Home Cooking
Reviews describe rich, balanced food that tastes like home-cooked Ilocano cooking.
Al Barsha
Ilokano Flavors Restaurant is a Filipino restaurant in Al Barsha focused on Ilocano comfort food. Customers come for dishes such as Sinanglaw, Ilocos Empanada and home-style meals, though portion sizes, preparation and service can vary between visits.
Source: Google Maps
Reviews describe rich, balanced food that tastes like home-cooked Ilocano cooking.
The grilled chicken inasal is praised for its large portion, flavour and value.
Sinanglaw is one of the clearest standouts, with one diner calling every dish delicious and especially praising it.
Fresh fried lumpia received a 10/10, particularly alongside its vinegar dip.
Several diners enjoyed the halo-halo, including one who described it as authentic.
Foods and drinks mentioned in reviews of ILOKANO FLAVORS RESTAURANT, ranked by positive reviews minus negative reviews. Zero-score items have no net positive feedback; their labels distinguish neutral-only from mixed feedback.
“Grilled chicken inasal is very good and big portion place is nice and the staff is very friendly”
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“Grilled chicken inasal is very good and big portion place is nice and the staff is very friendly”July 2026
“Chicken inasal is worth the price, chicken is big and tasty. Feels like home talaga and food nila.”July 2026
“One of the best Filipino spots in Dubai! Generous portions, rich flavors, and authentic filipino foods.. they have delicious ilocos empanada and puto bumbong perfect for your cravings 🤤☺️”
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“One of the best Filipino spots in Dubai! Generous portions, rich flavors, and authentic filipino foods.. they have delicious ilocos empanada and puto bumbong perfect for your cravings 🤤☺️”March 2026
“We also ordered the puto bumbong which is like an ube rice cake but its still good and the halohalo which is really the best and authentic.”May 2026
“A hidden gem! Every dish we ordered was delicious, especially the “Sinanglaw”. The staff were friendly and made us feel right at home. It’s a cozy little place with a big heart. Definitely coming back! Highly recommended!”
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“A hidden gem! Every dish we ordered was delicious, especially the “Sinanglaw”. The staff were friendly and made us feel right at home. It’s a cozy little place with a big heart. Definitely coming back! Highly recommended!”November 2025
“We tried 3 dishes and one desert (by the way rice is perfectly cooked 😋) - beef dinakdakan, sinanglaw, beef sisig and banana con yelo ❤️ all are very well cooked and fantastic.”August 2025
“We tried 3 dishes and one desert (by the way rice is perfectly cooked 😋) - beef dinakdakan, sinanglaw, beef sisig and banana con yelo ❤️ all are very well cooked and fantastic.”
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“We tried 3 dishes and one desert (by the way rice is perfectly cooked 😋) - beef dinakdakan, sinanglaw, beef sisig and banana con yelo ❤️ all are very well cooked and fantastic.”August 2025
“The bangus sisig is so good as well. Its new for us and it never dissapoint.”
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“The bangus sisig is so good as well. Its new for us and it never dissapoint.”May 2026
“We tried 3 dishes and one desert (by the way rice is perfectly cooked 😋) - beef dinakdakan, sinanglaw, beef sisig and banana con yelo ❤️ all are very well cooked and fantastic.”
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“We tried 3 dishes and one desert (by the way rice is perfectly cooked 😋) - beef dinakdakan, sinanglaw, beef sisig and banana con yelo ❤️ all are very well cooked and fantastic.”August 2025
“We tried 3 dishes and one desert (by the way rice is perfectly cooked 😋) - beef dinakdakan, sinanglaw, beef sisig and banana con yelo ❤️ all are very well cooked and fantastic.”
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“We tried 3 dishes and one desert (by the way rice is perfectly cooked 😋) - beef dinakdakan, sinanglaw, beef sisig and banana con yelo ❤️ all are very well cooked and fantastic.”August 2025
“We ordered butterfly chicken which is so good and juicy.”
