Hula Bar And Kitchen

This is an island themed small little restaurant/bar in the middle of San Jose. this restaurant serves a variety of island themed food, beer and wine. They do not serve hard alcohol despite saying that they are a bar. That means you won’t be able to cocktails that aren’t made with wine as a base. Hoping to get a Mai Tai, and were disappointed. The food here is good, but if you’re planning on drinking anything other than beer or wine, do not expect to find anything here. The parking situation is decent. You’ll probably have to park two blocks away because this is a busy downtown area. we were only able to find parking that allowed for one hour but this is also closest to San Pedro Square and there is a large parking lot there. Overall, I recommend coming here if you’re looking for a quick bite to eat or want to stop by for a beer or two. if you’re looking for restaurant experience with cocktails (something a Bar would have), you might not find it here

Hula Bar and Kitchen is one of my favorite new restaurants right now. The price is right and the flavors are fantastic. We ordered lechon sisig and da situation with tocino. The proteins were cooked perfectly with the meat being juicy and the fat rendered down just right. The onions and peppers in the sisig were great. The hot sauce was *chef’s kiss*. I can’t wait to come back with a bigger group so we can also try the halo halo and turon with ube ice cream. I hope you enjoy Hula as much as we did!

New spot in downtown, and it’s hella good. We ordered freshly made chicharones with a crazy tasty Asian chimichuri sauce, lumpia, hamachi collar, adobo rice, short ribs and some fried pork….all super tasty. Plus, the two dudes workin the kitchen were very nice and made us feel right at home. We’ll be back. Bravo….a great addition to SoSA DTSJ.

Enjoyed my first visit here and would return the next time I am in the area for work. The adobo omelette was delicious and was just as good as breakfast leftovers as it was as a fresh lunch. Tried the spam musubi—personally prefer a better ratio of spam and sauce to rice, so wouldn’t order this again. I wanted to try the made-to-order chicharron but they happened to be sold out. Would love there to be a sample platter of bbq, lechon, tocino, etc: if that option existed, would happily spend $20 for the chance to try a bit of everything. Looking forward to a return visit to SJ, which means a return visit to explore more of this menu.

If there were 10 stars, I woule give this spot 10!! I absolutely love this place. I've been a fan from the time they had started as a food truck. Congratulations, and keep doing what you're doing, everything was exceptional.

What a find!! I was craving garlic shrimp, but wasn't willing to fly out to get some. Hula bar came through with their HEAD ON spicy garlic shrimp and it was AMAZING!! For those of you who can eat right through the head and shell, you are in for an amazing treat. If you like to get dirty, feel free to peel them both away, but you have to lick your fingers to get all that delicious spicy sauce🥵 We also got Da Situation with Kalua pork. The portion was MASSIVE and basically vacuumed it all. It's so tender, soft, and perfectly balanced. We're coming back for more, that's for sure.

Food: Looking at the menu the place seems more of Filipino cuisine than Hawaiian or a fusion of both with the Filipino side having a bigger influence. The taste was a little bland and simple on the burrito. The Ube Horchata tasted like cinnamon toast cereal. Atmosphere: Chill atmosphere but tables we were at, were sticky.

Soft opening with a limited menu. March 15 is the official opening. Family run, they started with a food truck. Tried the chicken abodo with an egg. Came with rice and a green salad. The chicken was tasty and fall apart tender. The lumpias are thin cigar shaped filled with meat. Crunchy. Garlic shrimp was garlicky and well cooked. Bayrito with chicken 🍗 was also good. Will be back when they open with a full menu.

Service and vibes here get 5 stars! Everyone working was super friendly and welcoming (and hilarious). It's a causal vibe bar, but was kid-friendly during dinner time. The food here is good, it's solid. They offer appetizers, bowls, and more. My favorite items were the lumpia and the bayrito! The bayrito is huge and packed full of tots and meat (I had the kalua pork). The bowls were all good looking and the portions are generous. Overall, a solid spot for bar-like food.

Spent ages looking for this place. Apparently they have moved several blocks right next to City Fish restaurant on 30 East Santa Clara st, between first street and second street. Windowless hole in the wall, noisy, and tables sticky. Service slow, and I noticed most of the soft drinks on the fountain dispenser were empty. $17 rice bowl with bbq chicken was very bland, so bland that wife had to add some sweet and spicy sauce to liven things up. The $18 tapa rice bowl with rib eye was totally overwhelmed with vinegar, drowning in it. Cook must have used tablespoons instead of teaspoons of vinegar when cooking the item. Almost inedible. At least the mac salad was good, not too much mayonnaise, and still tasty. Sketchy area with homeless in the corners. Would advise females not to come here alone at night. No wonder they close at 830pm.

Had a work event here, and the workers were very accommodating and friendly. there is plenty of seating here as well. There's also a bar with TVs. All we ordered were the sandwiches and the sides. For the sides we had the salad and the tater tots. The the tater tots could've been better because they were not crispy and tasted bland. The sandwiches are very flavorful and filling. They have a variety of meat options for the sandwiches. I ordered the sisi to see which was very delicious.

