Krystal’s Cafe & Pastry Shop
“So we got the shanghai rolls, kare kare, calamari, ox knuckles, ox tail curry, the coconut shrimp, bistek (beefsteak) and adobe chicken.”
“Must try:
Kare-kare
Lechon kawali
Sinigang
Pancit
Tortang talong
Any ginataang gulay
Halo-halo
Specialty:
UBE CAKE!”
“I've had the kare-kare, lumpiang sariwa, adobo, arroz caldo & pancit.”
Krystal’s Cafe & Pastry Shop
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
PokéStop Nearby: Yes
Price range.
$ Price range Under $10
8 reviews
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Krystal's is my absolute favorite Filipino restaurant on the east coast hands down! My boyfriend lives in Woodside, and every time I'm in town, without fail, we have to stop in!
There are so many things I love here, but just to name a few..
1) all day breakfast! Forget late night food spots! Krystal's is open late and you can eat longsilog served with got pandesal at 11pm if you really want! I lovvvvvve the bangus!
2) the bbq! Ugh. I've gone up and down Roosevelt Ave looking for good BBQ and I found my match here. It's inexpensive, tasty, and tender. Perfect with white rice and vinegar.
3) weekend lunch buffet. We usually go Sunday's, so I'm not sure if it's available Saturday's, but go with an empty stomach and don't plan on eating the rest of the day. For 16 bucks, you have a selection of the BEST Filipino food at your reach. I can't even list everything I've seen them serve, but they truly pull out all the stops..lechon kawali, bbq, Kare Kare, lumpia, pinakbet, fried chicken..you name it. The great thing is, they are constantly Changing it as well. You'll be there forever because they'll keep bringing out something new.
Service is always friendly and polite, which just tops it all off 🙂 I chose Krystal's any day over the more "bougie" Filipino restaurants for sure.
Actually never heard of this place until a friend had wanted to eat here. Parking was a little tough, but we managed to find a spot a couple of blocks away. The first floor is their bakery area with seating and the upstairs floor their restaurant part.
Service was good, no complaints really. Waiters were nice and came to your table whenever you needed and did the regular check ups.
Food was good too, but nothing out of this world. We started off with lumpia and calamari as an appetizer. Lumpia was like any other lumpia you get at a Filipino place. Tasteful. Their calamari was okay too. I honestly can't remember how it tasted really since I went to this place over two weeks ago, but it wasn't bad or amazing.
For entrees my group ordered the Lechon Kawali, Chicken Adobo, and the Longsilog off their breakfast menu. All these dishes were good and just like any other Filipino restaurant. Can't really go wrong. Their chicken adobo could've had a little more flavor to it I will admit.
Also if you like singing while eating, get your vocals ready. There was a group of kids that was singing and enjoying themselves over food and drinks. I'm not one to complain since they were having fun and enjoying their time at the restaurant. But man hearing bad vocals for about an hour and a half impacted of I enjoyed this restaurant.
If your craving authentic Filipino food in New York, this place will not disappoint.
FOOD
I recommend ordering their Kare-kare, sisig, and lumpia shanghai. Their Kare-kare is thicker than most places but packed with flavor. Do not forget to order a side of garlic rice.
During the weekends, they have unlimited buffet upstairs for a flat rate of $10 pp (soft drinks included). The day I came in the menu included unlimited beef stew, lumpia, chicken adobo, rice, mixed salad, and fried chicken. Don't forget to save room for dessert and order a halo halo.
AMBIANCE
This restaurant has two floors. First floor caters to walk ins and small groups. Second floor is usually reserved for big parties.
The second floor has a karaoke machine! I punched in a couple songs and sang my heart out 🙂 I would recommend you do the same.
TIPS
If Krystal's has a long wait, walk two stores down to Renees and dined there. Renees is also a great Filipino restaurant I highly recommend. I have a wrote a short review for them if your interested.
Aunthentic Filipino restaurant in woodside! Yup, its authentic but if you're talking about the taste. Its not impressive. I've been here a bunch of times and this is my last option filipino restaurant because this place open till late night. When I'm craving for some filipino food & everyone is close then okay I'm coming here.
I'm filipino & this types of food is my expertise so I know whats the good place to find my comfort food. The good thing about Krsystals is they have half order on selected food & pay half. They have pastries & cakes too.
Its 3 stars because its not the place that I want to recommend to my friends who wants to try filipino food. Its not bad but its not impressive.
You ever walk into a place and are immediately greeted with welcoming smiles and happy customer service eager to find out what your tastebuds are like and help you choose items from their menu that they think you will enjoy based on your conversation, if not, too bad for you that was my pleasant experience stopping into Krystal's Cafe for take out one Saturday afternoon, I really wasn't expecting that so noted, friendly customer service makes for repeat customers.