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“We ordered butterfly chicken which is so good and juicy.”May 2026
“Food is tasty, chicken curry is very good and many food servings. Delicious food and friendly staff”
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“Food is tasty, chicken curry is very good and many food servings. Delicious food and friendly staff”July 2026
“4) Chicken Isaw is acceptable.”
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“4) Chicken Isaw is acceptable.”May 2025
“I ordered chicken tinola and the chicken was used in meal wasn’t a normal chicken, it was a native chicken. I never tried any chicken meal in Dubai, had a native chicken, Taste was fantastic.”
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“I ordered chicken tinola and the chicken was used in meal wasn’t a normal chicken, it was a native chicken. I never tried any chicken meal in Dubai, had a native chicken, Taste was fantastic.”November 2025
“The crispy chicken skin, however, was really good.”
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“The crispy chicken skin, however, was really good.”December 2025
“We tried it before via food delivery and we ordered the fresh fried lumpia and it was 10/10. The vinegar dip is perfect.”
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“We tried it before via food delivery and we ordered the fresh fried lumpia and it was 10/10. The vinegar dip is perfect.”May 2026
“Oh, and their Isaw was grilled perfectly, plus the vinegar they had was one of the best I've tried!”
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“Oh, and their Isaw was grilled perfectly, plus the vinegar they had was one of the best I've tried!”May 2025
“The place is quiet small . But clean ❤️But they managed us 7persons ..the food was great except for laing..laing need more time to cook.. we ordered bulalo..balbacua..kare-kare ..garlic shrimp and laing.. the servings is huge. The staff is accommodatin. Over all we will recommend this and for sure we will come back😍😍😍 we will never forget the taste of manggo tapioca jelly and coffee jelly it's perfect 🥰🥰worth the price”
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“The place is quiet small . But clean ❤️But they managed us 7persons ..the food was great except for laing..laing need more time to cook.. we ordered bulalo..balbacua..kare-kare ..garlic shrimp and laing.. the servings is huge. The staff is accommodatin. Over all we will recommend this and for sure we will come back😍😍😍 we will never forget the taste of manggo tapioca jelly and coffee jelly it's perfect 🥰🥰worth the price”December 2025
“We tried their Pancit Mix, Ilocos Empanada, Beef Dinakdakan, and Tilapia Silog. The Pancit Mix was delicious, exactly what we were looking for in a pancit, and the serving size was enough for two people.”
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“We tried their Pancit Mix, Ilocos Empanada, Beef Dinakdakan, and Tilapia Silog. The Pancit Mix was delicious, exactly what we were looking for in a pancit, and the serving size was enough for two people.”September 2025
“The food are served hot, some items will take some time to prepare like the whole fried chicken.”
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“The food are served hot, some items will take some time to prepare like the whole fried chicken.”January 2026
Mixed feedback
“Their empanada can be improved but 5 stars cause they offer food in their menu that is not commonly sold in other Filipino restaurants. And their proben is so good🤌💕”
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“Their empanada can be improved but 5 stars cause they offer food in their menu that is not commonly sold in other Filipino restaurants. And their proben is so good🤌💕”January 2026
Mixed feedback
“I only ordered sopas but it was really delicious and comforting. Creamy, flavorful, and served hot. Simple order but very satisfying. I will come back to try more Ilokano dishes. 😊😁”
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“I only ordered sopas but it was really delicious and comforting. Creamy, flavorful, and served hot. Simple order but very satisfying. I will come back to try more Ilokano dishes. 😊😁”March 2026
“The place is quiet small . But clean ❤️But they managed us 7persons ..the food was great except for laing..laing need more time to cook.. we ordered bulalo..balbacua..kare-kare ..garlic shrimp and laing.. the servings is huge. The staff is accommodatin. Over all we will recommend this and for sure we will come back😍😍😍 we will never forget the taste of manggo tapioca jelly and coffee jelly it's perfect 🥰🥰worth the price”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The place is quiet small . But clean ❤️But they managed us 7persons ..the food was great except for laing..laing need more time to cook.. we ordered bulalo..balbacua..kare-kare ..garlic shrimp and laing.. the servings is huge. The staff is accommodatin. Over all we will recommend this and for sure we will come back😍😍😍 we will never forget the taste of manggo tapioca jelly and coffee jelly it's perfect 🥰🥰worth the price”December 2025
“1. We ordered Tapsilog and the meat was salty. Fortunately they have served us vinegar so it ease down our palate.”
