The service was very slow, even though the restaurant wasn’t busy when we dined in. It’s clear they need more staff to manage basic service efficiently. The food itself was good, but the overall experience was disappointing. When we arrived, we were told they couldn’t provide some glasses and bowls because they were still being washed. It took about 15 minutes just to receive water, and even after following up, the soup bowls never came. We also ordered one dish that we specifically wanted to wait for before starting our meal. After another 20 minutes of waiting, we decided to begin eating because our food was getting cold. Even after we finished the entire meal, we were still waiting for the missing dish only to be told later that they couldn’t prepare it because they had run out of ingredients. This kind of service is both sad and frustrating, and it really took away from what could have been an enjoyable dining experience.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 1
Lisa Beauty inc.
Owner was very welcoming and I loved their food and place is clean. Thank you
max collins
I've vacationed in the Philippines for a month a couple of years ago and ever since I have been looking for a fillipino restaurant that would have the same quality of food from the country. Since this place opened, they have the best sisig around and I swear I am brought back to the feeling of cebu and manilla. 10/10
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ray Gateway
Absolutely loved it! I was stopping by before getting on the metra, and had never had Filipino food before. The guy at the register explained the history, flavors, and made it very beginner friendly. We had a nice little chat, to some amazing music in the background. The food came out rather quickly and as I took my first bite I realized I found my new favorite restaurant in Jefferson park. I got the Tapasilog due to my no pork or shrimp diet and it was sooooo good A+
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mike Parreno
Ambience and atmosphere was very welcoming. The server was very knowledgeable and courteous, presented top items and knew the menu like the back of his hand. I admit the food did take some time to come out, but considering the fact that they have the owner himself as the sole cook for everyone, it was presented in timely manner. I ordered the beef kare-kare, the top 5 best seller, but it is one of my favorite filipino dishes, so I wanted to taste it for myself. A large order of garlic rice, and their bihon combo. The kare-kare came with tender veggies, and melt in your mouth pieces of beef, it was truly sublime. The peanut butter taste was epic, and paired with the shrimp paste (bago-ong) raised the flavor another tier. The garlic rice was littered with friend garlic, and it was insanely addicting and delicious. This paired with the kare-kare had me salivating, and to finally taste it was a good ending for the night, from my trip in Edmonton, Alberta. The bihon combo was also very flavorful, filled with crunchy veggies, and large pieces of shrimp and pork, spritzed with a lemon slice and it was quite epic. The overall experience was great, from the servers, the service and the food. Definitely will recommend, and will keep coming back for more. Next up will be their breakfast menu.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jaimee Santos
The food is fresh and yummy! MASARAP!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Steven Poeut
Food and service was some of the best in the city. JT is an amazing server. He can multitask online orders and take care of tables. I’d highly recommend this place.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
John-Carlo (Carlo)
Cloud 9 Filipino Comfort Food at Kawayan
We came in as a group of 6 hungry people… and left in a food coma of pure joy. We ordered 3 batchoys, kare-kare, lumpia shanghai, bicol express, and not one—but TWO crispy patas. And let me tell you—everything was delicious.
The staff? Super friendly, warm, and they speak Ilonggo too—felt like home! 🇵🇭
Now let’s talk about the Bicol Express. Their version? OH. MY. CLOUD. 9. The meat was melt-in-your-mouth soft, but the sauce—my goodness—the texture was so light, I swear they might’ve whipped it. It had this almost airy bite, like a coconut dream with a touch of spice. Absolute heaven. Honestly, I could handle it even spicier (labuyo-level pls 👀), but it was already perfection.
Filipinos, you gotta go. Filipinos married to Americans? Bring ’em. Americans married to Filipinos? Don’t walk—run. Just go. Kawayan is the real deal. 🫶
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Roger L. Parra Villasmil
Really good food. And JT the server gave us a great service
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Eyenar
Super hospitable, lechon was super tender and the breakfast combo was something I was craving just super delicious! The owners are very easy to talk to as well, so come say hi!
