INDAY PINA SUTUKIL SEAFOODS — Restaurant in Lapu-Lapu

In Mactan, sutukil has always been part of the island’s identity — a ritual meal that brings together fire, broth, and vinegar into one symphony of flavors. Sadly, with the pandemic and Typhoon Odette, many sutukil joints have vanished. But Inday Pina’s Sutukil has survived, proudly standing as one of the last of its kind.

The setting is quintessentially Cebuano: bamboo and wood forming most of the structure, with a dining area split into two levels. Downstairs, there’s a section styled to resemble nipa huts, giving diners a sense of privacy while still enjoying the breeze and a view over mangroves and the historic Mactan Shrine. It’s charming, rustic, and the staff match the ambiance — friendly, accommodating, and genuinely welcoming.

Then comes the sutukil experience. You choose a single fish at the counter, and from it the kitchen crafts the Cebuano holy trinity: sugba (grilled, smoky), tuwa (soup, comforting), and kilaw (ceviche, sharp and fresh). Flavor-wise, they deliver. This is the taste of Cebu at its most traditional — nothing pretentious, just the sea translated into three plates.

But here’s where it all falls apart: the price. For one fish, the bill came to ₱800. One fish. Three dishes. No frills, no extras, just that. For locals, this isn’t just “a bit high” — it feels outright abusive. The sort of pricing that feeds on tourists who don’t know any better. And while I understand that Mactan is often overpriced — from resorts to island tours — this felt less like island premium and more like exploitation.

So yes, the ambiance is memorable. The staff are lovely. The food is good. But ₱800 for one sutukil? That leaves a bitter aftertaste. And until this culture of overcharging changes, Cebu’s culinary heritage risks being remembered not for its flavor, but for its corruption...

Never try to eat in this restaurant. You will totally be disappointed, the food, service, surroundings and service. Theirs webside is not the same as you see in reality. There are many people from the outside(looks like street children)who are standing by in and outside the restaurant. After each restaurants guest are gone, these people I am saying, eat the rest of foods of the guests on the same table. Aside from the dirty surroundings what more I experienced is that, the waitresses do eat also, while emptying the tablet, without hiding it to the other guests. There are dirty cats who are walking around and under each guest table. I can't recommend this restaurant if you are a tourist. Never...

Totally disappointed with the food. If you're a tourist please don't go there. The driver insisted we go to this restaurant. I bought two large, meaty crabs that we picked for $1,400 pesos. They scammed us. When they served it to us, these were definitely not the crabs we initially picked. They served us the cooked crabs and they were pretty much empty, cold and SMALL. They probably switched the crabs in the kitchen with older and smaller crabs. The restaurant was dirty and the odour was disgusting. Don't waste your trip going to...