Location: Iloilo City
Top Restaurants in Iloilo City
Where to Eat in Iloilo City: The Best Restaurants and Bars
Iloilo City, officially the City of Iloilo (Hiligaynon: Dakbanwa/Syudad sang Iloilo; Kinaray-a: Syudad kang/ka Iloilo; Filipino: Lungsod ng Iloilo; Spanish: Ciudad de Iloílo) is a highly urbanized city on southeastern tip of Panay island in the Philippines. It is the capital city of the province of Iloilo where it is geographically situated but, in terms of government and administration, it is politically independent. In addition, it is the center of the Iloilo-Guimaras Metropolitan Area, as well as the regional center and primate city of the Western Visayas region. In the 2015 census, Iloilo City had a population of 447,992 inhabitants, with a 1.02% population annual growth rate. For the metropolitan area, the total population is 946,146 inhabitants.
Things to do in Iloilo City
1. Breakthrough Restaurant Iloilo
Overall Ratings
4 based on 322 reviews
Reviewed By Milany A - Davao City, Philippines
Spending our first night in Iloilo City last week with a sumptuous dinner in this Restaurant was a good decision. The food was deliciously cooked, especially the Steamed Crabs and Fish Sinigang. Price was above average, but we have already expected about it after Reading reviews and knowing its location. I was only disappointed with their Kinilaw na Isda and Inihaw na Pusit though --- servings were too tiny and few yet the price was too much. I hope they can be a little generous and considerate. :-) Good thing the Aligue in their Crabs tried to make up for these shortcomings.
Also, I would like to recommend they increase their number of Crews/Staffs. The place can be crowded by Diners especially on weekends yet they only have a few service crews attending to the needs or serving their customers. Thus, we would need to call their attention over and over again just to be attended to. We were not even served water until we went home - I didn't know if they do serve water or if we need to do self-service for that (it was our first time and no one told us anything).
All in all, it was still a tummy-fulfilling experience. :-)
2. Tatoy's Manokan and Seafoods
Overall Ratings
4 based on 288 reviews
Reviewed By ChaoSev - Manila, Philippines
Everyone says that when you are in Iloilo, you must sample the seafood. Unfortunately, scallops and Diwal (type of shellfish that is unique to this part of the Philippines, were out of season but I was, at least, able to sample their steamed oysters, and kilawin hipon (similar to a shrimp ceviche). I was not impressed with their specialty, a native chicken dish, which I found dry and tough and not particularly tasty, but the seafood was fresh, clean, and delicious. Toilets were clean, with running water, soap, and toilet paper, so eating with your hands is a definite option. A good seafood restaurant option within the city.
3. Deco's
Overall Ratings
4 based on 102 reviews
Reviewed By Joyce D
Batchoy in Iloilo is a must eat when you are in the city! We went to Deco’s at the La Paz Market to also enjoy more of the local feels. We were excited and ordered the Extra (largest size) La Paz Batchoy for P90 each and puto for P13 per order (one order already has 3 – perfect for our trio). They have softdrinks for drinks and house water.
It was a joy eating their batchoy after hearing mass at Jaro Cathedral and walking around the streets in the city. It was flavorful and very much full of toppings!
We also enjoyed watching and smelling the chicharron being cooked just outside of the restaurant.
4. Roberto's
Overall Ratings
4 based on 156 reviews
Http://ilonggos.net/iloilo/iloilo-food/robertos-siopao-iloilo
Reviewed By CzarEmmanuel - Manila, Philippines
Located in downtown Iloilo (along Basa Street), this eatery has made a name for itself throughout the decades of its existence (from the late 1970's onward). It is particularly famous for its chunky siopao of various kinds. Particularly sought after is its Queen siopao stuffed with both chicken and pork adobo, Chinese sausage, and eggs. People line up daily just to buy it, and so it easily gets sold out. But it's simply the best. It is also quite big. One piece of it constitutes a complete meal in itself! This is definitely one food you should try when you visit Iloilo City! The place may look very simple (like a typical Filipino carenderia), but focus on the food, which you can simply take out and consume elsewhere.
5. Ted's Oldtimer Lapaz Batchoy
Overall Ratings
4 based on 79 reviews
Reviewed By jajavalB - Bangkok
This llonggo traditional cuisine noodle with various soup is a must to try for first comer here, like me. I ordered extra super Lapaz Batchoy with clear soup with minced pork and liver. It's not disappointed with taste and amount of meal I got with price of 95 peso. Seasoning with soy sauce, its mixed flavours turn my palate on. There are also multiple shops/restaurants or food hawkers all around iloilo city.
