Mekeni Pinoy&#x27;s Pride

The 16 Best Filipino Restaurants In Los Angeles

"Mekeni’s in Artesia is famous for its weekly Filipino buffet, or more accurately, the long lines of people waiting to get into said buffet. There’s a breakfast buffet on weekends for $20 per person, as well as a Wednesday dinner buffet for $35, both of which feature around two dozen dishes plus drinks. Unless you want to wait for an hour-plus, plan on making reservations in advance. The good news is that Mekeni’s offers a la carte service the rest of the week, and the food is special enough that even your most bargain-minded uncle won’t mind it's not AYCE. Get the oxtail kare-kare, pork belly abodo, and the seafood sinigang brimming with vegetables—all of which come in huge, shareable portions." - nikko duren, garrett snyder

Selena Gomez Boyfriend Benny Blanco Trashes Jollibee, Angers Filipino Food Lovers - Eater LA

"The immense buffet from Artesia’s Mekeni’s Pinoy Pride that draws lines of hungry revelers every week." - Matthew Kang

Mekeni Pinoy's Pride - Review - Artesia - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

"Mekeni’s in Artesia is famous for its weekly Filipino buffet, or more accurately, the long lines of people waiting to get into said buffet. There’s a breakfast buffet on weekends for $20 per person, as well as a Wednesday dinner buffet for $35, both of which feature around two dozen dishes plus drinks. Unless you want to wait for an hour-plus, plan on making reservations in advance. The good news is that Mekeni’s offers a la carte service the rest of the week, and the food is special enough that even your most bargain-minded uncle won’t mind it's not AYCE. Get the oxtail kare-kare, pork belly abodo, and the special sinigang brimming with seafood and vegetables—all of which come in huge, shareable portions." - Garrett Snyder

Inside an Astounding Filipino Food Buffet Restaurant in Artesia - Eater LA

"On Wednesday nights, Mekeni Pinoy’s Pride in Artesia becomes a Filipino food hotspot, pulling in over 200 diners to its extravagant dinner buffet. From steamed lobster and guisado noodles to beef kare-kare and lechon kawali, the spread is a feast for hungry appetites. Opened in November 2022 by Felina and Moises Simbulan, the restaurant exudes a festive ambiance with floor-to-ceiling windows, long white hanging chandeliers, well-spaced tables, and an open kitchen behind the bar where the buffet awaits." - Judith Rontal

Roberto T

Google

The wife was craving Filipino food so we ended up trying the recently opened Filipino Restaurant. The server Robert was so kind in having us seated anywhere cause there were no customers since it’s only 4:45 pm on a Thursday afternoon. We ordered the large Palabok (combination of pork meat and sea food with crushed pork skin on top thentossed on a skillet) for both of us and an appetizer, Tokwa’t Baboy (lightly fried tofu and pork in a special soy sauce and lemon and garlic). The atmosphere is quiet and service was excellent from Robert. Our orders came in fast and was really tasty. The pork skin on the tokwa’t baboy was really crunchy.

UR's Julie

Google

I was quite disappointed with my experience at this restaurant. The Kare-Kare had an unpleasant odor, and it seemed like they didn’t use enough spices to enhance the flavor. On the other hand, the Sinigang na Baboy was the highlight of our meal—the sourness was just right, making it very tasty. Unfortunately, the Calamari was extremely rubbery and difficult to chew. As for the Halo-Halo, it was not visually appealing at all, which made it less appetizing. Service was another letdown. The staff at the counter were busy chatting with each other, and we had to call them multiple times just to get their attention. It definitely affected the overall dining experience. And oh, parking was a nightmare—the spots are really small, and a truck barely fits in. It was such a hassle just trying to find a decent space. With a few improvements in food quality, customer service and parking this place has potential, but for now, I can’t say I’d recommend it.