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“1. We ordered Tapsilog and the meat was salty. Fortunately they have served us vinegar so it ease down our palate.”April 2026
“I ordered for tapsilog and proben, they’re both salty and the tapsilog is too saucy. I’m very disappointed as I have to order another meal for lunch.”December 2025
“2. Bangsilog is somehow not that appetizing too as it was only fried with either cornstarch or flour. Just a suggestion to keep it as “daing” style, i think it will be more flavorful.”
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“2. Bangsilog is somehow not that appetizing too as it was only fried with either cornstarch or flour. Just a suggestion to keep it as “daing” style, i think it will be more flavorful.”April 2026
“Taste is really bad for the sopas. The beef kaldereta is too hard to chew.”
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“Taste is really bad for the sopas. The beef kaldereta is too hard to chew.”March 2026
“We also ordered pakbet and binagoongan chicken, but both dishes were prepared almost the same way and lacked distinct flavor.”
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“We also ordered pakbet and binagoongan chicken, but both dishes were prepared almost the same way and lacked distinct flavor.”April 2026
“We also ordered the Bopis but sadly we didnt like it as it was sweet.”
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“We also ordered the Bopis but sadly we didnt like it as it was sweet.”May 2026
“The denengdeng was unpleasant, and at one point I even thought I mistakenly ordered two soups because of how it looked.”
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“The denengdeng was unpleasant, and at one point I even thought I mistakenly ordered two soups because of how it looked.”July 2026
“Empanadas 6/10”
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“Empanadas 6/10”July 2026
“The staff were also singing which felt unprofessional I ordered fish paksiw, but it tasted overly sweet—which is not how paksiw should taste.”
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“The staff were also singing which felt unprofessional I ordered fish paksiw, but it tasted overly sweet—which is not how paksiw should taste.”April 2026
“We also ordered Ginataang Langka which is so different for the langka that we know as Tagalog. Their langka is soupy and not creamy( probably no coconut cream) like normal.”
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“We also ordered Ginataang Langka which is so different for the langka that we know as Tagalog. Their langka is soupy and not creamy( probably no coconut cream) like normal.”May 2026
“I've been ordering food here since i discovered them on noon app. But recently i ordered "GOTO" And lo and behold , i saw something that shouldn't be included on my food. It's like a larvae or pupa, idk what kind of insect is this. This is disgusting I throw my food right away!”
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“I've been ordering food here since i discovered them on noon app. But recently i ordered "GOTO" And lo and behold , i saw something that shouldn't be included on my food. It's like a larvae or pupa, idk what kind of insect is this. This is disgusting I throw my food right away!”March 2026
“1) Grilled Squids are almost burnt, however, upon eating it is uncooked and taste like spoiled 🤢🤮”
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“1) Grilled Squids are almost burnt, however, upon eating it is uncooked and taste like spoiled 🤢🤮”May 2025
“There is always room for improvement...Order the ilokano empanada for delivery as expected and not eaten immediately( given not crunchy oitside anymore) which is understandble for me,,,,but the wrapper itself is too thick,the feeling is not a good combination..”
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“There is always room for improvement...Order the ilokano empanada for delivery as expected and not eaten immediately( given not crunchy oitside anymore) which is understandble for me,,,,but the wrapper itself is too thick,the feeling is not a good combination..”September 2025
“Their okoy was salty to some of our group, but it was fine to me, didn’t feature many vegetables though, and it was more fried flour than vegetable.”
