Sunburst Restaurant — Restaurant in Zamboanga del Sur

A Disappointing Valentine's Dinner at Sunburst

Our family had high hopes for a relaxing and enjoyable Valentine’s dinner at Sunburst, a restaurant we once loved. However, from the moment we arrived, our experience was anything but pleasant.

Ambiance & Service

Understandably, the restaurant was bustling with customers, given the occasion. Finding a table was already a challenge, but we remained patient, knowing that peak hours on Valentine’s Day would naturally mean a full house. However, the real issues began when we were ready to order. It took us at least 12 minutes to get the attention of a waiter, as they were all busy attending to other tables. While we expected some delays, the difficulty in getting service became frustrating.

Food & Quality

We were told that our food would be served in 15 minutes, which seemed reasonable. However, 15 minutes passed with no food in sight, and once again, getting a waiter's attention was a struggle. Another 15 minutes later, our dishes finally arrived. Hungry and excited, I took my first bite, only to be met with disappointment.

Sunburst was once known for its fried chicken, which was exactly why I ordered it. Unfortunately, the chicken was overly salty, with an unreasonably hard coating—almost like biting into popcorn seeds. To make matters worse, it was dry, likely over-fried to the point of losing all moisture. This was a stark contrast to the delicious, crispy, and flavorful chicken we remembered from years ago.

The chop suey, surprisingly, was the only saving grace of the meal. It was flavorful and well-cooked. However, the lomi, mango shake, and Oreo shake were all disappointingly bland.

Service Delays & Final Frustration

Due to the disappointing taste of the chicken, most of it was left uneaten. Since we still had a guest arriving, we decided to reorder the chop suey, hoping to at least serve something enjoyable. But another long delay followed—so long that by the time our guest had finished eating the dry chicken (out of necessity), the chop suey still hadn’t arrived.

Deciding we had waited long enough, we asked for the bill. Ironically, just as we were about to pay, the long-awaited chop suey finally arrived. Since it was already included in the bill, we had no choice but to take it as a takeaway.

Final Verdict

What was meant to be a relaxing family dinner turned into an evening of frustration. The slow service, the disappointing food, and the lack of attentiveness from the staff made this one of the worst dining experiences we've had in a long time. Sunburst was once a place we cherished, but after this experience, we have no intention of returning.

If the restaurant hopes to regain its former glory, it needs serious improvements in food quality, consistency, and service efficiency. Until then, we’ll be taking our business elsewhere oh Inforgot to mention the pork sweet and sour we ate...

Overlypriced nowadays. There was a time that this was the place of choice to eat in the city. But now with all of the competition out there with new and unique ideas compared here makes there pricing really questionable. There signature chicken is now not as big compared from the past. It still taste the same though. But as I said, this restaurant's prices is really atrocious. That's the main problem of the number of problems in...

Too philippino for my taste. Noodles were drowned in a horrible sauce. The same for their Paella. Everything drowned in too much sauce. I didn't eat it. The sweet sour fish...