You’ve seen the glitzy, air-conditioned Filipino food chains. The ones with the wood paneling, the stylized logos, and prices that make you question your current occupation. Forget that nonsense for a minute. If you’re genuinely hungry and in Mandaluyong, you eventually find yourself here. R&J Bulalohan isn’t trying to sell you a cultural experience; they’re selling you a hot meal and hoping you leave as quickly as you arrived.
This place is not an “elevated” take on anything. It’s a carinderia, and it’s always packed because the food is affordable, served fast, super tasty, and engineered to make you feel bad about all those other expensive, half-assed Filipino joints you’ve wasted money on.
This site contains affiliate links to products and services. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links which help keep me on the road and costs you absolutely nothing
Table of Contents
About R&J Bulalohan: The Origin Story No One Asked For
R&J has been a reliable fixture in this particular section of Metro Manila for more than 30 years. While most dining spots here have the shelf life of a carton of milk, R&J stuck around by simply refusing to complicate the process of deep-frying and simmering animal parts. Admittedly, I am a newcomer having only been here a few years, but it has become one of my favorite spots in the city I call home.
The place is tucked away in the belly of Mandaluyong, right near the roundabout at Boni Avenue and Maysilo Cir. It’s perfectly situated amidst all the real-world chaos, meaning it serves everyone who needs food: the local tricycle drivers, the construction workers, the pulutan crowd, and those poor office drones who wisely decided against another sad corporate salad. Their reputation was earned the honest way, by just existing and reliably serving food that actually tastes like something other than sauce coated cardboard.
The Menu: An Encyclopedia of Excess
If you walk in here looking for a light bite, you’ve picked the wrong country, let alone the wrong restaurant. This is where you come to consume enough calories to power a small refrigerator. I was completely overwhelmed on my first visit here. It’s not the typical turo-turo style because they will bring you their big ass menu. Crispy pata or tadyang? Indeed. Feeling brave and ready to try Soup #5? Damn right. Sotanghon or inihaw tanigue? You betcha. You will not lack for anything from this menu.
Where to Stay in Metro Manila Near R&J Bulalohan
Luxury Accommodations: – Edsa Shangri-La, Manila – Edsa Shangri-La in Ortigas delivers five-star comfort with lush gardens, elegant rooms, and top-tier dining. A luxury stay just minutes from Kapitolyo, perfect for travelers who want resort-style escape in the city.
Mid-Range Accommodations: – Ace Hotel & Suites – Ace Hotel and Suites in Pasig combines modern rooms with access to the famous water spa, rooftop dining, and skyline views. A comfortable stay minutes from Kapitolyo with wellness and comfort in one spot.
Budget Accommodations: – Privato Ortigas – Privato Hotel Ortigas offers sleek modern rooms, a rooftop pool with skyline views, and easy access to Kapitolyo’s dining scene. A stylish budget stay for as little as $30USD a night
Looking for other great places to stay near R&J Bulalohan? Use the search bar below.
Read Next: Where to Eat in Kapitolyo: 13 Extraordinary Locations
Kamayan Salad
This is the least offensive thing you can order here, though calling it a “salad” is a stretch that would make a yoga instructor wince. It’s a crunchy mix of sour mango, tomatoes and fresh onions, with bagoong on the side. It provides the illusion of health while you wait for the main event to drop.
I’ve only ever ordered this when Em starts talking about my blood pressure, but it’s a perfectly fine dish. The bagoong can be intimidating for foreigners with its salty and umami punch. Luckily, I am one of the foreigners that loves it. Order it anyway. Your colon will thank you later for providing some necessary roughage against the onslaught of pure pork fat.
Beef Taquitos
Yes, the menu has taquitos. No, they are not authentic Mexican. Are you at a taqueria? You are not. These are perfectly greasy, shallow-fried Filipino-style spring rolls stuffed with seasoned ground beef. Well that sounds like lumpia, you say. How very observant of you. It is exactly what they are.
They’re a salty, crunchy vehicle for dipping into the pureed fresh tomatoes they’re served with. I can eat a dozen of these at any time, but it’s a perfect pulutan side while pounding back a few Pale Pilsens. Don’t question this menu item. Just eat them before they get cold and you remember where you are.
Bulalo Special
This is the main event. It’s the reason people endure the heat and the slight possibility of bumping into someone they owe money to. Their Bulalo Special is legendary, and I use that word with the appropriate amount of skepticism. It’s a massive, soul-destroying bowl of rich beef broth, tender shank meat, and that gorgeous, horrifying bone marrow, which is pure, liquid gold fat.
