Gapo Resto & Karaoke

First of all, water isn’t even free. They only sold water bottles and sodas. What kind of restaurant doesn’t hand out free water?
Secondly, the waitress was rude when taking orders and she seemed like she didn’t have much patience. It just seemed like we were bothering her.
We ended up waiting for over 50 minutes for our food to arrive! We were all getting impatient and somewhat cranky.
Their chicken adobo was kind of disappointing because it was majority bone and super salty sauce.
Everything else was alright.
Overall, a bad experience so I don’t think i’ll be coming back.

Dont let this place fool you. I look ghetto outside but their food is the BOMB and budget friendly :)
Your have to try their sisig, pinakbet with bagnet, pancit, calamares, chicharon bulaklak and sinigang

I’ve heard many good things about the food here, esp the calamari from my bf’s family. So I thought i’d give it a try and called in my order, which the man on the phone said would be ready in 10 mins.
When I arrived, I saw my food sitting at the counter ready to go. As I was walking up to the counter there were three workers that stood/​sat there staring as me as I walked over. I was not greeted nor asked if I wanted to order or pick up. They were all just talking to each other and watching tv. So I stood there still being ignored until I finally said that I was picking up food. I handed over my money and as the lady at the cash register was going to hand me my change, I put out my hand to grab it. But instead she just put it down on the counter literally an inch away from my hand.
I’ve never felt so uncomfortable at a filipino restaurant… and I’m filipino. Customer service is a huge priority to me. I don’t know if they didn’t respect me because im young and don’t speak tagalog. But still, it shouldnt matter and they should show respect and give good customer service to ANYONE that goes to their restaurant.
As for the calamari, it was pretty good and one order is $ 11 and they give A LOT. I’d just prefer it a little bit crispier.

Would be nice if someone else could sing besides the DJ. Or maybe she should take some singing lessons. Not singing for her would be the best option.

First off… I called for a to go pick up order at 10:45 PM for some calamari and the lady on the phone took my order. As I arrived there at 11:00 I asked to pay for my order and they said they stopped taking orders at 11:00 WTF! I called in before then. They said sorry can’t make your food!!! Well you know what fuck you too!!! This place sucks can’t even pay worth debit without $ 20 min.

Never had a bad experience here. The food is really good, especially the calamari, and it comes in big portions!

If you like listening to fobs sing super loud on a karaōke during your meal and want to feel like you’re at a fob family party, then eat here. If you’re a person that only drinks free water, be prepared they’ll bring out a bottled water that you will pay for. 8 songs later, no food yet. Family of 6 behind us got their food late, we thought they finished eating when we arrived. 12 songs later, out came our food. Crispy Calamari basket served with vinegar and spices. Bansilog breakfast plate for $ 5.50 with 2 eggs, bangus (fried milkfish), garlic rice. Pinakbet with fried chicharron, my white husband claims to be a fob.
Food was actually really good despite the super long wait.

Chicken Curry is the real deal!

we ordered bulalo and when we were about to start eating, there was this thing that looks like a leg of an insect. i took a picture of it and the waiter saw me taking pictures. so i told her what the issue is, then i was called to the kitchen area where the owners started to argue with me bec they were probably scared that i took pictures. then they told us to leave saying «masyado kayong maselan» translated as «you are too finicky» and at the same time bragging that he is from the navy etc.
Those were the facts, now here are my comments:
1. He was bragging that he was from the navy? who the f*** cares? and what did you do there anyways? wash pots and pans?
2. He called us finicky, so he wanted us to just eat that instead of complaining? well he can eat that himself since apparently he doesn’t mind.
— unbelievable, this guy’s attitude. no class at all. uneducated people behave better that this guy. This is America and we have standards here. Your squatter’s attitude won’t do.
— This is a true story without exaggeration. so you guys know what to do, never patronize this place unless you don’t mind eating insects.

Well I don’t get to go here often but when I last went the pancit is really good. Service sometimes takes long though. I do like the karaōke system. It takes awhile before you get your check, so far i’ve had the pancit and calamari. My friends like to order to go so they don’t stay long enough. Parking is ok but sometimes crowded because the parking lot is shared with the grocery building and the laundry mat where some ghetto people seem to be hanging out sometimes. The parking pavement is not that good, alot of posts. and loose gravel. The décor of Gapo is well lit though compared to how it used to be years ago. It’s nice and quaint inside. I’m seeing more families go there instead of your typical guys night hang out pub. I remember going one time and the place was packed with too much men and not too many females I felt like I was in some male fraternity party, but lately though the place is filled with a mix crowd of different age groups. More mature ladies singing on the karaōke when I went and such nice voices. I really think it depends on the time of day you go to this restaurant. On week nights seems pretty mellow. I don’t know about weekends if it’s a rowdy crowd. Since the place is a little small be aware your hair will smell like the ulam but that’s how it is when you go to these restaurants that are a little smaller. Pros: good lighting, tasty food, relaxed environment. Cons: parking outside is dark and loose gravel, sometimes orders take long. Depending on the day you go there maybe be a higher male ratio to females. This can be both a Pro or a Con on your preference of crowd.

