Kusina Ni Tess

Had breakfast here– garlic rice, 3 sausages and egg for $ 7. Never had this type of breakfast before but was tasty. Id like to try take out dinner there. Was clean and ladies working there were nice.

My first time here. I came for Pancit. They only serve it every other day. I came on a day it wasn’t being served. Touran was good though.

EAT-​IN DO NOT TAKE OUT IF YOU CAN HELP IT!!! The reason I say this is because the portions are easily 1.5x-2x if you eat in house.
Now on to the food. The first the I came. I got small pork adobo, small dinuguan, small lechon. Total was $ 21. A bit pricey frankly, but the food itself is very good. The adobo and dinuguan is tender and flavorful. The Lechon is deep fried a second time to warm it up, making it very crispy and flavorful. I took it all home and I really wish I stayed at the restaurant to eat it because like I said… portions.
The second time I came back, I got a medium size of pork adobo and small lechon plus a scoop of rice. $ 18. I definitely could have gotten a small adobo instead because the medium was HUGE. The ladies are very generous with the portions when you eat in and its totally worth it.
Overall, the food is very good. Prices could be a bit cheaper. I’ve been to much cheaper filipino joints but this is the best the city has in this area.

A little gem for Filipino food. A favorite dish was the beef stew over rice, very flavorful and hearty, try at least once.

Awesome, hole-​in-​the wall philipino food served hot, and authentic. Dirt cheap. Friendly service. Highly recommended.

Had a hankering for Filipino food. I got the chicken adobo with rice. I pretty much got rice with adobo sauce. They gave me a huge portion of rice with tiniest 4 pieces of chicken. If I put them all together it would not even make s whole thigh.
The flavor was good but the portion is definitely not worth the $ 7.50 I paid. I could have gone to the Filipino place on 23^rd & Mission Kababayan and got three times more food for the same price.
BE VERY CAREFUL AS WELL! I FOUND HAIR IN MY FOOD!!! Ewwwwwww
Not a place I would go back to. The people that worked there were also nice.

Time: 6:47pm/63°F clear
Purpose: Passing by TL with clinch fist ready to box if anything should go down. Just kidding on my way to union square area.
Ambiance: Located in TL area not too far from Powell Street Bart. Kusina has that don’t give a shit or don’t care attitude look. Place is a 34 seater with 14 of it being plush round stools. Front area is a steam table with precooked ala carte items. Oversize menu plaster above with painted expose pipes running through the place. Inner back area is just a couple of beverage fridge, utensil station, and a water dispenser. There’s no television or music playing just natural nearby street life and workers doing their job. Lots of adversting and event poster posted some are half a year old. Kinda depressing to eat while being surrounded in a area with car alarm, horn, aggressive panhandler, crackheads, pimps/​hos etc.
Staff: Two older ladies as they can pass for mom/​daughter duo. The mother helps out doing back of house duties while daughter does front end service. No contact with mother was made just daughter. Warm and smiling explaining what items on each tray. Body language suggested a fast sell, I didn’t take the bait. Just don’t like recommendations, its usually old stock or not a fast moving item. Not saying it happen here, but majority of the time and experience says so.
Cleanliness: Grade C, need to close a day and perform a scrub down. It’s pretty much consider a run-​down joint, but functional.
Eats/​Drinks: One item chicken adobo w/​rice $ 7.50 ala carte style. The chicken chunks were dark meat mostly with skin and shards of bone attached. Out of whole bowl only one piece was edible, the rest was small pieces that needs to be fish out. Afterwards seems overpriced and not worth even half of the listed price. Bowl of oil and sprigs of bay leaves is not what I hope for.
Main Features: Tocilog, adobo and Pata.
Products/​Services: Bansilog, tocilog, longsilog, hotsilog, cornsilog, halo-​halo, ube halaya, bibinka, lechee flan, turon, adobo, calderta, mechado, langka, paksiw, pata, lechon kawali, sisig/​bopis, lumpia, fried daing.
Punch Lines: Run-​down, family run, TL, street parking (dangerous), pricey, mostly ala carte, oily, small portion, laid back, lackluster ambiance, nothing special, microwave use, not as great, go elsewhere, kept its standards, minimalist.
Tradeoffs: You’re paying near gourmet to homemade prices, but getting Jolibee quality in return.
Final Thoughts: Never knew Filipino food can be executed so poorly. Seldom that I would eat from restaurant when it comes to Filipino. Occasionally or most of the time, I eat homemade and potluck with colleagues bringing it in. Didn’t expect much being authenticity with area it was in. There’s not much going on here just simple Filipino food with sketchy area. Come if you’re craving because you must eat so you don’t die, but if you can wait it out. That’ll be a wise choice.

