KUSINA A Pinoy Turo Turo Restaurant

We had such an amazing meal! Not only was the food incredible but the owners are AMAZING. So friendly and welcoming. They gave us suggestions and all of them were great. We loved the halo halo, and it’s so cool how they’re all family recipes. So fresh & delicious.

We would give it 3.5 stars if possible. Nice staff/ clean space/ tropical ambiance. Phillipino food is kind of special, which depends on personal preference if you ask me. Too simple, kinda sweet, a bit oily, less veggies. Portions are not big, so some people might think it's a bit overpriced. Their famous dessert Halo Halo costs $14 per cup, which looks fancy but just puts pudding, ice cream, jelly, oatmeal, cereal, and canned fruits in a cup with crushed ice/water. We mixed well as their instruction and don't think it is tasty in the end.

A few days have passed since I've been to Kusina, and it hasn't been able to leave my mind since. One dish in particular that I've been thinking about is the pork adobo. Genuinely, some of the tastiest pork belly I've ever had. Everything here was delicious, so you know you can't go wrong with whatever you order. The service was so friendly and welcoming from the moment you walked through the door. When we were seated, they even came over to say hello and made sure we liked the food. There's a Filipino market right next store, and you can enter it through the back without having to go outside. Once we were done at the market, we had to return to try their halo halo, which was more than enough for all of my friends to share. I only have positive things to say about Kusina, and I cannot wait to return here for their delicious food and warm smiles.

Amazing. Spectacular. Delicious. The food was delicious and nostalgic!! Felt like coming home. If you want to experience fantastic food from Cebu or just the Philippines in general, this is it! My friends and I did things family style- our favorites were the chicken adobo (a classic), the macaroni salad, and our shared halo halo dessert. I even got a little souvenir :) The owners clearly take pride in their food and business. They were both very kind and patient. 12/10 would return 💕 (which we will tomorrow for their homemade ice creams!! Yum!!)

Excellent food and service! In full transparency, I am half Filipino so I was very very excited to try Kusina! | ordered the Lechon Kawali, my friend order the Sisig, and my other friend got the Sinigang. We also ordered the Pork Lumpia Shanghai. All were fantastic, huge portions. My pork belly was so good and so crispy, the skin was perfection. I think the plate could have used a brown sauce or perhaps a soy sauce but other than that, great flavor and lots of leftovers! The Sisig came out in this adorable heart shaped skillet with an over easy egg and had a mix of savory, tangy, and spicy note. The Sinigang had that classic, sour, and savory tamarind flavor that I love. The lumpia were huge and pretty filling. I'm curious to try the Chicken Adobo but my mom makes such a great one at home it's hard to try others, however this was a true taste of home! If you're seeking the comforting flavors of the Philippines, Kusina is your go to in Mounds View. They even have a Filipino Store next store with essentials!

When you enter, the first thing you will notice is the very cool structure that makes you feel like you're in another location. Is this the hidden gem of the North Metro? We ordered the Lechon Kawali, Lumpia Shanghai, #1 Appetizer, #2 Combo Plate meal and a Halo Halo to go. The food quality is a solid 10/10. The pork belly was mouth-droolingly delicious, the skin was crunchy and the meat was soft with a good bite. The Lumpia Shanghai was very well made and wasn't burnt. The appetizers is a must get but its definitely more than enough for 2 people. Get one if you want tonshare for a group of 4. The #2 combo was delicious as well, as the combination of the noodles, protein and rice and the sauce made for a very appealing dish that will satisfy your Philippine food craving. The amount of food you get may look small but they are VERY generous. Do not under estimate the amount of food you think you can consume, especially if you're very hungry. We love the amount we got as it was perfect for us 2. Seating was great. We did see that 2 bigger tables were reserved. You will have to get your own utensils and napkins and water. There is a water dispenser. Parking is tight but it is shared with the market next door. Overall, one of the better Phillipine restaurants we've been to. Would HIGHLY recommend.

Finally got a chance to stop by here to give it a try. I got Combo #1 and the skewer and lumpia was good but I didn’t care for the pancit. The Halo Halo was really good and I’ll definitely go back for more. The place is very spacious and service was fast. You order your food and it’s like cafeteria style. They have their own parking lot since they share it with the Filipino grocery store next door.