Matthew de Leon

Google

Amazing buffet, worth the price. Got there at 4 for the Wednesday buffet and there was no wait. Started to fill in towards 6pm so reservation highly suggested like what it says in their website

Joy L

Google

Went there on Wed evening for a dinner special buffet without reservation. Too crowded, waited for one and a half hours. Parking lot isn't that big, but they rotate fast. The food was good. The gratuity fee (18%) was automatically charged, so it was $45 per person in total. The staff were working so hard, especially the one in the front doing almost 3 jobs at once. But I didn't enjoy eating in the extra room. Think they improvised to open a room next to the kitchen since there were too many people waiting. The cashier told us that we'll have same food there, but we were missing a bunch of food. We didn't have pasta, fried rice, crabs, some chickens, ribs, pork, and sweet rolls. We actually thought the original room and the improvised one were connected, but it wasn't. I understand the room with weird mood(ex: no hot plates, a bunch of boxes in the corner, Youtube ads between pop songs for background) since it was improvised. But shouldn't we have same or even better food since we're using the smaller/worse room? I wouldn't have minded that much if we had the same food, or if they warned us at least we might not have same food with some discount or something, but the management was awful. Definitely not gonna visit again.

Dee P

Google

Good thing it wasn't crowded. Food was awesome. Love the sinuglaw, its pork belly mix with tuna ceviche. Service is awesome by austin and Bea. Great service. They have buffet every Wednesday 4 to 8 pm. Price is very reasonable.

Joyce Preciado

Google

The restaurant at first glance was nice. The service was super slow. Once they seated us they handed us menus but no explanations and dashed off. We couldn't figure out who our actual server was because we had different people approach our table. When we finally got our food order the portions were small disappointing - none of them came with rice! We had to order rice a la cart! Another eating delay..... I can say the food was good and presented nicely, but the process don't match the experience.

Dev YouTube

Google

Good food, great hospitality, love all the Pinoy pride!! They have a great menu during the week. Come for the buffet style dinner on Friday. Have brunch buffet on the weekends. It really feels like your at your Tia's house with all the Filipino comfort foods.

Michael Chahin

Google

Great Filipinos restaurant , the food was very good and fresh. We came on a Sunday to try their buffet and it did not disappoint. Only on weekends they do the buffet and it’s $19.99 pp. very affordable and excellent food. Good varieties and choices to choose from. Give it a try to won’t be disappointed.

Madol V.

Yelp

I recommend the sinigang na fish (sea bass) with veggies so delicious and the appetizers: adobong mani & cute crunchy empanaditas.

Jenn G.

Yelp

Magandang Umaga (Good Morning in Tagalog) at Mekeni Pinoy's Pride! I've had Mekeni in Artesia on my list of places to try for quite some time now. Known for their dinner buffet on Wednesdays and Fridays ($35) and a breakfast brunch on weekends ($22), it's a spot that draws in the Filipino crowd--and for good reason! We decided to check out Mekeni for brunch on a Saturday, and the place was buzzing with energy. Their buffet lineup featured a variety of masarap (yummy) Filipino dishes that made the visit well worth it. Some of the offerings included: * Longanisa (Filipino sweet sausage) * Tocino (Filipino sweet pork) * Tortang Egg (omelet) * Bangus Sinigang (sour soup with milkfish) * Pancit (Filipino noodles) * Biko (Filipino rice cake dessert) The buffet also included coffee and juice, which was a nice touch. Even though it got quite busy, there was plenty of food to go around. As a fan of Filipino breakfasts, I was completely satisfied with both the variety and the flavors. Everything tasted fresh and authentic. I left feeling happy and full, and now I can't wait to come back to try their dinner buffet next time. Mekeni Pinoy's Pride truly lives up to its name, offering delicious (masarap) food that makes Filipinos proud. It was indeed a Magandang Umaga!

Don H.

Yelp

I recently tried Mekeni, and I am beyond impressed! The flavors are authentic and bring a true taste of the Philippines right to your table. From the longganisa to the tocino, every bite is packed with rich, delicious flavor. The quality is top-notch, and it's clear they use fresh, high-quality ingredients. The meats are tender and perfectly seasoned, giving each dish a traditional yet premium feel. The packaging is also excellent, keeping everything fresh and easy to cook. Mekeni has become my go-to for Filipino comfort food, and I highly recommend it to anyone craving a taste of home or looking to try something new. Thank you, Mekeni, for delivering such a fantastic product!

Benjamin D.

