La Parrilla de Manila - Filipino restaurant in Colonia - 1159 St Georges Ave, USA

Came here on the recommendation of a family friend. We don’t have as great of a selection of filipino restaurants anymore in JC (the few left can be overpriced with measly portions). Was initially shocked at the menu prices which were a little high and noted as “single servings” but don’t let that fool you - those single servings are enough for sharing. 2 single serving dishes can nearly feed 3 when you add rice. We had the grilled squid, lechon kawali, pinakbet, and sisig. Everything was single serving or lunch portion except the squid which is one size. And everything was delicious! Loved the pinakbet isn’t too oily or fatty, the veggies are cooked just right and not mushy, and the amapalya isn’t super bitter. The lechon kawali too was delicious and the skin crispy. My only knock is I wish it were a touch browner but I understand they were aiming to not overcook and dry it out. Squid was delicious and perfectly grilled (but gimme more teriyaki glaze personally). And the sisig was good but not stand out. I prefer it with a bit more texture and it just comes out a little too mushy. It tastes good but it needs a coarser chop so it doesn’t end up like paste at the end. Overall 10/10 and only wish it were closer to JC but 30-35min isn’t too bad. Will be back again!

Great Filipino cuisine. Awesome atmosphere. Location is clean and bright. Portion is right and the price point is affordable. We will be back with friends and families.

Best Filipino food! We live in north Jersey and travel for this restaurant. My family and I have never been disappointed

I made a reservation for a specific time, but we were running late so I decided to call to let them know that we would be about half an hour late. The young lady who answered informed us that they were heavily understaffed and asked me if we would like to place order on the phone so that we wouldn't have to wait. I unfortunately had to decline because we didn't know what we wanted yet. When we got there, we rang the bell and we were greeted with the young lady whom I later discovered to be the hostess, waitress, food runner and bus girl. She promptly checked each of our temperatures before we were seated. She took our drink orders after which, I watched how she managed to care of three other tables that were enjoying their meals. After waiting for about 10 minutes, she came back with our drinks and took our orders. The menu was quite full but unfortunately, they didn't have the appetizer that we were all craving that evening (chicharon bulaklak.) We ordered an array of dishes and each and every one of them were delicious. They were portioned just right (maybe even larger) for a party of five. The flavors and the freshness of the ingredients were all there. Kudos to the chef who prepared them. The crispy pata were all kind of crispy and fatty in the best way. The bulalo took me back to Tagaytay. The pinakbet was made with fresh vegetables. The sisig and the pork BBQ made me want to take a shot with my barkada back home. And you can't have a proper Filipino dinner without rice; garlic fried rice that wast just comforting. I have to admit that I was very hesitant after I was told that they were understaffed, especially after she asked if she could take our orders over the phone before we even arrive. But I was shockingly surprised by how everything turned out and the quality of the food. Very impressed. Definitely will be back, especially on a Friday when they have street food specials.

This place became a quick favorite. My wife and I love their pancit bihon and lumpia Shanghai. Would definitely recommend for a nice family night out or if you're looking for some delicious Filipino food.

All I can say is I totally agree with those people who had an unpleasant experience here. Food is just average but service is the worst. Rude and very unwelcoming. No longer the old great Filipino dining restaurant I used to know when they were still in the New Brunswick area or even just a couple of years ago when I visited this place after learning that they have moved to this new location. It has changed for the worst So sad! I thought it was worth trying this place again and give them another chance but truly disappointed! Never ever coming back and good luck to this place if they don’t do something about the very recent bad reviews.

Love coming here with my family. Delicious Filipino food. Some dishes you can choose from single or a family portion. The halo halo is big and can share with a couple people. Will be coming back.

Delicious Filipino good! We had family style meals. Everything was fresh and made to order. Will return for more!