Oh my the food is really good.The best thing I like most is the hospitality where in you can see and feel the Filipino culture for being hospitable. 🙏♥️🫡 The atmosphere oh ny so homey. Thank you so much Jailyn and Scott🙏🫡♥️ -Madrid family- The Woodlands Texas

Some of the friendliest people you'll meet. I met the owner and shared stories while my wife used the bathroom. We were just checking the place out as we had already ate elsewhere, but had to order a Halo-Halo for dessert. It was the best Halo-Halo I'd ever had. Definitely took me back to visiting the Philippines. We really enjoyed our experience there and will have to chip away at everything on their menu. You can tell they really know what they're doing and the place is so clean and inviting. See you guys again soon. Salamat!

Easily a 5 star and no way I would give it any lower than such based on my multiple visits within just less than two months. Not only did they have amazing tasteful and economical food, but also they have very heartwarming service that I thought elevated the experience. For everyone within proximity to Mounds View, this is a must go, and a place that visitors need to make a regular stop for eating out. Pretty much everything was the best I have ever had in terms of Filipino cuisine. The chicken adobo was so flavorful that the rice they gave was arguably not enough because the broth was addictive. I could taste all the vinegar and the bay leaf. The chicken was so tender that each bite was so easy. Dinuguan was above expectations on how pig blood would've tasted, especially since it was served without being made into sausages. The longganisa basically were some of the best sausages I have had, and easily reminded me of back home in Asia when I used to have street vendor sausages. The pancit was plain enough to be a nice addition to all the meat they had, and adding lemon would give it another layer of flavor that didn't come in conflict with all kinds of meat taste. For just $1, one can turn their entrées into combo meals with pancit included, and that was just amazing. The lechon kawali had some amazingly crispy and flavorful pork belly, and there was an abundant amount, which I knew must be heaven for crispy pork belly lovers. The halo-halo was huge and of course, very sweet since it contained a lot of exceedingly sweet stuff like ube ice cream, flan, condensed milk, etc., and I loved it. Another highlight was that the server continuously came to our table to check on us with a smile, constantly trying to ensure that we were in a good place. Our server that gave us the halo-halo also made sure we knew how to eat it, because one would need to mix it up. Upon observation, the server would ask every single table the same question, which I thought was very attentive! Finally, the owner, whom I had already met twice, proactively introduced us about the history of the restaurant and its connection to Cebu, which I highly appreciated as well. Overall, service was so on point, that even for someone like me who doesn't put too much emphasis on service usually, I couldn't help but to mention it in this review. The only thing I would point out is that this place definitely does not have a lot of food options for vegetarians and vegans, and specifically caters to pork lovers, which I know is due to Filipino cuisine as a whole rather than the restaurant itself, so just a note for those that don't eat pork, be prepared to have limited options as a result. Regardless, this would be a place I would recommend anyone to visit multiple times. Even as I write this, I confidently say that I will for sure return here even if I live far away from Mounds View.

My friend and i decided to come back and try it out again. Since this place menu changes depending on the week or day. It was a good experience to try something new. I did try the sweet pork dish. It is a somewhat different from the dishes I have try before. Since the sweet pork was made Filipino way, it does have a different taste to it. It is less sweet and savory. There is a taste however, I don't know how to describe it. The bbq chicken was delicious as last time, I think it is also a little bigger than last time. The pork belly dish was good and crunchy and delicious. the adobe chicken was good, it just not as strong. I guess everyone have a different way of making it. I totally forgot to get the dessert, so hopefully next time. It was less busy than last time, which I like, more space to sit and eat.

I still love Kusina, but had to make an update to my review to add this halo halo. Check out the ginormous halo halo that you can order. The picture doesn't even do it justice! It's HUGE and delicious!!

It was my first time in "Kusina" as I am new to MN and a Filipino craving home dishes from Cebu that I miss so I googled and found this gem!We ordered my favorite pork sisig,pinakbet and pancit and of course binignit to top it of!The service was so efficient and fast.The ambience feels like "home",we met the owner as she was hopping from table to table to make sure everybody is eating good food.It was worth the drive for sure.