Yelp

Ordered their Cebuchon for an event in Santa Maria later in the early evening, despite the 4 hour drive the Cebuchon was still crispy. After a brief warm up in an oven, it was served sliced thin to the delight of all. The flavors from the filling, mainly lemongrass, garlic and other herbs infused the meat with very savory aromas that complemented all the other dishes served. Served with a lemon aioli and chili crisp sauce along side the traditional lechon liver sauce as an alternative. The meat stayed moist and tender to the bite. The restaurant itself has a good ambience that's uncluttered with large glass windows and comfortable seating. Pickup service was courteous and friendly, I would definitely return to try their other dishes.

Azelle B.

Yelp

Called to make a reservation for 6 on a Sunday - left my phone number and other details to confirm the reservation. Walked in 2 mins before the reservation time only to be informed they decided to close for a birthday party. No advice whatsoever even when they have my number. Totally unprofessional and disappointing.

Jeri L.

Yelp

Good service, price and food pretty good, I'll have to try again not buffet. Arroz caldo was on point, tapa was good.... Recommended for sure

Dollyrose V.

Yelp

My cousin and I went to an event at the YouTube theater in Englewood. We woke up, got dressed, checked out and began the hunt for brunch lunch whichever you call it because it was 1130. After much searching and perusing the photos on YELP (of course) we found this little gem. Aside from the YELP reviews travel time and distance was a factor in picking this place. Most of the reviews I read in and out of YELP raved about the breakfast buffet and dinner buffet. It's a clarify the breakfast buffet is only on Saturday and Sunday. Wednesday and Friday is the dinner buffet. The venue was extremely clean in the dining are, not app much the bathrooms. It had a nice open dining concept. There were large floor to ceiling windows with white window dressings that showed a lot of natural lite. It was fairly big and probably could've accommodate a special event like a small wedding party. The food was what we hoped. Delicious Filipino food that tasted like homemade. The only problem with the food was the garlic rice was not on par with my families' garlic rice. The food was served in good timing by a smiling staff member.

Aimee P.

Yelp

Going here on a Wednesday for the buffet is a nice treat. Delicious Filipino food - all time favorites like lechon belly with sauce (they have a lot of Mang Tomas), Kare Kare with bagoong (they have that too) and AYCE lobster too. They have nilaga beef , lumpia , salmon, ribs , pasta , fried rice , chicharon. Authentic and presentation is clean and good. Everyone was pleasant . There are a lot of parking .

Narcissa M.

Yelp

We're back again from SF Bay Area! When we're in SoCal, we gotta stop by for delicious Filipino dishes! We always get great service from their friendly staff. Ambiance is pleasant, airy and clean as always! We'll be back

Maria C.

Yelp

A little dissatisfied today. Few selections unlike before when we first visited. No dried fish! (Tuyo) or tinapa, with salted egg, tokwat baboy in arroz caldo, sopas, hotdogs... Service is good. Breakfast buffet

Cecilia M.

Yelp

First time at this Mekeni, Artesia location. Food is delicious and the customer service a A-plus. The oxtail kare-kare is my new favorite Rate it 4 instead of 5? The lechon kawali was dry or over cooked and they can do better than that. Definitely trying the buffet next time.

Lynnette V.

Yelp

This Filipino restaurant in Artesia is one of our go-to spots for delicious and authentic Filipino food. FOOD: Their menu offers a wide variety of flavorful Filipino food. Their chicharon bulaklak, pork sisig, lechon kawali, and pinakbet on the ala carte menu are highly recommended. We also tried the dinner buffet on Wednesdays and the breakfast buffet during the weekends. While the breakfast buffet was a hit for me, I found the dinner buffet to be lacking in appeal. It does not have the same quality as their regular menu items. It felt as though the dishes were prepared in bulk, compromising the taste of the food. SERVICE: I highly commend the staff for their attentiveness and friendly demeanor, whether it's recommending food selection, accommodating simple requests, or simply checking on us to ensure everything is ok. AMBIANCE: Simple and clean without adding unnecessary decorations. TIPS: - The restaurant has plenty of parking spaces, but it tends to fill up quickly especially during the weekends. Come early. - Be prepared to pay 18% service charge on buffet days, regardless of your party size. The positive aspect is that the server will tell you that no additional tips are required - (based on my personal experience) Despite the minor flaws, this restaurant is still worth revisiting- I will definitely come back!

