Manila isn't just cheap — it's absurdly, gloriously cheap. A full meal for ₱60 ($1 USD). A Michelin Bib Gourmand carinderia where nothing tops ₱120. Sizzling sisig from a jollijeep that puts restaurant versions to shame. This city is a budget eater's paradise.
We analyzed hundreds of Reddit posts from r/Philippines, r/MANILA, r/filipinofood, and r/Philippines_Expats to find the spots that locals, expats, and repeat visitors recommend over and over. From Binondo's ancient Chinatown to Makati's jollijeep alleys — these are the meals worth your pesos.
📊 How we built this list
We analyzed 200+ Reddit posts and 1,500+ comments across r/Philippines, r/MANILA, r/filipinofood, r/Philippines_Expats, and r/phtravel — spanning 2019 to 2026. Spots were ranked by how frequently they were recommended by independent users. Every place on this list was mentioned in at least 3 separate threads. We weighted long-term expats' and locals' picks more heavily than one-time tourist posts.
1Wai Ying
Chinese-Filipino
What to order: Beef curry rice, lechon macau, yang chow fried rice, and their legendary dimsum. Big servings at carinderia prices. Share family-style for the full experience.
"Wai Ying, Binondo. Big servings, fair price point."
— r/MANILA · Must-try restaurants thread
"Wai Ying and Masuki were my go-to restos sa Binondo in my youth after a good drinking sesh with the barkada — punta dyan tapos kain ng congee or mami."
— r/Philippines · Binondo eats thread
tabiji verdict: The anchor of any Binondo food crawl. Wai Ying is the restaurant Reddit mentions more than any other in Manila's Chinatown. Huge portions, dirt-cheap prices, and open late. Come hungry.
2Mang Inasal
Chicken Inasal
What to order: Chicken inasal PM1 (pork + chicken combo) with unlimited rice. Drown the rice in chicken oil. That's the move.
"Mang Inasal, yeah it's cheap fast food chicken skewer with unli rice, but it's good."
— r/Philippines_Expats · Best places to eat thread
"The best chicken I've had is from Mang Inasal, affordable, I go back. 🤤"
— r/Philippines_Expats · Best fried chicken thread
tabiji verdict: Unlimited rice with grilled chicken inasal for under ₱150 is one of the greatest food deals on Earth. Yes, it's a chain. No, that doesn't matter. The chicken oil drizzled over rice is addictive. A staff member literally walks around refilling your plate.
3Manam
Modern Filipino
What to order: Watermelon sinigang (their famous twist), crispy pata, sisig, and the house halo-halo. Everything is shareable and generous.
"Manam is a pretty good (and the only answer imo) one lalo na for sisig — some food are not cooked in a traditional way and they had their own spin on a classic dish."
— r/CasualPH · Filipino restaurant recommendation
"Chinese colleagues really like any version of Sinigang. Special recognition to Manam's Watermelon Sinigang."
— r/filipinofood · First Filipino foods thread
tabiji verdict: The priciest spot on this list but still shockingly cheap by international standards — ₱400 ($7) for a dish that would cost $25 anywhere else. Their watermelon sinigang is iconic. Perfect for first-timers who want polished Filipino food.
4Sisig sa Rada (Jollijeep)
Jollijeep
What to order: Sisig — obviously. Sizzling pork face and ears with an egg cracked on top, served with unlimited rice. This is the quintessential jollijeep experience.
"Worth to try Jollijeep locations: Sisig sa Rada — Rada St."
— r/MANILA · Street food thread
tabiji verdict: The iconic jollijeep sisig in Makati's business district. Office workers queue here every lunch for good reason. Under ₱100 for sizzling sisig with rice. This is Manila street food at its absolute peak.
5Andok's
Lechon Manok
What to order: Lechon manok (roast chicken) — whole or half. The liempo (pork belly) is also excellent. Pair with java rice and their signature sarsa sauce.
"Every time I visit, I get Andok's Chicken as soon as I land."
— r/Philippines · Favourite foods in Manila thread
"I honestly find Jollibee extremely mediocre. I personally love Andoks for fried chicken and they don't seem to get enough attention."
— r/Philippines_Expats · Best fried chicken thread
tabiji verdict: Andok's doesn't get the tourist hype that Jollibee does, but expats and locals actually prefer it. The rotisserie chicken is juicy, smoky, and absurdly cheap. A whole chicken feeds 3–4 people for under ₱300.
6Ying Ying Tea House
Chinese Noodles
What to order: Beef brisket noodles and lechon macau. Simple, perfect execution at rock-bottom prices. Their dimsum is also worth ordering.
"Ying Ying Tea House — 233-235 Dasmarinas cor. Yuchengco St. Beef Brisket noodles at Lechon Macau! 🍜"
— r/MANILA · Binondo food crawl budget thread
tabiji verdict: A Binondo staple for decades. The beef brisket noodle soup is warming, hearty, and costs less than a coffee at Starbucks. Perfect fuel for a full Chinatown food crawl.
7Morning Sun Eatery
Carinderia
What to order: Whatever's fresh that day — the turo-turo (point-point) style means you pick from a spread of cooked dishes. Adobo, sinigang, and their daily specials are all reliable.
