Teresa B.
Yelp
We had no idea what to expect from Jollibee. My husband and I had heard of this Filipino-based fast food joint but didn't know what could be special about another fried chicken place. So...we had to go and see what the hype is all about. Well, now we know, and we see why there is a following.
Now, here's the crazy thing for us. Jollibee is known for a few things. It's not just fried chicken but spaghetti and palabok, a Filipino noodle dish. We didn't try the spaghetti and palabok but are saving those for a future visit. We were there for the chicken. It was good. The chicken was juicy with a nice flavor and came with gravy for dipping. Oh boy, that gravy was worth the trip. Why don't other places do that? We're not talking a little bowl of gravy, we're talking an ample portion that will be more than plenty for the chicken and then some...
Now let me mention one thing about the chicken: it will matter to some. They serve thighs and drumsticks. Dark meat only. I know some people that are hardcore anti-dark meat chicken eaters. Not us. We prefer it. We'll take thighs and drumsticks over white meat pieces. I mean, if you want juicy chicken, those are the parts to go for. So for those who won't let a piece of dark meat chicken cross your lips, this may not be the place for you, but I encourage you to try it and fix your flavor buds!
You get to pick sides depending on whether you buy a "meal" or not. What we ordered came with three sides. The sides you have to pick from are a carbohydrate trifecta: french fries, mashed potatoes, and rice. You can get your rice plain or get seasoned adobo rice. We went with fries, mashed potatoes with gravy (yes, more gravy), and adobo rice. We favored the potato options over the rice, but the rice was also tasty.
Jollibee is also known for a couple of other things: their pineapple drink and peach mango fried pie. Wowee. If you like pineapple at all, you'll love the drink. It's very tropical. Then that hot fried pie! When we went, there was a seasonal option of a banana langka-flavored hot fried pie. That was another winner, especially with my husband, who likes all things banana.
The restaurant was clean, and the staff was helpful and courteous. This is a fast food joint, so there's no waitstaff to check on you, but the counter staff was helpful and made sure we had whatever we needed and asked for.
We will certainly be back. It's not close to our house (that could be a good thing), so it may not be something we frequent regularly, but it will be a place to have on the list of standbys to visit when we want something "a little bit different" from the usual fried chicken places. We still have to try the spaghetti and palabok.