Eating out has never been more exciting and confusing, especially in the booming urban areas of the country. To find your way to a good meal, I recommend using an app or finding a trusty website not just for directions but also to read reviews by other foodies.
Here's what I regularly use, ranked in order of foodie friendliness:
1. ZOMATO
App: Free (iOS/ Android/ Windows/ Blackberry)
Web: https://www.zomato.com/
Rating: 4.3 stars on Google Play (out of 5)
- Search restaurants by location, cuisine or name
- Browse curated restaurants from halo-halo to the top trending restaurants of the week
- View directions, addresses, phone numbers, operating hours, payment options and other info (i.e., average cost per meal, specialties, etc.)
- Explore other restaurant options in your vicinity
- View restaurant information, menus, user pictures and reviews
- Checking in at restaurants you visit allows you to see restaurant information
- Post reviews/Like Reviews and get a reply from the restaurateurs
- Tag friends you are dining with
- In the Philippines, India and UAE, zomato offers online food delivery services
It's definitely a foodie's companion when looking for restaurants that would suit their dining needs. I also like that the restaurant owners are allowed to interact with the users through the reviews. It's a two-way street and concerns and questions are answered and hopefully, addressed. After all, what is a review if it falls on deaf ears?
2. TRIP ADVISOR:https://www.tripadvisor.com.ph/
App: Free (iOS/ Android)
Web: https://www.tripadvisor.com.ph/
Rating: 4 Stars on iTunes Preview (out of 5)
What Trip Advisor can do for you?
- Search restaurants, hotels and resorts search by location, cuisine, price, features and recommended user types (i.e. business groups, families, etc.)
- View directions, addresses, phone numbers, operating hours, payment options and other business info (i.e., parking, wi-fi access, reservations, etc.)
- View restaurant information, menus, user pictures and reviews, including the Traveler's choice award winners
- Allows you to post reviews / like reviews
- Explore other similar restaurants/ establishments
- Send a question to eh restaurant/ establishment owner
- Find deals
- Download maps of over 300 cities worldwide (so you avoid using expensive data charges when you travel)
- Support for Apple Watch: Save and view info later
I find this app and site very useful when I travel outside of Manila. This is where you get the most number and variety of reviews which, for restaurants, are logically divided into: food, service, value and atmosphere. You get the detailed information you want but you need to sit down and sift through all the information.
3. MUNCH PUNCH
App: Not available
Web: http://www.munchpunch.com/
Rating: 3.5 stars on iTunes Preview (out of 5)
- Search restaurants by cities, hubs, cuisine, type, features or budget
- Browse curated restaurants from halo-halo to the top trending restaurants of the week
- View directions, addresses, website, phone numbers, operating hours and other info (i.e., average cost per meal, delivery, wi-fi access, etc.)
- View restaurant information, menus, user pictures and reviews
- View restaurant activities and other food-related activities in nearby area
- Offers a list of restaurants that provide delivery services in key cities in the country
- Freebies and perks listing
This is one of the food finder sites I used prior to my introduction to apps. Trustworthy info, reviews are pretty honest and I find the other info (i.e. price range, wi-fi access, etc.) very helpful. I'm wondering why they don't have an iOS app, though?
4. CLICK THE CITY:
App: Free (iOS/ Android)
Web: http://www.clickthecity.com/
Rating: 4.4 Stars on Google Play (out of 5)/ 4.5 Stars on iTunes Preview (out of 5)
What Click the City can do for you?
- Restaurant, hotel and resort search by location, cuisine and type
- View directions, addresses, phone numbers, operating hours, payment options and other business info (i.e., parking, attire, reservations, etc.)
- View restaurant information, menus, user pictures and reviews
- Allows you to post reviews/ like reviews and share your reviews on Facebook and Twitter
- Explore other restaurant options in your vicinity
- Discounts and freebies exclusive to Looloo users
This is useful when you have other activities to do with your dining schedule. Mall time with the family can be easily scheduled through the app. Great for finding restaurant chain locations, too. But you won't get any decent reviews from here, though. It's more like a phone book with a lot of discount coupons.
5. LOOLOO:https://looloo.com/ App: Free (iOS/ Android)
Web: https://looloo.com/
Rating: 4.4 Stars on Google Play (out of 5)
What Looloo can do for you?
- Restaurant, hotel and resort search by location, cuisine and type
- View directions, addresses, phone numbers, operating hours, payment options and other business info (i.e., parking, attire, reservations, etc.)
- View restaurant information, menus, user pictures and reviews
- Allows you to post reviews/ like reviews and share your reviews on Facebook and Twitter
- Explore other restaurant options in your vicinity
- Discounts and freebies exclusive to Looloo users
Like Trip Advisor, this one is great for travel and looking for reviews for hard to find restaurants. Reviewers basically want to share good experiences and pictures which I think appeals to the selfie generation. I read that this is a Filipino-developed and owned app so I guess that's worth some support from Pinoy foodies.
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