Came here as I was craving for Filipino food. Located at downtown San Jose. Street parking was a bit hard to find as usual. There's a parking lot right down the street so be prepared to pay premium for that. Ambiance here is great as we walked in. Lots of space. Staff and chefs were friendly. Big tv at the bar area, perfect for game night or just pure entertainment. Table was totally tropical style as we found a little sticky. Probably from all the frying at the open kitchen. Food here is solid. We liked everything we ordered: pineapple sweet chili wings, Lechon, Lechon sisig, kalbi short ribs, garlic fried rice. Would definitely come back.

Celebrated Andree's 43rd birthday dinner here tonight with my family and parents. This is sorta a hidden gem in DT SAN JOSE. Closest to SJ MINI BOSS. I'm Filipino American, so I'm always down to find representation in the best local Filipino food spots. I Spent about $130 after tax and tip, and honestly we lucked out in many ways! Dined in around 6:30 PM, there were a few already dining in, but we still managed to seat our party of 7 easily. Not much seating as the restaurant is small, but it was still comfortably spacious. Service was quick as in the waitress was quick to seat us, was more than ready to take our order, and food came out quick. The food was decently portioned, aesthetically pleasing to look at, and prices were okay. The quality of food (at least what I tried the Chicken BBQ Burger) was okay; was kind of hoping it would taste more like a chicken inasal marinade. And according to my parents, the spam musubis and Mac salads were just okay. My partner did enjoy his spicy poke and said it was delicious! He also was treated to a free halo halo , for his bday with a surprise sparkler to make it even more epic. Definitely will come back again, since the halo halo is a limited find in the Bay Area!

My friend and I were looking for a dinner spot in downtown San Jose before bar hopping and came across Hula. We came in around 6:30pm on a Friday and were seated right away. The place is pretty long and narrow, so upon coming inside we followed the waitress to the back where you can see them cooking behind the counter. We ordered lumpia to start and the lumpia was so good. It was very hot temperature wise when it came out, but that was a good indicator they were fresh out of the frier. I got the kalbi short ribs rice bowl and you get a side choice of either Mac salad or green salad. I went with a green salad but will definitely try the Mac salad next time. My friend got the chicken adobo and the chicken was so tender and soft, and the flavor was amazing. We agreed we would both return to try other dishes here like the pork belly and we saw the table next to us share a huge Halo-Halo shaved ice with ube ice cream dessert. I will be trying the dessert when I return!

It's a cute little restaurant in downtown SJ. The entrance is facing one of the main streets. Pork sisig: Pretty standard sisig though heavy on the fat. I would've liked to have more lean meat. Garlic rice: One of my favorite garlic rices! Lots of garlic flavor really yummy. Da situation with pork tocino: Tater tots with pork tocino, pretty americanized dish but still really good with the sauce and everything. The tocino sort of reminds me of char siu. This spot is closer to an Americanized Filipino fast food place. While it was generally good it's too heavy for my tastes.

Came here at 7:30 pm right before closing with my friend and thankfully they accepted us in still! The place is relatively small and was packed so we did wait a bit before our order was taken but nonetheless I got the Kalua Pork rice plate. It was super tender, moist, and rich. I felt as if it would've been better with a bit more salt because it felt lacking in seasoning but otherwise it paired well with the rice and macaroni salad which was creamy and a bit sweet and tangy. The service was so nice and the food was good so I would definitely recommend!

I love this spot! The ambiance takes you to the islands, I love how they decorated. The vibe is dope and they play island reggae to complete the experience. The bathroom is a vibe too with it's dope decorations. Everyone was so welcoming! Service was fantastic! Pam is the best! The Food! When you come here, you want to get 1 of everything. If you know the Hula Truck, then you know the food here is bomb. You can get some of their food truck favs such as my personal favorites the Chicken Adobo Omelet, Da Sitaution, and the Bayrito with your choice of meat. Then of course you can indulge in some of your Filipino favs. The lumpia hits the spot! The pineapple sweet chili wings are fire. You can never go wrong with their rice bowls! Their tocino, longanisa, kalua pork, and lechon....all bomb! And don't forget to add your egg that's always served sunny side up. We tried so many dishes and everything was amazing! The Drinks! Get the mimosas! Order a bottle with your choice of juices. They have calamansi, guava, pineapple, and POG juices! They were all so tasty, but my personal fav was the calamansi juice paired with champagne, who would have thought that this would be so delicious! Located in downtown San Jose. There's paid street parking. Was fairly easy to find a spot on the street on a Saturday afternoon. After indulging in all of the deliciousness, you'll need a little walk back to your car. Overall, don't sleep on this spot! If you're in the area, check them out. If you're in the Bay, be sure to head to San Jose for some legit Filipino & Hawaiian food! You won't be disappointed! Mahalo for the amazing brunch experience!!

Saw their food truck before but never had a chance to try it then. A friend who has visited many times - they know her by name and vice versa - suggested we meet at this spot. It's right in the heart of Downtown San Jose, on East Santa Clara Street (iykyk). Parking was a breeze on a weeknight. The crew there was super friendly, and our food came out fast. We went for two family-style dishes to share among three of us, along with lumpia for starters. Of course, we couldn't resist some garlic rice. The verdict? Everything was not just tasty but were in generous portions that we left with leftovers. We ordered the family style Lechon Sisig, Porkbelly Lechon, chicharon, lumpias, and some sangrias (which were pretty strong). I know, it's like all pork! But my fave was the Sisig, absolutely delicious. Delicious food and great value. Thinking of bringing the whole fam here next time or just grabbing some takeout.