"Morning Sun Eatery. A humble, everyman's 'Carinderia' awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand."
— r/Philippines · Restaurant recommendations thread
tabiji verdict: A Michelin Bib Gourmand carinderia. Let that sink in. You can eat at a Michelin-recognized restaurant for under ₱120 ($2). This is possibly the cheapest Michelin-recognized meal on the planet.
8Kanin Club
Filipino
What to order: Crispy dinuguan (crispy pork blood stew — trust us), kare-kare, and their specialty flavored rice. The name means "rice club" for a reason.
"Kanin Club is still way better overall."
— r/Philippines_Expats · Manam appreciation thread
"For Comfort Filipino, it's a toss-up between Manam and Kanin Club."
— r/Philippines · All-time favorite restaurants thread
tabiji verdict: Reddit's other go-to for "where to take a foreigner for Filipino food." More traditional than Manam, with bolder flavors. The crispy dinuguan converts skeptics who'd never normally eat blood stew.
9Dong Bei Dumplings
Dumplings / XLB
What to order: Xiao long bao (soup dumplings), fried dumplings, and hakaw. The fried dumplings have impossibly crispy wrappers with generous filling.
"The fried dumplings had very crispy wrapper and had generous amount of filling."
— Binondo food crawl guide
tabiji verdict: Xiao long bao for under ₱100 in Manila's Chinatown. The quality rivals Shanghai at a fraction of the price. A must-stop on any Binondo food crawl.
10Locavore
Modern Filipino
What to order: Their rotating menu of modern Filipino dishes using local ingredients. The adobo flakes and sisig are consistently praised. Great brunch spot too.
"Foreigner here, I visited Locavore back in 2017 and to this day it's one of my best dining experiences."
— r/filipinofood · Best Filipino restaurant thread
"Manam, Mesa, Abe, Locavore (has some fusion stuff though)."
— r/Philippines · Good restaurants in Manila thread
tabiji verdict: A foreigner's gateway to Filipino food, done with modern flair. Not the cheapest on this list, but still incredible value — a full meal for two runs around ₱800 ($14). The kind of restaurant that creates lifelong Filipino food converts.
11Shanghai Fried Siopao
Siopao
What to order: Their signature fried siopao — a fluffy steamed bun that's then pan-fried for a crispy bottom. ₱35 each. Get at least two.
"We started our food crawl with a fluffy steamed bun from the famous Shanghai Fried Siopao. Even though the price increased from ₱22 to ₱35 apiece, it's still a must-try when in Binondo."
— Binondo food crawl guide
tabiji verdict: At ₱35 ($0.60), this might be the best deal on the entire list. A perfect snack to kick off your Binondo food crawl. The crispy-bottom, fluffy-top texture is addictive. Buy extras — you'll regret not having more.
12Lugawan sa Tejeros
Lugaw / Congee
What to order: Lugaw (rice porridge) with lechon kawali — crispy fried pork belly on top of creamy congee. Comfort food at its finest.
"Also in Makati, if you want some rice porridge with lechon kawali try Lugawan sa Tejeros."
— r/Philippines · Good restaurants in Manila thread
tabiji verdict: Filipino congee is deeply underrated. Creamy rice porridge topped with crispy lechon kawali for under ₱100 is soul food. Open late — perfect for post-drinking recovery.
13Laloma Lechon Row
Lechon
What to order: Lechon kawali or lechon by the kilo. Each stall has slightly different marinades and crispiness. Walk the row and pick the one with the crackiest skin.
"Go to Laloma in QC. It's all lechon there."
— r/Philippines · Where to buy lechon in Manila thread
tabiji verdict: An entire street devoted to lechon. This is Manila's lechon capital — dozens of stalls competing to serve the crispiest, juiciest roast pork. Come with a group, buy a kilo, and feast.
14XO 46 Heritage Bistro
Heritage Filipino
What to order: The different sisig variants — they're famous for pushing sisig to its limits. Also try the kare-kare and crispy pata.
"Bistro XO 46 is in a mall. Food specifically the different sisigs were game changers for me."
— r/filipinofood · Looking for best local foods in Manila
"Locavore, XO 46 Heritage Bistro, or Kanin Club."
— r/Philippines · Favorite Filipino restaurant thread
tabiji verdict: The sisig here will redefine what you think sisig can be. Heritage recipes with creative twists — think sisig spring rolls, sisig with different meats, sisig everything. Worth the trip to Mandaluyong.
15Masuki
Mami Noodle Soup
What to order: Beef mami — the classic Filipino-Chinese noodle soup. Simple, comforting, and warming. Their siopao is also excellent.
"Wai Ying and Masuki were my go-to restos sa Binondo in my youth — punta dyan tapos kain ng congee or mami."
— r/Philippines · Binondo eats thread
tabiji verdict: Masuki has been serving mami since the 1940s. This is the original Filipino-Chinese noodle soup — clear beef broth, springy egg noodles, tender beef. A Binondo institution. Now with mall branches, but the OG Binondo location hits different.