6. Punot
Overall Ratings
4 based on 58 reviews
PUNOT. Flavors of Modern Iloilo.Located along the Iloilo River, it is one riverside dining experience you will surely enjoy.Punot is the first venture of siblings Chef Tope + Advertising Executive Andrea. They pay tribute to their parents Lea and Rogelio who built the family’s two restaurants in Estancia – Friends (1987) and Punot (2000) – by bringing Punot to the city.A graduate from the Center of Culinary Arts and with work experience at Zenaris Restaurant in Canada, Mandarin Oriental, Stella and Madison Restaurants in Manila, Chef Tope aims to bring contemporary and exciting creations for the Ilonggos! PUNOT. Have a bite of the flavors of Modern Iloilo!
Reviewed By Arman B - Quezon City, Philippines
The food is great particularly the crispy pata, corned beef kansi, and salad pomelo. The kinilaw is not that impressive because the fish is pickled so much with a strong vinegar. It is trying to copy the french style gastronomy of preparing ceviche over a shot glass but they over do the vinegar and you don't taste the freshness of the fish at all. The staff though are courteous and attentive. It is comfortable with a good view at the second floor.
7. Buto't Balat
Overall Ratings
4 based on 39 reviews
Reviewed By Iloveiloilo7 - iloilo
Nice ambiance. A cool getaway for lunch or dinner amidst the bustling cityscape of Iloilo. What I like best about the three Buto't Balat branches is the simple landscaping as it uses local, seemingly ordinary ornamentals for its decoration. There's a water element too in the design. Over-all the effect is nice
This resto started becoming famous for its sizzling sisig.
8. Netong's Original Special La Paz Batchoy
Overall Ratings
4 based on 160 reviews
Reviewed By danerobb - Alberta, Canada
Bits of chicharon and chicken floating around in a tasteless watery broth is what prisoners of war may have eaten under Japanese occupation. Whoever invented this crap knew his people! That it is supposedly famous at least on Panay days a lot about the status of the oppressed poor Filipino.
Unless you were brought up on this kind of stuff, like me you may take a small taste, and get out of there in dust. Yes, they charge for it: 79 pesos or @ 2 dollars for a 'soup' that should not even be given away!
9. Dova Brunch Cafe
Overall Ratings
4 based on 66 reviews
Reviewed By Nigel G - Singapore
Visited this restaurant for lunch today.
Chose a triple cheese burger. Nicely presented with potato chips and salad. The slice of bacon on the top was, like the burger tasteless and flavourless.
Seating was comfortable, staff were friendly, air conditioning was good and wifi connectivity was excellent.
Needs a new chef to Jazz the food up!!
10. Ponsyon by Breakthrough
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 93 reviews
Reviewed By danerobb - Alberta, Canada
Rated by filipinos as really good, it's just not even close to good unless your tastebuds aren't able to differentiate between good, poor, fair and bad.
I was recommended Ponsyon by a couple I met at another restaurant in Iloilo, and as they discussed other 'good' restaurants in the Philippines, the man impromptly gave me three other places to go as 'don't miss' destination restos. Taking their word for it, I headed out the next day to check it out.
You see, I'd walked into the same place a week ago, and immediately walked back out after I discovered the menu was average-looking filipino fare. Upon returning on their recommendation, I thought perhaps I'd been wrong in my original impression.
I wish I'd not returned! It was and is, for me, a Caucasian foodie, really really poor. A most-helpful young hostess escorted me to a suitable table in the front of the restaurant (for some reason it's split into two parts separated by the kitchen). The place on both sides was filled with middle and upper-middle class patrons, and seemed to hold promise. But I was horribly disappointed.
My main dish, steamed stuffed squid, arrived cool. As well, it was bland tasting, as were the green tomatoes and onion ends that just didn't do anything for it. As well, it was accompanied by a thick dried fish-paste that is regarded as good by the locals, but which to my western palate is bad-tasting.
The soup that comes with the meal was a bitter vinegary tasting affair with a few vegetable ends drifting around in its disagreeable broth.
Another 'complimentary and complementary' dish was some kind of chicharron: deep-fried little pork bits that were mostly fat with crunchy, greasy, over-cooked meat scraps hanging off them. Not impressed, this is what I saw and tasted.
The best thing about it whole meal was the garlic boiled kangkong, but the tangled greens floated in an ordinary soy sauce. At the end of eating them, I had to take extreme measures with paper napkins and a toothpick to get the un-chewable shreds and strings out of my teeth.
What one nation finds delectable another may find most disagreeable.
One can only trust one's taste buds and the context we come from. As for mine, anyone who is not enamoured with 'filipino' food should skirt this place and go elsewhere nearby to test what they offer. A Vietnamese and Korean place within walking distance will possibly give you thrills instead of chills.