We dined here on a Friday night and the place was almost empty!! Was hoping based on the name it had more selection of Hawaiian food and less of Filipino cuisine. It was the other way around!! We ordered the poke nachos (3-star), broiled Kama (3-stars), beef short ribs (3-star) and Filipino bbq (3-star) along with garlic rice. The food is generally good. The BBQ and beef was a bit on the salty side and the next day I felt bloated and also a mild dizziness (which I get with MSG). I didn't think to ask them if they use MSG but seems like they probably do. The service was good and staff was friendly. Good place to try and specially for take-outs.

Small place, bravo for opening in downtown SJ as there's are a lot of turnovers. Arrived about 130pm and food came out after 5mins which is relatively quick for an entree. Ordered da situation with eggs. The tots were nicely fried. The pork is sweet and tad spicy like sweet chili flavor. The pico helps cut the heavy flavors but I wished there was more or I just really like pico. The egg def makes the dish come together but extra $2. The portion is sufficient to feed 1.5 persons. I'd come back to try their other stuff.

I always have meat on my mind... go ahead say it "that's what she said". Feel better? Anywho, I've been craving pork lately so I knew I had to get the Pork Belly Lechon. It came with rice and I opted for the mac salad topped with fried egg of course. It definitely hit the spot. The lechon was crispy, and perfectly seasoned. We also got the lumpia because it's a great filler and a must have at any Filipino establishment/gathering/ etc.. Overall, good service, good food.

I need to update my review to a 5. They've worked out every issue I mentioned and are now one of my favorite spots in San Jose. Drinks are good and there's a ton of options. The friendly staff makes the experience! I cannot emphasize enough how tasty everything is! I don't think you can go wrong no matter what you order.

I was really craving some authentic Shanghai lumpia. We tried calling 4 times within an hour and no answer so we came down. We ordered 2 orders of lumpia, garlic fried rice and pork belly lechon. The rice was very garlicky but no real other flavor or seasoning. Soy sauce made it "ok" but it went into the trash. We got the pork because people on here said the seasoning was really good. Usually this kind of pork is crisp like a chiccaron ... but it was more like how people dont fully cook the bacon, where if someone wants to chomp on greasy fat chunks. That whole thing minus 2 pieces went into the trash. I think they forgot "seasoning". The lumpia was ok but definitely not authentic shanghai lumpia.we also came on a weekend so it was super loud since they had a rowdy crowd watching a boxing match.

This place is so good! Not a lot of Filipino restaurants in downtown I wish they had this place when I was living here. The food is delicious. For the poke nachos they added the right amount of poke. I wonder if there's an option to add something sweet like a sauce to balance the salty spicy flavor?! The Sisig was to die for and the shrimp was flavorful! Their garlic fried rice taste just like how my parents make it. The workers were super tentative and welcoming. Id come again!

Hula has a nice location on a walkable street. The food smells amazing right when you walk in the door. The servers were kind and helpful. I tried the pork bowl with an egg added, POG juice, and halo halo. All were delicious! The juice had a floral touch for a nice presentation. A fruit fly also enjoyed it so they brought me out another one right away. :) Great place for a quick bite with Filipino favorites!

I love finding Filipino restaurants! It's become more common over the past 10 years, for sure. I know how to cook several Filipino dishes but sometimes, you just want it already cooked for you. I tried Hula Bar's Lechon Bowl and Lechon Sisig Tacos. Both flavor packed! I love the table side mango sriracha too. My only qualm is the rice is a little hard. I'd love to come back with a group of ppl and try more of their family style dishes and desserts. They are located down town, so street parking is all you've got.

After a comedy show at the improv, we grabbed a bite at Hula bar and kitchen. We sat at the bar since there were no tables available. Busy restaurant with servers hustling and being attentive. Lively atmosphere while sitting at the bar! We ordered lechon sisig, spicy ahi tuna salad, garlic fried rice, halo halo and a Kona big wave to wash it all down. Kona big wave beer was cool and refreshing and was good with what we had. 4/5 Lechon sisig was pretty good and tasty. Perfect ratio of fat and lean meat. They give plenty for two people to share. I think it would have been enough for 3! 5/5 Garlic fried rice was flavorful! Enough garlic to scare vampires away, for sure! But I love garlic! I don't usually eat too much rice at night but I uncontrollably kept eating and eating!! 5/5 Spicy ahi tuna salad was too much for my palate. I think if they used romaine lettuce, it would have been perfect. But mixed greens isn't much and it tasted like I was eating only dressing. 2/5 Halo halo was nice to have after lots of savory foods. Lightly sweetened and perfect way to end the evening. We all enjoyed this dessert. 5/5 Definitely will remember this spot whenever we're at the improv!

This place is casual and serves what I would consider to be comfort food, like a slightly elevated version of a plate lunch place. The pork belly rice plate was very enjoyable- nicely crispy, so even though the fat is there, you don't feel so much like you're eating fat. The chimichurri sauce was a nice addition to add flavor to the pork, which would have been flavorful enough on its own, but this added more. Rice and mac salad was good, portion size was right sized, service was good as well. Would love to try other dishes here. This was our first time and we enjoyed it.

