Maharlikas Resto Bar — Restaurant in Mississauga

We heard a new Filipino restaurant newly opened in Mississauga so we decided to check it out. This restaurant replaced another Filipino restaurant called Ellens Place which was sold and now called Maharlika. When we arrived the place was locked even though the website said they are open. There was also a sign at the door that says open. We were told by the store beside it to use the side door but when we checked it was also locked. I decided to call and a gentleman answered and told him we were outside the resto and we could not get in as the doors were locked. He apologized and unlocked the door for us. This was passed 1 o’clock in the pm on a Friday.

Ambiance The restaurant inside felt dark and gloomy. There were rows and rows of tables and chairs for dining and on the left side as you enter is a makeshift stage when they have shows and Karioke night which I learned happen every weekends. There were no windows anywhere and the coloured lighting on the ceiling in my opinion made the place darker and depressing.

Food We ordered Kare kare based on the 5 star review, crispy Pata, Sisig bangus, 2 servings of white rice and for dessert Halo halo.

The Kare Kare when it arrived was a disappointment. The peanut sauce was coagulated which tells me that it was not newly cooked that day but was leftover previously. There were two pieces of cut up egg plant, 1 pc bokchoy and 3 strips of small green beans. Despite this it was tasty even though the presentation was not appetizing.

Crispy Pata It was well cooked and crunchy and we liked it

Sisig Bangus A disappointment as well for it lacks flavour making it bland and not what one would expect expect in a sisig. Despite it supposedly being boneless there were still few bones that we found. At least they were small and not the large bones.

Halo Halo The serving of ice was huge but that’s where it ends. There was not enough ingredients that make the Halo Halo tastier The kaong was so tough and chewy you cant even enjoy it. The ice was very rough and felt like you are chewing endless chunks of ice in your mouth. It was also lacking in milk and could not even mix it as it was very dry. I had to ask for extra milk to be able to mix it. The bill came to $85 plus incl. taxes and gratuity for two people. I personally think it is pricey and not worth it based on our experience. Would we return and eat here again? That would be a hard no! First impression to me is very important and our experience was not a good one...

I visited the restaurant a few weeks ago, and it was my first time trying Filipino cuisine.

I must say, it was a delightful experience! I was accompanied by a friend from the Philippines, who kindly assisted me in ordering the dishes.

The garlic rice was particularly delectable, and I could have easily finished the entire plate by myself. The fish dishes were also excellent, and I thoroughly enjoyed the soup. There was a dish with peanut sauce and meat inside, but I found it to be a bit too heavy for my taste. However, the dishes with pumpkin were quite enjoyable.

One aspect that I noticed was that some of the dishes had more salt than others. Perhaps for someone who is not accustomed to using salt, it can be more noticeable. On a positive note, the live band was a fantastic addition to the dining experience. They performed a mix of old and new songs, and while there was a slight price increase for the live music, it was well worth it. The restaurant also offers karaoke, making it more than just a dining establishment.

In conclusion, if you are seeking a place with good music, dancing, and delicious food, I highly recommend...

I am so disappointed by my experience with this place. I was there last night (Friday, Dec 15) for a Christmas party and the food my family pre-ordered never came! Around 30 minutes after we had been seated at the restaurant, the waiter asked us if we wanted our pre-ordered food to be served already. We told them "not yet" because most of the people in our reservation hadn't arrived yet.

An hour later, most of our friends had arrived, so we asked the waiter to bring our pre-ordered food. We thought they would bring us our food quickly, since we pre-ordered. But we were so wrong - it took them around 1 hr and 30 mins to finish bringing out all our friends' pre-ordered food!

But the food my family pre-ordered never came, even after 2 and a half hours! Even our friends who didn't pre-order and just ordered at the restaurant, got their food faster than those who did pre-order!

What is the point of pre-ordering food if it either never arrives or if it's served much slower than food that is ordered in...