Maharlika New York
If you're ever in the mood for a vibrant, lively atmosphere and a taste of Filipino cuisine in the heart of New York City, Maharlika New York is a must-visit spot. Located at 111 1st Ave, Maharlika offers a dynamic dining experience that is perfect for all kinds of groups, whether you're out with friends, family, or colleagues.
What sets Maharlika apart is its energetic vibe – the place is loud, casual, and welcoming, making it an ideal spot for those who love a lively environment. Whether you're grabbing a bite after work or celebrating a special occasion, you’ll enjoy the buzzing atmosphere. Families with kids will feel right at home here too, as the vibe is upbeat and easygoing. Plus, the restaurant offers happy hour specials that add an extra touch of fun and savings to your visit.
The menu at Maharlika features a fantastic variety of Filipino dishes that are full of bold flavors and unique ingredients. You’ll find everything from crispy lechon to comforting adobo, each dish crafted with a modern twist while staying true to traditional recipes. It’s a great place to explore new tastes or savor nostalgic Filipino favorites.
Whether you're just popping in for a quick bite or planning a night out with a group, Maharlika New York provides a great setting to enjoy delicious food and great company. The vibrant, informal atmosphere makes it a great choice for those who want to enjoy a meal without any fuss but with all the fun. And if you're lucky enough to hit happy hour, you'll be in for some tasty deals on drinks and appetizers.
So, if you're near the East Village and craving something different, make your way to Maharlika – where good food, great vibes, and a fun time come together in a unique way.
Reviews
There's so many amazing food options in NYC, but I was really eager to try some of the Filipino restaurants out here. We ended up choosing Maharlika because of the high ratings on Yelp. We went during lunch time, so some of the options were not available, which was okay, because there was already a lot of options to choose from. For drinks, I got the Filipino flash and the finacè got a red horse beer (a Filipino beer that's 8%). We shared an order of pork sisig and Flip'd fried chicken and ube waffles. Both of the dishes were amazing! The pork sisig was just the perfect portion for us, which by the way came with a side of garlic rice (score!). The ube waffle was also fantastic. It tasted like a waffle, but once you bit into it you got the "halaya" style ube inside. It was made with bagoong butter and coconut syrup. You can definitely taste the Filipino accents to it. I'd love to come back here one day and try out the dinner!
This was my first time trying Filipino cuisine at a restaurant and Maharlika did not disappoint. It's a mix of traditional and modern Filipino fusion that is both familiar and unique to the palate. FOOD (4/5): - Lumpiang Mini Shanghai: so good that we ordered two - Sampler: came with more lumpiang mini shanghai, spam fries, and longanisa with a side of Sisig - get a side order of garlic rice. You won't regret it! Also came with small glasses of their mango sparkler (must try), Teo Tita, and KC Concepcion. - Flip'd Chicken w/ Ube Waffles - a fun take on the classic chicken and waffles. Tasted familiar but also with a Flipino twist. - Market fish of the day - too salty, probably wouldn't order again - Kare Kare: a staple of Filipino dishes. Wish the oxtail was more tender. SERVICE (4/5): - Our waitress was very knowledgable about the food menu and definitely gave us the right recommendations for our meal. Super attentive and friendly. Definitely would love to come back for another meal - and to their more famous sister location, Jeepney.
We came in for brunch on Saturday and it wasn't too crowded and were seated immediately. The interior is themed perfectly and put me in the mood for Filipino food. I had the Eggs Imelda and it was enough for two of us to share. It had good flavors beyond the normal poached eggs. It was also a little spicy so be warned! I also tried the Filipino Flash. The menu said it used to be called the Pacquiao Punch. In any case, it was fine for Saturday brunch. The restroom was decent which I appreciated. The staff are quite friendly and willing to chat. I look forward to coming back to try other menu items outside of breakfast.
This is my first experience with philippino food. And I loved it. Jeepney is their brother restaurant. With a copy of bill from here, I will get a free cocktail. I will visit that place shortly. There was couple of interesting sauces on the table. One was banana sauce, which is a substitute for ketchup, instead of tomato they used banana. Calamansi seasoning was also good. Flip'd chicken and waffle was really good. Chicken was crispy and flavorful. Ube waffle was good too. Pork sisig was served in a hot skillet. They crack open an egg on top of it. Egg will get cooked in the sizzling pan while eating. Garlic rice was served as a side for this. Garlic rice was very flavorful.
We came at 7:30pm on Sunday and there was plenty of seating (tip: make a reservation on Seated and you can earn 25% cash back), but there was plenty of tables for walk-ins. The dishes we really enjoyed were the sizzling sisig (comes with garlic rice), lumpiang, and the ube marble cheesecake (although I didn't taste the ube at all). Overall it was a very meat-heavy selection, so wish I had balanced it out with some more veggie dishes. We also got the kare kare which was had a peanutty sauce, so make sure you like peanuts! I unfortunately thought the oxtail was really tough and there was very little actual meat. It was mostly bone. I don't think I'd recommend getting this dish. The other thing is that service was very slow. It took a while to get a knife to cut the kare kare. It also took a long time to move onto dessert. When I got someone's attention, I just asked for the cheesecake without looking at a menu because I didn't know how long that would take. It then took a while to pay. I think it's fine if you don't mind spending a long time here.