This was my first trip to San Francisco and my first visit to a Filipino restaurant, and I very much enjoyed both. I arrived about thirty minutes before closing to dine in and was not feeling in any way rushed. Although I have enjoyed some success cooking a few Filipino dishes at home and have read up some on the cuisine, I still was unfamiliar with many of the courses being served. The woman working the counter was very patient and explained to me what each of the dishes were and offered the opportunity to try the dishes before ordering — not many places that I have been to allow you to do that. It was as if I was a guest at the family table. I passed on that offer all the same and ordered small portions of the bistek, chicken adobo, and an eggplant omelette. It was all quite flavorful and a nice dinner and experience on my last night in the Bay Area.
The venue is not fancy and the cuisine is not decorated with any sort of intricate garnish or served on expensive place settings. If you’re a tourist seeking that kind of experience, do your homework and go somewhere else. For an experience that is more along the lines of filling your plate with good honest Filipino home cooking in a reasonable yet modest setting, I believe that this probably hits pretty close to the mark. I plan to return on my next stay in SF. Enjoy!

I just got off my phone and I was talking to my mother. I missed her Filipino cuisines so I went to check this place out. Sure enough I went there and had a superb grab to go meal!
I had double size garlic rice, two red hot dogs (I never knew there’s a red kind of hotdogs too), super juicy forced meat (I don’t know how it’s called something langoneesa?), and of course, my favorite dish after mechado, the popular pork belly!
Though the rice was a little hard like it was refrigerated then heated up in a microwave, and I think the hotdogs were a little undercooked, I can say that this place isn’t that bad!
I only spent $ 19 for the whole meal and I didn’t even finish it and probably saving it up for dinner lol

At the office we were launching our product in the Philippines and so, to commemorate the occasion, I decided to host a Filipino breakfast. (Breakfast being my favorite culinary experience when I visited Manila a few months ago!) Given that we are in San Francisco, where there’s a thriving Filipino community, I figured it wouldn’t be very difficult to find a good place.
Unilocal was obviously quite helpful in my search progress and soon I stumbled upon Kusina Ni Tess, which coincidentally was not too far away from our office… in the Tenderloin. Being the person who needs to try out a place first before sharing it with others, I headed there during my lunch break. The person behind the counter was Maria and as it turns out she is the owner. We got to chat and soon I realized that I wanted to do business with her: we came up with a breakfast menu that would feed 20 people!
On the day of the Filipino launch I went over to Kusina Ni Tess shortly after they opened… it was only 7:10am. However, the kitchen was already busy with lots of eggs, sweet pork sausages and rice in need of being fried up! Maria greeted me with a warm smile and shortly after I was out the door, into my taxi and off to the breakfast party…
Thanks for catering our breakfast, Maria!

Tried two different dish samples the cashier offered me. Went with the beef stew and rice, although both were appealing. Also had the lumpia with sweet and sour sauce.
They were really friendly in here and the food was very filling. After a long day of walking, I’m worried how I will waddle home now. Spent $ 12 for lunch and would come back.

It’s a hole in the wall and I usually do take out. My favorite Filipino food in SF. Keep in mind I said SF, everyone always says, Daily City but I’m not in Daily City, I’m in SF. There is a daily menu and I try and go when they’re serving afritada. The turon and halo-​halo so good and great portions compared to other Filipino restaurants. I grew up in a town that has a military base nearby and this white girl was introduced to every Filipino dish and yes I do eat dinugaun and they have it here. SF is lacking with Filipino food and I’m so happy I can stop bugging my Aunties to make me food.

Kusina Ni Tess is across the street from the Hilton and the next block over from Parc55. Despite a couple days of going back and forth repeatedly between the two hotels (to attend a conference) I didn’t even see the restaurant. It’s this tiny hole-​in-​the-​wall that I only noticed while looking out the window at the Hilton during a break between sessions. But, my god, did I love this place so much that I had lunch here 3 times over a 4-​day period. This joint is what I desperately needed after traveling and eating meals of anything but Filipino food.
First meal: Lechon kawali (with rice). They offered Mang Tomas to go with it, and which I regret not getting. I got very fatty pieces with very little meat. But they served it hot-​hot which I liked. Wasn’t totally impressed but I decided to return and give them another try.
Second meal: Deep fried tilapia (with rice). Now, if you don’t know how to eat fish with bones, don’t get this because you get the whole she-​bang (eyes, tail, and all!). Setting that technicality aside, it was, again, served hot-​hot and it hit the spot (especially with the soy sauce).
Third meal: Adobo and mechado (with rice). Solid adobo. Mechado not so good, but decent.
The two ladies that work the register and counter were super patient. I will be back!!!

We saw a line outside this little hole-​in-​the-​wall and the high Unilocal reviews and decided to try it.
We had the beef stew and the coconut jackfruit as they ran out of adobo of any sort. Needless to stay we were pretty disappointed. The food was not that tasty (either quality of meat or flavors) and not that cheap (you can find much better food in this city for $ 20) to make up for the dirty feeling ambiance. On the plus side, everyone was very friendly and the stew was overall okay.

This hole-​in-​the-​wall Filipino food eatery at Tenderloin in San Francisco delivers authentic Filipino comfort food. The ambiance is very casual and reminded me of most local eateries in Manila where you just simply point out the dishes you want to the server behind the counter. The cooking style is very familiar, as if it was something that your mom, aunt or grandma cooked for you.
For as little as $ 25 for two people, we were able to share pork BBQ, Kare-​Kare (peanut butter based oxtail stew), Sinigang na Baboy (tamarind pork soup) and Lechon Kawali (crispy pork belly) with a serving of white rice.
The staff are genuinely friendly and helpful. This place is ideal for a quick lunch. It is also a great training ground for your non Filipino spouse, especially if you intend to take them with you on your next visit to the Philippines.