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“Their okoy was salty to some of our group, but it was fine to me, didn’t feature many vegetables though, and it was more fried flour than vegetable.”June 2025
“We also ordered pakbet and binagoongan chicken, but both dishes were prepared almost the same way and lacked distinct flavor.”
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“We also ordered pakbet and binagoongan chicken, but both dishes were prepared almost the same way and lacked distinct flavor.”April 2026
“3) Pansit Bihon doesn’t have any vegetables and taste like soy sauce 🤢”
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“3) Pansit Bihon doesn’t have any vegetables and taste like soy sauce 🤢”May 2025
“WORST FOOD DELIVERY EXPERIENCE! I ordered solo bangus sisig and they delivered meal with rice! and bangus sisig with fishbone? seriously. DONT SERVR BANGUS SISIG WITH FISHBONE!”
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“WORST FOOD DELIVERY EXPERIENCE! I ordered solo bangus sisig and they delivered meal with rice! and bangus sisig with fishbone? seriously. DONT SERVR BANGUS SISIG WITH FISHBONE!”January 2026
“Laing 5/10”
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“Laing 5/10”July 2026
“2) Laing became soup and did not taste Laing at all”May 2025
Bring Small Groups. The cramped indoor layout is more manageable for two people than for a larger family group.
Confirm Availability. Check that Ilocos Empanada is available before travelling, as one nearby diner was told it had sold out on arrival.
Allow Extra Time. For delivery or busy dine-in periods, build in plenty of time; one Talabat order took 45–55 minutes before cancellation.
Use Front Parking. Drivers can look for the reported free one-hour parking directly in front of the restaurant.
Ask About Timing. Ask about preparation time for slower dishes such as whole fried chicken before placing a tight-timing order.
Plan the visit
| Mon | 9:00 AM – 12:00 AM |
| Tue | 9:00 AM – 12:00 AM |
| Wed | 9:00 AM – 12:00 AM |
| Thu | 9:00 AM – 12:00 AM |
| Fri | 9:00 AM – 12:00 AM |
| Sat | 9:00 AM – 12:00 AM |
| Sun | 10:00 AM – 12:00 AM |
Preparation varies sharply: reviews mention undercooked fish, raw dishes and tough meat.
Ilocos Empanada has arrived soggy through delivery instead of crisp.
Orders can take a long time, with one table waiting 30 minutes for the first dish and longer for the rest.
The indoor dining area is cramped, and larger groups may struggle to sit comfortably.
One Ilocano reviewer found the empanada differed from the expected traditional filling and format.
The Bottom Line
Ilokano Flavors Restaurant is a small Filipino dining spot in Al Barsha with a clear Ilocano focus. You can come for dishes such as Sinanglaw, chicken inasal, Ilocos Empanada and halo-halo, with several diners describing the food as home-style and suitable for sharing. Chicken inasal is noted for its large, tasty portion, while Sinanglaw and halo-halo are among the more distinctive picks.
The strongest experiences are not completely consistent. Fresh fried lumpia has been praised with a 10/10 rating and a particularly good vinegar dip, but other reviews describe undercooked fish, tough meat, bland bulalo and laing that needed more cooking. The Ilocos Empanada also divides opinion: some customers love it, while one Ilocano diner found the monggo filling unlike the expected papaya-based version.
The restaurant is quiet and friendly when things run smoothly, but the indoor room is cramped, especially for groups of four or more. Service delays are a recurring concern, so allow extra time and ask about dishes with longer preparation times. Delivery is the riskier option: empanadas have arrived soggy, WhatsApp messages have gone unanswered, and one Talabat order was cancelled after nearly an hour.
A review reported free one-hour parking in front. Customer-mentioned prices include AED 20 for an Ilocos Empanada and AED 40 for beef dinakdakan.