Rowena’s Delight and Cakehouse

Like most Unilocalers who left review about this place, its true that this restaurant is a true great find! For $ 6.50 you get a full combination of 2 choices w/​rice and either a can of soda or bottled water or you hve the option for pansit for $ 1 more. Most of their meals are tasty and delicious, a typical filipino meal but budget friendly.
I think update on the ambiance of the restaurant would make this a 5 star.

I’ve been coming to this place since I moved back here. So, the following:
–price ($ 6.50 for a combo with a water or soda)
— plenty of seating
–nice Tito’s and tita’s. Very friendly and welcoming
–selection of foods
–their catering is good also
The only bad thing
–parking is a nightmare. Take the bus. The stops are close by

Went there for the first time and the young gentleman working behind the counter walked us through the process, since we had no idea what anything was. I forget what we had, but all of it was delicious, so that’s pretty good, right?

I ordered the boneless Lechon and superb!!! Very moist, very delicious and well priced… going to order here again… very friendly customer service even though I was being a pain about picking up my Lechon earlier from. What I told them… highly recommended for sure!!!

At least once a week, Rowena’s is my go to spot!
Food is always fresh and great tasting.
Also can’t say enough about the team that works there… they treat you like family!

I was referred to this place for their Lumpia. I ordered a tray for work. Upon picking it up, I saw that they were very small and I was concern it would be all dried up inside. Apparently that was not the case, all my colleagues loved it. It has a little spice to it but very flavorable. I will definitely return and try the other food there.

Very good home cooked filipino food. They take care of the community.

I go here all the time for a quick bite or catering orders, but never thought of writing a review. My fave dishes are the Caldereta and the BBQ. Other good dishes are the adobo and the Kare Kare. I sometimes order a tray of their lumpia shanghai (& caldereta of course) for parties and they’re a hit.

A friend and I had lunch at Rowena’s today. The food was excellent, the portions were generous and the two of us ate for $ 13.00 and took home leftovers. The server was a really nice guy who explained the dishes to us and couldn’t have been more helpful.

Good authentic Filipino food. Although the food was barely Luke warm when they served it to me. It had good flavor, it was just not hot.
I had the halo-​halo which was just decent there. The décor is a bit shabby. I think I would rather go to fiesta grill next time I’m in the area.

Thankful this place is only a couple blocks away from work. Food is really good. Combos are inexpensive and they give you a good amount. This will definitely be my go to place for lunch.

With $ 10 in my pocket and some extra time for lunch, I went to Rowena’s to satisfy a craving for Filipino food.
It is not the closest restaurant to my job, but it is one of the best options in the area. $ 6 gets you a combo of generously portioned food, either with rice or pancit ($ 1 extra). It’s a few bucks more than the combos on Newark Ave but it is just as good, if not better. There seems to be much more variety at Rowena’s as well, evidenced by the additional steam trays and longer counter.
I got there around 10:30, so everything was super fresh and hadn’t been sitting out very long. I opted for the combo with pancit, bistek, and lechon. As there was a $ 10 minimum for cards, I also got a few turon (banana fried in spring roll wrappper).
Everything was totally on point. Bistek was moist and flavorful, Lechon was crispy, porky, and everything you want in roast pig. Pancit wasn’t too greasy and I could have happily eaten that alone. The turon was crispy, sweet, and delicious.
There are many other turo-​turo places much closer to me, but this one is worth the short drive. Parking is a bit limited, as West Side is always busy, but I’d gladly deal with it for some more of Rowena’s food!

Great neighborhood Filipino food in the Lincoln Park area of JC. The combo platter is my go-​to and runs you only $ 6 including a soda or bottled water. You get 2 side dishes from the available selection plus a mound of white rice. If I’m hungry I go for two meat dishes like adobo and menudo. On the lighter side, you can opt for the second item to be sinigang (tamarind broth soup like tom yum) so you have something to offset the meatiness. Do veggie on veggie dishes if you want to go lighter and blow it up with some sweet pastries like bitso (sweet bread) or turon (fried plantain egg rolls). Or just go all out and enter heavenly food coma. You decide. You know how I roll.

Amazing place! I walked in and everyone who worked there was very very friendly, and was sure to explain the dishes and meal options clearly. The staff working were pleasant and smiling and gave a great energy.
The food was tasty, well-​spiced, and well-​prepared– and all very fresh considering that it had to be made ahead of time. I had the pork adobo, the lechon, and the langonica sausage (also some lumpia on the side). The portions were so amazing I almost didn’t finish my plate!
Rowena herself came by our table, introduced herself, and brought by some of her special lumpia with plantain inside. She talked to us for a while about her restaurant, and you can tell that she loves giving people great meals :-) I can’t wait to go back!

Came here today hoping to have breakfast. However, they stopped serving breakfast around the time we came at 1030. My wife ordered a combo of dinoguan and a fish broth with rice. Both dishes were very tasty and she enjoyed the meal very much. We also ordered longonisa which was served to us cold. We recommend and hope to make it for breakfast one of these days.

Loved there food here, but when we had the Turon so disappointed we waste our money, yes you make profit but your loosing customer, pls you know the banana is not good don’t sale it or used it.
Thank you,

Friendly service, Beef calderetta was tasty, beef was soft & not greasey. Drinks are included in combo

Got here just in time as the after-​church crew started to trickle in. Had a variety of traditional Filipino dishes from sisig, lechon kawali, dinuguuan, and the house special kare kare. Got the last serving of the kare kare — it was homemade and extra delicious with a side of bagoong. Halo-​halo had a nice piece of flan on the top and was also well made. Combo prices include a drink which makes this place an even better deal. Parking can be a nightmare as there is no designated lot and street parking is hard to come by.

Everyone over here is really nice. I come here regularly because I’m a busy woman and when I am off to work or its a day off and I am craving Filipino food I drop by here. The owner Rowena is very friendly, everyone there is all smiles. 5 to 6 bucks for a combo. Sisig is banging, I order lumpia party trays here regularly for gatherings, palabok banging, and you know the rest.
Oh and when they have Okoy, Mmm…
I remember asking a worker when they make that and he said «We havent made it in a long time :(«
The next week, they had it. mmmm.
damn
Rowenas you are the best lol :)

First off, Tita Rowena, the owner, is the kindest businesswoman I know. She as some ind of connection to my mom and whenever she sees me, she’s just lovely!
The combos are no more than $ 6, I believe. Rice and two side dishes. My favorites are the kare-​kare and sisig! Delish, I’d explain, but I say, just do it.
For those so say that the restaurant isn’t in a place you’d want to be, I say, don’t be a p****. If you’re looking for authenticity and flavor, you have to come to these places.
Otherwise, you’re missing out if you’re afraid of leaving your own stoop, stoop-​kid! *cue Hey-​Arnold theme song*