How many people does it take to remember the name Kusina Ni Tess? Apparently more than two –_​– After failed attempts at searching Ni and Kess, we gave up and searched Filipino in order to navigate to this epitome-​of-​hole-​in-​the-​walls.
The hole-​in-​the-​wall-​ness has pluses and minuses. The ambiance is simple, modest, and cafeteria-​like (yes, think prepared food in metal trays over steamers. And plastic trays.), and it’s more of a lunch place because they close at 8pm and run out of stuff at the end of the day: only the food on display + desserts are available. (I guess another minus is the difficult name to remember)
The trade-​off is the authenticity. Well… to be fair my knowledge of Filipino food doesn’t extend far beyond the various Filipino items at my school cafeteria and fusion brunch places that include longaniza sausage. However, I trust from my extensive foodie (wannabe) adventures that I have reasonable judgment of legit good food.
The lady serving us was friendly and I really appreciate all her patience with our n00biness and indecisiveness. It was nice of her to offer us samples of all the entrees (reminded me of ice cream… why can’t all restaurants do this). We got the LAING (taro leaves and spinach in coconut milk) and PORK STEW with vermicelli and melon. Both were good, with a contrast between the creamy indulgent laing and the simple homemade stew. Also, you feel less guilty than my usual guilt-​tripping Filipino feast of abodo and lumpia, seeing that laing consists of good honest vegetables – swimming in coconut milk, but veggies nonetheless. We got a sausage as well: pretty tasty but not mind-​blowing (not super enthusiastic how they dipped it in oil before serving)
We also sampled the PANCIT and GROUND PORK – not bad but rather salty so it’s one of those things that you taste good in a sample but may be too much if you got an entire entrée of it.
The HALO HALO is a must-​get. We’ve never had it before but it was a delicious mix of flavors and textures, including soft pudding-​like flan, chunky ube, starchy beans, crunchy shaved ice, and chewy jelly – makes pearl milk tea seem a little too basic… Frappucinos like something from the Stone Ages. I liked how it wasn’t too sweet so made a satisfying and refreshing dessert.
Total was ~$ 20 for 2 people, and that rivals food trucks where you most likely have to eat squatting in windy parking lots. KUSINA NI TESS. Cost-​effective Asian comfort food at its finest P:

I use to come here all the time during my lunch break but for the past couple of years, I haven’t had the time to go. My colleagues told me that they have really good Filipino breakfast and if you knew me well then you’d know that I can live off that even though that’ll literally be the death of me if I ate it every single day! I called ahead and ordered the Tocilog which is a sweet cured pork with garlic rice and eggs. I had to order an extra egg since the meal only came with one egg. The portion for the price, which was $ 7+ is pretty decent. I can honestly say that they had one of the best breakfast I’ve ever had! Trust me when I say that’s a good thing coming out of me cuz not many places I can say that are good.
They’re located across the street from Hilton Hotel (garage side) and it’s a hole in the wall spot right before you go into the Tenderloin. They have a few tables inside and many times I’ve shared my table with strangers who are just trying to eat lunch like me. It’s basically a cleaner version of a turo turo that are common in the Philippines. Turo turo means the dishes are behind the counter and you point which dish you want to put onto your plate.
Everyone in the area especially us hoteliers frequent here. It has a homey feeling to it and they even have TFC shown on TV. Many non Filipinos come here as well and the staff always makes sure they’re well informed on their menu. They’ll see me a lot again cuz that breakfast is bomb!

I’m still a regular after all these years. And yes it’s still all good. Maybe even better! Personal favorites: fried eggplant, bbq, corned beef, embotido, daing (veggie?). Very nice staff and service.

Laing (Tarrow leaves stewed in coconut milk) was delicious. Looked like creamed spinach but tasted like thai curry. Also had delicious pork skewers. The menu shifts daily.
Quick, filling, and everyone was so nice.
I’ll be back.

Dining here is similar to eating at a relatives house, and that’s not necessarily a good thing. The TV was playing a Filipino soap opera, there is a crucifix on the wall, and all my peeps were there speaking Tagalog except when it was my turn to order. I opted to get something not fried, as the pork Chicahronne (though it looked good). I was looking for something quick to eat as I was on my way to a meeting.
I looked at their items on the counter and ordered a scoop of rice with one BBQ pork kebab at $ 2.99-that’s a deal. Just when I thought the woman was going to hand me the meal, to my surprise, she walked over to the microwave to heat up my food… just like at a relatives house, literally. I assumed the food on the counter was heated from underneath. I assumed wrong. Because my meal was nuked, the rice wasn’t as soft and the meat was a little tough. I was a bit disappointed that it wasn’t fresh, but for the price I paid I shouldn’t expect much.
I will agree with the other reviews that the food is authentic Filipino cuisine and they offer a decent menu selection. I do is also believe when the food is served fresh without the microwave, it probably tastes really good, as my BBQ kebab had potential.