Where to Eat in Las Vegas’ New Filipino Town

Earlier this year, Clark County officially designated the stretch of Maryland Parkway between Flamingo and Desert Inn as Filipino Town. Just east of the Strip, the new cultural district was established to shine a spotlight on local business, 14% of which have Filipino owners, and give some renewed energy to a neighborhood that’s seen economic struggles and is hoping for a revitalization with a major road project underway.

🍗 New to Filipino Food? Start Here 👇

Max’s marks the south end of Filipino Town, a chain restaurant with a large dining room and tropical-themed wood decor inspired by the original, which served American troops stationed at Quezon City in 1945.

The restaurant is known for its chicken, steamed before it’s fried for a crispy but thin exterior and subtle seasoning. Don’t be shy about splashing the meat around in the banana ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. Go with the garlic fried rice and lumpia (pork spring rolls) that reflect the Chinese influence in Filipino cuisine.

🍞 Chain Reaction

There are four Seafood City supermarkets in Las Vegas, including one in the heart of Filipino Town. The food court is near the entrance, anchored by the popular Jollibee fast-food chain, famous for its own take on fried chicken — the Chickenjoy — with a heavier batter than what you get at Max’s. The parent company also operates the neighboring Red Ribbon bake shop for picking up ensaïmada pastries, but you may prefer the Valerio’s Tropical Bake Shop, known for the pan de sal (bread rolls best served hot).

Crispy Town and Grill City are both heavy on fried dishes, although the latter has a nice selection of packaged ube desserts and a full grill where visitors can watch whole fish cooked on the spot. Chowking focuses on dim sum, noodles, and other Chinese staples, but makes a point to carry halo-halo, a Filipino shaved ice dessert that’s made with all sorts of fruits and jellies. Just steps away, the Magnolia ice cream shop has a weekday “happy hour” for $7 regular-sized halo-halos, 4-6 p.m.

🍛 Smaller, Independent Stops

Just outside Seafood City, Toto’s Grill specializes in inihaw (grilled meat and seafood skewers). At $2 each, it’s easy to mix and match while adding rice and lumpia on the side.

Across the street Kusina ni Lorraine is a small Filipino grocery store with a takeout counter and buffet ($19.99 per person). Lots of meats, lots of sauces. Nothing’s labeled. For the uninitiated, it’s a game of chance, albeit a delicious one, never knowing when intestines or a spicy burst of heat may appear. Beginner’s tip: load up on rice as your base to soak things up and try small tasting portions of everything else.

🛍️ Maybe the Mall?

A museum dedicated to the culture of the Philippines is planned for the Boulevard Mall, a quiet place in a state of transition with big-name retailers long gone. Mang Felix, a local concept that serves both Filipino and Vietnamese cuisine, first opened in Spring Valley, but is now operating at the mall, emphasizing the Filipino side of the menu with inspired takes on classics like pinkabet (a vegetable dish) and sisig (grilled pork belly with snout and ear in the mix for added texture).

🍖 Beyond Filipino Town

The local Filipino community is more than just one neighborhood. There are roughly 250,000 Filipinos in Las Vegas with restaurants across the valley, including Full House BBQ in Silverado Ranch, Oming’s Kitchen in Mountain’s Edge, Little Pampanga on the Boulder Highway, and three Fiesta Filipina Cuisine restaurants.