It’s served piping hot, guaranteed to burn the roof of your mouth, and instantly makes you feel better about whatever terrible decisions you made the night before. The size is massive and could feed four easily. It’s savory and meaty with a buttery flavor from that bone marrow. The only other place in Mandaluyong that takes broth this seriously is Charlie’s Wanton Special, but they deal in noodle soups, not medicinal bone cauldrons.
R&J’s bulalo is less salty than you normally find, but every single time the marrow is what makes me lose my damn find. Scoop it out and mix it into some steamed rice then I like to throw some of the soup on top of it with some tender beef. It’s the perfect buttery beefy bite. Forget the cholesterol. You are here to eat.
Papaitan Kambing
If you’re still standing and need a dish that actively challenges your taste buds, the Papaitan Kambing is your stupid, courageous choice. It’s a bitter soup, made with goat innards, tripe, liver, kidneys, and flavored with bile. Yes, bile. It’s intensely sour, intensely bitter, and if you can finish a bowl, you’re either truly Filipino or truly a maniac.
The best way to attack it is to spoon some of the offal over your rice and soak it with a bit of soup. I like taking other foreigners here and watching the color drain from their face after one sip. Sorry, I don’t get out much anymore. Papaitan is a culinary gauntlet that will no doubt test your intestinal fortitude..
Chop Suey
A necessary palate cleanser in the face of all that animal slaughter. This is a visual mountain of stir-fried vegetables that acts as the required colorful counterpoint to the beige and brown food elsewhere on your table. All of it soaked in this gooey sauce. Full disclosure, I am not the biggest fan of chop suey to begin with, but I can say at least the vegetables are still crunchy at R&J.
This is the dish you point to and say, “See, I had my vegetables,” while spooning marrow out from the bulalo. I try to eat half of this every time to satisfy Em’s request that I eat it, then push the rest away because I’m too busy eating the Sisig.
R&J Fried Chicken
Everyone has fried chicken. R&J’s version is simple, brutally honest, and delicious. The skin is crispy, the meat is salty, and it’s served in pieces you actually recognize, not some deconstructed poultry atrocity. They said it’s not, but I swear it has a buttermilk flavor to it.
It’s a comfort staple, and it provides a familiar, dependable crunch when your tongue is tired from all that bitter Papaitan. I swear, the only thing better than one piece of their chicken is finding a second piece hiding under the rice. It is exactly what fried chicken should be, uncomplicated and greasy.
Sizzling Sisig
Speaking of familiar, the sizzling sisig is another masterclass in Filipino comfort. This isn’t the clean, sterile sisig they serve in the malls. This is the messy, loud, and aggressively fatty Sisig made with pork face and ears that should come with a disclaimer. It arrives on a hot plate, sizzling like a mistake, and the first bite tastes like pork, vinegar, and pure adrenaline.
The key here is the texture, a perfect mix of crunchy bits and soft, chewy fat. I learned the hard way you should never order this in a white shirt. You need rice, you need vinegar, and you need to eat it fast before the plate cools down and the magic dies right in front of you. That’s always a problem for me because I am trying to film or take pictures.
Beef Caldereta
A thick, stew-like dish that screams “your grandmother’s kitchen.” This is rich, tomato-based beef stew, heavily seasoned, and usually served with potatoes and carrots. It’s hearty, satisfying, and a great way to ensure you’re going to need a nap immediately after lunch. In the carinderia hierarchy, the quality of the Caldereta is a litmus test for authentic simmering, and R&J’s passes with a smug, oily swagger.
The R&J version has a beautiful liver flavor which I am accustomed to in caldereta. What took me back is their use of peanuts or peanut butter. Their version may be one of the only times I have had caldereta with a strong peanutty taste to it. Kudos to them for a distinctly unique version that 100% works.
Wondering What to do in the Philippines? Have a Look at Some of These Tours From Viator:
You Might Also Like: Uniku: Greenfield’s Best Taiwanese Food
R&J Bulalohan Prices, Hours, and Location
Prices:
Because the menu is so big it’s hard to give estimated prices because they are all over. So a few that I talked about here are: beef caldereta – ₱395, papaitan – ₱220, bulalo special – ₱619. While they are a bit more expensive that a typical carinderia, their quality and years of service justify slightly higher prices. Just try it, you won’t regret it.
Hours:
They never sleep at this damn place. It is open 24 hours a day except for holidays. You will need to check their social media pages for holiday hours as they approach.
