the parking garages are deceiving when noting that there are more spaces available than there really are! Pricing: $$-$$$, Some will say that the prices are expensive- my mom and aunties definitely think so lol - but considering the location and the fact that the dishes are prepared family style and 'elevated', I think they priced decently when splitting with a larger group Service: Our service staff were all super friendly, attentive and knew how to have a good time! We were celebrating a birthday and our server made him feel special by suggesting shots of the yummy Jeju Holiday (soju cocktail) (not pictured) and treated him with a leche flan to sing Happy Birthday Ambience: Vibes are for suree for Fil-Ams! Interior design with wooden furniture, neutral tones, tropical plants and old photographs of scenes from the Philippines. A big tv to play the Warriors game (duh) and thee best music playing (I always feel like they're playing my playlist)- r&b, underground hip hop, something you can sing to Food: We ordered a lot of food to feed our table of 9! **Again, Filipinos all have different palettes and perspective depending on where their family is from in the Philippines Salmon Sinigang: SOUR AF! I kept drinking the sabow (soup) on it's own. The salmon was tender and moist Fried Chicken with Fries: Chicken was fried crispy and juicy! Fries were under seasoned Pancit Bihon: I appreciated the amount of veggies in the pancit. Noodles soft and the sauce not too salty Inihaw na Pusit (jumbo): HUGE PORTION OF SQUID, the marinade made it taste like chicken inasal. Charred to perfection! Crispy Pata: Another Huge Portion - Perfectly Crispy outside, juicy and tender meat on the inside - not too salty Beef Kare Kare: A little sad here.. I personally wish it had more of a peanut butter flavor. I added a lot of bagoong (fermented shrimp) for flavor. The beef were inconsistently tender and dry Sugba Kilaw: Crowd Favorite! - the balance of salty and acid in this dish was amazing- perfect pairing for grilled pork and tuna ceviche Lumpia: Pretty Standard lumpia but they are served cut in half so there is actually less than I would have preferred Sizzling Bangus Sisig: Piping hot when served! I wish there was a fried egg on top. Enjoyable level of spice! White Rice: Must be ordered individually per person/cup, then will come out on a large platter. Can opt to ordering garlic rice. Leche Flan: CREAMY, THICKK, PERFECT CARAMEL SWEETNESS! Overall 4.5 rating! Always proud to support Filipino cuisine and so happy to share the culture with community! Salamat sa lahat!!

Came here for a Christmas dinner with the family! Everything was so delicious, some notable favorites of mine were the jumbo squid, lumpia, crispy pata (pork knuckle), and milky ice buko pandan. The jumbo squid and pork knuckle were cooked perfectly, so the texture was amazing. The pandan dessert had such a nice pandan flavor and was a great way to end the meal. All the servers were super kind and helpful during our dinner. The interior was quite nice and had a cozy feeling to it. Would definitely recommend and come again!

4/13/24 I've only ever had Filipino cuisine once and most of the food I ate at that time was fried which I didn't like. Avenida Restaurant is located in downtown San Mateo and it's always packed. I convinced Zach that we should try it out since every time we walk by, there's always savoring smells coming out from it. We checked in with the host and they said it would be 30 - 35 minutes for the next table, so we took a seat at the bar where they can still serve food. We placed our order with the bartender. Here's what we got: - Beef shank kaldereta - Vegetarian chop suey - Adobo rice - Ube ice cream (just for me) Everything came out together in 10 - 15 minutes. Everything smelled great. The portions are fairly large that we had leftovers the next day. The adobo rice is soft and has a good amount of pork with a garlicky flavor. The beef is very tender and full of flavor. The beef is a bit salty and thick and hearty like a stew. The vegetable chop suey was a good counter balance to the heavy-ness of the beef and rice. The veggies are cooked with sesame oil which I enjoyed. For dessert, I enjoyed two scoops of their ube ice cream. Atmosphere wise, it's pretty loud in the restaurant. I would come back to try more of their delicious food.

I've tried this place twice already! We came here for Mother's Day! It's definitely an elevated Filipino restaurant! The food was great and staff were awesome! The place was just decorated to perfection and just kinda took you to another place! Loved seeing that there were more than just Filipino people coming in and trying this place and our culture through food!

3.5 - glad I came with a group so I could try all new dishes that I am unfamiliar with. The absolute favorite was the crispy pata. The crispy outer skin and moist, tender meat was just perfection. If I come back this is the must order for sure. The Kare Kare and pancit palabok were good but just not to my palate. I prefer noodles dry stir fried or in soup and not sauced over. Flavor of Kare Kare did not stand out for me. But these are just personal flavor preferences. Make sure you make a reservation. We came for lunch on a Saturday and the place filled up quickly, mostly larger group. Service was friendly and efficient. Nice outdoor seating also available.

