Goto Monster - La Paz, Makati

Went to this popular spot on a Friday afternoon for lunch. I ordered a lugaw with chicharon bulaklak and was told to wait in their main dining room. The room is great—air-conditioned, clean, and with a nice vibe. It does have limited seating, so I'd suggest going at lunchtime if you don't want to eat outside since there are fewer people then (I got lucky and had the place to myself!). Just a few minutes later, my order arrived, and the amazing smell made my stomach growl. The serving was generous, with plenty of crispy chicharon bulaklak on top. The lugaw was probably the most savory I've ever had. It was so good that I didn’t even need to use any of the condiments on the table. The meal was very filling, and I was stuffed by the end. Overall, it's one of the best lugaws I've had, with a generous amount of freshly fried toppings. Definitely worth it, and I’ll be back for more!

Goto Monster serves up a comforting Filipino classic with a twist. Their take on goto, a traditional rice porridge, is anything but ordinary. With generous toppings like pork bagnet, crispy garlic, and salted egg, each spoonful is a symphony of flavors and textures. The warmth of the bowl coupled with the richness of the broth makes it the ultimate comfort food. Whether enjoyed as a hearty afternoon or a late-night snack, Goto Monster is a must-try for anyone craving a taste of Filipino comfort cuisine.

For the price, the atmosphere of the place is not very nice. Outside area can be smelly and the inside is not very organized and clean. Food is quite expensive (waffles for 280!!), but quite good. Bagnet goto - I enjoyed it but I had to have another half bowl of plain goto to be really full. Good chunks of bagnet. At first I find the salted duck eggs weird but I liked it in the end with the plain goto Tripe goto - my partner did not like the tast of tripe very much, I tasted it and it's quite weird (not very "clean" taste) Plain tokwa - good tokwa, better than others I have tasted. The adobong suka goes very well with it! Mais con yelo with leche flan ice cream - my fave!! I love that I don't have to mix the ice with the yelo. The ice cream is top notch. Very creamy. I want to be able to order it alone! Will probably come back to try the other interesting items in the menu.

I still prefer the no-frills, traditional goto + tokwa’t baboy. However, once in a while it’s nice to indulge in gourmet goto, and that’s where Goto Monster excels. My favorite is their Goto Beef Tripe. However, at the time of our latest visit it’s not available, so my wife and I ordered their Pork Bagnet and Shitake Mushrooms lugaw bowls (rice porridge). Both are great. We also ordered their Tokwa + Chicharon Bulaklak. Together with the Pork Bagnet lugaw, it’s the perfect recipe for a heart attack. But as long as you eat this infrequently and in moderation, I guess you’ll be alright. For drinks, we ordered their Calamansi Mint. It’s good, but we didn’t really taste the mint. Instead, it’s dominated by the calamansi taste. There’s also a slight bitter aftertaste (think accidentally chewing a calamansi seed). The staff are good. Service was reasonably efficient, with our orders served well within the 15-minute mark. For parking, it’s just street parking. On busy hours you might need to park a little farther from their place.

It’s great that the restaurant is so close to our dorm. I usually order the Tokwa + Talong with rice, which pairs perfectly with their adobo suka. The prices are reasonable, especially since the receipts include VAT. Their goto options are also a must-try.

A must try for anyone looking for great food at a fair price. We often find ourselves here after a night out drinking or on any late nights where most restaurants are closed. The bagnet is one of the best I’ve tried in the city and I highly recommend it. The location can be a bit intimidating but trust that food this good is worth going the extra mile for.

Very pleased with the food here - the Pork Bagnet Silog is one of the best I’ve tried, very crispy and quite generously portioned. The beef tripe porridge was also very tasty. Calamansi mint was also extremely refreshing and much needed on a very hot day. There were very few seats available in the dining area, but water was provided and there was aircon. Would return just for the crispy pork!

Incredible service and food! Longanisa burger and lumpia were delicious. Highly recommended!