We heard about this place by family and friends about a restaurant that serves Hawaiian food as well as Filipino food. As far as Filipino restaurants in the Bay Area, this is a pretty good one as far as ambiance and restaurant feel. There is no convenient parking so you really have to be parking savvy. There is a garage on market street that is free for the 1st 90 minutes, then you have to walk a couple of blocks. Our server was nice and accommodating. They had the television on so we chatted about what was on for a bit. The food was pretty good. I had the Kahula pig. It was as expected. The garlic wings was good too. As far as Hawaiian food, it is up there. Overall: if you're in tha area give it a go

Hula Bar and Kitchen takes you away from the hustle and bustle of real life! The inside is pretty dark, and the decor/music gives you tiki bar vibes. It's pretty small inside so very limited seating. This not the place for large groups as there is only 1 big table at the front (seats 10). My group of 4 ended up sharing the large table with another group of 2. They have a couple seats on the side if you're waiting, but other than that you'll have to wait outside. Menus are scan to view. I hate and love this concept because if you don't have signal, it's a major pain. Portion size is great and definitely made to share. Menu options lean on the meatier side, which is expected considering its Hawaiian/Filipino fusion. Lechon Sisig - 10/5 If you're gonna get any one thing here, this would have to be it!!! This baby comes out on a sizzling platter, topped with whole thai chilies and chopped red onion/jalapeno. Make sure you squeeze the lime juice over sisig for the ultimate savory, tangy, crispy, fatty flavor bomb. If you like things a little spicy like me, nibble on those thai chilies or chop them up and mix them in! Does not come with rice though, so make sure you order some on the side. Good size for 2-4 to share, depending on what else you're ordering. Da Situation - 3/5 Basically totchos! I am a total tater tot girl. If it's on the menu, I'm getting it. The tots themselves were perfectly done. Whole and crispy, without being overly cooked and dry. You get your choice of meat on top, so we opted for tocino.. I felt like this one had a lot of potential but even with all the sauce on top, it just felt very one dimensional and flat. The tocino pieces were kinda dry, and barely chopped. We had huge pieces scattered around, which just doesn't complement the dish overall. The flavor was nice and sweet, but kinda lean for tocino. The tots didn't have enough cheese, and the pico de gallo was just a small sprinkle on top :( Spicy Poke Nachos - 2/5 I was most excited for this dish and then come to find out, it was the most disappointing. The only good thing about the dish was the wonton chips!! So crunchy and delicious! The rest of it was so meh. The sauces on top were really salty and overpowered everything. The poke itself was just a small amount, which would have been fine had it actually tasted good. The poke was so chewy and dry.. definitely not fresh at all and though we opted for the spicy version, we didn't taste any spiciness. Not worth the $$! Lumpia - 4/5 Taste wise, it's a good lumpia, but is it worth $9.. no freakin way. They were crunchy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and served with a side of sweet chili sauce. Good for 2-3 to share if you just want a lil sumthin else but otherwise, I'd probably recommend a different appetizer that has more bang for your buck. Garlic Rice - 4/5 Do not over order!!! Our group of 4 ordered 2 sides of this, and two massive plates of rice came out. We were expecting two little bowls. Unless you're hella hungry, one order should feed at least 3-4 people. Would have been nice if the waitress told us this, and suggested we start with 1 order first but whatever. The garlic rice was cooked well... It had the garlic essence I look for without being too oily like some places. Garlic rice is essential, especially with Filipino cuisine, so get you some to go with all your other yummies. Even though the inside is small, we really didn't get great service. We were checked on once and that was it. We needed more water towards the end of our meal and flagged a waitress down, but she never came back with it. It took a while for us to even close out because nobody came over, and it wasn't until the cook/owner? (had an apron on) came over to check on us that we were able to get to go boxes, our check, etc. The restaurant is new, still has its grand opening sign up, so I think they just need to work out some of the kinks. I'd love to come back and try a little more from the rest of the menu. Might be hard though, because the lechon sisig will always be a repeat every visit!!!

Got a Kalbi Short Rib rice bowl, Mamas Lumpia, Pork Belly Lechon rice bowl, and Calamansi mimosa. This place is pretty pricey. For 8 pieces of lumpia we paid $9. The lumpia was good but def on the pricier side. My friends all got the pork belly Lechon rice bowl. They enjoyed the meat with the sauce it came with. I got the kalbi short ribs and wasn't a really big fan. It was a bit tough to eat. We all thought the Mac salad was a bit on the soupier side. I felt like the Mac salad could've been a lot creamier but it was very loose? Not sure if I'd come back. Also parking is hard to find in this area. The positive side about this place was the pretty plants inside! Super cute vibes going on in the restroom. Also they have a 5% off when you check in, but one of the owners said they haven't heard of it or done it. I think this place was a nice place to hang out. It wasn't too busy during noon on a Saturday and we stayed here for a bit. Service was super nice, they were also really quick!

If I could give zero stars I would. Their posted hours on Yelp say they open at 11:30. I got there at 11:53 and they were not opened. There were a few people waiting outside hopeful for their opening as well. Left disappointed and not wanting to try this business ever again. I checked their Instagram, no update on their store hours and on their highlights where they posted the hours, it matches the one on Yelp. Really rude and disrespectful to not care about people's time. I paid an hour for street parking and didn't want it to go to waste so was forced to check out nearby eateries, so I guess I'm grateful for that. Their poor business led me to find another great (& opened) business.