16Kanto Freestyle Breakfast
Silog / Breakfast
What to order: NZ tapa (New Zealand beef tapa with garlic rice and egg), longsilog, or any of their "silog" combos. Filipino breakfast is an all-day affair.
"Kanto Freestyle Breakfast has many branches, try the one at La Salle. Try their NZ tapa."
— r/Philippines · Good restaurants in Manila thread
tabiji verdict: Filipino breakfast is legendary — cured meats, garlic fried rice, and a fried egg. "Silog" combos (tapa-silog, long-silog, bang-silog) are served all day. Kanto does them with premium ingredients at carinderia prices. Start your day here.
17Gerry's Grill
Filipino Grill
What to order: Grilled tuna belly, sisig, crispy adobo flakes, inihaw na liempo (grilled pork belly). Big servings, perfect for sharing.
"Gerry's Grill — 2x na magkasunod palang ako nakakain, walang palya so masarap talaga. Pati iba nilang food like grilled tuna and crispy adobo flakes."
— r/filipinofood · Best sisig place thread
tabiji verdict: The reliable Filipino grill chain that locals genuinely eat at (not just tourists). Generous portions, consistent quality, and the grilled tuna belly is unbeatable at this price. Found in every major mall.
18Estero Fastfood
Street Food
What to order: Buttered chicken — their signature dish. Simple, crispy, buttery perfection. Pair with rice for a complete meal under ₱100.
"Estero Fastfood — Literally estero fastfood along Ongpin. Buttered Chicken 🍗"
— r/MANILA · Binondo food crawl budget thread
tabiji verdict: A no-frills Binondo street-food joint where the buttered chicken is the star. Don't expect ambiance — expect crispy, buttery chicken that costs less than a bottle of water at a Manila hotel.
19Crisgard
Carinderia
What to order: Their daily specials — the menu rotates, so check their Facebook page. Whatever's on offer, it's homestyle Filipino cooking done right.
"If you're near Eastwood area you should visit Crisgard. Staple carinderia na yan. Paiba-iba sila ng menu. Check mo na lang FB nila."
— r/MANILA · Food recommendations thread
tabiji verdict: A neighborhood carinderia with a rotating menu and a loyal local following. This is how Filipinos actually eat — not at tourist restaurants, but at their trusted carinderia where the tita knows your order. Follow them on Facebook for daily specials.
20Jollibee
Filipino Fast Food
What to order: Chickenjoy (2-piece with rice and gravy), Jolly Spaghetti (sweet Filipino-style), and a peach mango pie. The holy trinity.
"Fastfood like Jollibee and Mcdo are relatively cheaper but more expensive compared to Manila."
— r/phtravel · Budget food thread
tabiji verdict: Yes, it's fast food. Yes, it's a tourist cliché. But you simply cannot visit the Philippines without trying Jollibee at least once. The Chickenjoy is genuinely excellent fried chicken, and the sweet spaghetti is... an experience. Reddit is split on this one — but the lines of Filipinos at every branch speak for themselves.
Frequently Asked Questions
How cheap is street food in Manila?
Incredibly cheap. Jollijeep meals (rice + viand) cost ₱60–₱100 ($1–$2 USD). Carinderia meals run ₱50–₱120. Even sit-down restaurants like Mang Inasal offer unlimited rice chicken meals for under ₱150. You can eat three full meals for under ₱500 ($9 USD) if you stick to local spots.
Is it safe to eat at carinderias and jollijeeps?
Generally yes, especially at busy spots with high turnover. Look for carinderias packed with locals during lunch — that's your quality indicator. Avoid food that's been sitting out for hours. Most Redditors living in Manila eat at carinderias regularly with no issues. Start with well-known spots like Morning Sun Eatery if you're nervous.
What is a jollijeep?
A jollijeep is a mobile food stall — essentially a small cart or kiosk serving cheap Filipino meals. The name is a portmanteau of "Jollibee" and "jeepney." They're common in business districts like Makati, where office workers queue for affordable lunch. A typical jollijeep meal costs ₱60–₱100 and includes rice with a viand like sisig, adobo, or fried chicken.
What Filipino dishes should I try first?
Reddit's top picks for first-timers: sisig (sizzling pork face), sinigang (sour tamarind soup), chicken or pork adobo, lechon kawali (crispy fried pork belly), and halo-halo (shaved ice dessert). For the adventurous: kare-kare (oxtail peanut stew), chicharon bulaklak (deep-fried pork mesentery), and dinuguan (pork blood stew).
Is Binondo worth visiting for food?
Absolutely. Binondo is the world's oldest Chinatown and a must-do food crawl. Budget ₱500–₱800 per person to try multiple spots. Highlights: Wai Ying, Ying Ying Tea House, Dong Bei Dumplings, Shanghai Fried Siopao, and Eng Bee Tin hopia. Go on an empty stomach.
Do Manila restaurants accept credit cards?
Mall-based restaurants and chains generally accept cards, but most cheap eats — carinderias, jollijeeps, Binondo eateries, and street food — are cash only. Some accept GCash (a Philippine e-wallet). Bring plenty of small bills (₱50, ₱100, ₱200). ATMs are widely available in malls and convenience stores.