Mahal na mahal ko itong restawran! Kusina is such a gem, it's truly like eating your mom's cooking with the kindness and hospitality of your Filipino tita. The food, decor, and staff all exceed expectations and is Filipino-approved! Everything tastes authentic and nostalgic. For those new to Filipino food, you can never go wrong with sinigang, chicken adobo, pancit, and lechón kawali with rice. Their halo-halo is absolutely phenomenal as well. They hand make their ube ice cream and leche flan!!! I dream of it. They go above and beyond for their customers. Once we went with our huge family for dinner and they kept the place open an extra hour for us to eat and do karaoke!

Great restaurant and near our Shoreview home. Food is delicious, fast & served nice and hot. A homey little place where you're ordering and being served by family.

The food here is made of live and kindness! The food is flavorful and authentic made from recipes that were passed down from Jailin's mom who is in her 80s! So precious! I have never heard of even some of the dishes that they make here so I am excited to try it all someday. I am so grateful to have found this restaurant on social media. I ordered the adobo chicken and halo-halo for dessert. I even shopped at the connecting Filipino grocery store. There are lots of parking in front of the restaurant. Just be aware that this restaurant closes at 7! My friends and I were going to hang out longer but we did not realized that they close so early so next time we just needed to go earlier. If you are looking for a diverse cuisine experience, you will not be disappointed.

I have been wanting to try this place for a while now. I was so happy that I was finally able to make my way over there. It's a cute little restaurant attached to a filipino grocery store. The woman that was at the counter taking orders was very helpful with the menu and explaining the different food items that are available. The food was set up Buffet style but they serve everything. You get to see everything they offer and order what you like. We wanted to try a lot of things so we ended up ordering a lot of food. Out of everything we ordered my favorites were Pancit (the noodle dish), Lumpia, pork stew with coconut milk which was slightly sweet and spicy and dessert lumpia which had sweet plantains and Jackfruit filling with Caramel drizzled on top. I loved that they had hot sauce at the table. All in all everything we tried was good. I can't wait to go back and try things that I didn't get to try.

Post Dragon Boat Practice reward meal! I think this will be our new tradition. Always great food in such a beautiful and friendly environment. I've loved everything I've ever ordered here. Such delicious and authentic Filipino cuisine and hospitality. If it's your first time here, start with Combo #1 and work your way through the entire menu!

This restaurant is amazing! The food is delicious, cozy atmosphere, and the owner is very friendly. Easy parking out front. Will definitely be back soon!

Whenever I have a craving for pork belly and halo halo, this is the spot. They're located next to the Filipino grocery store. Last time I visited you can walk from the grocery store to the restaurant, now there's a wall. Walk up to the counter and order your food. There's food already cooked under the heat lamp. The staff were really nice and helpful.

I first heard about Kusina through TikTok and I have been wanting to visit for months. We finally made the drive to Moundsview today to try it! Spoiler alert, worth every second on the road and penny paid. The restaurant itself is connected to a Filipino market. When we entered, we were greeted immediately by the owners, husband and wife, who gave us open arms and warm smiles. The wife is also executive chef. The place is cutely decorated, with many family tables and authentic decor. For our meal, we went with two combos, which come with rice and pancit (mixed vegetables and noodles) and a main dish. We chose one Humba (stewed pork) and a chicken adobo. We also ordered two barbecue pork skewers. The portions were wonderful. We could not finish it all. The Humba was sweet with honey and very tender, but not fatty at all. The chicken adobo was vinegary and even more tender, falling right off the bone. And the skewers.... Smokey, sweet, filling. And 5 bucks a piece. They are as long as your forearm. We will return with haste to try the rest of the menu. I just wish I could have tried their Halo Halo, but unfortunately it has milk.

Follow this great hidden gem on Facebook to hear about their specials. Many of their entrées are served regularly, but when their specials come around you know they're made with extra love. Today, my husband and I stopped in for appetizers and entrées and as per usual, we were not disappointed. The crispy skin on the Pata was delightful!

