Makati Street Food Experience end with a Rooftop Bar

Makati’s best food lesson may come without a menu. This three-hour evening tour starts with Filipino street food such as sisig, balut, kwek-kwek, chicken intestine, pig intestine, and blood, then moves to a retro diner and a 360-degree rooftop bar. Guide V teaches you how locals order food and drinks, which is useful when familiar English restaurant habits do not apply.

I like the small group of no more than 10 people, which should make it easier to ask questions and try unfamiliar dishes at your own pace. I also like the clear progression from market food to dessert and rooftop views. The main drawback is that adventurous eating is required: some dishes are made with offal, blood, or fertilized egg, and drinks at later stops are not included.

• Street food first: Try sisig, balut, kwek-kwek, chicken blood, intestines, and other Filipino favorites at Hott Asia Bazaar.
• Ordering lesson: V teaches you how to order without relying on an English menu.
• Three distinct stops: The evening includes a street-food market, a 1950s-style diner, and a rooftop bar.
• Dessert break: Filling Station Bar and Cafe provides a change of pace after savory street food.
• Makati views: The tour ends at Antidote bar on top of I’M Hotel.
• Easy planning: The tour lasts about three hours, starts at City Garden GRAND Hotel, and accepts mobile tickets.

A Filipino food night with a clear sense of place

This experience works because it does not treat Filipino food as a single restaurant meal. You begin where food is casual and social, continue to a diner with a very different look and menu, and end high above Makati with a drink and city views.

That variety matters. If you are new to Manila, a restaurant can give you polished dishes but not much help with local food customs. Here, V teaches you how to order when there is no English menu. You get to see what people choose, how small street-food portions fit together, and which foods you are willing to try again.

The price is $65 per person. That is not a bargain if you compare it with buying one plate of street food on your own. But the fee covers dinner, the guide, the route between three different settings, photography, and the help that comes with having someone explain what is in front of you. You are paying for access and interpretation as much as for the food.

The group is capped at 10 people, a useful middle ground. It is large enough to make the evening social, but small enough that you should be able to hear the guide and ask about unfamiliar ingredients. The tour is booked, on average, 36 days ahead, so I would not leave it until the last night if your schedule is fixed.

Hott Asia Bazaar: start with the bold dishes

The first hour takes place at Hott Asia Bazaar, where the focus is Filipino street food. The included dinner features sisig fried rice with beef or chicken, along with a selection of more unusual bites.

You may be offered sisig, balut, chicken intestine, pig intestine, chicken blood, kwek-kwek, dynamite, heart, and liver. Vegetarian options include eggs, green chili, mussels, prawns, and sisig tofu. The exact mix you eat may depend on availability and your choices, but the range is broad enough to make this more than a quick tasting of one famous dish.

Sisig is a useful starting point because it is familiar to many people as a Filipino favorite, yet it can vary from one cook to another. The tour pairs it with fried rice, making the first part of dinner more approachable before you decide how far you want to go with the stronger choices.

Balut is the food that creates the biggest question for many first-time visitors. It is a fertilized duck egg, and it is not a required test of courage. You can ask V what you are ordering and choose your own comfort level. The same applies to blood, intestine, heart, and liver. The point is to understand Filipino street food, not to force yourself into eating something you do not want.

Kwek-kwek, usually recognized by its orange coating, and dynamite provide different textures and flavors from the organ dishes. The selection gives you a chance to compare fried snacks, grilled or cooked intestines, rice, and richer meat-based food in one sitting.

A live band and comedy stunts add entertainment during this stop. That can make the market feel less like a formal tasting and more like a night out. It also means the setting may be noisy, so keep your questions short and stay close enough to hear instructions about each dish.

Local beer is part of the scene, and the tour description places it alongside the food. However, the included items are described as dinner, while drinks at other bars or restaurants are specifically excluded. I would bring extra money if you want beer or later drinks, rather than assuming every drink is covered by the $65 price.

How the no-menu ordering lesson helps

The most practical part of the evening may be the ordering instruction. V shows you how to order food and drinks in a place without an English menu, which gives you a skill you can use after the tour.

That matters in Manila because food stalls do not always explain every ingredient in writing. A guide can tell you what a dish is, how it is normally eaten, and which choices suit your preferences. If you are vegetarian, selective about meat, or unsure about strong flavors, say so early. The menu includes vegetarian choices, but the dinner also features many animal parts, so clear communication will make the meal more comfortable.

I would treat the first stop as a guided introduction rather than a challenge. Try one unfamiliar item if you want, then balance it with something recognizable such as sisig fried rice, eggs, or a fried snack. You do not need to like everything. The value comes from learning what the dishes are and leaving with a better idea of what to order on your own.

Filling Station Bar and Cafe: a sharp change of mood

After the street-food stop, the tour moves to Filling Station Bar and Cafe. The name suggests a gas station, but the setting is a 1950s-style diner in Makati.

This is a smart second stop because it gives your palate and your eyes a break. After food stalls, grilled items, fried snacks, and local beer, the retro diner offers a lighter, more playful setting. The hour here is used for photographs and Filipino desserts.

The photographs are included, which is useful if you are traveling alone or want more than quick phone snapshots. The diner’s old-fashioned design also gives you a different visual record of Makati than the market does. You get food photos, people photos, and a change in the evening’s rhythm without adding another formal sightseeing stop.

Dessert is the main reason to save room. One direct tip is simple: do not arrive at the diner already full. The first stop offers many items, and it would be easy to treat it as the entire meal. Pace yourself so you can actually enjoy the sweet course.