It was my second time dining here and just like before, it was a great experience. I ordered the usual favorites my family loves and the food didn't disappoint. Everything was so good and tasty. The service was great too! The staff were really friendly and made sure we were comfortable especially since we had someone in a wheelchair with us. The ambiance was really nice. Very modern pinoy style. Always a good time here!

Avenida was a nice gem in DT San Mateo! There aren't many "upscale" Filipino restaurants in the Bay Area, so coming here was a nice experience overall. They are on the pricier side, but you are paying for service, presentation, and high quality dishes. One thing that really impressed my family and I is that they kept the traditional flavors of each dish while also making it extremely flavorful and less oily! Filipino food can be really oily and salty, but my family and I found the perfect balance from these dishes at Avenida. Highlights were the crispy pata, salpicao, and pusit (jumbo)! I'm so excited to come back and try the rest of their menu!

At last, a Filipino restaurant in San Mateo with amazing ambience. Food was excellent, service was good. We went back the following day.

I always like to bring out of town guests or relatives here because of the upscale get comfy ambiance, and expertly crafted Filipino food. A cuisine that tends to go unnoticed by most. But the chefs being a modern and bright take to classic Filipino comfort dishes. I can start that anything grilled here is phenomenal. Actually smoky and grilled flavors on their meats. Kara Kara is a staple here and they do it right. They are famous for their Crispy pata and it is so crunchy it is a deifnite treat here. Can't go wrong with their juicy baby squid and lumpia either. Their garlic rice is also flavorful with no burned garlic residue. Every dish I've ordered here has been a hit and I go back time and time again. Don't forget their craft cocktails and milky ice (like halo halo) to end your indulgent meal. Service is friendly and fast and they truly take care of your experience.

The atmosphere is incredibly modern and vibrant, the service is friendly and attentive, and the food is absolutely delicious! We had a fantastic time celebrating Mother's Day here. However, we were a bit bummed to find that our beloved crispy tadyang is no longer on the menu--that dish was definitely our favorite!

Avenida is a modernized Filipino restaurant that serves delicious authentic Filipino food. I sometimes get skeptical about modernized Filipino restaurants as, respectfully, the food always turns out to be Americanized without the taste of the Filipino comfort food close to home or is greatly overpriced and not worth what you pay for. However, Avenida does NOT disappoint. I also see Filipino OG's dine here and you know the food is good when even the OG's and the Tita's dine in large groups haha. Overview: Food: 9/10 Service: 8/10 Ambiance: 10/10 What we ordered: 1) Sugba Kilaw - 8/10 *Perfect ratio of citrus and vinegar paired with tender Grilled Pork Belly and fresh Tuna Ceviche that did not taste fishy 2) Pork Sisig - 8/10 *Served sizzling hot on a skillet and was seasoned and flavored perfectly. The sisig had a perfect crisp and softness and greatly enough, did not taste oily which I hate when Sisig is too oily Pork Belly Sinigang - 9/10 *One of our favorite Siningang's from a restaurant!!! Oh my goodness!!! The pork and the veggies were not overcooked. The veggies were cooked perfectly and still had their beautiful colors. The pork was so tender and soft. Most importantly, the Sinigang broth was perfectly SOUR, enough to make that puckered lip face! The pork was so tender Chicken / Pork BBQ - 8/10 *Both choices of protein were perfectly sauced and had such a great broiled char. I preferred the Pork BBQ over the Chicken BBQ. The sizes of the BBQ were definitely what you paid for, and they did not skimp on the portion size, which I appreciate! FOOD: 9/10 I am honestly stunned by how authentic the food tastes at Avenida. There is not one dish so far that is not full of flavor or lacks flavor. The portions of the food are worth what you pay for and an a la carte style despite all being served in one portion for the most part. I have tried their savory appetizers and main courses. However, the next time we go, I seriously NEED TO try their dessert. The dessert menu had a great number of choices to choose from, and all sounded so yummy. I also need to try their cocktails!! SERVICE: 8/10 What I appreciate about Avenida staff is that, even if they are not your assigned waiter or waitress, they all do a fair share of checking up on the customers to see if all is okay or if anything is needed. We had about four different staff that checked up on us, all in good sporadic timing. Ironically, on the first visit we had, we ordered multiple dishes which all came out at a decent time. However, we also arrived an hour before closing time. This time, we only ordered one bowl of Sinigang which took about 30 minutes. However, we also arrived close to dinner time. The wait was still worth it in a sense where the food was for sure fresh and piping hot. AMBIANCE: 10/10 Major interior design vibes every single angle you look at here at Avenida!!! I am in awe of how modern yet cozy Avenida is. From the beautiful woven Filipino art on the walls, the beautiful tiles on the floor, the different good quality and designed chairs throughout each table, the historic photos of Philippines or Filipino historical figures on the wall, literally everything looks well thought out. Even the BATHROOM is nice!!!! Haha. I also love how spacious the restaurant is. I can not wait to try other items on the menu next visit. Yummy food, reasonable prices, great portions, friendly staff, clean, spacious restaurant with beautiful decor... worth the visit.

