Perla Reviews

Unique flavors and perfectly prepared. We love to cook and trying new flavors is always fun. This was food we could have never prepared at home so it was really a unique dining experience. We loved everything.

The service was delightful and ambiance appropriate but the food was not what I expected. This is really not an authentic Filipino restaurant in the strictest sense. It's more like a fusion of some sorts -- an attempt to Americanized Filipino food. While this might appeal to some, if you're expecting authentic Filipino food you will be disappointed. One can liken the experience to an Italian going to Olive Garden and expecting an authentic Italian meal. Not a good thing... Also the price is just outrageous for what you're getting. Between an appetizer, entree, and desert, it costs $75 per person... I think the restaurant tries too hard to appeal to non-Filipinos. While I can appreciate the approach, I also know many non-Filipinos who love Filipino food just they way they are traditionally prepared.

Perla is a lovely restaurant that brings true culinary flair to Filipino food. The chef greeted us and helped with the menu. He was so passionate about the food that we decided to let him construct our "chef's tasting" for the evening. VERY good move. Started with a ceviche scallop dish that was killer. Had many other dishes including grilled octopus, short ribs, grilled fish and the list went on. Overall I give huge cudo's to the quality and prep. Honestly and personally speaking, it's not my fave as a cuisine in general.....but these folks do it well as can be done. Bottom line......give it a try. You will not be disappoints.

It may be daunting to eat with your fingers but you did it as a kid, and this time your hands may be cleaner. dive in to the Sunday and Wednesday dinners, served on your table, covered in banana leaves. Our group of 4 had a base of rice, with a roasted chicken, baked pompano, pork belly, pork "egg rolls" and sauteed vegetables. (This meal maybe served at other times; the cuisine is probably the same when served on plates) while two of us are nominally vegetarian, it is worth breaking the rules for this immensely flavorful food, and the huge amount of fun that a meal can bring. when i am back in Philadelphia, Perla is on the top of my list.

Outstanding short ribs with bok choy, very good for Burmundi, and outstanding grilled octopus. Very good service and very affordable.

On Sunday all day this restaurant covers all their tables with bamboo leaves and then proceeds to pour your food from a large bucket directly onto the leaves---first a base of rice, then a bucket of vegetables and thenchicken, sausages and a whole fish. Diners proceed to scoop into this mess with their bare hands---no utensild provides--no plates---and enjoy. I personally consider this unattractive dining, and don't enjoy my fellow diners ripping piences of chicken and fish off with their bare hands. Maybe you do and if so you'll enjoy your meal here. Also at about $35 per person it's not really a good value as the food you'll eat is probably worth about $10 in total. Popular with families and some groups.

A friend of mine from work asked me if I've been to Perla. I had never heard of it. The birthday of my oldest son was the perfect occasion. Really didn't know what to expect except Sunday night is Filipino style. Kamayan, eating with your hands. Reservations were for 6:30 but I had read parking was going to be difficult especially since it was South Philly. And it was, we parked at the Acme parking lot a few blocks away then set out to look for the restaurant. It's not easy to find. The entrance is a little door between 2 larger restaurants and then you have to walk in another door to enter the restaurant. Wasn't crowded, and it was a narrow room with long tables and bench seating along the wall and a few smaller tables. Probably why it is reservations only during family style nights Wednesdays and Sundays. And its a pre fixe menu on these nights. It's BYOB btw. Tables on both sides of the room with a narrow path in the middle. We were early so we watched them prepare the tables by covering in banana leaves. Once we were seated large groups of people started coming in. Frankly I was surprised. The place was full. And there were only a few Asians I being one of them. Then the food came out. Fried rice on the banana leaves then all the food piled on top of the rice. There was crispy chicken, crispy pork, crispy fish, delicious vegetables, lumpia ... Everything was delicious and tasty and they made their own sauces to accompany the food. The servers (maybe owners) were very attentive too. The meal was really good. But the best part was the dessert. We brought birthday cake for my oldest son's bday but they till served us the bibingka which came with the meal. I'm so glad they did. It was delicious. Perfect. I'll definitely be going back. But if you can, uber.