Irene Q.

Yelp

Food was fresh and delicious, healthy. Service was attentive and friendly. Ambiance was nice, clean and modern aesthetic. Would come here again and try the buffet. Check for times for breakfast buffet and dinner buffet.

Rathana K.

Yelp

I recently had the pleasure of experiencing Mekeni Pinoy's Pride Breakfast Buffet on the weekend, and it was fantastic! The host was incredibly informative and welcoming, making the entire experience smooth from the moment we arrived. One thing to note is that you need to pay first before being seated, but this process is quick and efficient.⁣ ⁣ I highly recommend arriving early, as the wait time is only around 10-15 minutes compared to much longer waits later in the day. The buffet offers a wide variety of Filipino breakfast favorites, including delicious garlic fried rice, perfectly fried eggs, crispy fried eggplants, beef tapa, longganisa, champorado,and a comforting bowl of Tinola (chicken soup). Every dish was flavorful and authentic, capturing the true essence of Filipino cuisine.⁣ Their breakfast menu change every weekend but the garlic fried rice, bacon, and longganisa will always be a part of the regular menu. ⁣ The ambiance is bright and very clean. Overall, Mekeni Pinoy's Pride Breakfast Buffet is a must-try for anyone looking to enjoy a hearty and authentic Filipino breakfast. I'll definitely be returning!⁣

Mira P.

Yelp

Breakfast buffet is really good! You can tell the quality of any Filipino breakfast by how good the sinangag is and theirs is great! They refill it regularly with fresh batches so it never really runs out. Vast food options. The bangus is really good highly recommend trying that! The champorado is also pretty good. Everything else is pretty standard. All the fried eggs are on the over medium side so no runny yolks unfortunately. Came around 10:30 AM and most of the dried fish options were out and sadly they don't refill it which is a bummer especially cause we all pay the same price lol. The place is clean and nicely decorated. Just wish they would change the table organization so you don't end up having to share a table with other parties. They have a bunch of long tables so if you're in a small party you're likely to be seated with others.

Julie D.

Yelp

This is my LBC fam's favorite spot. So when they invited me for the Wednesday buffet to celebrate their anniversary- I was immediately in. Located in a shopping center, parking can get a little tricky. We found a spot after circling a couple of times. Luckily for us, our party was already inside knee-deep in lobster by the time we made it in. All 3 of us were handed a plate and pushed to the line. I ate so much. Everything was delicious. First off, the food was amazing. Really brings me home. Service was great. Everyone was so nice despite the chaos. There's always so many people there, but they make it work. I always call it poetry in motion when there's a crowd but everything just works seamlessly.

Pam B.

Yelp

Went last Saturday morning as we were in DTLA, because it was before 10am traffic from downtown to this place is only 30 minutes so we thought why not try it now. This restaurant has been in my radar because of the lobster buffet (only of Wednesday nights) but I also know they have the breakfast buffets weekends. We finally made our way and got there a little after 9:30am, wrote my name for a table for 2. We waited for about 10-15 mins and was seated around 10am. You line up to check in and pay before you get seated. Note that the bill includes 18% service charge added to the $22/person plus tax so it is actually about $28 per person. The restaurant has high ceilings so despite the limited space (I think it is still small for a buffet type setup) it's not as noisy. They serve a drinks - mainly coffee and juices with the buffet. What I liked - tocino, almondigas soup (not sure if this is correct but it's the pork meatballs with misua and patola) choices of dried fish, bilo bilo. The other dishes were not appetizing for me to even choose. They had kare kare that had no meat on it (maybe I missed it?) it was 10 and there's 1 hr left for buffet service. The champorado was sadly burned. If you live nearby and want to have Filipino breakfast - sure try it. I live in valley and I'll stick to the local choices we have here. Servers were nice and polite though. Make a note to come early because they close the buffet at 11am.

Joy Ann V.

Yelp

We dined in for a special surprise birthday celebration for my husband. Our family and friends joined us for the breakfast buffet. Duffney at the front desk greeted us warmly and took care of our party. The staff were friendly and attentive. The food was delicious, and the dishes weren't salty - our party loved it. We'll definitely return to try their lunch or dinner buffet next time.

