Kuya J Restaurant Review

Kuya J Restaurant is an all-Filipino cuisine restaurant. It all started in Cebu City and have soon made it's way all over the country. 

No, it's not Jericho Rosales' food chain (or maybe I'm the only one who thought so), if you wondered about that too after seeing his posters and standees. 

Kuya J Restaurant Review

But how does it fare? Here's a review with more photos than words, for a disclaimer. I enjoy eating and taking photos of the food, more than talking about it. 😂

These images span several visits to various branches of the brand. 

Food

You can choose from a good list of delectable dishes in the menu. I recognized some with Kapampangan origin but more so those which are popular in the south. After all, Kuya J began in Cebu. 

In this first food snapshot, there's chicken, chop suey and dinuguan. The latter uses crunchy pork (much like lechon or pork chop cuts). The chicken is definitely inasal (Bacolod style barbecue). 

The crispy pata is possibly the most expensive among everything we have tried (500+ for the regular serving alone). But it's crispy and delicious as expected. The serving size is also good enough for several people (but may depend on one's appetite). 

The typical ginisang munggo (mung bean) is different too. It tasted of gata (coconut milk) with chicharon bits; hence, it's called ginataang munggo. It's certainly something new, at least for me whose used to the Ilocano style of cooking this dish. 

Above is the same munggo dish but on a different location. I wonder why they were served differently? The chicharon is missing on this one. 

The bangus sinigang (above) is generous in serving. The extender greens balances the dish. 

There's also a sinigang in pork version. 

Bulalo, is also available. It's enough for 2-3 persons to share with enough serving of tender meat and vegetables. 

And the vegetable dishes; pinakbet and kare-kare. 

Chicken for the kids. 

More food items sampled on their menu...

I didn't like the sisig much though. It's a bit greasy. The meat is at least very tender. They don't use the usual pig face in sisig; it's made of pork belly. 

I wasn't crazy about the relyenong talong (stuffed egglant) either. It's okay but I probably just don't like the combination. Tortang talong (eggplant omelet) is more familiar. 

Above is the crispy kangkong but I don't think it's still being served, or at least, not in all branches. It's also just fine. I enjoyed trying one or more pieces but there was probably too much (very generous serving) to consume.  

They have pancit canton too. 

All of the ulam (main dishes) won't be complete without rice. Kuya J offers several types. Above is the crab rice platter. 

Next up is the danggit rice. Danggit is a popular salted, sun dried fish variety (rabbit fish). 

That's the seafood and corn soup above and below are desserts - water chestnut delights and mango pandan. Both sweet servings are good. 

I'm also a major sabaw (soup) fan so I have to comment that the seafood and corn was superb. My hungry tummy can be full just with alone. 

This ube flavored halo-halo is a good addition to the menu. Most tables order this a lot during summer. 

Although this doesn't offer a lot in terms of ingredients, it's filled with flavors from the ice alone. The crushed ice's texture is velvety soft; comparable to Korean or Japanese halo halo versions. 





I prefer the ube variety (above) versus the regular halo-halo espesyal (below). 

Among various drinks available including soft drinks, juice, iced tea shake, and even alcoholic beverages, I'd like to share these two below: 

Above is the ripe mango shake and below is brewed coffee. I forgot what the other one beside it was. 😆

Below is the cucumber drink with ice tea on its left. 

Menu

Here's a glimpse of their menu. I wasn't able to take a photo of every page because it was spread throughout this ingeniously magazine-like menu. 

Ambiance

All branches seem to have the exact same feel, like you're in a cafe with books; meaning, a good place to relax and dine. 

Price Range

As for the prices, it's budget friendly for families and groups. You can feed three people (or more) with just a thousand pesos. 

Final Thoughts

I've noticed how most branches have groups seated or maybe even standing by the door, waiting for the receptionist to call their names. That definitely is a good sign that people come here a lot, even if they need to wait. 

Inside, the ambiance is like a typical family restaurant you'll enjoy. The staff are friendly and service as a whole is good. 

So overall, it was a good experience. 

More Details

For more information including the complete menu, updated price list, branches nationwide, careers, franchising opportunities, and more, see the following pages: 

www.kuyaj.ph

www.facebook.com/KuyaJResto

www.twitter.com/kuyajresto

www.instagram.com/kuyajresto

*This post has been updated on June 2017 and October 2018