We went to Hula Bar and Kitchen around 1:30pm on a Saturday. It was around the mid 70s outside, but it felt 10 degrees hotter in the restaurant. There was a giant fan on, but I wondered if it was because there was no AC or if it was ventilating the space. We were advised to take any table, so we took the one right next to the fan. Straight up, what's up with the sticky table? We thought it wasn't cleaned, but the server mentioned "It's just like that." Code word for failing varnish. Got it. I did find the Bay Area legends wallpaper in the bathroom pretty cool though. Besides the home improvements, I thought the service and food were great. As a Filipino who doesn't eat pork, I had a hard time finding items on the menu that I wanted to eat. I ordered the pineapple chili wings and tried my sister's shrimp bowl with mac salad. The pineapple chili wings were fantastic, and I would definitely come back for them. Their mac salad was quite unique. Can't put my finger as to why. Maybe it was a little sweeter than I'm used to. I also thought it was interesting how they used a different type of pasta instead of elbows. Lastly, I was a huge fan of the flavor and quality of the shrimp. The shrimp were huge and smothered in a garlic sauce. Solid garlic rice.

Great Filipino Food. This place also serves Hawaiian food, but my family (7 of us in total) only had the sisig, lechon, fried rice, and filipino BBQ. All the food was good. With the three entrees we had more than enough for all of us. Seats here are mostly for smaller parties. My family took a combination of cars and the light rail (get off at Santa Clara). It was a good bite before the Sharks game. Service can get busy with the game (but there were a few small tables still available).

A rounded up 4.5 :) When I saw TikTok's/reels about Hula Bar, I immediately bookmarked it on Yelp. I was in San Jose this past weekend and finally got to give it a try! The restaurant is smaller than I thought, so I'd imagine it'd get pretty busy during main meal times. We stopped by about an hour (or less - sorry!) before they closed and thankfully they were still able to serve us. Food: - Lechon Sisig Street Taco (5/5): I'm still thinking about this taco and it's been DAYS. Like seriously y'all, it was so good that I tried to recreate it at home. I failed (the pinay in me is ashamed) but I guess that just means I have to go there again real soon! - Thinly Sliced Rib Eye Tapa Rice Bowl (5/5): so simple and so good. It doesn't look like it, but it packs so much flavor! - Spicy Garlic Shrimp Rice Bowl (2/5): annnd the reason for the 4.5 :/ ah man, idk what it was but it just didn't taste like it sounded. Not spicy and I wasn't getting a strong garlic flavor. I expected it to taste like the garlic shrimp I'd get from a food truck in Hawaii. Maybe I'll have to try it again next time. The service was great! Speedy and never felt like we were being pushed out even when they were closing. In fact they were super friendly and fun! I definitely recommend checking this spot out - or if you can't, check out their food truck, Hula Truck! Though, I've had food from their truck and the restaurant food was better!

A pleasant surprise. This is kind of a Filipino fusion spot. I was surprised by how flavorful and tasty everything was. Adobe omelette: wish the egg wrap was a lil thicker but that's my only complaint on this dish. The fried rice omg... So savory and the adobo very tender and flavorful. Tocino bayritto: you can choose from 5 or so different proteins. I got the tocino which gave it some sweetness which was interesting. They also have different kinds of meats should you prefer. I'm sure all the meat choices would be pretty fire in a burrito. The tater tots I thought was a good touch. It gives it a nice crunch almost like a California burrito. Pineapple chili wings: wings were perfectly crispy and the sauce was good. Only complaint was I didn't taste the pineapple at all. I really would have liked to taste that pineapple flavor. Overall really enjoyed my dining experience here and will def be back

We came around 7pm on Saturday and were seated right away at the bar. We waited about half an hour for our food, but it was worth the wait! - lechon sisig: this was my favorite and the meat was crispy - da situation with tocino: we really liked this and I couldn't stop eating it after I was already stuffed - adobo omelette: our least favorite since the chicken was kind of bland The items were all big portions and we really liked it overall. The service was super nice too! We definitely will be back to try the turon

"Where did it go?? It's gone!? ...We should've gone here last week." - my mom after eating the turon at Hula Bar Hula Bar and Kitchen is now my favorite Filipino eatery in the South Bay -- bringing a modern take on traditional Filipino dishes. They give huge portion sizes and everything I've had is delicious so far. The servers were also really nice and the place was bustling throughout the lunch hour! Turon w/ ube ice cream: 5/5 Tastes like my mom's handmade turon, but better HAHA. If you haven't had this before, it's fried bananas with ube ice cream, drizzled with condensed milk. A perfect sweet dessert to top off your meal and I think they use Magnolia ice cream as well. It's one of my favorite Filipino desserts and a MUST-TRY if you come here! (I like this even more than the halo halo, even though they're both good!) Lumpia: 5/5 Absolutely solid. They're Filipino versions of egg rolls, served with sweet and sour sauce. Perfect to split with your party and a good appetizer. A must-have if you're eating here! Pork Belly Lechon Rice Bowl: 5/5 Pork belly served with rice, a choice of side (we got Mac salad), and you can top it with an egg for $1. It was really good and filling, they do not hold back on portion sizes! I recommend dipping the meat into the mangtomas sauce! Adobo Omelette: 5/5 This omelette was HUGE, plenty to split between 2-3 people! This dish was adobo and garlic fried rice, wrapped in an egg. The egg really complimented to fried rice and I really enjoyed it! There was so much adobo and when paired with the fried rice, it was YUM. It's giant so I recommend sharing! The restaurant is on a busy street, so you either have to find street parking or park in one of the DTSJ garages. If you decide to look for a garage, I recommend the one near 4th St. and Santa Clara St. (across from Con Azucar Cafe). They have free parking for 90 minutes. It gets busy from 12pm-1pm bc of the lunchtime rush, so I'd also recommend visiting outside of that time period. Overall, I had a great time at Hula Bar and I'm excited to come back! I'm so glad I finally have a place to take my friends that isn't Jollibee LOL. Hope to return soon!

