Manila Manila Asian Retail Store & Food to Go

If you’re looking for a cute knick knack like Asian store, this is a pretty decent stop. Manila serves as both a mini store (for Asian related goods) and a mini deli that primarily features Filipino food. Swung by here out of curiosity and despite the glowing Unilocal reviews, I was a little let down on the quality of the food. For around $ 5.50, you can get an entrée + rice or for $ 2 more, you can get 2 entrees + rice. I got two beef dishes since by 5pm ish, most of the food were gone from the deli selection.
Food taste: Unique but would have been better if it was hotter and fresher. Rice was weird with its soggieness.
Food presentation: Normally, I would get pretty psyched on taking food pictures, but for some reason, wasn’t feeling the presentation. Plus, the food looks like it was slopped together in my to-​go box and looks… questionable.
Service: The lady who help serve the food was pretty outgoing and friendly!
Other than the deli food, you could get basic drinks like coconut juice and halo halo. I will say, I might have to swing back here to try out the halo halo since it looks pretty epic with the flan, ice cream, and other layers of flavors/​items to it.

Great food I had at the Lake City Future First Conversation. Thanks for sponsoring. the food was fantastic.

If you want great Filipino food, come here! I never used to care for the food until I had the Piccadillo here. It changed my life and outlook on the Filipino cuisine! The aunty and uncle who run the shop are one of the nicest people I’ve met. They always know how to service the people with a smile.

I decided to come here because of the reviews that I read on Unilocal and because I was in the area, craving Filipino food. I had the pancit, beef lumpia, and a pork/​chicken empanada. Also available was chicken adobo and a couple other dishes that I was bit familiar with. The pancit and lumpia was really good. It was freshly made at about 12:00pm. I didn’t really like the empanada. I could only taste the vegetables and the inside was a little too soggy for my liking, but I have never tried a Filipino empanada, so I’m not sure what it’s supposed to taste like. I would come here again for sure for the hot food. The owner emphasized to me that they are primarily a store, not a restaurant. I did not end up buying any products, though.
The only thing that I did not like about this place is it is difficult to get the owner’s attention when you arrive. They seem to be busy in the kitchen area and do not notice me. Maybe they could use a bell?

Love this place. The people are very friendly, great food & one stop shop. I live in tukwila but I still love coming here & shop for Filipino food. Great service!!!

As a 30 year old who misses her mom’s cooking and pantry, going to Manila Manila is like visiting nanay’s house!
They have just a few aisles of stuff, but essentials if you’re looking to cook your own Filipino food. Overall, a great selection of items in a small area.
Did you know they MAKE their own Longanisa and Tocino?! I had a Longanisa fix one day and went to their freezer for the usual frozen stuff. When I went to pay, the nice Filipino lady there told me, «We make our own, and its very good. Did you see them in the freezer?» The price was about the same, and I wanted to support their efforts, so I switched out the generic frozen stuff with theirs. Oh my gosh, best decision ever! Seriously, the next time you want Longanisa or Tocino, just get the ones they make. Also, it had been a while since I cooked Longanisa, and the nice lady at the register talked me through the steps of how to cook it. She is so nice and super helpful!
If you don’t have the time to make something, they have a great little selection of cooked Filipino food. Well priced, tastes great, and well sized portions!
Definitely check this place out if you haven’t been here yet!

Very nice couple runs this place variety of food. I like the size of their whole tilapia head on it and everything. They also have dry fish but not the kind mt wife likes to cook for eru. Very clean place and great customer service.

Living in Ravenna, I don’t have a car nor patience to head too far out to get Filipino goods, so I took a quick bus ride to Lake City to see what this place is all about. Their hot foods are delicious and cheap (had beef mechado), and I was able to pick up my breakfast essentials (pan de sal and coconut jam). I don’t recall seeing ube jam (which is another personal essential), but they’ve covered all the other basics as far as I’m concerned as a mom-​and-​pop store.
Being from the San Francisco Bay Area where Filipino mom-​and-​pop grocery stores, large Filipino grocery outlets (like Seafood City), and Filipino restaurants are a-​plenty, it’s something that I’ve taken for granted moving up to Seattle. Fortunately, Manila Manila provides that slice of home that’s easy to get to and warms my heart (and tummy).

The sinagong (spelling?) was delicious! Mariela and her husband Nick run this mom and pop run retail store (it’s actually just a few aisles with the cooking essentials) and they have a hot food a la cart section that serves up a few dishes daily.
I can’t wait to try this place again.
Apparently, Mariela is also a realtor, so it’s a two-​fer-​oner! She is also very knowledgeable about the revitalization efforts happening in Lake City if you want to pick her brain about that subject matter.

Delicious, relatively cheap food. Something different every day, never know quite what they’re going to have, but it’s never disappointed.

I love Manila, Manila! Love Mariela and her husband. They are so pleasant and always helpful. The food– delicious! It’s the first restaurant I visit when I’m in town. Always so accommodating that at one time, the first day I arrived, I didn’t get my rent a car yet, and they delivered my order, although they don’t usually do delivery. Very, very nice husband and wife team. The place is clean. The best Filipino food around the Seattle area. I can’t wait to be back. We don’t have a Filipino Restaurant in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that’s why I look forward to going there when I’m visiting my family!

This place is awsome good food at a good price great place for catering a game or event at ur house

Great food, better than Seafood City. Good size portions, the chicken adobo was all chicken meat, unlike other flip restaurants where they serve chicken ribs and back and maybe a chunk of drumstick.
Service: excellent!!!