Under new management, the owner and chef, more than warrants your attention. You owe it to your palate to reward it with delightful dishes that feed not just the body but also the soul. They cure tocino in house using a family recipe that goes back decades. You can be sure that the meat are cooked to perfection. Crispy and cruchy according to dish parameters. Tender and juicy to the bite. Even the vegetables are prepared at the right temperature so it's not soggy or overcooked which often happens at asian shops. The seasoning is carefully considered, holding the balance between salt and sweet or have ample kick (bicol express) when needed. I haven't had all of the dishes but have sampled many and they are all very enjoyable. Service is quick and staff are very attentive. They said they will be making sausages soon too. I can't wait. You shouldn’t either.
We had been to this restaurant in the past, but it's now under new ownership. The father owns the restaurant and is also the chef because he really wants the food to taste like it should. His son takes the orders and serves the food and is so nice and patient! He went through the menu and explained each dish as we were deciding.
We chose pancit bihon combo and batchoy. I doubt you could find either dish made better anywhere else. Each dish had a rich complex taste that was so enjoyable. The batchoy meats are cooked over 24 hours to create an amazing flavor. Pancit bihon had its own wonderful tastes. Both dishes were of generous portions.
The decor is inviting and joyful. The place is immaculate. It gets quite busy on the weekends, so you might find it easier to enjoy a great meal sometime during the week. Enjoy! We sure did.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
WRX GT350
New ownership. First time trying out their food today and quite impressed. It’s a decent drive for us from Northwest Indiana and we will be back for sure. We ordered their Crispy Pata, fall of the bone goodness and crispy skin. The seafood bicol express was to die for with a lot of seafood like mussells, real squid and shrimps. The Pinakbet was also good and you can tell the veggies are fresh and not overcooked. We will def. Come back to try more of their menu. Ilonggos really knows how to cook. Iloilo is named UNESCO city of gastronomy for a reason!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Neal Davis-Ruperto
I dined here about a year ago and recently came back. I was blown away by the upgrades in the space. The place looked completely different and more inviting. The staff was very kind and personable. I ordered the pinakbet and loved the rich stew and the way they prepared the bitter melon and other vegetables to come together cohesively. Definitely will be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Leslie Huang
service was so sweet; they gave me a free bowl of rice 😭 the sinigang was great, super tangy and mouthwatering. overall a lowkey unassuming spot that has great hospitality:)
The service was very slow, even though the restaurant wasn’t busy when we dined in. It’s clear they need more staff to manage basic service efficiently. The food itself was good, but the overall experience was disappointing.
When we arrived, we were told they couldn’t provide some glasses and bowls because they were still being washed. It took about 15 minutes just to receive water, and even after following up, the soup bowls never came.
We also ordered one dish that we specifically wanted to wait for before starting our meal. After another 20 minutes of waiting, we decided to begin eating because our food was getting cold. Even after we finished the entire meal, we were still waiting for the missing dish only to be told later that they couldn’t prepare it because they had run out of ingredients.
This kind of service is both sad and frustrating, and it really took away from what could have been an enjoyable dining experience.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 1
Owner was very welcoming and I loved their food and place is clean. Thank you
I've vacationed in the Philippines for a month a couple of years ago and ever since I have been looking for a fillipino restaurant that would have the same quality of food from the country. Since this place opened, they have the best sisig around and I swear I am brought back to the feeling of cebu and manilla. 10/10
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Absolutely loved it! I was stopping by before getting on the metra, and had never had Filipino food before. The guy at the register explained the history, flavors, and made it very beginner friendly. We had a nice little chat, to some amazing music in the background. The food came out rather quickly and as I took my first bite I realized I found my new favorite restaurant in Jefferson park. I got the Tapasilog due to my no pork or shrimp diet and it was sooooo good A+
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ambience and atmosphere was very welcoming. The server was very knowledgeable and courteous, presented top items and knew the menu like the back of his hand. I admit the food did take some time to come out, but considering the fact that they have the owner himself as the sole cook for everyone, it was presented in timely manner. I ordered the beef kare-kare, the top 5 best seller, but it is one of my favorite filipino dishes, so I wanted to taste it for myself. A large order of garlic rice, and their bihon combo. The kare-kare came with tender veggies, and melt in your mouth pieces of beef, it was truly sublime. The peanut butter taste was epic, and paired with the shrimp paste (bago-ong) raised the flavor another tier. The garlic rice was littered with friend garlic, and it was insanely addicting and delicious. This paired with the kare-kare had me salivating, and to finally taste it was a good ending for the night, from my trip in Edmonton, Alberta. The bihon combo was also very flavorful, filled with crunchy veggies, and large pieces of shrimp and pork, spritzed with a lemon slice and it was quite epic. The overall experience was great, from the servers, the service and the food.
