PhilHouse — Restaurant in National City

On Mondays and Wednesdays, they have this buy one get one free so everyone flocks in. The problem is that the line is not moving, and it's not because of the volume of customers. It's the ladies nitpicking the scoops/servings. It is a to-go buffet style place. People are paying, not begging for food. Servings shouldn't be skimped and should not take forever to be plated or placed in to-go cups/plates. Tita's can move their long lines fairly quickly. At PhilHouse, you'll stand for at least 30 mins every Monday or Wednesday and on any given busy day.

Pros: Their vegetables are good (bean sprouts, packbet, bitter melon). Tomato based meats/poultry are decent. Their chicharon, deep-fried ruffle fat version, not the skin, is legit.

Cons: All else you can skip. Bistek is missing that sour taste. Lumpia is all wrapper, lil meat. Skewers are too sweet. Binagoongan is too salty, not balanced enough with coconut cream. Dinuguan tastes great, but the meat is always overcooked, borderline corned beef texture. Pancit is bland. I could go on and on.

Their fish are popular. I'll probably try...

This place was a complete disaster from start to finish. The food service was chaotic and completely unorganized, with long lines that made no sense and moved at a snail’s pace. It was obvious the staff had no training or coordination everyone looked confused, disinterested, and overwhelmed.

The crew was rude and unprofessional, barely acknowledging customers and acting like we were bothering them just by being there. There was no communication, no sense of urgency, and zero customer service. I’ve never seen a more incompetent team running a food operation.

If you value your time, money, or even basic respect as a customer, avoid this place at all costs. Absolutely the worst experience I’ve had. One star is...

We came here for the barbecue pork, but the prices listed on the menu were outdated. The sign clearly said $14 for 4 pieces, but we were charged $7.50 more at the register. When we asked about the price discrepancy, the cashier told us to call the main office ourselves, offering no help or explanation. The customer in front of us was also confused and frustrated by the sudden price change. While the barbecue tasted decent, the poor customer service and lack of clear communication left a bad impression. Won’t be...