Alex A.

Yelp

Went here for the 2nd time. Food is still good and restaurant itself is clean. However, I noticed that they put an automatic 18% service charge which you would only typically see for parties 6 or more. There were only 2 of us! Tipping shouldn't be mandatory and should be based on the customer's experience. I don't think I will be dining here again.

Mhaia G.

Yelp

COCKROACH FOUND - will post pictures We live in the San Fernando valley - 2 hour drive Was it worth it? No I don't know why the woman in charge insisted we get a specific table -- and even if we were the first ones there on the list she seats people after us on that same list It took for me to ask for the manager in order to be seated at the scheduled time What is the point of reservations when you can't follow your own rule Food variations was good Am I coming back? Absolutely not

Carolyn M.

Yelp

My family loves this place. I'm Pinoy and we know our way around Cerritos and artesia in terms of the quick and sit down places to eat. Mekeni offers a variety of dishes and appetizers. They have the best service! Nights during the weekend they have live music. Some dishes I love more than others, the beef steak, kawali and crispy pata are standouts here in my book. Every restaurant has their forte but in general the environment here is also relaxing especially if you come for lunch.

Aurie P.

Yelp

First time to Try their breakfast buffet. It's good choices of food. But when I was eating, I saw a tiny hair on my plate that I fished out from the Longaniza. I asked one of their associates to check it out. She took my plate and never came back to me as if nothing happened. Not even an apology. She just looked at me and smiled. What the heck! So check out your food for hairs and whatever you might find in your food. Bad experience for a first timer. I wouldn't put out this bad review had she apologized to me.

Teresa M.

Yelp

Food was good, service not the best.. their so called "manager" doesn't know how to be a "manager." Rude, and trying her best to be as professional as she can be but never worked. Train her, so she'll know how to deal and speak with customers better. There was one time I was there, the table next to us overheard her talking about wearing a mask because the customers might not like her expressions. Funny annoying, very unprofessional. 3 stars for food and ambiance.

Elizabeth U.

Yelp

It's t the customer service principle of the restaurant owner-Felina (she's very friendly and accommodating), Melody who helped me with my 70th birthday celebration reservation & room preparation last June and Marian, the waitress at my party who went beyond her duties to accommodate my needs during my party. Today, I took my friend to their buffet dinner as a pre-celebration of her birthday. It was good to see Marian tonight. BTW, they added another day for their buffet, it's on Wednesdays & Fridays now. Thank you ladies and kudos to you.

Jessamine J.

Yelp

5/5 for the food, service, and location. After a couple days of Disneyland, my friends wanted to grab some comforting Filipino food. My friend had recommended we check out this place for their buffet. When I called ahead, they confirmed it was a la carte only, no buffet, and we still decided to check it out. Food: We ordered Calamari, Lomi Soup, Oxtail Sinigang, Chicken Barbeque, and 4 cups of rice. We were about to order Crispy Pata, but I realized that each order can serve 4 people. The portions are generous and I loved it! It tasted like a little slice of home. The taste was perfect, and our favorite was the Oxtail Sinigang. We ended with Halo-Halo and Turon. We were surprised that the Halo-Halo portion was also enough for 4 people! If you order an order per person, you will definitely have leftovers for the next day or so! Service: Great, no complaints. We came around 2pm on a Friday and we got seated immediately. We got our food, water, and check in a timely matter. Location: There's parking in a commercial plaza. It shares the parking lot with other businesses, but there was ample parking. We were able to get in and out, no problem. Overall, great! Would definitely come back here or recommend to a friend who is craving some Filipino food.

Elizabeth D.

Yelp

Hidden Filipino gem amongst all of the other Filipino stuff in the area. Came here with a friend for lunch. Service was great and food was really good. If you like Filipino food, and who doesn't like Filipino food ...check it out I heard they have a buffet not sure which days in the evening and it's super good

Gladys P.