The diner may appeal especially to travelers who are unsure about a full street-food evening. Even if you are cautious with balut or organ dishes, the dessert stop gives the night a familiar finish before the rooftop bar. It also helps families or mixed groups, provided everyone is comfortable with the food-focused format and the evening schedule.

Antidote at I’M Hotel: finish above Makati

The final hour takes place at Antidote bar on top of I’M Hotel, at 7862 Makati Avenue. The bar covers the hotel rooftop and provides 360-degree views over Makati.

This ending changes the pace again. Instead of another food stall, you get time to sit, take photographs, and look across the city. It is a good way to finish a food tour because you are not rushed from one plate to the next. You can talk about the dishes you tried and decide which ones you would seek out again.

The rooftop is not included as an all-inclusive bar stop. Drinks at other bars or restaurants are not included, so plan to pay separately for anything you order at Antidote. The tour ends at I’M Hotel, rather than returning you to the original meeting point. That is useful if you want to continue your night in Makati, but you should arrange your own way onward.

The rooftop stop also explains why the experience costs more than a simple market meal. You are not only eating. You are moving through three different venues and ending at a hotel bar with city views. If you already plan to visit Antidote on your own, the food portion and guide remain the main reasons to book.

What the three-hour timing really means

The schedule gives about one hour to each stop. That is enough time to sample, listen, take photos, and move on without turning the evening into a long sit-down dinner.

The pace is fairly fixed, though. You will not have unlimited time at the market to return to a favorite stall or linger over every dish. If you prefer to wander independently, snack whenever you like, and choose your own route, a self-guided food night may suit you better.

For most people, the three-stop design is easier than arranging the same evening alone. You do not have to research which foods to order, decide how much to buy, or work out how to finish at a rooftop bar. The meeting point is City Garden GRAND Hotel Makati at 8008 Makati Avenue, near Kalayaan Avenue. The tour ends at I’M Hotel, also on Makati Avenue, so the route stays within the same general area.

The experience is near public transportation, and a mobile ticket is accepted. Confirmation arrives at booking. Most people can participate, but anyone with major food restrictions should contact the provider before committing, since the included dinner is centered on meat, seafood, eggs, and unusual cuts, even though vegetarian options are available.

Who will get the most from this Makati evening

I would recommend this tour if you are visiting Manila for the first time and want a guided introduction to local food rather than a standard restaurant dinner. It is especially useful if you want someone to explain dishes before you order them and show you how local ordering works.

It also suits couples and small groups who want an evening with several moods. The market brings food and entertainment, the diner gives you dessert and photos, and the rooftop provides a quieter final hour. The small maximum group should help keep the experience personal.

Food-curious eaters will get the most from the first stop. If you are excited by balut, chicken blood, intestines, liver, and heart, you will have plenty to discuss and sample. If those foods sound alarming, you can still take part, but ask about the vegetarian choices and more familiar dishes before the meal begins.

I would be more cautious about booking if you want a quiet tasting menu, a private guide, or a tour with drinks fully included. This is a social, informal night with loud entertainment at the market and separate drink costs at the bars. It is also not the right pick if you need every dish to be clearly listed in English before you eat.

Price, value, and a few practical tips

At $65 per person, the tour is best judged as a complete evening, not as a plate-by-plate food purchase. Dinner is included, photography is included, and the guide handles the difficult part of choosing and explaining local street food. The rooftop setting and dessert stop add variety, though drinks beyond the included food arrangement cost extra.

I would keep these tips in mind:

• Eat lightly before meeting the group, but do not arrive starving. You need room for several food samples and dessert.
• Tell V early about vegetarian needs, strong dislikes, or foods you cannot eat.
• Carry money for beer and drinks at Filling Station or Antidote.
• Wear comfortable clothing for a food-focused night and keep your mobile phone ready for the included photos.
• Plan your onward route from I’M Hotel, since the tour ends there instead of returning to City Garden GRAND Hotel.
• Book ahead if your dates are fixed. The experience is often reserved more than a month in advance.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not refunded. The experience depends on good weather and a minimum number of participants. If the provider cancels for either reason, you are offered another date or experience, or a full refund.

Should you book this Makati food tour?

Book it if you want Filipino food explained in person, enjoy trying unusual dishes, and like the idea of ending dinner with rooftop views. The combination of Hott Asia Bazaar, Filling Station Bar and Cafe, and Antidote gives you a fuller night than a single restaurant visit, while V’s ordering lesson can help you eat more confidently during the rest of your time in Manila.

Skip it if you want complete control over the menu, a quiet meal, or drinks included in the price. For everyone else, this is a practical first-night choice in Makati, especially if you leave room for dessert and arrive ready to try at least one dish you cannot easily identify.

FAQ

How long does the Makati street food experience last?

The experience lasts approximately three hours, with about one hour at each of the three stops.

Where does the tour start?

It starts at City Garden GRAND Hotel Makati, 8008 Makati Avenue, near Kalayaan Avenue, Makati City.

Where does the tour end?

The tour ends at Antidote bar at I’M Hotel, 7862 Makati Avenue, Makati City.

Is dinner included?

Yes. The included dinner features sisig fried rice with beef or chicken and Filipino street food such as chicken blood, intestine, heart, liver, and balut. Vegetarian options include eggs, green chili, mussels, prawns, and sisig tofu.

Are drinks included in the price?

Drinks at other bars or restaurants are not included. Budget separately for drinks at Filling Station Bar and Cafe or Antidote.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not refunded.