Vibrant and creatively decorated restaurant that was packed with appreciative customers. For non-pork eaters, you'll have options but only a few as most dishes contain pork. We ordered the pancit, chicken adobo and the Halo Halo and a purple warm dessert which wasn't on the menu and I forgot the name. it was good but rich. The pancit and adobo were both delicious. The best part of the restaurant were the guests. It was clear this was a favorite of the local Filipino community.

Visited again and tried their updated menu for dinner. The restaurant at 7 PM and we pretty much had the restaurant all by ourselves. Their Ube dessert was amazing. And so does the dinner combo. We ordered the Chicken Adobo, Pancit Noodle, a soup and other items. All dishes has great flavors. The owners are so lovely and even gave us more noodles seeing our kids enjoying them.

Still 5*! Sent for our second visit last week and the food was delicious, prices were reasonable, and the people were incredibly nice and welcoming. The owner and chef both came and made sure we were enjoying our meals and provided some background on the dishes. Love this hidden gem.

Oh em gee be still my Filipino heart!! From the moment I walked in the door to my last bite I could not stop smiling in Kusina. The ambiance is warm and inviting and reminds me of the Philippines. Food is counter service with massive portions and entrees come with rice! We had the embutido and paklay- both were rich and hearty with flavorful juicy meat. I loved the crunch on the embutido the lumpia is great with tasty filling. Overall can't wait to be back!

Incredibly warm hospitality. I wish I could mix and match my food. It's a lovely lush space. I bought dessert and another drink to go. Thank you for bringing calamansi into my life. I look forward to returning!

Absolutely fantastic food! My friends and I ordered a bunch of food to share and was a fabulous experience. We got the crispy pork belly, a crispy meatloaf, chicken adobo, sweet & savory pork, noodles and halo halo. (I don't remember the names of dishes, my apologies). My favorite was the the chicken adobo and sweet pork were perfect, they were savory and the meat fell off the bone and the pepper sauce was amazing. We got both the hot & cold halo halo, and they were absolutely delicious. The hot version was creamy and really warmed up my heart. The cold version was super crunchy with the shaved ice and I loved the ube ice cream. The staff went above and beyond! They were all so nice and attentive, I believe the owners walked around and chatted with everyone and they all explained what each dish was. Parking is abundant and the space felt really cute & homey. Highly recommend!

It was a great way to spend our last day in Minneapolis after the long weekend. We stopped by at Kusina for late lunch. Who would've thought that's there would be a good Filipino restaurant in the area. And for the owner/chef to be Cebuano. We had a feast for our Sunday lunch: * Chicken Adobo - a staple dish in the Filipino household and restaurant * Humba - stewed pork belly * Dinuguan - Blood and pork * Lechon Pork Belly * Lumpia Shanghai * Sinigang na baboy - tamarind pork soup (great comfort food) Dessert * Halo2x * banana fritters (with jackfruit) I enjoyed the pork belly. It's not often we get to try food like this. The skin was so crispy. I would've wanted the meat to be more tender, but it was good. Made me miss being at home and celebrating with family. Lechon is a dish most families prepare when celebrating a special occasion. I thought we ordered too much. But I realized that it was just enough. We finished almost all the dishes we ordered. The kids kept asking for more, which was a great indication that we should go back to Kusina the next time we are in town.

Brb telling everyone I know in Minneapolis to come eat here ! Stopped by Kusina with my brother and cousin on our way back into the city and it was the BEST decision we made all weekend. The owners and staff were so so friendly! It was my first time trying Filipino food and they kindly walked us through the entire menu. Although everything sounded amazing, we ended up ordering the Lumpia, BBQ Skewers, and Combo Meals (Chicken Adobe and Humba). Throughly enjoyed all of the dishes but the standouts were the BBQ Skewers and the Humba. 10/10 experience! Will definitely be coming back to try the rest of the menu and the yummy looking desserts!

It was my birthday and I was craving Filipino food! This was our first time at Kusina. It was phenomenal. We had all the traditional dishes; lumpia, pancit, chicken adobo, menudo, and of course, lechón. The staff was so friendly and made me feel like I was at my Filipino relatives house. After the dinner, the staff surprised me with a huge halo halo dessert. Best birthday dinner I could have asked for! We'll be back.

