Cafe Ilang-Ilang

“This was my second time eating here. I was too busy eating to take picture of all the food stations. Cafe ilang ilang offers different options. From Filipino, Chinese, Japanese and Indian food (vegan). There also have steak and lamb. Everything I tried was so good! The dessert selection was endless! The service was top notch!”

“Visited: April 6, 2026 Restrooms were also clean and conveniently located near the buffet, with a separate wash and powder area. However, there’s no dedicated wash area inside the buffet section for seafood (like crabs), so you need to step out. No gloves were offered either, which makes eating certain items a bit inconvenient. Food highlights (Taste is subjective): 🟢 Seafood selection stood out the most—fresh salmon sashimi, roasted salmon, shrimp, mussels, and crabs. The mussels were impressively clean, and the sweet chili version from the Korean station was a favorite. 🟢 Beef brisket was tender with generous sauce. 🟢 Siumai: filled with pork and shrimp, very flavorful and packed. 🔴 Peking duck wasn’t dry but lacked juiciness. The sauce was good, but the wrap felt lacking—very thin duck slices and no celery. 🔴 Lechon was no longer hot or juicy, though the sauce was good. ⚪️ “Porky buns” turned out to be custard buns - hinted a few flavors of custard. 🔴 Drinks were quite limited: cranberry juice, mango juice, and detox water only. Dessert station: 🔴 Crepes were pre-made and just reheated; the mango used was sour, which affected the overall taste. 🟢 Oatmeal cookies were good. 🔴 Red velvet cupcakes were semi-moist but lacked cream cheese frosting; strawberry topping was sour. ⚪️ Taho was disappointing - the tofu was firm (more like tokwa than silken), and it wasn’t warm anymore, though the arnibal and sago were good. 🟢 Macarons were enjoyable 🟢 Wide selection of ice cream flavors. Service concern: One staff member acknowledged a request for teaspoons (he was wearing green) but never returned with them. Also, around 9 PM, waitstaff (yellow wearing men) presence in our area noticeably decreased. So I really didn’t have a choice but to ask the man in green. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Overall: While there are standout items (especially seafood), the experience felt inconsistent—some hits, some misses. For the price point, it didn’t feel fully worth it as the quality and service could be more consistent. Tasted other foods too but these are the ones that made a mark on me because the others were just right.”

“This Cafe Ilang Ilang is a buffet restaurant located inside Manila Hotel in yhe City of Manila. TAKE NOTE: Café Ilang-Ilang nightly themes effective October 16, 2025: Monday – International Buffet Tuesday – Mediterranean Night Wednesday – Best of Asian Cuisine Thursday – International Buffet Friday – Seafood Night Saturday – American Night Sunday – Surf & Turf Night As a gentle reminder, the dress code for Cafe Ilang-Ilang is smart casual. We discourage our guests from wearing shorts, flip-flop slippers, and sleeveless shirts (for men). Please be aware of the 15-minute holding period for the reservation. Failure to arrive within this timeframe may result in the release of the booking.”

“Café Ilang-Ilang is the flagship buffet restaurant of The Manila Hotel, offering one of the most established luxury buffet experiences in Manila. It is known for its wide international selection, premium seafood station, and elegant hotel ambiance.”

“Saw a cockroach on the tempura counter, which was promptly dealt with by the staff nearby. Regardless this kind of hygiene is unacceptable for any establishment. Service is generally good and atmosphere is busy but comfortable.”