Makati Street Food Experience end with a Rooftop Bar

Makati’s best food lesson may begin with chicken intestines, balut, sisig, and pig blood rather than a restaurant table. This three-hour evening with V of Manila Experience takes you from Hott Asia Bazaar to a 1950s-style diner, then up to Antidote rooftop bar at I’M Hotel.

I like the small group limit of 10, which makes a strange menu easier to manage. I also like the mix of food, local beer, dessert, live entertainment, and city views. The main drawback is clear: if you dislike offal or feel uneasy ordering from a menu-free food stall, the first stop may test your appetite.

Key points to know before you book

• Filipino street food comes first, with sisig, balut, kwek-kwek, dynamite, chicken intestine, pig intestine, chicken blood, and other local specialties.
• V teaches you how to order, including how Filipinos approach food and drinks when there is no English menu.
• The evening includes a local beer, but drinks bought at other bars or restaurants are not included.
• Filling Station is a photo stop and dessert break, styled like an American diner from the 1950s.
• Antidote rooftop bar finishes the night, with a 360-degree setting above Makati at I’M Hotel.
• Vegetarian choices are available, including sisig tofu, eggs, green chili, prawns, and the listed mussel option.

Why this Makati food tour feels different

Many city food outings keep you inside polished restaurants. This one begins where the food is cooked and eaten in a more casual local setting. That matters because Filipino street food is not only about flavor. It is also about choosing quickly, sharing plates, and trying small portions of foods you may not recognize.

The first stop is Hott Asia Bazaar, where the choices include some of the Philippines’ most familiar street snacks and more challenging specialties. You may try sisig, a seasoned dish commonly made with chopped meat, along with fried snacks such as kwek-kwek and dynamite. The menu also includes chicken and pig intestine, chicken blood, heart, liver, and balut.

Balut is a fertilized duck egg, and it is one of the foods most often associated with Filipino street eating. It is not an obligatory test of courage, but it is part of the food culture this experience is designed to explain. The value of having V with you is practical: you do not have to guess what something is or point at a stall and hope for the best.

The food is included as dinner, with sisig fried rice listed in beef or chicken versions. Vegetarian choices are also offered, including sisig tofu, eggs, green chili, prawns, and the listed mussel option. If you have allergies or strict dietary needs, contact the provider before booking, since the food is served in a street-food setting and the supplied details do not describe separate preparation areas.

Hott Asia Bazaar and the first taste of Filipino street food

You meet at City Garden GRAND Hotel Makati, at 8008 Makati Avenue near Kalayaan Avenue. From there, the food portion begins at Hott Asia Bazaar, with about an hour set aside for eating and entertainment.

This is the most adventurous part of the night. You can expect small local specialties rather than a carefully explained tasting menu. That makes the guide especially useful. V’s role is not simply to point out dishes. She teaches you how to order food and drinks in a place without an English menu, and that lesson can be useful long after the tour ends.

The range is wide. Sisig gives you a familiar starting point if you prefer a savory rice-based dish. Kwek-kwek consists of battered quail eggs, while dynamite is a fried chili snack. The more unusual choices include chicken blood, intestine, heart, liver, and balut.

The stop also includes a local beer, a live band, and comedy stunts. These extras make the first hour more than a succession of food samples. Still, you should keep your expectations in check. The setting is a food bazaar, not a quiet dining room, and the entertainment may make conversation harder at times.

I would arrive hungry but not exhausted. There is enough food across the evening that you need room for later dessert. One useful tip is to avoid treating the first dish as the entire dinner. The experience is planned as a progression, and the next stop brings another course.

A 1950s diner at Filling Station

The second hour moves to Filling Station Bar and Cafe in Makati. Its name suggests a gas station, but the attraction is a retro 1950s diner rather than a place to refuel your car.

This stop changes the mood. After the open-air food market and its unusual dishes, you get time to take photographs and eat dessert in a more familiar setting. The decor is part of the appeal, so bring your phone or camera ready. Photography is included in the experience, which is a useful touch for anyone who wants more than quick snapshots during the night.

The supplied details describe the desserts as some of the best local options, though they do not name specific dishes. You should therefore expect dessert without assuming a particular cake, drink, or Filipino sweet. If dessert is a major reason for booking, ask about the menu before the tour begins.

Filling Station also gives the evening a clear rhythm. You start with salty, savory street food, then move to sweets and photographs, and finish with a drink and a view. I like that structure because it prevents the experience from becoming one long stop at a single market.

Drinks at this bar or other restaurants are not included in the price. The local beer served during the food stop is part of the described plan, but you should budget separately for anything you order at Filling Station or Antidote. That small extra cost is worth remembering when comparing this tour with a standard dinner.

Antidote rooftop bar above Makati

The final hour takes place at Antidote bar, on top of I’M Hotel at 7862 Makati Avenue. The tour ends here, not back at the original meeting point.

Antidote covers the hotel rooftop and offers a 360-degree setting above Makati. The view is the final change of pace: street food at ground level, retro photos in the middle, and the city spread around you at the end.

This is not just a quick lookout stop. The plan allows about an hour at the rooftop bar, giving you time to settle in after the food portions. The setting is described as both striking and relaxed, which makes it a good place to finish an evening in Makati.

Your drinks here are not included. That is standard for a bar stop, but the distinction matters because the $65 price is not an all-inclusive bar tab. You pay for additional drinks yourself.