I am not a Fan of Filipino Food. But for some reason, I enjoy the homemade food that is made here daily. The owners are very sweet, The food that is cooked are delicious. Everyday is good, but Saturdays are the best days since they seem to cook something extra unique. Must Come Early like 11:30am — 1pm while still fresh out the kitchen or before it runs out especially on Saturdays.
I gave it 4 stars vs 5 just because I dislike trying to find parking, parking on the street, or parking across the street and walking over, and especially not finding any parking on the weekends during the times i want to come here to get my lunch.
The amount of food is abundant.
I normally take out. Minimal Seating area.
If I do not know what they are serving, I just point at the item and ask and they give me the description and sometimes I just ask for a sampler so I know whether I like it or not.

I have a reputation for being hard to please when it comes to Filipino food. What can I do? My mother’s an amazing cook! When non-​Filipino people ask me where the best Filipino food place is in Seattle, I contribute to the oft-​discussed «Why has Filipino food/​Filipino restaurants not gained traction in the US?» conversation by saying, «My mom’s» with two finger snaps in the form of a circle. Yes, I’m sassy but it’s true.
However, this is my favorite go-​to place for Filipino food outside my family so far. No, it’s not comparable to my mom’s but as someone who’s familiar with traditional Filipino food, I get what I expect here and it’s delicious and comforting. Here’s what you need to know:
1) This is a Filipino grocery store with a «cooked food» section which isn’t quite a restaurant.
2) The grocery store area is tiny and shabby looking but it’s a good spot to buy a few items at surprisingly reasonable prices.
3) The cooked food section is deli-​style. You pick what you want and they put it in a to-​go container. This is called a «turo-​turo» in Tagalog which literally means «point-​point» reflecting the act of pointing at the food you want them to serve you rather than reading things off a menu.
4) The food presentation won’t win any plating or style points. Turo-​turos are often located near wet markets or on busy roadsides in the Philippines. They’re usually owned and managed by home cooks with no culinary training. Think of them as full-​meal-​scale street food vendors. In the Philippines, they sometimes have a small counter area with a few seats but a lot of time people will buy food from turo-​turos and be given plastic bags of it (no proper Chinese to-​go boxes). So no it’s not fancy or pretty or anything like that. Turo-​turo is a very functional way for someone on-​the-​go or too lazy to cook at home to eat homemade food.
5) If you’re not Filipino or not very familiar with Filipino food, this will take a small leap of faith but have the owners guide you and I’d say it’s an adventure worth taking! They’re super warm and friendly (reminiscent of visiting an aunt’s house who just wants to feed you!) and they will be happy to walk you through what they have.

I work near by and I often visit to get lunch or supplies for my mum there. I can honestly say that Manila Manila offers such a great variety of items that anyone from the north Seattle area does not have to full up on has to go as far as S. Seattle to find specialty items. The location is perfect for anyone who lives in shoreline, Northgate, UW and surrounding areas. The owners are absolutely awesome and made me feel welcomed each time I visit. The food is Excellent and very tasty.
Definitely will be coming for more stuff! Oh they also have lechon sometimes.

These guys are in a hard to get to spot on Lake City Way in that if you don’t know where they are you’ve already driven past. It’s very easy to miss. As you pass the light heading north on Lake City Way at 125^th, right at the next light is where they’re located. So start looking for parking as soon as you can. They are located literally right at the next stoplight. This is a small mom and pop grocery store that carries condiments, spices and foods that are filipino. They also have a hot table that you can order hot ready made food to eat there or for take out. They have a few tables and chairs for you to sit at and eat. The people are friendly and the food is cheap. I paid $ 7.12 for two entrees and rice. I had the diniguan and the pork adobo. I got there around 3:30 pm so the food had been out awhile. By then the adobo was a little salty but it was still tasty. I’d like to stop by here earlier in the day when the food is fresher and when they have lechon. This is like stopping by your uncles or aunts to eat. The food is good but not as good as your moms. Regardless, I’m thankful of another filipino establishment where I can buy filipino food to eat right now.

I’m sorry, but the food is just not that good! The owners are really nice and very hospitable though. I will drive down to Inay’s on Beacon Hill just to get good Filipino food… it is the best in the city!

I liked this place, owners really nice, food is great, best example I’ve tasted outside of family. The store is lacking in the way of a restaurant, they have a couple of tables with a few chairs, card tables, folding chairs. I will definitely return for the food, more likely to go next time. If your in search of home style Manila cooking this is the best example I’ve found.

Nothing beats home cooked filipino food. Loved coming home to the pungent aroma of fried fish or smell of longanisa sizzling in a pan. Those days, well… are long gone. To satisfy our craving, my roomie and I drive great distances, sometimes way down south to Kent, and way up north to Marysville.
Not until recently, have we found a restaurant/​store that actually serves good filipino food. Manila Manila is tucked somewhere in Lake City. They are on a main, busy street. It is somewhat hard to find (across Blockbuster). In any case, food is great; not the best though. Dinuguan and beef caldereta are winners. Other items such as pancit palabok and gineling (sp?) are not bad.
The reason why I give this store 5 beaming stars is the friendliness of the owner. Every single time we go there, she greets us with a smile. On top of that, she packs our plate to its capacity. Now, most, if not all, filipino stores are chang (cheap) up the ass. They usually fill about half of the ‘to go plate’, which leaves you wondering if it was worth $ 8 – 10. I digress. 2 combo plates at Manila Manila are about $ 6 – 7. That is well within my budget (I’m a cheapskate… haha) I must say.
End result: great food, conveniently located on a main street (keep your eyes peeled), and once again, SUPERB customer service.