Barbara's Heritage Restaurant

Dining at Barbara’s Heritage Restaurant is more than just a meal — it’s a full cultural experience that beautifully showcases the richness of Filipino tradition, both in flavor and in spirit. From the moment you step inside, you’re transported to a bygone era. The elegant colonial interiors, capiz windows, and antique furnishings set the mood for a nostalgic journey into the heart of Philippine heritage. The live cultural performances — complete with traditional dances like tinikling and singkil — are mesmerizing and heartfelt, making every moment feel special and deeply rooted in Filipino pride. The food? Absolutely delicious. From classics like kare-kare, adobo, and lechon kawali, to comforting kakanin and native desserts, every dish is prepared with authenticity and warmth. It’s a perfect balance of flavor and presentation — a true showcase of Filipino culinary artistry. Barbara’s doesn’t just serve food — it tells a story. Whether you’re a balikbayan, tourist, or local rediscovering your roots, this place offers a unique blend of hospitality, history, and homegrown flavors that leave you proud to be part of this culture. Definitely a must-visit in Intramuros. Come for the food, stay for the heritage.

Had lunch at Barbara’s Heritage and the ambiance was beautiful—very old Manila, very nostalgic. The live musicians were a lovely touch! They go around serenading each table, and yes, you’re expected to give a tip. You can even sing along if you’re feeling it, which adds to the fun. I ordered the beef salpicao and it was delicious—tender, flavorful, and well-seasoned. Definitely a must-try. However, I have to be honest about the service. The waiter who brought my food seemed like he was in such a rush. He didn’t say a word and just placed the food down quickly, almost carelessly. For a heritage restaurant with such charm, I expected more warmth and grace in the service. It felt a bit rude, to be honest. Still, it’s worth visiting for the ambiance and the music—just hoping the service improves to match the beautiful setting.

Barbara’s Heritage Restaurant offers a truly charming and cultural dining experience. Located in the heart of Intramuros, the restaurant’s elegant Spanish-era interior and warm ambiance instantly transport you to the past. Even the staff wear traditional Filipino attire, adding to the authentic feel. The buffet features classic Filipino and Spanish-inspired dishes that are both flavorful and satisfying—I highly recommend choosing the buffet set. There are also singers with guitars who serenade you while you dine, and a live cultural show is held in the evening. It’s a perfect spot for tourists and locals alike who want to enjoy good food and immerse themselves in Filipino heritage.

Definitely a must to have a fine dining with a mix of local heritage and culture. As a visitor to Manila had the privilege of having a great evening in Barbara’s. The Filipino food and culinary scene was well showcased. They have a great show on the local dances as well. Plan ahead as the tables can get sold out quickly. It is in a heritage building adding that transformational value as you enjoy the experience.

Good food. Excellent service. My family of 12 people was looked after really well and in a friendly yet professional way. Makes me immensely happy, because it was my parents & relatives who travelled first time to the Philippines from Mumbai back in December last year, and they really enjoyed the local cuisine, history & the culture .❤️ Elegant setting for dining. Takes you back in time, which makes the dining experience a pretty unique one.

Price: mid range Location: authentic location inside the historical intramuros Customer Service/Experience: attentive staff, outstanding customer service and even got to talk to the restaurant owner. thanks Joshua! small world! Restroom: clean restroom with bidet. complete with soap and tissue for washing of hands. Parking: limited to street parking. Promotions: has shows and bands inside the restaurant. Comments: very pleasant staff.

This place is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!! The food was Fantastic and the cultural dance was Amazing! 10/10 recommend. Also the staff was very lovely and even moved us to a better seat to watch the show from. This has easily become my favorite restaurant in the country and is an ABSOLUTE MUST TRY!

The restaurant, which is really aimed at tourists, is located in a wonderful historical building in the centre of Intramuros and has real flair. There are two dining rooms: the more sumptuous one with a show stage for buffet diners and the somewhat simpler but cosier one for a la carte diners, where a small band also goes from table to table and entertains professionally in return for a tip. The food is tasty, the drinks on offer are varied, the staff are attentive and quick and the prices are not overly expensive. There are even a few "vegetarian" dishes, albeit if you ask them to leave out the fish sauces.