Great & delicous food w/​family portions, cheap prices, good service when its not too busy. A lot of variety on song choices but unfortunately it does get too loud at times. You’ve got to try the fried calamari & pancit!

Went here for my mom’s friend’s going away dinner.
PROS:
— You get the entire Filipino experience: food, San Miguel, and deafening karaōke from people who either can or cannot sing.
CONS:
— Food takes AWHILE (we waited 40 minutes and the place wasn’t even busy.)
— Food — depending what you order — is OK/​NO FLAVOR. I ordered the bansilog, which I didn’t enjoy. The garlic rice just tasted like regular rice, and I found a large garlic clove in the middle of it. The bangus didn’t have any flavor whatsoever. The boyfriend ordered tapsilog, and he said it was okay.
Hopefully this was just a bad night for them and we happen to go at the wrong time, but I’m not looking to go back anytime soon.

My cousins were coming to this place, and once they told me that there was chicharon bulaklak, I was in. The parking is strange with many businesses reserving a spot, so be wary of that.
We came in to some loud karaōke by typical Filipino men, and we eventually got seated into this really cramped booth off to the side. If you’re a plump person, you’ll find it hard to move if you sit in the booths; it was barely easy for me, and I weigh only 105!
Now, here’s the real killjoy to the night, and the star of the review: The waitress.
When we first came to our table, she watched us come, in gave us our menu, but didn’t bother to check with us after 15 minutes. She came nearby to give a beer to a guy she was flirting with so someone in my group went up to her and asked if she was going to take our order. She said that she’d be back for us and rolled her eyes.
Another 10 minutes of waiting, she came, ordered, and apparently the only thing that they had left was Chicharon Bulaklak and Calamari. Really? On a busy Friday night with plenty of people, you allow your business to run out of food?
10 minutes later when we decided that we did want Calamari, apparently they ran out already. Funny, because I didn’t really see anyone else order more food.
Also, no offense to the waitress (actually plenty offense.) but her entire get up was less than flattering. You look probably like 30 – 40, so you should act your age, rather than a bitchy 15 year old who’s upset that her tits came out super flat and wants to fuck every male. You can see your cellulite from a mile away, so that mini-​skirt and stocking combo you have… probably not working. And if you want to roll your eyes at customers without them knowing, start by making them less bold with your fake contacts. They look nice (and super fake), but they add attention to the eyes that you roll. Not a good way to get tips.
I’m sure there’s someone with customer service around there. I bumped into someone from the kitchen, and they seemed polite and welcoming, much more than the waitress. Also the DJ was pretty friendly.
Reading up some of these other reviews talking about the same waitress, here’s a hint to the owner: If there’s several people making the same complaint about the same waitress: That she gives her customers an attitude, and she isn’t the most pleasant woman to be around. Then it’s probably an issue that should be handled. Until then, I’m staying FAR away from this place. Too bad, the food was kinda good.

The food is pretty damn good, go here specifically for the food.
Things to try:
–Tapsilog
–Crispy Pata
–Chicharon Bulaklak (they’re little crunchy pieces of heaven.
don’t bother asking what it is, male or female sprout some nuts, dip ‘em in vinegar put it in your mouth and repeat)
–Sisig (you can get this for way cheaper at Lisa’s Filipino cuisine or Tita’s)
its a karaōke joint so there’s going to be a lot of titas and titos singing, that gives a place a chill feel about it though, no one’s embarrassed to sing which just sets the mood.
the downfalls of this place are…
— there’s pretty much only one waitress, don’t bother trying to play nice with her, my family and I are regulars and she’s still a twat.
— one waitress means the check is going to take awhile to get to you especially if its a busy night.
— Rude customer service, this place would do a whole lot better if they even tried acting like they like their customers.
and finally
— they don’t have free tap water
4 stars because I actually like the place.

I really had a nice time here. The karaōke was very relaxed & most people could sing (except for the one person that was singing for the friends birthday party). The food was ok, but I’m not really a fan of Filipino food so I don’t think its fair to rate. The KJ had a nice voice too.
The only downside was when they gave me my bill & I handed them my credit card. They came back & said $ 20 minimum for credit card. I was shocked. First of all it’s against «the law» to charge a minimum for credit cards, but when I see $ 5, $ 6, I think no big deal.
But I spent $ 14 there. That made no sense to me.
So instead of rating the firm a 2, I just want to suggest some sites where you can get better credit card rates.
I would visit again to sing Karaōke. I’ll be the one singing the fast songs