Location:
R&J Bulalohan is located on Boni St. on the east side of Maysilo Cir.:
602 Boni Ave, Mandaluyong City, 1550 Metro Manila
R&J Bulalohan Final Thoughts
R&J Bulalohan is not trying to be anything it isn’t. It’s a noisy, humid, slightly chaotic, and utterly essential part of eating in Mandaluyong. The best food doesn’t require a sommelier or an interior designer with questionable taste. It just requires good ingredients and a willingness to embrace an early cardiovascular demise. Skip the chains, stop by R&J, and see how real Filipino food is supposed to taste.
If you’ve endured the Papaitan here, or if you have a favorite carinderia in Mandaluyong that you think is better (you’re wrong, but I’ll hear you out), let me know in the comments below.
R&J Bulalohan FAQ
Is R&J Bulalohan accessible?
R&J is highly accessible due to its 24-hour operation, though its ambiance is a different question. It sits right on Boni Avenue near the Maysilo Circle roundabout, making it a well-known spot for tricycles and taxis. However, parking is famously limited and chaotic; you will be wedged between other vehicles, delivery bikes, and pedestrians. This place isn’t trying to be a peaceful suburban drive-through, so prepare to navigate real Manila traffic.
Should I order the tawilis?
Yes, absolutely, if only to experience a local specialty usually associated with Tagaytay. Tawilis is a freshwater sardine found only in Taal Lake, and R&J is famous for serving it fried and crispy. It is a fantastic, salty counterpoint to the beef-heavy dishes and a must-try if you appreciate simple, whole-fried fish. It is often cited in reviews as being even better than the versions served near the lake itself.
Is the bulalo worth the price?
Yes, the Bulalo Special at R&J is worth the price, currently ₱619, because of its sheer size and quality. It is designed to be a massive, communal pot that can easily feed three to four people, meaning the per-person cost is very low for a dish this rich and authentic. You are paying for hours of slow-simmering time, real shank meat, and the massive bone full of marrow, not for expensive lighting and air conditioning
Can I drink alcohol there?
Yes, R&J Bulalohan is well-known as a pulutan (drinking food) spot and an informal inuman (drinking session) location. They serve beer, and the entire atmosphere is built around greasy, salty food, and cold bottles. The Sisig, Crispy Pata, and Taquitos are all engineered to be consumed while sharing a round of drinks with friends late into the night.
Does R&J Bulalohan serve other non-soup beef?
You should definitely explore the beef sections beyond the broth. R&J also serves an aggressive Crispy Tadyang ng Baka (crispy beef ribs) and a solid Beef Tapa. The Tadyang is deep-fried to the point of being a gigantic, savory chip, and the Tapa is their take on the classic Filipino breakfast cured beef, available 24/7 for a late-night fix.
What is Soup No. 5?
Soup No. 5 is a notoriously legendary, if slightly terrifying, soup in Filipino cuisine. While R&J’s menu simply lists Soup #5 for ₱235, this dish traditionally contains bull testicles and penis. It is touted by locals as a powerful aphrodisiac, though the actual effect is mostly psychological. It is a savory, heavy broth for the truly adventurous eater looking for something that goes beyond the standard Papaitan.
Is the atmosphere uncomfortable?
The atmosphere can be uncomfortable if you are expecting silence, air conditioning, or privacy. It is an open-air, high-traffic carinderia built with efficiency in mind. It is loud, humid, and perpetually busy. The upside is the energy: the staff moves quickly and the place has a raw, genuine local vibe. If you are sensitive to noise or heat, this is not your dining experience.
What is the service like?
The service is direct, fast, and exactly what you expect from a high-volume carinderia: efficient, not fussy. The servers are responsive because they have to be; they are trying to turn tables as quickly as possible. Don’t expect a lot of polite small talk or menu explanations, but your food will arrive hot and your beer will arrive cold.
Are there vegetarian options?
True vegetarian options are limited because the menu is heavily centered on pork, beef, and seafood, with much of the food cooked in shared oil or stocks. The closest items are the Kamayan Salad and the Chop Suey. If you are looking for non-meat dishes like savory tofu or plant-based dumplings, you will have much better luck at one of the dedicated Asian spots nearby; like Uniku which is a much safer bet for those dietary concerns.
Is it a cash only business?
Yes, this is an old-school, local operation. It operates strictly as a cash-only business. Do not expect to pay with a creditcard, and to my knowledge no QR codes, or mobile apps. You must come prepared with physical Philippine pesos, or you will be walking straight back out to the nearest ATM, which, ironically, is right next to a much more expensive restaurant.
Got another Question? Drop it in the comments
