14 Essential Filipino Restaurants You Need to Know in Las Vegas

Explore Filipino culture and cuisine in Sin City.

goldilocks
Photo courtesy of Goldilocks
Photo courtesy of Goldilocks

Asian Americans are the fastest-growing demographic in Southern Nevada, with a population that’s tripled over the past 20 years—and more than half of those new residents are Filipino. As we celebrate Filipino American History Month this October, let's dig a little deeper into a community that's played an integral role in reshaping the Las Vegas culinary scene.

"There are a lot of great Filipino restaurants out there," says Alex Irlandes, executive chef and owner of Full House BBQ, a Filipino and modern Asian restaurant. "The cuisine has so much to offer, which is great, because that's how Filipinos eat. It's a feast."

Modern Filipino cuisine is the result of an array of influences throughout the country’s history, from agricultural trading with China and India to colonization by Spain and the United States. Staples like adobe (marinated or pickled meat) and sisig (crispy pork with almost any part of the pig fair game) were influenced by the Philippines' colonial Spanish history. Pinakbet (meat and vegetables cooked in shrimp paste) and dinuguan (pork stewed in pig's blood) date back even further to Malay ancestors. Pancit (noodles that are both a simple side dish and a component of larger recipes) and lumpia (pork and vegetable spring rolls) were brought in by Chinese traders.

In recent months, Pepita's Kitchen joined Halo-Halo in becoming the only two Filipino restaurants on the Strip. "Many people have not tasted Filipino food, so having Pepita’s Kitchen at Resorts World Las Vegas helps bring the best of Filipino cuisine to the world stage," says chef and proprietor Dedet de la Fuente. "In the same light, there is a big population of Filipinos in Las Vegas and the West Coast who appreciate having easy access to the cuisine.”

Even neighborhood restaurants are finding success in attracting new diners. "Over 90% of my customers are non-Filipino," says Salome Pilas of Oming's Kitchen, a restaurant that initially spread the word about Filipino cuisine as a food truck. "People are slowly finding out about us."

Despite it's Silverado Ranch location, Full House BBQ draws tourists who are staying at hotels on the Strip, but eager to seek out compelling food options in the surrounding communities. "We're tucked in from Las Vegas Boulevard," says Irlandes. "But believe it or not, 65-85% of our guests are tourists from California, Washington, New York, Spain... We see people from different parts of the world and from different parts of the United States."

For an introductory taste to Filipino cuisine, you could visit Seafood City or Island Pacific, two supermarkets with a strong presence in Las Vegas that also serve hot food—a traditional combination in Filipino culture. Want a fish cleaned, fried, and packaged to go? You're in luck. However, that's just a starting point. The following dining destinations offer further opportunities to experience Filipino culture and cuisine in Las Vegas.

Fiesta Filipina Cuisine
Photo by Rob Kachelriess

Fiesta Filipina Cuisine

Multiple locations

This local, family-owned chain has three locations (one in Henderson and two in the West Valley) for quick, easy, expertly made Filipino food. Everything is served in a turo-turo format, which translates in Tagalog to "point, point," since that's exactly what you do when choosing your food as it simmers behind glass windows. Make your way through the cafeteria-style line and try to resist ordering a little bit of everything. The crispy pata (pork leg), spaghetti (with a sweet sauce—like Spaghetti-Os, but better) rank among the most popular choices. Mix and match items as part of a combo meal when staying to eat or pay by the size of your container when taking an order to go.
Hot to order: Just walk in and start pointing at food. Save time at the Durango location by ordering online for pickup.

Available for Delivery/Takeout
Pepita’s Kitchen
Photo courtesy of Pepita's Kitchen

Pepita’s Kitchen

Resorts World

Famous Foods Street Eats at the brand new Resorts World, may be the most eclectic food court in Las Vegas. It consists of 16 stalls or quick-service counters that favor global flavors in place of familiar American fast food chains. If you can only choose one, line up at Pepita's Kitchen, which gives the Strip some much-needed Filipino representation. It's the only American concept by Dedet de la Fuente, who's known as the "Lechon Diva'' in the Philippines. Lechon is a small, stuffed whole-roasted pig. Lepita's Kitchen serves the pork either inside a panini or with a truffle rice stuffing. Either way, you'll enjoy that bite of tender meat with a crunch of crispy skin.
How to order: Order and pay for your meal at one of Famous Foods Street Eats' digital kiosks. Then head to the counter at Pepita's Kitchen and pick up your food.

Full House BBQ
Photo courtesy of Full House BBQ

Full House BBQ

Silverado Ranch

Full House BBQ operates under the imaginative spirit of Alex Irlandes, who worked his way up through Las Vegas casinos, eventually leading kitchen operations at resorts like Mandalay Bay, the Golden Nugget, and Westgate. Now carrying out his own vision with Full House BBQ, Irlandes puts a modern spin on classic Filipino dishes with frequent creative touches, whether the influence is Mexican (sisig birria tacos), Chinese (salt and pepper jumbo Shrimp), or Japanese (tokwa't baboy or crispy pork served poke-style). Hot pots, clay pots, and cutting boards are frequently part of the presentation. Larger Kamayan feasts—a Filipino tradition where food is served on banana leaves and eaten by hand—must be ordered 24 hours in advance. The Flaming Halo-Halo dessert of ube ice cream, flan, and candy pieces is served tableside with a show-stopping flambe presentation. The combination of sizzle and style matches the restaurant's colorful environment, with lantern-like light fixtures, indoor bistro lights, and select tables on elevated boardwalk flooring.
How to order: Call 702-227-4663 to book a reservation.