My wife and I went to this place for dinner. The location is small and hidden but the atmosphere is overall great. Food was ever good I thought the food could use a bit of salt but maybe that’s me. Overall very good. Thanks for having us!

How do you celebrate a wedding anniversary properly? Well nothing says romance more than going to a restaurant where there are no plates, food is placed on banana leaves, and you eat with your hands of course. This is the exact scenario of how I was pampered on our special day and that is one of the many reasons why I love my wife and I couldn’t have been happier having a special meal prepared and served this way. So now that you know where to go for your next anniversary meal, you are asking yourself how Perla was. Perla which is a modern Filipino restaurant by Lou Boquila only does this special setting and Kamayan meal type on Wednesdays and Sundays to give patrons an authentic sort of Filipino meal to try. We were told that the other days of the week it is more of a formal setting and regular restaurant even with wine glasses present. That sounds nice and all for normal folk, but I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and saw how foreign it seemed and out of practice I was to eat an entire meal with my hands even though it should feel and be a nature reflex. To top it all off, the food was delicious, service was personable, extremely efficient, and reasonably priced. You know a restaurant is comfortable and confident and that they are serving a quality product when the executive chef chats with you about some other restaurants you should try in the area if you are a true foodie. That openness of food love shows that they recognize good food and how a meal can bond strangers together wanting to share and talk about their experience with others and truly want them to try it for themselves. Not only will I try their recommendations, but I will be sure to return to Perla and I recommend you to try Perla as well. The meal was Filipino biscuit, SINANGAG jasmine rice, garlic, CHICKEN INASAL meyer lemon and soy marinade, FISH fried whole, LECHON KAWALI berkshire pork belly, LUMPIA ground pork, carrots, onions, ginger, PINAKBET eggplant, long beans, bokchoy, and a chocolate dessert that was DIVINE.

In this wonderfully authentic and vibrant neighborhood in South Philly exists this notable venue for both its uncommon cuisine and consummate dining experience. Whether you eat at a traditional kamayan table of shared food with no utensils, or choose elegantly-plated modern interpretations of Filipino classics, you will not be disappointed! And while it is one of many Philly restaurants where you may bring your own alcoholic beverage, Perla offers a comprehensive menu -- with every appetizer, entree and dessert having been lovingly imagined and executed.

the food is just ok, only the fish tasted good. The pork belly was hard not crunchy, veggies are ok. The chicken is dry. For a fixed price menu, it’s very expensive. The service is so so. Not going back there again.

I highly recommend the Kamayan dinner on Wednesday nights. It is absolutely delicious. Prices are definitely reasonable for the amount and quality of food.

While not as well known as some of the other Passyunk dining spots, we were glad to find this small gem. With seating for maybe 26 in the entire restaurant, it is a little noisy but a great atmosphere. This restaurant is BYOB, so don't forget to bring a bottle with. We went on a "non-Kamayan" night, and sampled a lot of the menu. We started with the Spanish Octopus, Brussels Sprouts, and Kilawin (wagyu beef). The octopus was the standout star, but the brussels sprouts were amazing as well. The sinangag is the jasmine rice dish for the table, with bone marrow, which came out with the main course. The entrees were the pork knuckle, leg of lamb, hanger steak and short rib. Each dish was well prepared, with a mix of traditional Filpino elements, and the portions were actually larger than expected which left us very full. We ended the night with the ube as well as the bibingka, and both were spectacular. The night exceeded our expectations, and we would recommend Perla.

I am Filipino born and raised and I highly recommend this restaurant. I recommend going for Kamayan and literally dig in to eat. The food is a little bit tailored to a wider community of eaters so some ingredients are tweaked but the essence of what makes a Filipino dish one is still intact. I can't say this is authentically my grandmother's cooking but it is delicious nonetheless! The chef is warm and amazing and the ambience is relaxed and unique. I plan to come back with colleagues, friends, family, everyone!

