Toto’s Grill

If you want the Filipino street food experience without flying thousands of miles this is the place for you. I love the selection, pricing, and experience of grilling your own precooked barbecue.

What’s that? Call yourself a foodie? Well You need to visit this place to experience the street food of the Philippines. All the bbq skewers are $ 1 and suddenly I’m excited! They got everything you can dare yourself to try and of course some common items like chicken or pork skewers. For the kids who are very picky, they have hot dogs for them. So once you load up on what you want to eat, you can order rice and a drink. The only down side is this place does not offer alcohol. This is a total bummer because this style of food goes great with a cold one. After paying, you move on to the dipping sauces. Get the spicy sauces… trust me. Now you go outside where a community grill is kept going by staff members. Here you warm up your skewers, dip them in your sauce and have fun! What a great place to hang out!

My Sister told me about this place and I was not disappointed! $ 1 sticks, rice, melon juices, and a variety of other things to pick from. The bbq was yummy and sauces that they had were good. I got kinda trigger happy and bought 20+ items for only 2 people, but that lasted for a few days afterwards. The line was short when I went in and got busy after, but filters through quickly bc you pick your own sticks up. I’ll be coming back!

finally! biggest gripe i have with a lot of filipino bbq places, the bbq sits and sits in the warming trays when i want hot bbq pork and chicken. totos still has the warming trays but they have mini charcoal grills outside that you can reheat the bbq if you want. reheat doesn’t sound good but in doing so doesn’t make the filipino bbq satays worse but better. place it on there and spray a little water and fan away, keep it there for 2 – 3 minutes and it will feel and taste like it just got off the grill.
for the non filipinos,… filipino bbq will taste very similar to vietnamese, thai and even hawaiian bbq which is filipino bbq but better tasting (lasa). little jab, when they say they’re hawaiian they’re hawaiian with filipino blood lines, same for those proud guamanians. when you walk in it can be daunting but the workers are more than happy to help. stick with the basics if it’s your first time which is the chicken and pork bbq, fish and lobster ball that they got from the chinese. want to be a little daring the chicharron bulaklak (ruffled fat) is a must, ordered one stick initially and went back after and got two more along with their chicken bbq. per stick is a dollar which sounds like a steal but can add up really quick. their aguas frescas of cantelope or gulaman (jello) which is also a buck is a must have with the bbq.
very cool place that only the locals know about it seems but we will be regulars when we’re in the need for some hot not warm filipino bbq. *only one change they need to get the mexican taco joint salsa stand with shield guards for their dipping sauces and vinegar or keep everything in bottles.

I absolutely love this place! $ 1 skewers?! My boyfriend and I took his parents here so we can all try it out. We walked in around 4, no line, and were greeted very nicely. we told them it was our first time and they were very kind to tell us how it all worked out.
There’s a steam table line filled with different skewers and you just grab and go. Super simple and easy. They also $ 1 drinks (cantaloupe and gulaman), rice and arroz caldo! Arroz caldo is only served after 4 though. Also there was a table of yummy dipping sauces! Spicy or no spicy. There was a vinegar sauce, cucumber sauce and fish ball sauce. My fave is the usual, spicy vinegar. Wasn’t that spicy though.
After paying we went outside to their patio where they had grills lined up so you can warm up your skewers. Loved it! My faves were the hot dog of course, fish ball, blood, chicken bulaklak, dried squid, isaw and of course the usual bbq pork.
I can not wait to come back to this place in the future! Wish they sold beer though cause this would go greeeeaaaaat with some beer haha yummy drinking food!

PI Street food. I didn’t grow up on this but my wife and parents did and they loved it. I was US born and raised so I didn’t have the nostalgia of Street food but the things here are OK. They have exotic item like pig ears and chicken heads.

Went 2 times in one day then went again a week later. Good was addicting cause it’s very yummy. I like that they have grills you can use to warm up your food. Price is decent at $ 1 a stick however portion was small. I wish they could make the portions just a bit bigger. Overall for 3 visits and about 4 – 6 people each visit we spent about $ 40 each time and was decently full after.

Where do I even begin? My boyfriend and I were in the area, and found this place off Unilocal.We arrived ten minutes before opening and there was already a bunch of people waiting to enter. Once entering, trays full of skewered meats and seafoods are displayed, and the scent just smacks you in the face and UGHH so mouthwatering to look at and to smell.
How to order: you literally grab a to-​go box, get in line, and peruse through, grabbing which stick of meat/​seafood you want. If you don’t know what’s what, there’s an employee behind the counter to assist you in what is what. After that, you give the box to the register at the end, and she sends it back so the cooks can reheat it for you. I was lowkey taken back but really happy they did that lol. The shop is average sized, with a karaōke stage setup. There’s also a table with different choices of dipping sauce; their spicy vinegar is the best, tastes JUST like my moms ^_​^ will forever be a customer here

Reminds me of my afterwork past time back home in the Philippines. a bottle of San Miguel with street food such as isaw, chicharon bulakla, betamax, kwek-​kwek, etc. They have a patio with open grills where you can grill or reheat your street food. Everything is served on a skewer and it’s just a buck per stick. The only down side is they don’t serve beer.