Oming's Kitchen
Photo by Rob Kachelriess

Oming's Kitchen

Mountain's Edge

Salome Pilas started Oming's Kitchen as a food truck in 2015 and six years later, opened a brick and mortar version on Blue Diamond Road. The business built its reputation on rice bowls topped with tender, flavorful pork belly and chicken; marinated, charbroiled, and finished on the grill. It's her version of a grilling tradition known as sinugba. Pilas' crispy deep-fried lumpia are among the best in Vegas, so order a few on the side. The menu has expanded since the early days and now includes an all-day breakfast. Ask about the longganisa sausage or tocino, a dried version of adobo that's similar to bacon. Pilas pays careful attention to sourcing and imports select meat from Denmark.
How to order: Save time by ordering online for pickup. The food truck is still around and has a regular spot on campus at UNLV. It also makes regular appearances at festivals like EDC and First Friday.

Available for Delivery/Takeout
Little Pampanga
Photo by Rob Kachelriess

Little Pampanga

Boulder Strip

Little Pampanga is a small and simple operation, but one of the best-kept secrets among locals who appreciate traditional Filipino food. The restaurant's entrance is through Joshan, a neighboring Filipino grocery store that sells everything from ube ice cream to large sacks of rice. Customers line up and choose from the day's selection, simmering in steam tables behind glass windows. Fish is the shining star at Little Pampanga, whether it's the fried tilapia or buttery chunks of swordfish served in a bright sinigang broth. The $1 upcharge for beef orders is totally worth it for the earthy kare-kare peanut sauce. Most customers take their food to go, but the small dining room has at least four tables if you plan to stick around awhile.
How to order: Be prepared for lines that grow long and move slow at times. Come early. Some items sell out by early afternoon.

Max's Restaurant
Photo courtesy of Max's Restaurant

Max's Restaurant

East Valley

Max's Restaurant is an international chain that began in 1945 when a teacher named Maximo Gimenez opened a bistro for American troops stationed in Quezon City. The concept grew to hundreds of locations throughout the Philippines and more than a dozen in North America. Despite the global omnipresence of the brand, the Las Vegas version near Flamingo and Maryland Parkway has a special connection with the local Filipino community. Most come for the fried chicken, Max's signature dish, typically served whole with french fries and banana sauce in place of ketchup. The rest of the menu is rounded out with traditional favorites, including milkfish prepared as sinigang (tamarind soup), sizzling sisig, or daing na bangus (fried whole). The dining room is popular for large parties, and a fireplace and stone exterior date back to when the restaurant was a Lone Star Steakhouse.
How to order: Order online for delivery or pickup, join the waitlist for dining in.

Available for Delivery/Takeout
D'Pinoy Joint
Photo by Rob Kachelriess

D'Pinoy Joint

Off the Strip

This long-running Filipino favorite has two locations: the original near Flamingo and Rainbow with a banquet room for large family events and a second at the Premium Outlets south of the Strip on Las Vegas Boulevard. Neither one is particularly fancy, with orderly rows of tables and barebones decorations, but the menu serves as an ode to authentic Filipino dishes. The kaldereta stew is a chunky recipe of beef, potatoes, and peppers in a tomato broth. The bicol combination of pork, shrimp, and coconut milk is one of the few items on the menu with a notable degree of spiciness. Take advantage of the weekday lunch special to mix-and-match two choices—like bistek (thin-sliced beef), chicken adobo, or BBQ pork skewers—with a scoop of rice for $9.99.
How to order: Call Flamingo at 702-675-4771 or Las Vegas Boulevard at 702-483-3340 to inquire about pickup orders.

Thelma's Filipino Restaurant
Photo by Rob Kachelriess

The original Thelma's opened in Hawaii back in 1991 with a mainland version showing up almost 20 years later in Henderson, taking up a bright green and yellow corner space in a strip mall near Sunset Station. The influence of the Aloha State is felt in the menu, especially the shoyu chicken with thighs stewed in soy sauce for a fall-off-the-bone texture. Try 'em with a side of pancit. Chunks of Spam are tossed together with Portuguese sausage in either fried rice or an all-day breakfast omelette. The menu is rounded out by a variety of traditional Filipino dishes, with an especially strong lineup of soups and stew. A mixed plate special begins at $8.50 with a choice of two, three, or four items.
How to order: Walk in, line up in the back and place an order at the register. Food will be brought to your table. Call 702-207-0443 to place a pickup order.

