Tambayan

Back then, I saw their cook put too much knorr powder to whatever food he is cooking at that time. A huge can of this powder was on his hand. I was watching it while waiting for my pansit bihon order. After my order was served, the only flavor I tasted was the powder seasoning. No amount of lemon squeeze can alter its taste. Few months later, I came back with a friend (last weekend actually). It’s her first time and really craving for Filipino foods. I told her try anything but not the pansit bihon. I tried pansit palabok this time hoping it won’t taste like knorr powder and any other artificial flavors. Much to my another disappointment, the texture of the noodles is so rubberish and I don’t understand the sauce taste. A huge amount of sauce and artificial powder flavoring is definitely there. My friend doesn’t like the tocino she ordered as well. The guest on my left side where I’m seating ordered palabok, tasted it and stop eating it. They didn’t even touch their palabok order after that. I saw them putting it to a to go container, pay for their meals and left.

Not really sure how else to say this. I was genuinely excited because I’ve been missing Filipino breakfast - and I was very hungry - so I ordered the longsilog to go in case I couldn’t finish it. When I opened the container, there was a side salad, which was fine, but unexpected. I took a bite of the rice and egg; it was okay. But then I realized I couldn’t find the longanisa. After a few more bites, I finally saw it buried at the very bottom under the rice and salad. When I cut into the sausage, it was extremely red - and that’s when I realized it wasn’t longanisa at all. It was Italian sausage that looked like it had been colored to imitate longanisa. That was very disappointing and, frankly, felt misleading. I considered returning it, but I had already eaten the egg and most of the rice. If the menu says “longanisa,” it should be longanisa. If you’re using an alternative like Italian sausage, that needs to be clearly disclosed. As it was, this felt like false advertising and an insult to the dish and the culture. I also regret not speaking up at the time. I paid about $40 total (including three bottled waters, a Diet Coke, and tip), and for that price I expected the dish to be accurately represented. Overall, very disappointing. This was not the Filipino dish I remember. Won't be returning. Advice: Be honest about your food, if something isn't available, and an alternative is available, state so. Longanisa isnt same as Italian sausage. One is sweet, the other is not.

I travel to Philly from NY just to eat at this place! The delicious food and top notch service here is the best of the east coast to say the least. As soon as you get there you are received with a big smile from the owner /chef and the food will leave you raving for good! I recommend this establishment if you like great Filipino food.

$17.91 (with tax+tip) for three pieces of lumpia that does not even taste like lumpia?? Now i get the 3.7 star review they have. I don't even get why they received awards when the food doesn't even taste that good? I mean it could be better but considering its the only Filipino food in Reading Market, makes sense. Not to be rude to the people working, they are hard workers for sure. But its a disappointment to serve subpar dishes to the only Filipino food in the area. My Filipino friends have told me about this place but i still wanted to taste it for myself, guess i should've listened.

We were looking forward to trying the chicken skewers from Tambayan. Based on the menu price ($14+tax) and the menu picture (7-8 skewers), we assumed this would be a meal sized portion. To our disappointment, we were given 3 skewers with only 4 small chunks of chicken on each. An appetizer, for the price of an entree. We asked to sit at the counter but were given a takeout box.

Tambayan rules! The flavors and the portions are perfect, and Kathy and her staff are super helpful and welcoming. I watched an Eagles game at the counter with Kathy a few weeks ago, and had a blast (Kathy is a huge Eagles fan). Go Birds 🦅 Tambayan offers take out or dine in services, and a wide range of amazing Filipino food. The desserts are out of this world too! My go-to's are the Tapsilog, fried lumpia, ube sticky rice, and the ube latte.

I wanted to like this stall at the Reading Terminal Market. Not being a local to the area, this is our first visit to the Market and we were amazed by the foot traffic and food/shopping options available. Filipino food, though nothing to the gourmet level of other cuisine, is at par with what you would considered comfort food. We’ve been to some good Filipino eateries in Queens, NYC and had been back everytime we feel for some cozy comfort food. Here at Tambayan…We did takeout some takeout (palabok, embutido, ube turon and the ube pandesal). When we got home, and excitedly opened the order to start “digging in”, we just felt duped. To say we were disappointed is an understatement! Palabok looked appetizing and seemed to be a value order by the size of it. However, it doesn’t taste like the distinctive sauce of the classic palabok we’ve eaten so many times from a number of other Filipino eateries elsewhere. It seemed like they are trying to tweak the age old recipe and failed dismally. The Ube Turon was lathered w/cheap tasting chocolate syrup and no ube taste came out , the cheese inside the soggy roll is forgettable and seemed a last minute addition. The Ube Pandesal, at a beautiful purple color, is bland as bland can be. But the Embutido Meal takes the cake! Inside the styrofoam meal box is a scoop of rice, w/some vinegary sauce on a container and finally, one measly piece of what they called “embutido” but what should be called a “rock” as it was hard as a rock! Totally NOT edible! You can imagine what a letdown the whole thing was. To have 4 out of 4 bombs. How bad is that! I cannot recommend this to anyone. True classic Filipino dishes are simple yet good tasting, nothing like what they served.

Amazing breakfast!! So tasty. The steak was seasoned so perfectly, we wanted more! This was our first stop on a two day food tour of Philly and we kept coming back to this and saying it was the perfect way to start. Highly recommend! Thank you, Kathy!!