Solid spot for Filipino and Hawaiian fusion food! It was all really great although the lechon was really fatty. Other than that, good spot to satisfy your Filipino food cravings

Hula Bar and Kitchen is one of my favorite new restaurants right now. The price is right and the flavors are fantastic. We ordered lechon sisig and da situation with tocino. The proteins were cooked perfectly with the meat being juicy and the fat rendered down just right. The onions and peppers in the sisig were great. The hot sauce was *chef's kiss*. I can't wait to come back with a bigger group so we can also try the halo halo and turon with ube ice cream. I hope you enjoy Hula as much as we did!

YAY! SJ HULA BAR & KITCHEN IS FINALLY OPEN! I had tried their food from the food truck a year ago since it's my boyfriend's favorite spot. Their Bayrito is delicious & comes packed with tater tots and your choice of meat. Lemme tell you, anything you order will get you stuffed. I got put into an immediate food coma bc I wanted to try everything. Lumpia Shanghai is a staple. Cant go wrong ordering this & it's so crispy. LOVE IT! Mac Salad: def one if not my favorite Mac salad. It's super creamy & sweet. Da Situation: I ended up eating like a quarter of it before I started getting full. I ordered mine with Lechon & it had cheese, egg & tots. I think this is served better with Mang Tomas. Turon & Ube Ice Cream: This Turon was crispy & had strings of jackfruit! it was freshly made and the pairing with the ube ice cream & condensed milk, just topped the meal like a cherry on top. Seating inside is limited. There are some tables & a bar area but when I visited on a Sunday at lunchtime, tables were constantly being occupied. They're located in dtsj, so parking is either on the street or nearby garages. I parked at San Pedro Square & just walked. Pam is the sweetest! So happy they're finally opened. It won't be the last time I'll be here.

Friendly when you walk in, you get the island greeting. Cute inside, makes you feel like your on an island somewhere w/the music that's playing in the background. WINNING! especially when your from the islands pretty cool that they actually offer Family Style on the menu, of course that's what I ordered cause I came w/the kiddos & they be wasting$$ even though I actually wanted to try almost everything on the menu. While we waited, it smelled hella good cause their literally cooking in the dining area. Tease Tease...so the anticipation of us waiting for our food was making our mouths water as we wait for the goodies to come out to our table. We also came straight from church, so we're Xtra hungry cause it's Lunch Time. They have parking located in the back $10 flat fee, street parking Of Course IF you find any.

Stumbled upon this place since I wanted to try something new in downtown SJ. I've had Filipino food before through my friends so that trying out this location was a good idea and it was! Absolutely loved the ambiance of this place - warm lighting, brick wall, and full view of all the food coming out. In my opinion, it was definitely very intimate and homey. Service was also homey as well - very welcoming and patient. Food is technically fusion Hawaiian and Filipino food and we ordered Lechon Sisig, Poke Nachos, and Galbi Rice Bowl. My god - heaven! Everything was seasoned so well and had such a good balance. Loved the Lechon Sisg - but my guilty pleasure had to be the Poke Nachos. They were so addicting to eat. Portion size were very generous so we ended up with left overs which I was super excited. Def will be back!

Picked up lunch on a Friday afternoon, and had a good experience. It's a fairly small restaurant (about 6-7 tables inside), the setting simple but inviting, brick walls, beautiful light fixtures hanging from the ceiling, and a few plants to add to the overall ambience of the place. The workers were friendly, patiently answered my questions about menu items, and provided immediate service. I ordered the adobo omellet, a hula truck favorite, and it was a giant mountain of garlic adobo rice, a good hearty meal if you're hungry. Honestly one order can easily feed two people. It was delicious, with a good balance of flavors, slightly dry, but nothing a little mango sriracha can't fix (if you like that spice). I was quoted 5 minutes for my order to be ready, and it was ready in 6 minutes. Not bad. I'll be back to try other items on their menu.

Everything was full of flavor and delicious! I'm not a mac salad person and I even liked that! The portions was big enough to eat with 3 people. I was with my boyfriend, our guy friend, and me. The drinks were tasty but on the sweet side. It can be loud inside but it's a vibe. Lastly, parking can be rough downtown SJ so I would recommend park in the garage. A little walk but worth it. I would go here again.