The tour requires good weather. If rain or poor conditions cause cancellation, you can choose another date or receive a full refund. Since the rooftop is central to the experience, this weather policy is practical rather than a minor footnote.

What the $65 price really covers

At $65 per person, this is not the cheapest way to eat in Makati. You could spend less by visiting a street market alone, and you would not pay a guide fee. The comparison changes when you count what is included.

You are paying for roughly three hours of structured food tasting, dinner, a local beer during the food portion, dessert, the guide’s help with unfamiliar dishes, photography, and the rooftop finish. You also avoid the guesswork of choosing from a menu you cannot read.

The strongest value comes if you are new to Manila. A first evening in a new city can easily be lost to familiar food or a hotel restaurant. V takes you to three different settings and explains how to approach food that you might otherwise skip.

The value is weaker if you already know Filipino food well, speak confidently with local vendors, or plan to visit these Makati spots independently. It is also less attractive if your main goal is a long rooftop evening, since only about one hour is allocated to Antidote.

The group size helps justify the cost. With a maximum of 10 people, the guide can explain dishes and help with ordering without managing a large crowd. The experience is also booked an average of 36 days ahead, so the small-group format appears to make advance planning sensible.

Who will enjoy this most

I would recommend this experience to first-time visitors to Manila who want food that feels connected to everyday local life. It suits people who like trying unfamiliar dishes but want someone nearby to explain what they are eating.

It is also a good choice for couples and small groups looking for an evening with several moods. You get food, photos, entertainment, dessert, and skyline views without having to arrange separate bookings.

Vegetarians have options, which is a real advantage for a street-food tour. The listed choices include sisig tofu, eggs, green chili, prawns, and mussels. However, the supplied information does not identify the dishes as vegan, and it does not describe how cross-contact is handled, so strict dietary requirements need advance discussion.

This is not the ideal pick for someone who wants a quiet, formal meal. The first stop includes live music and comedy, and the street-food dishes may be unfamiliar in taste and texture. It is also not the right choice if you want every drink included.

Most travelers can participate, and the tour is near public transportation. The meeting point and ending point are both in Makati, but they are different hotels, so check the route before making plans after the tour. You finish at I’M Hotel, not at City Garden GRAND Hotel.

Practical details that affect the evening

The experience lasts about three hours. Each of the three stops receives roughly one hour, though the exact pace may depend on food service, group timing, and weather.

Your mobile ticket is confirmed when you book. The meeting point is City Garden GRAND Hotel Makati, 8008 Makati Avenue, Kalayaan Avenue, Makati City. The ending point is I’M Hotel, 7862 Makati Avenue, where you finish at Antidote rooftop bar.

The maximum group size is 10. That is small enough for direct help with ordering, but it is still a shared activity rather than a private meal.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Cancel within 24 hours, or make changes during that period, and you will not receive a refund. The same 24-hour rule applies to the local start time, so do not rely only on your own time zone when changing plans.

Because the tour depends on good weather and a minimum number of participants, the provider may cancel. In either case, you are offered another date or experience, or a full refund.

How to prepare for the food stops

Come hungry, but leave enough room for dessert. The food starts with sisig fried rice and several street-food choices, continues at the diner, and ends at a rooftop bar where you may want a drink.

Keep an open mind about texture. Intestine, blood, liver, heart, and balut are not mild introductions for everyone. You do not have to like every dish, but the point is to understand what locals eat and how the food is ordered.

If you are nervous, start with familiar items such as sisig fried rice or fried snacks, then try a small portion of something new. V can explain the choices and show you the local way to order without an English menu.

Wear something suitable for an evening that moves between food stalls, a diner, and a hotel rooftop. The supplied information does not specify a dress code, so avoid assuming that the bar requires formal clothing. Comfortable shoes are sensible because the tour involves moving between stops, though no exact walking distance is provided.

Should you book the Makati Street Food Experience?

Book it if you want an easy, guided introduction to Filipino street food and prefer a full evening over a single restaurant meal. The combination of Hott Asia Bazaar, Filling Station, and Antidote gives you three distinct views of Makati nightlife.

The best reasons to choose it are V’s ordering guidance, the small group, and the wide food range. The strongest warning is the same: the first stop includes dishes that may be challenging, and drinks at the later bars cost extra.

At $65, I see good value for a first visit, especially if you would otherwise avoid unfamiliar stalls or struggle with a menu-free setting. If you already know Makati well, you may prefer to spend the money on a restaurant and rooftop bar of your own choosing.

For most first-time visitors with an adventurous appetite, this is a smart way to begin a Manila stay. Just arrive hungry, allow time for the food, and remember that the night ends at I’M Hotel rather than where you started.

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, Kalayaan Avenue, Makati City, Philippines.

Where does the tour end?

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

What food is included?

Dinner includes sisig fried rice with a beef or chicken choice, plus Filipino street food such as chicken blood, intestine, heart, liver, balut, kwek-kwek, dynamite, and sisig.

Are vegetarian options available?

Yes. Listed vegetarian choices include eggs, green chili, prawns, sisig tofu, and the listed mussel option.

Is a drink included?

A local beer is included during the food portion. Drinks ordered at other bars or restaurants are not included.

How many people can join the tour?

The experience has a maximum group size of 10 participants.

Is the tour suitable for most people?

The supplied information states that most participants can take part and that the tour is near public transportation. Specific accessibility details are not provided.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made within 24 hours are not refunded. Weather or minimum-participant cancellations offer a different date or experience, or a full refund.