Halo Halo Filipino Kitchen
Photo courtesy of Halo-Halo

Halo-Halo

The Venetian

It wasn't widely publicized, but Halo-Halo actually edged out Pepita's Kitchen by a matter of days this past June to become the first of just two Filipino restaurants currently open on the Strip. Despite being a grab-and-go food court counter in the Grand Canal Shoppes, Halo-Halo manages to exceed expectations—most notably with the crispy-style lumpia, which comes with the traditional chicken or pork filling as well as Wagyu beef or a blend of lobster and shrimp. Other small bites, including chicken empanadas and adobo sliders are reasonably priced for the Strip. The restaurant is named after its signature dish, Halo-Halo, a dessert that stacks together fruit, flan, beans, and ice cream. If that seems like too much, try the turon, a sweet play on lumpia with banana and caramel. It works as either a snack or dessert.
How to order: Walk up to the counter and order.

Tina's Filipino Cuisine
Photo courtesy of Tina's Filipino Cuisine

With a quaint location in a southwest valley strip mall, Tina's has charm to spare, feeling almost like a cross between a bistro, street market, and convenience store, with a counter serving hot food. Most of it is made to order, so sit down and stay awhile in the dining room. Mismatched wooden tables, heavy curtains, bamboo decor, and green walls complement the faux foliage that greets customers by the front door. Retail shelves display a variety of imported items, including the same tangy Mang Thomas sauce served with the lechon kawali (pan-seared pork belly cut into cubes). Overall, the menu covers all the basics without being overwhelming. Newcomers can get their feet wet with the weekday lunch special Monday-Friday 10 am–4 pm, with two items and rice for $9.99. Finish things off with Tina's signature ube sundae.
How to order: Walk in and order from the counter—or grab a seat and wait for service. Save time by ordering in advance online.

Goldilocks Bake Shop & Restaurant
Photo courtesy of Goldilocks

Goldilocks

Off the Strip

Goldilocks has everything you'd want in a Filipino restaurant: garlic-fueled chicken adobo, savory beef kaldereta, and pancit overloaded with chunks of seafood. However, the restaurant truly stands out from the crowd with its in-house bakery. Loyal customers line up on a regular basis for ensaymada (sweet brioche), mamon (sponge cake), or polvoron (shortbread). Goldilocks dates back more than 50 years, beginning as a bakeshop by two sisters in Quezon City before expanding to more than 900 locations around the world—including pretty much every shopping mall in the Philippines. The Vegas version is just east of the Strip near the historic Commercial Center shopping plaza.
How to order: Get in line for the hot stuff while choosing baked goods from a retail display. Order online for Doordash delivery or pickup.

Roll the Veg
Photo by Rob Kachelriess

Roll the Veg

Eastside

Roll the Veg is proof Filipino food can still be delicious with a full plant-based menu. Founded by a vegan couple, the business operates out of the Slice shared commissary kitchen near Pecos and Sunset where it has Wednesdays all to itself. Everything is made in-house without any mass-produced meat substitutes. Roll The Veg uses its own soy-based protein in meat-free versions of chicken adobo, Spam-like fried rice, and kalbi-style Korean BBQ short ribs, which happen to be popular in the Philippines. A house-made "mozzarella cheese" of oat milk and cocoa butter is used in crispy lumpia rolls with jalapenos added for a subtle kick. The same cheese appears in a vegan pepperoni roll, turning the flavor profile of a pizza into finger food.
How to order: Choose your food online for pickup the following Wednesday. You can also show up at the front entrance and place an order. Take it to go or enjoy it on the spot at a round community table.

Available for Delivery/Takeout
Kapuso Kapamilya Karaoke Bar
Photo courtesy of Kapuso Kapamilya

Don't think of Kapuso Kapamilya as a restaurant. It's more like a lounge that serves bar-level Filipino food. The Chinatown spot is known for its late-night social scene with cocktails, DJs, dancing, and karaoke (and as we already know, Vegas loves its karaoke joints), but all that partying is going to build up an appetite. So take advantage of the pork sisig that pairs well with Filipino beers like San Miguel and Red Horse. Kapuso Kapamilya stays open until 5 am seven days a week, ready to welcome large parties craving a Kamayan-style feast of finger food in the middle of the night.
How to order: Order in house or arrange a delivery with UberEats.

Mang Felix
Photo courtesy of Mang Felix

Mang Felix

Spring Valley

Mang Felix, a newcomer that opened less than a year ago, mixes things up with both eats and image. The restaurant has a sharp, modern look with a brick wall, industrial lighting, and a covered outdoor patio. The menu is a combination of Filipino and Vietnamese dishes with minimal fusion-style experimentation. But if you want a bowl of pho or vermicelli to balance out the sour bite of sisig or the sweetness of the sizzling beef pares (the restaurant's most popular dish), this is your place. Those looking for lumpia will have to settle for lumpiang ubod, a looser version of the spring roll with hearts of palm and a crepe-like exterior.
How to order: Call 702-834-8998 to book a reservation.

Rob Kachelriess has been writing about Las Vegas in Thrillist for more than eight years. His work has also appeared in Travel + Leisure, Trivago Magazine, Sophisticated Living, Modern Luxury, Leafly, Las Vegas Magazine, and other publications. He prefers crispy lumpia. Follow him on Twitter @rkachelriess.