Yelp

We had seen favorable reviews of this restaurant on IG so we wanted to check it out. The Crispy Pata was so crispy and the meat inside was super tender. They have steamed rice, of course, but we paid extra for garlic rice and it did not disappoint, probably one of the best I've had. And the Kare Kare, look how pretty it is, A+ for presentation! We've been to places where there wasn't enough sauce in the dish so thank you Chef for including the delicious soup/sauce. The vegetables were perfect, not soggy, and the oxtail was cooked perfectly. Well done Mekeni! Thank you Austin for your kind and friendly service. Excellent meal.

Maximillion C.

Yelp

Trying this place out for the first time simply amazing! Traveled 1 hr and a half worth the drive

Anne Michelle T.

Yelp

We came during the buffet time. We arrived at 10am and was told that in 30 min they will stop bringing out more food. That what ever was left was going to be it. So we were like fine. How bad can it be in 30 min. We checked out their selection and honestly.. we should have just passed on this place. I got the garlic fried rice, tocino, egg and some other egg with ham and the tinola. The eggs needed salt, tinola was cold and the food just tasted bland. The water they offered tasted straight tap out of the sink. I felt so sick that I couldn't bare to even attempt a second round. They have a notice to not waste food but there was no way I could proceed to eat that. Apparently guests there don't know how to place the serving spoons back on the plates and they don't cover the food so it's just out in the open for flies to land on. One and done. Never again.

Karen U.

Yelp

Went to their buffet breakfast on Saturday. Great selection! Satisfied my craving for garlic rice, tortang talong, tapa, longanisa, and champurado. Beautiful restaurant. Cons: they use real plates and spoons but styrofoam cups for coffee, soup and drinks. Also, they are only open for breakfast until 11. I feel like they will make more money if they extend breakfast to brunch hours, until 2pm. We got there at 10:23am and they stopped refilling the food so we were left with whatever was left. There were even more people that came after us. Mekeni- please do brunch hours on the weekends!!!!

Farah M.

Yelp

Tried making a reservation thru google reservation but was not confirmed so I called up instead and got confirmed for Saturday breakfast. Breakfast buffet cost $22/head (as of Dec 24,2023) but totally with it! Came in at 8am and got seated right away. Spread were : champorado, mango with bagoong, tortang talong, longganisa, tapa, tocino, tokwat baboy, Chicken Arroz Caldo, pancit, Ginataang Bilo Bilo (too sweet for me though), Garlic Fried Rice, corned beef. Service was very good. Awesome way to start the holiday weekend festivities. Must try!

Camile T.

Yelp

The food is good, not great but the service sucks. We waited for almost an hour if not an hour for our food. No apologies, no acknowledgment, nothing was given. The service passed by our table many times looking us straight in the eye and us extending help whatsoever to follow up our food. The restroom could use more cleaning and attention.

jacqlyn a.

Yelp

food was good. service was slow. lots of seating. good selection too. the ulam was good. the halo-halo was ok. for the price it should have had leche flan on top too. i wouldn't get it again for the price

Lissa L.

Yelp

I was excited to try their Wednesday buffet because I'd heard so many good things. But as soon as we arrived, we knew it was going to be unpleasant. First, despite having a reservation, we were asked to wait for 15 minutes because "people weren't leaving." What did they expect? Folks want to get the biggest bang for their buck. Of course they were going to linger. There is no waiting area. You'll have to cram yourself between people like a Tetris game. Second, the area of the restaurant makes it less than ideal for a buffet. The line snaked and there were other diners who cut in line. When I lined up, my butt was in someone's face because there was so little space to move. I had to show her that I wasn't being rude. There was literally nowhere else for my butt to go. She understood, thankfully. Third, this restaurant wants to cram everyone in despite the limits imposed by the city. This presents a fire hazard, people. They do this because they want to get as much profit as they can, since they're charging $35 per person. We were seated at a booth that was only meant for one table, but because the owners wanted to maximize space/profit at the expense of customer comfort, they squeezed in another table at the corner. So my son was seated in a way where his butt was touching another person's butt. My husband was seated in a place where the workers kept passing by, jostling him each time. Every time someone wanted a fresh plate or napkins, they'd transact behind him. So of course he wasn't very happy. Plus, the employees would park the dirty dishes cart right next to him. Not very appetizing. Lastly, the parking situation is crap. We had to park across the street. You've been warned. We will only come back for the food, as it was delicious. But their lobster wasn't cooked well - some parts were left raw (see photos). You get what you pay for. If you're ok with eating at a place where you get elbowed or jostled every time someone passes by, then this place is for you.

jam c.