It’s Byob so that was nice. Food was tasty and had a nice modern twist. Enjoyed the scallops dish topped with crab fat. Chef was creative and I appreciated the added flavors and spices and still Maintained the taste of home. My only gripe was their rice. They served no plain white rice. I get it it’s modern Filipino but cmon, the dishes were all so tasty that it didn’t need fried rice that costs $17!!! That was insane. Other than that, service was great and food was worth the visit.

I've tried the a la carte menu, splitting the dishes with two other people, so we got a good sampling of the menu. The pancit with sea urchin was spectacular. The other dishes were very good. I enjoyed this meal so much, I went back a few weeks later for the family style Kamayan. It was delicious. And plentiful. The flavors were outstanding- the chicken and fish especially stood out to my friends and me. And the fried lumpia was the best I've ever had. The vegetables were exciting, with such variety, and taste. The garlic rice was great too.

I’m half Filipina and I love this restaurant! Warm Filipino hospitality and delicious food. The pancit is different than my mom’s but equally delicious. Met the chef and he was so friendly, modest and talented. He sent our table a couple of yummy things to try, which was very sweet. This restaurant is very small and intimate so make reservations!

A very nice atmosphere and the food was delicious. We went with a group of six and selected 5 different options to share. A wide range of well-blended flavors that were all excellent. I have to give a special star to the short ribs! I believe this is a filipino cultural experience and, this being my first experience with that, I was very happy.

On Sunday Perla serves a filipino feast called Kamayan. Tabletops are covered in banana leaves and the food is laid directly on top of this covering. There are no plates, no utensils (there are napkins) or serving dishes. If you are uncomfortable with the lack of implements, they will provide you with the tools that make you more comfortable as their guest. The first layer that gets presented is garlic rice, atop that a vegetable stew, then the proteins, a halved chicken and a fried fish. To complete the meal pork filled rolls and crispy pieces of pork belly. Then four kinds of sauces are provided and you just start picking away. My only small complaint? I wish the condiments had been served in individual shallower bowls just for ease of use. Other than that minor detail I loved it. It was ultra casual, a perfect comfort food communal dinner experience for families or good friends. For dessert a delicious rice flour cake. There's a fixed price of $35 per person and it's BYOB. Set in a converted row home, there's not tons of seating so I would strongly suggest a reservation especially on Sunday nights. Service is warm and professional. It can get a little loud, especially with the larger groups but for me it added to the convivial atmosphere. Quantities are substantial and we left with a takeaway container filled with enough for a lunch for 2.

I was in the area this afternoon and decided to swing by this restaurant. It’s on 11th St. and Tasker. Parking, first of all is SOoo difficult and I went on a weekday. The restaurant does not have a parking lot. You’re lucky if you get a space near the restaurant! I parked on 7th and walked up. It was a good 8 minute leisurely walk:) Not bad I say. But you’ll walk in an iffy neighborhood. Food: I was served a piece of pandesal- roll- it was free, which the server said was made in the restaurant )and cream cheese. I ordered sisig ($18) and garlic fried rice with a piece of bone marrow.($17). Rice I think was waaay over priced! Both were really delicious though:). Serving is good for 2, but if you are a good eater then it’s good for one:D. For dessert, I got the ube mousse with macarons ($10). I was kind of disappointed because I was expecting the ube taste in this dessert but I did not taste the ube, nevertheless, it was good. If I’m not from the Philippines and I order this dessert, I will still find it good. :) The pale ube colored mousse was not sweet which I liked, it’s the macarons placed on top that are sweet and they were good too. Kamayan only every Wednesdays and Sundays. Reservation is highly recommended according to the chef. Ala carte is not offered on these days. Strictly kamayan only. Service: I think service was on the slow side. I was the only one in the restaurant, their first customer, and my food came close to about 30 minutes after I placed my order. Server was really pleasant and warm. Served with a smile:). Chef was nice, he stopped at my table and introduced himself. Ambiance: Casual and clean. Poor ventilation. I just didn’t like that the smell of the food stuck on my clothes. Price: It’s a casual restaurant with a fine dining price. Menu is limited. I just think food were over priced. If prices on the regular menu were $5-8 lower, then I will not hesitate to go back. For my meal, and I went solo, I paid $ 49 without the tip yet! It’s expensive “ I think” for casual dining. Finding a parking space as a main problem to start with, then followed by high priced food, these are the main reasons why eating here once was enough for me. If I get a free ride and somebody will treat me here, I will still get excited! Don’t get me wrong, food I ordered were really GOOD!

