Resto Name: Illo's Home Buffet
Location: Adriatico, Malate, Manila
Type: American, Filipino, Spanish
Buffet Price: P999 Eat-All-You-Can Buffet and Drinks
Due to the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), this page ceased to publish restaurant reviews. However, after a prolonged hiatus, we finally decided to dine out with senior parents to celebrate their wedding anniversary. After some research, we settled on trying Illo's Buffet.
After reading numerous positive blog/vlogs reviews and browsing through enticing images, we confirmed Illo's Buffet indeed serves seafood (senior's favorite), particularly garlic shrimps, which further fueled our anticipation for the dining experience.
Upon our early arrival, we found ourselves to be the first guests of the day. The place was beautifully set-up up and very instagrammable. However, unlike other "eat all you can" establishments, umpisa pa lang staffs didn't seem particularly friendly. It felt as though they were giving off an "eat and go" vibe, even to those who arrived after us.
In terms of venue so far this is the most sosyal in set-up.
The Food
Forgettable. Nothing stands out from this station.
Appetizers
The cheese and cold cuts spread was very so-so that day not worth of taking a photo.
Wish they have decent cheese and cold cuts considering its P999 per head.
Unique and quite good
They do have camote chips by the way.
Paella Station
All the dishes in the paella spread seemed to have a similar taste, with only the toppings varying. None of the standout features showcased in vlogs were present.
This is the only seafood in the menu!
3 pieces of shrimp for the entire lunch service nothing more.
Imagine if we did not come first the senior would not have gotten a single seafood.
Meat Station
Very disappointing.
The sole meat was too dry na prang last night pa and the tiny slice given was the bottom part ang tigas.
Relleno was too small at dapang-dapa. Ang layo sa itsura ng sa mga vlogs.
Didn't quite grasp the concept of using raw vegetables straight from market as decoration.
Pasta Section
Masarap!
The past station is yummy.
Main Course Station
Masarap !
This was good.
The slices of salmon were paper-thin, and it seemed like the tray was always empty, as if you needed to be vigilant and quick to refill it, almost as if you were begging for scraps.
Masarap!
Callos was very very yummy !
Good flavor
Very Yummy !
Salad and Kinilaw was good
Dessert Station
One of the reason this buffest was chosen was there is blueberry cheesecake as vloggers raving it - but there is none that day.
Subpar cakes that taste only sweet.
Maja and Biko were excessively firm and appeared to have been exposed to air for several hours, resulting in a drying hard texture.
Unfortunately, I didn't manage to take a photo, but I must say, the puto bumbong was a huge disappointment. It felt like a disservice to Filipino culture. They used malagkit powder that resembled a bubble gum consistency, making it extremely difficult to chew and swallow. It lacked the traditional texture and taste that we expect from this beloved Filipino delicacy.
Aice Ice Cream for Dessert
My senior mom nearly tripped in front of the ice cream freezer due to the staff's negligence. The wire from the freezer was protruding on the floor, causing a hazard. Thankfully, she didn't fall, but some food fell off the plate she was carrying. Despite alerting the staff, they ignored us and didn't even bother fixing the cable, which remained a tripping risk. Consequently, we decided not to let my senior mom stand and just refill our food ourselves.
Towards the end of the meal, I requested tea, but they claimed they didn't have any, which was a first in an "eat all you can" experience. When I tried to get a Milo shake, despite pressing the button multiple times, nothing came out. The staff were chatting amongst themselves, with one girl even giving me a sour look. When I informed them that nothing was dispensing, they finally checked and found the container empty, saying they needed to make more.
I also lodged a complaint online about my mom's near-trip. Someone named Ella said it would be addressed and investigated but they didn't explain why there were no seafood options especially shrimp available despite them giving assurance before I finalized my booking. To this day they did not get back and my last message about the seafood was just seen zoned.
Despite the superb ambiance and some delicious dishes unique to this place, the overall customer service was severely lacking and disappointing. Imagine what if my senior mom completely tripped and bumped her head because of their negligence. There needs to be a complete overhaul of the staff especially management in this branch, focusing on hiring individuals who prioritize customer high satisfaction.
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Food – 3.00 stars
Service – 1.00 stars
Ambiance – 5.00 stars
Value – 3.50 stars
OVERALL BUFFET RATING – 3.125 stars
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Illo's Buffet
Address: 2nd Floor, 1700 Adriatico St, Malate, Manila