I went here on a Saturday around 6:30 pm (before the place blew up on TikTok). We were a group of 5 and we were seated right away. The restaurant itself is pretty small and you can actually see them cooking behind the register. The pork belly lechon and lechon sisig were sold out for the day so we weren't able to try it. We ended up ordering the Chicken Adobo, the Head-on Spicy Shrimp, 2 orders of the Garlic Fried Rice and "Da Situation" with Toccino. I was expecting chicken adobo but the flavor didn't taste like it- at all. It tasted more like Kalua Pork but chicken. If I had ordered Kalua chicken I would have been ok with it, but since I was expecting chicken adobo, I expected more flavors for it. I did not like this dish. The garlic fried rice smelled amazing and I couldn't wait to dig into it and then I did. It lacked a lot of flavor. Maybe a little more salt and Garlic? The shrimps were HUGE! I was a bit hesitant to try the Head-on Spicy Shrimp since I can't handle spice well (anymore), but my friends told me to try one because it wasn't spicy. I tried one and it wasn't spicy nor did it have any flavor. I thought I was getting sick because I couldn't taste anything, but the rest of the table agreed and were also disappointed that it wasn't even spicy. Da Situation with Toccino was the highlight of everything. The tots were crispy and the toppings were packed with flavor. This was the only order we actually finished. The people were welcoming and friendly and our server made sure to check up on us occasionally and fill our waters. The vibe was chill and I did like the presentation of our food, but 3/4 of our dishes lacked flavor and their popular dishes were sold out. Maybe we came at a bad time? There was a convention going on as well a prom and another event downtown. I would try this place one more time just for "Da Situation" and to see if the pork belly lechon (I think this is their Lechon Kawali?) and lechon sisig is available.

A def hole-in-the-wall located in downtown San Jose. Honestly wouldn't notice it if I was walking by, unless I was actually trying to look for it. Interior is super cute and welcoming! Hula Bar is a fusion of Hawaiian and Filipino cuisine. Mostly pork dishes but they have other options too. Service is very attentive and friendly! I can tell they make their food with lots of love and care. Great for large groups so you can order the family style. My friends and I ordered a little bit of everything. I liked the lumpia with the sweet and chili dipping sauce. I got the bayrito {which had tater tots, egg (extra $2, and choice of meat (longanisa)}. It was def a big portion and very filling. Like a breakfast burrito Family style {pork lechon, chicken adobo, garlic shrimp, lechon sisig, garlic fried rice}. We had leftovers! Overall flavorful dishes. I def recommend checking them out!

I wasn't sure what to expect from this new-age Filipino restaurant, but after coming here several times, I have to say it was satisfying on all fronts - food services and location. My only concern is that so many places are closing due to the lack of foot traffic downtown. I worry that they won't get enough business to stay open. In the meantime, I'll keep coming back. BB

Came here for a Saturday dinner and loved the food and vibes!!! The moment we walked in, the music was bumping, people were smiling, and the staff were so friendly and chill. We ordered the lumpia for appetizer, I got the crispy pork belly lechon rice bowl, and also shared the fried turon with ube ice cream for dessert. All of the food was delicious- the lumpia super crispy with a well seasoned filling, AMAZING crunch on the lechon and good pairing sauce, and the combo of the warm crispy fried turon and the cool ice cream- my mouth is watering thinking about it again.... The rice bowl was a good portion, I felt pretty full, and the meat was good quality and tasted great- not too much fat, just the right amount to feel a little guilty :) The sauce was a mix of herbs and sauces that provided a gentle savory tang and spice- very good. Paired with fluffy white rice and fresh greens, yum!!!! The turon dessert had both banana and jackfruit wrapped in the fried skin, and was nice and warm with the quality ube ice cream! We could taste the bits of ube in the ice cream, that's when you know it's good. Very attentive staff, kept checking on us throughout our meal. My only note is they close at 8, a bit earlier than other restaurants in the area, so try to get there a little earlier. Would love to come back and try more items off their menu!!! Everything honestly looked so good, go support em!

As someone who only prefers eating their Filipino mother's authentic food, Hula bar and Kitchen created the perfect meal! My girlfriend and I ordered: -Pork sisig: Pork belly lechon, onion, garlic soy and lime juice, served on a sizzling platter. (Serves 2) -Garlic fried rice: serves 2-3 -Ube Area: ube flavored ale 5.5% ABV Alameda Island Brewing Company (on tap) Per my girlfriend who only orders sisig at all Filipino restaurants: Please add an egg for this order, it's so worth it! I thought this lechon sisig was flavored very well, no particular flavor over powered each other, it was balanced. As a sisig lover, you know how oily it can be, you almost expect it. It wasn't too oily, and I didn't feel like a grease ball after 3 bites. I loved how it came on a sizzling plate, and wasn't burnt. It has big pieces of pork, you can definitely tell it's lechon. It also comes with little chilis on the side of the dish just in case you can't handle any heat, but if you can handle some spice, it adds the extra oomph it needed. 10/10 would recommend. Garlic rice was perfect! Steaming hot fluffy rice and no burnt bits of garlic to be found. I'd say it serves 2 people though, not quite 3. The food was so good I went for seconds and thirds so there wasn't that much left when I put it in my to-go container Ube Area beer was great! Served in a cold can and a frozen glass. Soft biscuit malt body paired with the nutty vanilla flavors of Ube give this beer hella cookie vibes. Oh yeah, and it's purple too! I definitely recommend this place. Good for groups too and there's bar seating as well. Ambiance is trendy. Servers and cooks are so nice. They're bumping Hawaiian islander music that makes it feel like you're in Hawaii. Can't wait to come in another time! Thanks for representing hella good Filipino food in the Bay Area!