We had a sudden vacation to the Philippines for business and pleasure and since the event is going to be at the Manila Cathedral, we stayed at the Manila Hotel. Of course, we had a few days to explore the area, Intramuros and Luneta Park was nearby so we took time to visit these widely renowned destinations, too. Much of the folks we spoke about fine dining pointed us to Barbara's Restaurant so off we go! We were welcomed by a group playing and singing Filipino and English songs. Wow, I requested some and they belted it out like a 45 playing on my old turn table. We ordered sisig, fish soup (milkfish), veggies (pinakbet) and a large fried pork leg (Crispy Pata). These came with dipping sauces and steamed rice. The milkfish soup was sour and fishy but blended in with my steamed rice, the sisig was tender pieces of meat and was crunchy and very tender while the pork leg was just about right. All these blended like a collaboration of tastes, bringing me back to the old days, in my 20's earning my first scholarship to study in the U.S., real very memorable. We also had a rare view of a Flamenco dance and a personal welcome by Barbara herself! My visit to Barbara's featuring a welcome by Barbara was more than just food but also a memory lane walk to the time of Spain's colonial rule of the Philippines. So, if you happen to be in the Philippines as a visitor or just coming back, dine at Barbara's and enjoy what you've missed or smell the real aroma of fine dining.

With relatives and friends during a trip to the PI and we decided to get out of the hear and have lunch. When entering, I observed the Spanish decor. Food was great! The most memorable moment was when the 3 man band approached the tables singing songs by request. They did awesome playing songs on the spot! Good times!

We had an amazing time attending the Kultura Filipina Dinner Show last week! The buffet spread was delicious - especially the pancit sotanghon, lumpiang shanghai, beef caldereta, and roast beef. For dessert, we loved the canonigo, palitaw, and chocolate cake. It was lovely getting serenaded by the pre-show trio, and we were impressed that they were able to sing a French song as requested by one of the other tables! When the main show started, we were blown away by the talented rondalla ensemble and the graceful dancers with their beautiful costumes. We even got to try our hand dancing tinikling! All in all, our visit to Barbara's was truly such an enjoyable and memorable experience. This is definitely a must-visit for both tourists and locals!

Amazing food and service. The sweet tea was very tasty as well. We had the bolognese and Caesar salad that were prepared to perfection. We highly recommend this place.

Barbara's was one of my most favorite moments during my entire vacay in the Philippines! Here's why! I had no idea what Barbara's was prior to my visit. My family was touring around Intramuros and we stopped at San Agustin Church where my parents got married. I was getting cranky at this point in the day and I didn't want to go down to visit the church LOL anyway, I had to use the bathroom so I went across the street to Barbara's. Right when I walked in the place looked so familiar... I realized this is the restaurant where the movie "Last Night" with Piolo Pascual and Toni Gonzaga was filmed! I literally screamed and started fangirling once I figured it out! "Last Night" is one of my favorite Filipino movies so if you haven't seen it, make sure to check it out. I love Piolo! I think he's one of the handsomest Filipino men out there! HA HA I also really like Toni! I thought Barbara's was a fake restaurant that they made up for the movie, so imagine my surprise when I found out it was real! Also, I had no idea it's an iconic restaurant in the Philippines! It's a heritage restaurant and even the employees are dressed up in traditional costume. Well I'll be damned! I made my family get a quick meryenda here! Barbara's has a restaurant, a patio cafe, and a small store. I opted to sit in their patio since that's where the movie was filmed hehe. I ordered Mais Con Hielo which was good and refreshing! This place put me in such a good mood! I would love to come back here in the future and go on a romantic date on the patio :D Please do yourself a favor and put Barbara's at the top of your Philippines Itinerary!

Excellent food! Try the chicken with gata, bistec tagalog, veggies and don't forget saba with sesame seed! Service was excellent! We'll definitely go back to try other food in the menu and maybe for dinner to enjoy Intramuros at night!

The food at Barbara's is simple, but it's just the thing if you want to grab a quick and tasty bite for lunch. Historic tours around Manila's Old Quarter pass right by the venue; the prices here are very reasonable, and the level of service is exceptional! Should you find yourself in this part of Manila, it's totally worth dropping in her for a bite to eat and/or a drink - highly recommended!