Missed the Kamayan by a day, but still really enjoyed Perla. The Filipino food is more upscale, may surprise many who expect the normal fare. The folks at Perla put their own take on traditional dishes, but still has the essence of the dish. The flavors are amazing and I can truly say I loved their version of Kare Kare and my son just devoured the Crispy Pata. Next time I really want to make it for the Kamayan and experience that feast. Parking is terrible like most of Philly, so give yourself extra time!

Dined at this restaurant with a group of ladies, and we ordered everything off the a la carte menu! Favorite apps were the Spanish Octopus , Sisig (chopped pig, chicken liver, chicken heart, and fried egg!) and the Ensaladang Talong (grilled eggplant with tomatoes). Entrees were also delicious and hearty. Group favorite was the Sinangag (Bone marrow over garlic rice). Also loved the Bistec, Kare Kare, and Pork Belly Adobo. I wish the Pancit came in a larger size! Noodles were fantastic with the uni. Finishing off with the desserts were a great surprise. We had ube in a cheesecake style topped with crushed polovoron and meringue and a salted caramel flan (rich and sweet!) We are definitely coming back for the Kamayan dinner. BYO, friendly service, and an intimate atmosphere. Can't wait to come back again!

After marrying into a Filipino family, I've been lucky enough to experience some amazing home cooked meals. With that said, my expectation coming here were very high, and needless to say I wasn't let down. Personal favorites from the night were the octopus appetizer, siningag (rice dish with bone marrow) and the lamb shank kare kare (see attached pictures).

What a unique experience! Went here for the Kamayan feast, a HUGE spread of sticky rice, veggies in coconut milk, chicken, fish and spring rolls that was absolutely amazing. Everything was flavorful and cooked perfectly. It was all put onto the table on top of banana leaves like a crab boil and you eat it with your hands. For $40 a person, it was totally worth it! Definitely will return!

What I love about the Abundanzza (pardon the misspelling) meal, is that there's plenty of food and it sure is tasty. The pork fell off the bone. The chicken was fried to perfection. The display on the table on the palm fronds is fun and holds all of he veggies and other courses. We added some crispy veggie and shrimp rolls. Heaven. I wish I took photos of the meal so that I could remember everything else we had on the table. I learned a few things about Filipino culture through the meal, courtesy of my friends from Manila. I am pretty sure the friendly wait staff would do the same for you.

My sister and I were really looking forward to introducing our friend to Filipino food. And to be honest, I wasn't sure whether she would like the idea of eating with just fingers and trying out the Filipino food. She's had lumpia before and likes it a lot so she decided to keep any open mind. Parking is difficult on this side of South Philly so we sneakily decided to park down the street at Acme. The restaurant is hidden away between two larger restaurants and is directly across the Passyunk fountain. It only took a few minutes to be seated at our reserved table and then the food began to arrive. Come with an empty belly...my friend's eyes opened wide when she saw the layer of garlic fried rice arrayed across our table, topped with soy and lemon marinated roast chicken (so very tender, moist with crispy skin) fried pork belly cubes, lumpia egg rolls, the golden pompano fish, gently fried and served whole and pinakbet, a vegetable stew of eggplants, cauliflower and beans. Of course, we couldn't eat it all but we tried...we asked for extra lumpia which isn't normally allowed but I guess my friend looked pitiful and we got 3 more. We given take out containers to divvy up the leftovers. At $35 per person for the kamayan meal, it's worth it but psssst, they need to serve more pork belly cubes and lumpia!!