Yay, new addition to DTSJ! This place just opened in March 2023 and I'm so happy there's good Filipino food in the area now. We stopped by for dinner after work on a Friday. Came in right at 5pm and got seated asap. The two staff working were super friendly and very attentive. Very chill vibes in here. Scan QR code to view menu. Simple menu and everything sounded delicious but we stuck with ordering a side of lumpias and 2 rice bowls: grilled shrimp and pork tocino. The bill came out to be about $50ish. Probably a little expensive but definitely delicious and worth it! Ooh there's also a delicious bottle of sauce on table (tasted a bit like pineapple and some kind of hot sauce mixed together). Interior is spacious with lots of tables and seats plus a couple seats at the bar. Btw definitely check out the restroom, lol. Very clean and decorative restroom! Check out this spot if you're in the area for lunch or dinner. I'm just around the corner so I'll be returning on my lunch breaks or dinner to try the rest of the menu :)

We flew in to San Jose for the weekend and met up with family to try this spot. We ordered 4 dishes to share - pineapple wings, da situation, lechon sisig and garlic shrimp with 2 orders of rice for 4 people to share. The portions were large and it was definitely more than enough for 4. My favorites were the wings and da situation - we ordered it with lechon and it was very crispy and flavorful. I was most excited about the sisig, however I thought it was a little dry and too burnt for my taste. The shrimp was Cajun style and tasted good as well. There is only indoor seating. There is a large communal table in the front of the restaurant along with another small table. There's also a bar with a few seats and 3-5 tables in the back that can seat about 6. It was a bit crowded in the back as the walkways are narrow. Street or garage parking only. We parked in a lot on 4th street that had 90 minutes free parking.

Came here to try out their Filipino food before an event. The restaurant was pretty empty, though some people came by to order food to-go while we were here. The staff were pretty chill with my friend group being loud and unorganized, so props to them for dealing with us and getting the billing right even though we didn't all order at the same time. My boyfriend and I got the Lechon Sisig with an egg and a side of garlic rice, as well as the Turon (which automatically comes with ube ice cream now). The lechon was really great, crispy and not too fatty, and paired well with the garlic rice. It had a good amout of flavor, and it was a hefty amount that we saved some for the next day. It would have been nice to know the additional price for the egg on the menu or when he asked us if we wanted it though. The turon was nicely fried, not too sweet with some great ice cream on top. It was a nice creamy dessert to have after the fatty meal. My friends ordered some of their rice bowls and their Dank Dust beer, which is apparently pretty unique to this place. I tried a little of the beer, and it was pretty strongly flavored, and those who do not like beer already would very much not like that either. I didn't try their rice bowls, but it sounded like they enjoyed their food too.

We were in the area for a 49er game and were on the lookout for Filipino food. Yelp led us to this restaurant and it did not disappoint. Food was excellent. We had our 1 year old with us and they didn't initially have a high chair, but the owner (Ryan?) tracked one down for us. He also provided my two daughters with fresh tater tots on the house, in case they were picky with the food (they weren't and they loved it). Kalua pork and chicken adobo were excellent. And the halo halo we got for dessert was very, very good. Highly recommend this place! Thanks!

Loved this place! Kitchen area is open so you can see cooks prepare food right across the bar. Nice rustic style interior and great music playing. There's also a T.V to enjoy any sports game that's on. The staff is very approachable, friendly people that make sure you're well taken care of. Food wise, it's legit. Sooooo tasty. We ordered chicharon for appetizer and came to us fresh, crackling and everything. A nice soft but crunchy bite to it and it's light so I didn't feel guilty at all eating it. The sukang sawsawan (vinegar dipping sauce) that comes with it adds a nice kick. I personally got the kalbi ribs with mac salad and I enjoyed every second of it. Ribs were perfectly tender with the sweet and salty of the marinate. The mac salad was refreshing. For dessert we got the turon with ube ice cream which we also enjoyed. Will definitely be back & highly recommend trying this place!!

Solid. Little gem in downtown San Jose with Hawaiian style food. We ordered the garlic shrimp plate, adobo chicken and the pork belly platter. All were fantastic. We started out with the pork skin rinds with a yummy chimichurri sauce. Service was good too with a smile from all the service staff.

I've never really had Filipino food so was excited to try this place when my friend mentioned new restaurants in the area (note: this is a long overdue review). This place is tucked into downtown San Jose, so parking can be difficult. It is also on the smaller side. We ended up sitting at the bar seating since it was only myself and my friend. After much deliberation, we chose to get the adobo omelette and sisig bowl. Service was fairly quick and good overall. The sisig bowl was an absolute winner. Not only was the flavor. Excellent, but the crunchiness from the fried pieces of pork belly or a great texture addition. My friend also asked for banana ketchup, which I have never tried before. It was a nice, sweet savory addition to the dish. The adobo omelette was also good, but if I had to choose only one dish to recommend, I would definitely recommend the sisig bowl.