Yelp

I wish they had more variety and add more chicken or seafood options. Food was good. The lobster was a disappointment. For it's price point some of the lobster had little to no meat on it. Few choices for desserts either. Service was amazing. I don't have any complaints at all. The place was a bit surprising because on social media it looked bigger but it was very small and compact in person

Roben B.

Yelp

Delicious food and the portions given are meant to be shared with a family of four or greater. The exception to this is the rice, the scoop is pretty small and I typically prefer my rice to be less dry than how they prepare it. The Sinigang and Kare Kare are definitely my favorites. I would say Mekeni's has the best tasting Filipino food in the immediate area. The only shortcoming is that they forgot about us in the middle of our dining experience when the place was at half capacity.

Paul C.

Yelp

Saw this place on IG. My wife loves Filipino breakfast and my mom was in town so we decided to give it a try. I liked the buffet style. The food tasted like it was home cooked so that's one thing I really enjoyed. It's a relaxed atmosphere and everybody was really friendly. If you're in the area and out and about for breakfast give this place a try. I'm glad we did.

Vivian M.

Yelp

Highly recommended!!!! We went on a Wednesday night for the buffet. There might not be a lot of selection but the food is quality!!!!! You can tell that the cook really used high end ingredients. Love their lobster with coconut milk, the beefsteak was so tender and so authentic filipino taste, the kare-kare was authentic kapangpangan taste!!!! i went back several times for their dessert ginatang palitaw, omg i've never had this before. Love love love it. The servers are really nice. The owners go around the tables to check on the customers. The place is kinda small that's why there's a long wait, but it's worth the wait!

Jessica Y.

Yelp

As a proud Kapampangan whose family is very picky about their Filipino food, this place deserves 5 stars!! I am originally from the Bay Area and I have tried Filipino restaurants all over California and even from the Philippines, this restaurant may be my most favorite that I have other tried other than my own family's cooking lol. The owner was so kind and took the time to talk to us and all the waiters were very helpful and attentive. Service was a 10/10! My absolute most favorite dish was the creamy lengua, the flavors were so delicious and I honestly could've eaten the whole thing to myself. The chicharron bulaklak was light, airy, and crispy. I've had some bulaklak that was oily, but this one was not greasy at all and still very satisfying. I was so happy that they gave us peanuts and mangoes as an appetizer. You can't go wrong with anything here. This restaurant is a new must go for my family and I every time we come here. We are definitely coming back and I can't wait to try the other items on their menu. This is the most authentic Filipino/Kapampangan style food you'll ever try! Delicious!!

Nicole S.

Yelp

Food was ok, it's really hard for me to find a Filipino restaurant that makes food better than my parents. I also felt the restaurant was very crowded, I was sitting elbow to elbow with my family.

Trisha V.

Yelp

Ugh, I have been wanting to go here for so many months and sadly I will not be coming back. There wasn't anything spectacular at this buffet. There were so many items that were just okay and I can honestly say, I've seen better choices at Pinoy Pinay or even the Island Pacific supermarket. I wish that place had a buffet because I'd keep coming back for more. Besides, everyone here was just waiting in line for the lobsters and they would only be able to cook about 5 at a time. Not good for people just standing around forever. That means you would be at the restaurant for hours just waiting for one tail of lobster. Ugh, I really wish I liked this place because I hear so much about it but I didn't care for their choices.

Catherine A.

Yelp

Food was great!! We ordered the pancit and lechon kawali--my parents were happy with their food and said that both dishes had a. Lot of flavor. Will order again and try other items.

Alex D.

Yelp

Came here for lunch. Had the kiluan, fresh lumpia, and lumping Shanghai. The food was good. The portions were very very very big. Probably good for 2-3 people. Bigger than most Filipino restaurants. The service was good. The people are very nice and friendly. The restaurant was clean. However the floors were sticky and the restroom had a smell (but it was still clean). A they also had nuts that were really good. They give that for free fyi.

Charlotte N.