I love Filipino and barbeque, but this place is over rated. I was so excited once I found this place and especially the reviews. Sounds too cool to be true. Everything looks amazing. The problem is some of the items you can’t tell what they are. Most likely my inexperience with Filipino food.
Huge fan of just grabbing skewers and the price point, but they’re cooking too many large batch trays even with their heavy customer footprint. If you dine in, they insist on taking your skewers back and reheating them because they’re sitting too long. If this is their philosophy, they should under cook a little and do a flash reheat. Most of the items were tough due to sitting too long and a reheat. Even the egg rolls were stale and too soggy with just heating up again.
This is a big family oriented place. If you’re not good with older people, kids or people that aren’t conscious about their public space, this isn’t the place for you. Still going to give it another try to make sure it wasn’t an off experience and wanting to like this place on what they do.

Now here’s something that really hasn’t been brought properly stateside from the PI: street food. Toto’s is the first of what I hope will be many Filipino street food vendors.
The setup is simple, but maybe they should make an overhead banner explaining for anyone who’s curious and new to it: each item (each skewer) is a buck apiece. $ 1.00. And the cup of rice at the end is $ 2.
There’s a bunch of different meats available, from intestine to chicken feet to pig ear, but also the regular pinoy bbq fare. My faves were the pusit (dried squid) and the pig ear. To feed 3 of us, we picked up about 7 – 10 skewers each and a cup of rice, which added up to about $ 30.
You can also help yourself to some melon (cantaloupe juice), sago (idk what it is just look it up its like Filipino boba), and regular soda or water. Also they provide a condiment station where you can pick up some vinegar, «cucumber» (no idea what it was-​some kinda dipping sauce) and Sriracha.
Outside they have a bunch of grills lined up on a few tables where you or an attendant can grill your food to the heat you’d like — the food is already cooked when you buy it, but if you wanna have some heat/​smokey flavor throw it on the grill.
Pleasant service, located in a small obscure plaza, cheap prices, good food. I know if this place were closer to a college it would be way more crackin.

I’ve always wanted to try this kind of stuff in other cities, so when I found out that there was one in San Diego, I rushed to go try it out.
Things to Know:
1. When you walk in, grab a to go box if you want to try a few or grab a tray if you plan on buying 20 or more sticks.
2. Yes, all sticks are $ 1.00 each. Balut is $ 2.00.
3. They do not have labels or signs to let you know what each item is. Although I prefer labels myself, you can just ask and they will tell you.
4. They also serve drinks for $ 1.00, but they are also in small cups.
5. They offer stuff like hotdogs, shrimp balls, lobster balls, pork belly, pork skin, intestines, chicken, beef, squid, pork blood, chicken feet, deep fried quail eggs, corn, eggrolls, soup, rice and a few other things.
6. I do not consider this healthy food and it’s not for the weak hearted individuals who don’t like to try eating weird stuff. Although none of this is weird to the common asian folk.
7. You can eat inside or outside. There are BBQ grills outside, where you can heat up your food or make it more crispier. Love this concept.
8. They have dipping sauces available: vinegar, spicy vinegar, cucumber and spicy cucumber sauce.
Overall, some of the items were good and some were just plain. I can say that some of the items are very fatty. My favorite was the beef stick!

Came in yesterday with my best friend for a late lunch. Nice little hole for Filipino BBQ. Can’t beat the $ 1 pricing either. Initially I wasn’t impressed by the sauces they had because they seemed so simple but I’m glad I was wrong. It was delicious with my chicken and pork skewers. Definitely a good spot to stop at if you’re in the area.

WAYYYYY Better than Kalye Hits and other street food vendor.
I love their food selection from isaw-​isaw, fish ball, chicharon bulaklak, melon/​sagot’ gulaman juice and more.

WORTH EVERY PENNY!
Make sure you call them first and ask if they have what you want, especially if you’re making bulk orders because they go by quick! I brought my mom with me for a late night snack and I was completely satisfied with the experience! It truly took me back when they had everything a la carte… trays upon trays of authentic food. they even have a dedicated «grilling» station if you want your food warmed.
It’s definitely worth a $ 1 a stick, plus dont forget to grab a drink to go with the food! Perfect place for those late night cravings for sure! Not to mention the very warm and hospitable staff that accommodates your every need, makes you really feel like home. Thanks for such a wonderful experience!
the only comment that I would say is that I wish they’re open daily…

$ 1.00 for each stick. Be careful, you might be tempted to get a lot of sticks but let me mind you that they are really good and definitely worth 1 buck each! The staff us really helpful and friendly. If you dont know what an item is, just simply ask them and they’ll tell you. They’ll also offer help uf you look lost if you dont know which filipino items are which.
The concept if this place is to grab your skewers, take them outside and warm them up yourself on the grills! Really cool idea, then sit down and enjoy.
Balut us 2 $ if you have a taste for that! They have different dipping sauces which go well with the skewers. I wish they were open every day because sometimes I’ll randomly crave for it on a weekday, but they only open during the weekend. It is a fairly new place in San Diego though.

