TGI Fridays - Ayala Malls Capitol Central — Restaurant in Bacolod

Is it a US TGI Fridays… nope but they’re trying. (let me give you a bit of added information, I was a TGIF Master Bartender for 5 years in the mid 80’s & worked in Pittsburgh, Ft Lauderdale & Colorado Springs. I helped to open one location and worked in many other high volume TGIFs. Master Bartenders at the time were able to walk into any TGIF & work due to our extensive knowledge of the vast drink menu at the time)

I’m surprised by all the scathing reviews and low star ratings for Fridays here in Bacolod. First off many went during a store opening and that is always hectic with new employees that have never dealt with real customers. I really couldn’t believe the reviews that was reading or how harsh some of them were.

We went for a late lunch, severs were all very friendly and prompt to seat us and give us attention. We had multiple servers stop by our table to ask if we needed anything as I was taking a long time to look over the menu to see what they have compared to the US. We decided on a couple of plates, big salad & ribs to split, a mocktail and I had an iced tea. The restaurant was a bit over half full on the inside so mildly busy. Drinks were brought out promptly and I as usual drank my tea down quickly. My tea was refilled promptly by one of the managers on staff so that was nice.

Food came out quickly, salad was good, nothing really special but good for the price point. It was a big salad so there was plenty to share. She thought the Buffalo Chicken was “sour”, I thought it was ok (not the best but good) I think the “sour” has more to do with Filipino taste for sweet food and use of sugar. The ribs were good (now these were too sweet for me as I’m more of a vinegar based BBQ guy) but she liked them and there were plenty to share. My tea was empty again and promptly filled for the second time.

For the conclusion, is this the best Fridays I have ever eaten… no. However, they are trying and I think with a bit more time an training things will be much better in the long run. Service was on point and I couldn’t have asked for much more with a recent opening.

I did stop the GM on her way past my table and pointed out a couple of little things that would have made our experience a bit better but they were more “fine tuning” type suggestions and not a glaring problem type thing. She was very kind and I could see really wanted to hear me and what issues they could make better.

This is not a cheap place to eat (I’m going to stop for the 350 lunch and I will update) but it’s also a large chain and with that comes a bit of a price bump. I didn’t like the 7.5% automatic gratuity (service fee?) as I normally tip but I do sort of understand that people don’t really tip here but 7.5 is a bit steep. I will return in a month or so as I saw a couple things on the menu that I would like to try so I will update this also then. But overall this is not a 1 star kind of place, I rate them 4 stars with one extra as they are new and I thought there was plenty of effort to gain that final star.

Oh yea, make sure to check...

Service is efficient. We (4 pax) went for an early dinner on a weekday hence, were immediately seated. Mac and cheese bites (fried into crispy cubes with tomato salsa as a dip) are 'filling' appetizers. Their mango vinaigrette salad is a balanced flavor of sourness of vinaigrette and a hint of sweetness of ripe mango. Baked mac and cheese is a favorite. The whisky glazed baby back ribs (we took the full rack) did not live up to my expectation. Though it's tasty, the meat is not that tender. Especially near the tip of the rack, which is overcooked, therefore is tough and chewy. Overall, food is a typical American diner offering, and the quality is nothing to shout about but nice to try so as to know what the fuzz is about this place. Price is on the high side. Our bill total is PHP 3,570.18 inclusive of a single serving of mashed potato and a discount for one senior citizen. Be ready to spend when planning to dine in and try their...

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Food coma in the best way possible? YES, PLEASE! 🤤 Had the ultimate foodie adventure at TGIFridays Ayala Bacolod and everything was super sulit and super namit gid!

From the satisfying cheese pull of their Mozzarella Sticks, to the tender, fall-off-the-bone Baby Back Ribs, every bite was a flavor bomb 💯. Their Peach & Watermelon Mojitos were the perfect refreshers to top it all off—ideal for a laid-back food trip with the fam.

Tried the Mozza Challenge too… and gloriously failed! 😂 But hey, it's not about winning—it’s about enjoying every cheesy, messy, FUN bite of it!

If you're in Bacolod and looking for a place to unwind, bond, and indulge in good food, TGIFridays is definitely the place to be. Don’t walk—run to your next food trip destination!

#FridaysFaves #BacolodEats #KikayFoodVlog #TGIFridaysPH...