Definitely will recommend, and will keep coming back for more. Next up will be their breakfast menu.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food is fresh and yummy! MASARAP!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food and service was some of the best in the city. JT is an amazing server. He can multitask online orders and take care of tables. I’d highly recommend this place.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cloud 9 Filipino Comfort Food at Kawayan
We came in as a group of 6 hungry people… and left in a food coma of pure joy. We ordered 3 batchoys, kare-kare, lumpia shanghai, bicol express, and not one—but TWO crispy patas. And let me tell you—everything was delicious.
The staff? Super friendly, warm, and they speak Ilonggo too—felt like home! 🇵🇭
Now let’s talk about the Bicol Express. Their version? OH. MY. CLOUD. 9. The meat was melt-in-your-mouth soft, but the sauce—my goodness—the texture was so light, I swear they might’ve whipped it. It had this almost airy bite, like a coconut dream with a touch of spice. Absolute heaven. Honestly, I could handle it even spicier (labuyo-level pls 👀), but it was already perfection.
Filipinos, you gotta go.
Filipinos married to Americans? Bring ’em.
Americans married to Filipinos? Don’t walk—run.
Just go. Kawayan is the real deal. 🫶
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Really good food. And JT the server gave us a great service
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Super hospitable, lechon was super tender and the breakfast combo was something I was craving just super delicious! The owners are very easy to talk to as well, so come say hi!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Under new management, the owner and chef, more than warrants your attention. You owe it to your palate to reward it with delightful dishes that feed not just the body but also the soul. They cure tocino in house using a family recipe that goes back decades. You can be sure that the meat are cooked to perfection. Crispy and cruchy according to dish parameters. Tender and juicy to the bite. Even the vegetables are prepared at the right temperature so it's not soggy or overcooked which often happens at asian shops. The seasoning is carefully considered, holding the balance between salt and sweet or have ample kick (bicol express) when needed. I haven't had all of the dishes but have sampled many and they are all very enjoyable. Service is quick and staff are very attentive. They said they will be making sausages soon too. I can't wait. You shouldn’t either.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Lumpia Shanghai, Bicol Express, Pinakbet, Dinuguan, Crispy Pata
We had been to this restaurant in the past, but it's now under new ownership. The father owns the restaurant and is also the chef because he really wants the food to taste like it should. His son takes the orders and serves the food and is so nice and patient! He went through the menu and explained each dish as we were deciding.
We chose pancit bihon combo and batchoy. I doubt you could find either dish made better anywhere else. Each dish had a rich complex taste that was so enjoyable. The batchoy meats are cooked over 24 hours to create an amazing flavor. Pancit bihon had its own wonderful tastes. Both dishes were of generous portions.
The decor is inviting and joyful. The place is immaculate. It gets quite busy on the weekends, so you might find it easier to enjoy a great meal sometime during the week. Enjoy! We sure did.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
New ownership. First time trying out their food today and quite impressed. It’s a decent drive for us from Northwest Indiana and we will be back for sure. We ordered their Crispy Pata, fall of the bone goodness and crispy skin. The seafood bicol express was to die for with a lot of seafood like mussells, real squid and shrimps. The Pinakbet was also good and you can tell the veggies are fresh and not overcooked. We will def. Come back to try more of their menu. Ilonggos really knows how to cook. Iloilo is named UNESCO city of gastronomy for a reason!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I dined here about a year ago and recently came back. I was blown away by the upgrades in the space. The place looked completely different and more inviting. The staff was very kind and personable. I ordered the pinakbet and loved the rich stew and the way they prepared the bitter melon and other vegetables to come together cohesively. Definitely will be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
service was so sweet; they gave me a free bowl of rice 😭 the sinigang was great, super tangy and mouthwatering. overall a lowkey unassuming spot that has great hospitality:)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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