AP KALA beach bar & modern cafe — Restaurant in El Nido

Review for Ap Kala , El Nido Palawan Branch (April 14, 2025)

The atmosphere of the restaurant is pleasant, but unfortunately, the service experience was consistently disappointing.

During our first visit, the service crew seemed unfamiliar with their own menu. My husband, who is Muslim, ordered a dish described as “Longganisa and Mussels.” Back in Qatar, “Longganisa” is often beef or chicken, so we naturally assumed it would be the same. Unfortunately, it turned out to be pork, which deeply upset my husband. Although the staff acknowledged their mistake and were very apologetic (which we appreciated), it was still a significant issue for us.

Today, on our last day in Palawan, we decided to give the restaurant another chance. Sadly, the second experience was just as disappointing. We waited almost an hour for our breakfast. Worse, there was confusion with our order — the staff claimed we had only ordered coffee, despite a server being present when we placed a full food order.

Our actual order was: • Fruit Yogurt Bowl (which shouldn’t take long to prepare) • Breakfast Chicken Meal • Eggplant Omelette

It’s disheartening because the place itself has potential, but poor service and lack of coordination severely affect the overall experience.

We hope management can address these service issues, especially with training the crew better about their menu and improving order management, to match the nice atmosphere they...

The ambiance was absolutely fantastic! however, the food was unfortunately unexpectedly very disappointing, poor, as it totally did not match the level of the restaurant.

Their roasted Pork Belly Bites was basically 100grams if pork fat with skin that has been deep fried. No meat whatsoever.

The Chicken Wings is perfect example of honey Chicken gone wrong. It tasted like boiled chicken that was dipped in honey afterwards, leaving that bland boiled after taste.

Garlic Shirmp Pasta, You could not taste the Parsley and Basil, overwhelmed by the Chilli. Prawn was fresh but overcooked. Parmesan has a distinct taste and smell. This did not seem to be present.

Other dishes were ordered, however I would not like to elaborate further as it may sound like are bashing the restaurant.

Would recommend having drinks there with utmost confidence to enjoy the atmosphere, just...

Due to a friend's recommendation, I came to dine here. In addition to a nice atmosphere and delicious meals, the best part is the seating area near the beach where you can enjoy the sea breeze at night and look up to see the stars faintly twinkling in the night sky. I visited the restaurant twice, ordering different dishes each time, including salads, grilled meats, sandwiches, and fried pastries. Since I prefer lighter flavors, my favorite was the salad, which was well-seasoned and had a rich variety of toppings. It's worth mentioning that the service at the restaurant was very thoughtful. The waiter on both days happened to be the same person（Johnrey), who was very enthusiastic and proactively offered services. Even dining alone, I could feel the warmth of the restaurant. I really liked...