I've been here many times with my husband, cousin, and most recently with my parents and in-laws. I love how it looks in here: tropical, tastefully decorated, and plenty of seating with a big bar, heated patio, and semi-private area upstairs. Compared to most of the Filipino restaurants in Chicago (except the newer ones), this one looks very modern. During our recent visit, we sat at a high table near the door. We did family style and ordered the Lumpia, Chicken and Pork Adobo, Lechon Kawali, Bangus Sisig, Pancit Bihon, Pork Belly Sinigang, and Garlic Rice. Everything was delicious! My Filipino parents approved, in-laws loved it, and hubby and I got our favorites. Yes it's pricier for Filipino food, but the portions are big and we always have leftovers. Service was good as usual. The rotating cocktails are tasty. Love this spot and will continue to go here!

Avenida was an elusive restaurant for us to visit since the wait times are so long ! We got lucky and got seated with no reservations within 5 minutes on a saturday evening. Truly lucky. It was with much anticipation that we got to finally taste the food here. The food didn't quite meet expectations but it was still very good. My favorite dish was the Shrimp Gambas. There was happy hour on the weeknd's, so we got the dish for a great price ! Overall, the staff was great. I had a fun time here. The inside was very beautiful, and the underrated it for the holidays.

This is where the old breakfast/brunch spot used to be. It's nice to have some Filipino food in the area. The food is quite good and the portions are plentiful. The person I went with couldn't make up their mind and actually wanted 2 Lumpia dishes. This amount of food was definitely r out to feed at LEAST 6 people. All of the dishes were good, IMO, a little pricey but good portions. I would go again if I was in the area and really craving filipino food. The service was good and there were a LOT of seats open but they said most of the seats were already taken so we had to sit at the bar or the elevated tables, which is fine as we obviously needed the room.

This is my 3rd or 4th time here - the food is still awesome!! We walked in with a party of 2 on a Friday night at around 7pm with no reservations, and were able to get seated immediately at the bar. Service was great and at a reasonable pace for a crowded Friday night. I believe some of the open tables were for reservations only, but honestly the bar is pretty spacious so I didn't miss getting a table. The standouts for me tonight was the Sizzling Bulalo, which is a seasonal special. The meat is so tender and cuts easily with a spoon, and the gravy is heavy but in a good way. Definitely a craveworthy hearty entree and pairs surprisingly well with the garlic rice in my opinion (flavors weren't overwhelming, I thought it was just right) Highly recommend the Halo Halo as a meal closer, I get it every time and it always hits the spot! The veggie and broth Sinigang was unfortunately a rare miss - last time I got it we had it with the beef ribs, which turned out to be too heavy so this time we thought it would be smarter to get it with just the broth and veggies. However, the soup came out super sour, definitely more concentrated than last time. I wonder if it has anything to do the additional meat helping absorb more of the acidity. If you're ordering this wiht the veggie and broth only option, be aware that it might come out acidic so try to balance it with rice just in case. Overall the vibes are great, this place is perfect for fun group dinners as almost every plate can be shared family style. I'd highly recommend trying this out if you are craving a hearty modern Filipino meal!

Wonderful and accommodating staff! I made a reservation for 8 people, and an hour before the reservation, my party of 8 turned into a party of 18. Called to explain, and they were quick to make room for us, though we did have to sit at 2 separate tables nearby. Food is great. I've never had Filipino food before, but there's a large selection and everything is meant to be shared family style. Everyone loved their meals. My favorite was the ceviche. Large chunks of tuna, super light and refreshing, and then it's topped with grilled pork! Also do not worry if you don't eat pork! We had several people in our group who don't eat pork and there was still plenty on the menu they were able to eat.