With all that noted front and center know that I'm familiar with Filipino food and so I knew exactly what I wanted to order from here since my son and his friends come here often and occassionaly some of the left overs makes it way to home.
What I ordered was very fresh, tasty and cooked perfectly and noted below for reference.
* Sizzling Pork Sisig – perfect everytime I've had it from here and is my #1 reorder every time I come here or my family stops by this place they know dont come home without an order of this.
* Pancit Bihon – sauteed rice noodles w/ shrimp, chicken and vegetables – only I asked that the Shrimp not be included – so just chicken and vegetables for me with the rice noodles.
* Pritong Tilapia – deep fried tilapia – You know I love my Fish and Krystals did this fish right.
* Sinigang Na Baboy pork in tamarind broth w/ vegetables – this soup was ok different sort of sour broth – not crazy about it wasnt bad but I will probably not reorder again.
Finally friends the Buko Pie – which equuates to cream Coconut goodness was authentic, full of soft rich cream with lighly sweet coconut chunks. Must try.
So I only gave Krysta'ls Cafe 4 stars because I haven't experienced a whole lot from their menu other than the above, thus far they're a solid 4 stars for the very friendly customer service and delicious food.
Krystal's is a hole-in-the-wall traditional Filipino cafe that happens be my favorite Filipino restaurant in all of NYC.
Krystal's doesn't have THE best food, although it is consistently very good Filipino food.
Krystal's doesn't have THE cutest ambiance and is in my opinion in dire need of a remodel.
Krystal's doesn't have THE best most efficient service. Duh, Filipinos work here. Chill.
Krystal's doesn't have THE cheapest prices, although it is competitive to other Filipino restaurants in town.
But, what Krystal's nails down is that it is PILIPINO through and through, from the service which may or may not care less what you think, to the spot on traditional food which definitely can't care less about the healthiness of your arteries, to the nosiness of the patrons who will stare because they can't help themselves, and maybe they're your dad's sister's husband's neighbor from back in the day and they know you even though you don't. Or they're curious, or they don't know you and think they know you. or, or, or. it's culture babe.
Word of advice, if someone thinks you're related, just nod and smile and order as you would and go about your business. It's how you cope. And lechon kawali.
A lot better than I expected. First time at a Filipino buffet! I personally prefer home cooking. Food was pretty good, and the buffet presentation was very clean and well kept. They replenished the dishes as needed. It was filling but not too heavy.
Careful climbing the stairs at the back for buffet style, narrow steps. Downstairs you can still dine in but order ala cart items and take home baked goods like hot pandesal (bread rolls)
The buffet consisted of steam rice, lumpia, fried chicken, fried tilapia, lechon kawali (fried pork bites with meat/fat), jackfruit in coconut milk, pancit noodles, pork sinigang (sour tamarind based soup), pork with tofu, soda, and a few desserts, unlimited for $9.50!
Lumpia Shanghai was delicious and sliced almost bite sized.
2 kinds of pancit, bihon the first round, next batch was sotanghon (clear glass noodles)
*missing something in flavor
Fried chicken was good. Who doesn't like lechon kawali? Jackfruit was ok, didn't expect that, thought it was chicken! The rice had some hard overcooked bits but was alright. I love fried tofu and it was cubed in the sauce.
Dessert section was lacking. I liked the maja blanca, looked and almost tasted like haupia. The brownies were hard. Carrot cake. Is that a NY thing?
Service was polite and accommodating in pushing tables together to fit the party. Bottled water is available for purchase.
Major points for 2+ TVs showing the Filipino Channel upstairs while dining, got to watch Doble Kara. Glad my aunts recommended this place for lunch.
So the story goes-
I have an aunt who has been a long-time customer of the Greek restaurant that was in its place years before Krystal Cafe opened. She and her husband used to frequent the restaurant and fell in love with their Napoleon cake.
The Greek restaurant, sadly, closed down.
And she could not get her hands on the mille feuille cake since the early 90's.
One day, she went to a friend's birthday party and they served the exact same Napoleon cake!
I don't know how true it is, but because there was an overwhelming number of people coming to Krystal's Cafe looking for the Napoleon cake, the former Greek Restaurant owners sold the recipe to the new Krystal's Cafe owner.
I did not have any of the other food, so cannot attest one way or another about their food.
The Napoleon cake comes in either 8 or 9 inches. The 9 inch Napoelon can feed 15-20 people, and is only $24.
It's a corner spot on Roosevelt Avenue, right off the Fisk Avenue 7 train stop.
It's a casual spot that I may drop by again to try the Filipino dishes. Just maybe.