Barbara's was one of the hightlights of my Philippine vacation. My husband and I vacationed with my sister, brother-in-law (BIL), and my parents during the Christmas holidays. Fortunately, we were recommended to come here for lunch after our Intramuros sightseeing. We sure are glad that we did because we couldn't stop talking about our experience here for a couple of weeks afterwards! When you first walk in Barbara's, you notice the traditional Filipino atmosphere. You climb up antique-looking stairs to this beautiful restaurant set-up. Fortunately, there are options to eat the buffet or a la carte. Considering that my family and I were all hungry, we opted for the buffet. I am sure glad we did. I was someone skeptical that the quality was going to be good due to it being part of a buffet, but I was sure wrong! Everything was home-cooked, so the ingredients were fresh. I especially liked the kare-kare and lechon. The desserts were fantastic as well. In addition to the food, the service was wonderful, and there were three gentlemen going around playing music and singing to songs requested by the customers (of course, tip required). I would wholeheartedly recommend Barbara's. It was both a cultural and food experience. If I am ever back in Manila again, I would definitely return here.

It's been a long time since I was last in the Philippines, some 16 years ago, and I was excited to come back as part of a tour group, which allowed me to learn more about my heritage. Riding on a coach (which, by the way, I was mystified when the driver maneuvered a huge bus around the tight streets of Manila!), I was mesmerized by the sights of Intramuros, the oldest district in Manila at the time of the Spanish Colonial Period. Barbara's is located near San Agustin Church, in fact, right across from it, and up a flight of stairs. On the day we visited, lunch was buffet and featured Filipino food - rice, pancit, adobo, lechon, chicken, vegetables, and dessert. For me, in addition to the food, the highlight was the music - three guys walking around the dining room serenading guests with Filipino classics as well as other popular songs.

Excellent food! Try the chicken with gata, bistec tagalog, veggies and don't forget saba with sesame seed!

We would like to change the date and time. We are open every day and we open at 11:30am to 9:00 pm. Thankyou

Howard and I spent our afternoon in Intramurous, and Barbara's was recommended both on Yelp and on a travel guide we were following. We opted to eat from the regular menu. I was actually looking for breakfast food (it was brunch time), but unfortunately they were done serving breakfast by the time we got there. We ordered chicken adobo and kare-kare - two staple dishes. Howard was really happy with the chicken adobo, and I enjoyed the kare-kare. I did wish that the kare-kare had more meat than tripe, but what can ya do. I was happy with the amount of vegetables in it as well. Although I'm a bit sad we didn't opt for the buffet and we missed the entertainment at dinner, it was a good start to our first full day in Manila. The location is beautiful and Barbara's is located right next to Casa de Manila (where we went next) and San Augustin Church.

Tip: If you plan to date me, this is the perfect place. LOL If you have been to Barbara's, you would know why this place excites me and makes me feel like I'm dining with the elite class from way back when. Situated inside the walls of my favorite place in Intramuros, Casa Manila, Barbara's offer a wide slection of traditional Filipino foods that comes with a cultural show that will surely ignite your Filipino spirit. If you're not there for dinner though, you could drop by Barbara's Café for a quick snack (I love their fresh watermelons, a good way to rehydrate from all the walking), or order the rice meals. Though the food tastes so so, you can never go wrong with the way Barbara's will make you feel like time travelling to the past.

This place is horrible. Chicken ice cold, no lime for my corona when they told me they had. Nobody knows what is going on. Also I have attached a picture of multiple ants our table. This one was on the wine glass

When I'm in Intramuros, I always find myself ending up in Barbara's. Have you seen this place? The architecture is exquisite. It's situated in its own little plaza with a fountain in the middle. I'm pretty sure the outdoor seating area used to be a carriage house, and when you go inside, it's like time-travelling to Maria Clara's dinner party, or to Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera. The food is delicious too. Classic Filipino dishes served Filipino style (read: generously, in overflowing bowls). You can also arrange cultural entertainment, if you're a large enough group, but I think they also have scheduled shows some nights that you can enjoy along with your sumptuous dinner.

Go for the entertainment only, it was nice to experience local dance and culture. Service was excellent as well however the food...very disappointed. We read on yelp that it was authentic Filipino food, big portions that you would find in a traditional cooked home. Sadly we found it was a buffet of ALL western food. Spaghetti, chicken, sliced deli pork (not slow roasted pulled pork) with rice. We were hoping for pancit, lumpia, adobo... We asked if there was a menu and were told only the buffet.

