CASE #033: Guevarra’s by Chef Laudico

Fiesta. This was the first word that came into my mind when Hubby and I tried out Guevarra’s. Think of the typical Filipino fiesta. Home-cooked family recipes lined up in the buffet table open for everyone.  The kind that would let you forget about your diet program and turn any day into a cheat day.

Guevarra’s is located in 387 P. Guevarra Street, San Juan City. It is nestled by the inner streets of San Juan’s residential area and is not so accessible by public commute. It would be best to take a cab or book a Grab car to go there.

Let’s see how this buffet restaurant fares in my review below.

Ambiance ★★★★★

The restaurant is a 1920’s heritage house with its interiors converted into dining areas for guests. Upon arriving, you will see the signage “Guevarra’s” at the gate. 

If you are taking a Grab car, you can ask the driver to enter the gate and drop you off at the front steps of the house itself. If you have your own car, you may also enter the gate and park your car at the parking lot located at the right side of the house. There was ample space for parking for customers. I just don’t know if they are charge a parking fee. Just be prepared just in case.

There were several steps to take to reach the front foyer of the house where a receptionist was stationed to entertain guests. While they do accept walk-ins, it would still be best to make reservations in advance because it tends to be fully booked on weekends. But since this is an unplanned dinner, we just opted to walk-in for their early dinner buffet.

The receptionist confirmed the availability of a table for us then reminded us that early dinner will only be served until a certain time. The staff ushered us in towards a table at the other end of the big house. I was in awe when I entered the restaurant. I was greeted with a homey and cozy feel. It felt like I was attending a family event or a fiesta.

The color theme was a mixture of off-white and different shades of brown. The banisters and dividers were in dark browns, the tables were in lighter shade of brown, and the chairs and couches were upholstered to a mix of red and brown hues.

There were plates hanged on the wall with signature and messages of famous personalities who have dined in the place. The walls were also accentuated by abstract to surreal paintings. Average-sized chandeliers also hanged from the ceiling which added light to the whole house apart from the LED lights planted along the corners of the ceiling.

The wooden planks on the floor was lightly varnished. For a house, this was spacious and reflected how well-off the stature of its former residents was. I kept on figuring out where was the living room, the dining room, and the bedrooms.

The dining areas were separated into rooms that could fit around 20-30 people. This was perfect intimate group celebrations. The amazing thing was that even though the place could be packed by diners, the noise was very much tolerable unlike in some buffet restaurants where it can get too cramped and loud.

We were not able to explore the outer part of the house until after dinner. You can hang out in the garden where concrete and wooden benches were available. There was also a gazebo and fountain where you can take pictures. Trees and grass surrounded the garden providing shade from the heat of the sun.

During the night, little LED lights surrounding the area gave us that romantic and cozy atmosphere. The place was so inviting we couldn’t help but chill out for a couple more minutes and looked up the starry sky. The place really gave us the feeling of homeyness and calmness of the good old days. It was like travelling back to an era when life was much simpler and throwing parties were the best way to socialize.

Food ★★★

The buffet area was in an indoor patio with big glass windows that allowed the outside light to illuminate the room. This also provided a great starry view at night.

The chaffing dishes were lined up in a long table. Appetizers, soups, and salads were placed towards the right. That would be the best place to start. Followed by choices of either pansit or pasta. There were even different choices of pansit: pansit canton, bihon, palabok, or Malabon.

Rice as a main Filipino staple was also offered in different variation: garlic, Paella, or simply plain. There were quite several dishes to choose from. For veggies, they have Pinakbet, Laing, and Chopsuey. For chicken, they have the classic Adobo, Afritada, and Fried Chicken. For meat, Kaldereta, Bopis, Dinuguan, Kare-Kare, Pata Tim, etc. For the soup dishes, they have Bulalo and Nido soup. The roster of food in their menu may differ everyday but there could be dishes that would always be part of the menu.

At the other end of the table is their carving and grilling stations. They have roasted beef, lamp chops, and roasted chicken as well. They have barbecue, grilled pork belly, tuna, etc. The drinks were inside those big glass jugs which included, lemonade, cucumber, red iced tea, regular iced tea, and sago’t gulaman. You can also order buko juice which will be served in coconut shells.

For dessert, they have soft served ice cream that you will squeeze into your cone yourself, halo-halo, chocolate fondue, rice cakes, cakes, and other pastries.

There were some dishes that were so delectable like their kare-kare, and there were those that tasted just alright. Their version of our all-time favorite Filipino dishes was slightly twisted to have an identity of its own. It tasted different from Cabalen or Meza or any Filipino restaurants, but the flavor remained to be a hit or a miss. I was expecting one distinct signature dish that I would not forget and that I would always associate to the restaurant. But so far, I have found none.

Service ★★★★★

Service was good. Receptionists were approachable enough to entertain incoming guests. Waiting areas at the foyer and the garden were provided to hold guests before the next batch of buffet opens. The staff were attentive enough to clear out used plates from the tables.

There was also a special treat for birthday celebrators. A special birthday song courtesy of their staff ensemble. One of their staff was truly a jester and really spiced up the performance. This was what I missed at Vikings. They have already stopped giving performances for birthday celebrators and would just give out free cakes and pictorial sessions with their Viking head gears and banners. I would still prefer a birthday song as it feels more personal and provides a more celebratory mood.

One thing I noticed was that they just have one or two wash areas that could only hold one person at a time. With a lot of guests coming in for lunch and dinner, it could create a long queue in their washrooms. I think they just renovated the original washrooms of the house to keep it functional, but it would help if they can add up some more as an extension or something so guests wouldn't queue up in washing up or relieving themselves.

Also, another great idea is if they would allow serving of coffee or tea at their garden while guests are waiting or for those who would just like to stay there for a while.

Pricing ★★★★★

Currently, their Lunch (11:00am to 2:00pm) and Dinner (7:30pm to 10:00pm) buffet for weekdays were priced at Php499.00 + VAT. Lunch and dinner buffer on weekends and holidays are at Php599.00 + VAT. They have no service charges.

I would say this was reasonable enough considering that you will get a full course meal with more than just one dish, in a great ambiance and with great service, I’d say this was already a good deal. Hence the reason they get full bookings especially on special occasions.

Overall Ratings = 4.5 ★

This place is good for birthdays, baptismals, anniversaries, reunions, date nights, proposals, even wedding receptions if you have the budget to rent out the whole place.

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All reviews are based on my own experience. My views and opinions may vary from others. If you have a different experience with this place, feel free to let us know through the comments section. The descriptions and prices mentioned are based on what I have actually encountered. It may vary from time to time or in different branches. Again, feel free to comment for updated information.