Yelp

This comment is for the food. If you're craving for pancit, I don't think this is the place to go. Not the pancit I hoped for. Very different from the pictures. Not much meat/shrimp and flavor. In fact, no shrimp at all. For the price I should've just went to Kusina Filipina. Staff is very friendly though.

Andy V.

Yelp

1. The food options were good and flavorful! Grab your plate at the start and then add food down the single line of food trays! 2. The spot has fun casual vibes with lots of seatings for small groups! 3. The staff were friendly, and they cleared our tables of extra plate! Note: They will bring complimentary coffee if requested! Photo: Breakfast Buffet Plate

Gabegail F.

Yelp

Motto on going to resto's is "if service is excellent the food will be excellent" This restaurant makes it proved that I really need to stick with my motto. The service definitely super bad and food is bad. Do not come to this restaurant. Really disappointed. SERVICE SUCKS!!! And the owner doesn't paid employees enough that the customer is forced to pay 18% service charge. No bueno! Server need to get train well ... Attention Owner of this restaurant to give them the 18% more that your customers charged with so that they will serve your customers better.

Cheryl A.

Yelp

Food is superb! Service is fast and friendly staff! The only thing that was disappointing though, the squid (grilled squid) we ordered was itchy on my tongue.

Eugene A.

Yelp

My family and I ate here for sunday lunch today. Despite the high demand at noon, we only waited for approximately 15 minutes until we were seated. They offer bagoong and sliced green mangoes as a complimentary appetizer. I am truly fond of the bright white ambiance with high ceilings, flawless glass windows, capiz parols and capiz chandeliers. We flagged down one of the waiters to take our orders and waited for approximately 15 minutes until the dishes were served. We started with their signature Sizzling Sisig. Their pork sisig was hella on point: it was spicy but tolerable and had the perfect balance of sour and umami taste. The pork was diced to perfection and thankfully, the fried egg was placed on the side. The Oxtail Kare Kare was perfectly tender, creamy and the vegetables were crisp and fresh. The Ginataang Gulay was packed with a variety of vegetables such as squash, string beans, okra, ampalaya (bittermelon) and talong (eggplant). The sautéed vegetables blended well with the coconut milk. Last but never the least, we ordered the Pancit Guisado. They offer choices for the pancit guisado: bihon, canton, canton-bihon, miki-bihon. In honor of my late Lolo/Apu (Grandpa), we ordered the miki bihon. It was served in large plate to accommodate family style serving. The pancit was flavorful, packed with two kinds of meat (chicken and ground pork), flavorful chopped veggies and it was not greasy. Their pancit reminds me so much of how my late Lola made it for us back in the day. Mekeni's Pinoy Pride definitely serves truly authentic Kapampangan recipes. I will definitely come back and bring my family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances here! As a person of Kapampangan ancestry, I truly approve of this place! Manyaman / masarap po talaga ang mga pagkain dito! (The food is really delicious here!)

Cora V.

Yelp

The restaurant charge 18%service fee. This is the first time I experienced being charged and there's only 2 of us. The servings were big though. Even though, I end up paying more because of the fee and tip. Will definitely give it a second thought if I will come back

The 16 Best Filipino Restaurants In Los Angeles

Selena Gomez Boyfriend Benny Blanco Trashes Jollibee, Angers Filipino Food Lovers - Eater LA

"The immense buffet from Artesia’s Mekeni’s Pinoy Pride that draws lines of hungry revelers every week." - Matthew Kang

Mekeni Pinoy's Pride - Review - Artesia - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

"Mekeni’s in Artesia is famous for its weekly Filipino buffet, or more accurately, the long lines of people waiting to get into said buffet. There’s a breakfast buffet on weekends for $20 per person, as well as a Wednesday dinner buffet for $35, both of which feature around two dozen dishes plus drinks. Unless you want to wait for an hour-plus, plan on making reservations in advance. The good news is that Mekeni’s offers a la carte service the rest of the week, and the food is special enough that even your most bargain-minded uncle won’t mind it's not AYCE. Get the oxtail kare-kare, pork belly abodo, and the special sinigang brimming with seafood and vegetables—all of which come in huge, shareable portions." - Garrett Snyder

Inside an Astounding Filipino Food Buffet Restaurant in Artesia - Eater LA