Delicious food and generous portions, perfect for sharing! This modern Filipino restaurant has a great mix of traditional flavors with a contemporary twist. We ordered the Inihaw na Pusit (Jumbo Squid) and Pancit Canton. The jumbo squid was incredibly tender and marinated perfectly with a flavorful soy-based sauce and spices. It was definitely the highlight of the meal! The Pancit Canton was also good--packed with ingredients like Chinese sausage, squid balls, pork, shrimp, and a variety of veggies. While it was tasty, I think I'll try something a bit more unique next time. Overall, very flavorful and well-prepared dishes. Definitely worth a visit!

Was craving Filipino food so here I am. I came in and ordered the crispy pina cocktail, the crispy pata, and milky ice buko pandan. The cocktail was pretty good. It had a good balance between pineapple and alcohol to it. The crispy pata which was highly recommended, tasted amazing! It was very crispy and moist. The buko pandan dessert had to be my favorite item on the menu. It was very milky and creamy. The service here was good also. The waiter was good at giving recommendations and was very nice. The restaurant itself gives off modern tropical vibes. This restaurant serves modern upscale Filipino food. Definitely worth a try. Try it out if you like. :)

A higher end Filipino spot that would be a great date night option! I've walked past this place many times while in downtown San Mateo and it's always bustling. So I finally made a reservation online on Opentable and made it in! The restaurant is beautiful and had high ceilings with a cool bar. So if you want drinks, they have lots of interesting Filipino inspired options! We had the Lumpia (entree), Jumbo Grilled Squid, and Bangus Sisig. The lumpia was delicious and lightly fried. We inhaled the lumpia without feeling like we just had so much oily food. The squid is marinaded in a flavorful soy sauce base that also comes on the side for extra dipping. The Bangus Sisig (milkfish sisig) was on the Specials menu, so if you like a different take from pork sisig and like fish, milkfish is a unique and tasty option!

I always love coming back here when I crave for some filipino food. Nice ambiance and great food. Tried their crispy pata, crispy tadyang, kare kare, and sisig in the past. Yesterday we decided to try something different. We ordered for sugba kilaw, jumbo squid, and tortang talong. We loved the sugba kilaw - tuna in vinegar topped with grilled pork. The jumbo squid was a bit of disappointment as it seemed like it needed a bit more time cooking. Looks cooked from outside but still wet inside. The tortang talong with banana ketchup was almost good if it wasn't for the hair i found in it. The manager offered to give me a new one. But yesterday's experience was not as good as before, sadly. Shout out to our nice young server who recommended me the espresso martini. It was good.

Came here today with my niece... she's visiting from the LA area and we checked out USF right before, and SCU right before that! Needless to say, we were starving when we arrived (neither of us had any food up until our meal here), and my niece mentioned she had never had Filipino food (not even lumpia!) Pros- opens for dinner at 4, some others I looked at opened at 4:30 or 5pm. The servers provided very friendly service, and the food was delicious and plentiful. We both wished we had more people, so we could have ordered more things to try out! I did my best to order a good variety... lumpia, grilled pork skewers, chicken and pork adobo, garlic salmon, pansit, garlic and regular rice, sautéed spinach with garlic (they actually have vegetables that do not include meat) and their huge crispy pata... yes, we had a ton of leftovers (3 full bags/9 containers). We ate enough to try a bite of everything, plus save room for dessert -strawberry milk ice with an additional order of ice cream. Everything was super tasty, but our favorite was the grilled skewered pork (really great flavor)! Second was dessert! We took so much food home, 5 additional people ate and several dishes still didn't looked touched! Cons- I see two dollar signs on Yelp, but I thought it was on the higher side as far as price point. It was tasty though and we both want to come back and try more!

Most expensive Filipino restaurant I've ever been to. But I guess that's the point they're going for, upscale. Parking - street parking, not the easiest to find parking but if you circle around a couple times you'll find something. Reservations - necessary, otherwise you'll be waiting a long time. Food is delicious, very flavorful.

Food was awesome. Brings back memories of being back home. We had the Sinigang vegetable soup the veggies were very green and just the right amount of sour. The Lechon Kawali all I can say is Yummy paired with the dipping sauce. The lumpia togue very crunchy outside soft on the inside. Sisig Bangus was great as well! Service was great! We talked to one of the servers turns out she lived close to where I grew up. What a small world. How I wish that there was something like this place in Roseville. Ambiance was great reminds me of the times I went to the old metro manila theater. For plays during my high school years. It has very Art Deco vibe. This will be a must go place when I'm close to the San Mateo area.