I've been wanting to check out Kusina and I honestly enjoyed it! The quality of the food made me feel so at home and I got to meet Eileen one of the owners and she made it so personable! I got the pancit with the rice and chicken adobo, it really made me feel at home! I wish I could have tried everything on that menu because it looked delicious! I'll definitely have to come back!

Legitimately one of the best places to eat in the north metro. Staff and owners make you feel right at home. All of the food we've had here has never disappointed. Worth a long drive to get here. Get there early on weekends, it's a very popular place.

I love Kusina!!! The owners/chef are so nice and give great recommendations! The lumpia is 10/10!!! It's hot fresh flavorful, what more could you ask for. Chicken adobo is also fantastic! Will continue to come here

What a lovely small and quaint restaurant that was filled with a delightful atmosphere. The food was good and the staff was frowned and patient. I will definitely come back and try even more food here certainly.

OMG - what great find! We have been driving past this restaurant for weeks and finally stopped in after a pretty rough day. They were 15 minutes to closing so we walked up to the counter and the owner and her son LOADED us up with food! We both ended up with 3 things for $10-$12 per person, and my husband grabbed the flan from the deli cooler, which for $15 was worth every penny. It's a huge serving (for at least 4 people) and was heaven in every spoonful. We have enough food for at least three meals and everything was wonderful. Spicy, flavorful and a downright food adventure. The owner and her son were delightful - friendly to the point of exuberant. Can't wait to go back!!!!

So delicious! The milkfish is perfectly prepared and cooked. The sisig is served with rice on a cast iron pan. The atmosphere has a great vibe.

I felt so at home here, from the delicious food to the wonderful service. My husband and I finally made it in this past weekend and it did not disappoint. Kusina is worth the drive to Mounds View! This is a fantastic representation of what Filipino food can offer in the Twin Cities. Turo turo is my favorite kind of Filipino restaurant because you're able to see what you're getting. Turo turo means "point point" because you point to what you want. The owner is so sweet. We didn't need much help with the menu since we knew exactly what we wanted but I overheard her helping plenty of people and it was just so nice. Exactly what we mean by "Philippine hospitality!" We got 2 combo plates: one of them with chicken adobo as the entree and the other plate with the pork menudo. We also ordered lumpia. Everything was absolutely delicious. Adobo can be cooked in SO many different ways and this one hit the spot for me. I'm used to a little bit more vinegar (my mom cooked with a lot of it) but I wouldn't rate them down at all for this as it's a personal taste thing. I got 2 pieces of large chicken thighs and I savored every last bite. The menudo tasted so delicious and so close to my mom's! The serving of rice was exactly what it should be. The pancit was yummy as well. The lumpia was long and yummy and I have 0 complaints about it. This restaurant is also attached to the Filipino market and you can just hit the market after you're done. It's a perfect marriage of businesses. I cannot wait to come back here and try their other items. I can cook at home but let me tell you, it's so nice to be able to eat out and STILL have the taste of home. Salamat po!!

Delicious!!! We will definitely be back. Everything we ordered was so good. Now I want to try some new things from the menu. The place is busy, food is fresh, and the staff is super kind.

Amazing filipino food I'm from California and this hit just like home like I would find in California I will definitely be back!

This is a spot where you'll come to over and over! Felt so much like enjoying a delicious home cooked meal. The owner and the Staff were extremely kind. They always came around and asked how the food was and even engaged in conversation with us. This is how you run a restaurant! The food was amazing. So delicious and was noted that all dishes other than the Pork Belly does not contain any salt! I really couldn't believe it, but am very surprised because each dish remained so flavorful and rich. My favorite was, of course, the Lechon Kawali and the Halo Halo. I didn't get to picture the Halo Halo because I devoured it very quickly. I can see myself coming here very often and get my Filipino Food fix. You can see that this spot is homey, warm, and extremely intentional with all aspects. Loved every piece of this experience!

