ASAP Mabuhay Bar & Grill

Reviews

• JoAnna D.

  star star star star star 5 June 2026

  When I saw that there was a Filipino restaurant in Halifax, I made sure to add it to our must-eat itinerary. We decided to stop in for lunch on a Tuesday I think, as we took a day to walk around and explore the city. If you've never tried Filipino food, this is a great place to start. Authentic, delicious dishes "homemade" with great care. They brought us such a comfort while we were far from home!
  
  Their setup was similar to the spread you would see at your Tita's house for a party. A seemingly endless supply of fresh rice from the rice cooker, chicken adobo, gulay, lumpia, etc. etc. etc. Basically, all of the hits. And it was more food than I could have ever wanted.
  
  The owner was so sweet, and very happy to find out we were also Filipino! She talked to my husband in Tagalog, and I think it made her day. She made sure we got the freshest lumpiang shanghai from the fryer, and it was unbelievably good. She also made sure we had salad too, just because it was healthy lol. We had to stop ourselves from eating because we were absolutely bursting by the end of our meal!
  
  It was a fantastic, super filling lunch for the two of us (plus drinks) that came in around $20-25! Not bad, considering we were so full from the buffet that we had to head to the Harbourwalk to burn off our meal hahah.

• Kris Y.

  star star star star star 25 May 2026

  This place is a gem. My boyfriend and I worked in Halifax for the summer, and once we discovered this place, we stopped looking for new places for lunch. I've gone twice a week for every week for nearly 3 months now, and the only thing stopping me is the fact that I'm moving out of Halifax! I'd take the whole place with me if I could!
  
  This lunch-only Filipino restaurant provides a all-you-can-eat buffet every day that includes fried rice, pansit noodles, a variety of stews or chicken adobo (changes depending on the day), as well as spring rolls and steamed dumplings. The food is authentic and has a very home-made quality (rather than haute cuisine), and I think it's very welcome. Definitely recommend everyone check it out, especially if you've never had Filipino food! It's very hard to dislike it here and the staff is excessively friendly.
  
  There's your choice of mango ice cream or rice pudding after your meal at no extra cost! You can't beat that!

• Wayne C.

  star star star star star_border 22 May 2026

  This is a great little restaurant if you're looking for something other than pizza and donairs in this area. Authentic Filipino food served buffet style cooked fresh Tuesday to Friday LUNCH ONLY. If you like Chinese or Thai cuisine this is very similar but nothing too spicy or exotic.
  This is the same location where Rocky serves up Barbequed pork skewers Friday and Saturday nights to the drunken masses.
  
  Service is fast and friendly and if you don't see something you want you can just ask for it.
  
  Do try the homemade mango ice cream for dessert!

• Nikki C.

  star star star star star_border 22 May 2026

  Such a delight to have filipino food in Halifax! Simple and delicious menu, their buffet had a fair variety of filipino favourites. Bonus, you get mango ice cream or rice pudding for dessert - there is always room for dessert, even after a hearty buffet meal. Very friendly staff, they know many of their patrons by name. Will return for sure!

• Cynamin B.

  star star star star star_border 13 May 2026

  I tried it. I LOVE IT.
  
  So a friend recommended this place last week. My friend and I checked out it out today after we went to Fujiyama for Sushi and it was already at capacity. Best thing that could have happened to us!
  
  First, let me start with the service. The waitress was a sweetheart and I wish I could have taken the cook/owner home. She was not only so sweet, but she had so much pride in her food and she really just wanted to make sure we had the best of everything. The veggies were getting low when we got there so she made sure to let us know she was going to make some fresh one. Then sent our waitress let us know when they were ready. She was friendly and helpful, telling us what to have with plum sauce and what to have with vinegar. "This is not Chinese food," she said. "We make everything fresh. We make everything from scratch." They even make their hot sauce from scratch, so she told me. So we listened to her suggestions and off we went with our loaded plates.
  
  So this is my first time having Filipino food and it was right up my ally, literally. I would describe this as comfort food at its best. Fresh, hearty and flavourful, nothing processed, no additives. There was a noodle dish, a rice dish that were just your garden variety fried rice and noodles but good. There was a chicken dish that was so moist and tender, the chicken just fell off the bone. There was a beef dish with pineapple that was also super tender. There was a curried shrimp with green beans. There was a sweet potato cake that was complemented nicely by the vinegar. We had dumplings and spring rolls which were also really tasty. We went up for seconds but we really shouldn't have. So FULL! My friend capped her meal off with homemade coconut ice cream and mango ice cream. i confess to sneaking a spoonful. It was good.
  
  The ambiance of this proverbial hole in the wall is warm and cozy. It might be a little dated but that adds to that feeling that you have discovered a hidden gem that no one else knows about. We tucked ourselves away and a small little table for a good chat and laugh. While we were there a man came in with his friend and some kids to celebrate his birthday. I got the feeling they were regulars. Well, it seems that they were not the only ones that are regulars. This place is so hidden it seems that only the regulars know it exists and strive to keep it that way.
  
  As we were leaving we spent some time taking to the owner. I see from some of the other reviews her name is Luda.  I told her about all the good reviews I read about her. She seemed unaware. She said many of her customers have been coming for years and bringing their friends. It seems this sweet little place survives by word of mouth. So when you are craving a heartier lunch that feels like it was home cooked just because you were coming visit Mabuhay. You will leave with a full belly and a smile.