Gapo Resto in National City I dislike your staff! I don’t ever really do bad reviews but this one TOOK THE CAKE! Service to me is top priority.
The waitress and waiter (servers)… SUCKS! YOU HEAR ME?! I said it YOU SUCK! I love Filipino’s but these guys are RUDE! Word to the waitress: First, learn how to have small bills for change when someone pays… second, don’t stare at me. Am I too pretty for you lady with the short shirt and no butt? Invest in a larger shirt as your chubs were hanging out. seriously. The TIP: $ 1.00. for sitting on your chair and sticky table… Or maybe you just thought I wasn’t Filipino?
In any case here is my review:
Service: BIG ZERO— (maybe a «1» for serving my dish)
Food preparation: Okay, «3». the food is alright as I would have preferred TITA’s down the street which is cheaper and better taste.
A friend of Tupac recommended this place to us so we had to try it out. The parking is a little strange as a lot of the stalls were marked reserved which is fine because it’s a large parking lot. We walked into the restaurant to be the only patrons there. An older man looked at us with a strange stare and we seated ourselves as he continued to watch NBC TV on raids with Happy Ending Massages. He eventually made his way to us again with a blank stare and took our order. We asked for waters and he said yes he’ll bring some but after 20 minutes of sitting there nothing not even a plate or utensils were brought to us. We tried calling him but he continued to have that stare face and watched the TV show. I tried to justify his actions and said maybe he’s just not the waiter and he’s filling in…
And behold the middle aged lady «waitress» walks in. She stared at me with no smile for a brief second. Whatever, I thought to myself I was already irritated. She eventually walked up to us and gave us plates and forks. I asked for water and Tupac asked for his Mellow Yellow. She again gave us that stare and it finally clicked that we didn’t get our drinks. Also, keep in mind they do not serve tap water with ice, you need to buy a bottle of water.
Finally the food came… The calamari was a lot but then again the price is extremely high. I ordered the pork belly on a stick which was good. And what? You don’t give RICE? You’d have to pay for it? Okay, that’s fine…
Lastly, we paid for our bill. She took another 10 minutes to find someone who could break the bill for her. Our bill came out to $ 30 and we gave her $ 50 shouldn’t you have at least have $ 100 in your change till? Thank you to the Karaōke DJ lady who had some change.
Overall experience was horrible. With all the Filipino restaurants in SD this is the worst place I’ve ever been to.
I will never return nor will I recommend this place to people.

Never again. Bad service all-​around: The waitress and the DJ. The waitress never smiles and she looks like she’s miserable.
WAITRESS: There’s only one waitress. Really? Please explain to me why you DON’T want to hire at least two or more waitresses. Stop being cheap, just do it. At the expense of your customers’ happiness and your waitress’ sanity? Memo to the waitress: Smile for heaven’s sake. You’re going to look OLD from all that frowning that you do.
MIC HOGGING DJ: This LADY SUCKED AT SINGING. One dude that wanted to DO HER kept clapping. The DJ was obviously an attention wh#^$ so she was hogging the stupid MIC. We put in a request to sing a song and she sang like three in a row. THEN, when it finally got to my fiancé she made all the tempos of the song FAST… JUST SO she could sing and not have to wait for him. WHAT THE HECK? Aren’t you supposed to make the customer happy by accommodating their songs and not your own requests???
LET ME TELL YOU. My fiancé sang a total of three songs…
First song: He noticed that the tempo was off but thought it was the Karaōke. Second song: It was noticeably faster than it should be but he let it slide. Third song: She made it soooo fast in tempo that the song sounded so stupid! AND, as I said from the beginning, in between all those songs… she was HOGGING the damn MIC and fishing for CLAPS from that ONE OLD DUDE that sucked up to her.
Last time we were there, the customers were really entertained to see AMERICANIZED FILIPINO YOUTH actually singing tagalog songs. But that MIC HOGGER ruined it.
Anyway, I was all about this place the last time I went because I was with a bunch of people and we were all having so much fun that the BAD SERVICE didn’t phase us.
WILL THERE BE A NEXT TIME??? Nahhh… I’ll go for some Conching’s or Super Sergio’s. Their service isn’t that great but at least the waitress doesn’t look like she’s about to choke your ass out.
In other words, my fiancé and I used to talk this place up to our friends all the time. NOT ANYMORE.

SISIG.
That’s right fellow filipinos in the southbay or whoever reading this review. If you’re feening for some good sisig this spot ain’t that bad. Calamari and the fried chicken okay other than that not a bad spot to bring your aunties and uncles for some san miguel and karaōke. yea mannn.

We’ve been there yesterday with my Family and we had a blast. It’s a nice Filipino Restaurant. I love their fried calamaris, after the dining we had fun sining Karaōke. I would recommend every to check it out.
GAPORESTO​.COM

This place was once known as Ed’s Bistro. I found it via mmm-​yoso, which is awesome, BTW.
Their sisig not only tasted great, it looked amazing. We ordered a tray for a house party once and it looked perfect; just like it came out of a television commercial, not that there are any here in the US. But wouldn’t it be wonderful if there were television commercials that featured sisig?
For reasons unbeknownst to me, they decided to change their name to Gapo Resto. As far as I know, they’re still owned by the same people and thus have the same food. They probably have the same tacky (but charming!) décor inside that makes you feel at home as you jump in the corner booth to sing karaōke for the rest of the restaurant. And yes, it’s complete with strobes and disco ball.