Great spot for Filipino food! Loved the customer service and the cashier and owners were very sincere in handling my food. The restaurant was clean and spotless. The interior design was easy going and chill. I ordered the le chon a la cart. Delicious and crunchy to perfection. The sauce and chili paste really did compliment the pork. Wish I was here longer so I can try the Saturday sisig but until next time

Love! Love! Love! Definitely delicious foods! Thank you for bringing this to Minnesota. The owners are lovely people! If you haven't gone here then you're definitely missing out! Will be coming back for more!

Maybe because we went towards the end of the night, and we grabbed from the Buffet, the food didn't taste fresh and was warm. We wanted to try the items on the menu, but it was going to take some time to cook, according to the stuff, so we decided to just pick items from the buffet. I'm surprised at how similar the food taste to Hmong Food. Staff was friendly and very knowledgeable, explaining each dish and comparing it to Hmong dishes. A very clean and nice ambience.

I just had a dessert from them called Halo Halo and it was the best thing I had in along time!! Yum I will be back! The woman who took my order was really sweet. She had amazing service. The place was super clean and cute. I was happy and left satisfied.

The food and service were phenomenal. The ambience was family oriented. The Bicol Express I ordered tasted so good.

Excellent food and hospitality. Highly recommended! The owners greet you like you are family.

Excellent food and very friendly staff! We tried the combo #1 and the pork belly, both were delicious!

Kusina in english means kitchen and dining here was literally like being at home in the Philippines in someone's kitchen It makes sense though because the owner sticks to authentic recipes passed down in her family just with her own take on some dishes, in fact you can probably see lola (her mom) there at the restaurant! This is also the first spot to get dishes that are from Cebu, as every region in the PH has their own take on our classic dishes and differ slightly in taste or ingredients. For the food, everything was so authentic that it's hard to pick one that I loved haha but of course, I am in love with Lechon Kawali and theirs is probably the best I've had here in MN I also really enjoyed the Humba and Longganisa! For the dessert, their Halo-Halo deserves so much praise because not only do they have leche flan in it, she also makes her Ube Ice Cream from scratch They can also do kamayan feasts, you just have to call in advance.

Unbelievable! This place is legit! I have a lot of food allergies and CHEF plated and delivered my food separately from our party!! I am family, you should be too!!

What a treat the owners are and the love they put into their craft! Sharing fresh and yummy Filipino cuisine with the northern Twin Cities. The way they set up the restaurant makes you feel like you're enjoying this food on an island.

First time trying Filipino food and it was a HIT!! I ordered the chicken adobo with rice and pinkabet as well as the halo-halo. Everything was a 10/10. The service was amazing as well, the lady at the counter was soooo SWEET and told me a backstory of the restaurant and walked me through the menu. Also ambiance was very nice! The interior was well decorated and gave a tropical vibe. I highly recommend!!

Small mom and pop restaurant would come here again. Foods good and the halo halo was probably the best I ever had and I been too Philippines twice. Very friendly staff it felt like eating at home with moms cooking

Amazing food and great ambience! A home away from home for Filipinos, you can feel a family vibe! Service is kind and welcoming! Gives you a taste of Philippine paradise! Best roast pig and BBQ pork! Anthony Bourdain's favorite treat from the Philippines Halo-Halo is a must!

Food was good but my food that was from the buffet wasn't hot, it was warm. Not how I wanted to enjoy it but I'll take it home and reheat it for dinner. My Husbands Lechon on the other hand was quite fresh and hot, also delicious. I just wish my food was

It's nice to visit a restaurant where you feel so welcomed as soon as you walk in the door. This is that kind of place. First time at a Filipino restaurant so explanation of all they have on the menu was great. You walk up to the counter area and order. The lady is so nice and all of the food is fabulous. I tried several different dishes and all were very tasty. Really liked the BBQ pork skewers and the lumpia. The sausages were the best I've had in years. I was too full for dessert but next time for sure. If you enjoy tasty food you must try this place.

The food and service was great! We got the lechon kawali and the combo 2 meal with pancit, rice and longganisa. Everything tasted great and the chili was surprisingly spicy and delicious. We also got ube Biko with flan from the fridge which was a nice treat.