This is a very «greasy spoon», the pork on a stick was good. They do have some unique foods like chicken intestine-​on-​a-​stick.

they offered different kind of filipino street food for $ 1 which is awesome! craving satisfied! even the sauce is like the same taste. they served it with quality, the place is clean and staffs are all friendly. i like their concept is like fast food they just eat and go which is good. table wait is alright unless you come on their busy hours. parking is kind hard but worth it. i’m definitely coming back!

When we got here they were not so busy!
$ 1.00 a stick of any food you want. melon drinks and sago drinks for $ 1.00 taste and feels like back at home! Oh the chicken feet was soft easy to chew! Yum! condiments were excellent, very tasty they have non spicy sauce and spicy ! Thank God for this place for making it feel like we’re back home! I love me some isaw!

When we got here they were not so busy!
$ 1.00 a stick of any food you want. melon drinks and sago drinks for $ 1.00 taste and feels like back home! Oh the chicken feet was soft easy to chew! Yum! condiments were excellent, very tasty they have non spicy sauce and spicy ! Thank God for this place for making it feel like we’re back home! I love me some isaw!
Took off one star, I kindly ask if they can grill it for me and when I got it back everything was burnt, the usual soft chicken feet was hard and crusted from the burnt.

Came to this spot once and I’ve been to a couple here in San Diego and L.A. They are all the same when it comes to street food. The arroz caldo here is on point when it comes to flavor. I also like the pig ears and balut as well…

Friendly service! The food was amazing! Its me and my husbands first time eating here! I absolutely recommend it to anyone who is craving the taste of filipino street food! Very clean place to eat as well!

$ 1 each! If your craving for a filipino street food, head your way to this area. Staff are really nice and great food! They also serve sago gulaman, melon drinks and balot ($ 2). Feels like Philippines!

I have truly missed street foods from back home and this place satisfied it.
There’s a grill outside and a small dining area inside.
$ 1 skewers, rice, and drinks. $ 2 balut.
Must have the isaw, kwek-​kwek, and gulaman.
The workers are nice and if you don’t feel like heating up your food on the outside grill, they’ll heat it up for you.
Hopefully next time they’ll serve beer cause the food will go with it. (Pulutan, haha).
TIP: It gets really packed here, so don’t be so shocked and also they run out of food so you have to go early! (Ex: They ran out of Kwek-​kwek and chicken isaw when we got here. Boooo! :()

I’m glad we now have this here in sandiego/​national city. They have most of the filipino foods, melon juice and Gula man I think, for a dollar. The sauces for it are good too. Smelling the smoke from the grill reminds me of the streets back home

This place brought me back home to the Philippines. The food tasted exactly like it was back home and that alone makes it worth the 5 stars. They even have fresh dipping sauces for fish balls, isaw, etc. A true Filipino craving for auhentic street food will definitely love this place.

Local street food of the Philippines! Definitely brought back fond memories of my food adventures during my last visit there.
My boyfriend & I came on a Sunday afternoon & it was busy! The line was out the door. They have trays available if you are looking to purchase a lot. Each skewer is only $ 1 & balut is $ 2. Drinks & rice available too. You pick as you go but I do wish that there were display tags because I was not sure what a few items were. I am pretty wimpy when it comes to eating outside of the norm so I just got:
Shrimp Balls
Fish Balls
Hot Dog
Which were all good.
My boyfriend on the other hand, likes to try anything & he explored the intestines, chicken feet, etc. & he enjoyed them all. There are sauces at the side & I enjoyed the Fish Sauce & Cucumber sauce.
They are continually cooking so there are fresh skewers available. I do wish that the skewers were served hotter because the heated lamps just make them warm.
Get ready to boogie while you eat, the restaurant has strobe lights & Filipino jams.

QUALITY street food!!! Come check it out!!! Satisfaction Guaranteed!!’ $ 1 per stick!!!

The quality and the price are great. But the taste of the food is awesome, specially with the dipping sauce. The ambience is just like in your own backyard. I just wish the serving of the rice is more for its price. But overall it’s great.

Clean and I love the fact that you can reheat ur food if u want to. Filipino street food craving solved!

Got the midnight munchies? Having a party? Or just need something to go with that good beer of yours? This amazing hidden gem has your favorite Filipino street foods. They got Kwek Kwek to Isaw and Blood Cake to even Balut! Price isn’t too bad either only $ 1 per stick for lots of choices. This is definitely a place I would come back to with friends and family.

Offers all the filipino street food items you usually can’t find in most restaurant. The odds and ends of animals but so damn good.
Pricing is good and I heard they’re from LA. They just opened down here so we’ll see how this place fairs.
They do not have an alcohol serving license yet… but hopefully soon then they’ll be golden!
Overall great place to go in the midst of drinking or grabbing some good street food. Heard a lot of things are slowly being put to place so … fingers crossed! :)
Will be back, with friends.