This definitely a place for tourists, not for locals. However, if you want to taste authentic food and all the best classic cultural dishes from the Philippines, and the best of cultural dances by professional dancers, you're in the right place. If you're not that familiar with Filipino culture, this is a great place to start in Manila. Plus you get the added bonus of being in Intramuros, which has a lot of great things to see and do. Every tourist should add this to their list when they are in Manila for the first time.

We showed up too late for the dinner show . . But they allowed us to get a drink and see the last few moments. As an international traveler i don't understand some of the complaints . . this is a great value with a lovely show and ample buffet in a beautiful setting... all for about US$15.

When my college barkada and I went to Intramuros for a spontaneous field trip, we ended up going to San Agustin Church. 100+ pictures later, my friend, who already visited the walled-city several times, decided to bring us to one of her favorite restaurants. She brought us to this restaurant called Barbara's which looks just like an old stone house from the Spanish era. The first time I saw the place, it reminded me of my lola's ancestral home in Ilocos. The floor was made out of wood, while the walls were decorated by widely-opened "lampirong" windows. For the buffet, Barbara's serves authentic Filipino food. For the hot meals, they had grilled prawns, paella, pandan rice, roast beef, and many more. For desert, they serve chocolate eclairs, blueberry cheesecake, and chocolate cake among others. According to the chef, they change the menu everyday so that the customers would always come back for more food surprises. Besides serving food, Barbara's is also known for their cultural presentations. Native folk dances such as Tinikling and Carinosa are shown here almost every night.

If you are looking for a place to have dinner while watching a folkloric dance presentation, then Barbara's is the right place. I ended up there after strolling through Intramuros, Manila's historic walled place. The restaurant is set in the heart of it, exactly at Plaza San Luis, just across San Agustin Church. My husband and I enjoyed a traditional Filipino dinner there. We hadn't planned that before, actually. It was like: "oh, this place seems to be nice, let's check it!". I remember it was hard to have a sit because we didn't have a reservation. The hostess, however, was very efficient and promptly found us a table. The highlight for me was really the dance presentation. The show gives a sample of different cultural traditions and the dancers explain the origin of each kind of dance. I had a great time trying the tinikling (Filipino bamboo dance) with them. Just loved it! The buffet menu was nice also, with typical Filipino dishes, like beef caldereta, pancit and lumpias. We paid a fix amount and could eat as much as we wanted. I must add that the complex where Barbara's is located has an antique charm that is worth the visit. There's a courtyard with a fountain, surrounded by paving stones. I highly recommend dropping by after a Intramuros walking tour.

Barbara's is one of the places I recommend when Manila tourists asks me for a good place to have lunch or dinner. It's one of those fine dining restaurants in Manila, themed after an old rich's bahay na bato (stone house) with Spanish-Filipino cuisine. Situated beside the oldest church in the Philippines (San Agustin Church) inside the restored Intramuros, Barbara's dining experience recreates a feeling of the past, much like of how Illustrados (Elite Filipinos during the Spanish era in the Philippines) were like. Aside from the classy menu and dining sets, it also showcases Filipino culture through performances of Filipino traditional songs and dances. (You can check out Barbara's website for their schedule of cultural shows.) On an ordinary day for lunch or dinner, a Rondalla trio with stand-up bass usually goes around tables and entertains diners with serenading music usually of Kundiman songs or renditions of Manila Sounds. If you have a song in mind, you can also try requesting it to them. Their live music will surely complete your whole dining experience! Barbara's also have a coffee shop just below which offers various kinds of brewed coffee, fruit shakes and cakes and pastries. This is also a spot ideal for a morning or an afternoon 'muni-muni' over coffee. It's a good place to think, write and plan a good day or night ahead.

I've been seeing Barbara's every time I go to the San Agustin Church area - it's just across, and they have the very visible guards in guardia civil uniform. I know they have a restaurant or cafe, but I didn't know that they have cultural performances. It was only when I saw Barbara's offering of a buffet meal and cultural show in a discount coupon site that I found out about their performances. I availed of the discounted rate for a late birthday celebration with my family, and we loved it! Even then, the regular rate is already good value for money given the richness of the experience, as I would find out later. Imagine eating Pinoy food in an Old Manila setting like you would see in Noli Me Tangere perhaps, and watching Pinoys in native costume dancing the Tinikling, Cariñosa, among other numbers. After that evening, both our stomachs and our hearts were full.